There Is an Answer

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

We all come across times when others “reproach” (2778) us for one reason or another.  That is life but we don’t need to enjoy it.  Neither do we need to let it drag us down.

The obvious qualifications should be noted.  When someone criticizes you start by listening to what they are saying.  Consider it as objectively as you can.  Ignore or implement change as required.  That should be part of our basic response.

With me the emotional pressure is what mounts and does not want to go away.  When criticized unjustly I can acknowledge that it is unjust, but it still inflicts pain.  How do I deal with it, or more accurately, how should I deal with it?  The suggestion here implies that there are areas of our lives where we have done well.  The example here is a son who has shown wisdom.  The idea is to keep reminding yourself of your successes to keep the negatives in check.

So?  I think we have all done some good.  It may take a bit of thinking when we are being attacked but give it some time.  Just as you relied on God’s grace to do well now you need to call on the Holy Spirit to bring those times to mind.  

The Perspective of Eternity

Psalms 73:13 (KJV) Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency.

(Proverbs 25 also read)

One of the things I appreciate about the teachings in the Bible is the balance that makes pie in the sky a false accusation.  We have multiplied promises that God gives us.  We know them to be true.  At the same time we have clear statements about how things will look on the surface.

If you look through this chapter in Psalms, there is a long list of what are considered benefits of the selfish, powerful, and greedy.  The Bible does not deny that there are people like this, and that they are often successful.  But that success is in the terms of the world and of what we can see.  This verse even acknowledges the feeling that his righteousness and faithfulness has been in “vain”.

But keep reading.  You always need to get to the end of the story to find out how the plot works out.  The author is vindicated.  God is trustworthy.

So?  Hang in there.  God will balance the scale.  In fact, He won’t just balance it, He will put His finger on the side of righteousness.  Make sure you are on that side.  

Look Back

Proverbs 2:20 (KJV) That thou mayest walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous.

Notice how this verse starts with the word, “that”.  If you just look at the previous verse, that doesn’t make any sense.  What it’s wanting you to do is look all the way back to the beginning of the chapter where you are told to listen to the Commandments and follow what your father has told you.

We need to keep looking back to the beginning, to the basics.  We always want something new, something fresh, something revolutionary and exciting.  Unfortunately for those of us with that mind set the best thing to be looking at regularly are the basics.

So?  Ask yourself what are the basics of life that God wants us to know about.  You can find the answer, but you’ve got look back to the beginning.  

Wait for It

Proverbs 19:13-14 (KJV) 13 A foolish son is the calamity of his father: and the contentions of a wife are a continual dropping. 14 House and riches are the inheritance of fathers: and a prudent wife is from the LORD.

One of the things I feel is true about the Bible is ultimately you see both sides to an issue.  You find balance if you keep reading.  It’s also very easy to miss the point.

Here we have a good example of two sides of the coin in successive verses.  You notice in verse 13 it talks about the nagging wife.  That sounds pretty negative.  Then in the next verse talks about how the prudent life comes from the Lord.  That is the other side of the coin.  The Bible does not simplify things to the point of being absurd.  It lets you know that life is complicated.

So?  As I have said many times, keep reading.  You’ll find what you need and you will find it more quickly the more you put into it.  God loves to meet with his people.

Watch the Drift

Proverbs 4:5 (KJV) Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.

My first inclination to stop and look at this verse came from the word in the KJV of “decline” (5186) (turn away, NASB).  How do you decline from the words of God?  That is a good question.  When I looked at the definition of the word and some of the early uses in Genesis I came across the idea of spreading out your attempt or pitching your tent.  At one point it seemed to talk about letting down your bucket deep for water.

What does this say about how we study the word?  We talk about digging.  We talk about searching and meditating.  Those are good concepts, and can probably be verified in scripture.  The problem we have is when we are so desperate for a great insights that we start wandering away from the central truth.  A nuance can be very beneficial, but when we are out looking for just that which is new and exciting, we tend to get into trouble.

