A Bit Early for Mothers’ Day

(Proverbs 30:17 KJV)  The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it.

God has no compassion on the child who “mocketh” (mocks NASB) (3932) his father.  Deserving equal condemnation is the one who “despiseth” (scorns NASB) (936/3349) his mother.  In terms of respect both are given equal billing.

I don’t know about other religions but the Bible tells us to give honor to both parents.  While there is a hierarchy in the family it is not the kind of thing that says women are inferior.  Keep in mind the words of Paul,

(Galatians 3:28 KJV)  There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

So?  Picture a sign over the gates of heaven, “Abandon Machismo, all ye who enter here.”  Honor and respect your parents, both of them.

My Brother, the Slave

(Proverbs 29:21 KJV)  He that delicately bringeth up his servant from a child shall have him become his son at the length.

Most Americans know that slavery was a part of our past.  What they don’t seem to understand is that slavery is a part of the past of almost every country.  It is not an exclusive American scar.  Until England outlawed the slave trade in the early 1800's and later outlawed slavery in the British Empire there was not major country in the world, in all of history, that had condemned the practice.  There is also no major religion in the history of the world that has issued a blanket condemnation. 

What does this teach us about slavery and being a “servant” (slave NASB) (5650)?  For one thing it teaches what is clear through the entire Bible, slaves are to be classified as human beings.  They are not animals or sub-humans.  This puts definite limits on how you treat them.  Of course some people don’t even know how to treat their children, so the instructions are hard for some to obey.

One of the reason slavery has disappeared in the Christian world is that the Bible insists on treating them well.  Over time this destroys the practice.

So?  You don’t own any slaves?  Join the crowd.  You do, however, live in a culture that has other accepted practices that are to be rejected or modified by believers.  Sexual sin, the “spin” (lies) of politics, dishonest claims in selling used cars, the list could go on and on.  Examine your own list.

What’s Your Hurry?

(Proverbs 28:20 KJV)  A faithful man shall abound with blessings: but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent.

What is a “faithful” (530) “man” (376)?

We need to consider context here.  The previous verse talks about being focused on things of importance and not just the desire of the day.  This verse seems to imply the person who is willing to take the long range view and build a solid foundation to his activities.

Faithful here is not related to our ideas of believing.  Here it means “firmness, fidelity, steadfastness.”  We are talking about the description of love being patient and the fruit of the spirit including patience.

So?  Are you willing to be a faithful steward of the life God has given you?  It seems to be the way to blessing.  Or perhaps you would prefer the frustration of being in a hurry and always too late.  Think about it.  Apply it.

He Never Promised You a Rose Garden

(Proverbs 27:25 KJV)  The hay appeareth, and the tender grass sheweth itself, and herbs of the mountains are gathered.

We recently had someone leave our church in a huff.  I am sure you have been through this.  Maybe you are the huffer, who knows.  I was once.  I am sure people were glad to see me go because they did not want to hear what I was saying.  I have heard this referred to as a back door revival.  It is not the end of the world when the old, growth-choking “hay” (grass NASB) (2682) “appeareth” (disappears NASB, in the sense of changing) (1540).

Sometimes we cannot see the promising new developments that are going on around us because of the dead traditions and habits.  When the process of life takes out the old guard it is easier to see the promising new opportunities.  I am approaching the age where the process of life will remove me.  Praise the Lord because He probably has some new growth ready to step up but it doesn’t “showeth” (seen NASB) (7200) because I am in the way.

So?  Are you the old grass or the new growth?  Both have a part in God’s plan.  The goal is to gather the “herbs” (6212a) not admire the mowed grass. 

Are We Building Ruins?

(Proverbs 26:28 KJV)  A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin.

It is very easy for us to fall into this trap.  I see it on a regular basis at school.  Maybe you can see some parallels in your day.

Recently we had a meeting about a student who was having problems.  Out of four core classes he was failing three and almost failing the fourth.  His citizenship grades reflected the same.  How did we start off the meeting?  The administrator in charge said, “Let’s go around first and share some of the child’s strengths in the classroom.”  I wanted to say, “We are not here because of his strengths.  We are here because he has none.  Let’s deal with the real issues, lack of work, lack of effort, bad attitude, tardiness, etc.”  Because I want to keep my job I said nothing.  I listened as the other teachers described a wonderful, well behaved boy.  The entire time was spent “flattering” (2509) the child. 

In the process we were working “ruin” (4072).  He went out of the meeting figuring that he had fooled us again.  His sluggardly behavior was reinforced.  We as a group had smoothed the way for him to keep falling on his face and face disaster in his life.

So?  Find ways to love people enough to tell them the truth.  It may save their life and their soul.

Man, Oh, Man

(Proverbs 25:24 KJV)  It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman and in a wide house.

As I read this verse again my mind wandered off into the gender wars and our culture’s push toward a politically correct gender neutrality.  You don’t find that position in the Bible.  There are lessons to be learned in reality that you don’t see when you refuse to see. 

Several times Proverbs addresses the theme of this verse.  Each time it is advice to the man living with a woman who makes life miserable.  Why is there nothing the other way?  Was it because men are never hard to live with?  I doubt it.  The thing that I was seeing this time is that there are situations that we can do nothing about and we need to live with them.  That would be the position of married women in that culture.

I know we don’t like to be told that all problems cannot be solved.  It is true anyway.  Remember Paul asked three times to have his thorn in the flesh removed.  Remember that Jesus asked to go to plan B in the garden of Gethsemane.  The answer to both was “No.”

So?  Sometimes all we can do is soldier on.  His grace is sufficient.

Payoff

(Proverbs 24:20 KJV)  For there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out.

Here is why we are not to fret or be envious:  The “evil” (7451a) will have no “reward” (future NASB) (319).  You need to understand this with a little flexibility.  A hard nosed literalism would say this means that evil people will not be around tomorrow and will know only suffering.  That is obviously not the meaning. 

“Reward” (future NASB) (319) has the idea of a project coming to completion.  It means “end” but with a value added on.  I think a good modern word for use here might be “payoff.”  The KJV translation is pretty good with the idea of reward.  It obviously has an eternal dimension but if you follow the lives of the rich and the famous you will observe that their final years are not all that good either.

So?  Take the long view.  Realize that God will not be mocked.  Think of God as a rope salesman as in giving enough rope to hang yourself.  Or give you a rope to hold on to and be rescued.  The choice is really ours.  I know the choice I made and continue to make.  I hope you are on board.