Tag Archives: Book of Proverbs

Righteous Desires Lead to Good Results

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The desire of the righteous ends only in good, but the hope of the wicked only in wrath. (Proverbs 11:23)

We all have desires which we would like to see fulfilled. We set goals in life which we hope to achieve. The author of proverbs, although he acknowledges that mankind have personal desires in common, divides them in two groups: The desires of the righteous and the wicked. This distinction makes it clear that, although we are connected in the sense that we all have desires, there is a difference in the kind of desires we have and therefore a difference in the results we can expect of such desires.

Generally the desires of the wicked involves hurting others in some way or another. This could be premeditated or it could be indirectly because of some desire to advance their own aspirations which they could only achieve by trampling on someone else. They desire to take revenge on anyone who dares to cross them. They love to curse but it will come on them. Blessing others were far from their lips, therefore blessings will be far from their lives too. They hope for nothing except that which is offensive to God.

For this reason, their desires will boomerang and come back on them. What they have desired for others (which is generally not good), will come upon them instead, because their selfish desires incurs upon them the wrath of God. This is the God who asks us to love others and to treat them as we would like to be treated. He will not leave the desires of the wicked unpunished. It may be that they expect good to come to them through all their scheming and deception, but it is only God’s wrath they should be expecting.

A righteous person desires the glory of God and the good of others, sometimes at personal cost to himself. He delights in God and His ways and because he delights in God, he will receive from God the desires of his heart (see Psalm 37:4). A righteous heart desires happiness for others and not happiness for himself at the cost of others. The righteous desire to overcome any wrong within them and they hunger and thirst for what is right. They are not self-seeking and rejoice when the truth wins over injustice.

Although we have received the righteousness of Christ, not all our desires are at all times righteous and good, but the power of the Spirit of Christ alive in us overcomes and often puts to death unrighteous desires arising from our flesh. It is through His work of grace in us that we are able to grow from glory to glory, more and more into the image of Christ –the Righteous One. Righteous desires lead to good results. He gives us these righteous desires and then He rewards us for what He has given us.

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How We Can Delight God with Blameless Ways

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Nature SceneThe Lord detests those whose hearts are perverse, but he delights in those whose ways are blameless. (Proverbs 11:20)

As the people of God, we have an innate desire to know what pleases Him. As Paul instructed believers: “Find out what pleases the Lord.” This proverb highlights one more thing hateful to God and contrasts it with what delights Him. These words improve our knowledge of God and serve as a guide, enabling us to guard our hearts and actions so that we may please Him in all things.

It says here God hates those whose hearts are perverse. Now this word ‘perverse’ in Hebrew has connotations of being distorted, twisted, hypocrisy and being crooked. The word perverse here includes all these other characteristics too. Thus, considering this, a perverse heart is in constant opposition to the truth of God, His word and the Gospel. There is a hatred of all that is good. This hatred can become consuming, filling the heart with abhorrence for everything and everyone reflecting goodness. We see this in action in the life of Jesus. The hypocritical church leaders couldn’t stand Him. They hated Him with a passion. These are the kind of people that say one thing but mean another and they do terrible things in the name of their religion. These are detestable to God.

In contrast we see He delights in those whose ways are blameless. Perhaps I should just clarify that these words are not referring to perfect people who never make a mistake in their life. Being considered blameless in the sight of God is a gift –a gift we receive and which has its origin in Christ. “For he chose us in him [Christ] before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.” (Ephesians 1:4). It is through faith in Christ that we are found in Him and it is this position that makes us blameless in the sight of God and it is this being ‘in Christ’ that enables us to delight Him. It starts with Christ. It finishes with Him. Only then can we say our ways are blameless in God’s sight and a delight to Him.

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Controlling your Tongue instead of Your Tongue Controlling You

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Happy DoggyWhoever derides their neighbor has no sense, but the one who has understanding holds their tongue. (Proverbs 11:12)

A person who speaks hurtful words without considering the effect on others is a senseless person. It is also a sign of selfishness, because someone who truly cares for others would carefully consider how his words may affect the listener. Sometimes, however, it is not because of selfishness but just a general disconnect with the emotions of others.

