SOULJournal

Proverbs 26

Fools can't be trusted with responsibility.

"As snow in summer and rain in harvest, so honor is not fitting for a fool" (26:1).

The word honor in the Hebrew (kabod) means "heavy, weighty," and can refer to the glory of God and the special respect given to people. A fool doesn't have what it takes to handle responsibility successfully and win the respect of others. Giving honor to a fool is about as fitting as snow in summer or as helpful as rain during harvest! Both mean disaster.

In 26:3-12, Solomon elaborates on this theme by presenting a number of vivid pictures of the fool and what happens when you give him a job to do. For one thing, you'll have to treat him like a dumb animal and use a whip to motivate him (v. 3; see Ps. 32:9). Try to give him orders and explain what he's to do and you're in danger of becoming like him (Prov. 26:4-5). Send him on an important mission and you might as well cripple yourself, and be prepared for trouble (v. 6). As a lame person's legs are useless to take him anywhere, so a fool can't "get anywhere" with a proverb (v. 7). He not only confuses others, but he harms himself, like a drunk punctured by a thorn (v. 9). Don't ask a fool to teach the Bible because he won't know what he's talking about and it's painful to listen to him. And don't ask a fool to wage war because he ties the stone in the sling (v. 8)!

Fools don't learn from their mistakes but go right back to the same old mess, like a dog returning to eat his vomit (v. 11). Experience is a good teacher for the wise, but not for fools. This verse is quoted in 2 Peter 2:22 as a description of counterfeit believers who follow false teachers. Like a sow that's been washed, they look better on the outside; and like a dog that's vomited, they feel better on the inside; but they're still not sheep! They don't have the divine new nature; consequently, they go right back to the old life. Obedience and perseverance in the things of the Lord are proof of conversion.

Bible Exposition Commentary

Proverbs 25

Friendship is such a tricky thing.  It is all at once one of the most rewarding things in life and can be one of the most painful things in life.  Proverbs gives us pointers time and again on how to be a good friend and how to choose friends wisely.

Solomon tells us that any good friendship is based on love for one another (17:17), because the truth is that only love will endure the tests that friends experience as they go through life together.

We are also told in Proverbs that friendship is something that must be cultivated in developed in order to truly be rewarding and to survive the test of time.

Here are some other qualities of true friendship…

True friends know how to keep a confidence.  (25:9-10, 11:13)  When looking for friends look for people who are able to control their tongue.  Whether it is being able to keep a secret to being able to build you up a friend who is unable to control their tongue will cause great hurt and pain.  Beware of the person who cuts you down or causes trouble and then says, “I was only joking.”

True friends are lovingly honest with each other.  (27:2)  A friend who is willing to confront you lovingly and point out your blind spots is a keeper.  And just as important is the friend who does not get angry and walk away because their friend is courageous enough to confront them.  Wise people know how to take correction.

True friends forgive each other.

True friends encourage each other and look to make them be the best they could possibly be.

True friendships have boundaries.  (25:17)  Sometimes we are too involved in every aspect of our friend’s lives that we grow weary of each other and it destroys the friendship.  If we are going to grow we need space and space comes from privacy and solitude.  Being constantly together is not healthy.

The last thing I would say about friendship is…

• Proverbs 18:24 (NKJV) ²⁴  A man who has friends must himself be friendly, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Many of us want to have friends but we don’t want to do anything or make any effort.  We just want automatic friendships.  There is no such thing – friendships take work.  Good friendships are cultivated over the long haul and we must decide to not treat them as disposable.

I am thankful for some great friends that God has placed in my life.  Friendships that have withstood the test of time because we have based our friendship on these principles.

Proverbs 23

God wants to share His wisdom with us, which, of course, is the emphasis of the book of Proverbs. "For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding; He stores up sound wisdom for the upright" (2:6-7). The first step in receiving God's wisdom is trusting Jesus Christ and becoming a child of God. The world is desperately seeking the wisdom to know what to do and the power to be able to do it, and these are found only in Jesus Christ, "the power of God, and the wisdom of God" (1 Cor. 1:24).

The Gospel of salvation sounds like a foolish message to the lost world, for it seems foolish to commit your life to somebody who died on a cross in weakness and shame. But the preaching of that cross releases the power of God to change lives! (Rom. 1:16) "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God" (1 Cor. 1:18, nkjv).

After you trust Christ and become a child of God (John 1:11-13), the next step is to ask God to give you His wisdom in the ordering of your life (James 1:5).

"The fear of the Lord teaches a man wisdom, and humility comes before honor" (Prov. 15:33, niv).

