Devotional Thoughts from Proverbs

April 19, 2007

Proverbs 1: Start with God.

The Bible tells us about God and about ourselves.  Many of its pages contain a history of God and us, telling us not only where we have been but God's desire for us in the future.  However, there is more than even that.  The Lord doesn't just want all of us to go to heaven when we die.  He wants us to live the best lives possible in the here and now.  That's what the book of Proverbs is about.  These wise sayings aren't written to tell us our history and they aren't written to point to way to heaven.  They tell us how to live the wisest way today.  So, as we begin to read this collection of insights into life we are immediately given the foundational secret: "Start with God -- the first step in learning is bowing down to God."  Theoretically, I might get everything else right, but if I miss this number one concept before long it would all tumble down.  Wisdom begins with God and because of that the satisfied, complete life starts there too.  Jesus said it this way, "Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well" (Matthew 6:33).

April 21, 2007

Proverbs 1: When you grab all you can get, that's when it happens: the more you get, the less you have.

As I read this passage I can't help but think of the beer commercial that tells us we only go 'round once in life so we'd better grab all the gusto we can.  I actually think there is some truth to that.  Life is a gift of God filled with many wonderful opportunities and gifts.  I can't sit around talking about "pie in the sky" and get the most out of my life.  There's a lot of living to do right now.  The wise man of the Proverbs, though, gives us the other side of that coin.  If I make my life completely about living in the here and now, ignoring all that is yet to come, well, I am setting myself up for a great fall.  Life is more than "right now."  This life might be considered to be a warm up for eternity.  So, grabbing all the gusto can make sense, but that approach must be kept on a leash and not allowed to just run wild because there is much more to our existence than just going 'round once.  Or, as Jesus said in Matthew 6:20, "Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal."

April 23, 2007

Proverbs 3: Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go.

We have the idea that hearing from God is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, or that it is something only saints on earth experience.  It isn't true.  The Lord created us for fellowship.  From the beginning he walked with Adam in the cool of the day.  I don't have to do some extreme thing to hear from God.  All I have to do is listen.  But that's a problem isn't it?  Hearing the voice of God in the ordinary flow of life takes practice.  If I want to hear him speak when I am sitting in the emergency room of a hospital or when a precious friend is pouring his heart out to me seeking spiritual council I have to practice listening for him when I am not in the pressure cooker of life.  I'm certain that God speaks, and that he does so constantly.  Sadly, I am also sure that I am not a very good listener.  For this proverb to work for me, for me to listen for God's voice everywhere I go, I need to practice the presence of God everyday.  The way to accomplish that is for me to discipline myself to meet God by creating quiet places in life where I can learn to hear his Voice.  Then, when I'm out there in the "everywhere you go" part of life, I will have trained my spiritual ear to recognize the Master's Voice.

April 24, 2007

Proverbs 3: Never walk away from someone who deserves help; your hand is God's hand for that person.

The highest honor in life is to work with God in what he is doing in the world.  It is amazing to realize that the Almighty, the Creator of the Universe, will call on me to assist him in some manner.  Jesus used his disciples to assist him in performing miracles.  For instance, when he fed the 5000 he used them as waiters who distributed the food.  Obviously, transforming a sack lunch into a truck load of food was the biggest part, but the disciples were pressed into service, assisting in the miracle.  The wise man of the Proverbs reminds me that I ought to be aware of the needs I encounter in life and realize that God will use me as his assistant to meet those needs.  I know that he doesn't have to have my help.  After all, he could rain down manna from heaven.  However, I also know that he invites me into partnership with himself.  Again, the highest honor in life is to be invited to labor with God. 

May 3, 2007

Proverbs 4: Keep vigilant watch over your heart; that's where life starts.

