Proverbs 31:1-31

Proverbs 31:1-31

The last chapter of this book is actually two appendices. Verses 1-9 are the sage advice of a queen mother to her young son, the king. It is a reminder to focus on the role of the king to both live by and protect truth and justice. Pleasure is not the primary purpose of power. Power exists to protect and to serve. That is true for all occasions and in all cultures.

Verses 10 - 21 are the most famous passage of Proverbs and are an acrostic poem with the verses beginning in the order of the letters of the Hebrew alphabet. This passage has been used and misused to proof-text all sorts of positions concerning the role of women. We would do well to look at this passage from the bigger context of the whole book. Over the last 30 chapters we have received advice and wisdom on every possible subject. We have looked at philosophy, psychology, economics, prostitution and vice, work, play, and almost every other aspect of life. Here the book concludes with the hopeful picture of a happy home. All the success in the world is empty if home is a misery. But in the happy, blessed home there is peace and contentment.

“Lord, give me the wisdom to keep the main priorities the focus of my life. AMEN."

Proverbs 30:1-33

Proverbs 30:1-33

In many ways this chapter is one of the most entertaining sections of the entire book of Proverbs.  Many, but not all, of these proverbs come in collections of four. They provide much fodder for an active imagination about what kind of events these proverbs provide the moral of the story. Read, reflect, and enjoy all of these humorous notations.

But for the moment, let's look at the beginning and the end of this chapter. Agur, whom we don't know, is speaking to two students and admits his own ignorance. From the rest of the chapter, we see he is not ignorant in the absolute sense. But when it comes to what matters most, it can't be learned by observation or what we may call the scientific process. It can only come by means of revelation, vs. 3-6.  All the observed truths he describes in verses 7 to 31 are at best a glimpse of God.

The conclusion of this chapter is to emphasize the priority of humility. Pride always grows from evil, and it will bring about suffering. Nothing arouses anger or churning more quickly than pride and its actions. To humbly and honestly seek God is the best alternative.

“Lord, help me to walk in humility with You and my fellow man. AMEN”

Proverbs 29:15-27

Proverbs 29:15-27

“Immediate gratification is the near-perfect opposite of long-term success." “The easy way now is the path to the hard way later." These sentiments are very much a theme we find in this passage.

It is the approach of the “long game” that gives us success in domestic life. In verses 15, 17, 18, and 21, for example, we see the warning that the easy way now, leads to hardship later. Verse 21 is a bit odd, and the oddity is from the word translated "son." That word appears nowhere else in the Old Testament. It may reflect a man with no heirs adopting a slave to be his heir. But the boy never learns the hard work of a slave nor the training of a son and so sinks to the lowest level of human nature.

The short-term solution is an approach to life that will fail at the social level. Verses 16, 18, 20, and 22 are examples of people who give full vent to their passions of the moment, but the results are disastrous. The application for our lives is clear: while short-term thinking has effects that are noteworthy because they are easy, the long-term goal needs to take precedence. 

“Lord, help me to have a long-term approach to life. AMEN”

Proverbs 29:1-14

Proverbs 29:1-14

There is a tendency to look at our elected officials, especially past presidents, with one eye closed. With one eye we see the good, and with the other we see the evil, depending on our party loyalties.  How we view our leaders depends on which eye we have open and which eye we have closed. John F. Kennedy was a cool-headed leader during the Cuban Missile Crisis, but we say little about his runaway sexual misconduct. We celebrate Abraham Lincoln as one who by force of will and arms kept the union together, but we dare not talk about his invitation to demons, by occultic practices, to come into the White House. Both parties and every generation face the challenge of what to do when we find a few good deeds done by wicked men.

In contrast, this passage gives us an example of integrity that goes to the core of a person's being. No leader is perfect, but there is a difference between the one for whom evil is an isolated aberration and the one who makes it the habit of his life. Reread this passage and keep in mind the inner character of our leaders. And not just our leader but our own inner character. Sooner or later what's on the inside will become evident. Apparently character does matter. Stormy Daniels and Monica Lewinsky will stay hidden only so long. 

“Lord, help me to develop the inner character that You desire. AMEN."

Proverbs 28:15-28

Proverbs 28:15-28

There are several places in the section that address the sad state of people who have to deal with the greedy rich. There is a collection of three proverbs that specifically address this issue in verses 20 - 22.

