Perception

(Pro 30:28 KJV)  The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in kings' palaces.

I remember a story my parents used to tell about perception.  They were on a drive and I believe it was after dark.  Suddenly an animal appeared in the headlights.  It quickly got out of the way.  That is the last point of agreement.  One swore it was a deer.  The other swore it was a rabbit.  They kept to their positions until the days they died.  It did not effect their relationship or alienate the children.  It was a lesson and got a lot of laughs.

You would think the difference is clear.  Size, method of motion, general outline.  How can you confuse the two.  Here we have the “lizard” (8079) of the NASB and the “spider” (8079) of the KJV.  Both groups of translators agreed on the Hebrew word but they still translated it differently.  I don’t know about you but I can usually tell the difference between a lizard and a spider.  This is a point that I just shake my head and get on with life.  If you are looking for controversy, go for it.  Usually controversy will find you.  If you are looking for truth, you will find it because truth is bigger than the translation of an obscure word that is only used one time in the Bible and is translated many ways in non-Biblical literature.

So?  All have sinned.  God became man.  Jesus died to pay for the sin.  I am sure that there were many spiders and lizards along the way.  He still rose again and is seated at the right hand of God, the Father. 

Called to Controversy

(Pro 29:9 KJV)  If a wise man contendeth with a foolish man, whether he rage or laugh, there is no rest.

The translations are weak here to me.  I refer to the term “contendeth" (has a controversy NASB) (8199).  The Hebrew is a common word in the OT and the overwhelming translations have to do with the word “judge”.  In this case the “wise” (2450)  “man” (376) is the government official having the responsibility to lay down the law.  

Context is always tricky in Proverbs.  I think this could apply well to parents trying to guide their children.  If you look at the surrounding verses you see the contrast between people God would consider righteous and those who are evil.  Keep in mind that the world we live in does not want to submit to the standards that God demands.  Too often we see the same thing in the formal church.

So?  When called on to declare truth expect this kind of reaction.  As Christians in modern America we need to understand that this will frequently apply in areas having to do with sexual relationships and how we treat the environment.  The Bible speaks to these.  We need to follow. 

Violence to the Blood

(Pro 28:17 KJV)  A man that doeth violence to the blood of any person shall flee to the pit; let no man stay him.

As I read this the word “abortion” came to mind.  I remember the video called “Silent Scream” showing a child in the womb trying to avoid the probing of the abortionist.  The KJV is not clear to modern minds in this verse.  “Doeth violence to the blood” basically means violent murder.  It is not a pretty sight nor one we like to dwell on.  We are getting desensitized to the shedding of blood.  The special effects of Hollywood and the graphics of animation tend to get a “cool” from young people instead of the horror it should engender.  

We are treading all over the values of our culture that says it is acceptable to kill an innocent child but convicted murders should be set loose in society.  As in most of these issues, when we side with our culture we are going against God.

So?  We each have a voice.  Each of us needs to use that voice to speak the truth not to reinforce the lie. 

Living in the Cone

(Pro 27:27 KJV)  And thou shalt have goats' milk enough for thy food, for the food of thy household, and for the maintenance for thy maidens.

We see Proverbs laying out our areas of responsibility.  It is expressed other places but we are here today.  It starts with providing your own needs.  Some people are guilty of overlooking this.  One reason we go to work every day is to buy the food to make us able to go to work the next day.  It seems like a dull circle.  But the circle expands.

We are responsible for our “household” (1004).  This has the sense of extended family.  It is more than your children but less than your tribe.  Joshua used the word in a verse we often hear quoted,

(Jos 24:15 KJV)  And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house (1004), we will serve the LORD.

We are not the Lone Ranger or the solitary crusader on a quest.  We have responsibility that goes beyond our shoes.

Then Proverbs takes it a step further.  The “maidens” (5291) may be part of the family but the idea here, I think, is the outsider brought in to do a task.  These are employees.  Do you have a responsibility to provide a living wage?  I would say that is implied.

So?  Don’t think of your life as a single line.  Think of it as a cone spreading out in influence and responsibility.  It is a daunting concept but the promise is that God will provide if we are faithful.

Delayed Ungratification

(Pro 26:27 KJV)  Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein: and he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him.

The context of this verse has to do with sins of the mouth.  I see at least three general types of mouth sin:  Lies, agitation and gossip.  I guess all of them are forms of lies.  Verbal deceit is a major problem in our society.  That is nothing new.  Mankind has always been deceptive.  Lies can also encompass our actions.  We have all seen people who hate America saluting the flag and we know from the last election that many people charged with counting the votes did more adjusting than counting.

