Category: Ruin

Can Someone Have Too Many Friends? - Proverbs 18:24

2/15/2018

Proverbs 18:24 A man of too many friends comes to ruin, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Can a person ever really have too many friends? That was the thought that came to mind as I read today’s proverb. But when interpreting the proverbs there is usually a comparison that is at the core of its meaning. That is definitely the case with this proverb.

The comparison with this proverb is with what kind of friend a person has. There is a man who is a friend to everyone. He seems to have no end of friends and yet is warned that his friends will stand by as he “comes to ruin.” The word used there is “raa” in the Hebrew which means to be broken in pieces. There are several uses of the word that might help us see why having a large number of lackluster friends can be very harmful to us. The word was used to speak of a treacherous branch. We may think we have friends who will stand with us, but when problems come we find that they are not reliable in times of trouble. They break off like a branch that looks fine, but in fact is compromised by cracks. The word was also used of an eye that was morally evil because of covetousness. We all know those who say that they are friends, but inwardly are covetous of what we have. They pledge loyalty but wind up ready to knock us down a notch to make themselves feel better so that they have what we have for themselves. The word also means to be broken into too many pieces. Here is the truth that when we have too many friends, we are trying to break ourselves into too many pieces for too many people. In the end, we wind up with no true friends who know us - and whom we truly know.

The problem with all these “fair-weather” friends is that when trouble arises - they are gone. We are left to fall into ruin by ourselves. A friend to multitudes and yet with no one who will stick by us when things are the most dire in our lives. That is why the wise man speaks of a different kind of friend. He even uses a different word for “friend” as he mentions him.

The first word for friend means a companion. It is a general word for friend and can mean anything from a mere acquaintance to someone who is much closer. The second time the wise man uses the word “friend,” he choses to use the Hebrew word “aheb” which means one who loves. The word is used in Scripture for those who have the closest and most dear relationships. This true friend is described not by the fact that he says he knows who you are - but is defined by how deeply he loves you. The depth of this friend’s love is described in a way that is beautiful. He sticks closer than a brother. His love is given freely and is not affected when you are in hard times. He is the one who will stand by you when things get very difficult. He will not abandon you when you lose all the things that may have drawn the two of you together initially. When everything goes dark - everything seems to go bad - everything seems to be against you - he will still be there standing with you. At times he will even carry you when you cannot continue. He will lend you his ear to hear of your problems - lend you his shoulder when you need to grieve - lend you his hand when you need to be picked up - and lend you his heart when yours is broken in pieces. He is the true friend.

There is One who is “the” True Friend to us. He has loved us with an everlasting love and has stood with us beyond what any friend could ever do. He stood with us and undertook for us when we faced the wrath of God. He took the punishment we deserved at the cross and has promised that the good work He began at our initial salvation, he would finish in us. He stood with us when our sins and our rebellion made us the worst of companions and refused to leave us. In fact He has said multiple times that He would never leave or forsake us. We used to sing an old hymn that intoned, “What a friend we have in Jesus.” Nothing could be truer of Him. He sticks with us in life, both in good times and bad. But the most precious of all to us is that He will stick with us in the judgment and then for all eternity. Ah what a friend, what a glorious, wonderful, amazing friend!

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Pits That Wind Up Being the Pits - Proverbs 26:27

9/20/2012

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He who digs a pit will fall into it, And he who rolls a stone, it will come back on him. Proverbs 26:27

This is not a proverb that explains why bad things happen to Wylie Coyote - even though at first glance it might. It is actually about those who plan to do evil to others. Those who set traps to catch others and have bad things happen to them are warned in this proverb that what they do will eventually happen to them. Let's take a look at what this means - and also see an example or two.

Those who dig a pit do so to catch someone in it. In biblical times people would dig pits and cover them for the purpose of catching more than just animals who would fall into them. These pits would be dug and covered with camouflage as well as wetted down on the sides so that whoever was caught in them would not have opportunity to escape. Those who caught the person would then either take them captive as a slave - or kill the one who fell into the pit. The reason a stone would be rolled is to be put on a steep hill so that it could then be rolled down to kill or badly injure someone who was coming through the valley. This was a tactic of thieves who wanted to steal what travellers would have as they went through valleys and along roads that were next to hilly or mountainous areas. The idea with a pit or with a stone was to injure or kill someone for evil purposes.

