 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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 Proverbs 12:9 Better is he who is lightly esteemed and has a servant than he who honors himself and lacks bread.
Two people are portrayed for us in this proverb. We are told it is better to be one than the other. The areas where they are being compared for our benefit could be described as pride and provision. The first of our examples is a person who is lightly esteemed. The word used here means a person who is of little account to the world around him. He is socially unimportant, and in some instances even somewhat despised by public opinion. Basically, this person is relatively unimportant and unknown on the social ladder. But, we do learn that even though he is a social nobody, he does have enough in life to have a servant who attends to him and helps him in the daily burdens of life. Our second person is one to whom honor and esteem mean everything. We do not know much about him in this regard except for the fact that he does find it necessary to honor himself (so that others know he is worthy of honor too). This man’s financial situation is far worse than the first man though. He is not financially secure – he even struggles with daily food. And here is the real kicker – honestly, he is not actually all that important. He is a legend in his own mind – but outside of his own mind – he’s little more than a passing, unheard comment. The honor that he thinks he has is honor he gives himself. What we have here is someone who thinks very highly of himself – but no one else joins him in this estimation. His true value is so low that he cannot even provide daily bread for himself. We’ve all met someone like this before. In their own mind they are awesome. They are front page news in their own press – but in reality, they are never in the paper. They are so full of themselves that they are unwilling to take “jobs below themselves.” As a result – they don’t even have a job – or food. But give them a few moments to talk of themselves and you would think you are standing in the presence of fame or royalty. God reminds us – even a despised man – a social nobody who has a servant is better than this other guy. So what are we to learn from this proverb? What is the point for each of us? Pride goes before a fall – and a haughty spirit before stumbling. That is the lesson for us. Don’t waste your life running after fame, importance in the eyes of others, or some kind of social status. That kind of prideful pursuit will result in you being a fool. Work hard and give yourself to the task of providing for yourself and your family. You may never make the social register. You may not receive honors and awards. Others may despise you for your overwhelming life of ordinary-ness. But if we understand the Bible – the ultimate day of honor is not when a group of our peers gather to honor us. It is the day when God will offer the only esteem worthy of receiving. That is the day when men and women will receive the “good and faithful servant” award. On that day we will learn that all the awards and prizes men have given and won, amount to little more than self-imposed esteem that has no value in eternity. They have plenty of prideful esteem they’ve given to themselves – but no bread. But the one who sought first the kingdom of God and His righteousness – the one who took up the cross the world despises, and followed Him – the one who loved God rather than the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the boastful pride of life – that one will be blessed. That one will know the only social register that will mean anything in that day - the Lamb’s book of life. Humble yourself and live for this esteem - His esteem. Living for your own esteem or the esteem of others is a dead end – literally.  Proverbs 11:22 As a ring of gold in a swine's snout so is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion.
True Beauty is something that goes beyond the mere outward appearance of a person. The wise man realizes this and sees through a person with outward beauty who inwardly is very ugly to behold. To help with this task, God gives us a picture that is both a little bit funny as well is so graphic that we will not soon forget it. We are first given the picture of a beautiful ring of gold. This was an ornament that was highly sought after in biblical times. It was considered a sign of beauty to have a ring of gold in a woman’s nose. If you want to debate that - you only need to turn to Genesis 24:47 where the servant of Abraham met Rebekah, as he sought a wife for Issac his son. When he saw her and learned that she was the one God had chosen for Issac, he responded by putting gold bracelets on her wrists and a gold