I try to keep an eye on my weight and sometimes I do a better job at it than I do at other times.  I also pay attention to my bank account.  Each month I take time to balance my checkbook and, while I am no expert at it, I watch my retirement account, trying to do what is prudent.  There are lots of things to watch: maintenance on the car, paying the electric bill, mowing the lawn.  The wise man of the Proverbs reminds me to keep an eye on my heart.  Of course, he isn't talking about lowering cholesterol.  It is the spiritual heart he is talking about.  I want to be sure I keep my heart centered on the Lord and to know that, as I seek him and his Kingdom, other things will take care of themselves.  It isn't that I am to be unconcerned about my weight and my bank account, it is that all else can work only when my heart is right. 

May 5, 2007

Proverbs 4: Keep your eyes straight ahead; ignore all sideshow distractions.

When the proverb writer advises us to ignore all the distractions of life he is just stating common sense but, obviously, it is easer said than done.  In fact, before I can focus on the goal I have to know what that goal is.  Right off the voices of the snake oil huskers begin selling me their bill of goods.  They tell me that whatever they are selling is just the thing I should give my life to.  Some of the offers contain just enough truth to sound right.  I am reminded of all the sports leagues that demand so much of a families' time.  There is a great deal of good happening in such activities, but, honestly, they aren't worth committing one's life to and they sure don't deserve the status they are given in many families.  So what is it that is worthy of my focus?  I think the answer can be found by looking at life "backwards."  When I am at the end of my life, when they are closing the lid on my coffin, what will matter?  I say it is my relationship with God.  Of course, other things will matter: family, friends, and how I have impacted the world in my brief life.  However, eternity is, well, it is forever.  The goal of life has to be to prepare for forever.  With that in mind, I can read this proverb and better identify not only what truly matters, but what needs to be kept in its proper place as well.

May 7, 2007

Proverbs 6: Can you build a fire in your lap and not burn your pants?

King Solomon is credited with writing Proverbs.  I guess a man married to as many women as he was either knows a lot about women or nothing about them!  I'll give him credit for knowing a lot about life in what he says about extramarital affairs.  In some ways his comments on this topic that cover the greater part of three chapters of Proverbs are out of date.  His picturing the man as some foolish, gullible fellow being seduced by some worldly woman seems out of date to me.  I'm not saying that never happens, but it is just as common for the shoe to be on the other foot and it is the female who is fed a line.  In fact, I have the idea that often it is both who are victims of an entertainment media and popular culture that treats sexual intimacy as something far less than was intended by God when he gave it to us as a wonderful gift.  However, if I think Solomon is rather narrow when he focuses only the young man as the gullible one, he is right on when it comes to the consequences.  The loose lifestyle causes terrible emotional pain.  Couples think they are entering into "no fault" relationships, and when one is ready to call it quits they will both just move on.  It never works that way.  Both are cheapened by the experience.  They will never know the depth of what might have been.  Our society has been sold a bill of goods that is supposed to be freeing and fulfilling.  Instead, to use Solomon's descriptions, many are being burned and will spend a lifetime dealing with the scars of their so called freedom.

May 8, 2007

Proverbs 8: Don't squander your precious life.

Proverbs eight and nine contain an imaginary conversation with "Lady Wisdom."  She offers us all kinds of advice as well as shares her lofty credentials.  My favorite statement from her is "don't squander your precious life."  Some things I think are valuable are like counterfeit money -- not worth the paper it is printed on.  The day will come when someone will sift through all of my "valuables" deciding what is worth passing on and what needs to go out on the curb to await a trip to the land fill.  I'm pretty sure most of it will come up short.  Sadly, we are all prone to spend our lives chasing after things that prove to be worthless when all is said and done.  Today, as I read these words I remember that life is precious indeed -- an amazing and undeserved gift from God.  Every breath is to be prized and great care should be taken to not waste it.  I don't want to live my life in pursuit of worthless things, spending my most valuable resource foolishly.  On the other hand, I can use up my life in a quest of excellence.  The question I must ask myself is, "How can I best live my life and spend this, my most precious gift?"

May 9, 2007

Proverbs 10: God's blessing makes life rich; nothing we can do can improve on God.