God warns that those who do such things will fall into a pit themselves. God also warns that the stone that is rolled with come back on them. This is not a reference to an actual pit or an actual stone rolling on them - but was a warning that God was going to hold them responsible for their wicked actions. A good example of this would be the story of Joseph and his brothers. The brothers threw Joseph into a pit with the original intention of killing him because of their jealous hatred of him. Joseph and his stinking varicolored coat reminded them every day that their father loved him more than them - so why not teach the little runt a lesson. Of course killing your brother is a little intense. In the end they decided just to sell him into lifelong slavery (their sibling rivalry was way more intense that what I remember with my brothers). They covered their tracks by dipping the hated coat in blood and telling their father that a wild animal killed Joseph. But the pit they dug - and the rock they rolled was going to come back on them one day.

The first "pit-experience" was when their father almost died from grief. Then there was the famine that came and caused them to have to go to Egypt where they had to ask for food from . . . wait for it . . . their snotty little brother who was now the second ruler of Egypt. What was very good for them was that their brother had far more mercy on them in their pit that they had on him when he was in theirs. They had rolled their stone on him - but he refused to roll his on them. He chose forgiveness rather than revenge.

The varied pits that you can fall into are as numerous as the ones you dig for others. It is amazing as I grow older to see all the various pits that people have fallen into after they've dug ones for someone else. It is a fact of life that what goes around comes around. That is the simple, one-sentence way to define this particular proverb. I just hope that we all remember that the next time we grab our shovels and start digging for someone else.

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God's Way - a Protection and Early Warning System - Proverbs 10:29

10/17/2011

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The way of the LORD is a stronghold to the upright, But ruin to the workers of iniquity.
Proverbs 10:29

There is a lifestyle that comes with knowing and walking with the Lord. That lifestyle is laid out for us in the Scriptures as we read of the things that God loves and also the things that He hates. The proverb for today refers to these things as "the way of Jehovah." Let's take a look at this today and hopefully become wiser as a result.

The word "way" here is the Hebrew word "derek" which refers to a way, a path, a road - and is used often to speak of a way of walking or living. That is why when we see this word we should think of a lifestyle that one has due to the daily choices they make. The way or lifestyle of which we speak is that of the Lord. This word is Jehovah - which is the covenant name of God. So often in Scripture God will speak with His chosen people and lay out a covenant promise. These are usually worded as "if-then" statements. If you will follow the Lord, then He will bless you. What God seeks to do when He says these things is not set up a works mentality in our relationship with Him. What He is seeking to do is to encourage us to understand that making choices consistent with His Word and way will bring great blessing to our lives.

We are told here that this way of Jehovah - is a stronghold to the upright. The word for stronghold is the Hebrew word "maoz." It speaks of a fortress. That fortress is considered a shelter, a refuge, and a place of great safety. It is one that often worked in two ways. It provided natural defense points - but also was situated in such a way that one could easily see the enemy approaching. This gave those in the stronghold protection - and it gave them time to prepare for the coming enemy onslaught. Scripture indicates that God is that fortress - as well as our strength and defense (Psalm 27:1). As we walk with Him in His way - we will find a natural defense against sin - as well as warnings about the enemy and how he will seek to tempt us and get us to rebel against God. As we learn that "way" our lives will be changed by God's Word and His power. We will be delivered from sin - and will better know how to escape the lies of the devil daily.

But the same "way of the Lord" that is a stronghold to the upright - is ruin to those who choose to rebel against God. The word "iniquity" is very important for us to understand if we are to grasp the protection of God afforded to us by walking in His way. The word is from the Hebrew word "awen" and it means, "nothingness, mischief, emptiness, and vanity." The word is used to signify those who pursue meaningless things. They do not walk in God's Word or in God's way. They choose instead ungodliness - which leads them to chase after falsehood. God told us His Word is truth. That protects us - but it also speaks ruin for those who decide they prefer deceit and the lies of this world and of the devil. Another way "awen" is used is to signify an idol - which tells us clearly that those who run after iniquity have made a god of their own. They are worshipping an idol they have created - and prefer to have their idol confirm "their own" truth - as opposed to living by the truth of God - His Word. This is the ruin of the ungodly. They will receive no protection from God's way. Instead they will run headlong into God's wrath and judgment for their disobedience and deceitful choices.