In verse 20 the contrast is between the man who is faithful or is a man of integrity and the person who has an agenda of wealth. His agenda or eagerness to gain leads to punishment. "Why?" Because of his lack of faithfulness or integrity.

The next verse builds on that fact. Even though partiality is wrong, it still happens, and sometimes the price of a compromise is amazingly small. There is a story of a businessman who asks a young lady to sleep with him for $50,000. She agrees and then he offers her $20. Offended, she asked, “What kind of girl do you think I am?” The businessman replies, “We've established what you are; now we are negotiating the price." 

In verse 22 most modern translations failed to translate the phrase “evil eye” accurately. The man who is passionate about wealth has a distorted sense of vision. It is both incorrect and morally wrong. Everything is seen in terms of gain and advantage. He is unaware that wont or poverty is coming. What he most hates will become his justice.

“Help me, Lord, to be a person of deep integrity. AMEN."

Proverbs 28:1-14

Proverbs 28:1-14

There are a couple of proverbs in this passage that seem odd to us. Verse 3, which is poorly translated in many modern translations, should begin, “The poor man who oppresses the poor…” What is described here is the practice of securing a possession by a person who by clever means in order to enrich himself. Think of how tax collector posts were purchased in the Roman Empire. A poor man buys the position by means of a high-interest loan. They could secure their payoff and profit by oppressing those least able to resist. We see today ‘poor’ people in leadership who are anything but public servants.

The first line of vs. 14 seems odd when we read the NASB or the KJV. The NIV gets the message across, but it is not a precise translation of the original text. The NIV inserts the word "God," but that is not in the original text. “Blessed is the man who is constantly in fear…” The word "fear" implies being startled. The event is sudden fear in the most intense way. We can become casual about the "Fear of the Lord." What this proverb advocates is the high level of fear "of God" as the constant of life.

“Lord, help me to live constantly in an awesome awareness of You. AMEN."

Proverbs 27:15-27

Proverbs 27:15-27

There are a couple of proverbs in this passage, that are especially enigmatic. In verses 19 and 21 we have those kinds of proverbs that are worthy of lengthy imagination; the meaning may not be clear. In verse 19 note Solomon refers to a reflection in the water, not a mirror. Reflections in the water are possible; but they are far from perfect. The smallest disturbance can distort the image. That sets us up for two possible understandings of the second line of the proverb. The first possibility is that we can never have a clear image of another person's heart or motivation. We can be misled. Second, our own expression of who we are may at times be distorted. Is Solomon referring to himself or someone else in this statement?

In verse 21, the second line also has two possible meanings. One is that what a man praises reflects the true character of his heart. “Tell me who you love and admire, and I will tell you who you really are”. The other possibility is that when a person is praised, they will either become proud, be ruined, and reflect their weak character.  Orr they will remain strong and humble again reflecting their heart’s true character.

"Lord, help me to have a clear understanding of myself. AMEN."

Proverbs 27:1-14

Proverbs 27:1-14

One has to wonder if Solomon was a lonely soul. He would certainly have been surrounded almost all the time by court officials, but was there a true friend in the house? versus 5-6 may have been written from a man who didn't have many friends.

The greatest danger to real friendship is flattery. The friend that will not tell you the truth about your life and choices isn't a real friend. When we cover our love with a facade of polite support, we are neither helping our friend nor telling the truth. In verse 6 is a parallelism. The open rebuke can feel like a wound. I would much rather bust a knuckle than face the truthful correction of someone who loves me. Ego does that to us. But the alternative is to surround ourselves with those who will tell us what we want to hear. When we do that, we open the door to those whose influence would destroy us. The great challenge is to have the humble heart and the thick skin that can learn rather than be offended.

"Lord, give me a tender heart and thick skin, but never a hard heart and thin skin. AMEN."

Proverbs 26:17-28

Proverbs 26:17-28

This chapter might be entitled "The Three Kinds of People." First is the fool, then comes the slugger, but the most contemptible may be the provoker. This character is introduced and summed up in verse 17; the rest of the chapter is best read as an evaluation of this miscreant. The key word is the word "meddle" (NASB) or "argument." (NIV). It means to get excited and to take sides in a fight. In our time, we see this with people who get offended on behalf of another person. These folks are sometimes called social justice warriors. These are not people who actually serve someone else but merely agitate and excite conflict to signal their virtue. Their methods of protest, riots, and agitation of emotions accomplish nothing real or worthwhile but make matters worse while giving them a sense of moral superiority. Verses 18-28 describe their various actions, deception, gossip, whisper campaigns, and the ruin they bring with them.  If we are wise, we will reject these meddlers, not take up their protestations, and recognize them as sinful in the extreme.