So?  Start with the basics and as far as possible, stay with the basics.  We don’t need any exotic theology.  As I’ve said, and I possibly stole it from someone else, we don’t need something new until we get to the point where we are using what we have.  We don’t need new contemporary worship songs when we have hymnals full of songs we are not singing.  We don’t need new methods of outreach when we’re not witnessing or sharing. You get the idea. 

Sharing

(Pro 3:27 KJV)  Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it.

It might be good for us to pause a moment and consider the context of this verse.  If you look back two verses, you’ll find it talking about living in a time of turmoil and struggle.  It talks about living in a time where there’s a lot of wars and a lot of insecurity.  It is in the midst of that that we are told to share.

I know we don’t like that idea.  We want to prepare and be ready to take care of our family.  That is good and that is a priority.  At the same time we are called to obedience and trust.  We are calling to look through our neighbors and our community.  It is part of who we are as believers.

So?  Find the right balance.  We tend to extremes of either/or when God wants us to go for both/and. 

Biblical Balance

(Pro 8:18 KJV)  Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness.

There is a balance in the Bible that is worth noting.  It is dangerous to cherry pick favorite verses without considering the context and the total message.  If you only considered this verse you would think that the message is “Wisdom will make you rich.”  Not in the way that most people mean that.  The key word here is “enduring” (6276).  You need to read the surrounding comments to get the drift.

It is the insights and the righteous living that comes from those insights that are the “riches” (6239) being promised.  Will that generate what the world thinks of as riches?  There is a good chance of that up to a point.  That point is the balance I am talking about.  There are too extremes.  One is great wealth with little wisdom.  The other is great wisdom and starving to death.  Neither one is the Biblical balance.  

So?  Seek God’s wisdom.  Apply it in your daily life.  Part of that wisdom is working hard and being a good steward.  It will give a combination that brings the really good things of life into your sphere and allows God to bless you. 

Reset

(Psa 46:2 KJV)  Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;

(Proverbs 13 also read)

One of the complaints that I have heard about video games is that they teach a false sense of reality when it comes to the nature of life.  The idea that you use up your lives and then start the game over again is not realistic, or so the line goes.  I have embraced that thought up until I read this today.  Look at what is going on here.  Is there reason to “fear” (3372a)?  I would say so.  It isn’t nap time when you see mountains sliding into the sea.  Yet there is a sense of security during those times.

A good video game can give the same contrast.  You can get tense and alert.  The adrenaline can start flowing.  You focus.  At the same time, in the back of your mind, is the security that you are still in your room and if all fails you can start again.  As Christians our starting again will not be back at the same game.  It will be in eternity.  But we have a sense of security in the midst of chaos because we know there will be a restart.

So?  A little fear sharpens our senses.  Too much will immobilize us.  Our faith in God can give us the balance for the live worth living. 

Laws and Principles

(Pro 15:1 KJV)  A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.

This is another of those Biblical statements that we want to refer to as laws but are really principles.  Does it always work to speak softly?  I will let you answer from your experience.  Is it possible to generate anger by our words?  Obviously.

So?  We have a principle for our daily living.  It applies at home and abroad.  It will often go against the tide.  Over the long run it will make life better for everyone. 

Medicinal Purposes

(Pro 23:31 KJV)  Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.

Whenever alcohol comes up the drinkers always refer to Jesus turning water into wine and Paul telling Timothy to take some wine for his stomach.  Let me respond to the second based on this verse.  Paul was telling Timothy to use the wine like a medicine.  What seems to be one characteristic of medicines?  They do not taste good.  I could easily use wine as a medicine because I hate the smell of alcohol.  I would always limit myself to what was required.

Notice the warning against using wine when it goes down easy, when its color seems warm and inviting.  Balance is a good solid Christian virtue.  In some cases abstinence is even better.

So?  If you feel a need to justify your alcohol then maybe it is something that needs to be rethought. 

The Curse of Moderation

(Pro 23:30 KJV)  They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.

