Spiritual Work Ethic

(Pro 13:4 KJV) The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat.

At first glance this might appear to be about our work lives. Does this really speak to our study and worship habits? The focus is on the “soul” (5315). Even in spiritual matters it is so easy to be a “sluggard” (6102).

The sluggard “desireth" (craves NASB) (183) but does nothing about it. This reminds me of the self-esteem posters I see on a regular basis at school. “If you can imagine it, you can do it.” I have not seen anything about hard work in these cute sayings. Another difference between the world and the Word.

I think a better way to write this would be:

A sluggards craves. The results? Nothing.

But the “diligent” (2742a) receives. In this case it seems to imply the one who gets out and works. The way to achieve our goals and dreams is not to plan and dream but to do. This applies to our spiritual lives. We are to be diligent in our prayer and worship. That means applying ourselves. It means finding a place to serve instead of a place to be served. It means paying attention and thinking.

After all, doesn’t everyone want a “fat” (1878) soul?

A Good Man?

(Pro 12:2 KJV) A good man obtaineth favour of the LORD: but a man of wicked devices will he condemn.

Again we see the idea that we have the ability to be righteous. I can be a “good man” (2896a). This is the simple word for good. It is the word God used in Genesis when He declared light was good. It is the good of Micah 6:8. It is a very frequent word in Proverbs.

I would assume that this is imputed righteousness, not imparted righteousness, otherwise the idea that we “obtain” (6329) “favor” (7522) is rather empty. Then it becomes little more that God praising Himself. That would be like me paying a make-up artist to make you look exactly like me and then rewarding you for looking so good.

Here is the confusing part: This is before the cross so you would think the power of sin had not been broken. Could it be that we have free will but not perfect discipline and God can see into our hearts and judge us on what He sees? You think? I don’t know about you, but this gives me hope; hope based in the grace of God.

Notice the assumption of free will. God will “condemn” (7561), but not on the basis of predestination. Condemnation is for the one who “devises evil” (4209).

Pride vs Humility

(Pro 11:2 KJV) When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom.

This is very similar to the saying that “Pride” (2087) commeth before the fall”. A similar verse in Proverbs:

Proverbs 16:18 Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.

There are two words translated “pride” in Proverbs. This one means presumptuousness and insolence. The other is 1342-7b, and comes from a root meaning to rise up. Our American culture runs into conflict here. We teach human dignity. We believe in the worth of the individual. We see the ideal we seek in Peter standing up to the Jewish authority when he was told to stop preaching. We see it in David starring boldly back at Goliath. Of course we see it in Jesus so many times. We are told we are important to God. That gives us a feeling of worth but like so many other gifts from God, it is easily polluted.

Pride is never used in a positive way in Proverbs. It always is used of people who have lost their focus on God as the source and are looking at what they have done as reflections on themselves. They develop a feeling of being “holier that thou.” It causes us to forget that God is the source of our strength, talent and blessings.

Contrasting pride we find humility. We are to be “lowly" (humble NASB) (6794a) before man and God. The characteristics of humility and wisdom are often the same. We are told to put others before ourselves, and not get proud about it. One of my favorite verses that teaches that is:

Philippians 2:3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself;

Sometimes a humble person needs to stand tall because it is necessary. This is not pride, it is trust and obedience. We are facing times when we will be required to stand up and be strong. As I write a California judge has declared a constitutional amendment unconstitutional. A simple statement, approved by the proper constitutional process and millions of Californians, stating a traditional definition of marriage was declared unconstitutional by one judge. The long term goal is to silence the voice of witness of God’s people. When we stand up we will be accused of being proud and arrogant. In humility we must refuse to sit down.

Do You Have Slack Hands?

(Pro 10:4 KJV) He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.

We will be “poor” (7326) if we have a “slack hand" (negligent NASB) (7423b). We live in such an affluent society that we have redefined poor. The poor of our country live better than the middle class of most countries and better than the wealthy of some. We get intellectually lazy and refuse to admit that poor often means people who don’t have as much as they want.

