Proverbs 18:1-13

Proverbs 18:1-13

There's a myth that seems to cross all cultural and historic lines. The myth of the lone self-sufficient hero. There is something in our fallen nature that seems to want to be or to idealize the loner. Generally, those who try to be the lone ranger sort don't do so for altruistic reasons. The first three verses of this chapter are descriptive of the motives, the nature, and the end of the self-proclaimed isolationist. In verse one he is only concerned with his own agenda and will hear no other opinion. In verse two he is so convinced that he is right that all he can do is talk about his great plans and capacity. In verse 3 he leaves a legacy of scorn, and at his passing people will not recall his great selfish accomplishments as much as the reprehensible life. The poem “Invictus” is perhaps a good example of such a hopeless life.

The next five verses, while ancient, seem to be most applicable to the age of social media. The theme of “our words” is developed between the positive in verse 4 and several examples of negative use of words in verses 5-8. In verse 4 what comes out of our mouths is, for the most part, reflective of the depth of our hearts or souls. The words of wisdom are like a fresh-flowing, refreshing, and life-giving stream that comes from an artesian spring. In verse 5 we see the typical response of the wicked is to support the wrong side. As a society, we seem to be in a hurry to share or post our opinions. Such people are fools, and verses 6-7 describe what they do to themselves. We all know that those who talk too much are foolish. Everyone admits that. However, we are all susceptible to being shaped and influenced by this sort of blather. In verse 8 we see that rumors, innuendos, and gossip have a tendency to be gobbled up. We love to hear it, and, more than we would like to admit, we are shaped by it. So in addition to what we say, we need to be careful of what we hear. 

“Help me, Lord, that all my words will be a life-giving blessing to those who hear them. AMEN."

Proverbs 17:15-28

Proverbs 17:15-28

Perhaps you have noticed that there are some people who are always in the midst of conflict. These folks enjoy the conflict for their own perverse reasons. Conflict is a part of life and maybe unavoidable. But there are some people who love a fight: such a person loves sin (verse 19). The person who loves conflict has found that in some way they can manipulate people by conflict to their advantage. What is the sin they love? Perhaps it is a financial gain; it could be the psychological power to control. In this context it is classically pride. The second half of the proverb doesn't make much sense to us because of culture. The raised door, exalted gate, or high wall, as this word is translated, is about ostentatious intimidation. For us, the picture might be the regal trappings and attire of executive privilege for a CEO. More than a few business leaders have used their executive suite environment to bully their way and will in the company. Anytime someone uses appearance to get their way, they set themselves up for destruction.

There is more than one kind of fool. The nuanced difference is presented for us in verse 21. The word "fool" appears in both halves of the proverb, but they're entirely different words. In the first half, the fool is "Keseel," and in short, it means "fat, dumb, and silly." It means a person who is lazy of mind and body and is lacking the self-discipline to expand their capacity. They are content with cynical mocking humor to respond to the challenges of life. Since people are not born this way, how does one beget or bring forth this kind of fool? This is a picture of a spoiled grown-up child. 

The fool in the second half is “Nabal.” This is not a mentally deficient person; in fact, they may have a high IQ. But when it comes to ethics, morals, and especially virtues or piety, they are without any understanding. They like any sense of righteousness or even right and wrong. It is only and always about them and their desires. Such a son leaves a hollow place in a parent's heart.

“Lord, protect me from both kinds of foolishness. “AMEN

Proverbs 17:1-14

Proverbs 17:1-14

Sometimes the depth of the Proverbs is lost on us because we may not grasp the cultural background of the original context. Such may be the case with the first proverb of this passage. In some translations, there is a footnote that reflects a literal translation, “a house full of sacrifices with (of) strife.” We live in a day of almost constant feasting. The caloric intake in our nation and the epidemic of obesity indicate we feast almost all the time. In the world of the Bible, most people had a more subsistence diet. Feasting occurred rarely, and even what they called a feast would seem meager to us. In that time, feasting was, for most people, reserved for the sacred feast, where the sacrifices were central to the meal. This gives us the context to understand this passage. We might expand or paraphrase this proverb this way: “It is better to have a small, humble religious meal with hearts that are content and peaceful than to be part of a great religious mealtime production and show while in conflict with God and others.” This has special application for our day, where we have received the idea that big churches with big productions and big personalities are inherently superior to less grandiose congregations. We must be careful of the outward trappings that are appealing but may not reflect an inner righteousness.

