There is precious treasure and oil in the dwelling of the wise, But a foolish man swallows it up. Proverbs 21:20
The wise man takes what God has given him and uses it wisely. He spends some and uses it for himself, his family, and his friends. He also saves some and puts it away for future use as well as for lean times. Today let's take a look at the acts of the wise man who saves for his future and the foolish man who simply swallows everything God grants to him. We are told that precious treasure and oil are in the house of the wise man. Whether he received these things from the practices of industry and frugality - or whether he received them as an inheritance from godly, thoughtful parents - the wise man knows how to save. Precious treasure is an interesting word as it has two connotations. The first is from how the word is used to refer to things like gold, silver, and other commodities. He saves money, food, and other valuable things so that he will have access to them in the future. Why does he do this? Because a wise man knows that since the world in which we live is fallen and affected by sin - there will be times of shortage and leanness. Throughout all human history there have been both abundance and famine in our world. Joseph knew such things from God Himself when he interpreted the dreams of Pharaoh. He did not waste time in the purcuit of gluttony and over-indulgence. Joseph was a wise man and saved and stored much so that when the famine came he would be ready. His foresight and obedience to God saved all of Egypt, saved his own family, and made Egypt rich beyond their imaginations. There is a second way this word "treasure" is used. The word can also mean "temple treasures." These spoke of treasures that were given so as to build up and maintain the worship of God in the temple. In the dwelling of the wise there is provision stored up not only for physical welfare - but for the spiritual welfare of the home as well. There is little more foolish among mankind than to think this world is all that there is. They live ignorant of God and ignorant of their responsiblity to Him. The wise man stores up for both the physical and the spiritual. There is in his house a physical inheritance - but also a spiritual one as well. He lives godly and rears his children to love and honor God. He makes sure that the Word dwells richly within their hearts - desiring for them to walk with God and know Him intimately. Not only is there treasure within this house of the wise, there is also oil. When speaking of oil - this could speak of the olive oil that was used in almost every aspect of a Jewish family. They needed this for food preparation - for spiritual worship for annointing oil - and for medical reasons like softening wounds and helping them heal. There was also the idea of savings - because some oils were very expensive. Mary offered a container of very expensive oil as she annointed Jesus with it in preparation for His crucifixion and burial. This alabaster vial was worth a whole year's wages. When one of the prpohetic students of Elisha died, his widow was in debt and in danger of haring her chidlren sold into debt slavery. Elisha answered this by having her collect numerous vials which later were supernaturally filled with oil. This she sold, paid her debt, and even had plenty to kep her and her children alive and well. This kind of oil would signify that a family was preparint for their future - for the needs of their children and grandchildren. On a spiritual note - oil was a picture of the Holy Spirit - so one could even consider this the way that a family cherished the work of the Spirit in their lives and encouraged it in themselves and in their children. The foolish ones don't save any of these things - either physical or spiritual. Theirs is a consumer mentality. They swallow up whatever they receive with no thought of the future. They live by their lusts and desires - and therefore do not even consider anyone except themselves. The end of such a life is that they are broke, both physically and spiritually. The saddest example of this is the prodigal son. He took a large inheritance and wasted it on the party life. In the end he was broke. His so-called friends abandoned him and left him to fend for himself. This was only after he abandoned any kind of spiritual preparation for the future by rejecting his father and his father's God. He was left with nothing - except the grace his faher would give him in the end. If we are wise we will realize we live in a fallen world. This will necessitate preparation for our future - both physically and spiritually. We will face famines physically that will require that lay up wise stores for that day in order for us and for our families to survive. But there is also a need to prepare spiritually - for there will also be a day when we will face being ready for the judgment of God. Oh to be wise and understanding so that our preparations will have our homes and lives filled with treasures both temporal and eternal so that we will be well provided for when the day comes that we need them. May God, in His grace, work in and deliver us from a life lived for self and for the moment. May we be ready for anything - famine in life - and fatal spiritual thinking in eternity.
