A man lacking in sense pledges And becomes guarantor in the presence of his neighbor. Proverbs 17:18
One of the most unwise decisions that you can make is to guarantee the loans or the actions of someone else. We see in this proverb that the foolish man who lacks any sense will shake hands (that is what pledges means here) and will become a guarantor for another. The idea here is not, as some state, that we should refuse to make promises or shake hands at the close of a deal. The idea here is the kind of deal that is being made - and the foolishness of thinking that we can control another man's actions. Recently our nation has had a dose of what this brings. Our congressional leaders wanted the votes provided by expanding home ownership to more people. They did this by strong-arming bankers to begin giving loans to people who by all financial indications could not pay them back in the future. The banks, knowing that the government could make their lives miserable, did just that. Things looked great for a season as money was loaned and building projects went through the ceiling. But there was going to be a price to pay later that was completely ignored. That price came due when those who could not handle the amount of money that was loaned began defaulting on their loans. That is the danger of becoming a "guarantor" in business dealings. This was even more dangerous since the guarantor was not allowed to do "due diligence" any longer by congressmen who arguably had never had to run a business. The end was that an avalanche of loans defaulted - and guess who was left holding the bill? Well, if you don't know, it was you and I - or at least our tax bill when our elected leaders eventually hand it to us. All this could have been avoided if we would only follow the wisdom of Scripture. Of course that ship has already been sunken by our leaders who say that such talk is a breach of separation of church and state. The problem is that first, such a separation is not in our constitution - and second, God's principles are only ignored by those who will find them true to their great detriment when . . . when the bill comes due.
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A friend loves at all times, And a brother is born for adversity. Proverbs 17:17
One of the greatest blessings that you can have in life is to have both family and friends that are there for you. This proverb reminds us of those things. A good friend is a friend who loves you at all times. The reason this may be said is because we all are aware of the dreaded "fair weather" friend. This is the friend who is your friend when all is going well. These kind of friends are a dime a dozen - and even cheaper if you have something they want at the time. But how they scatter when things go wrong - or you need them for something in a difficult time of your life. The true friend loves "at all times." Just a note for us though on this matter of good friends. As my mother always told me, "If you want to have a good friend, be a good friend." Before we get too out-rospective bout our friends - we might want to be a little introspective on what kind of friend we've been lately. The second half of this proverb reminds us though that a brother is born for adversity. Family is often there when everyone else leaves. When a troublesome situation arises - one in which all your friends can't be there - your family can - or at least should be. As a pastor I've watched this again and again. An illness or injury comes and families rise to their best in taking care of the one who has had the difficulties. A wife or child sits by a bedside through thick and thin - loving and caring for someone who is in the process of dying. To have such a family is a blessing beyond imagination. One of the things that I fear with a society that is gradually tossing the elderly, is that we will consider our older parents something disposable - something that just costs to much to care for - so "death with respect" is pandered as the answer. So much character and family healing has happened in these times that we will find ourselves infinitely poorer if we think that it is better to assist in our parents deaths - rather than lovingly care for them. If you have family and friends who love and stand with you at all times - you are truly blessed. If you were not blessed with such friends and family - be such a friend and family member. You may not get all the benefits - but you may start a different trend among those you love. A trend that could bless among them for generations! Why is there a price in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom, When he has no sense? Proverbs 17:16