The greater part of the book of Proverbs is wise "one-liners."  Well, they are actually "two-liners" that follow the format: "This does this, but that does that" -- comparing two different views of life or at least with one line clarifying the other.  One of the many wonderful strengths of "The Message" is how beautifully Peterson handles the parables, giving them new life for his readers.  Today, I am reminded that all the good things in life can be attributed to the Lord.  He is truly the "Blesser" giving us so much to enjoy.  One of the lies of the Garden of Eden is that humans can pull themselves up to God's level and thus "bless themselves" in doing things our own way.  The truth is that nothing I do on my own to create a satisfied, happy life can equal what God wants to do for me.  Getting my own way won't give me a rich life.  Instead, I will have spent my assets on a bag of worthless rocks.  It is only when I realize that God is the only One who can make my life worth living and that he very much desires to do just that that I have a hope of living the "rich life."  Sometimes, I have to simply accept God's blessings in a sincere spirit of thanksgiving and not try to do it my own way.

May 10, 2007

Proverbs 11: The more wise counsel you follow, the better your chances.

Western culture exalts the individual.  In the words of the song, "best of all, I did it my way."  We like our independence.  It's true even in our religion.  We Protestants don't have a pope and we don't even want the church to tell us what to believe.  Instead, we prefer "us and God" which can often be more truthfully stated, "me."  We don't have a pope, but when we are honest with ourselves, we like it when we can be our own pope: "I'll get my Bible and decide for myself what it says."  Now, I know that there are some positive aspects to this.  After all, the "protestors" who became the "Protestants" did have something to protest about.  Still, doing religion "my way" is not necessarily an improvement.  Doing it "my way" leads to aberrations of doctrine.  Walking down the "me" road isn't the road to God.  In fact, it is the original path away from God that is described in the opening pages of our Bibles.  Learning to listen to others and even being willing to submit to the authority of those who the larger body of believers has recognized to be uniquely prepared and gifted to lead will, in the words of the proverb "better your chances" of staying on the right road to God.

May 12, 2007

Proverbs 12: Truth lasts.

I gave a computer away yesterday.  It was the first computer I ever built from the ground up, buying the components and putting it all together.  That was six years ago.  That machine served me well, running 24 hours a day for several years.  In recent days it was replaced by a new laptop and, since that purchase, the old machine was just taking up valuable space.  A friend was in need of a computer for checking email and the like, so I passed the computer on to him.  When I put that computer into service I knew that someday it would be replaced, but I admit I am somewhat unprepared for the seeming shortness of its value to me.  Some things just don't last.  The proverbs writer reminds me today that, while that is true, some things do last and one of those things is "truth."  In other words, if something was "so" 2000 years ago it is still "so" today.  I'm not talking about various truisms here; clearly some things thought to be so in the past are proven wrong in the long run.  However, in the case of genuine truth, well, it lasts.  For instance, when Jesus says he is the Way to God that is an absolute truth.  That fact can never get old and it can never be improved upon.  People can say that such a claim is narrow minded if they want, but, by its very nature, truth is somewhat exclusive.  Today, then, I remember that some things simply don't last so I am wise to not put the full weight of my trust on them.  I also remember that the eternal truths of God do last.  Jesus said it this way, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away." (Matthew 24:35)

May 14, 2007

Proverbs 13: A refusal to correct is a refusal to love.

I love being around my grandkids.  There is nothing better than spending time with these little ones.  However, believe it or not, even my own precious grandchildren are not always perfect!  I am sure they come closer to perfect than any grandchildren who have ever lived, but still, there are a few little things that have to be kept in check.  And that is what their dad and mom, along with maybe a little help from their grandparents, are supposed to do.  Parents need to provide loving discipline to their children.  I'm not trying to debate the value of a particular type of discipline here, but as I read the words "a refusal to correct is a refusal to love" I am taken by the common sense truth being stated.  Parents who love don't just throw up their hands and let the kids do "whatever."  Loving parents step up to the plate even when they are worn out from the day and expend the energy to take their children in hand, insisting that they behave themselves within the limits of their capability.  The disciplining part of parenting is not the fun part, but it is one of the loving parts.  As the wise man says, "love your children by disciplining them."