The point of this verse is that eventually the truth will come out.  Sometimes it is the judgement of history long after the death of the liar.  Sometimes it is immediate.  Ultimately it will come out on judgement day.

So?  Be honest even when it hurts.  It is part of God’s plan for righteousness.

18 Wheelers of Life

(Pro 25:26 KJV)  A righteous man falling down before the wicked is as a troubled fountain, and a corrupt spring.

The two translations I look at regularly translate the idea of spiritual failure with different emphasis.  The KJV says “falling down” (4131) and the NASB says “gives way”.  The Hebrew word is used four times in Proverbs and it looks like it has the idea of someone who fails to prepare for crosswinds.  I am thinking that the accountability comes not from the staggering but from the lacking to be alert and prepare.

In my foolish youth I rode a motorcycle.  One of the things I learned on the road was that if an eighteen wheeler was going by me on a two lane road, I needed to be prepared for the cross wind.  It was a fact of life.  I also learned to watch for grooved pavement.  If you were not paying attention you could be in for disaster.  That is different from the time I blew my rear tire.

So?  The best way we can prepare for the crosswinds of life is to know specific things that cause them and/or watch the movement of the wind in the trees around us.  When we see it coming, we can brace ourselves and keep the springs of our life running clear. 

Seeker Friendly

(Pro 24:14 KJV)  So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul: when thou hast found it, then there shall be a reward, and thy expectation shall not be cut off.

“Wisdom” (2451) is tied to our salvation.  It is a condition of our “hope” (8615b).  Keep in mind that wisdom begins with a proper fear of God.  Remember that Proverbs talks about wisdom being around and assisting in creation.  Wisdom is also something that we cannot grasp without the work of the Holy Spirit to open our minds.  I don’t know the order of all this.  Much of it doesn’t seem to fit seamlessly.  It is still true.  

So?  Don’t forget the “if” (518).  This is a conditional phrase.  It means “if” and it depends on whether we are seeking or at least willing to be sought.  We have gone through a period where churches tried to be “seeker friendly”.  We need to understand that as us being friendly to the One who is seeking us. 

Which Came First?

(Pro 23:29 KJV)  Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?

Yes, I am aware that Paul advises Timothy to take a little wine for his stomach’s sake.  No, I don’t believe that the wine Jesus made from water was alcohol free.  I accept the fact that people have used wine for years to kill the germs in their drinking water.  I wonder how that would work in our water today?  Another question that comes to mind in this verse, which came first, the woe (188, KJV; 190 NASB) or the wine?

There are a lot of questions.  There is one salient point:  Drunkenness is sin.  Consider the list Paul gives us.

(Gal 5:21 KJV)  Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Notice that the people on this list will not be at the wedding feast of the Lamb.

So?  Stomach problems?  Wine might work or you might just stop eating the foods that cause the problem.  Water dirty?  Again, wine might work but make sure that you can’t see the color or make the mixture too strong.  Best bet is steer clear. 

Anger Management

(Pro 22:24 KJV)  Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go:

My question for the day is, “What do you do when you are forced into regular contact with the kind of person you are to avoid?”  We have all been around people with short fuses.  It happens at work.  It happens if you were drafted into the army like I was.  It happens at school.  I guess it can happen in family.  Here we are told to distance ourselves or terminate the relationship.  How do you do that with your drill sergeant?

Sometimes we have control, or at least options.  At work you might be able to quit or transfer.  In college you might have no other option than that teacher.  Here is where we need to read the rest of Proverbs and look for clues.  Obvious to me is to prepare each day with a big dose of praise and thanksgiving.  Generously season with the word.  Then go forth in trust.  

So?  I am sure there are many other protections available.  Keep looking.  What you missed yesterday may pop up again and be a life saver today. 

Sins of the Mouth

(Pro 21:6 KJV)  The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seek death.

There are a number of recurring themes in Proverbs.  One of them deals with sins of the mouth such as gossip, bragging and here, lies.  I don’t think I have had a propensity to lies.  If anything I would deceive by silence, which is a form of lying.  Note the way it is expressed in the Ten Commandments, this from Deuteronomy because I read that today,

(Deu 5:20 KJV)  Neither shalt thou bear false witness against thy neighbour.

For me the teaching moment is to think about all the ways you can bear false witness.  It will be different for each of us and the difference may depend on our creativity and willingness to remember with accuracy.

So?  We live in a world of lies.  Listen to the speeches of politicians.  Read the news.  You don’t have to look far.  Remember that we are to be salt.  We are to be upright.  We are not to be part of the problem as God sees the problem. 