Often fools pay a great deal of money to attain wisdom. They go to prestigious schools and seek to earn degrees that supposedly garner them respect in the eyes of others in the world. They will pay ridiculous amounts of money to travel near and far to talk to those who will help them know the meaning of life and the wisdom of the sages down through the years. But this proverb reveals the real problem in its second part. Though the fool were to spend a billion forturnes to attain and buy wisdom, it is not available to him. He will not grasp wisdom because he has no sense. The word used for sense here is the Hebrew word, "leb" which means heart. This is not speaking of his physical heart - even though it is the word used of the physical heart at times. The Hebrews believed that the heart referred to the inner man, the functioning of the mind and will - it is in effect the spirit or very center of the man. When a man did not have heart, as is referred to here, he was seen as being a man who was dead on the inside. He had no spiritual life - and no real heart for God or the things of God. Here is why the man first is a fool - and second, couldn't get wisdom if he had all the money in the world. He is dead spiritually - and he is unresponsive to God because of it. Since the beginning of wisdom is the fear of God - this man has a broken part that unless it is repaired (or in the spiritual sense - reborn) - he will never know wisdom. Only the man who is alive spiritually will truly know wisdom. There are many who can gather wise facts and wise sayings until they sound and even seem wise - yet, there is one glaring problem. They do not know God, and if you do not know God and honor Him, you remain a fool no matter how much information you can spout off or how many wise sayings you can repeat. No heart? No acknowledgement of God? No hunger for Him and for His Word? Then you will have no wisdom. And this is true no matter how much money you can lay out wanting it. He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous, Both of them alike are an abomination to the LORD. Proverbs 17:15
God is a God of justice - and with Him matters of justice take the forefront. That is why God refers to someone who completely skews the matters of justice and righteousness as a person who is an abomination to Him. Today's proverb tells us that a person who justifies the wicked and condemns the righteous are an abomination to the Lord. This should be something that causes those in the legal industry to fear God and tremble concerning their decisions of right and wrong within the justice system. Which brings me to a few comments about biblical justice. Several times in the Scriptures the history recorded for us involved the selection of judges. Each time this took place, God made several things very clear. First, He declared that matters of justice always involved His Word, which is the ultimate law-book when it comes to what justice is - and what it is not. This is something we should all heed. Our legal systems are to be nothing more than legal systems which do their best to mete out justice in the sight of God. We are not left to ourselves in determining what is legal and what is not. There is plenty in God's Word to describe any lawless person or delinquent. It is not necessary to consult with the legal opinions of men (even though we may be required to do so by their laws) if God has commented on the issue. He is the ultimate dispenser of justice (and will be at the end of the age). Therefore, if God has commented on the matter - His judgment is supreme. Second, that decisions of justice are to be free from favoritism. This refers to favoritism on the basis of someone being a family member of friend, but it also refers to more sinister favoritism such as a situation where a bribe has been offered to twist justice. God forbids the acceptance of a bribe to pervert justice - and warns that He will require it of the judge if it is done. This is why our proverb says that justifying the wicked and condemning the righteous are an abomination in His sight. Third, is a reminder that all human judges are to be those who dispense God's justice, not their own. They are never to be a law unto themselves - or take matters of justice into their own hands. For those who experience perverted justice, God warns not to take vengeance into their own hands. The promise of God is that He will take vengeance on those who disregard His laws and ways. There is a Psalm that should terrify judges as they ascend to the bench. I wish it was written on their desks for them to see daily. "Now therefore, O kings, show discernment; Take warning, O judges of the earth. Worship the LORD with reverence And rejoice with trembling. Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way, For His wrath may soon be kindled. How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!" (Psalm 2:10-12, NASB) This Psalm reminds every one of us that even the judges and kings of earth are to worship and bow in reverence to God's King, Jesus Christ. All that they do - every judgment that they make - is made in His sight and under His ultimate jurisdiction. Therefore every decision that they make should be made under His lordship - and for His justice to be established on the earth. The wise man knows that justice has already been decreed - and that all he need do is follow the direction and leadership of the Scriptures on all matters concerning what is just and right. But before we leave this particular Proverb - we should mention one situation in which some consider that God