As you read His Word, meditate and pray, and seek to glorify Him, He will direct your steps (3:5-6). The way may not always be easy, but it will be the best way (Rom. 8:28). Remember that the will of God comes from the heart of God (Ps. 33:11), so you don't have to worry.

When you have decisions to make, take time to pray and meditate on the Word. Ask God to direct you and, if necessary, seek wise counsel from friends who are mature in the faith. At the start of each day, ask God to guide you in every decision you must make, big or small; a wrong "small" decision could lead to disturbing "big" decisions. As you grow in the wisdom and knowledge of God, and as you walk by faith, seeking to honor the Lord, you will increase in spiritual discernment and live skillfully.

"The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day. But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble" (Prov. 4:18-19, niv).

Bible Exposition Commentary

Proverbs 22

• Proverbs 22:6 (NIV) ⁶  Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.
• Proverbs 22:15 (NIV) ¹⁵  Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline will drive it far from him.

Many parents look at verse 6 and hold it as a promise from God.  If we train up a child in the things of God then although they may stray for a while they will always come back to it.  But that is not what Proverbs 22:6 is saying.  It is not an ironclad guarantee but really it is a general principle of life.  Give your kids good training along with proper discipline and it will help to set the kind of foundation that will “set them” properly for life.  It will point them in the right direction. 

However our children have minds of their own and in the end it is their choice to make to do what is right or not.  This does not mean that we are not to do everything we can to give them the correct biblical foundation for making choices, but we are certainly not given a 100% guarantee that they will follow it.

God has intended that parents are older and more experienced than their children and should lovingly guide their children and prepare them for adult life. If any of their children end up sluggards, gluttons, fornicators, rebels and robbers, it should be in spite of the parents' training and not because of it.

Proverbs 21

• Proverbs 21:13 (NLT) ¹³  Those who shut their ears to the cries of the poor will be ignored in their own time of need.

Poverty is a problem that has been with us for a long time.  In Bible times God gave instructions on how to ensure that there was a better distribution of wealth by instituting the Sabbath laws.  Every seventh year was a Sabbatical Year, when the land and workers were allowed to rest for the entire year. Every fiftieth year was a Year of Jubilee, when the land not only lay fallow but was returned to its original owners. By this means, the Lord sought to restore the fertility of the land regularly and also prevent wealthy people from amassing huge farms and thus controlling the economy.

Of course this does not do away with the problem of poverty.  As Solomon tells us there are quite a few reasons for poverty and need.

• Some people are poor simply because they are lazy.  Prov. 10:4, 20:13
• Some are poor because they love pleasure more than work.  Prov 21:17, 23:21
• Some are poor because they are not disciplined or did not listen to the instruction of their elders.  Prov 13:18
• Some are poor because they like to talk but never do anything.  Prov 14:23
• Some have become poor because of unwise and hasty financial decisions.  Prov 21:5
• Some are poor because of events outside their control.  Prov 13:23

Regardless of the reasons for people’s poverty, we are to be people who do not ignore the cries of the poor.  We need to do what we can to help them. 

How can we help them?

• First of all don’t ignore them and pretend they don’t exist.
• Don’t exploit them either because of their desperation.
• In helping them it does not mean we just throw money or resources at them, rather it requires wisdom on our part and an investment of our time to discover the reason for their poverty and what would be the best way to help them.  Prov 21:5
• As Christ-followers we should ensure that laws are written with justice and equality and do our best to see that they are enforced justly.   Prov 29:7, 31:9

When we help the poor we are worshipping and honoring God and as believers we should start by looking within our own family.  Take a look around and see if there are those who you can help.

Proverbs 20

• Proverbs 20:10-11 (NLT) ¹⁰  False weights and unequal measures— the LORD detests double standards of every kind. ¹¹  Even children are known by the way they act, whether their conduct is pure, and whether it is right.
• Proverbs 20:23 (NLT) ²³  The LORD detests double standards; he is not pleased by dishonest scales.

Double standards.  Differing measures.  Confusing behavior.  It seems like many Christ-followers have a problem with this issue.  We say one thing and then live something else.  Or we have two lives – the lives we live around mature believers and then the other life we have that is totally different.  And we never want to the two to meet – lest we be found out as living a double life.  But even if we are never found out by those around us, the truth is God knows, and Solomon tells us that God detests double standards of every kind.  From cheating to lying and dishonesty.  In the end you are really not hiding from anyone.

Now I recognize that as Christ-followers we are not perfect but what I am talking about here is the deliberate knowledge that we are not doing what is pleasing to God so instead of trying to change it we hide and continue to participate in the destructive habits.

Are there areas of your life where you are being dishonest and living a double standard?
What do you need to do to correct it?

Proverbs 19

Proverbs 19:18 (NLT) ¹⁸  Discipline your children while there is hope. Otherwise you will ruin their lives.

