The Unexpected

Proverbs 2:4 (KJV) If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;

On my other blog where I write longer essays, I find that almost all roads lead to hidden treasures.  It doesn’t matter where I start, I end up getting back to making spiritual points.  Biblical principles and applications show up in the strangest places, but usually only if you are searching for them.

Searching for God’s hidden treasure is a mindset.  You can actually be reading the Bible and getting nothing out of it.  The Bible is useful as a tool of history.  Over the years in spite of claims that it is just fiction, it is amazing how often when the archaeologist and historians start looking, they find that the Bible is incredibly accurate.  They have found cities and civilizations that were listed no other place.  They found historical political positions that no one ever knew about outside of the Bible, until they dug a little deeper in the ruins and found evidence.

So?  Is the old saying that you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink.  There are some real truths in that but most horses are smart enough to know when they need to drink, and when there is water in front of them.  Be like a smart horse.  

Never Too Old

Proverbs 1:5 (KJV) A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:

The first couple verses in this chapter seemed to be geared towards young people.  When you get to this verse, I think it infers that the wise man is not young.  This is a declaration to all of us, no matter what our age or circumstances that we need to listen and increase in learning and understanding.

One of the joys of studying God’s word is it seems to have that living and vibrant character which makes it possible to speak to us in ways that we had not heard before.  My hope is that as I read through this book again this month that there are hidden gems lurking and waiting to spring out at me and surprise me.

So?  Sometimes it’s the attitude that makes it possible to learn and grow.  May my attitude be good as I want it to be.  Actually, may my attitude be as good as God wants it to be.  

The Best Witness

Proverbs 31:31 (KJV) Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.

The world would certainly be a better place if all women used chapter 31 as a model.  It would be even better if men would take the lessons that are here and apply them to their lives.

This final verse could be looked at as saying that the laborer is worthy of her hire, but I want to look at the second part.  It’s an interesting statement that her “works” are going to be what “praises” her.  So often we think that what we say is what people should be listening to, but how often do we listen to what other people tell us?  We’ve heard the platitudes about how actions speak louder than words, this makes it more than a platitude.

I don’t think that this model woman is going out each day asking herself, “What can I do today to make myself look good?”  I think she goes out each day simply committed to living an upright and righteous life, to working hard, to be honest and fair in all her dealings.  People notice.

So?  I would suggest that we continually check our motivation and make sure that it is pure.  When you compliment the pastor on a sermon either make it an honest statement of how you feel or simply find someone else to talk to.  Apply that liberally to the rest of life.  

What Is Meditation?

Psalm 4:4 (KJV) Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.

(Proverbs 30 also read)

I first read this today in the NASB.  I noticed that it has the word “meditate”.  That made me think that perhaps there is something here having to do with the definition of what it means to meditate.

I looked over and saw that the KJV had a different word.  The Hebrew seems to mean “talk or speak”.  So what does meditation mean?  What does it mean to commune with your heart?  I would suggest that there’s an element here of talking to yourself.  It doesn’t mean you’re crazy.  It means you’re throwing around ideas.  You can even involve talking to God or to the Holy Spirit, who lives within you.

So meditation in the Christian world is not emptying your mind and humming a mantra like the eastern religions do.  It is a matter of taking a truth and wrestling with it.  Argue with it.  Give it a piece of your mind.  Get closer to truth.

So?  That gives you something to do when you can’t sleep at night if nothing else.  Meditate.  Think about the things of God.  Talk them over even when no one else is around.  

Façades

Proverbs 29:24 (KJV) Whoso is partner with a thief hateth his own soul: he heareth cursing, and bewrayeth it not.

This verse brought to mind a podcast I was watching where a woman was expressing how happy she was to be unmarried, childless, living alone, and approaching middle age.  I heard the words.  I’m afraid I didn’t believe them.  Certain types of people are expressed in this verse as hating their own souls.

We see people around us, smiling, and laughing.  I don’t know how many times they have to make some commercials in order to get the exact proper effect.  I still remember a billboard for some beer, where the waitress was walking along with a whole bunch of bottles, and this glowing look of happiness on her face.  I wonder how many models they had to interview in order to find the expression they were looking for.

We need to understand that just because people look happy doesn’t mean that they are.  What’s somewhat amusing is that in the church the opposite can also be true.  Just because someone looks like a sour puss doesn’t mean that they are.  Engage them in conversation and you’ll find out that there is an inner joy.  They can’t help it if their face is sagging.

So?  Always focus on the inner man both in those around you and within yourself.  Rejoice in the God of your salvation.  Notice that the root word in rejoice is joy.  

Putting It All in Perspective

Proverbs 28:5 (KJV) Evil men understand not judgment: but they that seek the LORD understand all things.

We like to find categories such as wisdom, the law and righteousness.  We like terms and theological concepts, such as grace and justification.  Most of these concepts get watered down and lose their meeting when we start trying to deal with the world around us.  That’s because we forget what our real focus and our real target should be.

Notice here our understanding is dependent upon us seeking the Lord.  I haven’t looked at the Hebrew tenses and I’m not that good at Hebrew, but I have a feeling that this concept here is a continual, ongoing, unrelenting seeking of the Lord.  When we have a situation that we do not understand, when we have to make a judgment, if we’re just going on our college classes or our articles of faith, we are doomed to failure.  Everything is to be based on us continually seeking the Lord.

So?  There are the subjective aspects of the seeking such as prayer and meditation.  There’s more important the objective foundations of the seeking in the word of God and our study of the word.  Seek God on all fronts and He will grant us understanding.  

Preserving Riches

Proverbs 27:24 (KJV) For riches are not for ever: and doth the crown endure to every generation?

Don’t be distracted by the word “riches”.  The immediate context here is the obvious meaning of the word.  The connotation has to do with David and his descendants.  It applies to us in our daily life.

Think of the holidays that are just past.  Think of the gatherings to come.  In your mind look around the table and see all the people that you have influenced over the years.  The point here is that you continue to influence them.  They’re still watching.  You may not think they’re listening, and it’s true.  They may not actually hear the words you say, but they hear the words you live.  Your influence over your children and your extended family never ends.

I know that, especially when you get older, you feel like no one cares and that you have nothing else to give.  That is not true.  Even your neighbors watch how you respond to things.  People in the car next to you watch how you drive.  When you pray over your meal in a restaurant, other diners, watch how you treat servers.

So?  We always have to maintain our spiritual and social accounts.  Live is God designed you to live and the investment will pay off.