Himself stepped over the line. Some think that God condemned the righteous and justified the wicked when Jesus died on the cross - and when sinful men were granted salvation. But contrary to that thought - God did everything according to His perfect righteousness and justice. Jesus did not die for His own sin - but when He chose to become sin God's justice had to be fulfilled - even on Jesus. When by faith we are credited with Christ's righteousness at salvation, God responds with His perfect justice in welcoming us and granting us His blessing and favor. He is both just and the justifier of the one who believes in Jesus. Rather than being an unjust situation - the cross is actually the ultimate moment of justice in the universe. For when Christ became sin - God had to respond with wrath and punishment upon His only Son - or else He would have been unjust. It is not only wisdom for us to grasp God's perfect justice and righteousness - it is glory itself! Knowing this, though, should make us tremble at His justice and be all the more committed to calling wicked what He calls wicked, and calling righteous what He calls righteous. Any other choice is an abomination to Him. The beginning of strife is like letting out water, So abandon the quarrel before it breaks out. Proverbs 17:14
Ever watch one of the movies where a small break in a dam takes place. You watch as the water is let out only in a trickle. The problem is that the pressure behind that trickle of water is tremendous. Soon the little place where the water is leaking cracks further under that pressure and becomes larger. More water is let out resulting in more pressure on that place. At some point there is a breaking point where the entire dam begins falling apart and the water begins careening out of the dam. Up until the point where the dam begins falling apart - there is an opportunity to stop the disaster. What is amazing is that when the earliest "letting out" of the water starts, the only real way of dealing with the problem is to release the water at the base of the dam and lessen the pressure on the breach in the dam. If this is not done - and the original crack is not repaired - the dam will eventually break and cause tremendous devastation. Now back to our Proverb today. The beginning of strife is like the crack in the dam. This is not good because if left undealt with, it will make for a very serious 'breakout' of quarrelling. A fight is coming the longer that we do not deal with the very onset of strife in our hearts and minds. To leave it there is to embrace the coming quarrel and the problems it will engender. The counsel God gives is to abandon the quarrel before it breaks out. That means that we should die to ourselves and to our desire to make our point. We should resist throwing a little guilt in someone's direction - or a little barb to get back a little for a slight we feel. We should abandon the wrong pursuit of this difficulty and instead, should allow the comment, the slight, the supposed or real insult, or just the grouchiness we feel to die as God takes it from us. Just one last thought though. If you have an entire dam of feelings and pent-up anger that is pressuring you to argue or quarrel, it would be wise to get with God to see what is at the root of your problem with this person. The reason I say this is that there are times when we truly do have issues that will require us to examine our hearts - examine our relationships with others - and draw down the water (i.e. the anger and resentment) that fills the dam so that the pressure to react and "let out" a dispute is lowered significantly. But in the meantime - just die to yourself and what you want to say. It is better to do that than to have the quarrel break out and with it have damage that is far worse to the relationship result. He who returns evil for good, Evil will not depart from his house. Proverbs 17:13
What kind of person would receive good from someone - and decide to repay them with evil in return? That is the question that comes to mind when reading today's proverb. That question is not answered in this statement. What is told to us is what such a wicked man should expect to receive from the hand of God. The Lord does not look kindly on one who receives good and returns evil for it. We are told that for such a one, evil will not depart from his house. A good example of this principle at work is the house of David. David received good from the hand of Uriah the Hittite. Uriah had ignoble beginnings, being a Hittite. These people were not looked upon favorably by the Lord. In spite of this Uriah decided to draw near to God. At the time Uriah came to David, he was in distress because of the persecution and suspicion of King Saul. Nevertheless, Uriah joined up with David and became one of David's mighty men. He fought courageously with David and stuck with him through thick and thin. For Uriah, there was far more thin than thick. He stayed true though - even to the point of returning home from active duty due to the command of the king. When Uriah came home David invited him to a wonderful feast - during which time they