I Was Only Gone a Second

(Pro 7:19 KJV) For the goodman is not at home, he is gone a long journey:

Have you ever wondered what goes on when you are not there?  Think of the mischief your children got into when you stepped out of the room for a minute.  Think about how long it took to clean up the mess.  There are times when we must be away.  We need to prepare for those moments.  Obviously the man mentioned in this verse had done a poor job of choosing a wife.  Maybe his parents chose her for him.  Either way he still is not paying attention.  

So?  Are there any people that need your supervision or direction?  It could be a family member.  It could be someone you work with.  It might be a casual stranger.  We influence others whether we choose to or not.  It would be better to choose. 

Quick Cure for Sloths

(Pro 6:6 KJV) Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:

What is the cure for a “sluggard” (6102)?  I guess the first thing is to want to be cured which requires acknowledging your condition.  That is the same problem with salvation.  Before you can repent and trust Jesus as your Savior you need to know you are a lost sinner.  But lets assume you know your are a bit lazy.  How do you get over it.

The clue we are given is to “observe” (7200).  Do a little research.  Look around.  Find someone who is obviously not guilty of your weakness and watch.  Pay attention.  We have a tendency to want the quick fix.  Growth often takes time, or should I say “usually”.  While I know of people who have been instantly set free from addictions, most people are forced to go through withdrawal and discipline.  The cure for sloth is not easy, which is a double whammy.

So?  After you see the need for improvement start getting your mind in gear for the change that must come. 

Disaster Not Waiting to Happen

(Pro 5:9 KJV) Lest thou give thine honour unto others, and thy years unto the cruel:

Sin is a multifaceted disaster.  It destroys and cripples.  It wastes and withers.  The context of the warning here has to do with casual sexual relationships but the principle is consistent.  Sin will suck all that is worth having out of your life and pass it on to what the NASB calls “the cruel (394) one”.  

Proverbs keeps repeating this pattern.  Righteousness leads to a better life.  Sin leads to futility.

So?  It seems so simple.  I makes me wonder why so many people make the wrong choices. 

The Obviousness of Light

(Pro 4:18 KJV) But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

Have you ever tried to find the darkness in a field at noon?  It is pretty much an impossible search.  Picture guessing that there is darkness under a leaf.  The minute you lift it up the darkness disappears.  Now try to find the burning candle in the same field at midnight.  No problem.  

We need to first admit that both “light” (216) and darkness exist in our world.  They exist in our political culture and the media.  Both are in our schools.  The tragedy is that both have found a place in our churches.  Then we need to recognize the difference.  That should be no problem if you believe that Jesus is the incarnate Son of God.

(Joh 8:12 KJV) Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

So?  Focus on looking for the righteous course.  It is visible and findable.  Look for the people and policies that follow that path.  Let the evil focus on the shadows. 

Head Turning Value

(Pro 3:15 KJV) She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.

What makes something “precious” (3368)?  When I pulled up this verse and read it out of context I thought Solomon was waxing strong about the wife of the week.  Wrong.  He is talking about wisdom.  He is setting wisdom above all of the fancy trappings of an ancient monarch.  I have to believe that when he wrote this, he was serious.  He believed it.  If you know about Solomon’s life you know that at the end he turned back to the pagan gods and began to encourage their worship.  What happened?

My guess is that he began to spend more time admiring the wealth he had accumulated than listening to the things that God had to say.  He started to listen to all the syncopates that surrounded him and believe what they say.  It is a caution for all of us today.

So?  Welcome the slap downs of life that remind you how unworthy you are.  God is so beyond our understanding that He can maintain the universe in His spare time.  While doing that He has time to listen to our prayers and mold our world.  That is precious. 

Gentlemen, Feather Your Engines

(Pro 2:10 KJV) When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul;

“Wisdom” (2451) is not a neutral quality.  It changes what it touches.  What is does not touch is also changed but for the worse.  I have never been a pilot but I have seen sequences in which the real pilot is constantly switching levers and checking dials.  He does not do that because there is an emergency.  He does it to avoid an emergency.  He knows what to look for so he is constantly adjusting all kinds of things that I as a passenger am not aware of.  He increases the fuel load to engine three.  He tweaks the little panels on the wings.  He turns two degrees to port.  He “feathers” the engines, whatever that means.  

The pilot is not guessing.  He is taking action based on “wisdom” he as accumulated by paying attention.  It was part of his training.  We do not need to be guessing either.  We should be growing in wisdom and doing a better job of “feathering” our engines all the time, whatever that means.

So?  Growth is not an option. 

Not So Fast There

(Pro 1:1 KJV) The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel;

Here is a good place to look again at how to interpret the Bible.  One difficulty is not allowing for all the literary devices.  The Bible has hyperbole, metaphor, word pictures and so forth.  A bigger problem is focusing on one verse and thinking this is the final word.  Understanding a verse in the Bible demands that you make an attempt at understanding the Bible as a whole.  Obviously not everyone is at the same level on this but we can all put on our thinking caps and make a stab at it.

If you were just starting to read the Bible and chose Proverbs, the first verse might give you the impression that the Book of Proverbs was written by Solomon.  Many people who have been reading the Bible for years still think that is the case.  I might suggest that you take a quick look at how the last chapter starts,

(Pro 31:1 KJV) The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him.

You will find others that are connected to Proverbs besides Solomon.

So?  This is not a trick book.  It is meant to be read, understood and applied.  It is also meant to be studied and meditated on.  Chapter one is a good place for that to start.