May 15, 2007

Proverbs 14: The mark of a good leader is loyal followers; leadership is nothing without a following.

There's no such thing as a leader without followers.  The Bible has several stories of leadership.  Moses led for 40 years.  David led not only in military and affairs of government but in worship as well.  His son Solomon led to prosperity.  Here are three things that come to mind when I read about these leaders.  First, each of these men were not only leaders, but they were followers as well who accepted the authority of the Lord and spent time with him getting their marching orders.  Second, these men knew how to share leadership and to train leaders.  They didn't try to do everything themselves and surrounded themselves with capable people to help carry the leadership load.  Third, they lead people in to meaningful goals.  These men had a God given vision that gave their leadership real purpose.  People believed in them and they believed the goal set out for them was worth their sacrifice. 

May 16, 2007

Proverbs 15: Kind words heal and help; cutting words wound and maim.

Several years ago I started watching a news talk show on CNN named "Crossfire."  Every day a conservative and liberal team of hosts interviewed a guest who was caught in their "crossfire."  Depending on the guest, one host played "good cop" and the other played "bad cop."  I found the show to be unique and interesting.  That program has influenced a lot of TV news and we see similar to it all the time now.  Aside from TV though, I don't think "Crossfire" influenced society as much as it reflected society.  Kindness and gentleness is out and "Telling it like it is" is the approach of the day.  On the internet I have seen people who I am sure are fine, caring Christians in person who can cut and slash with their words without mercy on line.  I think there is a great need for kindness in society.  Most people don't need to be put in their place nearly so much as they need to be treated as people of value.   Whether we are talking about how we conduct ourselves while driving in traffic or how we speak to the slow moving clerk at Walmart God's people ought to lead the way in this.  We are to be "helpers" and "healers" and not "wounders" and maimers."

May 17, 2007

Proverbs 15: First you learn humility, then you experience glory.

Humility has to be learned because we are all born thinking the world revolves around us.  Unless that learning process takes place, we spend our lives, not necessarily thinking we are better than others, but thinking that everything that happens should happen the way we want it to happen!  To be humble is to realize that I am not the center of the universe and that the world has no obligation to please me.  Beyond that, to be humble is for me to come to the realization that the things that satisfy me the most is not my living in pursuit of such things, but my living with others in mind.  Jesus said it this way: I am to "love my neighbor as myself."  The result of such a life is "glory."  That is, others will be irresistibly drawn to me and my life will influence them in positive ways.  Not only that, but God will be pleased with me for patterning my life after his own Son who humbly lived and died for others.  This proverb reminds us that the route to glory is not by taking power and trying to shape the world to suit me.  Instead, it is by loving others and placing their needs at a level equal to my own.

 May 19, 2007

Proverbs 16: A good leader motivates, doesn't mislead, doesn't exploit.

Solomon knew a lot about leadership.  He had watched his father, David, lead Israel for many years.  Then when he became King he asked God for wisdom that he might lead His people.  In all this he came to understand leadership dynamics as well as anyone who would ever live.  In the passage before me today I get just a taste of his understanding of leadership.  In fact, his approach here, that a leader is a motivator and not an exploiter is pretty interesting to me.  The guy who says this is not some pastor with an all volunteer staff of church people.  He is King of Israel.  He has "off with their head" authority.  In other words, he pretty much can order the direction and everyone has to follow.  However, Solomon has learned that dictatorship is not leadership.  He says his job is to motivate people to move together in a positive direction.  He says he isn't supposed to promise what can't be delivered and he isn't to get people to do what he wants just to get something for himself.  Honesty, unselfishness, persuasiveness -- these are leadership qualities Solomon brings to our attention today.

May 21, 2007

Proverbs 17: Friends love through all kinds of weather, and families stick together in all kinds of trouble.

