Proverbs 12:15-28

Proverbs 12:15-28

We hear much about the great division in our nation. We have not been so divided since the fratricidal war of the 1860s. The near complete absence of civil discourse does not bode well for our country. If you want likes, followers, and a large social media presence, you need to be extreme. So voices of advocacy and opposition on every subject become more shrill and more radical. To be popular in this extreme atmosphere, the message is, “I and my side are right, and if you listen and agree with me, it would be best for everyone.” One example will suffice. A young Black man who was charged with killing a white peer is portrayed as a racist by one side and a victim by the other. A charity raised about $1 million for his family. A white woman yells a racial slur while on a playground. The event is recorded and posted and becomes a flashpoint. Fundraisers are established, and she and her family will receive almost $1 million. This kind of noise is foolish.

In contrast, Proverbs 12 offers wisdom. The advice of 12:15-23, if followed, would offer much help to our sad state. As we read these verses, we shouldn't say, “They are fools and should pay attention.” Rather, we ought to ask, “Am I being foolish?” Could verse 16 apply to us if we read it this way, “If you give a fool your anger, it is immediately posted to social media”? In contrast, a wise man keeps shameful things hidden. Verse 18 could say letting out your frustration loudly is like randomly swinging a sword in a crowd. Keeping your opinions under wraps is productive because if your opinions are right, time will prove them so (v. 19). Verse 23 seems odd to us, but consider thinking about it in a different way: “The fool's heart is in his mouth; the wise man's mouth is in his heart.” We are more influenced, in real terms, by being in real relationships and offering guidance where we say less, but what we say has more value (v 26). Our temptation is to say, “Yea, they ought to do this: talk less, relate more. But this path isn't for sinners or fools; this is the path for the people of God.

“Lord, grant me the wisdom to say less while building closer relationships. AMEN.”

IMPORTANT PIGGY UPDATE

 UNEXPECTED CHANGE OF PLANS

Due to my real-world job, I have to make some changes to the hobby job of pig farming.  

First I have to move the sale date for the piglets up from Sept 12, 2026, to Aug 29, 2026.   The piglets will be 4 and 6 weeks old. That is a little younger than I prefer to sell them, but they will be fine.  The price will still be $75 each for one or two pigs, $65 each for three to nine pigs, and $50 each for ten or more.

Supply is limited!  One of the fat moms sat on, lay on, and stepped on a number of piglets.  We have 20 piglets left. Fat Mom has an appointment with the butcher, in case you wanted to know.  

First-come, first-served basis.  I will start selling at 8:00 AM that Saturday.  To be fair to everyone, I will not take deposits or sell early.  Cash only (Please bring the correct change if possible).  

Location is ¾ of a mile east of US Hwy 231 on AL Hwy 51 (toward Ariton). Turn east and look for the sign that says PIG FOR SALE.  I live in the RV (whatever you do, don’t go to the brick house).

Additionally, I will have 2 pigs that weigh about 100 pounds each.  My plan was to raise them for my own freezer, but I am radically downsizing my herd.  The price is $175 per pig and $300 for both.  Price is FIRM. DM me about picking up or delivering (fee applies).

Finally, someone asked if I had any pregnant sows.  One of my sows is going into heat.  If you are interested in a bred sow, contact me ASAP.  Here is what you need to know.  I will only present her to the boar after I have $200 earnest money in hand, nonrefundable.  She has had 11 piglets on average.  I cannot guarantee conception, but I can guarantee that my boar is a proven performer.  For this bred sow I will charge $650, FIRM.  Do the math; she will likely pay for herself in her first litter.  She is easy to work with except when in heat; then she is very demanding.  

If you have any questions, please DM me with your phone number, and we can text/talk. I apologize for the change in plans, but life is what happens to us on our way to what we have planned.

334-249-5600 Text first

Proverbs 12:1-14

Proverbs 12:1-14

There are unexpected insights and glimpses of wisdom available to us by asking a few simple questions. For example, in verse 6B, who are the “them” being rescued? At first reading we might say those rescued are the "upright." But there may be more to it than that. It might be that the ‘words’ or ‘mouth’ of the upright are rescuing those that the evil plan to kill, but these are not the same people as the 'upright.' An illustration might be that there are wicked people who, for various reasons, advocate for abortions, while the ‘upright’ teach about and prevent these in-womb murders.

