Reject Identity Politics

(Proverbs 31:31 KJV)  Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.

We live in an age of identity politics where people are judged by the group they belong to.  Thus we have the nonsense that only white males are racist and all white males are racist.  Actually this is nothing new.  It is just an extension of age old stereotypes.  Think of the linkage between Jew and cheap, Mexican and lazy, Irish and temper and so forth.  That is not the Christian way and until recently did not receive the support of the culture.  The prejudice existed but was not approved.

This verse reflects how we are to evaluate people.  We should not weigh them by the color of their skin, the size of their nose, their religion, or their gender.  We should evaluate them by their “works” (4639) not their words or social ranking.  Here it is lifting up women but we see this idea expressed other places.  We are saved by grace through faith but our actions and obedience work into the mix in some mysterious way.

So?  Be a living example of righteousness.  You walk on thin ice if you think that a doctrine of eternal security means that you can ignore your behavior.  Make Jesus proud. 

Standing Tall

(Proverbs 30:30 KJV)  A lion which is strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any;

I am not sure that I would want to think of myself as “strongest” (mighty NASB) (1368).  I have visions of the comic book super heroes who have at least one extreme power.  That could be the idea but as I look at how it is used it seems to be more of the person who stands tall and does his duty in the face of opposition.  The most frequent way it is expressed is “mighty men”.  Sometimes they are named.  Sometimes what they have done is listed.  The point is they did their duty.

There are times when a lioness will slink away but if her cubs are threatened you had better be far away.  We need that attitude.  Just because we do not go to battle over every little issue that comes up does not mean that we don’t stand tall when it is called for.

So?  Remember the church used to sing “Onward, Christian Soldiers” as a call to faithful service in the face of evil.  Too often we are AWOL. 

Rights Cause

(Proverbs 29:7 KJV)  The righteous considereth the cause of the poor: but the wicked regardeth not to know it.

What “causes” (rights NASB)” (1779) do the “poor” (1800b) have?  The godly understand this better than the self centered, carnal leaders that we have.  This exact phrase appears only one other place.

JER 5:28 'They are fat, they are sleek, They also excel in deeds of wickedness; They do not plead the cause, The cause of the orphan, that they may prosper; And they do not defend the rights of the poor.

The idea is expressed in at least one other place:

ISA 10:2 So as to deprive the needy of justice, And rob the poor of My people of {their} rights, In order that widows may be their spoil, And that they may plunder the orphans.

“Rights” literally means judged.  This implies justice, but we must always make sure that we are using the Biblical idea of justice which is based on truth and the character of God, not on some slippery concept of “social” justice. 

So?  We need to stop listening to powerful voices that base their ideas of justice on some arbitrary checklist of identity politics.  God is not a respecter of persons.  Righteousness is not a sliding scale.  The only way to justice is through an unchanging law understood through a redeemed heart. 

Confession

(Proverbs 28:13 KJV)  He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.

The believer “confesses” (3034) his sins.  Is this to God or to man?  It doesn’t seem clear to me.  I would guess that it could be to either or both depending on the situation.  When it comes to confessing to people it is easy to abuse the concept.  One of the brainwashing techniques of Marxism is to have people sit around and confess to having thoughts that violate the doctrine of the Marxist religion.  It is important to confess something.  If you don’t confess enough you are confronted.  It is sick and manipulative.  We can get that way in the church looking for juicy sins that are none of our business.

It is possible to get too concerned about this with God.  He wants us to confess our sins, yes.  He wants us to be open, yes.  He does not want us to get so nervous about missing one that we become a nervous wreck.  If we are open the Holy Spirit will bring to mind what we need to deal with.

So?  Sin happens.  Repentance is the cure.  Remember that I John 1:9 was written to believers.

(1 John 1:9 KJV)  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

And don’t forget that second part. 

Start at Home

(Proverbs 27:23 KJV)  Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds.