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It is better to live in a desert land Than with a contentious and vexing woman. Proverbs 21:19
Here we have a proverb about making a wise choice of our mate - or more specifically the wise choice of the right kind of wife. We see two words used to describe the wrong kind of woman, as well as one phrase used to describe what we will want to do if we choose one like this. The first word used to describe a woman to avoid is the word contentious. This is the Hebrew word "madon" and it means one who is filled with strife and contention. This is a person always ready for a quarrel or dispute. These things come from a heart that is not right with God and a temper that is not under control. The man who marries such a woman will find that this contention, quarrelling, and strife will fill his home. There will always seem to be a problem - and that problem will lead to arguments and strong contentions. The home itself will not be a refuge - but a fight club. The second word used here is the word vexing. This is the Hebrew word "kaas" which means vexation. This is a word we seldom use any longer - but it means to provoke someone to anger. The wrong kind of wife is one who herself is angry - and who seems to have as a goal provoking everyone else to anger as well. She is ready for a fight, which we get from the previous word - and she delights in being angry. What a difficult life this would lead to for the man who marries such a woman. God then warns us what will happen if we marry such a woman. We will not enjoy living in our home. In fact we would choose to live in the wilderness than stay there. The stated New Testament purpose for a godly woman is to create a good home in which her husband and children can live. But when a woman is angry, bitter, and itching for a fight, such a home will not be possible. Her husband and family will prefer living in an inhospitible wilderness than that house - because the wilderness would seem far more hospitable than being with that woman in that house. What a warning to us to choose our mates wisely. It is also a warning to go beyond how a woman looks to how well kept her heart is. Beauty will pass - and the vanity of looks will one day give way to the attractiveness of one's heart. In that day a man will know that it was a wise thing that he sought first a woman who feared God than a woman who was a physical beauty alone. Beauty is skin deep - but the ugliness of a wicked heart will torture for a lifetime. The wicked is a ransom for the righteous, And the treacherous is in the place of the upright. Proverbs 21:18
When reading this proverb one gets the idea that the wicked pay the price for the salvation of the righteous - but that is not what the Scriptures are saying here. What is being communicated is that often the wicked pays the price for how they treat the righteous. That cost is usually to have their own evil plans come down upon their own head. The best example of this is found in the book of Esther. Haman is the villian in the book of Esther. It is his evil mind that hatches the idea of getting revenge on Mordecai for his supposed irreverence by destroying not only him, but his entire race. Money is given to the king - a bargain is struck - letters are written - and soon the entire Jewish people are under a death sentence in the future. The rest of the book of Esther shows us God's sovereignty through the hand of His providence working again and again on behalf of His people Israel. In the end, the plot put in place by Haman comes down upon his own head - destroying not just him, but his entire family before the book ends. Throughout history attempt after attempt has been made to destroy the work of God by destroying the people of God. Again and again God has worked wonderfully to deliver His people individually and coporately. Daniel is thrown into a lion's den for his audacity to pray to anyone besides the earthly king - and yet is delivered by the hand of God. Who is destroyed in this plot? The very men who planned and put it into place where thrown into the lion's den and crushed and killed once Daniel was lifted out. Nebuchadnezzar casts the three friends of Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego into a firey furnace thinking to kill them in the process for not bowing down and worshipping his idol. Once his dastardly deed is done he is shocked to see the men walking around the fire with the pre-incarnate Christ unharmed - while the brave soldiers who threw them in are killed instantly in their task. Ahab sends 50 men to forcefully bring Elijah to himself - and yet fire falls from heaven and consumes two groups of them as they draw near. These historical accounts happen throughout the Scriptures revealing that the wicked and treacherous become the payment for their own wickedness while the righteous and upright are delivered. It is an unwise thing to try to annihilate the people of God. It is also an unwise thing to attempt to kill His spokesmen, the prophets. Those who try will learn an oft taught lesson that God will deliver His people - and bring the ways of the wicked upon their own heads and even at times on the heads of their children and followers. The truly wise man honors the upright and the righteous - knowing that their defender is strong - and also knowing that He can take any plot and any plan and turn it around so that the destroyer becomes the destroyed. He who loves pleasure will become a poor man; He who loves wine and oil will not become rich. Proverbs 21:17
