“Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.” Many people want to ignore this verse. Modern Christian philosophers call it arcane and persuade parents to instead embrace worldly methods. Some will even tell us we don’t understand what the verse means, calling the rod “figurative”. This method of viewing scripture is dishonest, as any man of clear conscience can understand this simple English. Passages like these have been on my mind lately. I have been praying that we stop explaining away the obvious and begin just reading the scripture as it is written. Doing this will help our children and allow us to stand before God knowing we have not been negligent. Families can use all the Godly advice they can muster these days and it would be wise to start right here. Let’s not allow the misguided and incorrect Bible teachers of today persuade us to dismiss observable reality.
“The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labour. He coveteth greedily all the day long: but the righteous giveth and spareth not.” Sin always promises one thing and delivers exactly the opposite. This slothful man desires riches, but his sin provides nothing but more desire. While the enemy tries desperately to convince us that seeking our own pleasure will satisfy, we find only that it empties us and increases the intensity of our hunger. We find a different outcome for the righteous man; he spends no time desiring riches, but rather gives without regard to his own desire. This righteous man is only the more likely to receive gain, even if it does not come in the form of financial resources. Doing right by following God, and specifically giving, results more in the riches of peace, joy and a clear conscience. Though we all tend toward sloth because of our flesh, we should examine the results and choose instead to remain faithful. If we do, we are likely to reap a grand harvest of God’s eternal blessing!
“Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.” It is unfortunate that this subject is on the “do not address” list for so many Christians – Pastors, Missionaries and other Bible teachers included. We are sometimes tepid in our response to questions on the matter because there is no “thou shalt not” passage in scripture. I have not hesitated to voice my belief in a rather firm way, because the vast and overwhelming majority of scripture points in only one direction and this verse sums it up. Consuming alcohol is not wise. I can hear the opposing view in my head already. No doubt the purveyor of this idea will be arguing in favor of their liberty. I would suggest that anyone showing higher regard for their rights than their responsibilities is always revealing a lack of wisdom. Paul thought it best to cast aside his liberty when in doubt (I Corinthians 8-9), considering first the weaker brother. Any seasoned Christian who chooses the opposite route gives evidence of lacking love and scriptural understanding.
“Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD.” I can fully endorse the reality of this verse. My wife has not only been a great blessing to me herself, but has also provoked me to actions that have brought blessing. Simply put; she causes me to be a better man and a better servant of Christ. While some verses in Proverbs note the terrible atmosphere an ungodly wife causes in the home, we see exactly the opposite of a faithful wife. God said that it was not good for a man to dwell alone and therefore set up a system of mutual blessing for husband and wife. If you ask me, I think the husband is the greater recipient of reward. A faithful wife can make a man soar to great heights. She builds him up and shows by her Godliness (not necessarily words) where he must work to do better. It is her meek and quiet spirit that often prompts him to choose actions that bring blessing to the entire family.
“A faithful witness will not lie: but a false witness will utter lies.” This verse prompts a tough question: what kind of people are we? It matters not who people think we are, or what they see us do. We need to be primarily concerned with the reality of our character, whether anyone observes our actions or not. This thought comes to mind because of the very specific wording of this verse. A person who is a truly faithful witness will engage in a particular type of behavior, as will the man that is a truly false witness. This reminds me of the oft-repeated phrase – we are not sinners because we sin, we rather sin because we are sinners. Character development, rather than simple behavior modification is key. If we concentrate on the reality of our inner man, I’m afraid it could reveal some strong disappointments, but it should also compel us to develop heart-attitudes that resemble our Savior.
“Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.” Recently I find myself asking God for guidance and direction more than anything else. I need God to work in my mind, shape my motivations and “establish my thoughts”. The mode for accomplishing this is fundamental. Like so many other outcomes in our lives, it hinges upon our obedience and commitment to Him with our daily actions. Many have summed it up by telling us that direction determines destination. The teaching of scripture confirms this by always recommending the same prescription: first we have faith and commit our way to the Savior – then He will lead us to a successful end. This is not new, it is not revolutionary, it is not an astounding bit of wisdom; it is more like a simple and typical, Biblical formula that needs to be more obeyed than re-iterated. Let’s finally get it right by doing what the Bible says – then expect to understand God’s will for us.
“Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom.” I have recently talked to a couple of people about struggles in their marriage. This is a verse that often comes to mind on that subject, as conflict is always an ingredient. I asked one of these people why they argue and “contend” with their spouse, but not their commanding officer in the military. They made a conscious decision not to argue with the commander because of the consequences. Their pride was suppressed by cold, hard facts. These facts are even more severe in our families. Our pride comes first only because we refuse to acknowledge the terrible results. The very fact that we often believe it is all “the other person’s fault” should be proof enough! It reveals the place we hold in our own opinion; far above strangers, family members and sometimes even our Lord. Let’s make a decision in heart and action to reject our pride and rid ourselves of the subsequent contention.
“A prudent man concealeth knowledge: but the heart of fools proclaimeth foolishness.” Some of the most embarrassing moments of my life have come as a result of opening my mouth when I shouldn’t have. In most of these instances I have known all along that saying nothing was best, yet I somehow still wanted to reveal what was in my heart. You guessed it: the things that were “in my heart” were often unwise, usually self-serving and always unnecessary. If I had only waited another moment (or even another day), considering the matter further, I would have likely determined the thoughts of my heart foolish. I suppose these are the experiences that help to make a prudent man. Concealing a matter does not seem the correct course of action for someone who wants to show himself wise, yet the prudent man learns how little wisdom he usually has and keeps many things to himself. God help us to learn from these moments of proclamation, to be quiet.
“Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.” I often wonder how much I really, truly love people. This verse brings great conviction, I’m afraid. Finding myself quick to point out a fault seems to prove I don’t have the kind of love this passage describes. Do you characterize a person based upon sins with which they struggle? Perhaps you mention how they need to grow, need to overcome some significant flaws or could use some extra wisdom. These are the kind of sins that love should cover. This does not mean we fail to assist our fellow believers with confronting and eliminating sinful behaviors. The act of revealing sin can also be one of love, but only if the aim is imparting truth for the purpose of directing to reconciliation with God. Be careful about stirring up strife, too, as it may reveal a very disturbing attitude of the heart.
“All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them. They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge.” If you have ever wondered why some who claim the name of Christ seem to grasp so little of even the most fundamental Christian principles, your answer may be revealed here. Righteous words find their origin in scripture and righteous concepts are the sole property of the Godly. Therefore these words and ideas are readily grasped by those committed to honestly discovering what God has to say. The wisdom flowing forth from God’s word is both comprehended and adored by the Spirit-filled man that desires to know them. Those who would rather see God’s word through the lens of their own desires, find them confusing, complicated or even wrong. That which is good and Godly should be plain to those who are seeking it with integrity. Beware of receiving Godly concepts with a fleshly bias, this can only lead to doubt and rejection.
Devotions | Chris | 
October 3, 2009 10:00 pm | 
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