Job Calls

(Pro 11:3 KJV)  The integrity of the upright shall guide them: but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them.

As I looked at this word “integrity” (8538) I found that it is only used five times in the Old Testament.  Four of them were in Job.  Based on what I read there, integrity is not a popular virtue.  At one point Job’s wife said,

(Job 2:9 KJV)  Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die.

This was not a word of praise.  She was saying, “Stop being stupid, Job.  Give it up.  Let it go.”  Obviously this is not an easy standard.

The painful truth is that we are called to walk in righteousness in a world that hates righteousness.  We want to be liked.  We want to fit in.  We want to get along with our neighbors but the sad truth is that eventually the hatred will come out.

So?  We are still called to integrity.  Keep in mind that the world rejects God too.  That is the real reason why only a minority of humanity will be at the wedding feast of the Lamb.  I hope to see you there. 

Well Fed

(Pro 10:3 KJV)  The LORD will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish: but he casteth away the substance of the wicked.

Every month when I read this verse I am called back to the real promise.  I am reminded of the importance of comparing translations and have the value of the KJV repeated.  I am referring to the marginal reading of the NASB which is in the text of the KJV where the promise given is for the “soul” (5315) [nephesh] of the “righteous” (6662) not just the “righteous”.

I will concede and stipulate that God also promises to meet our physical needs but I am also aware that there are times of persecution where that is hard to understand.  The key point is that He will always make it possible to have fat souls and healthy bones.

So?  The shout is that God is faithful.  When you soul is well fed but your belly is empty you can sing a song and get on with life.  When your soul is starved and your belly is full it is time for depression. 

Rx

(Pro 9:11 KJV)  For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased.

Our health experts give us all kinds of wisdom.  Eggs are bad.  Salt is bad.  Coffee is bad.  Until they aren’t.  I used to think it was funny when visiting a doctor and having him tell me that I should quit drinking.  Now I think it is pathetic.  I have never been a drinker.  It has probably been at least 40 years since I even tasted alcohol.  In spite of that they spout their mantras.  

We go to doctors because they are supposed to be experts in what will keep us healthy.  Usually it is a facade.  My daughter called the doctor when one of the kids was throwing up and got a virtual visit with a PA.  It was helpful in establishing that we were dealing with a standard childhood sickness.  What was interesting was that if the child were really sick we were told to go to the ER.  Generally doctors want to see well patients or people with mysterious diseases that they can prescribe expensive medications for and give long term prognosis.  

So?  We need to keep reminding ourselves that it is God who determines how long we are going to live.  He gives us admonitions to wash our hands.  Yes, that is in the Bible.  He tells us to isolate ourselves.  He tells us to eat right.  He tells us to trust Him.  I think we are disappointed that He doesn’t give us a pill to take. 

Product Availability

(Pro 8:3 KJV)  She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors.

Wisdom is available all around us.  The problem is not lack of wisdom but a lack of listening.  Or it might be the laziness that gets us listening to the wrong things.  

One of the common complaints I hear and express is that you can’t seem to believe anything you read or hear any more.  I don’t care which side of the political divide you are on, if you are paying attention you know there is a lot of lying going on.  What is one to do?  If you are a Laodicean Christian or garden variety pagan, not much.  You are either luke-warm or on the wrong team.  

If you are serious about your Christian faith then you know that the first source of wisdom is the written word of God.  It is not a coincidence that Jesus said He was “the way, the truth and the life.”  It is not a historical oddity that the Bible has survived for thousands of years.  There is a foundation of laws, principles, examples, applications and whatever else you need to give you a basis for evaluating the world around you.  And remember that you should be preparing for the test before they put the scantron in front of you.

So?  Now where did you put your Bible?  Is that dust I see?

Types of Chains

(Pro 7:22 KJV)  He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks;

In our neighborhood we had a family that walked the streets with their pets:  a dog, a goat and a pig.  They were well behaved and got along famously.  It was quite a sight.

Time went by.  At times the dog was on a leash but only at specific times that the people knew it would not control itself.  The goat eventually went away because it started jumping on cars and such.  The pig was quite happy.  I imagine it was happy up until the day they took it to the bacon man.  Which one was the ox in our verse?  Which one am I?  Which one are you?  There are many kinds of chains and they effect our destiny.

So?  God might put us on a leash once in awhile if we can’t control ourselves.  The outlook for the totally rebellious is not good.  Meanwhile, look out for the bacon man.  There are places, activities, people who want nothing better than to make you history.

Entropy watch

(Pro 6:9 KJV)  How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?

I must confess, the yard needs mowing.  I am running out of excuses.  The wild flowers didn’t have much energy this year and seem to have moved on to “sluggard” (6102) status.  The thunderstorms seem to have passed by so the ground is no longer soggy.  I am running out of excuses.  

My form of sluggishness is entropy.  My movements are random and in disorder and it takes energy to line them up.  Once I get going I do okay.  I hope to live long enough to claim victory.  Meanwhile the grass still needs to be cut.

So?  I think some problems will always be with us and need constant fighting.  Just as an alcoholic must keep fighting the call of alcohol and gluttons like me must daily resist food, so the entropy class must strive for order.

Benefits of Bitter Pills

(Pro 5:12 KJV)  And say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof;

Why do I dislike being corrected?  Maybe you are different but I don’t like people telling me I am wrong whether it is on an opinion or how I mow the grass.  My hackles go up.  My heels dig in.  My teeth clinch.  You know the routine or you are blessed with being wise.

It isn’t just someone trying to share knowledge.  It is the assumption that I am inadequate and need their help.  This verse implies that there is a moral aspect when it talks about “reproof” (8433b).  This is a concept that is taught in both the Old and New Testaments.  It is common in Proverbs.  What we face is a culture that has denied personal responsibility and turned away from all being sinners to embrace the statement, “Judge not.”

So?  If you can get to the point of being receptive to correction, then good.  If you still struggle, be aware of the problem and admit that the problem is in the one being reproved, not the one pointing out the error or your ways.  It is called spiritual growth.