(Proverbs 4:20 KJV) My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.
Have you ever heard someone say, “I ‘incline’ (5186) toward believing him”. Often in life there is an intangible something that makes us lean one way or the other. Sometimes it is just an unknown quantity because we have to make a decision. I don’t know how many times my wife has announced that she wants to go out to get something to eat and then when we get in the car she says, “Where do you want to go?” The short answer is, “Nowhere. I have plenty of food in the house.” If you are married you know that is not acceptable. Your inclination in that situation may simply be the first thing that pops into your mind.
In other situations it is more important to make the right decision. Is it time to change jobs? Is it time to look for a new church? Should I ban some of my children’s friends from the house? Should I worry about too much salt in my food? You may not have any clear indication but still have to make a decision. The point here is that if you have been listening and studying there will be some indication of which way you should go.
So? Invest the time now for the decisions that will come later. Trust me, they will come.
Friday, January 4, 2019
Thursday, January 3, 2019
Payback
(Proverbs 3:28 KJV) Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and to morrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee.
I think this applies to our business dealings as well as our tendency to hoard. Proverbs often warn us about loaning money, borrowing money and cosigning on loans for people. This could apply to a situation where we have ignored that. Picture a situation where you have borrowed from a friend or family member with certain terms of payback that could run from $10 a month to whenever you can afford it. Now they are in need, you are doing well and they come asking to have the balance to get through their crisis. You have the money available but have it in a nice CD that has a penalty on it. For your own personal profit you refuse the request.
Bad news for everyone. You have allowed the desire for profit to override your moral obligation. They have lost what they though was a friend. Two hearts are hardened.
So? Every “deal” we make needs to have the holiness test. I don’t mean whether you can justify it in a court of law but whether you can still look into the face of God and say, “I have loved my neighbor”.
I think this applies to our business dealings as well as our tendency to hoard. Proverbs often warn us about loaning money, borrowing money and cosigning on loans for people. This could apply to a situation where we have ignored that. Picture a situation where you have borrowed from a friend or family member with certain terms of payback that could run from $10 a month to whenever you can afford it. Now they are in need, you are doing well and they come asking to have the balance to get through their crisis. You have the money available but have it in a nice CD that has a penalty on it. For your own personal profit you refuse the request.
Bad news for everyone. You have allowed the desire for profit to override your moral obligation. They have lost what they though was a friend. Two hearts are hardened.
So? Every “deal” we make needs to have the holiness test. I don’t mean whether you can justify it in a court of law but whether you can still look into the face of God and say, “I have loved my neighbor”.
Wednesday, January 2, 2019
Conditions and Context
(Proverbs 2:6 KJV) For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.
This sounds like a glorious promise. God will deliver. We like this idea. The popular understanding of Christmas reinforces it. Jesus was a gift. Grace is undeserved. God loves us and wants us to have wonderful lives. That is good as far as it goes. But remember the three most important values in real estate: Location, location, location. Bible understanding is the same only we would say, “Context, context, context.”
If you read back through all of the glorious promises you find that at the beginning is the provision for personal discipline and study. If you seek, you will find. If you knock it will open to you. Someone said that once.
So? God has many gifts to give us. We do not deserve them. We cannot earn them. If you had two children, one brilliant and lazy, the other disciplined and focused and you could only send one to college, to which would you give the gift? What seems obvious to me might not be to you.
This sounds like a glorious promise. God will deliver. We like this idea. The popular understanding of Christmas reinforces it. Jesus was a gift. Grace is undeserved. God loves us and wants us to have wonderful lives. That is good as far as it goes. But remember the three most important values in real estate: Location, location, location. Bible understanding is the same only we would say, “Context, context, context.”
If you read back through all of the glorious promises you find that at the beginning is the provision for personal discipline and study. If you seek, you will find. If you knock it will open to you. Someone said that once.
So? God has many gifts to give us. We do not deserve them. We cannot earn them. If you had two children, one brilliant and lazy, the other disciplined and focused and you could only send one to college, to which would you give the gift? What seems obvious to me might not be to you.
Tuesday, January 1, 2019
Even Arbitrary Has a Beginning
(Proverbs 1:22 KJV) How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?
We start off the new year with three personality traits that are condemned: Naivety, a critical spirit and ignorance. Proverbs assumes that these are bad and that we can do something about them in our lives. The hardest for me is in the area of being overly critical. Some call me a cynic. I call myself realistic. The Bible uses “scorner” (scoffer NASB) (3917b). It seems to me that being critical is part of avoiding “simplicity” (naive NASB) (6612a). Obviously by this verse that is not true. But we can do something about it.
And of course the question is “How long?” (4970/5704) Isn’t that always the question? How long can we expect God to be patient with us. He is much more patient that we would ever be but contrary to some teaching, He will not wait forever. If you don’t believe me, then read a few verses further and find out the harsh truth.
So? It is the beginning of a new year. That is totally arbitrary like the length of an inch, but it is useful for measuring. Take a deep breath and get on with it.
We start off the new year with three personality traits that are condemned: Naivety, a critical spirit and ignorance. Proverbs assumes that these are bad and that we can do something about them in our lives. The hardest for me is in the area of being overly critical. Some call me a cynic. I call myself realistic. The Bible uses “scorner” (scoffer NASB) (3917b). It seems to me that being critical is part of avoiding “simplicity” (naive NASB) (6612a). Obviously by this verse that is not true. But we can do something about it.