This is a principle of stewardship.  Most of us will need to accept the pastoral setting as figurative.  The principle is that we are to mind our own business not the business of everyone else.  Picture being invited to someone’s house for dinner.  You surprise them by showing up a bit early and explain that you just wanted to make sure that their furniture was arranged properly.  Then imagine that you start moving lamps and couches to the places they should be.  Then imagine being uninvited for dinner.

It may sound silly but it would be even sillier if your house was a total mess.  One of the questions I have for people giving advice on how to raise children is, “How many children do you have?”  Another one I would ask if I had the courage is, “And how have they turned out?”  I think of pastors who have children who are a total mess.  I think of one who was very “successful” and none of his children are serving the Lord. 

So?  Focus on getting your own house in order.  I hesitate to say that since I am not sure mine is ready for showing. 

Igniter

(Proverbs 26:21 KJV)  As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife.

There is a general category of evil that is being dealt with here:  Gossip.  Gossip takes many forms from recreation to political disinformation campaigns.  It is possible to justify the work of deception when it comes to national security but in personal life such an excuse tends to be rationalization. 

It is important that we honestly ask ourselves our motivation for the things we do.  This would apply even to our humor and our attempts to “help”.  In eternal issues our motivation and attitude are as important as our actions.  I might even say they are more important because God can see our hearts.  He knows if we broke something while giving it our best.  He also knows when we are just putting on a show and He is not impressed.

So?  Cut the gossip and agitation.  Examine the heart. 

Spiritual Schizophrenia

(Proverbs 25:21 KJV)  If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:

When I look at this verse I see one of the reasons why I tend to think of America as a Christian nation.  This is a principle that is foreign to most of the world and even if they pay lip service to it they never carry through in action.  This is one of the foundations of the Just War Theory.  It put limits on how we treat even enemies.  I think back to the end of the Civil War and the way America treated Japan and Germany after World War II.  Lincoln called for a binding of wounds and forgiveness.  The Marshall Plan rebuilt the countries we had sacrificed thousands of lives to defeat.  You can call it schizophrenic.  You can call it bi-polar.  You can call it insane.  You must call it Christian.

So?  There may be times when physical force is necessary.  There is also a point where it is replaced by forgiveness and restoration.  God draws the line before we are willing to.  Live in obedience.

Balancing Act

(Proverbs 24:22 KJV)  For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin of them both?

We are warned about the “ruin” (6365) that can come from both the government and God.  As Christians we are to be submissive to the king, i.e. government, but not forget our priorities and standards.  That can be hard in modern times where Biblical morality is becoming a hate crime.  It can be a tough wire to balance on.  We are required to make the effort.

We have Jesus paying taxes and giving us the admonition to give Caesar what is Caesar’s.  We have Paul telling us to live in submission to the governing authorities.  At the same time we have Peter saying he will not stop preaching just because they told him to.  In a day that has Christians being banned from the public square we need to be willing to take the risk.

So?  Don’t be obnoxious.  Don’t be arrogant.  At the same time stick to your guns. 

Shiny

(Proverbs 23:31 KJV)  Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.

One of my childhood memories involves going to the pound to pick out a family pet.  Us boys were totally sold on all of the dogs pushing against the wire and clamoring for our attention.  My mother was no so easily bought off.  She picked one that was sitting back in a corner looking sad.  When we got the dog home she proved to be loving and loyal.  It was a good choice.  It is not the choice that the children would have made.

As children we were seduced by the shiny.  I am not so sure that we are not still into shiny as adults.  Think of the shiny offered by all the advertising we watch.  I have always been puzzled by the beer commercials.  I see a bunch of beautiful people yucking it up and looking like they just made it past the gates of heaven.  What are they so happy about?  When I have seen that live it is because someone just told a dirty joke or gave the guest speaker a wedgy. 

So?  Be leery of shiny.  There is a small chance it means something but usually it is just the make-up that the actress has put on for the camera.

Key to Riches

(Proverbs 22:4 KJV)  By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life.