Two ways are put before us in today's proverb. There is the way of making your own god and deciding your own truth. Such a way is foolish because it only amplifies the rebellion that is in the human heart due to the Fall of man. That way will ruin those who follow it. The other way is to choose a truth outside of ourselves. It is to realize the truth is not in us - it is in God. Therefore we choose to turn to Him. We choose to turn to the way He has given us His truth - the Word of God. We also choose daily to walk by His truth (the truth) knowing that by doing so we will have a refuge, a protection, indeed a stronghold to keep us from evil - and to keep us FOR fellowship with our loving, gracious God.

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To Listen or Not to Listen, That is the Question . . . Proverbs 10:8

1/10/2010

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The wise of heart will receive commands, But a babbling fool will be ruined. Proverbs 10:8

There is great wisdom in learning to listen. The art of listening is for the most part a lost art. I remember ministering to a young man at the University of Memphis. Even though he did not know Christ, he did know how to listen. As we ministered to him again and again he sought to take in every single word that was spoken to him. He did not want to defend himself or put in his two cents worth unless the one speaking to him had finished what they were saying. No interruptions happened when you spoke to him - and he was the picture of good manners and politeness. I also remember asking him after a couple of visits if he had always been this way. His answer was that he had not - but at a point in his life he knew he would learn much more if he would learn to listen well. Thus he made it his ambition to listen as well as he possibly could. There were struggles - he said the worst was having his own mind run after what he wanted to say next rather than actually hearing what the other person was saying. This was one situation where a lost person was used by God to bring amazing conviction to me - because I am what is called a verbal processor - therefore I have a bad tendency to talk to much - or to chomp at the bit to put my two cents into every conversation.

Solomon spoke very wisely when he said that the wise of heart will receive commands. The wise man is the one who desires to listen - and to listen well. He is definitely this way when he hears those giving him commands. A businessman will tell you that too much time is spent in business dealing with those who don't listen well to commands. They don't listen to the actual words being spoken to them and as a result get things wrong. In business - and believe it or not in all of life - this is costly. If the person would take the time to receive the command and do so with great precision - much good would come of it. This is a matter of spiritual life and death when it comes to listening to the commandments of God. Oh, how we need to tune our ears to what God is saying and has said in His Word. That one skill and practice will save us much grief - and much pain.

Why don't we listen well? The proverb instructs us in this by saying that we don't listen well because we are too eager to talk. "A babbling fool will be ruined." The fool spoken of here is one who hates wisdom and morality - and who walks instead in his own folly. This man babbles when he speaks. He does not want to listen to commands - he wants to give them - or at least mock them. This is the one who immediately interrupts when someone speaks of the Lord and begins babbling about his hatred of the Lord. He may take the direction of science or philosophy - but behind it is a disdain for the things of the Lord.

The problem with this babbling fool is that he never does hear God's commandments - at least not hearing with the intent to obey. Because of this the Word says that the direction of this person's life is toward "ruin." He will experience "labat" - which is to be thrust down or torn down and ruined. This word is used three times in the Old Testament and all three times it speaks of those without wisdom and understanding. All three times is speaks of the ruin that comes to them because of the disregard for the Word of the Lord. This one wants to thrown down the commandments of God - but in the end, he himself will be the one who is thrown down.

Wisdom is learning how to listen - how to receive commands. This will help us spiritually forever - but it will also help us daily. The fact is that all throughout life we will be receiving commands and requests to do things. If we learn to listen to them well and carry them out diligently - there will be great blessing!

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Proverb A DAy

Can Someone Have Too Many Friends? - Proverbs 18:24

Pits That Wind Up Being the Pits - Proverbs 26:27

God's Way - a Protection and Early Warning System - Proverbs 10:29

To Listen or Not to Listen, That is the Question . . . Proverbs 10:8

Proverb a Day

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​Proverb A DAy

Can Someone Have Too Many Friends? - Proverbs 18:24

Pits That Wind Up Being the Pits - Proverbs 26:27

God's Way - a Protection and Early Warning System - Proverbs 10:29

To Listen or Not to Listen, That is the Question . . . Proverbs 10:8

Proverb a Day

Archives

Proverb A DAy