Spare the Spar

(Proverbs 13:24 KJV)  He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.

Christians have become enlightened.  We reject such clear teachings as this.  In so doing we have joined the pagan who “hates” (8130) his children. 

I am not sure that the problem is with the “rod” (7626).  I don’t even think the problem is “chasteneth” (disciplines NASB) (4148).  I think there is a lot of leeway in what a parent uses as a rod and the actual ways in which discipline is structured.  Different people have different personalities.  I am not saying that spanking is the only way to teach a child, although this verse and others certainly approve that as a method.

I think the real problem is in acting “betimes” (diligently NASB) (7836).  It is in being consistent.  I deal with parents on a regular basis who have children who are on their way to destruction.  The parents profess love and how hard they try.  They even shed tears.  But nothing changes.  Why?  I am sure that each one would have different ways of explaining it but my answer is that they don’t care enough to take the consistent time to train up the child in the way he should go.

I speak from experience.  There were long stretches of time in which I would have returned my son to the hospital for a refund or exchange.  But we stuck with it.  We did not let up.  And eventually we began to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

So?  Stick with it.  Don’t give up.  In time they can change.

Into the Depths of South Carolina

Once again I am on the road.  I will be in two different time shares over the next two and a half weeks.  One says wi-fi is available.  The other doesn’t.  That means I don’t know what access I will have to posting and responding.

I will have posts scheduled but I may be awhile responding to your comments.  In the past there have been no problems.  I am hoping for the best.

Grace and peace.

Be Excellent

(Proverbs 12:26 KJV)  The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour: but the way of the wicked seduceth them.

Are you one of those who are always quoting Paul when he quoted Psalms and saying,

(Romans 3:10 KJV)  As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

Evidently Solomon had not read the book of Romans because he keeps talking about the “righteous” (6662) as if they actually exist.  Hmmm.

If you read on in Romans, read Psalm 14:1-3 which is being quoted and take the rest of scripture into consideration the proper balance is presented by Adam Clarke,

“This is true, not only of the Jews, but of the Gentiles; of every soul of man, considered in his natural and practical state, previously to his receiving the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

If you have received the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ you are a new creature.  You are now one of the righteous.  You are expected to set an example for those around you.

So?  Deal with it.  Don’t claim to be prefect but don’t use the old excuse, “I’m just a sinner.”  When Paul writes to the churches he does not say, “To the sinners in _____,” he says “to the saints in _______.”  Think about it.  Live it.

The Spiritual Definition of “Liberal”

(Proverbs 11:25 KJV)  The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.

This is a proverb that would receive hearty lip service in most religions and philosophies.  I say “lip service” because when you come down to it, most would ignore it.  I am not sure that Christians don’t ignore it, too.

Certain character traits are blessed in our lives.  One of those is being “liberal” (generous NASB) (1293).  We start with our immediate family, move on to the brethren, and finally share with our neighbors.  I think there is a hierarchy of giving, but the principle of generosity permeates the entire pyramid.  We are familiar with these words of Paul,

(Acts 20:35 KJV)  I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.

We don’t have a record in the Gospels of Jesus saying this, so this adds to what we know He said.  Ignore it at your own expense.

So?  Be generous.  It may be that your resources limit how much you can share but most of us can do more than we are doing.  This is a hard time for many people.  It is a time to let our light shine. 

A Different Kind of Fear

(Proverbs 10:24 KJV)  The fear of the wicked, it shall come upon him: but the desire of the righteous shall be granted.

What is the “fear” (4034) of the “wicked” (7563)?  First, note that this is a different word for fear than the one used in the phrase, “the fear of the Lord.”  The fear of the Lord involves awe and reverence.  It is a healthy fear rooted in the character of God and His love for us.  This word means terror.  It is rooted in our rebellion and the Holy Character of God.

To me the key personality trait that keeps people from coming to Jesus is a desire to be god of their own lives.  They insist that they be in control.  The idea of submitting to God is anathema.  What they fear is giving up control of their lives.  The sad reality is that fear will “come” (935)  upon them.  The Bible teaches that we are slaves, either to sin or to righteousness.  The difference is that one master destroys us, the other fulfills.

So?  You can’t win except by surrendering.  If you have let go, I greet you as a brother.  If you have not, I invite you to join the family.

A Word to the Wise

(Proverbs 9:9 KJV)  Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.

As I continue to cycle through Proverbs, it seems that wisdom and righteousness go together.  Is it possible to be wise and perverted at the same time?  I don’t think so.  Wisdom is rooted in knowing God.  We are all familiar with the next verse,

(Proverbs 9:10 KJV)  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

It is possible to accumulate a national debt worth of knowledge and not have a clue to what it means.  At the same time we have “The Emperor’s New Clothes” and a child proclaiming what everyone else was afraid to say.

Wisdom is the matrix that puts it all together.  Without righteousness you are missing a key axis in the arrangement. 

That does not mean that a pervert cannot utter a wise statement.  It does not mean that because a pervert says something it is wrong.  I understand that Adolf Hitler was a vegetarian.  That does not make vegetables bad or vegetarians evil. 

So?  Don’t spend your time listening to the talking heads who reject the morality of God.  Consider your source and ask yourself, “If they are wrong about the basics, how can they be right about the interpretation?”

When Do We Break the Rules?

(Proverbs 8:16 KJV)  By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth.

(Proverbs 8:16 NAS77)  "By me princes rule, and nobles, All who judge rightly.

We run into a translation problem here.  There are two different trains of translation on this verse.  One group of translators follow the NASB and point out that some judges rule rightly and some are just wrong.  The other group follows the KJV, as you can see above.

In the Hebrew one group has the word for “justice” but not the word for “earth.”  The other group is the opposite.  This must go back to the different texts.  I find that the NASB makes sense here and the KJV does not.

The NASB seems to imply that not all who “rule” (8323) do so with God’s mandate.  It only applies to those who “judge” (8199) “rightly” (6664).

Alongside of this we need to have Paul’s words about our relationship with the government.

(Romans 13:1 KJV)  Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.

Also keep in mind the words of Peter.

(Acts 5:29 KJV)  Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

So?  Our general attitude should be to obey the government and follow the rules.  The line is drawn when they cross the line and expect us to live in sin and disobedience.  Sometimes the line is clear sometimes it is vague.  Seek wisdom.