The use of alcohol as a beverage is controversial among Christians for some reason.  As with many teachings in the Bible, the balanced approach of the Book is usually ignored and extremes adopted.  Part of that is because most of us have a hard time with the thinking and discipline that comes from a reasoned, balanced approach to issues.  The problem with alcohol is that too much of it is destructive to our reasoning powers and too long of excess can ruin our physical bodies.  Think of it like strychnine.  Strychnine is a natural substance that is often present in water and food.  In the natural levels it is not dangerous but if too much is ingested it is deadly.  Or take a drug like morphine.  Carefully controlled it can be a life-saver in relieving  pain.  It can also lead to addiction and be destructive.

Too often people who claim to follow Jesus do not want to exercise the discipline that He expects.  Drunkenness and gluttony are two examples of this.  The difference is that you can live without booze but you can’t live without food.

So?  It is always a good idea to examine the things we think are important and see if they are enhancing our lives or dragging us down.  Here is it alcohol.  My issues are other places but just as real. 

Asking for It

(Pro 18:6 KJV) A fool's lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for strokes.

I remember when James Dobson wrote and spoke about parenting.  One of the pictures he painted was the way in which children are often calling out for discipline.  They resist.  They kick and scream but his point was that inside they were glad when the hammer came down.  It gave them a sense of security knowing that there were fences and limitations.  

In another way there are people who seem to be looking for trouble.  We see other places in Proverbs where some people are not happy unless they can make life miserable.  There are others who are not happy unless they can provoke someone else.  

So?  I am not sure if this means we are to ignore them or give them what they are asking for.  I would imagine that our discernment would give us the answer in each situation.  The Bible is full of times when people endured and other times when they openly rebuked.  Pray for guidance and don’t put your mind in neutral.

Deadly Oatmeal

(Pro 7:17 KJV) I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.

Are myrrh, aloes and cinnamon evil and sinful?  I don’t know about myrrh but that would make all skin treatments that include aloe a path to hell.  If cinnamon is evil what have I done to my Granddaughter?  I put it in her oatmeal every morning for months.  Woe is me.

It is hard for us to accept but many things that are sinful are not sinful in themselves but in the attitude and application of the people using them.  Think about a simple thing like aspirin.  We are told not to give it to children because it can cause something called Reye’s syndrome.  The elderly are told to take a small dose for their heart.  In one case it is a poison and the other it is a life saver.  I am sure that more research will change all these positions but the point is the problem is not the aspirin but the dosage and timing.

So?  There are many activities, foods, books and such that can be beneficial or deadly in spiritual terms.  For medications we are told to consult our doctor.  For righteousness we are to consult our Doctor and read his instruction book. 

Target of Envy

(Pro 24:1 KJV) Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them.

The KJV uses a word that is not in the Hebrew so it is not technically correct but is a helpful comment on the problem.  The word is “against”.  Envy is not just a desire for the things that a person has but is an attack against the person.  I think that is an important distinction. 

When we look at the wealth, status, looks, personality or any other quality of another person and feel disenfranchised because we don’t have it, part of that lusting is an attack on the other person.  It at least generates hostile thoughts and those will effect our actions.  It is not just wanting the thing, it is wanting them not to have it.

So?  It really does not hurt us to work on being satisfied with what we have instead of always striving for more.  I know that danger of that is complacency and sloth.   I know it can sound like a condemnation of worthy ambitions.  Some need to try harder but in America a large group are selling their family’s future to get ahead.  Balance. 

Party Animals

(Pro 23:8 KJV) The morsel which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up, and lose thy sweet words.

The Romans were not around when Solomon was writing but I wonder if one of their dining habits was a part of other pagan cultures.  According to popular history the decadent upper class would eat to discomfort, throw up and go back to eating.  The serious historians all seem to say it didn’t happen but I kept finding qualifiers that “most” did not do it.  Either way it is a reminder that we are to be balanced in our living. 

Of course the warning here would be more in the way of being careful of what invitations we accept.  In traditional culture a meal together was a bonding experience.  In much of our current culture it is just a way to find a way to take advantage.