Verse 3 is an occasion for us to think of things a little deeper and a little more carefully. We look at the end results of the refined gold or silver and admire and appreciate their beauty. We say we want the same thing in our hearts; agreed! But have we considered the refining process from the perspective of the raw ore? Every part of the process of refining silver or gold into the finished metal would be what we call unpleasant. From pulverizing to a blast furnace to chemical treatment, every step is harsh. If the ore could speak, it would, no doubt, plead to stop the process at every step. Do we want to be genuinely pure and good and have a righteous heart? Be prepared for refining. It is painful but so worth it.

“Lord, grant that my sincere worship expresses a pure heart. “AMEN

Proverbs 16:17-33

Proverbs 16:17-33

In this passage we see the contrast between righteous and wicked people. It begins with the expression of the value of humility and avoiding the evil of pride. V. 17-18 What follows is the description of the humble wise man in verses 19-24. Each of these proverbs stands alone, but they also follow the theme of the humble-wise. Verse 25 is a sort of pivot or introduction to the evil plotter, the arrogant man. Three men, or aspects of the proud evil, are given in verses 27-29, and verse 30 tells about his conspiratorial signals. The last three verses offer a sort of conclusion.

Many hours could be spent in fruitful discussion as we compare and contrast the righteous and the evil. For the moment we will focus on vs 25-29. The evil man believes that his is the right way. Shaped by wrong motives, an absence of the Word of God, and his fallen nature, he vigorously takes a path that ends in death (v. 25). All of us work for that which we desire. The parable of v. 26 works at many levels, from the man putting in a garden to have food to the wicked man whose sinful desires move him on in his efforts. Those efforts are expressed in the description of 3 wicked men. Verse 27 is about the worthless man. This word means more than useless; it means by his uselessness he is destructive. Beyond being a non-productive person, his actions, rooted in gossip, lies, and deception, actually bring harm. Think of a completely corrupt criminal politician. In verse 28 we see the perverse man. As a society we no longer use the word "pervert" to describe people because we have lost the concept of what is right. To call a homosexual a pervert means there must be a right form of sexuality. This principle applies to all moral law. Finally, in verse 29, we have the violent man, who draws his innocent neighbor into his sin. Notice the use of the tongue to lead to such behavior. Long before we act with evil, we speak with evil.

“Lord, help me live a life of virtue and righteousness. AMEN.” 

Proverbs 16:1-16

Proverbs 16:1-16

Something wonderful happens in this passage that might easily escape our notice if we are not careful. We find ourselves very near the center of this book. In fact, 412 sayings precede this chapter, and 423 follow this chapter. At the beginning of chapter 16 we find an unusual construction of 7 proverbs or sayings that are built around the name of the Lord God. While chapter and verse notation and divisions were added much later, there remains at the center of this discourse on wisdom the name of the Lord.

As the church in America fell into the vanity of what is called ‘The Church Growth Movement,’ she tended to remove the Lord from the center of her life and practice. The focus has been shifted to how we feel about things, how we will want to live, or what might be helpful for us. I have sat through song sets in worship that never mentioned the Lord directly but only how we are supposed to feel. We have shifted from “How Great Thou Art” to “I'm trading my sorrows.”