ring in her nose. These were considered objects of beautification. But as we look at this object of beautification we see that is it firmly ensconced in the snout of a swine. If one is honest about things, he would have to admit that a ring of gold is not going to beautify a swine. There is no pig or hog that we are going to consider beautiful simply because we give him a gold ring in his nose. It is still a pig. The ring is still a thing of beauty, but its location on a swine ruins the object of beauty completely. The pig is no more desirable than before and now the ring of gold has been devalued. God uses this picture to put a certain response into our minds. It doesn’t matter how pretty that ring is, it’s gross when it is in a pig’s snout! Now God is ready for His comparison. God’s second picture begins with a beautiful woman. The word beautiful simply means something lovely. It was used of Sarah, Tamar, and Esther to speak of a beauty so great that others saw these women and desired them. Theirs was a striking beauty that set them apart from other women. So God speaks of this strikingly beautiful woman whose beauty should be desirable, except for one problem. She lacks discretion. When used in this kind of context, the Hebrew word for discretion speaks of someone who lacks moral or sexual discretion. To put it bluntly - this is a sexually immoral woman. To some who are unwise, this would be even better. She’s gorgeous and she’s easy. But we need to remember that when God speaks in proverbs - there is a direct comparison. What is it that we should see then? If a woman is very good looking yet sexually immoral, she is about as pretty as a pig with a gold ring in its snout. The point God wants to get across is that she’s ugly! Doesn’t matter how “hot” she looks - if she’s immoral, she’s ugly! Things get worse when you begin to get the comparison. The swine in this picture is the immorality - it is what should gain the most notoriety in our mind’s eye. The beautiful woman . . . she’s just a ring of gold hanging from the swine’s snout. Her beauty is ruined by her lack of discretion when it comes to an understanding of sex. God is wanting us to get the picture! There is rarely a time when I am not working on this with young men in a discipling situation. Because our culture is completely insane when it comes to sexual matters, one of the greatest threats to their spiritual growth is the problem of the lust of the eyes. Our culture throws beautiful women at us like a group of athletic boys trying to get the last kid out in a dodge ball game. Therefore, I make my guys memorize this verse of Scripture. As we learn it though, I take the liberty of describing exactly what a ring of gold would look like on the average fattened sow in the barnyard. A huge sow is not a pretty sight by itself - but I focus on the ring of gold run through its snout. I won’t go any further than to say I’ve had guys almost gagging by the time I got done with my description. Do I do this just to be gross and be one of the guys? Absolutely not! I do it for the same reason that Solomon did it for those he wrote to in this part of Proverbs. They need to have an instant thought come to their mind when they see a beautiful woman who is immoral in her behavior. This image needs to come to mind when the thought arises to look at a pornographic image - when they are tempted by a skimpily clad woman in a commercial - when they face the choice to see a movie or TV show where a female character is beautiful outwardly, but who is nothing more than a swine with a gold ring in its snout. That gross picture I described to them - is what I want coming into their minds as a direct comparison to the beautiful discretion-less woman. My hope is that rather than lust after her and enter into sin, they will see the swine, be grossed out, and choose righteousness instead. My hope is that they will remember that they have made a covenant with their eyes. My hope is that they will remember that God has not created us for the purpose of sexual immorality but in sanctification. My hope is that they will not be caught by a piece of fruit that looks good to their eyes - is desirable to them - but will only yield death. Pictures do interesting things for us. In this one God hopes to help men, young and old, see beauty is not merely an outward attribute. True beauty is when a woman fears God and dresses and lives chaste. So guys - hope I’ve ruined you for any woman except that one God has chosen for you. That was my purpose in the first place. Just needed an indelible picture burned on the retina of your hearts. God’s picture will do just fine . . . and you’re welcome!  Proverbs 13:5 A righteous man hates falsehood, But a wicked man acts disgustingly and shamefully.