drank and enjoyed enough wine for Uriah to become drunk. David then sent him down to his house and to his wife. But Uriah was a very faithful man and chose not to have sex with his wife - knowing that his men were enjoying no such respite from war while he was away. Mysteriously to Uriah, he was asked to come the next night for the same kind of sumptuous meal - and as he drank to please the king - he once again was seeminly led to get drunk. Once again he was sent to his home by his king - but chose a second night to live as his men lived, sleeping outside his home - and apart from his wife. Little did Uriah know that this choice would cost him and several of his men their lives. David was guilty of committing adultery with Bathsheba, Uriah's wife. He was also guilty of getting her pregnant. His invitation to Uriah was not one given honestly - but was a cover for getting Uriah to sleep with his wife as a cover for David's immorality. When this ploy did not work - David then had Uriah placed at the front lines of the battle - to be withdrawn from and killed. Uriah fell in battle - along with several of his men faithfully fighting by his side. Having been faithful to David and God - they did so to their deaths. The only thing unknown to them was that their deaths were not the result of the enemy - but rather a death sentence handed down from an ungrateful and immoral king. Some might cry foul here - and wonder how God could continue to bless David. Know this - He did not - until David came in broken-hearted repentance to God. David paid dearly for repaying good with evil. I find it interesting that his son wrote these words. Solomon knew that the upheaval in his home and among his brothers was due to the sin of his father. I do not believe Solomon wrote this out of anger - just out of fact. David's household paid dearly for David's treachery. His two oldest sons died violent deaths as a result. One of his grandchildren was raped - and 10 of his concubines were raped in broad daylight in front of the entire nation. His kingdom was taken from him by his own son - who later died for his own treachery. David knew very well that when you repay evil for good that you never have evil depart from your house. Most likely he was the one who taught Solomon this truth from the Lord - and he most likely also warned his son of the horrific price that he had to pay for committing that very sin against God. When someone does us good - we need to be sure that we return them good for what they've done. One of the best ways to be certain to follow this path is to be very grateful for whatever good comes your way. Thank God for what He has given you and thank others for what they do for you as well. Be certain to think highly of those who bless you - and do all that you can to repay everyone who does good to you in kind. This is a proverb that has been fulfilled for us right before our eyes in Scripture. Therefore we need to heed that warning - and always be sure to return good for good. The cost for ignoring this - and doing the opposite is hefty. You do not want to pay it! The Merciless Messenger Sent to the Rebellious - and His Terrifying Message - Proverbs 17:1110/17/2010 A rebellious man seeks only evil, So a cruel messenger will be sent against him. Proverbs 17:11
When a man is in rebellion against God he is seeking only evil in his life. What a fascinating statement this is - and yet, because it is Scripture, we know that it is true. So let's learn some lessons from the rebellious man so that we will not find ourselves visited in the same way that he is visited in this proverb. The rebellious man is the one who is obstinant - stubborn - and rebellious. But there is one very important thing about his rebellion. It is against God and His laws and ways. The term was used often to describe the way that Israel was determined to go their own way - stubbornly refusing to obey the precepts and laws that God gave them in His Word. It is used also of Saul's reusal to carry out the Lord's command concerning the Amalekites. This man wants nothing to do with what God desires and calls for from us. Thus he sets himself in a direction that only agrees with what he wants. We read here that this man, while in this sad spiritual condition, seeks only evil. Until he comes to the place where he will submit himself to God and to what God says in His Word - it matters not what he does - because it is evil. Turn from God and you turn from anything that is truly good. Turn from God and you will ultimately turn away from anything useful - at least in eternal matters. And since everything in this life and this existance will be destroyed with fire in the end, anything not laid up in eternity will be first consumed by moth and rust - but in the end it will be destroyed by fire. A promise is given to the rebellious man - one that is pretty frightening. God says that because of his rebellion, this man will receive a messenger from the Lord. We read that a "cruel messenger" will be sent against him. The word for cruel here is "akazarty" and it means someone whose cruelty is contrasted with a person who