We tend to forget that there are many reasons for poverty. Some are poor because of oppression or social abuse. Some are poor because of their personal limitations. These are facts. But some are poor because they are lazy or shiftless; in a word, “negligent” (7423b). We don’t like to admit this. We don’t like to mention this. It makes us seem judgmental. It is still true.

Many a man “works” (6213a) but does nothing. This might be the person who is looking for a job but not for work. This word seems to imply some kind of craftsmanship or creativity. It does not mean simple labor. You cannot produce something of value if you are negligent.

There is something here about the attitude with which a man works. Millions show up for work and spend the whole day on the job but accomplish little. Either they only work when watched or they are not concerned about the quality of their work. We all run into people like this in every store or government office we visit. This is totally contrary to the believer’s work ethic, or it should be.

Choose to Live

(Pro 9:6 KJV) Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding.

This sounds a lot like Satan talking to Eve in the Garden. It is another example of how the good things of God can be easily perverted. Evil alters, echoes, copies and imitates God’s good creations. The little change is all that it takes to transform it. Often that is true both ways. God takes our personalities and changes them to be righteous. Sanctification could be the opposite of pollution.

We are required to “forsake” (5800a) {28:4} our the “foolish" (folly NASB) (6612a). The NASB has "your folly" with and indication that “your” is not in the Hebrew. That means that “folly” is generic here. It is not just a statement to leave your form of folly, but folly in general. We like to think we are more clever or inventive in our sin, but in reality we are just another stumbling, blind fool. If they had left out the "your" the NASB would be stronger, but as it is the KJV comes closer.

The result is that we will “live” (2421a). The opposite is obvious. If we will not change we will die. The choice is in our hands. God gives us choices. We are expected to make them.

“Way” (1870) is singular. Jesus is the Way, not the ways. Our choice is obedience or not. Our choice is not a personally crafted pattern of fun and games. We are not talking designer religion but religion of the Designer.

Meeting Wisdom

(Pro 8:2 KJV) She standeth in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths.

When we think of the call of God we sometimes limit it to specific surroundings. We live in a culture that is trying to keep anything about Jesus locked in the walls of a church, and they want to edit what is said there. Too many Christians live lives that are already in harmony with that way of thinking. In this verse and the next Solomon is pointing out that wisdom can speak to us in all circumstances. God is with us everywhere.

He refers to the “high places" (heights NASB) (4791). This could refer to the location of the pagan high places. The altars to the local gods were often built there. If you pay attention to new age paganism there is something about mountain tops that lights their candle. This reminds us that God’s wisdom can speak to us even when we are surrounded by the culture of the pagan. You may not have noticed it, but that is where we are.

Is there symbolism in the “paths” (5410b) coming together? This could point to people of different theological persuasions coming together and finding common wisdom. I would not want to extend this to compromise with Moslems or Hindus, but I would think that the Baptists, Methodists and Congregationalists could find some things to agree on.

This could be the place where we make decisions. We come to points where our choices can change the direction of our lives. Wisdom can meet us there and give vital impute and direction.

Phylacteries

(Pro 7:3 KJV) Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart.

On the face of it this seems to refer to a Jewish tradition of phylacteries. That involved tying portions of scripture to the forehead and left arm as a ritual. Verses like this were probably the source of that tradition. The Jews turned it into a literal command. I think God was being figurative in order to get a point across.

We are to “bind” (7194) the commandments to our “fingers” (676). This involves a conscious effort to tie the ideas, meanings, values, priorities and words of the commandments to the actions of our hands. This could imply that everything we do with our hands should be bound by the law of God.

It is interesting to me that binding has a secret aspect to it, just like the word for treasure in the first verse. There is an aspect of following the law of God that we will find impossible to explain to unbelievers and, sad to say, often to believers. It is better not to try.

Notice from this verse and two others that we are told to bind three times to three different places: Neck, heart and fingers.

(Pro 3:3 KJV) Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:
(Pro 6:21 KJV) Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck.

We are to “write” (3789) the law on our inner selves also. This is a total approach.

We have a “table" (tablet NASB) (3871) on our “heart” (3820) that we inscribe these laws. We might think of it like the bios of the computer of our life. It determines everything else and sets up the framework on which the software works and how well the hardware does its job.