So?  Be moderate and be careful who you hang with. 

Naps Numb

(Pro 24:33 KJV) Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:

Is there any difference between “sleep” (8142) and “slumber” (8572)?  My first response is, “No.”  What was interesting was that out of the ten times the words are used in Proverbs, only one was in a positive way.  Should I be relieved that the word “nap” was not used?

Is sleep necessary?  Obviously.  Can it be abused and used as a way of avoiding situations that need to be faced?  Obviously.  This reminds us that there are many things in life that are generally good but can be misused, or overused, to produce evil.  I think of the mixed messages about honey in Proverbs.  Consider that sacrifice can be turned from atonement to abomination. 

So?  Someone said to me recently that it is easier to deal with things like alcohol addiction than it is with gluttony.  The reason is you can totally abstain from alcohol but you cannot go without food.  The problem is moderation.  We are challenged to live a balanced life, not to be fanatics.

One Side of the Scale

(Pro 23:4 KJV) Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom.

This is a verse about balance.  Actually it is an unbalanced view of balance because it only warns against one extreme.  If you proof text and try to build positions on one verse you see here a condemnation of the wealthy.  That is cultish, not Biblical.  The Bible does not condemn wealth, it condemns immoral ways of earning it and unethical ways of using it.  One of the unacceptable ways of relating to wealth is being consumed with gaining it. 

Keep in mind that at the other end we have sloth and the welfare mentality.  Those are also condemned.

So?  Work hard and be a good steward.  To some that will lead to wealth.  To the rest it will provide what we need. 

Watering the Potato Chips

(Pro 9:5 KJV) Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled.

Keep in mind I am not speaking from experience when I deal with “wine (3196).  It seems to me that there are two ways in which wine is “mixed” (4537).  The way I think it refers to here is to mix it with water.  From my reading of fiction I get the impression that wine was diluted with water to varying degrees.  For dinner with the family you would put in a lot of water.  If you had someone you were trying to get drunk you might put in very little.  Different wines would bear different amounts of thinning. 

One of the issues of wisdom is that it knows how to practice moderation and abstinence.  It knows when to limit and when to deny.  I know that moderation is the hard level to achieve.  I can do without junk food but I have a real hard time eating just a little.  That is one reason why I try to never by a box of Cheese-its.  The box is generally empty when I am stop.

So?  Wisdom calls us to know when to stop.  If we can’t figure where that is I guess you should join me in avoiding potato chips. 

Sweet Decay

(Proverbs 25:16 KJV)  Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it.

Yesterday I was noticing that we are told to enjoy the good things.  Now, just a few verses later the word switches from “enjoy” to “moderation”.  Keep in mind the danger of proof-texting and the importance of context. 

Often moderation is a matter of acceptance.  Proverbs warns about being consumed with getting rich or getting an inheritance too quickly.  The Christian life has goals and ambition but the underlying motivation is to bring glory to God.  It is bound by a belief in Providence and walking in faith.  There will be lean times and times of plenty.  We practice moderation by accepting what is while we work for the better.

Often moderation is a matter of following the directions.  Medication is a good example.  Even simple things like over the counter pain killers will tell you to only take so many pills in 24 hours and not to go over a certain number of days.  Just because one is good it does not mean that 10 will be ten times as good.  Too much of a “good” thing can kill you.

So?  Enjoy the good stuff but don’t overdo it.  Don’t lose your sense of priorities.  God has allowed for variety and the appetite that enjoys more when motivated by hunger. 

The Victory Snooze

(Proverbs 10:5 KJV)  He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame.

This is not a condemnation of sleep.  Proof-texting can cause all kinds of problems.  Usually it is done by someone with an agenda.  Sleep is a necessary part of life when it is done at the right time and in the right amounts.  Here the problem is the right time.  When it is time to work, work.  When it is not time to work, sleep.  Other places in Proverbs sleep in the wrong amounts is one of the causes of poverty.

The victorious Christian life is not always a matter of what as it is when and why. 

So?  Seek balance.  Work on timing.  Live in victory.