is merciful and righteous. What God is saying here is that a messenger who knows no mercy is going to come against the rebellious man. There is coming a day for the rebellious man - a terrifying day. God refers to such days in the prophets of the Old Testament. He calls such a day, "the cruel day of the Lord. Isaiah 13:9 tells us of such a day when God says, "Behold, the day of the LORD is coming, Cruel, with fury and burning anger, To make the land a desolation; And He will exterminate its sinners from it." In order to grasp what is said here - and what kind of things will come with this cruel day I want to take a few moments and exegete this verse for us. The "cruel" day of the Lord is described for us in five ways here. Each will help us understand better the cruel messenger that is going to be send against the rebellious man. 1. Cruel - this day is going to be one that is "cruel" The Hebrew here - akazary - means lacking mercy or kindness. This is the day - the day Jehovah removes mercy from the scene - in other words, man is going to receive what He deserves. He has deserved such cruelty - but God has withheld it - even pouring it out upon His Son for forgiveness to be given - but now - only cruelty is left. This word was used to describe the utter savagry of the cruel warriors of Babylong - now - that savagery is returning upon their head! 2. Fury - Hebrew is "ebrah" meaning an overflowing fury, wrath, and anger. God is overflowing with wrath. He has withheld it for the most part - but now, no longer. It is released - and like a dam breaking - it comes with power - crushing all that is before it. 3. Burning Anger - The word here means a fierce anger that is like an uncontrolled fire burning and consuming all that is before it. God is no longer holding back this fury and wrath - now it burns in all its measure upon the wicked. 4. Desolation - The land is now a desolation - a waste - a horror to behold. Those who would look upon it would do so with a sense of being appalled! 5. A Day of Extermination of Sinners - The end of this is to "exterminate" the sinners from it. The word means to destory, eraditcate, exterminate - to totally or utterly destroy or wipe out. That is what is awaiting those who grieve and anger the Lord of the universe! When we read these words, the wise among us tremble in fear of God. We also do all that we can to abandon any way that God would describe as rebellious. We want nothing to do with the rebellious man - or his ways. He is truly a stupid man for living in this way. Some might accurately go as far to say that he is close to insane for living in rebellion against God. Others (actually the rebellious themselves) will laugh all this off - rejecting God's warning and His holiness and justice. It is sad to say that the cruel messenger that will come to them to awaken them out of their spiritual lethargy and rebellion will be death. In that moment they will move from rebellion to terror. But in that day it will be too late. God will have already sent His final message to them - and what a cruel, absolute message it will be. No mercy will be available in that day. Just the opposite will be true. Having rejected God's mercy all their lives, these rebellious fools will have only the fiercest of the wrath of God as the reward for a life that sought only evil during the few brief years given to them. May God give us grace that we will reject such a stupid and foolish choice. May we look at rebellion and rebellious ways toward God as we would look at a vile of beubonic plague - as that which will bring certain death and destruction. A rebuke goes deeper into one who has understanding Than a hundred blows into a fool. Proverbs 17:10
God gave me a wonderful man who has a heart after Him to be my mentor. His name is John Dale Rector. John Dale spent 3 years of his life teaching and training me in the things of the Lord. He taught by precept and by example. He also had his hands full as I was a proverbial bull in a china shop with my zeal that lacked wisdom. Thus John Dale had to spend more than his fair share of time rebuking me for my excesses. Thus he taught me a very important verse of Scripture and had me memorize it early in my walk with the Lord. The verse says, "Let a righteous man strike me, it is a kindness." That particular verse has a lot to do with what today's proverb has to teach us. I am an advocate for both verbal and corporal punishment. There is a time for rendering blows to fools. One of those times in during childhood where the responsibility of the parent is to train up a child in the way he should go. It is a time where through loving discipline (which includes spanking) a parent seeks to teach a child what he should and should not do. The parent is not trying to dominate the child or to crush his spirit. The parent IS seeking to help a child grasp what is acceptable and unacceptable to God and to society. But the end of that corporal punishment is to train a child to be a young man or woman who knows two things. First he or she knows how to accept rebuke from the Spirit of God. This happens as he or she is walking through