A Voice of Faith

(Pro 14:16 KJV)  A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil: but the fool rageth, and is confident.

Caution, or fear, has a place in our lives.  It is a matter of what we fear and why we fear.  We are told repeatedly to fear the Lord.  This is the kind of fear that makes us pay attention to how fast we are driving when we know there are speed traps around.  If we are toeing the line, there is just enough fear to make sure we have nothing to fear.

Then we have the kind of concerns that are being felt about the way in which our liberties are being eroded during the Viral Panic that is sweeping the country.  I don’t fear the virus.  I do fear a government that is telling us we can’t meet for church.  I don’t fear nuclear war.  I do fear judges who interpret the law as coercion to enforce their political views.

So?  Ultimately I don’t even fear the government or judges.  I am a child of God.  If He feels that the universe will move better with me arrested for attending church, so be it.  I remember that Paul sang while he was in prison.  It doesn’t tell us about his awesome voice , just the strength of his faith. 

Soul vs Stomach

(Pro 13:25 KJV)  The righteous eateth to the satisfying of his soul: but the belly of the wicked shall want.

Notice the difference between the two spiritual beings here.  What are they trying to feed?  The “righteous” (6662) is concerned with his [nephesh] (5315) and the “wicked” (7563) is concerned with his “stomach” (990).  Here the KJV gets the meaning of the Hebrew.  Nephesh is the inner part of man that makes him different than the animals.  It is something of spiritual dimension.  The stomach is either literal or a designation of the inner man.  Although it can be taken in a spiritual way it is a physical reference.

So?  What motivates the believer?  We have our physical and psychological needs.  We also have our spiritual needs.  When we ignore the spiritual to satisfy the physical we run into trouble. 

Another Reminder

(Pro 12:22 KJV)  Lying lips are abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are his delight.

Lies are destructive.  Lies tend to grow because once told they need to be repeated and reinforced.  Think of what lies can do to a marriage.  Think about children who observe their parents telling lies all the time.  Can a business survive on deceit?  Can a church be founded on deception?  

Lying is becoming a national pastime.  There is no need to go down the list of the sources of deception.  We all know about them.  I, for one, get very frustrated with the situation.  There is little I can do about it when the liars back each other up and continue the destruction.

So?  We are called to speak the truth.  Like so much of the Christian walk, this puts us out of step with our neighbors and friends.  It is still required.  Truth is not an option.  We need to spend some time meditating on that and looking at our lives. 

Exercising Attitudes

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

In the KJV the word “when” is in italics.  That means the actual word is not in the Hebrew.  So my question would be, “Is this the ‘when’ that implies certainty or the ‘when’ that really means ‘if’?”  What difference does it make?  I guess I am wondering if “pride” (2088) is definitely going to hit us or just a possibility.  

I am guessing that we are dealing with possibilities.  We do not need to be proud.  By the same token there is no guarantee that we will act with humility.  It depends on how we insist on viewing ourselves and our attitudes towards other people.  As Christians we are called to have the attitude of a servant.  I don’t like that.  I don’t have an ounce of the spiritual gifts of mercy or service.  I can go through the motions but am drained in the process.

So?  Maybe we need more situations that force us into actions of humility.  Maybe we need to be embarrassed more often.  Attitudes, like muscles, respond to exercise. 

Those Pesky Verbs

(Pro 10:2 KJV)  Treasures of wickedness profit nothing: but righteousness delivereth from death.

Notice that “profit” (3276) is a verb and not a noun.  This should point us toward an understanding that it isn’t how much is in your bank account but whether it will do you any good.  Think of the rich farmer who kept pulling down his old barns to store his ever bigger harvests.  What was said to him?

(Luk 12:20 KJV)  But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?

It is like the difference between an award ceremony that gives you a nice certificate and the reading of your will.

So?  Live like there is no tomorrow because there may not be.  If there is, it may not make any difference if today is not invested in a Godly way. 

A Start

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

We could be looking at the steps that some people go through as they are saved.  The move often begins with “fear” (3374) whether it is the Biblical concepts of awe and respect or a more typical quivering.  We must be humbled in some way or we won’t listen.  I think it is part of the human predicament.  Then we come to know Him and start to grow in our “understanding” (998).

It is hard to believe you will achieve eternal life if you don’t come to know God and His wisdom.  He is reaching out.  It is available.

So?  Get started or keep going.  It depends on where you are on your walk. 

Hybrid

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

I used to own a motorcycle, a Honda 450 CL.  It was supposed to be a cross between a CL and the SB or CB, whichever.  Today we might use the word hybrid.  It was designed for the road but had the raised exhaust of a dirt bike.  It was far too heavy for the dirt but I didn’t know any better.  If you were serious about riding the trails and climbing the mountains you went for one type of vehicle.  If you just wanted to cruise, it was a different composition.  Much of life can be like that.

The point of wisdom is that it will apply for both off road, the “heights” (4791), and the open road, “paths” (5410b).  It isn’t a hybrid though.  It is the pure deal.  It is so versatile that it applies in all situations.  It is kind of like Frank Sinatra as opposed to AC/DC.  Everyone listened to Frank.

So?  Make the investment in the complete package.  It is called wisdom.