One of the notable aspects of a wise man’s character is the way that he loves truth. Lies and falsehood are not good things for us to have in our lives. In fact according to the proverb today - they stink! We read here that a righteous man hates falsehood. Just to review quickly, the righteous man is the one who loves what is right. He does not love what is right in his own eyes - but has learned to love what is right in the eyes of the Lord. This God makes known to us through His revelation of Himself and His will in the Scriptures. They are wholly truth, without any mixture of error. We can know and trust the way that right and wrong are portrayed for us in the Bible for it is God’s revelation of what they are to us. We, by the way, cannot be trusted with such things because we are fallen creatures who can easily be deceived - and honestly, who often deceive ourselves. Hate is a strong word - and yet it is the word that God uses here to tell us what our relationship should be to falsehood. This is the Hebrew word “sane” which means to dislike, be hostile to, or to loathe something. It is wise to loathe falsehood - to intensely dislike it - and to be hostile to the acceptance of it in our minds and hearts. Falsehood refers to lying or doing something in vain. The phrase “in vain” may be lost to many today because it is not a commonly used word. It has the idea of doing something without meaning or purpose. When we live for things that are unacceptable to God, we are living in vain. There is no purpose or meaning to our actions or words - indeed even our lifestyle. The wise man hates such words, such choices, such a lifestyle. He longs to live in the truth - and to live in fellowship with the God of truth. The wicked man is different. He acts disgustingly and shamefully. The first of these two words literally means to stink, to have a bad smell and came to refer to those who not only physically stunk, but also to those who were odious in their behavior. To say that the Lord is saying to us the lifestyle and choices of the wicked stink is not an understatement at all. The wicked act in a way that is odious to God. They spiritually stink! They also act shamefully. Their actions are disgraceful. They should be ashamed of how they act. Such actions should bring on humiliation and embarrassment. This is because they live out lies. The way they act is contrary to God’s ways - and as such is something to be ashamed of before Him and others. The wicked man stinks! He stinks spiritually as he walks through life in rebellion toward God and toward the truth. He loves his own way and his own thinking and reasoning. The problem is that he smells to high heaven of rebellion, sin, disobedience, and godlessness. Fortunately for such people there is a place where they can get the stink of rebellion and falsehood off of themselves. That place is the cross of Christ. There, as William Cowper wrote, is where we can find the cleansing for our sin. There is a fountain filled with blood, drawn from Immanuel's veins And sinners plunged beneath that flood, lose all their guilty stains The dying thief rejoiced to see, that fountain in his day; And there may I, though vile as he , Wash all my sins away The vilest, stinkiest person clinging to the falsehood of sin can be cleansed - de-odored if you will - by what Jesus Christ did at Calvary through His death, burial, and resurrection. Thus we can be changed from the stench of falsehood in our own ways and the ways of the world - to one who has the sweet smell of redemption and grace having had our sins washed away by our Lord Jesus Christ.  Proverbs 15:25 The LORD will tear down the house of the proud, but He will establish the boundary of the widow.
One of the quickest ways to cause God to act in judgment is to mess with widows. By the way the corollary to this is that messing with orphans is not very smart either. Probably the second quickest way to incur the disciplinary action of God is to be proud and arrogant. Therefore the ones’ warned in this proverb are facing the proverbial “double-whammy” because of their actions. The first thing we see is God’s promise to “tear down” the house of the one who is proud. The Hebrew word for this tearing out is frightening because it has the idea of tearing out or tearing down. God is promising the proud man that He Himself will tear him out of his home – and tear down his entire house. The word house here is more than just someone’s domestic address. It actually means God will destroy an entire family. One’s house meant more than just the physical structure in which one lived. It meant the house, the land, the businesses, the children, and even the future generations of a family. As God has warned before in Proverbs 16:18, “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before stumbling.” The New Testament says the same thing in James 4:6 and 1 Peter 5:5 – God is opposed to the proud – He arrays Himself as an army ready for battle to fight them. But the reason for this warning has something more to it. Their source of pride seems to be a house built on the backs of widows. This proverb is a single unit – the pride mentioned here is due to the abuse of widows. Widows did not have very many rights in the times of the Bible. Israel stood out among other nations and other religions because of God’s concern for the rights of widows. The right God is protecting is that of their right to the land of their family. We need to remember that Israel was an agrarian nation – a people of the land. The two chief occupations in Israel were those of farmers and shepherds. To either of these groups land was indispensible. Permanent markers measured the land that God had established when Israel was given the land. So important was this gift of the land that God made it clear that the land was His, not theirs. Every 50 years God decreed a Jubilee. At this time every family would return to its land – and the land would return to them. God gave land to them and fully expected His boundaries to be honored – perpetually. Now we come to the second part of this proverb. God will establish the boundary of the widow. Since God set up the original markers by decree – to move them was a grave sin. To move the boundary of a widow was even worse. Some, who were arrogant towards God, would move the boundaries of widow’s land so that they could enlarge their holdings at the expense of a widow who had few if any legal rights. To say that God would be displeased by this is a massive understatement! He would be furious. Destruction would come to the prideful, arrogant person who would do this. God also would fight to establish the actual boundary for the widow. The arrogant man who would do this would forfeit not just his illegal land grab; he would face destruction for his entire family. So what can we learn from this proverb for today? First of all we learn that only a very prideful (and I might add stupid) person messes with widows. But since we don’t have the same problem of moving boundary stones among our crimes today – how do we interpret and apply this to our lives? Second, we need to defend the rights of widows and orphans. This is an absolute for us as Christians. If I may add something here – we also need to fight for single moms. There are women who were faithful to their husbands who were divorced because of infidelity or just because the guy didn’t want to be committed to his wife. We need to stand up and defend their rights. Unfortunately I’ve had to sit in courtrooms where horrific injustice was committed because an ungodly man had an ungodly lawyer who helped him get an ungodly settlement that left his wife high and dry. We need to fight against such injustice. Church discipline is one way to do this – making men take responsibility for their actions. Another way is to learn more about those running for or being appointed to positions as judges. Such actions may cost us in our communities – but the favor of God in these matters is worth it. Proverbs 12:15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, But a wise man is he who listens to counsel.
