Health Goes Both Ways

Proverbs 11:17 (BES) A merciful man does good to his own soul: but the merciless destroys his own body.

As Christians, we are expected to reach out and help the needy.  We are supposed to be merciful to those who are going through hard times.  If we tithe we would expect that part of what we give would be forwarded to those who are down on their luck.  This approach is from a different angle.

Another reason for us to be merciful is because it is good for us.  It’s not just a matter of doing it for the other guy, it also boomerangs back and touches us where we need to be touched.  The LXX reminds us that it’s not just a physical reward.  This is reflected in the KJV, but not the NASB.  We can expect a spiritual reward.

So?  We’re not talking about doing things so that we get something back.  This isn’t about being selfish or self-centered.  This is one of those unexpected rewards that was promised to us if we live in love and obedience. 

Drowning in Love

(Psa 136:15 KJV)  But overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red sea: for his mercy endureth for ever.

(Proverbs 26 also read)

The phrase that is repeated in every verse of this chapter is “for his mercy endureth for ever.”  We like that concept.  We don’t want to look at the entire context.  I lifted out this verse because most of us would have a hard time equating “mercy” (2617) [chesed] with drowning Pharaoh and his entire army.  It gives us a nuance that we probably missed.  

Mercy is a common translation in the KJV.  I prefer the “loving kindness” of the NASB.  Either way we resist this application.  We have this fantasy that love is gentle and long suffering.  It is.  It is also a reality built on God’s holiness.  In our compassion we are not to suffer fools gladly.  We are not to throw out discernment.  

So?  Read the context of your favorite quotes.  They may surprise you.  They will hopefully mold you.  

Rejoice in the Law

(Pro 31:26 KJV)  She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.

Two great concepts are united in this verse.  Different translations hide one or the other.  The KJV says “law” (8451) of “kindness” (2617).  The NASB says “teaching” instead of law.  If they were trying to please me that would say “law of lovingkindness”.  Let me drop in the Hebrew words and it becomes “torah of chesed”.  

Law gets a lot of bad press because of Paul reacting to Judiasers trying to push circumcision.  We forget that we also have phrases such as “law of love” and this “love of lovingkindess”.  The purpose of the law was not to lower the boom but to mold a people into a civilized society.  The character of God includes justice and holiness but also love and compassion.

So?  We need to put them together in the proper proportions.  Law gives us boundaries that keep us on track.  Kindness modifies the rules with an attitude of mercy.  Apply them both.  

Put That in Your Pipe…

Psalm 57:10 (KJV) For thy mercy is great unto the heavens, and thy truth unto the clouds.

And smoke it.  Do you need something to focus on to make your day?  Are you feeling a little vague in you’re thinking processes?  Are you reluctant to get out and join the rat race?  Then David gives us something to think about.

When David talks about the law, he sings his praises.  He talks about how wonderful it is.  He doesn’t mention the law in this chapter, but he does continually go over the trustworthiness of God and His cosmic “mercy”.  This is again that word I love in the Hebrew, which I prefer to be translated as loving kindness.

God’s mercy is great unto the heavens.  Grab a hold of that.  Get into a little bit of meditation.  You can do that as you drive to work if you have to.  When somebody cuts you off, let your mind wander to the glories of God.

So?  Worship and attitude are often a matter of choice.  Choose wisely.  

Again, Salvation

Psalms 6:4 (NKJV) Return, O LORD, deliver me! Oh, save me for Your mercies’ sake!

(Proverbs 2 also read)

I did not do a word search to find references to salvation.  I did not do a word search to find references to the mercy of God.  It just seems to come up in Psalm after Psalm.  Here we see it again.  What strikes me about this is that there is no mention of the law in the sixth Psalm.  There is mention of salvation, and there is mention of mercy.

Need I point out that this word in the KJV of “mercy” is the “loving kindness” of the NASB, and is the Hebrew word chesed?  Whether I need to point it out or not, I’m doing so because I think we forget that.  Salvation is linked to God’s mercy not to the law, even in the OT.

Does this mean the law is unimportant?  It is important to David.  You read this again and again, how he loves the law and how wonderful the law is.  But the purpose of the law is to give an outline of how to live, and please God in your lifestyle.  Ultimately, it is a promise to the nation to bless them in the land, in this world, among hostile neighbors.  It is not so much focused on the individual’s salvation.  That is what this Psalm is looking at.

So?  God is giving you plenty of indications on how you should be structuring your life.  Keep in mind those are all wonderful ideas and are very important, but your salvation comes from the mercy of God as you call up on Him, one on one.  

OT God at Work

(Psa 57:1 KJV)  To the chief Musician, Altaschith, Michtam of David, when he fled from Saul in the cave. Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.