“Riches” (6239) is a concept that gives many Christians pause.  We tend to think of the condemnations given to the rich.  The Social Justice Warriors of our culture have the words “greedy” and “rich” joined at the waist.  The church often goes along with that because we have forgotten to engage our minds and disengage our cultural biases.  If you read carefully you will see that the problem is not in the wealth but in how it was gained and how it is used.  Riches also applies beyond gold and silver.  It is used to talk about wisdom and knowledge.

It is just anecdotal but if you look at the world today and ask yourself where the most of everything that human beings want is found it will be in countries that at some time in their history have given Christianity a leading role.  Those days may be past and it may have only been lip service but it is still a genuine correlation. 

So?  The principle has been demonstrated time and again.  Living the way God wants you to will make life better for everyone.  It is a tragedy that our nation is moving in the other direction. 

The Plenty Pause

(Proverbs 21:5 KJV)  The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness; but of every one that is hasty only to want.

Here we see diligence and haste contrasted.  You would think it would be better to use “slow” or “cautious” as opposites of “hasty” (213).  Or “sloppy” against “diligent” (2742a).  Those of us that are procrastinators will love this verse because it gives us ammunition to throw at people who get things done.  We would be wrong. 

Being “diligent” means taking the time to sharpen your knives before you cut up the salad.  The hasty just grabs a knife and starts chopping.  Usually both people get a salad at the end that meets minimum standards but the one who takes the time to hone his blades will actually have less risk of hurting themselves.  Sharp knives take less pressure and so you have less inclination to slip.  People who take a few moments to think things through will come out ahead of the traffic jam.

So?  My tendency is to put off decisions but my motive is usually not the right one.  This is a reminder to me to spend my time wisely.  For you it might be to slow down.  Listen to what the Holy Spirit has for you today. 

Indicators

(Proverbs 20:11 KJV)  Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.

I think it is the NASB that “distinguishes” (5234) (known KJV) itself here.  Every other translation has “child” (5288) instead of “lad”.  The word seems to have a male sense to it and is often conveyed as “servant”.  It has the idea of being an underling of little power. 

It is important how we behave when we are not in control.  It might be a good way to measure how someone will mature if you watch how they treat animals and smaller children.  If they are someone who thinks it is fun to pull the wings off of flies then I would guess you would not want them as a chief of police.  If they steal the pencils from your desk you would not want them as your banker. 

So?  Watch others and watch yourself.  The future is waiting. 

More than Pants on Fire

(Proverbs 19:9 KJV)  A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall perish.

There are some promises that are focused on this world.  There are others that look to eternity.  I tend to think this is more an eternal promise than one for this week.  Much of the time, liars will be found out.  You might even say most of the time.  The problem I have is that there seems to be no day of reckoning.  I watch people making up the news or tailoring it to fit their personal agenda.  It becomes obvious and yet the masses keep watching and the paychecks keep coming.  I watch politicians whom cannot be trusted to take out the garbage being reelected.  There seems to be no consequences, at least in this life. 

But God will not be mocked.  One of the Ten deals with telling lies.  Liars will be in the lake of fire.  It is a big issue and He is watching.

So?  We need to allow God to be the referee and judge.  He knows and unless there is genuine repentance He will punish.  We need two things to be true of us.  First, we are to tell the truth.  Second, we are to lift up the liars and hope for repentance.

Liberating Fools

(Proverbs 18:2 KJV)  A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself.

When you lift this verse out of context and look at the translations from the KJV and other older works you find an interesting insight.  The context is pointing out how hopeless a fool is and in that sense this is saying that a “fool” (3684) only listens to himself.  But if you look at the KJV it seems to imply that if the fool is going to learn anything, he has to start in his own inner man.

A frequent use of the Hebrew word for “discover” (revealing NASB) (1540) has to do with carrying away into exile.  If you follow that meaning then you find that a fool needs to get away from the ideas that mold him in order to find mental release.  The context makes this seem impossible but there are places in Proverbs where it seems to say that a fool can learn.