I've lived long enough to know that "all kinds of trouble" comes to every life.  Sooner or later it is each person's turn to face disappointment and be let down by people and circumstances or be betrayed by their own humanity.  At such times it becomes easier to see what and who matters the most to us.  I'm thankful today for family of both the "blood line" and the "relationship" variety.  There is power in positive relationships.  Even when we are at the end of ourselves, we can draw strength from those dear ones who stand with us.  I'm reminded today that, first, I need to appreciate precious friends and family and not take them for granted even when they love me enough that I could probably get away with it.  Also, I remember that I am privileged to be such a friend to some.  It's an honor, but it is also a responsibility that I must take seriously -- no matter what the "weather."

May 22, 2007

Proverbs 18: Find a good spouse, you find a good life -- and even more: the favor of God!

Solomon was either the world's greatest expert on women or else he was the world's greatest dunce!  He married hundreds of women and then tells us that having a good wife promises a man a good life and the blessings of God.  Seriously, I know that his marriages were nothing like the marriages of my culture.  For him, as Head of State, marriage was part of sealing a treaty between one nation and another.  Since Solomon's influence spread throughout the known world there were lots of treaties to be sealed!  With that in mind I'll cut him some slack on this one.   Another thing that brings a smile is that he tells the other side of the story in the next chapter.  If finding a good spouse equals having a good life, finding a nagging one, he says, is like having a leaky faucet in the house: drip, drip, drip.  Apparently, some of his "treaty wives" weren't all that much a blessing!  When I put these two proverbs together I see what a powerful influence husbands and wives have on one another.  We can become a constant irritation, making the other miserable or we can be a source of joy and blessing.  It is reasonable that every husband and wife take stock once in a while to be sure that their spouse views them as evidence of the favor of God on his or her life.

May 23, 2007

Proverbs: People ruin their lives by their own stupidity, so why does God always get blamed?

The Proverbs have a strong undercurrent of "self determination" that runs counter to the "mysticism" I hear so often.  For instance, a person uses tobacco for years.  When they are diagnosed with cancer, they say, "God gave me cancer as punishment for smoking."  The wise man of the proverbs would say, "No, you gave it to yourself -- don't blame God for it!"  Now, I do believe God is active in this world and touching our lives in many ways.  Still, I have been given free will and with that freedom comes responsibility.  I can't have things both ways: that I have been granted the freedom to choose and, at the same time, everything that happens to me is brought about by divine intervention.  The Lord will walk with me and will guide me in my choices if I will allow it.  However, he will also let me make dumb choices if I insist.  When I, in my own free will, decide to get on some toll road I shouldn't be surprised when I come to a toll booth!

May 24, 2007

Proverbs 20: God-loyal people, living honest lives, make it much easier for their children.

Parents have responsibilities far beyond providing food and shelter for their children.  We are to teach them how to live.  In fact, we do teach them whether we want to or not.  "Do as I say, not as I do" was dumb the first time it was said and it remains dumb.  Kids watch their parents and the values of the parents become the values of the children.  As the years pass grown children are surprised that they not only look more and more like their parents, but they act like them too.  This learned behavior can be absolutely destructive as a person finds themselves treating their children in some unacceptable way that they, when they were children, promised themselves they would never do.  However, there's a positive side to this.  In fact, that's what God intended when he created us as he did.  If I am faithful to the Lord and honest in my relationships my kids are likely to adopt the same life-style.  Their lives will be better lives because of that.  The greatest thing I can pass on to my children is not an excellent stock portfolio; it is a rich value system.

May 26, 2007

Proverbs 20: A bonanza at the beginning is no guarantee of blessing at the end.

Last year we had a new restaurant open in our community.  It seemed the whole town decided to try it out.  The place was packed out and it looked as though the owners had a real winner on their hands.  However, things didn't work out that way.  After that first couple of weeks things really dropped off for them.  Finally, the doors closed.  The promising start did not guarantee as continued success.  I've seen that happen in people's spiritual lives too.  At the beginning we think that they are going to be productive, consistent disciples of Christ.  But it simply doesn't work out.  The promise of their lives gets derailed and, in the end not only are we disappointed, but so are they.  The tragedy here is that such failure never has to be.   That restaurant might have been doomed from the start.  It might be that anyone who knows about such things could have predicted that it won't work out.  However, when it comes to living for Jesus there is every reason for success.  Sometimes it seems that the one who simply decides for Christ and just starts living for him has a better chance of seeing it through than the one who makes a big splash at the beginning.  That's not only the lesson in this proverb, but Jesus' parable about the sower and the seed makes the same point.