life and about to make un ungodly or unwise decision. The Spirit of God then rises up within to remind of Scripture, to offer correction and guidance with the Word. Some times the Spirit just activates our conscience and we are smitten with a bad sense or feeling - or we just know that what we are about to do, or have done, is wrong. What we desire to do with our children (and in training disciples in the church) is to have them be responsive to that rebuke - to that warning from within. The second way that a parent and discipler wants to train up their charge is to have them be responsive to people who come to them with a word of rebuke. It would be wonderful if everyone who offered such rebuke were being constructive with it - but we all know that is a perfect world and not the real one. The truth is that even non-constructive criticism can be beneficial to us. Therefore we want to be open to all rebuke. The wise thing is to receive the rebuke and be thankful for it. Then take it to the Lord and ask Him to confirm what is in agreement with what He is doing through the Word of God. Then take what God affirms and use it to grow into all the fullness of Jesus Christ in our character and actions. This is how to allow rebuke to go deep within us - rather than just bounce off of us as we reject it outright. The Scripture tells us that in order for this to happen, we have to be one who has "understanding." This is the ability to discern and perceive truth from error - right from wrong - God from the flesh and the world - the work of the Holy Spirit from the work of the devil. We discern an pay attention to what God saying to us. Because of this we truly understand the will of God - and grow wiser because we have learned to see things from His perspective. The proverb tells us that this ability to receive rebuke and understanding from goes deeper into us than a hundred blows into a fool. An interesting thing is that God instructed not to give corporal punishment beyond 39 blows at any time. There is the penalty of imprisonment and even the death penalty that is applied by the state to crimes against society. But God knows that a hundred blows as opposed to 39 would not bring wisdom and understanding into a fool. There is a point where no amount of corporal punishment is effective. The fool rejects all of it - verbal rebuke as well as any kind of physical punishment. Thus we know that all that is left to us is intercessory prayer that God will ultimately break the fool and open his heart to begin to understand. When I read this proverb, I am thankful to those whom God uses to offer rebuke into my life. Let me be perfectly honest that often it is hard to receive the rebuke - and yes, it hurts. But those who wound us can be healers. Remember that when a surgeon does his work he has to injure us before he can take out the cancer that will kill us. We consider the incision made by his knife a good thing - because it is ultimately working healing into our lives. Remember that the next time you receive some verbal surgery through a brother or sister in Christ who loves you. Those words will bring blessing into your life if you receive them and allow God to work through them. If it is hard to remember that - just remember this instead. I'd rather have some verbal surgery - than a hundred blows on my back! POSTSCRIPT: Recently, individuals have quoted articles from this section and stated that we teach child abuse at Calvary Chapel Jonesboro. To this I feel the need to respond. First, biblically, we are told that if we have a problem with our brother to go to our brother - not the internet - and confront our brother. To date, these individuals have yet to contact me to discuss these things. That should say volumes in itself. Second, we do not teach child abuse at our fellowship. This blog is an endeavor to teach what is in the Bible for the edification and upbuilding of God's people. Anyone who has been to our fellowship knows that in our classrooms we administer NO physical discipline. We correct with words and with "time outs" and eventually with a report to parents. From our nursery throughout every age group our people are instructed NEVER to administer physical discipline. We believe this right alone belongs to a parent. Even then we teach the following about any application of physical discipline. Discipline is about the heart of a child. Physical or corporal punishment is ONLY to be administered in a spirit of love for the child. Teaching and loving verbal correction is key - as is prayer for the child's eventual salvation in Jesus Christ. Any physical punishment administered due to anger or rage is out of line and wrong. The parent is to discipline the child with appropriate discipline - not abuse. In the end the child should be taught - and in every circumstance hugged, loved, and prayed with after any physical punishment to assure them of our love. The idea of a "beating" is completely out of step with what the Scriptures are teaching. Instead the idea of loving discipline is intended. A bribe is a charm in the sight of its owner; Wherever he turns, he prospers.
