Better is a little with righteousness Than great income with injustice. Proverbs 16:8
One of the things that personally grieves me as a pastor and as a believer is the focus of the health, wealth, and prosperity movement. Their focus is too often on how God wants us to be rich and wealthy - and too little on how God wants to make us holy and His above all things. This particular proverb let us know that a little with righteousness is something to be desired. It is better to have just a little if we have God's righteousness. This statement is not glorifying being poor. It is saying that if the choice is between having a little and God's ways - or having a lot and injustice and ungodliness - the choice for little is far better. The "little" mentioned here is just that - a small amount. But the righteousness speaks of doing righteous acts and deeds. It refers to the possibility that doing the right thing might even cost us. But if it does - it is better to embrace God's ways and doing right than to have the wealth and prosperity that might come if we set God's ways aside. To have great income, yet to have injustice, is a mistake of monumental proportions. There are too many who sell their souls to make a buck. There are even more who do this if a large amount of money is involved. But there is no amount of money on earth that merits selling your integrity and your godliness. Some would not even think of selling themselves if it is a little money - but would seriously consider it if the amount would make them rich. But think of this before you consider doing this. A prostitute is a prostitute whether she sells herself for a little or for a million dollars. The fact that she would sell her purity and be a prostitute is the key fact - all else is just a matter of setting the price. When we sell our integrity for any amount, we simply prove that we are not people of integrity and honor. After that fact has been established everything afterward is simply negotiating the price. Hold fast to the Lord - and to your integrity as a believer. There is nothing worth selling out that one wonderful thing. Realize that there is no asking price for who you truly are. To do so would be to infinitely cheapen something that cannot be regained once you give it up for something. Therefore - even if you have to be poor as a result - keep your integrity and a righteous direction in life. There is a wealth that consists of integrity and honor that no amount of moeny on earth will ever restore or merit.
0 Comments
Take away the dross from the silver, And there comes out a vessel for the smith; Take away the wicked before the king, And his throne will be established in righteousness. Proverbs 25:4-5
How important is it for a national leader to be surrounded by godly counsellors? According to what we read here in Proverbs 25, it is absolutely vital! When a king, chancellor, or president is surrounded by the wicked - there is a much greater chance that his rule or administration will be visited with problems. The picture that is given for us first is a silver vessel that is being made by a smelter or silver smith. If he is making something valuable and something that will last, he will take the time and the effort to remove the dross from the silver. This requires a crucible and a lot of heat. It requires watching over the silver to make sure that he scapes off all the dross that comes to the surface as it heats. Dross is the junk and impurities that are in the silver ore. As it heats up this rises to the top and can be scraped away. It is what will make the silver polluted, less valuable, and more liable to be brittle and break. If he takes the time to properly take the dross out of the silver - he will have something he can properly mold - and something that will both last and be very valuable. The dross in any governmental structure is the wicked who are trying to influence and counsel the king. We read next that if the wicked are taken from before the king - his throne will be established in righteousness. The wicked are constantly trying to gain the king's ear - so this is often a matter of wisdom in the king himself - and how he views his power. If he sees power as something he himself has - and something he uses to do what he wants - he will be far less likely to take away the wicked from before him. The reason this is the case is that men will use flattery and his own ego against him. Consider the story of Daniel and the lion's den. The king's greatest ally and wise advisor was Daniel. But because the king was liable to be led astray by his own ego, he listened to men who wanted to declare a day where no one could pray to anyone except him. When he made the fateful choice to enact this law - he learned that any real honor to him was the farthest thing from the minds of his advisors. They lay in wait for Daniel to pray - knowing he would. Then they brought the king's most trusted advisor before him - demanding that he pay the price for his evil prayers to God. Even though the king hated the action - he did so - and were it not for God's intervention, Daniel would have been torn to pieces. This is why it is so important for a king to know WHERE he got his power - and HOW he is to use