(Proverbs 22 also read)

I will concede that Yahweh has moments where He applies His wrath and seeks to correct the sin and debauchery in the world.  He is capable of tremendous violence, and He is one who should be feared in the phobic sense.

Yet that is only the side of God that God haters want to emphasize.  To those who do not spit in His face openly or quietly live in rebellion and rejection, He is the picture of mercy and refuge.  Notice those two words here in the verse.  This is not my favorite word for mercy, but it is very common in the Old Testament.  To those who are faithful, to those who are doing their best, to those who are trusting Him, and living as He would have them live, He extends an awesome amount of wing coverage.

So?  Make sure that your fear is the type based in awe.  Make it a factor of reference, respect, and love.  God’s grace waits to be applied to your life.  Rejoice.

Listen Up

Proverbs 21:13 (KJV) Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.

This spoke to me today as I am playing nursemaid to my wife.  She just had surgery, and although she claims to have a high pain threshold, and to not be a whiner, that does not always work out in real life.  She is a high need person right now and legitimately so.  I, on the other hand, I’m still a person who does not understand the gift of mercy.

In my case the cry of the poor applies to her.  She has many needs that she cannot meet.  It is my place to step in and take care of that.  I somehow have to reach down inside of me and find the mercy and service that are called on in the spot.

My concern cannot be selfish.  I can’t focus on the second part of this verse and try to be a servant just because I want to avoid suffering myself.  I guess might get the job done but that’s not how love is defined.

So?  I seek the right attitude and the right actions.  Keep in mind that the poor who are crying out to you may not be those who have no money but who are lacking and some other area.  Pray that you would be heard.

Mercy Checks In

(Pro 11:17 KJV)  The merciful man doeth good to his own soul: but he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh.

Earlier this morning before I got to Proverbs, I was reading one of the verses that keeps coming to mind in the book of Micah,

Micah 6:8 (KJV) He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

As I read in Proverbs I noticed the quality of mercy and I saw that it was contrasted with cruelty.  This made me sit up because I was wondering about the three divisions in Micah and this helped me to see that perhaps justice had to do with my civil responsibilities and larger social involvement whereas mercy has to do with my one-on-one relationships.

So?  God is concerned about every aspect of my life. 

Leaks

(Pro 3:3 KJV)  Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:

Right now I am trying to re-memorize I Corinthians 13.  It is amazing how things that have been placed in secure storage “forsake” (leave NASB) (5800a) our memory.  I can sing commercials from my childhood but the things of value seem to leak out through the semipermeable membranes.  The reason this comes to mind is how this verse lifts out “mercy” (kindness NASB) (2617a) [chesed] which is the second trait listed about love.  To find “truth” (571) you need to look down a little further.

(1Co 13:6 KJV)  Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

I would think that the definitions and references leak fast enough but the practices go even faster.

So?  Be reminded.  That is one reason we keep reading the same verses and why certain topics come up so often in the Bible.  Pray for the day that our behavior matches our knowledge. 

Limits of Legalism

(Proverbs 31:20 KJV)  She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.

The Godly woman, and of course all children of God, reaches out.  She does not wait for someone to come begging.  She “stretcheth” (extends NASB) (6566) her “hand” (3027).  There should be an innate generosity in Christians.  When we see someone in need we have a need, a need to share.  If we don’t have it on an emotional level then we should be developing it on an intellectual level.  That is where I find myself.  I tend to be lacking in mercy which means I need to be extra sensitive.

In English “reacheth forth” (stretches NASB) (7971) is a bit more extreme than just extending.  I am not sure if this qualifies the amount or the effort.  Again, in my case it should be both.  We have practiced tithing all our married life.  We are now having a disagreement on whether giving to para-church organizations can be done with the tithe or whether it is an offering.  We need to get beyond the limits of legalism and give in to obedience.

So?  If you are blessed with generosity then be thankful.  If you are not, join me in trying to develop more sensitivity to those in need. 

Heart Songs

(Proverbs 25:20 KJV)  As he that taketh away a garment in cold weather, and as vinegar upon nitre, so is he that singeth songs to an heavy heart.

Did you have a parent that would wake you up singing something like “Oh, what a beautiful morning”?  As irritating as it was you knew it was all in good fun.  That is not what Solomon means by singing to a “heavy” (troubled NASB) (7452a) “heart” (3820).  He is talking about a heart that is churning because of evil, which is the literal meaning of the Hebrew word.

One place this speaks to me today is in my insensitivity to people going through hard times.  I dismiss my response as exercising discernment, and there is some of that, but often it is just a failure to read the conflict that is going on.  Instead of being dismissive I should be listening.  Instead of saying “Deal with it” I need to let them know I feel their pain.