Proverbs 17:8 Bribes are interesting things in the world around us. I remember going on a trip to Mexico and experiencing the power of a bribe. I watched as our group was slowed to a halt at the border. It was very apparent that we were going to be held up for a long amount of time unless a bribe was paid. Fortunately for us (because the border guards were talking hours before they would let us through - if even allowing us at all) the people who took us knew of these shady dealings and had money actually budgeted for bribes if they were necessary. Once the money was paid, the wheels were greased and we were taken through customs (where we knew we had every passport and visa in order) and were on our way to minister to those for whom we had come to minister. A bribe is like a charm in the sight of its owner. That charm often takes a situation where you are stalled or opposed and turns it around. Suddenly you are moved from a stalled status - to a faorable one. You are afforded favor where once there was no favor. Now realize that Solomon is not saying that this is something wonderful - for elsewhere in the Scriptures we read where those who will receive bribes are those who pervert justice in doing so. But as with some of the Proverbs - this book was written to speak of the basic behavior of men - and the blessing of knowing this behaior in advance. There is something that needs to be said about bribes though. We read where Solomon speaks of how a bribe is a charm in the sight of its owner. The "briber" here is thinking that his bribe will get him whatever he wants. There are two instances where this will not be the case. In fact, in these two cases a bribe will be seen as offensive and degrading. The first place is with a just and righteous man. To him a bribe says two things. First it says that the men with whom he is dealing is not an honorable man. He is not willing to let his character and works stand on their own. He feels the need to help things along with money. The second case is at the throne of God. There is no payment that is enough to bribe God. He is holy and cannot be bribed or misled by some payment. Bribes can work like charms and prosper a man when used on the ungodly. But remember that just as the man thinks he can charm a cobra and make it do what he wants - so also that situation - that cobra can turn on him. If a man will receive a bribe from you - he will receive a larger one from someone else. It is better to allow your character to speak and be the reason you prosper. To do otherwise may gain you prosperity on earth - but will never bless you in the sight of God. Excellent speech is not fitting for a fool, Much less are lying lips to a prince.
Proverbs 17:7 Here is a proverb we all wish our elected officials would read each time we have an election. How interesting an election it would be to watch all our our candidates speak the truth. It would be viewed as a joke to speak of those seeking election as truthful men. One joke I've heard asks, "How do you know when a politician is lying?" The answer is, "When his lips are moving." That give us all that we need to know that this proverb would be such a blessing if it were heeded by those who seek elective office. We would not expect excellent speech out of a fool. The very character and nature of the fool lets us know that we should not be expecting the most wise of statements from him. When I listen to most comediens, I'm not expecting much more than foolishness. I don't listen to them expecting to hear stirring oratory - or amazing statements that I will never forget. The fact that this person is a fool pretty much means that expecting anything but foolish and ignorant talk will only lead to disappointment. The second half of this proverb though helps us to see what God wants in our leaders. Lying lips are not fitting for a prince. Those who lead us ARE to have character and integrity. Too often we've listened to the lies that godless politicians tell us when they say that we should not expect them to lead by example. We are told that they don't have to have character - they don't have to speak the truth. They don't need to be faithful to their wives. They don't need to have any integrity. Yet the facts of Scripture tell us that it is not fitting for princes to lie. It is not a good thing to have leaders who have no integrity. We should expect them to speak the truth. Think with me for a moment and realize that we have a serious problem in our government today. We have leaders who are expected to lie to us. We shouldn't put up with this - but should demand that we have people of character and integrity in Washington. Imagine with me what it would be like to have truth spoken in our capitol. Imagine laws based on something other than people trying to be elected again - laws based on what is best and what is ultimately needed and true. This is why we should remove liars from our government and replace them with men and women of integrity. We need to see restored once again the idea that it is NOT FITTING for our leaders - our princes to lie! |
Proverb a DayEach day, we'll take a look at a verse from the chapter of Proverbs for the day. Our hope is to gain wisdom each day - and from that wisdom - to have understanding to make godly decisions in the throes of everyday life. Thank you for visiting our website! Everything on this site is offered for free. If, however, you would like to make a donation to help pay for its continued presence on the internet, you can do that by clicking here. The only thing we ask is that you give first to the local church you attend. Thank you!
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