June 5, 2007

Proverbs 21: Clean living before God and justice with our neighbors mean far more to God than religious performance.

I love the church and owe a great deal to it.  I was raised in church and most of the big events of my life are associated with it.  When properly defined, I believe "religious performance" matters.  That is, I think church attendance and activities are important.  However, the measure of my religion is more than how I spend an hour or two on Sunday morning.  It includes how I live the rest of the week.  This proverb doesn't diminish the importance of "religious" matters, but it does underscore the importance of taking my faith out of the church and living it in the rest of my life.  Religion without the church is destined to become shallow and self-focused.  Religion that stays in the church displeases God and self-deceptive. 

June 6, 2007

Proverbs 21: Sinners are always wanting what they don't have; the God-loyal are always giving what they do have.

One of my favorite people in the Bible is Paul's first side-kick, Barnabas.  His name means "Son of Encouragement" -- a nick name given to him by the Apostles.  We first meet this encouraging gentleman in Acts 4.  There is a financial need in the young church and Barnabas sells some land he owns and gives the proceeds to the church.  As we continue reading in Acts we find that this good man is always unselfish and giving.  The wise man of the Proverbs says that a characteristic of the world is wanting that which isn't theirs while a characteristic of God's people is giving what they do have.  Barnabas is an example of that approach to living and I want my life to be an example of it too.

June 7, 2007

Proverbs 21: Do your best, prepare for the worst -- then trust God to bring victory.

At one time Jesus was ministering to thousands of people in a remote place.  As the day turned to evening, some of the disciples thought Jesus ought to dismiss the people so they could go home and get something to eat.  Jesus replied, "You give them something to eat."  How often do I see a need and then go to the Lord with instructions I think he ought to follow to meet that need?  And how often does God say to me, "You do it"?  My first instinct is to reply, "Well, Lord, you know this is more than I can do, so it is up to you.  I'll just go find a comfortable spot and watch you in action."  That is never what the Lord wants me to do.  When I see a need, this proverb instructs me to give my best to it, to think and plan and make the effort to deal with it.  However, at the same time, I am to keep my eye on him.  In the incident from our Lord's ministry, it is actually Jesus who provides the food while the disciples are given the responsibility of distributing it.  In light of this proverb, I am reminded that the Lord expects me to get involved and give my best to the situation.  At the same time though, I am to remember that victory is dependent on a dependable God.

June 9, 2007

Proverbs 22: Don't gamble on the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, hocking your house against a lucky chance.

From the middle of Proverbs 22 through most of chapter 24 we are given a list of thirty wise sayings collected by Solomon.  In fact, this is the first of three such collections, the last being some of Solomon's own gems.  Clearly this wise man was not only a source of wisdom, he was a collector of it too.  The proverb concerning gambling catches my eye today as gambling is everywhere in our culture.  Several states have turned to casinos as an answer to financial shortfalls.  Also, there are many state sponsored lotteries.   It isn't unusual to be approached by someone selling raffle tickets in support of some worthy cause. (If I think it is truly worthy, I make a donation but decline taking a ticket.)  When I turn on the TV I find shows about poker games.  It is clear that our society is awash with gambling.  This isn't how people of faith are supposed to operate.  My hope is not that, by taking a chance, I can get hold of the money of other people who have taken the same chance.  The life of faith is not about getting all I can from anywhere I can.  On one hand, I can gamble on my future by guessing the right lotto numbers.  On the other hand, I can stake my future on the solid rock of God's faithfulness to me.  Jesus said it is impossible to serve both God and money.  In this proverb, we see the wisdom of avoiding the gambling trap.

June 11, 2007

Proverbs 24: Rescue the perishing; don't hesitate to step in and help.