it. Kings and presidents get their power from God. Ultimately He has allowed them to come into a position of power - and the king and president would be wise to use that power to advance God's agenda in that nation. We read that "righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people. Therefore it is a wise king who removes wicked advisors from his presence and seeks to advance his kingdom on godly, righteous principles. Consider the advice of Ahithophel, who counselled Absalom when he robbed David of the kingdom of Israel. He told Absalom to rape the king's concubines in public view - to strengthen his kingdom. This was foolishness - because he was not strengthening anything but wickedness. God was not going to advance such a man - and it is no surprise that he was killed soon afterward in battle. There is one misnomer I need to correct in commenting on this particular passage. The Bible does not say that this course will keep a king from trouble. Sometimes it puts a king in the crosshairs of the ungodly when he does this. But what is does do for a godly leader is place him in the safest of all places - the center of God's will. If a kingdom has previously been run by godless men and has been filled with godless leaders, there will be much opposition to this kind of rule. In the end, though, that king will be blessed, because historically, God rises up and brings wonderful deliverances to such a leader. Something built with dross can look good upon first glance. It may even be useful for a time. But in the end - in a time of stress and testing - it will fail because it does not have inner strength upon which to draw in difficult times. It is far better to withstand the heat of becoming pure - because the heat (which is usually pretty unpleasant at the time) will in the end ensure greater strength and stability in the end. Therefore - pray for our president and for all our leaders. Do not be cowered into a corner by the separation of church and state crowd. Not only are they wrong constitutionally in their assertions, but more importantly - they are only seeking to lay a foundation that will NOT stand. Our forefathers understood much better that a nation built upon righteousness will stand. Any other foundation is only paving the way for failure in the end. To show partiality to the wicked is not good, Nor to thrust aside the righteous in judgment. Proverbs 18:5
God is very serious about how judges act when they face the administration of justice in a society. Think about this for a moment or two and you will see why this is so vital to a healthy government. If there is partiality in court decisions in a nation - the people will lose faith in their government's ability to be fair and impartial in protecting the property, rights, and justice of that state. When this happens, a cynical attitude toward government is not far behind. As that cynicism grows it will give rise to unrest in the hearts of the people and an basic mistrust of the system. This, in turn, will lead to more and more people taking issues of justice into their own hands - which leads to greater and greater instability in the general populace. As you can see here - having godly judges who are color-blind and well as financial blindness in applying the law are very important. A respect for the law is what should be first in the mind of a judge. To show partiality to the wicked means that we are not applying the law to restraint wickedness. As usual we wind up with problems in our post-modern world because it wants to view all people, all actions, and all views as equal. But God's Word speaks of actions as being righteous and godly - and He speaks of other actions as ungodly and wicked. The judge needs to know the difference and be willing to enforce and uphold that difference. When he does not he will show a partiality to people who are wicked. Some do this for money - while others reject God's revelation of Himself and what He absolutely calls good and bad. It is not a stretch for me to say here that when we appoint judges who are ungodly - we are doing a great disservice to our country. It used to be that the Bible was widely quoted in case law in our courts. Today, there are those who think this is a violation of the separation of church and state. First of all - there is no separation of church and state in the Constitution - just the prohibition of having a state instituted denomination. Second, such quotation of Scripture in case law has such a strong precedent throughout our history that to ignore it would be tantamount to ignoring the first 150 years of our history and the history of the courts themselves. When you read early court records - it is evident that those who trained to be in the court system and lawyers and judges - also were trained in a basic knowledge and understanding of the Scriptures. In fact, I don't think it is too far of a stretch to say that a lack of a basic knowledge of the Bible would be considered a reason to keep from appointing someone to the bench. Note the second half of this proverb says that it is also not good to "thrust aisde the righteous in judgment." Here we have another statement that needs to be recaptured in our courts today. There are those who are "righteous" in a decision - which assumes there is a "righteous" way we should walk. A correct way of living is something that is vital to a court system. That "righteous" way of life is presented to us in the Bible. When we ignore it and begin to decide morals based upon the standards of the time - we are going to find ourselves on the shifting sands of public opinion - or at least on the unstable foundation of those who can influence it. This will lead to thrusting aside the righteous in judgment - when we thrust aside the Scriptures as a means of ascertaining what is and is not righteous living. We've seriously stepped away from the Bible as a document that can bless our society and nation. We did that in a court case without precendent in the 1960's. Judges at the times acted with what is called "judicial fiat" in that case. This term means "judges acting as god." It is a sad reality today that those judges - who chose to act as god - have undermined our legal system to where it is a mere shadow of what it used to be. Now we have a sytem that shows partiality to wickedness and thrusts aside God's righteousness as a way of determining what is right and wrong for our nation. May God have mercy to return to us to good judgment - and good judges. If He does not - we will watch the lawlessness and anarchy continue to rise in our nation. We will watch as many who know right and wrong - come to the place where they know the one place it will not be upheld - is in our court system. God help us that this never becomes the case! Righteousness guards the one whose way is blameless, But wickedness subverts the sinner. Proverbs 13:6
If you had a choice, which would you choose in life . . . to be guarded or subverted. What we learn from today's proverb is that we can actually choose which one we experience from day to day. Choose righteousness and you will be guarded - but choose wickedness and you will find your way subverted. Let's take a look at these two choices and their outcomes. It would behoove us to know what righteousness is from time to time in our journey through Proverbs. Righteousness is the Hebrew word "sedaqah" which means to do what is right; to have blameless conduct; and to walk in integrity. The one who embraces righteousness embraces justice, right actions and attitudes, and a lifestyle that will mirror the heart and character of God. We are told here that righteousness will guard us. The word guard means to watch over closely, to hide from evil, and to preserve. When we choose righteousness - the blameless and godly way - the way that mirrors the heart of God, there is a protection and a watch that will be set over us just for doing this. The rest of the Proverb says that righteousness will watch over "the one whose way is blameless." The picture here is of a way or a path. The literal phrase is "blamelessness of way" and it refers to a path that is blameless before God. Choosing biblical and moral integrity will watch for us to keep us on the blameless way. When we walk with God in this way - desiring and choosing righteousness - our very way will be guarded - and it will be a way that God approves and one in which He delights. This is a pretty awful example - but it would be like having a cruise control that warns us when we are about to go out of a way that pleases and honors God. In the New Testament God tells us that He works marvelously in our hearts through the person of the Holy Spirit. He instructs and leads us in the way we should go. He teaches us - but He also rebukes and corrects us when we are about to go astray. Here is the personification of this proverb. God the Holy Spirit will guard us and make sure that we stay on a blameless path before God as we walk through our day. How does He do this? He does it as we focus on righteousness and holiness - when we focus on a lifestyle that will please and honor God. This is the way to walk and have your footsteps guarded each step of the way. You will receive warnings when you are about to misstep. But do not think that this is a life merely of correction and constantly hearing a buzzer when you are about to mess up. This is a life where God the Holy Spirit is changing and conforming us to God's image in Christ. As He does this our heart is changed from stone to flesh. Our desires are also changed and we long to please and to honor Him. We learn to walk - not out of some slavish fear of God's punishment. We learn to please God in all we do - because His transformation of our hearts results in us WANTING to do what He desires. It is a life of joy as we follow Him with all our hearts. The sinner has another path - one that is far less secure. The sinner here is the "chattah" the one missing the mark. The sinner is at fault with God and is failing Him in his choices and desires. It is "wickedness" that is doing this to him. This word describes wrong doing - but it refers to it in the context of rebellion against Yahweh. The sinner misses the mark - because he doesn't even have the right target up when he is shooting. The mark is God's way and God's Law - yet the sinner is in rebellion against God - and thus doesn't even want to obey His commands. This rebellion is what subverts the sinner. Subverts