Parts of Speech

(Pro 30:5 KJV)  Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.

The NASB does a better job on the first part of this verse.  The “pure” (6884) of the KJV is the “tested” of the NASB.  The Hebrew word is a verb.  Which do you think works better?  They should have said “purified”.  I found it interesting as I was doing some research that this verse is not an original thought of Agur.  Check this out.

(2Sa 22:31 KJV)  As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him.

Although the words are different in English they are the same in Hebrew.  Same Hebrew, different English.  There is value in different translations.  One of the things we need to keep in mind is that we honor the original autographs, not the personalities of the translators.  We also need to keep in mind that we can find the truth we need because the Holy Spirit is our teacher.

So?  Keep reading, thinking, praying.  God will give us the shield we need. 

Motive Meters

(Pro 29:8 KJV)  Scornful men bring a city into a snare: but wise men turn away wrath.

It struck me that both of these people might be saying similar things, possibly even identical.  If that is the case and they are getting totally different results, what is it that is different?  It would have to be the goals, attitudes and values of the person speaking.

What are they seeking by what they say?  What are we seeking by what we say?  Closer to home, what am I seeking by what I say?  That is the real point of reading Proverbs.  We are looking for God speaking to us, not something to stir up others with.

So?  It isn’t enough to watch what we say.  We also need to examine our motives because it often seems that people have motive meters that govern their response. 

A Judge Not Moment

(Pro 28:21 KJV)  To have respect of persons is not good: for for a piece of bread that man will transgress.

The KJV “respect” (5234) of “persons” (6440) is better than the NASB “partiality”.  Solomon was probably reflecting on the tendency to favor the rich but the principle applies to many other areas of life.  It does not mean your grandchildren are not the cutest or smartest.  It means that you don’t judge people based on superficial details.  Obviously the superiority of my grandchildren is deeper than their skin.  It is rooted in their genes.

This is also a Biblical principle that flies in the face of much of the contemporary teaching that is being called CRT or White Privilege.  Those ideologies are based on exactly what this is condemning:  Skin color.  To claim to be Christian and go along with this perversity is to claim that iron pyrite is really gold.

So?  It isn’t politics.  It is Biblical morality.  Know the difference. 

How Much Does a Fool Weigh?

(Pro 27:3 KJV)  A stone is heavy, and the sand weighty; but a fool's wrath is heavier than them both.

The Bible says a lot about blessings.  People like that.  I like that.  It also says a lot about persecution and gives many examples.  Just one verse I read this morning,

(Psa 27:5 KJV)  For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.

What this verse is pointing out is that much of the pressure we feel in life will be personal.  It will not just be economic, political or health issues.  It will often be people, “fools” (191) if you will.  Just because we are cautioned against calling people fools does not mean they do not exist or are even rare.  

So?  Keep your eyes fixed on the hope that is in us.  We may get loaded down but that just makes the Holy Spirit pump up the support. 

Where?

(Pro 26:9 KJV)  As a thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, so is a parable in the mouth of fools.

It seems to me that I hear “the Bible says” a lot recently.  I have heard it at church.  I have heard it on podcasts and videos from people I respect.  I have heard it at home.  In each of these sources of enlightenment I have had to ask, “Where?”  

Like Benjamin Franklin and Abraham Lincoln, the Bible often has words put in its mouth.  Sometimes what we hear may be a true statement but does not come from the scripture referred to.  That is the error I hear in preaching.  Sometimes it is something we want to be true.  Sometimes it is total nonsense.  

We can’t know which it is unless we keep our eyes open and our mental radar engaged.  I don’t care how much the speaker loves the Bible and revers it.  Read the passage for yourself.  Have your Bible open.  If it is a casual contact, check it out when you get home.  It is important.

So?  We can’t change fools but we can avoid being fools ourselves. 

Legalistic Toes

(Pro 25:17 KJV)  Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbour's house; lest he be weary of thee, and so hate thee.

When my granddaughter was even younger than now I would tell her not to go into my closet.  Since the dividing line was marked by transition from tile to carpet it devolved into “don’t let your toes cross the line.”  I am not sure if you would call her a legalist, literalist or smarty pants but she would inch her toes right up to the line and stick her nose beyond it.  At my closet it was cute.  In my living room it could be a problem.

The issue is not your “foot” (7272).  In those days I could see a reluctance to go out in the yard because your neighbor would insist on long gossip sessions over the fence.  Today we can “step” into people homes by all kinds of electric devices.  I marvel at how long my wife can talk on the phone.  I often wonder if the person on the other end wants to hang up.  Of course, I am a bit of a loner and an isolationist but still....  

So?  If you want people to be ready to listen to your love of Jesus you might want to not make your appearance a dreaded event.  If it is to gregarious individuals, that is one thing, but keep in mind that everyone is not that way.

The Rubber Man

(Pro 24:16 KJV)  For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.

At a recent zoom meeting the general consensus was that all the news was bad.  We are in a “wars and rumors of wars” time.  In addition to that we have a ruling government class that thinks the cure for inflation is to print more money.  It boggles the mind.  It is very easy to be overcome by the bad news and forget the promises of God.  It is also a tendency to interpret things as if we were the center of the universe and if we “fall” (5307) it is the end of the world.

Take a deep breath and a step back.  Notice the comparison in this verse.  The “just” (righteous NASB) (6662) get to fall seven times.  The “wicked” (7563) only gets to “fall into” (stumble NASB) (3782) once.  The point is that those who are under God’s care will bounce back.  It isn’t that they don’t run into a wall but that they keep going.  God makes us the long lasting batteries, not the cheap ones that often come with the toy.

So?  Have courage.  Be optimistic.  Take the long view.  We are not one time paper napkins but the finest linen which can be wash, folded, ironed and put back on the table.  The difference is in what we are made of and who made us.