Much can be discerned about a society and people by those it deems as their heros. Ours is a society in very serious decline - and that can be fairly easily discerned when one examines our heros. Those considered our heros today are people in the entertainment industry and sports stars. Singers and actors are paraded before us day after day even though they offer little of nothing to us outside of entertainment. Their broken lives are the source of the headlines of our tabliods. Each a little more lurid than the last one - we are watch them self-destruct with baited breath. When the next star arises (especially a child star) we can predict the sad trail that will be followed. We will find that if they are rich intially, their riches will vanish - or be consumed by the wreckage of failed marriages, arrests, and stints in drug rehabilitation facilities. The plot of such lives is as predictable as the plot of a soap opera - and usually as ungodly as well. Take for example Mike Tyson, of boxing fame. Tyson squandered a $350 million to $400 million dollar fortune. What did he do to lose all this money? He dropped half a million dollars on a 420-horsepower Bentley Continental SC with lamb’s wool rugs, a phone and a removable glass roof. He definitely loved expensive cars because he spent over $4.5 million dollars on cars alone. Throw in a $2 million dollar bathtub and $140,000 for two Bengal tigers and you can see why Tyson’s fortune went down the drain and he filed for bankruptcy in 2003. We are warned that the ones who love pleasure will become poor. Often for these people hard work, frugality, and restraint are not in their vocabulary. They are far more interested in parties, pleasure, and indugence of their lusts. They are living for the so-called "good time" that they can have here and now - with little or no thought of what lies beyond the end of the week. Their lives are spent on pleasure, the pursuit of things, and often on sexual immorality. Wine and oil are mentioned in this warning. Those who love these two things, it warns, will not become rich. Wine and oil were the usual things to be had at expensive banquets. This was not ordinary wine, but expensive wine. When I go to higher class restaurants that serve wine, I am shocked that some wines cost over 200 to 300 dollars per bottle. There are wines out there priced at over $1000 to $5000 each bottle. Someone wanting to impress their friends with an expensive banquet would purchase the very best wines to be served there. The oils could also be very extravagant in their price range. Mary was criticized for using an ointment to annoint Jesus that cost almost an entire year's worth of wages. For the rich, such ointments were given to their guests as a sign of their wealth. Their parties and banquets would be filled with the expensive smell of high priced oils. Doing this would cost a fortune - and would assure that the one doing it would not be wealthy for long. The prodigal son had great wealth when he left his father's house. But he soon squandered it with rich, loose living. His parties were probably the stuff of legend to those who attended. The only problem was that when the money ran out - and the parties became austere in their appearance - all his so-called friends left. The one who loves the pleasures of his flesh will not become rich. His riches and wealth will be swallowed whole by his wicked appetite. This is why we are counselled not to love such things. We are instead told that the wise man is the one who leaves an inheritance to his grandchildren. He is the one who invests so as to reap long-term benefits and rewards. Ultimately he knows that he will take nothing with him when he dies. Thus the wisest man invests in the kingdom of God and the advance of the gospel - sending true riches ahead of him to the one place where moth and rust do not destroy and where no thief can break in or steal. The wise man knows to invest in heavenly things that glorify God is the safest investment of all. Therefore he lives with God's glory as his goal in all things - financial, physical, and spiritual. This will be a rich man, now, as well as for all eternity. The king's heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord; He turns it wherever He wishes. Proverbs 21:1
