A Wife and Strife

(Proverbs 27:16 KJV)  Whosoever hideth her hideth the wind, and the ointment of his right hand, which bewrayeth itself.

The simple message that comes through here is that there is nothing you can do to control, help or reform some people.  Here the reference is to a nagging wife.  I would assume that the principle would apply to other people also.

There is a place in the New Testament where we get some advice about how to respond to this type of person.

(1 Peter 3:8-9 NAS77)  To sum up, let all be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit; not returning evil for evil, or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing.

What is interesting, and rarely pointed out, is that this is also in the context of a wife.  The point is that love goes the extra mile, turns the other cheek, etc.  It is the way we are called to live and respond.

So?  When someone goes after you, don’t respond in kind.  This is hard to do but necessary.  It doesn’t seem to “work” but it is obedience.  This is an area where living in faith is a struggle. 

A Storehouse of Destruction

(Proverbs 26:24 KJV)  He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him;

No one can know what is really going on in your heart.  God does, but the person next to you can only deal with what they can see and hear.  So the person you see may not be the person that is really there.  A hater “lays” (7896) up all of the anger, animosity and desire for vengeance.  He is constantly building a foundation of hostility in his heart. 

Sooner or later it will bust out and be destructive.  There is nothing you can do about it when it comes from someone else.

You can do something about it in your own life.  You can review your heart and the feelings that are there.  Look for fears, anxieties, dislikes, hostilities or anything else that might indicate you are not right with an individual or a group of people.  If you are not sure you might want to share with a trusted friend.  Then take it to the Lord and ask for forgiveness and healing.

So?  If you just store it up, it can poison your personality, your daily life and your eternity.  Hatred is destructive and sometimes subtle.  Blessings on your journey.

Lexus or Kia?

(Proverbs 25:21 KJV)  If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:

Do we give our enemies the Cadillac Treatment or the VW Experience?  For those of you who are younger I might ask Lexus or Kia.  It means the same.  First, note that we are not supposed to let even our enemies starve to death.  This might justify some of the food programs offered as welfare and the poor are not our enemies.  Feed the hungry.  Clothe the naked.  Okay, got that.

But notice what you give them:  Staples.  The “food” (3899) of the NASB is “bread” in the KJV.  “Water” (4325) is water.  Bread and water sounds like the menu in solitary confinement but understand that bread was the basic food of the day.  Where we might talk about meat and potatoes, they spoke of bread. 

So?  We have a responsibility to make sure that people have the basics.  We do not owe them anything fancy, prime cuts of beef and Perrier, but it needs to be nutritious and balanced.  This might be a word we could share with those who are against all welfare and also to those who think it is okay to use their EBT cash cards at high priced markets and liquor stores. 

Engage Brain

(Proverbs 24:32 KJV)  Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction.

Notice the progression to learning.  First, he “saw” (2372).  This is an important first step to learning.  As I look at the Hebrew definition I notice that one nuance is to see with the intelligence.  We need to have our brain turned on when we try to learn.

I remember as a kid we used to have contests in Sunday School.  One competition was to see how many verses or chapters we could read in a week.  Of course we chose Psalm 117 and John 11:35.  We would read them over and over.  If the rules did not allow that we read as fast as we could.  I can guarantee that we learned nothing in the process. 

So?  Don’t try to see how much of the Word you can read in a day.  Don’t set a certain number of verses or chapters.  It will be a legalistic waste of time.  Read with your intelligence.  Use your brain.  God gave one to everybody. 

A Fool from Context

(Proverbs 23:9 KJV)  Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy words.

From the context of the previous verses it would seem that a “fool” (3684) is someone who is consumed with getting rich.  It would not matter how wise he seemed in any other area of life, if his overriding ambition is to be rich, he is a fool.

Sooner or later a person who makes money his goal will make money his god.  That means that any chunks of righteous character will start to become servants of the dominant theme.  In that way things like honesty will become victims of expediency.  Justice will fall to circumstance.  Kindness will be set aside for later.  Holiness will become a joke.

So?  Make a good living.  Accept the promotion.  Change jobs.  There is nothing wrong with any of that, but don’t let the pursuit of wealth dwarf the important things of life.  Such priority is a one way ticket to Hell. 

Beware of Falling Chips

(Proverbs 22:4 KJV)  By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life.

“Humility” (6038) should be a character trait of believers.  I am talking about genuine humility, not the pride of self-effacement.  Many people put on the mask of unworthiness.  They seek position and praise while acting like it doesn’t matter. 

Humility comes from the heart.  It is an unconscious application of the Golden Rule.  It is a life of genuine love. 

(Philippians 2:3 KJV)  Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

There may be times when you are accused of arrogance when you are being humble.  Humility does not trump walking straight.  Humility does not stop you from standing up for what is right.  Real humility drives you to be different, not because you want to be different, but because you are.

So?  Follow Jesus and let the chips fall where they may.  Live for Him which means you will live for others. 

Gift or Bribe?

(Proverbs 21:14 KJV)  A gift in secret pacifieth anger: and a reward in the bosom strong wrath.

What is the difference between a “gift” (4976) and a “reward” (bribe NASB) (7810)?  They are the same action, giving something of value to another, yet seem to imply totally different things.  We see both words used here.  They are totally different words.  The first seems to be always translated “gift” and the second includes both meanings.

We must look to attitudes.  Why was the thing of value given?  What was your motive?  Did you give because you wanted something in return or did you give because you wanted to share?  One is frowned on in our culture.  The other happens on almost every special occasion. 

So?  What is your motive for giving to God?  This involves time, talent and treasure.  We need to realize that nothing we give has value to God absent the right attitude.  Cultivate the joy of giving.