The word “deride” is translated from the Hebrew word bûz which means to speak to someone or of someone with contempt, treating them as if they are insignificant. In other words, it is not necessarily only speaking badly about others but speaking down on others as if they are less than you.

This means, of course, that deriding someone is rooted in pride and arrogance. We can only look down on a person if we consider ourselves to be better than them. But, says the proverb, a person who does that lacks sense. In which way? Well, firstly because a person who believes he is superior to others is a deceived person. In the sight of God we are all equal.

Paul advised the Romans to consider themselves with sober judgment –take an honest look at yourself and be realistic about your weaknesses and strengths. Don’t have an exaggerated opinion about your own importance. An arrogant person is deceived because he thinks too much of himself to detect his own weaknesses. He is, however, very much tuned into the weaknesses of others. He dwells on the defects of others and enjoys placing them under the spotlight.

Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. (Romans 12:3)

Secondly, it is self-deception to look down on others because arrogance is offensive to God. We may have a high view of ourselves, but God makes up His own mind. As we know, He passionately resists the proud. He hates haughty eyes, but with the same passion He gives grace to the humble.

On the other hand, the person with understanding will master the art of knowing when to speak and when to remain quiet. A person of understanding is in control of his tongue; his tongue is not in control of him.

But the one who has understanding holds their tongue. 

 

Sometimes, it is better to remain quiet even if we would like to have the last word. This becomes easier when we are compassionate,  for then we will be sensitive to what may be hurtful to others. It is said that silence can be the mark of true friendship. When a situation tempts us to say a bad word, holding our tongue may be the kindest thing to do.

Like all good gifts, the gift of understanding comes from God. As we grow in understanding we are able to grow in better understanding ourselves and others. This understanding then also makes it easier for us to control our tongue.

Jesus is the perfect example of a person who knew exactly what to say, when to say it, how to say it and also when to remain silent. As much as people were amazed by His words, they were equally amazed by His silence.

But Jesus still made no reply, and Pilate was amazed. (Mark 15:5)

A person of understanding stays away from arrogantly dishing out criticism. He has a sober view of his own weaknesses. He also knows that we cannot see into the heart of another, so writing someone off or deriding them is therefore exceedingly arrogant, because we are basing our judgment on externals only. Understanding ourselves and others, therefore, enables us to remain silent even if we are burning to have the last word.

May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. (Psalm 19:14)

James 3 has a mouthful of advice and information about our tongue issues and I highly recommend reading it regularly (because of personal experience)!  :)

Don’t Depend on Lazy People

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Balsamic vinegar, red and white wine vinegar

Balsamic vinegar, red and white wine vinegar (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

As vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so are sluggards to those who send them. (Proverbs 10:26)

Applying vinegar to an abscessed tooth will produce unbearable pain and smoke in the eyes results in irritation and may impair your vision.

This essence of this proverb is this: Unless you don’t mind the excruciating pain and irritation portrayed in the above analogies, don’t send a lazy person to do something for you. Like smoke in the eyes can impair your vision, the irritation that comes from depending on lazy people may cause you to lose sight of your goal and get sidetracked.

While you trustfully think that the task is being completed, halfway through the job, the sluggard considers what you’ve asked of him too much effort and will simply stop doing it. His laziness overrides his sense of responsibility. He will also be too lazy to tell you that he didn’t complete his task.

Depending on a lazy person to do something for you will bring you nothing but disappointment and frustration. The same goes for employing a lazy person. Very little of what you ask will get done, or it will get done very, very slowly. You might as well start pulling your hair out before you employ a sluggard.

This is essentially a warning not to expect too much from a lazy person. The best option is to depend on someone who is diligent and who approaches the task at hand wholeheartedly. As Christians, we are taught to do our work with all our heart:

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters. Colossians 3:23

Our employers or anyone else who trusts us with a certain task, should be able to have peace of mind that we will complete their request to the best of our ability and with wholehearted devotion. Our perfect example in this is, as always, the Lord Jesus Christ. He had a commission from His Father and He remained true to that commission even to the point of death on a Cross, dying the shameful death of a criminal although He was spotless and without any blame. He stuck to the mission, not only during the good times, but also when it became incredibly hard.