And of course the question is “How long?” (4970/5704) Isn’t that always the question? How long can we expect God to be patient with us. He is much more patient that we would ever be but contrary to some teaching, He will not wait forever. If you don’t believe me, then read a few verses further and find out the harsh truth.
So? It is the beginning of a new year. That is totally arbitrary like the length of an inch, but it is useful for measuring. Take a deep breath and get on with it.
Monday, December 31, 2018
Righteous Resolutions
(Proverbs 31:9 KJV) Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.
The arbitrary date that we call “New Year’s Day” is withing sight. Here is a bit of advice for us to finish out the old and begin the new, “judge” (8199) “righteously” (6664). If you look at the context you see that this might be directed toward kings and such but I think the command is extended farther than that.
Most of us have decisions to make and often those decisions effect other people. Are you a landlord? Can you justify raising the rent? Do you work in a situation where you deal with the general public such as a clerk in a government office or doing sales in a store? Do you listen and make decisions based on a desire to do well? We must judge because life calls for choices. The big question is do we do it in an honest and upright manner.
So? The new year is simply a good time for us to look and remind ourselves of what we should be doing all the time. Don’t let the time go to waste.
The arbitrary date that we call “New Year’s Day” is withing sight. Here is a bit of advice for us to finish out the old and begin the new, “judge” (8199) “righteously” (6664). If you look at the context you see that this might be directed toward kings and such but I think the command is extended farther than that.
Most of us have decisions to make and often those decisions effect other people. Are you a landlord? Can you justify raising the rent? Do you work in a situation where you deal with the general public such as a clerk in a government office or doing sales in a store? Do you listen and make decisions based on a desire to do well? We must judge because life calls for choices. The big question is do we do it in an honest and upright manner.
So? The new year is simply a good time for us to look and remind ourselves of what we should be doing all the time. Don’t let the time go to waste.
Sunday, December 30, 2018
Yes, It Makes a Difference
(Proverbs 30:33 KJV) Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.
Cause and effect is a principle that has largely disappeared from our educational system at least as it applies to the real world. You can observe cause and effect in life. If you drop a china cup, it shatters. If you step in front of a car, it splatters. Churning milk, butter. Punching nose, blood. We see it all around us and usually learn from the experience.
No so much in areas where we want to ignore the laws of physics and morality. We are being taught that homosexual marriage is not problem, that the death culture of abortion will have no side effects, that unearned welfare checks are a road to success. We have watched for years. We see nothing but failure. Have you noticed that the advocates of socialism always have a phrase, “That was not real socialism” to apply to any failures.
So? God has given us principles. They are pretty easy to understand. Ignore them at your own peril. Implement them to blessing. Seems like an easy choice and it is a good time of year to work on change.
Cause and effect is a principle that has largely disappeared from our educational system at least as it applies to the real world. You can observe cause and effect in life. If you drop a china cup, it shatters. If you step in front of a car, it splatters. Churning milk, butter. Punching nose, blood. We see it all around us and usually learn from the experience.
No so much in areas where we want to ignore the laws of physics and morality. We are being taught that homosexual marriage is not problem, that the death culture of abortion will have no side effects, that unearned welfare checks are a road to success. We have watched for years. We see nothing but failure. Have you noticed that the advocates of socialism always have a phrase, “That was not real socialism” to apply to any failures.
So? God has given us principles. They are pretty easy to understand. Ignore them at your own peril. Implement them to blessing. Seems like an easy choice and it is a good time of year to work on change.
Saturday, December 29, 2018
Target Acquisition
(Proverbs 29:10 KJV) The bloodthirsty hate the upright: but the just seek his soul.
This is an important reminder for people like me. As I write it is the Christmas season. As you read it is slightly past for the Western Church but still in Epiphany, the coming of the wise men, when the Eastern Church celebrates the birth. People like me are the ones who, living in the prosperity that God has blessed them with, look at people who are struggling and assume that they have made the bad choices that put them there. I will assert that is true in many cases, but not all.
Some people are “blameless” (8535). The KJV is probably better here because it conveys the moral judgment being made. This could be an important key to evaluating how we distribute our giving. We should be looking at things like integrity and veracity. The part that makes this hard is it involves knowing the people we are trying to help. It does not allow just giving. It should be targeted.
So? I need to give more. For you it might involve being more discerning in your giving. For instance, if you have $100 you can give, ignore the Red Cross and find the Salvation Army. That way most of it will actually go to help those in need.
This is an important reminder for people like me. As I write it is the Christmas season. As you read it is slightly past for the Western Church but still in Epiphany, the coming of the wise men, when the Eastern Church celebrates the birth. People like me are the ones who, living in the prosperity that God has blessed them with, look at people who are struggling and assume that they have made the bad choices that put them there. I will assert that is true in many cases, but not all.
Some people are “blameless” (8535). The KJV is probably better here because it conveys the moral judgment being made. This could be an important key to evaluating how we distribute our giving. We should be looking at things like integrity and veracity. The part that makes this hard is it involves knowing the people we are trying to help. It does not allow just giving. It should be targeted.
So? I need to give more. For you it might involve being more discerning in your giving. For instance, if you have $100 you can give, ignore the Red Cross and find the Salvation Army. That way most of it will actually go to help those in need.
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