is the Hebrew word "salap" which means to overthrow something, to twist it and to pervert it. It speaks of distorting and misleading someone from what is normal to what is foolish. It refers to bribes that twist government officials to disregard the law. As the foolish man rebels against God Himself - he is guaranteeing that everything will be twisted the wrong way in his life. He misses the mark - and is sure to do nothing but miss it until his heart is changed by the work of God's salvation. Here we have two paths - the way of the one in rebellion against God - the way of the lost man. His way is twisted even before he starts his day - because his days always begin with a heart in rebellion against God. We also have the man who daily chooses righteousness - who chooses God's way. As he does this daily - that very choice - that very mindset and path will protect him and keep him from dozens of wrong choices before his feet ever hit the floor in the morning. God will guard him and keep him and protect him from great sin. There is a way paved before him because he chooses the integrity of holiness and true godliness. We will never know this side of heaven how often our way has been blessed and how many difficulties and sins have been avoided simply because of our salvation. We will be protected simply because we have been saved - our hearts changed - and our paths set toward the blameless way. Praise God for His glorious gift - and his wonderful protection that results from it! The righteousness of the upright will deliver them, But the treacherous will be caught by their own greed. Proverbs 11:6
There are reasons to be righteous and godly that are expalined by the path itself. Such is the case with today's proverb. It is one that is kind of self-explanatory. Let's take a look. The righteousness of the upright will deliver them. This simply means that the fact that we live a life that is right in the eyes of the Lord will be a source of deliverance itself. Let me give an example. I knew a brother who was wrongfully accused and stood before a federal court in what could only be described as a no-win situation. His lawyer counselled him to 'bend' and 'twist' the truth a little during his testimony so that he would be seen by the jury and the judge in a better light. He struggled with this advice because he knew the Lord wanted him to simply speak the truth. The morning of his testimony God confirmed this to him and he purposed in his heart to speak the truth - even if it made him look bad in court. As he testified he spoke only the truth. Several times this should have made him look bad - but he spoke it any way. When he came off the stand - his lawyer looked at him amazed. He said to him, "Your testimony just won this case." Sure enough that is exactly what happened. The righteousness of this brother's testimony was what delivered him. When they saw his honesty and his godly behavior on the stand - the jury and the judge knew that this man was not guilty of the charges that had been leveled at him. The treacherous don't come out as well in the end though. We are told that their own greed with cause them to be caught. To be treacherous simply means that someone is untrustworthy. They cannot be trusted. In the end, it will be their own greed that will be their downfall. They will want a little too much - and will reach beyond where they should - and that will ruin them. What a great picture for us. Doing what is right delivers us - it delivers us from so much just for doing the right thing. First and foremost it means we are NOT doing the wrong thing. We are not doing something illegal or ungodly. The very good choices of the righteous means that they are not making bad choices. This protects them greatly from serious error and serious problems. But the ungodly - they are just weaving a net for their own feet with their lying ways. The web of lies and deceit they weave - meant for someone else - meant for some poor sap to step into - winds up being the very trap they themselves will fall into to their demise. Blessings are on the head of the righteous, But the mouth of the wicked conceals violence. Proverbs 10:6
Proverbs often compares the righteous and the wicked. Here is no exception. This passage speaks of what covers the righteous man and what covers the wicked as well. Whereas we read that blessings are on the righteous man's head - the wicked have something far different covering them. The head of the righteous receives blessings. Why the head? The Hebrew culture viewed the head as the most important part of a person. Cut off the head and the body is dead. The head is also considered the leader. It represents what truly is leading us in our lives. So, when we read here that the "head of the righteous" has blessings poured out upon it, we see that when what leads us - what drives us in life is geared toward righteousness (just think simply - doing what is right in God's sight - doing what pleases Him). There is wonderful blessing when we choose God's way. We need to know this. When our "chooser" (yes I know that this is not a word - but it works here) functions according to God's way and God's direction - blessings ensue! Make your choices according to his Word