Sometimes we have tasks to fulfill that are not so pleasant, although nothing that could come close to what our Lord Jesus endured. When we feel we want to quit and take the easy way out, may we think of Him. May we consider that our loyalty to those who sent us will be a testimony to the character of Christ being formed in us by the Holy Spirit.

Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven (Matthew 5:16)

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God Gives without Strings Attached

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The blessing of the LORD brings wealth, without painful toil for it. (Proverbs 10:22)

Here’s what I’ve discovered: God does not give us something with the one hand and then takes something else away with the other. God gives without strings attached. His blessings don’t come with hooks in them.

Let’s look at the life of Jesus: He healed many people without placing any burdens on them. He never gave only if they promised to become His followers. He healed those who were fellow-Jews as well as those who were outsiders to the Jewish community. In other words, His kindness extended beyond those who were part of His “group.”

He taught His followers to do the same. He said the Father allows His sun to shine on the righteous and unrighteous. His rain falls on those who thank Him for it but also on those who never give Him a second thought. So, says Jesus, we should follow this example and give without expectations of receiving something from them in return. Christ Himself did not expect anything back from those who were on the receiving end of His blessings. In fact, He said give to those who can never repay you. Then you won’t be tempted to expect anything in return.

Considering this generous character of the God we serve, let’s look at the Scripture here in Proverbs:

“The blessing of the Lord brings wealth without painful toil for it.”

He doesn’t bless us and then allows our family life to be ruined in the process. He doesn’t bless with wealth and then we have to sacrifice our health to receive it. Whatever God gives flows easy like a river (my personal way of expressing how it feels to experience His blessing). His blessings give life and life more abundantly. His blessings doesn’t rob us of life.

When we strive for something in our own strength, we often weary ourselves and sometimes, in our maddening pursuit of our goals, we push the people away who love us the most. Then there are those who inadvertently sacrifice their health to achieve their dreams. It is sad that many are burnt out before they can really enjoy the fruit of their labour.

But when God gives, I found that everything falls neatly into place. When I reflect on the times that God made something happen for me, I am often reminded of a soft flowing stream which gently makes it way to the ocean without wrecking havoc on its way there. Everything is going its way peacefully and gently. It is hard to put it fully into words, but I am trying to say that when God gave me something, it didn’t leave me tired, burnt out, self-absorbed and in desperate pursuit of my goals. This doesn’t mean everything was smooth sailing and the first sign of an obstacle was an indication that God was not in it. For me, the obstacles didn’t overwhelm me, but I found that I had the grace to bear and tackle the obstacles without being floored by them. For me that is the difference right there.

When we are trying to achieve in our own strength, we will find we have very limited resources. When we desire to achieve according to His will, we have at our disposal all the power in this universe combined with all wisdom and knowledge and above all, love.

An example that comes to mind is where Jesus approached the disciples walking on water. Before His arrival, they were struggling frantically to row against the storm. But then Jesus got into the boat with them and in no time they reached their desired destination. He has that effect. With Him in the boat of our lives we will reach in perfect peace in a short time the same thing we may have been struggling with for ages to achieve in our own strength.

God can do for us much more than we can even dream possible and I believe we can see this Scripture in Proverbs as a guide to ensure that we understand that God gives without taking in return. We don’t have to cling at all cost to His gifts, because we realize it comes from Him and since He gave it, He will sustain it. His gifts don’t come at a price and I think we can use that as a measure to determine if the goals we are pursuing are really what He has in mind for us.

The summary of how to receive God’s blessing is summed up in these words:

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. (Ephesians 1:3)

To God be the glory for all the things He has done.