Ever since the fall of man, it has been a tendency of men to think that they are right. It was one of the curses that came with the choice to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. That choice involved receiving the lie of the serpent who asked, “Did God say.” That question when owned by man placed a horrific malignancy of thought in his head. In the mind of man God had been the ultimate Sovereign over truth. Truth was indeed (as it still is today) what God has said. From that moment forward man chose to decide for himself what was right and wrong. God’s Word was either twisted to make man think God did not have the best in mind - or it was denied altogether in favor of a new sovereign, man himself. The way of a fool is right in his own eyes. That is how this proverb begins. It is the fool who lifts his own thinking and reasoning to be sovereign in his own life. Yet that is what was left after the fall. Man, in rebellion to God, would choose his own truth and seek to live by it. He would live by that truth until his moral choices came into conflict with it. Then man would decide upon a new truth - or at least one more in line with what he wanted to do. The degeneracy of man’s moral code was set in a downward path from that moment forward. If one questions this it should be noted that it took just 10 chapters for man to become so evil and for his imaginations to run riot with wickedness that God destroyed mankind and started over with Noah and his family. Too many fools considered their own way right in their own eyes and society itself was unraveled and destroyed. So goes the historical cycle when man decides he will be sovereign over his own life and his own moral choices. A wise man is he who listens to counsel. No longer is man sovereign over his own truth. No longer does man think that what he sees and desires with his eyes is perfectly fine and morally good. Remember that the lust of the eyes is one of the threefold foundations of a worldly mindset. So a wise man does not consider himself his own moral arbiter. He considers that a selfish viewpoint is flawed because he himself, being sinful, is flawed at his core. Because of this trusting himself as to the rightness of his own path at all times is utter foolishness. Therefore he turns to counsel to consider his own way. Now, knowing that the Word of God in Psalm 1 says that the blessed man is the one who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, but instead delights himself in the Law of the Lord and meditates on that Law day and night, it is easy for us to know the “chief counsel” of the wise man. That source of counsel is God Himself - and His revelation of Himself and His will in His Word. The “eyes” he relies upon are those Which see all things and the Mind which knows all things, and the Moral Compass which is always true and right. He seeks the wise and understanding counsel of the Lord. That is what turns a man from a fool into a wise man - He listens to the counsel of the Lord.  Proverbs 11:1 A false balance is an abomination to the LORD, But a just weight is His delight.