Don’t Roll Over

(Pro 20:13 KJV)  Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.

I feel like this could be my verse.  Actually there are others that are more pointed about sloth and leisure, but this strikes a chord.  I am retired.  My natural inclination is to relax and get up when I feel like it.  You know how that goes, or maybe you don’t.  It means that I would get up just a little later each day until it was impossible to be a responsible adult.  Even now, realizing the problem, I set an alarm and the temptation is to roll over for just a few more winks.  

I think that one of the reasons old age is a blessing is that if I lie in bed too long I start to get a lot of aches.  I guess you could call it God’s alarm clock.  Either way, slumber is something that needs to be controlled.

So?  I am not one who bounces out of bed each morning but I have found that if I get moving I start to wake up and I am ready to spend time in worship.  That is a requirement for the day. 

Are the Gates Winning?

(Pro 19:12 KJV)  The king's wrath is as the roaring of a lion; but his favour is as dew upon the grass.

A month ago as this is posted I was in a Zoom conversation that involved mainly people from California.  They were excited that the courts had said that California churches should be allowed to reopen.  We had participants from two large churches and they were asked what was happening.  One was still playing the virtual worship game but the choir was starting to meet, wearing masks and sitting six feet apart.  The other had been “open” for two weeks but people were escorted to seats and placed apart from each other.

Not being in California I feel it is easy to criticize and be bold, but, really?  What happened to the gates of hell prevailing against the church?  This comes to mind because this verse warns us about the approval of the king.  It is totally inconsistent.  One minute the government is full of “wrath” (2197) like a roaring lion.  We tremble and shut down our churches.  Then we get the morning dew smile and we meekly trickle in the doors.

So?  I struggle with my own submissions and shake my head at others.  It is an ongoing question about the relationship between God’s church and the world’s government.  Pray for wisdom.  Also pray for courage because the moment will come when God calls each of us to action.

Thoughtful Times

(Pro 18:11 KJV)  The rich man's wealth is his strong city, and as an high wall in his own conceit.

We are living in a day of decreasing liberty and increasing government control.  Recently we saw a clear example of what things will be like when the pastor in Canada was stopped on the way home from church and dragged, Gestapo style, out of his car and into the police vehicle.  When I talk to friends in California they are waiting for the government’s approval before they gather together for worship.  I guess I wonder what will be the limit before we get concerned.

What do we have to lose before we feel oppressed?  What will we have to lose before we stop and reexamine our priorities?  Do you feel more free because you have a shot gun in the closet?  What happens when they are collected?  Do you feel stronger when you have a good bank balance?  What happens when they access your account and clean it out with a special tax?  You might think that a man’s home is his castle.  What happens when they raise the taxes to a point you can’t pay?

So?  All of these actions have happened and will again.  The possessions are all good things.  God does not speak against any of them as such.  God does warn about putting our confidence in them instead of Him.  These are times to think seriously about what we trust.  It could be the path to revival. 

Dry Bones

(Pro 17:22 KJV)  A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.

I have had problems with dry “bones” (1634).  I have also come across other places in Proverbs that refers to our bones in very colorful ways.  As I looked at this I noticed that this Hebrew word is not the common word for “bones”.  That would be 6106, which is used five times in Proverbs and always translated “bones”.  The word used here is only used five times in the entire Bible, two of them in Proverbs.  As I look at the differences it seems that this is referring to that which is left when all the supports and covers are stripped away.  Obviously that could mean your skeleton but it is a little more figurative.  

We need to be very alert to dried up bones.  It usually happens gradually and is accompanied by lack of person worship involving times of reading the word, praise, thanksgiving and sometimes even petition.  If all you do is worship on Sunday then count on some dry spells, and some dry bones.

So?  Some things can be avoided.  Some prevented.  The ball is in your court.

Chosen or Choice

(Pro 16:4 KJV)  The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.

If I were a Calvinist that believed in double-predestination from “in the beginning”, I would love to throw this verse at people.  Of course my motive would be to point out that I am not one of the “wicked” (7563).  

The point of clarification we need to make is about the question of whether it is a class of people or individuals.  In other words, did God make an individual, say Pol Pot, evil so that he would be around when atrocities are needed or did God put Pol Pot in the category of evil which has part of its definition as those who commit atrocities.  If it is individual I find it hard to think of ol’ Pol as being really responsible for the evil.  He becomes what I like to call “a helpless pawn in the hands of fate”.  If it is a class then you have a consistent way of looking at the presence of evil and a holy God.  