So?  There is hope for everyone.  Assuming that we have moved beyond the fool stage we might assume that if the fool can change and move forward, so can we.  A happy thought.

Affordable

(Proverbs 17:16 KJV)  Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, seeing he hath no heart to it?

Even a “fool” (3684) has the “price” (4242) required to understand the plan of God.  That would seem to me to be one way to read this.  It goes along with the idea that Jesus died for all and everyone can be saved.  One of the features of the Bible and the gospel is that children can grasp the basics while erudite scholars can still search the depths.  At both levels you can have the “price” and know the living God. 

One of the problems of the fool is that he rejects the truth given to him and insists on staying in his sin.  Modern man glories in rejecting the idea of sin, let alone that he is a sinner.  As the saying goes, why would you need a savior when you are not lost?

So?  When you rub up against, or run head-long into, the person who does not seem to understand the need for Jesus relax and let the Holy Spirit do the convicting.  The problem is usually not knowledge or understanding.  It is a foolish heart. 

That Works

(Proverbs 16:3 KJV)  Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.

“Works” (4639) get a lot of bad press among some Christians.  They emphasize that we are not saved by works, and they are right.  That is a Biblical stand.  What is often overlooked is that we are not saved without our works.  I know a lot of people don’t like that but remember what Jesus said,

(John 14:21 KJV)  He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

Keep in mind that Jesus did not talk about grace.  He talked about believing and He talked about obedience.  When we are redeemed we are changed.  It makes a difference in how we live.  Part of that change is in whom we live for and what Solomon is saying means that we are to dedicate every action we take to the cause of Christ.

So?  Rejoice that we don’t need to earn our salvation.  Be glad that the Holy Spirit gives us to the power to live in obedience.  Relax in that assurance and walk in righteousness. 

Believer Abuse

(Proverbs 15:32 KJV)  He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul: but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding.

Every year teachers get a review of policies regarding child abuse and its reporting.  One of the categories might be better called “child neglect” although it fits in the general bucket.  This involves when a parent “neglects” (6544a) to provide the proper nutrition or even hygiene for the child.  The sad part of this is that most of the parents I dealt with could have been accused of neglect because they were too busy with their own lives to discipline and control their children.  Of course the state would not see it that way since they are working as hard as they can to get the parents out of the loop.  The point is that ignoring simple everyday procedures is a type of neglect.

Did you “neglect” to brush your teeth?  Did you neglect to wash behind your ears?  These are things which missing once will be no big deal but a pattern can cause serious dangers.  The same is true of our spiritual walks.  There are certain disciplines that are part of the Christian life and are regularly neglected by believers.  Some that come to mind are prayer, meditation, worship, and study. 

So?  Since we are under grace instead of law it is impossible to make some kind of rule about these things.  The problem is that neglect leads gradually to failure of key parts of our walk.  Enough unrepaired breakdowns and eternity becomes a question, not an assurance. 

Error Message

(Proverbs 14:22 KJV)  Do they not err that devise evil? but mercy and truth shall be to them that devise good.

At what point do we recognize that we “err” (gone astray NASB) (8562)?  I think it is an important question.  Think of people in the Bible who went astray.  You would have quite a list if you listed all of David’s failings.  Peter was known for getting carried away down the wrong path.  I John 1:9 is written based on the assumption that people will get off track. 

How do we respond?  The righteous will see their sin and repent.  The evil will continue down the path.  Notice that the straying comes because the person is evil.

So?  Did you mess up already today?  Is it because you are choosing to be evil or because you got off the track you want to be on.  Repent or keep sliding.  Different people will make different choices. 

Wise Walking

(Proverbs 13:20 KJV)  He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.

Life is full of choices.  It can really be important whom you travel with.  I enjoy playing golf once in awhile.  I am over the “gotta play” passion.  I am not really very good.  If you know what it means, if I ever break 100 I have a shouting spell.  I enjoy playing on courses I have never been to before but they have a problem.  What looks like a simple, direct path from tee to hole is often anything but.  In cases like that it helps to have someone playing with you with certain qualities.