So?  That is hard for me to do.  Being hard does not mean it is to be avoided.  It means it needs to be practiced.  May the Lord soften my heart.

Legal Theft

(Proverbs 22:23 KJV)  For the LORD will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them.

In the NASB you have to go to the marginal reading to get the parallel that the KJV has out in the open.  The KJV says that God will “spoil” (6906) those who “spoil” the poor.  The NASB uses two words in English, “take” and “rob”, to convey the same idea. 

There are many ways to rob people.  Some are legal.  You can write a contract that takes advantage of the unwary.  You can establish schools that don’t teach.  You can offer welfare programs that weaken instead of strengthen.  You can promise and then squirm out on a technicality.

As God’s children we are not allowed to take that route.  If people are struggling we are to be supportive not a big sucking sound on their lives.  Jesus expressed it in the positive and the negative.  The negative seems more in tune with this verse.

(Matthew 25:45 KJV)  Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

So?  Go forth and do good.  Do it because God has worked a miracle in your life and you want to glorify Him, not because you are keeping score. 

Selfies Don’t Translate

(Proverbs 11:17 KJV)  The merciful man doeth good to his own soul: but he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh.

There is a difference here that does not come through in the NASB.  In comparing effects of mercy and cruelty the KJV refers to one touching the “soul” (5315) [nephesh] and the other the “flesh” (7607).  The NASB uses “self” for both although the study tool says they refer to different words.  I think the difference is important.

Mercy is concerned with the big picture.  It is focused on eternity and the consequences of our actions.  As a result, you may do what is best for a person in the long run and they will resent it because it isn’t what they want. 

Cruelty is zeroed on the physical, the carnal.  It wants it now and it wants it “my” way.  This kind of person makes people happy today but does not give them what they really need.

As a middle school teacher I see a lot of children who are being destroyed because no adult in their life has been willing and able to dispense mercy.  I may be willing but I am blocked, overruled and trumped by a school system and leadership that is more into “feel good” than “do right.” 

So?  I struggle every day.  Are you taking the long view?  Are you taking the eternal principles that God has laid out and applying them.  Be willing, even if you are not always able. 

Blind Score Keeping

(Pro 11:8 KJV)  The righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked cometh in his stead.

I am thinking that this is one of those promises that takes place with great regularity but we have trouble believing it.  The idea is that there is a tragedy coming.  Someone is going to suffer.  God makes a choice.  He sees to it that the “righteous” (6662) are removed from the vortex and puts someone “wicked” (7563) in their “stead” (place NASB) (8478).

We have a hard time with this because we don’t see it.  We think of the suffering we have gone through or seen.  God did not seem to deliver us or others we know.  We do not see the multiplied times we have been delivered.  How many times has the hand of God staved off disaster in our lives and done it so smoothly that we were not even aware of it. 

Remember the conversation Job had with God about his troubles.   One of God’s responses was,

(Job 38:4 KJV)  Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.

Job was going through hard times and questioned the actions of God.  We are blessed and question the action of God.  The point is that God is moving and acting even when we don’t see it.

So?  Be grateful for the things you have not seen.  I know a cliff hanger movie is really exciting but in real life we would usually skip all the drama and move to the happy ending.

Upright or Uptight

(Pro 6:30 KJV)  Men do not despise a thief, if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry;

Is motivation important?  That should be an obvious one.  The difference between an upright believer and an uptight legalist is motivation.  The Bible makes a clear statement about theft.

(Exo 20:15 KJV)  Thou shalt not steal.

That seems pretty clear to me.  It is short and straight.  Then Solomon throws this in.

This is not supposed to be an encouragement for us to seek excuses for our sin.  This is to point out that sometimes things are more complex than we think.  It means that we should take into consideration the motivation of people as they wrong us.

So?  Do you have a legitimate gripe against someone?  Sure they wronged you.  Yes, you are the offended party.  It doesn’t matter.  We are always supposed to temper our desire for justice with mercy and understanding. 

Pay Back Time

(Proverbs 6:31 KJV)  But if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold; he shall give all the substance of his house.

Financial responsibility is a Christian standard.  It applies even to the poor.  The context here is a man who is driven by hunger to steal.  The community is to be understanding but there is still a penalty to be paid.

First, the debt must be repaid.  To make the necessity more clear it is to be repaid “sevenfold” (7659).  It doesn’t say it but I feel like he is stealing from other people who are not rich.  We often overlook the fact that much of the crime around us impacts the poor, not the rich.  Being poor is no excuse.

Second, the debt must be repaid.  The same, I know, but the emphasis here is that you cannot keep back that antique your grandmother left you.  To pay the debt he is to “give” (5414) “all” (3605) his “substance” (1952).  Modern bankruptcy allows withholding certain items.  God says we are responsible.