“Help me, Lord, to stay in my lane and do good. "AMEN" 

Proverbs 26:1-16

Proverbs 26:1-16

Two groups of people fall under Solomon's verbal assault. In verses 1-11, Solomon levels his verbal attacks on ‘fools’. Most of the parables are fairly straightforward, but a couple have unique challenges. Verses 4-5 seem to be contradicting if we take them separately, but together they teach us it is useless to try to teach a fool. Verse 8 shows us that honor has a great use, but with the fool it is useless. Verse 9 shows us that fools actually hurt those to whom they would give advice. What is wrong with the fool? It is not a lack of knowing but rather a resistance to learning to do what is right. No one is so stupid as the person who knows it all. Add to this attitude of moral compromise, and you have a fool, as seen in verse 12.

One rung down from a fool is the slugger. versus 13 to 16. Rest is good and holy, but the slugger is not pursuing rest; there is a self-satisfied presumption of having arrived at the apex of life. It is that the world will not cooperate. Self-satisfaction is a grave moral failure.

"Lord, keep me from being a fool or a sluggard. AMEN."

Proverbs 25:15-28

Proverbs 25:15-28

As I write this, it appears that the US is rushing headlong toward its own destruction. It seems that each of these proverbs could apply to both sides of our conflict. Perhaps none better than verse 28. The primary defense of a city was its walls. No matter how great the city, if its walls were ruined, the city’s situation was hopeless. We seem to be a nation without self-control. Certainly there are places or moments of self-control, but excited by our own desires and hurt feelings, we are prepared to protest, scream ugly things, and act in ways that are godless. With a lack of self-control we are susceptible to the manipulations of evil people driven by evil spirits. These evil spirits would tell us, and we are eager to believe them, that our just cause demands we voice our positions. We have become a nation of useful idiots, useful for both sides, for the elites, but worst of all, useful to the powers of darkness.

“God, help us to learn self-control. AMEN."

Proverbs 25:1-14

Proverbs 25:1-14

We have entered another subsection of the book. Chapters 25-29 are a collection of Solomon's proverbs collected and written down by “men of King Hezekiah”. Hezekiah was the 13th generation after Solomon and ruled about 200 years later. Hezekiah was one of the best kings of Judah, and as such, Israel had a spiritual and moral revival. There is an important but subtle lesson. There is little dynamic link between a heart that turns to God and minds that are full, fruitful, and creative. During Hezekiah's reign there was a revival of learning. These “men of Hezekiah” may be described as scribes, literary researchers, scholars, or men of learning.

In our own national history, the flowering of our intellect and intelligence has grown out of a God-focused worldview and has been highly productive. As our education system offers a focus on stupid things, our nation has spiraled toward riotousness and useless entertainment. To know the world, you must first know God.

Lord, help us to understand the link between knowing You and knowing about the world and life. AMEN”

Proverbs 24:23-34

Proverbs 24:23-34

Having come to the end of “The 30 Sayings”, what follows are the additional sayings of the wise in which two themes are developed. Of all the things Solomon could have talked about. It is worth noting that these two themes are brought up. Without these two societal commitments, no culture will last for long. As our nation seems to be rushing headlong toward ruin, we would be wise to pay attention. These two themes are so closely related that Solomon intermixes them. The first is Justice; the second is hard work. 

At an official level, justice must be a priority (verses 23-26). Where once our legal system was held in very high regard by the citizenry at large, it is now often held with disdain. While there are numerous reasons for this change, we must not forget that personal behavior and character are critical for any sense of justice (vs. 28-29). 

The ethic of hard work is expressed in verses 27 and 30-34. The value of hard work and thrift is lost on a society in decay.  It is worth noting, as evidence of how these are related, that often protests against injustice turn into riots, and the riots become occasions for looting.

When the citizenry loses its respect for justice and for the value of hard work, the society is in a downward spiral toward collapse.