and according to His ways. You will never regret it - especially in light of the fact that these choices go beyond the grave - while others only last in this life (unless you consider punishment and hell for those who reject Christ altogether). But there is actually even more to this. There is blessings not just in eternity - there are blessings here and now. The way of God may be difficult at times - but it is also filled with joy and peace. The Scriptures warn us that it is the way of the transgressor that is hard. Remember this when you get ready to set a direction with your head - with your "chooser." The second part of this proverb is a little more difficult to understand because it involves a hebraism - a saying that makes perfect sense to a Jewish person - but does not exactly transfer with words alone. It is like us saying, "a stitch in time saves nine." That won't make sense to most people unless they know something about sewing. This hebraism says, "the mouth of the wicked conceals violence." The meaning here has the idea of covering something or someone. The words of the wicked - what comes out of his mouth - is both covered in violence - and due to what he says makes it inevitable that he himself will be covered in violence as well. The simplest way to grasp what this means is when someone speaks violently to another with their words. Not only are they speaking violence - but whan the other person responds, they are pretty much going to guarantee violence as a return for their violent words. The wicked, due to their ungodly choices and ways, are using violent words - and in the process are guaranteeing a culture of violence that will surround them. Take a look at our society for a moment or two. I'll use two examples to explain this. First is the abortion industry. They use extreme violence to end the life of an innocent child. They choose to execute the baby - who has done nothing wrong. Those in the industry say that they are preventing child abuse by those who don't want an unexpected child (Interesting to me that they don't get that sex produces pregnancy - which by the way - makes a child - guess what they were expecting was sex without consequences and without the biological process of reproduction being a result - hmmm). The fact though is that since we've begun throwing away children in this way - child abuse has risen exponentially. Kind of looks like the violence with which they cover themselves with their words and actions - is now covering them too - just like God said. The second example is the way that violence is glorified by our culture. We see it everywhere. The most obvious example is in television, movies, and the video game culture. We are encouraged to deal with our problems with violence. We've actually gotten to the point where we see violence and violent acts as a form of entertainment. There seems to be no limit to how graphic and how grotesque we will get when it comes to these things. The result of our violence? We have watched an explosion of violence consume our culture and our relationships in society - just like God said. Wisdom tells us very plainly here that what abounds in our words and with our choices is what is coming back upon us. It is almost like God is saying here in the Old Testament what He says in the New Testament. What a man sows, that he will also reap. Sow righteousness - sow doing what is right in God's eyes - you receive blessings here - and even greater blessings in eternity. Sow violence now - you will reap an ever increasing harvest of violence as well. May God give us true wisdom that does not embrace the fullness of our culture - but the harvest of righteousness and blessing that comes from choosing His way at every turn. The righteousness of the blameless will smooth his way, But the wicked will fall by his own wickedness.Proverbs 11:5
There is a way of living that will "smooth" our lives and the way which we walk - but there is another way of living that will guarantee that we will trip and fall. We learn from today's proverb that the righteousness of the blameless will smooth his way. Righteousness here is "sedaqah" which means integrity or blameless conduct. It refers to someone who acts with justice - in having right attitudes and living out right actions. This right way and right thinking come from knowing and walking with God. So we have a man who desires to live right before God. He is also described as "blameless" - which means someone whose life is filled with truth, virtue, and uprightness. This is wisdom - to walk in what God says is right - so others can look at our lives and see that we are walking blamelessly when it comes to God and His view of who we are and what we are doing. This "smooth" what that is promised is actually the word "yashar" which means to be smooth, straight, or right. When we want to live in what is right in God's sight - He will grant that ethically we will walk in a way that is prepared for us - a smooth and straight way. This is the lifestyle of the godly - and whether men realize it or not - this lifestyle is one where men bless you - and want you around. The wicked however is said to fall by his own wickedness. He does not walk right - or true - or with