Here in the middle of a highly practical book of wisdom literature, the arrangement is that the Lord is at the center. These seven sayings in verses 1-7 cover the whole of the majesty of a holy life. Each of these verses merits deep meditation and application. Verse 1 is about the interface of our deepest thoughts and the Lord bringing them out. In verse 2 we see that our motivations may seem pure, but only the Lord can rightly judge. Verse 3 is about the priority of honoring the Lord in our plans but trusting results to Him. In verse 4 we see that the Lord is firmly and safely in control. In verse 5 we see the Lord will deal with the most gross of all sins: pride. Verse 6 gives us a picture of the Lord's values and priorities. And in verse 7 we see that the one who honors the Lord is blessed even in difficult moments. In short, at the center of all things we find the Lord.

“Lord, help me to keep you at the center of my whole being. AMEN.”

Proverbs 15:18-33

Proverbs 15:18-33

Many years ago there was a young lady who occasionally attended the church I served. Her childhood was bad beyond decent conversation. At this point she was a 22-year-old single mom with one angelic little girl making between $60,000 and $90,000 a year as an adult entertainer, i.e., stripper. She was perpetually broke and would occasionally ask for food help from the church. Being a stripper, according to her, was expensive. You had to buy drinks and drugs for those in the club where you worked in order to get profitable shifts and customers. She was still a stunning beauty but looked closer to 35 years old than her actual 22. That life is hard on a person. 

One day she called and asked for food for her daughter. I was losing patience with her, and when I took over a small bag of groceries, I said to her, “Where are you going with your life? You are still pretty, but when your looks fade, what are you going to do? Will you start turning tricks for a living?” She answered, “A friend of mine tried to pimp me out this week.” I told her, “You need better friends. You need to think and see where your life will take you. If you don't like where you are going, choose a new path.” Thankfully, with the help of a godly lady in our church, who happened to be a former stripper, she made some course corrections. The moral of the story is found in verses 24-25.

The general destination of our lives is not a hidden secret. At some level we can see that our path will either lead us to life or lead us to ruin. By definition the person who is wise chooses the upward path. By doing so they gain real life and avoid Sheol, or ruin. When we are motivated by pride and determined to chart our own foolish course, God himself will bring ruin on our lives. (v. 25) How could a person making $90,000 a year live on the verge of poverty? Because the path of ruin begins to ruin life long before life ends. Once this girl chose the right path, including respectable work as a waitress, she had enough to live on even if she only made about a third of her former income.

“Lord, help me choose the path of life. AMEN.”

Proverbs 15:1-17

Proverbs 15:1-17

As human beings we want to live in an echo chamber, the place where we hear only our own opinions from others. We spout our opinions in hope that others will agree with us. Then we can cite their voice as evidence and proof that we were right all along. Social media has exacerbated this ancient proclivity. Within this text we have wisdom for dealing with our own misguided love for an echo chamber.

First we see two ways we can talk and teach people in verse 1. The question is not one of truth; it is how to present and how we respond. This is expressed in verse 2. Sometimes we need to say uncomfortable things, but it is possible to do this in such a way as to be about the underlying issue so that it does not seem like a personal attack. In contrast, what a fool says is provocative and is designed to bring others into a heated exchange that is foolish.

In verse 4 we see the underlying motivation of the fool's talk. Whereas words from the wise are about healing, the harshness of the fool's comments has its root in an inner perversion. If we provoke for the sake of provoking, there is something perverse in us.

Even if we, with the right motives and the most judicious and proper tones and words, find that someone rejects righteous counsel, the issue is theirs. We must not take responsibility for the behaviors and attitudes of others. In verse 12 we see that the scoffer will not love the one who gives correction. A scoffer is the one who mocks or derides. Interestingly, the word can be used for an ambassador. The one who is the representative of a position may mock those with whom they disagree but will not actually engage them or even go near them.

We see the reason in verse 14: while an intelligent person is seeking to understand even those positions with which they may disagree, the fool only wants to be in their echo chamber—to have their ideas, no matter how foolish, fed back.

“Lord, help me be humble in what I say and hear. AMEN.”