“Lord, grant us a justice system that is worthy of respect, and may we work as a people who respect You. AMEN”

Proverbs 24:1-22

Proverbs 24:1-22

It is interesting that the grouping of these sayings has verses 10 to 12 as one saying. This passage links the strength of our character in a crisis with our part in the life-and-death struggle for the innocent. For example, Germany, for all her greatness, will never escape the ignominy of her failure to thwart the efforts of the Nazis. The rise of evil people and groups is always the result of pseudo-righteous people failing to stand up to evil. The ascension of evil in our generation is the result of the failure of the church to take on the burden of the conflict when the demonic ideas of free love, abortion, LGBTQ, etc. were in their infancy. The church as a whole lacked the strength to oppose them then. So now these are the dominant views in our nation. God's judgment will come on us, but do not doubt that it will come most directly on those who could have and should have opposed this gross immorality and did not. On the day of distress, they were found wanting and weak, and that weakness revealed their true character.

“Lord, develop in us the character to stand strong for the innocent. AMEN."

Proverbs 23:19-22

Proverbs 23:19-22

There is for us in this section, a fascinating contrast that would be well-heeded by those in leadership positions. It is a contrast that might actually surprise us. It is the contrast between self-indulgence and family life. We might expect a contrast between self-indulgence and self-discipline. Or  a contrast between family life and social or business life. But this contrast actually goes to the root of good governance or leadership.

In verses 19 to 21, those who would serve are warned against the life of self-indulgence in food and wine. Followed by an admonition to be faithful to one's parents. In verses 26 and following, there is the warning of self-indulgence again, but it is in this case the matter of sexual gratification. This chapter concludes with another warning about self-indulgence and the use of alcohol.

It is worth noting that a man who is self-indulgent with wine, women, and food is very likely going to be incompetent as a leader at home. But the man who is a quality leader at home will inevitably be a quality leader in any organization or nation.

“Lord, give us leaders who are truly focused on what is good for the family and not their own self-indulgence. AMEN." 

Proverbs 23:1-18

Proverbs 23:1-18

If the 30 sayings of Proverbs 22:17–24:22 are an orientation to life in the royal court, we see something that is missing in much of American political life. To serve in the court of Solomon, a man was trained in both statecraft and personal moral character. In America, from both the left and the right, we have heard the argument that a leader’s character doesn't matter as long as he does a good job with policy. What we see in these sayings is the character does matter, both in personal life and public policy. Here are two examples. First, self-discipline in private life is foundational for leadership in the public eye. Self-control in the pursuit of short-term personal advantages, such as currying favor with a powerful political ruler over a meal (vs. 1-3), is put on par with leading well at home (vs. 13-14). Another example is he temptation to use positions of power to expand wealth, which runs amok in the US Congress and Senate, is warned against in verses 10-11 and is in contrast to the wisdom of verse 12. In any place where we would lead or look for leaders, there must be character and competence. If there isn't both, you don't have a leader.

“Lord, raise up leaders with both skill and moral strength. AMEN”

Proverbs 22:17-29

Proverbs 22:17-29

The break between verse 16 and 17 is more significant than we might first notice. Beginning in verse 17, there is a series of 30 sayings that will conclude near the end of chapter 24. Sometimes these sayings are a single verse, some are a few verses long. Verses 17 to 21 seem to be an introduction to the section of sayings. These sayings are, in a way, a summary of the Proverbs which began in chapter 10.

As we look at this section, we see what might be called, in our terms, an orientation for someone who would be serving in the court of the king. What we see in this orientation is, not so much a list of rules, but rather the inner character of a good worker whose inner life is being expressed in specific behaviors. Generally the pattern we see is the description of a specific behavior, followed by a supporting truth or principle. For example, in verses 22 to 23, the behavior is ‘don't take advantage of the poor’. Followed by the principle, “the Lord will take up their cause”.

“Lord, help me to shape my life by godly principles so that on every occasion I will understand how to serve You. AMEN."

Proverbs 22:1-16

Proverbs 22:1-16

So many of our societal issues would be resolved if we could or would apply the wisdom of this proverb. The issues of racism, poverty, and social inequity have been a battleground for our nation for generations. But after years of effort by the left and right political systems, we haven't made much or any progress. But there are four verses in this passage that have the potential to resolve much of our strife. The equality of all men is rooted in their creation by God. There is no place for racism or superiority and certainly no place for pride if we are all created in God’s image. Equality is not man-ordered or court-established; it is God-given. As such, it is an absolute. 