Who controls world history? That is a question that makes some people squrim in their seats. The reason it does is because it seems easier to say that history is at times in Satan's hands - or at least it is in no one's hands than it does to say that God is sovereign over all history. If God is sovereign over all history - then the questions about evil and about suffering become far more complicated to us. God is sovereign over all human history - and at all times the hearts of all kings and rulers of this world are like channels of water in his hands. This proverb is true - He turns the hearts of these kings wherever He wishes. If then this is true, what are we to do with the Hitlers and others like him in this world - and in the course of history? What do we do with the Pharaoh's who oppressed and enslaved Israel for hundreds of years? What do we do with the kings who conquered Israel and Judah - and leveled the temple to the ground? If you have a God Who functions according to the health, wealth, and prosperity gospel, these things become very difficult to deal with in terms of the sovereignty of God. God is more than just a cosmic sugar daddy who has come to give us everything we want if we just claim it. He is a God Who is working toward His own purposes and plans. He is a God who is concerned with the manifestation of His grace - yet Who does it while maintaining justice and righteousness. These are deep issues that find their only final answer in the end when we gaze at God's beauty, glory, wisdom, and majesty for all eternity. Yet - there are whispers of His workings for us in Scripture while we live here on earth. The way God moves kings is always in accordance with His eternal purpose in Christ Jesus. It always has been and it always will be. There are times when God moves the hearts of kings to deliver His people - much like He did with Esther and Mordecai. These are glorious times when we see God protecting His covenant people and showing that He is the One with the last word. There are other times when the king acts - and even in the king's wrath God delivers - as with Daniel and his three friends, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. In situations like these God does not move the king's heart until after that king has seen God's power and might. But there are other cases like that of Nebuchadnezzar destroying and carrying away God's people. These are times when a king is used for the purpose of disciplining and correcting God's people. Kings are used for a myriad of purposes by God for His ultimate plan and purpose. Even the ultimate worldly king, the antichrist, will serve God's ultimate purposes of bringing judgment on the earth and saving His covenant people, Israel. Kings serve God's purposes and plans - even when they themselves do not know it. They serve God even though they may even deny His existance and rebel against Him. We must remember that even the New Testament tells us in Romans 13 that there is no authority except from God. Paul goes on to remind us that all authorities are established by God. Our problems come when we think that these authorities are here for our blessing alone - misonstruing Paul's admonition to Timothy which says, "First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity." (1 Timothy 2:1-2) Some mistakenly think this admonition is a carte blanche to us to always have kings and rulers who bless us. Yet Paul's own life was taken by an ungodly ruler when he died. Persecution came upon the church again and again in the early days of its existance. We are to pray for such things - and ask God to move the king's heart. But ultimately God's plans and purposes will prevail. Remember here we are told He moves the king's heart - wherever HE wants it to go. That will mean for both blessing and for discipline - for good and for bad - for times of peace and also times of conflict and yes, even persecution and great difficulty. The one constant for us is not that everything goes well all the time. This is a recipe for spiritual disaster and a severely stunted spiritual growth rate. Our one constant is that God is working all things after the counsel of His will - His good purposes - and His glory. This is a constant becasue we know that He is good and in Him is no darkness, no sin, no evil, and no wrong. Therefore regardless of our current situation - and in light of today's proverb - regardless of our current leader here on earth - God is still sovereign. He is in control and all things are working toward His ultimate end of summing all things up in Christ Jesus. He WILL work whatever we think is good, bad, or anywhere in between toward His ultimate purpose for us as well. That purpose is not for us to be rich or live in perfect health - and to never have problems. His ultimate purpose for us? It is that we are conformed to the image of His Son. It is that our character and lifestyle look more and more like that of Jesus every day we live! To that end He will move kings and rulers, despots and even maniacal dictators to work with Him so that we, and all other believers in all ages and all places, will be to the praise of the glory of His grace! A gift in secret subdues anger, And a bribe in the bosom, strong wrath.