Integrity and honesty in business is something about which God is concerned. He does not take kindly to those who seek to cheat others in business. There were commands in the Law in Deuteronomy 25:13-14 and in Leviticus 19:35-36 about the very thing we read here in Proverbs 11:1. In fact, so essential was honesty to the proper functioning of society that God called fraud an abomination. The fact that archeologists have found stones marked with the word “shekel” with a wide variety of weights remind us that fraud and dishonest business dealings are not just something of the modern era. God instructed His people to have a fair weight in their bag. We read elsewhere in Proverbs 16:11, “A just balance and scales belong to the LORD; all the weights of the bag are His concern.” The way most commerce worked in those days was in a market setting where the seller would weigh out the amount of produce on a set of scales. On one side of the scales was a basket in which the produce would be placed. On the other side there was another basket into which stones would be placed indicating various weights. To make sure that honesty and integrity remained in place, all the weights were measured according to the “shekel of the sanctuary.” We read of this in Exodus 30:13 and Leviticus 27:25. The shekels used in these transactions would be weighed themselves according to the ones kept before the Lord so that there would be a common standard for business in Israel. This was not only there for the sake of honest business, but it was also there to remind Israel that God truly despised those who were dishonest in their dealings with others. One example of this is when God rebuked Israel through the prophet Amos. There was a horrible thing happening in the land. People would go to religious observances - but attending them would make no difference in their hearts. They would cheat the poor and the needy afterward. Listen to what God said through Amos to these dishonest business people. “Hear this, you who trample the needy, To do away with the humble of the land, saying, ‘When will the new moon be over, so that we may sell grain, and the sabbath, that we may open the wheat market, to make the bushel smaller and the shekel bigger, and to cheat with dishonest scales.’” - Amos 8:4-5 (NASB) Even while they were in the midst of their “religiousness” their thoughts were not guided by God's righteousness. As they walked through their religion, their thoughts were that once the new moon or the sabbath was over, they could cheat their customers as they normally did. Of course we would never act one way on a Sunday morning - and then act entirely different come the start of the business day on Monday. Sadly, we know this is the case with too many who have Sunday morning values that never see the light of day the rest of the week at work. God spoke some serious judgment upon those who did this. One would expect this from a God who says that He sees such things as an abomination. The second half of this proverb says that a “just weight” is God’s delight. The phrase is literally, “a complete or sound stone” which would refer to the true shekel of the sanctuary. The root word for this “complete or sound” stone is “shalem” which shares the same root as the word “shalom” which referred to being complete - but also meant peace. It was considered a way to bless someone as you greeted them. When the marketplace is set according to God’s standards (the shekel of the sanctuary), there is peace in the business world. But when one begins to weigh on false scales and use false weights - the business world becomes anything but peaceful. Instead it becomes a place of suspicion and distrust. No longer is the marketplace based on serving others, giving them quality, and offering them a fair price for what they purchase. Instead it becomes a den of thieves where one wonders with almost every purchase whether they are being cheated or not. And what is accepted as the norm in the business world - becomes the norm of the society. It is no wonder then why God takes the time to warn us against ungodly business practices. For an honest and upright marketplace makes for a peaceful world. Just a closing thought on this proverb. I grew up with a father who was well known for being true to his word. He grew up in a time and place where integrity and honesty in the workplace was paramount. It was also a world where the principles of God’s Word were honored and where business people were taught the value of honesty and biblical integrity. It is no surprise to me that his day was also one where people didn’t lock their cars or their homes. They did not fear someone breaking into their house and stealing from them. I find it very interesting that in a world where God was honored in the marketplace - you also found a world far more at peace with one another and with far less dishonesty. It was a world where in honoring and serving God, they learned to value honoring and serving one another. I think it is safe to say that it is a world worth envying and emulating. Proverbs 12:1 Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid.
There was a time when the study of any subject was referred to as the “discipline” of it. When you learned Biology, you were studying the discipline of Biology, when it was English, it was the study of the discipline of English. Today’s proverb of the day tells us that those who love discipline love knowledge. Let’s take a closer look at what this means. There are several reasons why a love of knowledge requires a love of discipline as well. First of all we need to realize that without disciplining ourselves to spend adequate time studying, we will not learn anything. The word for discipline in this verse is the Hebrew word “musar.” This word means chastisement. The idea here is that of chastisement, reproof, and warning so that one would learn from them. Although this may seem strange to us at first, real knowledge always has an element of discipline to it. If we want knowledge it will come to us in two primary ways. First, we give ourselves to learning all we can to increase our knowledge. But the second aspect is to begin to “refine” knowledge. We take that first knowledge and use it to determine what is true and what is false. We test our knowledge in order to make sure it is right. Then we discern more knowledge as we take information and test it as well to add to what we know. In that process, we come to know what is true as well as what is false. We find good assumptions and poor ones. We come to know both truth as well as error - and how to distinguish between the two. Imagine a child who is not open to discipline and correction in the learning process. He begins with the assumption that 2 + 2 = 5. If that assumption is not corrected, he would not have knowledge - he would be believing a falsehood. Because he is not open to correction, his collection of false statements and wrong conclusions will grow. In the end we will find that we do not have an educated child - but a self-confirmed ignoramus. Because he hates reproof - he will remain stupid. But there will be more than just mere stupidity - there will be arrogance and an unwillingness to learn from anyone other than