Know Their Place

(Pro 29:21 KJV) He that delicately bringeth up his servant from a child shall have him become his son at the length.

Is it “slave” (5650) (NASB) or “servant” (KJV)?  Although it can mean either the most common translation in both is a variation of servant.  In fact the KJV does not use it for slave.  In modern culture there is a world of difference between the two, in the ancient world, not so much.  The peasant farmer of ancient history had some rights but they were usually trumped by the nobility.  Slaves had rights in theory also.  Serfs in medieval Europe could not travel without permission of their lord. 

Move down a little further in history and think of the place of the servant class in Victorian England.  Picture the movie Mary Poppins is you can.  The well to do banker had a house full of servants.  He had lowly clerks at work.  Everywhere he went his class made people pay homage to him.  Of course he did the same for his betters.

This turned the tables in a way.  It did not do away with the class structure but it said we have a responsibility to those “below” us.

So?  Treat people well.  You may not respect them but you are required to be courteous and kind. 

Where the Buck Starts

(Pro 28:28 KJV) When the wicked rise, men hide themselves: but when they perish, the righteous increase.

I think that this verse is often slanted.  Most people would think of the nation’s leadership when they see a reference to the “wicked” (7563).  To me this is more a look at Joe Citizen.  I will concede that the record of our leaders has not been good.  With all the deceit going on in political circles and the media I think we are seeing a good example of what is happening on the street.

Significant change starts among the people.  Look at things like the 19th Amendment which granted women the right to vote.  Women had been allowed to vote for years in the less sophisticated states.  Gradually states were giving them the franchise.  The amendment was the result of grassroots support.  The same is true of people in power endorsing and enforcing evil.

So?  When we say there is nothing we can do about it we are missing the point.  We are to be the source of righteousness in our neighborhood.  When enough people turn to the Lord we will see the kind of revival that we talk about but are afraid of. 

What Kind of Chips Fall from Your Block

(Pro 27:11 KJV) My son, be wise, and make my heart glad, that I may answer him that reproacheth me.

Do you have children?  If not then they have never embarrassed you.  Children have a way of saying less than wise things at less than right times.  It happens.  It is life.  Usually it becomes something the family can joke about for years to come.  That does not naturalize the possibility that your son doesn’t stand the test of time.

The test comes when they grow up.  In today’s world that means that they will be out of step with the common culture.  People may think you have reason to be embarrassed.  People may think you are disappointed.  If your son is walking the high road then it is the reproach that will not hold water.

So?  If they are your children, raise them right.  If they are not, be the best influence you can be.  After that it is up to them. 

A Fool in the Hand

(Pro 26:9 KJV)  As a thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, so is a parable in the mouth of fools.

I have never been drunk so I am not sure how to take this.  Does it mean that the drunkard is so far out of contact with reality that they don’t feel the pain?  Does it mean that they feel it but it doesn’t bother them?  Does it mean that they overreact?  I would imagine that different drunks would react differently.  In any case it would seem that wisdom is of little use to people with their minds messed up.

This would also imply that fools are dead to wisdom.  How do you know who is a fool.  That will take a bit more reading but Proverbs does not stint on the aspects of fools. 

So?  Accept the fact that many of the people you deal with would fall into this category.  Fools exist.  I hope to avoid being one. 

Public Domain

(Pro 25:9 KJV) Debate thy cause with thy neighbour himself; and discover not a secret to another:

One of the repeated lessons of Proverbs is to slow down, think and not rush into anything.  That is the issue again here.  How often do we get into a discussion and have it degenerate into a heated argument and then we end up sharing something that was not meant to be shared?  It could be a struggle someone else is having.  They may have even had victory and you are just sharing the results, but it was not your place to share. 

This is not a command to refrain from heated discussions.  It is not an expectation that we just agree with everything we hear.  It is an instruction to be careful of what we share about others.

So?  Have some great discussions this year.  People need to hear truth.  Make sure the truth you share is in the public domain. 

Putting Life into IKEA

(Pro 24:4 KJV) And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.

Man has a materialism magnet inside his heart.  We can’t help it.  We are physical beings living in a physical world.  You can’t eat a philosophical position and having the right position on the trinity will not keep you warm on a cold night.  We need a certain amount of wealth to survive and live decent lives.  In spite of that, material things are not enough. 

Our hearts, minds and homes need more than electricity and a well stocked kitchen.  If you have never been to an IKEA store you might want to see one.  At one place in the store they have models that show you how you can have a two bedroom house in under 700 square feet.  Of course it is stocked with their products.  What is missing is the “knowledge” that makes it a place you would want to come home to. 

So?  Make sure that you know where you stand in relation to things eternal.  That is the key to making all the other stuff of life have any real value. 

Not Montessori

(Pro 23:12 KJV) Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge.

The Bible assumes that learning will not be fun.  I know that is the common mantra of education today, “Make learning fun.”  It may be possible in a cooking class or PE but not so much in Constitutional law or The Theology of Romans 101.  We see that in the use of the word translated “discipline” (4148) in the NASB and “instruction” in the KJV.  To us and our modern Montessori approach to education we don’t see them going together.  The Bible knows the hearts of mankind and knows real knowledge is an uphill climb.

As adults who are filled with the Holy Spirit, we can often discipline ourselves.  That is good.  If we get lazy then it is time for some applied chastisement, which is at the root of discipline.

So?  Push yourself.  Reorganize your day.  Search your heart and see if repentance is part of the order of the day.