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Integrity gives us a Peaceful Mind

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Scripture Reference: Proverbs 10:9

When a person does the right thing irrespective if someone is watching or not, he is never plagued by fears of being found out and shamed in public. His integrity gives him a peaceful mind and a good night’s sleep. Such a person lives with the knowledge that God sees, even when no one else does. A person of integrity lives by the fear of the LORD. Not a paralyzing dread for God, but a deep respect and reverence for God; an awareness that God sees everything and a desire to please God at all times by doing unto others as we would like them to do to us.

Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out.

On the other hand, there is the person who has deluded himself into thinking when no one is watching, it is okay to do wrong.  He takes crooked paths. He opts for paths of deception, cheating and lying while smugly thinking that he would never be found out. There is no fear of God in him. But, in the deep recesses of his heart he is always plagued by another fear –fear that  he may be found out for the wrong committed. Insomnia becomes his close ally. He fears the public embarrassment more than he fears God. He is not concerned that he broke God’s law. He just doesn’t want to be humiliated. That fear, no matter how deep and hidden, eventually trickles its way to the surface and can often be seen in his defensive reactions and responses to seemingly insignificant comments and events.

“The wicked flee though no one pursues…” (Proverbs 28:1a). His guilty conscience makes him run even when no one is chasing him. Often, the fact that he is running, exposes his guilt long before his guilty action is uncovered. Think of how a police officer will find someone suspicious when he is running, looking over his shoulder as he does so. His fears cause him to make irrational decisions. The hidden fears of the dishonest person are justified for he will certainly be found out –sooner or later.

If we want peace of mind, we must make a decision to do the right thing –whether people are watching or not. Then we can live before people and before God with a clear conscience.

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Success comes with Hard Work and Good Planning

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Suggested Reading: Proverbs 10:4-5

There are certain rules in this universe that apply to all of humanity. I will discuss two of them here:

Rule 1: Hard work brings rewards and laziness leads to poverty

Lazy hands make for poverty,
but diligent hands bring wealth.

However, those who don’t like hard work are always on the lookout for schemes promising rewards without the hard work that naturally has to precede those rewards. Therefore, laziness often leads people to fall for get-rich-quick schemes, and having fallen for that, often end up losing much if not all their possessions.

Anything that promises great rewards without hard work should be subjected to the intense scrutiny it deserves. Such promises goes against the very grain of the laws of this universe. If something sounds too good to be true, it often is. It often turns out to be nothing more than a scam to rip people off.

Ever experienced how good it feels to relax after a day’s productive work? Even a meal tastes better if we enjoy it after a bit of work. People who work for what they want in life are more satisfied with what they achieve. They feel good since they have worked for what they have. Greed has just the opposite effect. It leaves one always wanting more and one is never quite satisfied with the rewards of one’s labour. The one who gathers his wealth little by little makes it grow.

Patience and persistence accompanying hard work brings the true rewards in this life. Greed and impatience seem to go together and some have even lost their lives in their pursuit of the next thing.  A few years ago there were many people who invested in a scheme that promised the investors exorbitant returns for their investment. About 2000 people fell for it. When it was revealed for the fraudulent practice that it was, it turns out that many of these investors have lost all they owned in the process. Some of them committed suicide as a result. The best way forward in this life is by honest, hard work. Success outside of God’s requirements is no success at all.

Rule 2: Good planning results in honour

He who gathers crops in summer is a prudent son,
but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son.

Good planning and hard work should of necessity go together. Working hard without planning well can be just as disastrous as laziness is. A person who relaxes when the circumstances are favourable is called  “disgraceful” by the author of Proverbs. A wise person will utilize favourable conditions to the optimum, but many people use the good times to sit back and relax. Then, when the hard times come they suddenly find themselves lacking while those who planned well can carry on through the hard times without having to depend on hand-outs.

This does not mean that every person struggling financially was lazy, greedy and guilty of poor planning. When faced with people in these situations, I always think of Job. He did everything right, but yet his faith was tested. Let’s tread lightly and not make ourselves guilty of the same folly as the friends of Job. They accused him of wrong doing while it was God who allowed Job to be tested all along.