Verse 9 offers a dichotomy that we might miss because of translation. The last part of verse 9A might be translated as “but is a servant to himself." This contrast works a little better. The self-employed, hard-working entrepreneur and small businessman (shopkeeper, tradesman, craftsman) is better off than the one who pretends to be a captain of industry or executive who is on the verge of financial ruin. 

The need to supply a noun in English may inadvertently limit the scope of v. 11. In 11b we could, or even should, read “he who pursues vain lacks sense/heart." What could fill that gap where we have placed the noun "things"? Certainly things could apply; we think of foolish trinkets of our life. We could include people who are fans or groupies of low-character entertainers. We could even include various religions or philosophies; think of persons who would rather focus on speculations. From video games to watching sports, people without sense or heart squander their lives.

Verse 12 gives us an odd contrast. Why is a net (the word translated as "plunder" or "booty") contrasted with a tree? The picture here is of patience. A well-set snare may yield game quickly, but a planted tree will take years to be fully fruitful. Wicked people can be very important in the short run, but those who are righteous play the long game.

“Lord, help me to practice the wisdom of waiting. AMEN.”

Proverbs 11:17-31

Proverbs 11:17-31 

One of the challenges we face is, as the saying goes, “to keep the main thing the main thing.” In other words, our tendency is to make the “advantages and benefits” of life the focus of our lives. We fail to realize that these are or should be secondary byproducts. In Proverbs we see a return to ‘the primary’ as the focus of life rather than the less important secondary benefits. This focus is hard to maintain with all the secondary beneficial distractions. In verse 19 we may see the word ‘steadfastness’ in our English translation. This verse speaks of the vigilance needed to live righteously. Righteous living is no fluke or accident but rather the focused agenda of life; it is the consecrated effort of every moment and decision. Life is the byproduct, not the objective. 

An example of the unexpected byproduct is provided for us in verse 21. The Hebrew idiom is difficult to understand. Verse 21 literally says, “Hand to hand, the evil man will not go unpunished.” What does “hand to hand” mean? There are three possibilities: one, the powerful union of evil people will not protect the evil individual. Two, the evil that passes from generation to generation will bring certain ruin. Third, engaging in evil is to be held by the hand that leads to destruction. Whatever the author's specific meaning, the by-product of evil is ruin. 

Verse 30 is unexpected. We might have expected that the righteous man is a tree of life. But it refers to the fruit of his life. The emphasis is laid on the attractive power of his conduct and goodness. Few things are less attractive than a person who is short-tempered, harsh, and arrogant and who blabs a lot of ‘God-talk.’ But the man whose gracious behavior springs from an inner righteousness is powerfully attractive. The English translation of the second part of this verse is a little weak. “Wins” could literally be translated as "seize, take, marry, or buy." This is not a call to coerce conversion, but our lives are so compelling and their total goodness is such that people's souls find them completely irresistible. 

“Lord, let my life be a powerful attraction to draw all men to You. AMEN.”

Proverbs 11:1-16

Proverbs 11:1-16 

So many of the Proverbs have subtle and unexpected twists or conclusions that ought to cause us to pause and think about personal application. Verse 2 is a prime example. The first part is so well accepted that it has become an often-quoted maxim. But in the second part there is an unexpected twist. Read it fast and fail to think about it, and you will miss it. In contrast to “when pride comes, then comes dishonor,” we might expect “but with humility there is respect.” But that's not what we see. What we see is that “with the humble there is wisdom.” There is no promise of honor for the humble. In fact, in this world the humble person may not be honored or even noticed. The benefit of humility is primarily internal and personal. There are no award shows or trophies for the humble. They have a better, hidden, and internal reward: they operate out of and give more wisdom. 