integrity. Thus in time his sins catch up with him and he finds himself drowning in his own lifestyle. This is the way that men are brought down. They simply truth in themselves rather than trusting in the Lord. There are two paths in front of us every day - there is the path that leads us to righteousness and God's way - and then there is another path. It is a path that will lead a person to the point where they want to question God and His work in their lives. In the end - the wickedness of the human heart overwhelms us - as we walk in our flesh and seek to please ourselves. May God give us great wisdom to choose the path that embraces godliness, righteousness, and blameless living. That is truly the path that will lead upward for us until Christ comes again to take us home. To do righteousness and justice Is desired by the LORD more than sacrifice. Proverbs 21:3
This proverb reminds me of the story of Saul and the Amalekites. Saul was commanded by the Lord to destroy and utterly wipe out the Amalekites. They are a picture of our flesh - and we are reminded that our flesh can in no way be compatible with the working of God's Spirit within us. Therefore we need to learn to do what God desires. We need two things. We need to embrace righteousness - which is simply viewing what God says as right as right - and justice - which means that we believe that God's judgments on things are true and just. Saul decided rather than doing what God said (what is right) and executing God's judgment on the Amalekites (what is just) - he would have his own self-styled obedience. He got rid of everything despised and bad in his own eyes among the Amalekites - but kept all the good stuff (at least what his flesh thought was good) alive. When caught in this sin by Samuel, Saul said that he kept it so that he could sacrifice it to the Lord. Samuel's statement to Saul was that God desires obedience rather than sacrifice. What the Lord desires is our obedience to His righteousness - and His righteous commands - rather than any kind of self-styled 10 commandments we would write out for ourselves. The Lord is the wise One and He knows what is right. Our own hearts and wicked and desperately sick - so how can we honestly even know what is right without His revelation to us? The Lord also desires justice. He knows what is just - and calls us to call 'em like He sees 'em. This is what he wants - rather than our pretended sacrifice. Most sacrifices that are done with no real thought for righteousness and justice in God's sight are done for show rather than for true sacrifice. The nature of our flesh is just like Saul's actions. We will gladly label what WE think is wrong and bad and dispose of it. We'll pick the really bad looking stuff - and be rid of it - while the deeper most insidious corruptions of the flesh remain untouched. This is why we need the Spirit of God to work in the process of sanctification. Without His work in our soul we will avoid the real deeper issues of purity and godliness. But when He works to reveal what is right and just in us - He will guide us in a true sacrifice of self to the Lord. This will be the kind of choices and the kind of lifestyle that will truly please the Lord - and - the one that most reflects the righteousness and justice the Lord desires in us. Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, But righteousness delivers from death. Proverbs 11:4
If you asked most people if they would rather have riches or righteousness - most likely most would answer that they would like riches. That is due to two facts. First it is due to the fact that mankind is lost and ignorant of their true position before God. Second, it is due to the fact that the rich man in the story of Lazarus and the Rich Man - has not yet had his message broadcast to the world as he would have wanted. Proverbs tells us that riches do not profit us in the day of wrath. If riches are all that we have - we are seriously in trouble. Note that we read here of the day of wrath. This refers to the day that God releases His wrath on those who have rejected His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. That will be a sobering day indeed for the rich. They have stored up their wealth when they should have used it for the glory of God and the advance of the gospel of Jesus Christ. On that day, their riches will mean nothing. Honored on earth among men - riches are despised in heaven - unless they have been used for the glory of God. Two men would love to testify to this fact. The first is the rich man who did nothing to alleviate the pain and suffering of a poor beggar named Lazarus. He lay at the rich man's gate, his only ministers dogs that licked his sores. HE longed to be fed with the scraps that fell from the rich man's table. He received nothing from him. On the day of God's wrath - the rich man was cast into hell and Lazarus was taken into Abraham's bossom - to await the day he would be taken to heaven. The rich man - suffering miserably - asked that someone be sent to tell his brothers of this place. He knew that riches would not deliver in that day - only righteousness would do. The second man who would love to testify would be the rich farmer who thought he had it made because