To the wealthy verse 9 explains that generosity is the enviable way to live; that is what "blessed" means. The accumulation of wealth gives us an enviable life when we are generous. This is not the same as confiscation by the government but the result of a heart shaped by what we see in verse 2. 

To the poor, there is a lesson about hard work. If poverty is the result of laziness, it is an indication of weak character and is shameful. Verse 13 tells us that lazy people will always have a lame excuse for why they can't get out and work. Lions and the wilderness are a possibility; lions in the street are a useless person's excuse. In verse 16 we see the dangers of making money as the objective of life. In contrast to the enviable life of the generous man, the one who plans to be a social climber by stepping on the poor and schmoozing with the rich will end up ruined.

Sadly, we train our children in the two vices of greed and laziness. In verse 6 we see the positive possibility. To teach children the enviable life, but it is rarely taught in a full-spectrum measure kind of way. Instead we train our children to be cranks and verbal pugilists. We see this happening and reflected in verse 10. We are a contentious society because we are allowing the scoffers from each side to be the primary voices. Until our conversations and society are shaped by people of good conscience, it will only get worse.

“Lord, help me to shape the society to come by shaping children today. AMEN."

Proverbs 21:16-31

Proverbs 21:16-31

Charlie Brown comes to Snoopy at his doghouse with two bowls of food, telling him one is for today and the other is for tomorrow. Snoopy eats both, thinking to himself, “I would hate myself if tomorrow never came." Like Snoopy, we all have the capacity to be shortsighted in our planning. Much of this passage is a warning of the dangers of shortsightedness.

Not planning for eternity is the most perfect and, at the same time, the most dangerous example of shortsightedness. Verse 16 warns that there is only one end for the shortsighted spiritual plan. In verse 17 consumption and living for pleasure are shortsighted. There is always more opportunity to spend than resources available. In verse 19 one needs to ask, “Why marry such a woman?” Perhaps she became a vexing woman after marriage, but that is not generally the case. Marriage makes us more of what we already are. Could it be that prior to marriage the young man was so enraptured by her beauty that the short-term excitement caused him to overlook her disposition? To say “love is blind” is not a compliment.

In the short term we want to rest and to find the easy way, but in the long term hard work now pays off later. That is the point of verses 25-26.

The short view of worship is seen in verse 27. Too many times the modern church has prostituted its worship for the short-term advantages. Great attendance and slick productions may please our clientele, but in the long run they are not pleasing to the One we came to worship. The most egregious example of short-term planning is the thinking that is found in verse 30. From false religions to heretical Christianity to atheism to agnosticism (which often is the plea and hope that we can ignore God out of existence), nothing is a worse plan than to try to make a plan against God. Such plans may in the short term achieve their goals. But in A Thousand Years their stupidity will be evident.

“Lord, help me to always plan for the long term. AMEN." 

Proverbs 21:1-15

Proverbs 21:1-15

There are always unintended consequences for our actions. We set out on a course of action toward a desired goal, and along the way we experience events or realities that were not part of our plan. They were the byproducts or secondary effects of what we were doing. They were wholly unintended, but they were not entirely unexpected. This passage gives several examples.

In verse 3 the person who is focused on doing what is right and fair may not have expected that it would be a time of worship, but God sees it this way. The burning lamp in verse 4 was indicative of prosperity and wealth, as olive oil was expensive. The person in pride and arrogance who has an ostentatious display of their wealth might not think that these very symbols of wealth are sinful, but it is an unintended consequence of their action.

Consider the actions of the conscientious and thoughtful person who is motivated by doing a good job and the right thing. The byproduct they experience is advantage. Notice Solomon doesn't limit it to strictly financial gain; the advantage might be something else entirely. In contrast to diligence is the person who tries the shortcut. The unintended but not unexpected opposite of diligence is poverty.

When a person attempts to get rich by deception, they expect to make substantial gains to be enjoyed. It never occurs to them that this wealth is like a fog, always there but also forever out of reach. Rather than a substantial life, they only get death for their efforts.

We cannot know with certainty all the second- or third-level effects of our decisions and actions, but we can know that they will be there. We can know the generalities of our actions. If we walk through a spring meadow, we may not know the specific flowers we will find, but we know there will be at least one there. The same is true if we walk in a garbage dump

“Lord, help me to walk circumspectly and anticipate unintended consequences. AMEN."