Proverbs 21:14 Some of the proverbs are instructional while others are observational. In no way is the Bible endorsing giving bribes to subvert justice - but God, the One who has inspired the Scriptures, is also not blind to the observation that bribes do exist and they are used to turn away anger and wrath. In understanding this proverb we do need to focus on the fact that what is being said here deals with the issue of those who are angry and filled with wrath toward another. This is not a proverb dealing with wanting to pervert justice - it is about dealing with those who come to a court situation and who are very angry. It is written with truth that will help those who are wanting to lessen that anger before they get to court. So what is this proverb telling us - and what observation is it giving to us? When facing anger and wrath from someone - it is helpful in subduing it to offer a gift or a bribe. Bribes do exist - and unfortunately the rich use them to subvert justice. When a situation arises when someone is very angry and they are considering acting in the wrath of the moment - a bribe will help tone down the anger. Is this righteous? Most likely in the case of the bribe it is not. Is it effective in the world? Unfortunately it probably is. But there is another way of looking at the statement that a gift in secret subdues anger. Those who know of court proceedings know that many cases are "settled" out of court. What is often done is that lawyers offer a "settlement" to make a case or a person's anger go away. The injured person is willing to have a sum of money - a gift given in secret if you will - subdue their anger and move them to drop the suit in court. These settlements usually involve fairly large amounts of money. They are meant to pacify the anger of the one who is bringing the suit or threatening to do so. When this gift is given in secret - the case goes away. For those who know that they are in trouble and guilty, yet do not want a court or a jury deciding the award in the case, a settlement may save them millions of dollars. For the person injured or wronged, it saves them the difficulty of the court case itself - and the risk of getting nothing. In the end, though everyone may not be completely thrilled, it does subdue the anger and settle the dispute. Remember though, this is a proverb that is observatory. It is observing what happens in life - not dictating what should happen. In this regard it is good to know these things - and to know that God knows too. God knows that often these things will happen - but one thing to remember is that they will never happen at His bar of justice. When we stand before God, there is no amount of money or works that will speak for us subduing His wrath. The only thing that speaks in that day is the blood of Jesus Christ shed to pay for our sins in full. There will be no bribes or gifts passed under the table. God Himself has made the way of payment for sin - but know this - it is the ONLY payment accepted. A gift in secret subdues anger, And a bribe in the bosom, strong wrath.
Proverbs 21:14 Some of the proverbs are instructional while others are observational. In no way is the Bible endorsing giving bribes to subvert justice - but God, the One who has inspired the Scriptures, is also not blind to the observation that bribes do exist and they are used to turn away anger and wrath. In understanding this proverb we do need to focus on the fact that what is being said here deals with the issue of those who are angry and filled with wrath toward another. This is not a proverb dealing with wanting to pervert justice - it is about dealing with those who come to a court situation and who are very angry. It is written with truth that will help those who are wanting to lessen that anger before they get to court. So what is this proverb telling us - and what observation is it giving to us? When facing anger and wrath from someone - it is helpful in subduing it to offer a gift or a bribe. Bribes do exist - and unfortunately the rich use them to subvert justice. When a situation arises when someone is very angry and they are considering acting in the wrath of the moment - a bribe will help tone down the anger. Is this righteous? Most likely in the case of the bribe it is not. Is it effective in the world? Unfortunately it probably is. But there is another way of looking at the statement that a gift in secret subdues anger. Those who know of court proceedings know that many cases are "settled" out of court. What is often done is that lawyers offer a "settlement" to make a case or a person's anger go away. The injured person is willing to have a sum of money - a gift given in secret if you will - subdue their anger and move them to drop the suit in court. These settlements usually involve fairly large amounts of money. They are meant to pacify the anger of the one who is bringing the suit or threatening to do so. When this gift is given in secret - the case goes away. For those who know that they are in trouble and guilty, yet do not want a court or