Timing

(Pro 3:28 KJV)  Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and to morrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee.

The word for the day is “timing”.  One of my favorite words is “tomorrow” (4279).  What I like about it is not the definite limitations of the next day, which is the most common translation, but the part that means “time to come”.  In other words, tomorrow never comes.  I am sure you have heard that.

The direction given to us here is “now”.  The context here is helping someone in need but the principle is sound.  One of my big sins is procrastination.  I don’t think I am alone in that.

So?  Today.  How nefarious that sounds.  Now.  That is even worse.  It is still an idea who’s time has come. 

Hot Markets

(Pro 12:27 KJV)  The slothful man roasteth not that which he took in hunting: but the substance of a diligent man is precious.

I don’t know if you are a home owner or wish to be.  If you are and have ever sold and repurchased a home you know the process of going out and looking at what is available.  Perhaps you have driven through areas you thought you might want to live in and looked at houses.  Eventually you would sit down with a realtor and begin the process.  When we bought our first house this was a somewhat leisurely process.  The move to Texas was a different experience.  Everything was in a hurry, and it has gotten worse since then.

The way things are now, if you see something you like you had better be ready to make an offer when you walk out the door.  It is a case of supply and demand.  Some of the realtors cheat and actually have the house sold before they list them.  If you dally you lose.

So?  All of life’s decisions are not like buying a house in current Texas markets.  At the same time life demands that we pay attention and be ready to act.  Obviously the most important decisions are spiritual.  If God is speaking to you don’t delay in your answer.  Tomorrow may be too late. 

The Plenty Pause

(Proverbs 21:5 KJV)  The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness; but of every one that is hasty only to want.

Here we see diligence and haste contrasted.  You would think it would be better to use “slow” or “cautious” as opposites of “hasty” (213).  Or “sloppy” against “diligent” (2742a).  Those of us that are procrastinators will love this verse because it gives us ammunition to throw at people who get things done.  We would be wrong. 

Being “diligent” means taking the time to sharpen your knives before you cut up the salad.  The hasty just grabs a knife and starts chopping.  Usually both people get a salad at the end that meets minimum standards but the one who takes the time to hone his blades will actually have less risk of hurting themselves.  Sharp knives take less pressure and so you have less inclination to slip.  People who take a few moments to think things through will come out ahead of the traffic jam.

So?  My tendency is to put off decisions but my motive is usually not the right one.  This is a reminder to me to spend my time wisely.  For you it might be to slow down.  Listen to what the Holy Spirit has for you today. 

Avoidance Behavior

(Proverbs 6:4 KJV)  Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids.

Excuses abound in my life.  When there is something that I don’t want to do I can find limitless other important tasks that need to be done.  Often they do.  Often they don’t really.  We use them to keep from doing what we want to avoid.  Here we have a young man who has done something stupid.  In this case it was co-signing on a loan for a casual acquaintance.  He knows he needs to do something about it.  He is being told to go and beg to get out of the trap.  He doesn’t want to go so he thinks he will take a nap first.

Bad choice.  Avoidance behavior.  How many times have I decided to have a little snack instead of starting some task?  Look at my waistline and you will get an idea.  There are lots of good things to do but when used as substitutes for what is needed they become bad things to do.

So?  I keep working on telling myself, “Do it now.”  Sometimes I listen and life is better.  Some times I don’t and the hole I am digging gets deeper.  Profit from my mistakes.  I am trying to. 

Fear Walking

(Proverbs 14:2 KJV)  He that walketh in his uprightness feareth the LORD: but he that is perverse in his ways despiseth him.

It is getting harder to “walk” (1980) in “uprightness” (3476).  When I was a child certain things were understood.  There was no question of what was right or wrong in areas of sexual morality, drug abuse, panhandling, rioting or vulgar language.  My family, my church and my neighborhood were in agreement.  You have all heard stories about how kids didn’t dare certain actions because the people down the street would call their parents and report them.  Now when a teacher calls a parent the parent wonders what is wrong with the teacher.

It is not right and wrong that have changed but the character of the people.  An increasing percentage of the population has decided to reject the standards of God and follow their own “way” (1870).  It is like the problem with high blood pressure.  It is called the silent killer.  Usually it is the result of many small decisions made:  Too much to eat and too little exercise top the list.   The problem is ignored like we are Teflon.  When the doctor diagnoses the problem we don’t take our medication.  It is so easy to ignore until the stroke hits.