Fanny Crosby wrote the missionary song that is based on this proverb.  Many a missionary service has featured the song "Rescue the Perishing."  Would that the lives of God's people feature it as well!  The immediate assumption of the proverb is that there are those who are, indeed, perishing.  In some cases it is quite clear that people are in trouble.  Their lives are unraveling and it is plain that things can't continue as they are.  In other cases it takes insight to see what is happening.  People are living ordinary lives and pretty much keeping things together.  But, spiritually speaking, they too are perishing.  When Jesus stated his mission he gave it in terms of "rescue" saying he came to "seek and to save that which was lost."  As I consider this proverb, I am challenged to join Jesus in that mission.  "Rescue the perishing, care for the dying.  Jesus is merciful, Jesus will save."

June 12, 2007

Proverbs 25: Don't jump to conclusions -- there may be a perfectly good explanation for what you just saw.

This proverb reminds me of a story a good friend told me about himself.  This pastor was visiting a lady, not one of his church members, who was at an advanced age.  She asked him if he would take her to the store and the pharmacy to pick up a few things.  He agreed.  This lady had drunk a can of beer as part of her daily routine all her life.  Apparently, along with needing some other items, she had run out of her supply of beer, so that was one of the items on her short shopping list.  When she got back into the car, before he knew it, she popped the top on a can, remarking, "Whew, I need this!"  He took her to the pharmacy down the street, and, once again, before he knew it, she thrust the open can into his hand, saying, "Hold this while I pick up my prescription."  He was sitting there in the car, holding an open can of beer when it seemed the Lord laughingly spoke to him, "Walter, I don't what you to ever judge anyone by mere appearances again."  Had anyone who knew him walked by the car at that moment, word would have spread like wildfire that the Nazarene pastor was not only drinking -- but was drinking and driving!

June 13, 2007

Proverbs 26: When you run out of wood, the fire goes out; when the gossip ends, the quarrel dies down.

As a pastor I have a pretty strong influence on what happens at church.  There is, I suppose, always the chance that someone will attempt to take control of a church service but that is unlikely.  I have the main say concerning the order of worship and, of course, what is said in the sermon.  However, what happens "out there" during the week is out of my control.  Because of that, all the efforts on Sunday to create a loving, supportive family of God can be derailed if that same crowd spends the week fanning the flames of division.  Knowing this is humbling to me and it reminds me that I am not nearly as influential in my own church as I think I am.  However, it also reminds me that my greatest resource is not my leadership ability.  Instead, my greatest Resource is the One I serve.  It is my desire that the Lord will help me to love people even when they are behaving in ways that cause pain, to personally set an example of how sanctified Christians conduct themselves, to help people who tend to gossip understand that there is an underlying spiritual issue, and to pray that the Lord will exhaust their supply of "wood" sooner and not later that the church might be united in love for Christ and one another.

June 14, 2007

Proverbs 27: You use steel to sharpen steel, and one friend sharpens another.

I visit several internet forums and I see this proverb quoted once in awhile.  Sometimes it is used in an appropriate way and other times it is just an excuse for arguing.  Having been raised in the church I have seen people banging one another on the head with their Bibles enough to know that all religious debate is not "sharpening."  Such exchanges don't sharpen anything -- in fact, you might say they dull everything.  Often on the internet, debate consists of two stubborn people posturing and talking past one another.  Of course, such arguments aren't limited to the internet.  For sharpening to take place there has to be a willingness to truly engage one another.  "I already know what I think, but I want to understand what you think."  A real key here is the "friend" factor.  I know that "friend" is missing from the original language, but I do think that the concept is assumed.  A stranger only wants to win the debate -- a friend cares more about me than he cares about being proven right.  It is only in that kind of relationship that this proverb works.  As I deal with some issue with a person I know truly cares about me personally, I am "sharpened."  And, who knows, maybe he is sharpened too.

June 16, 2007

Proverbs 28: God has no use for the prayers of people who won't listen to him.