So?  Our standard of accountability is God’s, not society’s.  Live your day with honor.

Mercy Is a Two Edged Sword

(Proverbs 11:17 KJV)  The merciful man doeth good to his own soul: but he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh.

Mercy is a different type of two edged sword.  We tend to think of it as something that benefits the receiver.  I am merciful. You receive mercy.  True and obvious.

What is not usually understood is the benefit to the giver.  This is a principle that the Bible keeps repeating in different words.  Jesus said,

(Matthew 5:7 KJV)  Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

Coming at it from another direction, Jesus also said

(Matthew 6:12 KJV)  And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

One is offered as positive, one negative, but the effect is the same.  Treating people with love and grace pays off for everyone.

So?  Do what is right.  If you can’t do it because it is right, do it because everyone will benefit.  It is a promise. 

The Golden Rule for Ears

(Proverbs 21:13 KJV)  Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.

This is a verse I need to read on a regular basis.  That is why reading through Proverbs every month has value.  The lessons keep coming up.  I am one who “stoppeth” (shuts NASB) (331) my ears to the “cry” (2201/7121) of the “poor” (1800b).  It is almost a natural reaction.  My attitude goes beyond discernment.  There is a place for discernment but there is also a place for compassion.  A verse comes to mind that has different words but the attitude behind it is the same.

(1 Corinthians 8:1 KJV)  Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.

This verse is the pin prick that keeps me from being puffed up.

Why is it so important to remember this and live by it?  This follows the thought of Jesus when He says those who do not forgive will not be forgiven. 

(Matthew 6:14-15 KJV)  For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:  But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

By ignoring the poor we risk not being “heard” (answered NASB) (6030a) by God.  This is a twist of the golden rule that explains why that rule is so important.

So?  Don’t turn off your discernment, turn on your compassion.  You may need to make a conscious effort.  Make the effort.  Following Jesus is a walk of balance not a hop of single focus.

Mercy Stirred

I am home taking a sick day.  It is the kind of thing that effects my ability to talk, not to think so I am using the time for a little more worship and study than I normally can enjoy.  The silver lining strikes again.

As I was reading in Bonhoeffer’s Letters and Papers from Prison I came across the following,

“When Jesus blessed sinners, they were real sinners, but Jesus did not make every man a sinner first....  Never did Jesus throw any doubt on a man’s health, vigour (sic) or fortune, regarded in themselves, or look upon them as evil fruits.  Else why did he heal the sick and restore strength to the weak?”  pp. 209-210

This got me to again think about my lack of mercy and reminded me that I need to grow in that area.  Too often I look at the choices people have made that brought on their difficulty and have a reluctance to help.  If Jesus had only healed those who were innocent of wrong doing would anyone have been restored? 

So?  God teach me to look more to mercy and less to judgment.  The congestion I am experiencing is in more than my throat and chest.

Real Neighborly

(Proverbs 31:8 KJV)  Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction.

In this verse and the next we again we see the responsibility of wealth, power and position.  You say, “That lets me off the hook, I am none of these.”  Wrong.  Historically, if you live in the western world you are wealthy.  Even today, by world standards, the poor in America are wealthy.

Add to that the political rights that we have.  In America, think of the First Amendment to the Constitution.  We have in our basic source of law specific, written guarantees that make us cocky and loud without fear of the police attacking us as we worship, speak, read or gather with friends.  Much of the Western world shares that to some degree. 

In the days of Solomon, only the nobility and the very rich would have these rights.  The poor and slaves were expected to be quiet and obedient.  Today we are a part of the class that is to “open” (6605a) our “mouth” (6310) for others. 

In this verse there are two types needing our help.  First you have the “dumb” (483).  Literally this refers to the mute, people who are incapable of speaking.  Figuratively it would include those that are too shy or weak to have an opportunity to speak.  We have a responsibility to speak up for those who cannot.

Then we have the “unfortunate” (2475/1121) or as the KJV says, the “appointed for destruction.”  This is a compound word that literally means “sons of those who are passing away.”  It is an interesting combination.  “Appointed” (1121) is the Hebrew word “ben” which means “son.”  It is incredibly common.  The other word is used only here in the OT.  We are to be concerned with the children of the past.  This would be a very wide category.  You may have heard the phrase, “the world is our oyster.”  This would be rephrased to “the world is our clinic.”

So?  However you want to interpret these words it points out that followers of the One True God are supposed to be concerned about the people in our world.  Remember the OT command:

(Leviticus 19:18 KJV)  Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.

People think this was original to Jesus but it was really a standard God had demanded from the beginning.  Just think, Moses could have told the story of the Good Samaritan.