It helps to have someone who has played the course enough to know it.  I had one guy who would constantly tell me things like, “Try to stay to the left.  If you hit it right it will roll down a long hill.”  It also helps to know if there is some water just over a rise and hidden in a low spot.  Knowing where to hit the ball doesn’t make me any more accurate but at least gives me a chance to try.

It helps to have someone who has better eyes.  One of the most common questions I ask is, “Did you see where my ball went?”  The problem is that the ball went farther than I could track.  It could be hazy conditions.  It could be I wasn’t looking.  Often there are others who can help out.

What you don’t want is the guy who wants to tell you how to change your grip and stance when it is obvious he isn’t doing so well himself.

So?  As far as possible, choose whom you walk with. 

Coup de Gras

(Proverbs 12:18 KJV)  There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health.

In this spot the NASB does a better job on the Hebrew.  The KJV leaves out the concept of “rashly” (981).  While the term can refer to making solemn statements it has the idea of doing it without thought, even flippantly.  I have a vision of some of the spiritual discussions I have had with people where I deliver the coup de gras only to find that they don’t think it was so profound.  It was, they just didn’t get it.  I am not referring to the times I was totally wrong.  The problem was not my facts but my attitude.

So?  It doesn’t do any good to be right if no one will listen. 

Servant Class

(Proverbs 11:29 KJV)  He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind: and the fool shall be servant to the wise of heart.

 The second part of this verse does not necessarily have to do with the first although I can see how one relates to the other.  A fool would mess with his own house.  We have the phrase, “foul your own nest”.  I don’t know if you have ever seen pictures portraying the work space of a computer geek who has empty pizza boxes piled by the chair.  I have actually seen that in real life.  It is disgustingly awesome.

The “foolish” (191) have certain qualities.  Proverbs keeps bringing them out.  They have personalities that make them useful only on tasks that do not really matter.  It says they will be “servants” (5650) but it does not say that they will be useful servants.  They will be the kind of housekeepers that might be trusted to change the toilet paper but will need to be checked to see if they get it rolling the right way.

So?  Some people are not worthy of being in responsible positions.  That should never be said of followers of Jesus. 

Soul or Not

(Proverbs 10:3 KJV)  The LORD will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish: but he casteth away the substance of the wicked.

This is a verse that is easier to deal with if you consult different translations and look at some of the study tools available.  The NASB seems to be saying that God will never stand by and let one of His children get hungry.  That is literally nonsense.  We all experience hunger.  It is how we know it is time to eat.  So we need to look a little deeper.

Different translations give us a clue.  Notice that the KJV says “soul” (5315) of the “righteous” (6662).  That brings the meaning into reach.  Also notice the marginal notes in the NASB.  There is says it is literally the “soul of the righteous”.  If that is what it means then why didn’t they translate it that way?  Sometimes I see why a friend of mine is so fed up with the NASB.

Another item of interest is that the verb in the first phrase seems to be an interpretation, not in the Hebrew.  It has the Lord and the righteous but what is the action?

So?  I think the figurative, spiritual understanding is best.  God will not allow our soul to dry up and wither.  He will be with us and hold us up through any trial.  I can live with that. 

Choice Ignorance

(Proverbs 9:16 KJV)  Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: and as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him,

It has been a long time since I have seriously used my Bible commentaries.  It isn’t that they don’t have good things to say, they do.  It isn’t even that they contain heresy, unless you are a die hard Arminian who thinks Calvinists are heretics.  I don’t think that.  They may be confused but they are not heretics.  The reason is that in most cases the commentaries are not sharing great insight into the meaning of the Hebrew and Greek but instead are sharing their own opinions. 