So?  Today is the day to decide how you are going to walk.  Sure you can probably put it off another day but when does tomorrow come?  Fear the Lord so that you don’t need to be afraid of the Lord.

Seeker Unfriendly

(Proverbs 1:28 KJV)  Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:

Context, context, context.  Compare this verse with the words of Jesus,

(Matthew 7:7 KJV)  Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

Talk about a contradiction in scripture.  Which are we to believe?  Both actually.

Jesus is emphasizing the willingness of God to respond with forgiveness to the repentant seeker.  Solomon is pointing out that God is not stupid.  He knows our hearts.  He knows when we are sincere.  He knows our motivation. 

In Proverbs you have people who have been mocking God and only get “sorry” when life explodes in their faces.  When the pressure drops so will their sorrow.  They are only sorry that they got caught.  Jesus is talking about those who are genuinely aware that they need a savior.

So?  Which are you?  Are you waiting for the crisis?  Are you planning on buying fire insurance the day after the house burns down?  It doesn’t work that way in the insurance industry.  Do you expect God to be dumber than your agent? 

Time to Meddle

(Proverbs 17:14 KJV)  The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with.

The point is to head off trouble before it “breaks out” (NASB) (1566).  The KJV has a charming phrase “be meddled with”.  The first part of this verse seems to assume that problems will arise.  I am not sure there is any surefire way to avoid it at times.  We can minimize and pour oil on the waters but some people are loaded for bear and will not be denied.

Which brings us to the reminder to pay attention and contain the damage.  Think of it as damage control.  I think the point here is timing.  If we see a problem emerging it will not make it go away just to ignore it.  Sometimes proactive attention can keep it from becoming a big issue.  Sometimes it only gives us room to wiggle.  The sooner the better.

So?  God is telling us to address evil or just error as quickly as possible.  Of course there are other places that give advice on how to do that but here it is saying not to wait. 

A Negative Promise

(Proverbs 1:27 KJV)  When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.

Solomon offers us an assurance but it is an assurance we don’t want.  We are assured that  “fear” (dread NASB) (6343) will come.  Your worst nightmares will become reality.  It may even be worse than you imagined.  You know the sinking feeling you get when you close the car door and immediately realize you just locked your keys inside?  That is mild compared to this.

We all have something we dread but the ultimate is when we realize that the game of waiting we have been playing with God is coming to an end.  The batteries have finally run down.  The gas has run out.  The excuses don’t work.  The disease can’t be cured.

And God turns His back.

“Can’t happen,” you say?  Then read the next verse. 

God is patient.  He loves you.  He sent His son to die for you.  He also knows your heart and He does not play games.

So?  Have you already stopped playing games?  Good.  Rejoice.  If not, it might be time to take God seriously.  He waits but not forever. 

Baby Steps First

(Pro 4:7 KJV)  Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.

As I read this chapter this month verse seven jumped out at me.  It often catches my attention because of the simplistic advice.  It is so simple and so obvious.  It is like telling someone, “The way to lose weight is to eat less.”  When I read this verse I want to add modern playwright notes.  I want to stop between the first and second phrases and insert, “drum role.”

The hard part in any venture is to get started.  When I have yard work to do the hardest part is getting out of the chair.  I have had a handle that my wife gave me months ago.  It needed to be glued back on the spoon.  I bought the glue.  I moved the parts from place to place on my desk.  I would look at it and say, “I need to do that.”  I would move on.  Finally, yesterday I picked up the materials and did the job.  It only took about two minutes.

So?  Do you want to grow in the Lord and demonstrate spiritual maturity?  Get started.  If it took God six days to create the world my guess is it won’t happen over night for you. 

Pay Now, Or Pay Later

(Proverbs 20:17 KJV)  Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.

How often have you done something that you know you will regret later.  Start with breakfast this morning.  Or maybe you could even go back to turning off the alarm and going back to sleep.  Deep down inside when I do certain things, I know I will pay and regret.  But that is later.  Right now it is “sweet” (6156). 

We are between Thanksgiving and Christmas.  How many times have we eaten to painful fulness, sworn we would never do it again and done it again?  How many times have we spent more than we should or asked for things we don’t need?  This points out how limited our honesty is.

So?  This will never change unless we do.  Put down that donut.  Don’t go shopping today.  I really don’t know how it would apply to you, that is not my responsibility.  I can think of enough applications in my own day that I don’t have time to list yours.