Sometimes bad things happen to good people. Above all, always remember Jesus who was guilty of no wrong yet was punished as if He was the worst of criminals. We should never allow advice in the Bible to become weapons with which we judge our neighbours. Instead may we show mercy, for then we will receive mercy. When we see someone struggling, may we reach out with compassion and not pass judgment on them. Even if they were responsible for their own downfall, we have no guarantee that we would have done any better if we had to face what they did.

We all make mistakes and we all need a helping hand somewhere along our journey through life. Perhaps not in a financial sense, but in other ways there may be times when we need to receive some kindness and mercy without judgment. A man reaps what he sows. If he sows mercy and compassion, he will find it when he needs it.

As we go about showing compassion towards others, may we determine to apply common sense in our own situations in life. God has given us the books of Wisdom in the Bible to guide us through challenging situations and to help us not to repeat the same mistakes and also to enable us to assist others who may find themselves in difficulty. Sometimes, ignorance may be the reason for people’s errors. Through His word, God enables us to help others and ourselves so that ignorance may be replaced by the Wisdom of God.

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Stolen Water is Sweet

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Suggested Reading: Proverbs 9:13-18

As we journey through life, every human being receives two invitations. One is to follow the ways of Wisdom (which leads to life) and the other to follow the way of fools (which leads to death). The book of Proverbs uses metaphorical language to bring this point across. There are two women. One is Wisdom and the other is Folly. Let’s call them Miss Wisdom and Miss Folly. Both of them extend invitations, but there is a distinct difference in how they extend their invitations and why they do it.

How they extend their invitations:

Miss Wisdom appears almost modest in the extension of her invitation, whereas Miss Folly is the polar opposite. Miss Wisdom portrays discretion in her interactions whereas Miss Folly is overbearing and loud. She pretends to know a lot when in reality she is ignorant.  Miss Wisdom makes an extra effort to extend her invitation, sending out her servants to spread her message far and wide. Miss Folly, on the other hand, embodies laziness and sits there at the door of her house, shouting to all who pass by. Miss Wisdom is low-key while  Miss Folly is flashy. Her house is at the highest point of the city.

Why they extend their invitations:

While Miss Wisdom sends out her invitation to help people walk in the way of insight and to teach them wisdom and understanding and how to enjoy a satisfying life (see verses 1-12), Miss Folly has in mind ultimate destruction. To achieve this, she appeals to the human senses. Those who judge by mere appearances are at greater risk of being led astray by her invitation. She also targets people who are goal-orientated, “going straight on their way” and attempts to distract and divert them from their goals by offering them pleasures. There are many examples in life of people who were pursuing their dreams of achieving the highest level be it in sports or business and then they get side-tracked by the invitations of Miss Folly who tells them that “Stolen water is sweet; food eaten in secret is delicious!” Those who give in to her temptation of tasting the stolen water and eating the food in secret have come face to face with what it means to fall suddenly… and hard. Very often their dreams are shattered in the process and many of them never get back up again. Those who fall for the pleasurable invitations of Miss Folly are unaware that whoever entered her house never left there alive. “Little do they know that the dead are there…” Little did they expect that the little pleasure they indulged in would cost them everything they have worked so hard to achieve. Some have lost their families. Relationships were broken. Hearts were broken and family ties torn asunder. They never could have imagined that the price to pay for their short-term pleasure would be long-term destruction. Those who follow the ways of Miss Folly lack sense and sometimes even pay with their lives.

It matters whose invitation we accept:

Eugene Peterson calls the inclination to put short-term pleasure above the long-range consequences the Esau Syndrome:

Watch out for the Esau syndrome: trading away God‘s lifelong gift in order to satisfy a short-term appetite. You well know how Esau later regretted that impulsive act and wanted God’s blessing—but by then it was too late, tears or no tears. (Hebrews 12:16-17) The Message

What God gives us is eternal and He is offering it to us as a gift: Eternal life by faith in Christ Jesus. May we keep our eyes fixed on Him. Everything else pales in comparison. In Christ is hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, not only for one day, but starting from today. When we accept God’s gift, we may say with David: “I am confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.“

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