a jury deciding the award in the case, a settlement may save them millions of dollars. For the person injured or wronged, it saves them the difficulty of the court case itself - and the risk of getting nothing. In the end, though everyone may not be completely thrilled, it does subdue the anger and settle the dispute. Remember though, this is a proverb that is observatory. It is observing what happens in life - not dictating what should happen. In this regard it is good to know these things - and to know that God knows too. God knows that often these things will happen - but one thing to remember is that they will never happen at His bar of justice. When we stand before God, there is no amount of money or works that will speak for us subduing His wrath. The only thing that speaks in that day is the blood of Jesus Christ shed to pay for our sins in full. There will be no bribes or gifts passed under the table. God Himself has made the way of payment for sin - but know this - it is the ONLY payment accepted. When the scoffer is punished, the naive becomes wise; But when the wise is instructed, he receives knowledge. The righteous one considers the house of the wicked, Turning the wicked to ruin. Proverbs 21:11-12
Ecclesiastes 8:11 says, "Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed quickly, therefore the hearts of the sons of men among them are given fully to do evil." Punishment is not just for the one who does the evil deed. Society at large also receives instruction when punishment is handed out for crimes and evil deeds that are done. Today's proverb helps us understand this. The scoffer is the first person we see in this proverb. We see him being punished for something he has done. It is important to see that while others are instructed and given wisdom from this punishment, the scoffer is not one of them. A scoffer is incorrigible in his evil. He mocks God and does not care or concern himself with wisdom. He himself is the beginning and end of what little wisdom he desires. When this scoffer eventually breaks laws in his quest to poison society against God, he receives the punishment due for his crime. It is sad to see though that by the end of this proverb - and even the following verse - the scoffer learns nothing. He will continue in his scoffing behind bars - living to curse God and in so doing - have a curse upon his own life as he continues in his patterns of self-destruction. But there is help for others in seeing this fool's punishment. The naive or simpleton watches and learns wisdom. This is not the typical word for wisdom here, but is the Hebrew "sakal," which means to be prudent, show discernment, and to be instructed in a way to go. The naive watch the actions of the scoffer receive their due punishment and consider his end. As a result they learn not to walk in those ways - if only to avoid the punishment. The truly wise man though watches and receives real instruction - and as a result receives knowledge as well. Knowledge is "daath" which means a knowing that gives him practical wisdom and knowledge as to how to walk each day. The righteous is the last type of person who watches the punishment of the wicked. He looks and considers not just this one action that is receiving punishment, but he looks at the entire life of the scoffer. He considers his entire house (family, business, children, etc.). The Hebrew here is a little difficult to translate - and here is it rendered "turning the wicked to ruin." That gives the idea that the righteous man is out to destroy the wicked here. The Amplified Bible though, gives the best sense of the Hebrew here when it translates this passage, "The [uncompromisingly] righteous man considers well the house of the wicked—how the wicked are cast down to ruin." The righteous man can and should work to make sure that the laws of the land reflect the laws of God. In that way he does work to see the house of the wicked turned to ruin. That is what is ultimately best for a society. But what is being communicated here is that what the righteous man does is note that the entire household of the wicked comes to ruin because of his ungodly behavior and his attitude of scoffing at God. When we watch the demise of the wicked on television and in the news we need to receive instruction from it. Our hearts should not be drawn to such stories for the juicy gossip content. That is the attitude of the world, who learns very little from such things. We should watch and grieve the destruction from the standpoint of seeing that a lifestyle of arrogant scoffing and derision of God leads to destruction. We should also receive the instruction that God means for us to receive. Honoring and glorifying God is the wise man's lifestyle. As the house of the wicked crashes to the ground we should remember that Jesus Himself taught us that the foundation of a man's house - whether it is founded on obedience to God's Word or not - will be the deciding factor on whether it stands or falls. The soul of the wicked desires evil; His neighbor finds no favor in his eyes.