he had a bumper crop. Faced with filled barns already, he wondered what to do with his wealth. He decided to build bigger barns, fill them and then say to himself that he was set for life. He trusted riches, not righteousness. He lost. The Lord called this man a fool and told him that he would die that night - and what would he do for his own soul. Riches will not profit us in that day when we face the judgment of God. Only righteousness will do. Actually, only a certain kind of righteousness will do too. That is the righteousness of Jesus Christ. That alone will stand in that awful day. Nothing else will matter except that we've repented and turned in faith to Jesus Christ. What He did on the cross will pay for our sins - what He did will allow us to be credited with a perfect righteousness that will cause us to be accepted before God. Only what He did - only His righteousness will matter. It will save us from death. In light of this truth - what are YOU trusting in on the day of God's wrath? You may think it is not coming - that God is too nice to judge anyone. The fact of Scripture is to the contrary. God will judge - He will call us to an accounting - and He will accept only one thing on that day to make us acceptable in His sight. Oh that we would be wise and run to the Lord Jesus Christ to be saved. Oh that we would open our eyes and be aware of the horror of that day for those who trust anything other than the blood of Jesus shed on the cross. It alone can deliver from death. Any other thing will fail eternally. Now let me ask the question . . . On the day of God's wrath what do you want to have - riches or righteousness? To receive instruction in wise behavior, Righteousness, justice and equity; Proverbs 1:3
What is wise behavior? The word used here in Proverbs chapter 1 is actually the Hebrew word "sakal" which means prudence. It has the idea of acting with insight. This is an interesting word because it goes beyond even these definitions. The word means to think, ponder, and understand things so that one lives to act with devotion to God and His ways - and thus will be prudent as to evil - and eventually to prosper in God's ways. That is quite a definition, but it does speak to us loudly that to be wise in our behavior is to have a devotion to the Lrod at the very center of our thinking. Want a good life - and one that prospers in all the right ways? Then live a life where you seriously consider what God says in all areas of life. Three things are used by Solomon to teach us what wise behavior looks like. First it is righteousness. The word here is "sedeq" and it means to live with an ethical and legal standard. This standard is the Word of God and its commandments and decrees. Oh, how wise it is to live with God setting your ethics and standards. When we walk in this way - we will walk wisely - and our behavior will reveal it. The second word used here is justice. It is the Hebrew word "mishpat" and it means proper judgment. This word refers to a legal decision given by God - which God expects us, as His people, to follow. It means a legal case - and we could see it as practical application of God's Word in individual cases. What is wise behavior? It is not just living by God's standards and ethics, but it is also learning how to take His laws and apply them in individual situations all throughout life. It is practially applying those laws as we face moral and ethical dilemmas throughout our day. Third, we see that wise behavior is acting with equity. Equity is the Hebrew word "meysar" and it means rightness, equity, and smoothness. It is what is correct and fair - but has an aspect of evenness and smoothness to it. Here is a great balance to the ideas of righteousness and justice. It is the idea of smoothness in doing what is right and correct. Too often we embrace righteousness and justice without the corresponding smoothness of equity. We love what is right - but to often do it so roughly that people reject God's wisdom. They reject it not because they see it as unwise - but they react to our rough, unkind ways in communicating and living it out. The truly wise man whose behavior honors God greatly is the one who can speak the truth in love. He is the one who can offer correction and rebuke so that his soft words can break a bone. He has learned that wise behavior does what is right - but does it with as much gentleness and kindness as possible. Thus we see wise behavior laid out for us. It involves a love of the truth and a love for what is right and godly. Yet it does so as inoffensively as possible. There is great respect and honor for the commandments of God - but a gentle, loving application of them so that truth is not lost in the rough way it is communicated. Oh, to have such wise behavior as our standard way of living, communicating, and walking out God's ways. There was an example of these three things balanced out perfectly - it was the example of God's own Son, Jesus Christ. He showed us the perfect blend of passion and zeal - kindness and grace - truth and wisdom. May we ever desire to be like Him! |
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!
Archives
August 2018
Copyright 2024 Calvary Chapel Jonesboro | all rights reserved |