Notice in this verse that the appeal of deceit works best for the one who “wanteth" (lacks NASB) (2638) “understanding” (3820).  This type of appeal works best on people who are ignorant.  What we often overlook is that ignorance is usually a choice.  It is not the same as stupid.  You can’t help it if you are stupid.  You can be responsible if you just don’t know or have not taken the time to learn.

So?  Sometimes ignorance is no big deal.  I don’t know who the latest rap star is, nor do I care.  I do know however that the fruit of the Spirit is more important than the date of the rapture.  One is available, one is God’s business. 

Utter Utter Truth

(Proverbs 8:7 KJV)  For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

Proverbs spends a fair amount of time talking about evil with all of its attributes and variations.  It also spends time on the character of righteousness.  On that list is “truth” (571).  We are to “utter” (1897) truth.  In English we have at least two different meanings depending on whether it is used as a verb or an adjective.  Both are helpful if we are talking about living upright lives.

Here it is used as a verb.  It is interesting to me the scope of meaning in the word.  Of course it means to speak or say.  In addition it carries the baggage of moan, groan and muse.  It is even translated “mutter”.  I don’t know if you mutter but I do.  Even that must be truth. 

It would help to look at the adjective also.  It is not the meaning here but in English “utter” as an adjective means total and absolute.  To you could say that the believer is to speak total truth at all times.

So?  Just as we need to be aware that there is evil around us we need to acknowledge that God expects us to be different.  Our standard is truth.  We are surrounded by a culture that is making all kinds of excuses for lies and deceit.  We are not part of that. 

It’s His Fault

(Proverbs 7:20 KJV)  He hath taken a bag of money with him, and will come home at the day appointed.

We have here a man who is being betrayed by his wife.  Has he done anything to deserve it?  There is no indication that he has.  Of course that brings up the point that our behavior is not excused by the behavior of others.  As Christians we are called to follow the Highway of Holiness.  We are called to be salt and light.  We are to stand out.

(Philippians 2:15 KJV)  That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;

Flip Wilson used to have a routine about how “the devil made me do it”.  We have our own routines.  We blame parents, children, society and even God.  I know that when I eat too much I usually have some good excuse for my lack of discipline.

So?  We will be judged on our response to the leading of the Holy Spirit.  God already knows our excuses, what He wants is our obedience.  Seek and find.

All, or Most, for Naught

(Proverbs 6:12 KJV)  A naughty person, a wicked man, walketh with a froward mouth.

The KJV has “naughty” (1100) and the NASB “worthless”.  The English language has changed because they used to be synonyms.  I found it interesting to look at how my collection of translations handle the Hebrew.  The Basic Bible in English uses “good-for-nothing”.  Douay-Rheims has “apostate”.  The Geneva Bible has “unthrifty”.  The Jewish Publication Society says “base person”.  That is an interesting selection.

A transliteration is used frequently in the KJV as the name “Belial”.  In this chapter there are a lot of characteristics used to describe this type of person from being lazy to telling lies.  It is interesting how often this comes up.  Contrary to the teachings of our schools and media, man is not a benevolent creature.  We are prone to evil and too many have not been touched by the grace of God.

So?  Again, accept that those around you are serving the devil by serving themselves.  Make sure you are the exception but don’t expect to be loved because of it. 

The Mouth Sword

(Proverbs 5:4 KJV)  But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a twoedged sword.

If you look up the uses of “two-edged” (6310) “sword” (2719) you will find it is only used twice in the OT and three times in the NT.  That doesn’t seem like much for such a well known term.  Even more startling is that a literal translation is “mouth sword”.  In context here that seems very appropriate because the woman portrayed here is doing much of her damage with her mouth.  In the end it might be said that her mouth is sending her to hell.

So?  I guess it is simple:  Watch your mouth.  As believers we are readily tempted into gossip and idle chatter.  In a world of declining politeness we are also desensitized to the growing vulgarity and crudeness of speech.  I am not sure that an occasional four letter word will send us to hell but it is an indication of our focus.  So, watch your mouth. 

Insomnia

(Proverbs 4:16 KJV)  For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.