himself. This is where we run into the word “stupid” in this proverb. The King James Bible uses the word “brutish” instead. The actual word means both. The one who hates correction is stupid when it comes to factual learning. He will confidently assert a series of wrong statements when asked for information. But he is also brutish as well. The word “brutish” is not used much in our world so a definition is in order. Someone who is brutish is someone who resembles a brute or animal. They are coarse, stupid, and uncivilized. This is the way that someone who thinks that they have knowledge will react to being corrected or disciplined. They react badly. They become angry and tend to lash out at the one who offers them correction. Rather than receive the correction they bristle at it. They may even verbally attack the one who offers it - see them as ignorant and inferior because they don’t agree with their “facts.” This proverb becomes even more interesting when we realize that Solomon, the son of David and Bathsheba, wrote it. His father and mother engaged in a very evil relationship when they got together. David committed adultery with Bathsheba when he gave in to his lust. But when he learned that she was pregnant from their sexual encounter, he went deep into depravity. He tried to cover up his sin by having her husband Uriah come from the battle - hoping that he would have relations with his wife and think the child was his own. When that did not work, David made Uriah drunk and hoped he would cover his sin in a drunken sexual encounter with his wife. Both times Uriah was more honorable than David because he refused to do such a thing while all of Israel (except David) were engaged in battle. Then David chose to send Uriah with orders that would eventually ensure that he would be killed in battle. David had truly done a foolish and stupid thing. Was David a lover of knowledge? What would happen when God sent His prophet Nathan to David with full knowledge of his sin? What would happen when David was confronted with that knowledge? Would he receive it or would he reject it? Was he a lover of knowledge or was he stupid? David loved knowledge and responded wisely when reproved by Nathan. He broke and repented when faced with the ugliness and rebellion of his sin. Kings in general do not react this way when confronted with their shortcomings and sins. Many would either place the one who rebuked them in jail - or would have them beheaded. But then again, most kings were not lovers of knowledge as David was. We are faced every day with multiple opportunities to be a lover of knowledge rather than a stupid and brutish man or woman. The difference is in how we respond to discipline. Do we submit ourselves to it and learn, or do we reject it and remain in a world constructed of our own ignorance and stupidity? I was taught early by the man who discipled me to embrace reproof, correction, and discipline. He had me memorize a verse that said, “Let a righteous man strike me, it is a kindness.” He had me learn that verse, not so that I could be physically abused - but so that I would recognize the kindness of someone who corrected me. That is true even if the one offering the correction is not exactly offering it in the wisest way. He taught me that such correction is a kindness from God - Who ultimately wants me to turn from my foolishness and embrace His blessed wisdom. If we embrace discipline - both verbal discipline from others as well as self-discipline of ourselves to embrace knowledge - we will be truly blessed. We will find knowledge - and - we will not be numbered among the stupid.  Proverbs 10:19 When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable, but he who restrains his lips is wise.
When God gives us wisdom, it is amazing to see how often it involves our mouths and the words we speak. Here we learn that fools talk too much, but the wise and prudent person restrains the number of his words. When we speak many words – transgression is unavoidable. What an astounding statement to make. The more we speak, the less likely we are to measure and weigh our words enough to make sure that we do not sin against a person – and more importantly God Himself. Later in the book of James we hear the admonition, “Let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry.” (James 1:19) Moses would affirm this as it was his words spoken in anger that kept him from entering the promised land. Measured and weighed words are wise words. The more of them we speak – the more likely our sin nature will be expressed in them. Thus the greater volume of words – the more likely there will be ones spoken that are sinful. The word “transgression” is an interesting word to use in this proverb. Transgression is the Hebrew word “pasha” which means a rebellion or revolt – a breaking with authority. The idea is that of breaking with God and His perfect and absolute truth and wisdom. Instead we speak and within those words we depart from what He says. In a verse that promises us prosperity, God says to Joshua to not let God’s Word depart from his mouth. This is true when speaking with men and with God. In a wonderful reminder of being careful what we speak before God, Solomon says this in the book of Ecclesiastes. Guard your steps as you go to the house of God and draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools; for they do not know they are doing evil. Do not be hasty in word or impulsive in thought to bring up a matter in the presence of God. For God is in heaven and you are on the earth; therefore let your words be few. For the dream comes through much effort and the voice of a fool through many words. Ecclesiastes 5:1-7 (NASB) We are warned here as well as in Proverbs 10 that many words – even in the presence of God – are not wise. Our first impulse in God’s presence should be to listen rather than to speak or, as Solomon puts it, “offer the sacrifice of fools.” This is not saying that we should not pour out our hearts before God – for we are enjoined to do that in the Scriptures. The wise man though, measures his words before speaking them. The last part of our Proverb for today says that he who holds his tongue is wise. I cannot count the times that I myself have thought that if I had only chosen to say nothing my situation would be much better. That sentiment has been echoed to me by countless others who have paid a high price realizing that once words are spoken they cannot be taken back. We can ask for forgiveness for careless words – but the sting of their hurt cannot be altered. If the pain of foolish words is not enough of a warning to us to avoid them, we should then remember the words of our Lord Himself on this matter. Jesus said this about careless words, "But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned." Matthew 12:36-37 (NASB) We will give an account for the words we speak. That should remind us to speak fewer of them unless necessary. As a godly man once told me, “It is better to be quiet and have everyone wonder if you are wise or not, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt that you are not."  Proverbs 10:5 He who gathers in summer is a son who acts wisely, but he who sleeps in harvest is a son who acts shamefully.