At the risk of being unpopular I think one of the biggest problems facing the young generation today is their parents’ unwillingness to discipline them properly.  I know that when we say the word discipline today we have been programmed to think of the extremes.  The word discipline seems to now be synonymous with the word abuse.  But that is not true and we must decide to listen to the wisdom of the Bible on this count.  Too many parents are ruining their children’s lives because they are unwilling to discipline their children.  They make excuses for their bad behavior (come on, being sick never gives anyone the right to do what is wrong).  Parents feel bad for working too much and so they don’t want to discipline when they are with the kids (which only makes matters worse).  And the list goes on.

The truth is our children need discipline.  Don’t just think spanking – think boundaries.  They need clear boundaries of what is acceptable and unacceptable behavior and then they need to have consequences that are experienced when those boundaries are violated.  If we do not do this then in the end we will absolutely ruin their lives.  I know it is a lot of work to do this but if we love our kids then we embrace the work that comes with training them up in the way they should go.

Proverbs 18

Proverbs 18:9 (ETRV) ⁹ Someone who does careless work is as bad as someone who destroys things.

It seems that when it comes to work we are faced with two extremes.  Those who make it their god and are always working at the expense of other things that matter and then there are those who are lazy and treats their work with disdain.  Both are wrong approaches.  

Solomon tells us that we are to make sure we don’t do careless work.  He tells us that we are to work hard and to plan our work wisely (Prov 6:6). 

• Colossians 3:22-24 (NLT) ²²  Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything you do. Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. Serve them sincerely because of your reverent fear of the Lord. ²³  Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. ²⁴  Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ.

Paul tells us that we are to work willingly and reverently because the work we are doing is not for money or position or power; the work we do is an act of worship.  We honor God when we are at work.  Whether working for ourselves or others we must remember that we are in the act of worshipping God.

Is our work, and our attitude toward it, something that is pleasing to God?

Proverbs 17

One from the archives...

SCRIPTURE 
⁹ You will keep your friends
    if you forgive them,
but you will lose your friends
    if you keep talking about
    what they did wrong.

OBSERVATION
Unforgiveness destroys community

UNDERSTANDING
It has been God's intention to make us in the image of His Son, to become more Christ-like is the goal of every Christ-follower.  So we pray, "Let me be more like you Jesus!"  And God answers those prayers by placing us in a local church family.  What better crucible is there for shaping us into His image?  Think about it, in the community of believers, although we have been declared perfect we are in the now and the not yet - we are becoming.  So unvariably in the community of believers you will have disagreements, be offended, hurt, slighted, disappointed...the list goes on.  This is God's plan to make us in His image because we cannot live out forgiveness unless we have been hurt or offended.  We cannot show the love of God that manifests itself in forgive and forget unless we have an offense to forgive and never talk about again.

Do you see how important community is?  The very thing we hate about it is the reason God has given it to us.  It forces us to chose to live out the character of Christ in our lives.

LIFE APPLICATION
A Christian outside of a community of Christ-followers is not fully developing the character of Christ in their life.  Don't let it happen to you.  Forgive and forget and allow God's nature to be fully formed within you.

Remember..."forgiven people forgive people."

Proverbs 16

Back on thinking about our words and their impact. 

We know that our words can have good impact but the truth is it can also bring death and destruction.  Looking through Proverbs Solomon gives us a few ways that words destroy.

We hurt people when we lie.  When we cant trust the words of others the very foundation of human relationships break down – the ability to trust. 

• Proverbs 25:18 (NIV) ¹⁸  Like a club or a sword or a sharp arrow is the man who gives false testimony against his neighbor.

And Solomon goes on to tell us that we should be quite cautious of people who lie and gossip because it gives us insight into who they really are. 

• Proverbs 17:4 (NIV) ⁴  A wicked man listens to evil lips; a liar pays attention to a malicious tongue.

Of course we hurt a lot of people when we gossip.  Gossip is different than lying because many times gossip is the betrayal of a confidence.

• Proverbs 11:13 (NIV) ¹³  A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a secret.

The word for gossip also carries the understanding of criticizing someone.  So behind their back we betray their confidence and we criticize them. 

• Proverbs 16:27-28 (NIV) ²⁷  A scoundrel plots evil, and his speech is like a scorching fire. ²⁸  A perverse man stirs up dissension, and a gossip separates close friends.

The problem with gossips is that they always need another tasty morsel to chew on and in the end it hurts many people.  The remedy…chew on the truth of God.  Take Paul’s advice in Philippians 4:8 (NIV)

• ⁸  Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.

Proverbs gives us more insight on the negative effects of words, can you give me some of the ones you have seen?