I believe in prayer and consider myself to be a prayer learner.  I've read books about it, talked about it, and practiced it.  I have learned that there are different ways to pray.  For instance, a person can kneel by their bedside, or sit in an easy chair with a cup of coffee, or write out a prayer, or take a "prayer walk."  These and several other approaches are perfectly acceptable approaches to prayer.  One real deal breaker to prayer is what is stated in this proverb: one way praying.  Prayer is intended to be a conversation with God.  It isn't about my airing my list of wants and concerns while God patiently stands by taking notes.  Generally, it is my perspective that is changed in prayer, not God's.  The wise man of the proverbs reminds me of the conversational nature of prayer.  Of course, there is another aspect of "listening" here.  When I spend time in the Presence of God and he does speak I am to listen to what he says.  That is, I am to take it to heart and move forward in obedience.  Often, I have found, God intends to use me in answer to my own prayers.  He has work for me to do and, no matter how fervently I continue to pray, nothing will come of it until I start listening to what the Lord is saying to me.

June 18, 2007

Proverbs 29: If you let people treat you like a doormat, you'll be quite forgotten in the end.

Not long ago we stopped off at a fast food restaurant for a quick burger.  I was taken with the quiet confidence and good nature of the young lady who took our order.  The job she was doing was not the highest paying, but she was doing it with real class.  Like many people who are "flipping burgers" that job is just a temporary stopping point for her along the way.  The point of this proverb is not that we are to demand respect, refusing to be anyone's doormat.  Instead, it is that we are to do whatever it is we do with excellence and pride and that will, in itself, demand respect.  Those who think they are "saving" their best for some dream job and just "getting by" giving the least effort possible in some temporary place in life are the ones who are accepting the "doormat" position in life.  That young lady who was asking "would you like to super size that order?" gets it and I seriously doubt she is in danger of being forgotten in the end.

June 19, 2007

Proverbs 30: There is no God...I can do anything I want!

Some of the final pages of Proverbs are attributed to Agur Ben Yakeh.  Aside from the name and that he is from a town or country called Massa we are pretty much in the dark about him.  The name, I am told, does not appear to be Israelite, but is more Arab sounding.  Of course, Solomon ruled a vast empire and had friendly relations with many countries.  It may be that Agur Ben Yakeh was considered to be a very wise man in his home country and that Solomon agreed, collecting his sayings and including him in his book of Proverbs.  However, there is a bit of a problem with this idea because Israel worshipped Jehovah God, not these other nations.  The words of Agur Ben Yakeh are those of a worshipper of God.  I know these little things are often of more interest to me than to others, but it is kind of fun to think about this ancient mystery.  If the identity of Ben Yakeh is mysterious, his opening proverb is pretty straight forward.  The writer is not impressed by people who doubt the existence of God.  They may think they can ignore God and his commandments, but when they do it isn't the commandments that get broken!  The wise man says "every promise of God proves true."  He warns those who doubt that to reconsider, warning, "he might take you to task and show up your lies."  The day is coming when everyone will believe in God.  After all, we will stand before him in Judgment.  Those who doubt will be convinced, but for them, it will be too late.  The One they have doubted and ignored, will "take them to task."

June 20, 2007

Proverbs 31: A good woman is hard to find, and worth more than diamonds.

The final portion of Proverbs is called the "Hymn to a Good Wife."  Apparently, it comes from the mother of someone called King Lemuel.  His identity is another of those minor mysteries.  Some people think that Solomon is actually speaking of himself and the words of wisdom come from Bathsheba.  However, that appears to only be based on a desire to keep this "all in the family."  Others say that the final chapter of Proverbs is from the same fellow who gave us the second to the last chapter, good old Agur Ben Yakeh -- another person we know nothing about.  Again, this is just stuff that has no major significance but is interesting to think about.  I can't help but smile when I realize that the much quoted tribute to a good wife was probably written by a woman!  Still, it is nice to see such positive words about women who love and serve their family -- women who make a difference in this world for their loved ones and for God.  After all, if not for this passage, what would preachers use for a text on Mother's Day? (I'm kidding, I'm kidding!)