At first glance this looks like a common proverb concerning agrarian matters – or something along the lines of an admonition about hard work. Let’s begin our look at this proverb in this way. Anyone in agriculture will agree that there are only certain times when a person can plant, grow, cultivate, and harvest crops. The wise farmer takes this into account when planning when to work and when to take his leisure. Summer is the time for a farmer – or in this case his son – to work hard at producing a crop. The words used here are interesting though. One does not gather in the summer. One usually is working hard in the field on things like weed control or maybe some type of irrigation if the growing year is particularly dry. Yet God is saying to us that a person who is gathering in the summer is acting wisely. Here is the lesson for us. Summer is a time when the sun is hot – and it is easy to slack off in our work. But it is a very important time for the farmer. It is when the crop is being watched. It is when the farmer is showing great care on matters such as weed and pest control – and drought. Working at this time is exhausting and hard. But – it is also a time where if you do what you are supposed to do – you will guarantee a harvest. The word “wisely” here is the Hebrew word “sakal” which means to act with prudence, insight, and understanding. For the wise son – he sees hard work – even hot, difficult work. But what he also sees is work that WILL be rewarded if he sticks with it. He may have to remind himself that the hard work now pays off later in the harvest. The second part of the proverb speaks of the shame coming to the son who sleeps during harvest time. The word sleep here indicates a deep sleep – even a sleep with snoring. The harvest is crucial to a farmer. He MUST work hard and gather the harvest because if he does not, there is great risk of having it rot on the vine or stalk. There is a risk of losing it all if he does not work hard to gather it. A son who leaves all the work to his father is a truly shameful son. What we learn from the proverb on the surface level is that there are only certain times when work can be done – and it is a wise person who works hard during those times. The one who decides to be lazy, undisciplined, and slothful in those times is a fool. There is great value in hard work – and that value is only increased when the one working realizes the times when applying yourself to the work is even more important. It would be a disservice to not mention the spiritual parallels that this proverb has with the New Testament call for us to be involved in a spiritual harvest. In Luke 10 and John 4, Jesus reminds His disciples that the fields are white unto harvest spiritually – and that we are to cry out to God that He would send out laborers into His harvest fields. You see, now is the summertime and harvest for men and women to be cultivated for the gospel of Jesus Christ. Now is the acceptable time to go forth weeping, sowing our precious seed – knowing that we will surely come again rejoicing with our sheaves (i.e. those whom we’ve seen God draw and save as a result of our obedience). To be asleep spiritually in this – or any generation is a shameful thing. We should be working with our Lord – sowing the gospel among those who are lost. We should be speaking to them and praying for them that the wicked one would not blind their eyes to the glory of God in the face of Christ. We should be laboring in the Lord’s vineyard knowing that a harvest is coming if we do not faint. Oh to be the wise, prudent sons who see the end from the beginning and labor to rescue those shoes sins will destroy them. Oh to be about the work of sharing Jesus with the lost so that a glorious harvest of righteousness, peace, and men and women who are born again may be gathered on that wonderful day when He comes for His own at the end of the age! Let us therefore work while it is still the day – for the time is coming when no man can work. |
 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. 
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