Another unexpected turn occurs in verse 9. It was once believed that the internet in general and social media specifically would somehow promote unity and social concord by giving the average person a platform to hear and be heard. What is actually happening is that the most extreme and evil voices garner the most attention because they are the personification of their given position. Choose any subject, and the rhetoric is driven by those who would most aggressively tear down the other side. “They are destroying their neighbor." The second part of the verse offers a twist. On the surface we may see that by knowledge (righteous knowledge) the godly person avoids the destruction that the godless man brings. But there is a subtle implication here. By the godly knowledge of the righteous man, the hypocrites or the evil man benefit and are rescued. The ruin of a people is prevented by the knowledge or the wisdom of the righteous.

“Help me, Lord, to operate with the humble wisdom that You provide. Amen.”

Proverbs 10:17-32

Proverbs 10:17-32

One of the recurring themes of Proverbs is our words. Verses 18-21 offer worthy insights to our conversations or, as is the case in verse 19, the absence of words. The first part of the issue is word explosion. When there is a multitude of words, there will be sin. We see this in gossip, where each gossiper tries to outdo the other. We see it in heated arguments where people speak before they think. We even see it in the police investigation, in which guilty people talk a lot to explain their innocence. In contrast, the wise person says little or nothing. To add to a conversation, one must have something worthwhile to add. There is an old Latin saying that translates to "He is closest to God who knows how to be silent for a good reason." Verse 24 is historically speaking loaded with irony. Wicked people have a deep fear, and so they will work aggressively to prevent those fears from coming about? But their activity actually brings that which they fear. Let’s look at two examples. In Genesis 11:4 we see the motivation for building the Tower of Babel: “lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.” What was the result of their project? That which they most feared. What was the motivation for the religious elite to arrange the judicial murder of Jesus? What the elite feared was that the Romans would “come and take away both our temple and our nation." As a result of rejecting the Messiah, the Jewish leadership led their people to the ruin of 70 A.D. In contrast, the desires of the righteous will be granted. "We must not imagine that this refers to our selfish, worldly desires. What the righteous desire is what God wants for them! When our greatest desire is for God's will to be done in our lives, God will ultimately make that happen. It is tempting to say, "God's greatest desire for me is to have—here you can insert your own agenda." The desires we impose in God's name may be nothing like what He wants in us and for us. 

"Lord, help me make sure all my words honor You. AMEN."

The difference between "What" and "Why"

 Why?

There is a world of difference between “what” we do and “why” we do it. That is especially true for those who are in the ministry.  “What” a preacher does is pretty easy to categorize, list, evaluate, and outline. But the heartfelt “Why” is very different. For many people in ministry, they begin with a “Why” related to a passion to serve God, to serve the church, and to love people. But over time they get bogged down in the “What” they do in ministry. Sometimes because of frustrations, difficult circumstances, and problematic people, they can lose the “Why”. They function by doing the “What” but inside there's no energy, no passion, and no fire.

The reason “Why” Lorie and I have chosen to be a part of the Standing Stone Ministry is because we understand what it's like to lose the “Why” in the midst of the “What”. We know what it's like to conscientiously and faithfully go through the functionality of ministry but to still be a little dead inside. So our goal is to help ministers who are losing their “Why” to refresh and restore. We are excited to see them be excellent at the “What” of ministry, but we want that excellence to grow out of their heartfelt “Why”.

We would like to ask you to continue to help us as we help pastors hang on to and restore the “Why” of their ministry. By your faithful generous support, your prayers, and your words of encouragement, you're not simply helping us do “What” we need to do; you are helping us help pastors hang on to their very precious “Why”.

I came across a video that expresses this idea of “what” and “why”. Please follow this link and see the difference between “What” and “Why”. Know Your Why | Michael Jr.

I hope that today you can move beyond simply “What” you're doing into an excited and energized “Why” you are doing it. Also below is a link to our partnership portal so that if you want to begin to help us financially as we encourage pastors in their “Why” you can do so through our ministry and service. https://standingstone.givevirtuous.org/donate/shepherd-donation?projectCodePreselect=2103.03

In the Cause of Christ

Charlie and Lorie