Proverbs 20:16-30

Proverbs 20:16-30

The moral of the story is found in verse 16. We do not know the original story, but the theme is repeated over and over in human history. One example is the subprime mortgage crisis of the mid-2000s. Banks lent money to people who had no business borrowing. Building a house of cards, massive amounts of debt were incurred, and those who couldn't pay defaulted, and the house of cards fell. It was a massive financial crisis hurting almost everyone. The judgments handed down were painful. In verse 16 we see that the one who makes loans to unworthy persons will have even their garments taken from them to cover their losses. Lending is generally frowned on in the Bible, especially lending with interest. It is especially condemned as a means of becoming rich at the expense of the poor. There is no pity for the person lending for that purpose. When the house of cards falls, they will lose all they have without pity. Since our entire economic system is based on lending and interest, one is wise to wonder about our supposed security. 

An even harsher judgment is expressed in verse 17. We often consider our course of actions with a very short vision. We imagine what we gain immediately as the only consequence of our choices. By dishonest or false means we gain what we desire but fail to consider the long-term effects. The thrill of porn, the profit of dishonest investment, and the delight of empty calories are all examples. At the moment we tend not to consider the addiction, the arrest, or the morbid obesity. Instead of eating a pastry, we find we are breaking our teeth on stones. While this principle and proverb applies to every circumstance, the context and proximity to verse 16 need to be taken into account. When the allure of easy financial gain of a dishonest nature is presented to us, we need to remember human economic theory falls apart before Divine justice.

"Lord, help me be scrupulously honest in all of my financial dealings. AMEN." 

Proverbs 20:1-15

Proverbs 20:1-15

Sometimes conflict comes to us, but not as often as we pretend. In the midst of conflict, we like to present ourselves as innocent victims, but how often is that the case? Solomon gives us three proverbs about conflict in verses 1 to 3.

In verse 1 we see the horrible effects of drunkenness. To be a mocker is more than to insult our fellows. The mocker is mocking the things of God. The mocker or scoffer is picking a fight with the Almighty. The brawler is merely in a fight with his friends. How many times do we hear about people getting drunk and having a fight? It accomplishes nothing but is so costly. How much more is the cost of fighting with God?

Picking a fight with the king is a shortcut to misery. Not living in a monarchy, the application isn't so clear, but this may help. Have you ever seen the videos of people escalating an argument with a peace officer? It never happens that the officer responds to aggression by saying, "I give up; go on your way." Picking a fight with authority never goes well, as the song says, “When I fight authority, authority always wins.”

So why do we pick fights we can't win? On very rare occasions it is because an important principle is at stake. Generally we get into conflict because our ego has been bruised and our pride moves us to attempt to make a point. Verse 3 gives a different perspective on the conflict. Our English translations often fail to catch an important nuance of the verse. While we generally see this as advice to avoid conflict, which is true, there is also the advice to stop or interrupt the disagreement. Conflicts or disagreements are inevitable, but our ongoing continued participation is entirely our choice. We see here it is an honor to walk away. That word "honor" means “glory” or "splendor." While our pride wants to fight on, in reality it is a mark of glory to take a rest or Sabbath from the fight. This is truly an inversion of our fallen nature. But any fool can pick and keep on fighting.

“Lord, give me a mind and a heart committed to peace. " AMEN 

Proverbs 19:15-29

Proverbs 19:15-29

It is tempting to read the Proverbs as individual wise sayings, but they were collected and set down in such a way that we can notice general themes. It is as if one proverb reminds Solomon of another dealing with the same issue but from a different perspective.

One such theme is that of being a lifelong learner. Often the appetite to learn new things, which is more common in our younger years, begins to fade. We become set in our ways and are convinced we know what we need to know, and we stop learning, engaging, or exploring. For example, the second line of verse 16 warns that the one who is careless or contemptuous of his way will be ruined. We are never too old to learn the way of the Lord more fully.

Verse 18 gives the foundation for a lifelong pursuit of the Lord. It even tells us that when we are lax about the training or discipleship of our son, we are actually desiring his death. While we might not say, “I want my child to ruin their life and die," when we do not do the hard work of spiritual formation, we are saying, "I would rather my son die morally, spiritually, and physically than be inconvenienced by engagement."

Verse 20 is about the early foundation of lifelong learning. The early foundation gives a great advantage so that you avoid the trouble of “stupid early, stupid late." 