Proverbs 21:10 Have you ever considered the thoughts and desires of a very wicked man - who seems to truly consider nothing other than himself. I realize that theologically we all are wicked and we all are consumed by our own selfishness. Yet God in His mercy has blessed us with societal restraints and parental restraints - and even conscience-driven restraints that keep us from fully manifesting our wickedness. But there are those who whether by searing their conscience as with a hot iron - or by giving themselves to every wicked impulse of their hearts - have unlocked the depths of wickedness in their hearts like no one else. They may be the mass murderers or the wicked rulers of a nation - or just someone who seems to not have an ounce of mercy in their being. Whatever it is - it is truly terrifying to think what it is that brings someone to that level of having their wicked desires rule their thinking and their heart. The wicked man has a soul that desires evil. That means he desires it at the level of his mind in his thinking, at the level of his will in how he chooses to live his life, and in his emotions in that he truly delights in evil and in what is contrary to God's Word. It should be no shock to us then to see that his neighbor finds no favor whatsoever in his eyes. He has no proclivity to show grace and favor to anyone except himself. Ultimately his desire is for himself and what he wants. If it looks like he is showing favor - it is only because that is what will get him what he wants in the end. Wisdom realizes that we need to shun evil - and have nothing to do with it. The reason that this is so is because evil will never be neutral in our lives. If we give in to it, evil will seek to expand its influence in our hearts and minds - and ultimately will work its ways in our wills. You cannot choose to do evil and have evil be sequestered to only that area of your life. Evil will expand - evil will grow - and left undealt with - it will eventually dominate our lives. This proverb should be sufficient to remind us that this is true. That the wicked man's appetite for evil will end with there being no favor for anyone or anything except that which will support the expansion of evil in his doings. Steer clear of evil - reject it - hate it - that is the course of the wise. Do not love sleep, or you will become poor; Open your eyes, and you will be satisfied with food. Proverbs 20:13
There are several ways that the Bible refers to laziness. Some are very pointed like when God speaks of the sluggard or the lazy man. This one however speaks of someone who loves their sleep - too much. As a result of this love of sleeping - they wind up lazy, poor, and possibly hungry. Do not love sleep. That is the command that is given here. It is not a sin to sleep - God even promises in the psalms that He will give sleep to His beloved. There is a difference between enjoying a good night's sleep and just loving to sleep whenever we can. One is necessary while the other is a sure sign of laziness. You cannot love sleep and love God at the same time. Two different times the concept of oversleeping or loving sleep is used to rebuke the laziness of the sluggard. Proverbs 6:9 tells the sluggard to get up from his sleep. Proverbs 6:10 and 24:33 both say that a little sleep, slumber, and excess rest and poverty and problems will come in like a robber and an armed man. Loving to sleep is a dangerous thing to embrace. God desires for us to be good, motivated workers. When we do not embrace work - we will most likely embrace sleeping and laziness. The other warning here is that when we become lazy - we will also be in danger of becoming poor - even the point of not having food to eat. Poverty is often the reward for the lazy - as is hunger. That is why a welfare system that does not require work of some kind for the benefits received is a blight on the work ethic of any country. If there are benefits - they must be tied to some kind of work. When we do not do this we are promising a lifestyle to those who receive it that does not require them to work. They can love their sleep - and be paid for it. They can be idle - and still receive money and benefits. This will build an entire class of society that will begin to expect something for nothing. That will be devastating to that societies ability to produce things and profit from them. It will also be a tremendous drain on the character of the society as well. God's answer to this is the call us to wake up and work. He calls us to wake up and work hard. He wants us to labor with our hands - not just to provide for the needs of our families and ourselves - but Scripture also says that our hard work is to be so that we can also have something to share with the ones who are in need. But the Word also states that in the times when we have abundance - it is to help meet the needs of others - but it also says there will be other times when the abundance of others will be given to provide for our needs. God's point here is that hard work is not an option - but a necessity for a society. Without it we will become lazy and undisciplined. Without hard work we will lack character and will most likely get in trouble with the abundance of free time we have. Why be poor and hungry - both physically and spiritually? Wake up - and work hard for your food, for your health, and for your character. |
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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