Have you ever had nights when you just could not get to sleep?  I know I have.  I can be tired and yawning.  I can’t focus.  I sit in my chair and have a hard time staying awake but when I go to bed, sleep will not come.  Often it is because something is on my mind that keeps me from relaxing.  It might have been a confrontation that took place and continually does a re-run.  I can’t let it go.

There are people like that in regard to “mischief” (evil NASB) (7489a).  This is totally alien to us but it normal for them.  They think of a chance they had to damage someone and how they missed it.  They pine for that lost opportunity and relive the moment.  They are beyond what we would consider the borders of normalcy.  I am not talking about the clinical sociopath.  I am talking about masses of people who know what is right and wrong and rejoice in doing the wrong.

So?  Part of growing up is knowing that the battle we fight is not just apologetics, reason or knowledge.  You cannot convince someone of a truth they admit and reject.  Think of the people who saw Jesus call Lazarus from the grave (John 11:43) and then went away to plot his death.  Think of the crowds who saw Him heal and went back to life as normal.  That is the normal state of mankind.

Salt Dreams

(Proverbs 3:24 KJV)  When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.

There are many ways that fear can rob us of rest and peace of mind.  I am long past worrying about monsters under my bed.  Now I worry about the government listening through my computer microphone.  One was childish, the other is very possible.  Both are real at the time.  We are in a season when it is time to nominate a new justice to the Supreme Court.  People on the left are having a melt-down.  They are talking about concentration camps and the end of freedom.  That is probably as much an exaggeration as the fears people on the right had when Obama was elected.  These things make a difference.  They are real.  Don’t let them rob you of your sleep.

Our confidence is not in the government or even the church.  Our hope is in what Romans 16:27 calls The Only Wise God.  If you are having trouble putting that in perspective then read back through this chapter and grab hold.

So?  Will there be hard time ahead?  Of course.  This is a world inhabited by sinful creatures called humans.  Sleep well.  You may be called on to be salt and light tomorrow. 

The Right Stance

(Proverbs 2:2 KJV)  So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;

I hear better out of one ear than I do the other.  If you know me well enough you can tell if I am really trying to listen because I “make attentive” (7181) the ear that hears better.  It is getting so it is automatic.  When I am in a restaurant I try to sit with my good ear toward the conversation.  How much I understand depends on how I situate myself.

Did you take your Bible to church with you?  I won’t bother asking if you went to church.  It should be obvious that you can’t hear the preached word if you are not in attendance.  But do you go with the idea you are going to hear something that could change your life?  I remember one famous church we visited.  I saw things that made me feel it was more of a social club rather than an institution of higher worship.  One indication was the obvious way we stood out as visitors:  We were carrying Bibles.  They had their coffee cups and water bottles but obviously figured they did not need a Bible.

So?  What is your worship stance?  Could a casual observer tell that you were really expecting to deal with eternal truth?  Make yourself attentive. 

Cause and Effect

(Proverbs 1:18 KJV)  And they lay wait for their own blood; they lurk privily for their own lives.

I have been thinking about my blessings and, as often happens, I ask, “Why me, Lord?”  Why do I have the minor aches of age when people younger than me shovel in pills to keep the pain at bay?  I could go on in that mode but the key questions is, “Why me, Lord?”  I don’t have an answer that I can spread like a blanket.  Actually it might be like a blanket at a picnic.  My facade looks good in some ways but when you try to set your glass down you find that the uneven ground is still there. 

I will tell you what I would like to think.  I would like to think I am blessed because I have not followed the path in the previous verses.  I would like to think that I have been more pure at heart and more faithful.  The problem is that I know my heart and I know my actions.  That does not wash.  Yet I am truly blessed.

So?  I don’t have an easy answer.  I do know that God promises to see us through and we are to be careful about laying sin at the feet of others.  I do know that God makes it clear that rebellion and disobedience will have a price.  I am thankful for grace and the blood of Jesus.