Verse 22 is a bit of an enigma. The best understanding is that the character trait we most want to see in a man is that he has a character that is kind, merciful, beautiful, etc. The word used here can express almost all of the great virtues. But these virtues are actually expressed in actions of benevolence, help in tragedy, and even correction of error. But the second part of the verse seems to be an odd contrast. The point Solomon is getting at is that it is better to be a poor man unable to offer tangible practical help but would like to than to have the means to express tangibly these virtues but be unwilling to do so even after making a promise. Many people would love the reputation of being a great-hearted, philanthropic person; they just don't want to live it out.

“Lord, help me to develop the desire to serve and the willingness to serve. AMEN."

Proverbs 19:1-14

Proverbs 19:1-14

In response to a tragic turn of events, people will sometimes say, “There's a reason for everything," implying that there was a secret council that caused this tragic turn. That may be, but there is the truth that sometimes the reason for tragedy is that people can be stupid. That is the message of verse 2. The NIV gets the concept of this verse well with "It is not good to have zeal without knowledge." This text includes the Hebrew word "Naphash," which means "soul," "vitality," or "appetite." Put another way, it is not good to have a wonderful and glorious plan without the knowledge or the cunning to see it through. We all have stories of great plans and failed follow-through. Knowing what to do and how to do it are equally critical. The absence of either will lead to sin. Here are the classical words for sin: “to miss the mark” and “to bear the blame." Verse 3 is related in that poor planning for the great plan results in ruin, literally “perverts his way." Creative sorts sometimes struggle with getting input. Their plans go off the rails, and then they blame God. Their grandiose plans become a dumpster fire, and they accuse God, “Why did this happen, God?” The answer may be, “Because you were too stupid to listen to good advice. ”.

As one reads verses 13 to 14, one might wonder if these words are autobiographical for Solomon. The word "ruin" or "destruction" in the first line of verse 13 carries the implication of an “evil that is rushed after or into." Did Solomon see the stupidity of Rehoboam before he wrecked Israel? Did the brawling or contentious wife bother Solomon like water torture? He would leave his son a palace and great wealth, just as he had received them from David. But the circumspect wife who is a gift from God may have been absent. Is there a link to this in our story? Perhaps Solomon looked back at his rash plan to marry, by which he ended up with 900 women and now has a foolhardy son, but he still doesn't have a wife that is filled with righteousness and godly counsel. 

“Lord, give me wisdom to keep close to me those who are righteous and wise and to seek from them wise counsel. AMEN."

Proverbs 18:14-24

Proverbs 18:14-24

One is apt to wonder if Solomon was a lonely man. Beyond all the regal trappings, the multitude of officials and courtiers was he emotionally isolated? Some of his sayings seem to speak wistfully of good times and experiences as if they were observed but not experienced. Then there are the sad realities that he may have had to carry.

Verse 14 reminds us of ‘the facts of four.' A man can go 40 days without food, four days without water, and 4 minutes without air but will not last four seconds without hope.

We tend to think of verse 16 from the perspective of the lesser man bringing the gift. But what about the greater man who receives the gift? Did Solomon ever want to be approached by someone who didn't come to him with a gift or a bribe and an agenda?

Verse 17 is fundamental to all matters legal. But beyond the legal system, it ought to be part of our daily discernment. As a judge, Solomon would have seen the claims and cases of a plaintiff fall apart under cross-examination. The context of verses 18-19 is interesting. The second part of the proverb is typically translated “and decides between the mighty” or “keeps strong opponents apart." The word "decide" literally means "divide." There is more than a judicial rendering, but an end of a connection. Perhaps two parties that were once friends from now on are never going to speak to each other. This gives us a fuller meaning to verse 19. The word ‘offended’ in the first line can be translated as ‘rebellion’ or 'rebel.' The picture here is not a difference of minor opinion or even a heated argument; this is a picture of warfare. The contention has advanced to the point of open warfare. The harsh words are like iron bars on a castle; they can be removed, but the building must be torn down. Verse 24 seems to be forlorn and may have been Solomon's self-reflection. How does a man of many friends come to destruction (NASB)?  Maybe because his standard for friendship was too low. His friends didn't share what mattered most to Solomon. But there is a friend, literally a lover, who is closer than a brother. Was Jonathan on Solomon's mind, or perhaps Jesus?

“Lord, never allow me to lose my commitment to having quality people in my life. AMEN”