So?  It always comes down to how we respond to the call of God.  I have a hard time with a holy God sitting on His throne and arbitrarily deciding ahead of time who will go to heaven and who will go to hell.  Of course He could have made me that way.  Sounds like a chicken or the egg moment. 

Listen Here, Bub

(Pro 15:31 KJV)  The ear that heareth the reproof of life abideth among the wise.

I don’t like this.  I don’t want to listen.  I want to be the one giving directions, not the one being directed.  I want the power position or at least be able to ignore anything that makes me uncomfortable.

Listening does not only refer to your wife relating the honey-do list or your parents telling you what time to have the car back.  It also refers to how we read the Bible.  I know I can keep my eyes scanning the page without engaging the ears of my heart and mind.  It refers to the voice of the Holy Spirit speaking to us when we don’t want to pay attention.

So?  Listening is a choice and a discipline.  It requires constant attention but is a life saving habit to develop.

Viewpoints

(Pro 14:17 KJV)  He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly: and a man of wicked devices is hated.

I constantly wonder about what goes on in the heads of translators.  I guess I should be glad I don’t have the skills to be forced to struggle with the choices they need to make.  I focus again today on the concept of “evil devices” (4209).  The translations of this are all over the map.  It is a word that basically applies to someone who is carefully planning what they are going to do.  Whether it is translated “evil devices” or “discretion” seems to depend on the context, and to be honest, the mood of the scholar doing the work.  

Either way it would seem that people who carefully plan where they are going make the masses uncomfortable.  Think of what are being called “preppers”.  They look at history and current events and decide that it is a good idea to have extra water and food stored away.  If you agree with them you praise their wisdom.  If you don’t, they are panic mongering.  Same action, opposite response.

So?  Again the mantra:  Find out God’s standards and live by them.  If it is a moral issue like the ones involving abortion and sexual behavior or a financial decision about tithing, God gives us directions and we need to follow them, not the pagans in the world and the church. 

Bi-focal Lessons

(Pro 13:1 KJV)  A wise son heareth his father's instruction: but a scorner heareth not rebuke.

Do you have children?  Did they frustrate you?  Do they still frustrate you?  Welcome to the human race.  Keep in mind that a major responsibility of parenting is taking an untamed, savage, self-centered carrier of original sin and preparing them to respond to the call of God and the responsibilities of adulthood.  It isn’t easy.  It never has been and never will be.  

One of the things that we tend to forget when we read something like this is that wisdom does not come overnight.  Some are slow to learn.  I remember when I put on my first pair of bifocals.  It took me time to adjust.  Part of that was simply learning new reactions.  I don’t know how many times I bashed my head on the garage door before I learned to duck.  Wisdom is the same way.

So?  You are still learning, or at least I am.  Our children will be the same way.  Keep pestering and meddling until they wake up and say, “Oh, is that what you meant?” 

Be a Mystery

(Pro 12:23 KJV)  A prudent man concealeth knowledge: but the heart of fools proclaimeth foolishness.

If you walked into someone’s living room and saw a painting on the wall that looked like the work of Frederic Remington you would assume it was a copy.  When I was checking the spelling of his name I did a little looking at prices.  Originals at auction don’t give you much information on the price.  The one I found was in the $400,000 range to start.  Prints started at $25.  While I would assume that what I was looking at was a print, the wall of the living room might be a good place to hide an original.

There are many ways to “conceal” (3680) things.  We wrap packages when we are giving gifts.  We put small items under the seat of the car.  If we are wealthy enough to have anything of high value we can use a safe deposit box.  My daughter hides the cookies behind the vegetables.  In many cases they are only hidden from someone who does not really want them.  You can find them if you are serious.  That is why we sometimes get better results to God’s wisdom when we don’t wave it under people’s noses.

So?  If door to door witnessing doesn’t seem to be working, try to live in such a way that people wonder what your secret is. 

Job Calls

(Pro 11:3 KJV)  The integrity of the upright shall guide them: but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them.

As I looked at this word “integrity” (8538) I found that it is only used five times in the Old Testament.  Four of them were in Job.  Based on what I read there, integrity is not a popular virtue.  At one point Job’s wife said,

(Job 2:9 KJV)  Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die.

This was not a word of praise.  She was saying, “Stop being stupid, Job.  Give it up.  Let it go.”  Obviously this is not an easy standard.

The painful truth is that we are called to walk in righteousness in a world that hates righteousness.  We want to be liked.  We want to fit in.  We want to get along with our neighbors but the sad truth is that eventually the hatred will come out.

So?  We are still called to integrity.  Keep in mind that the world rejects God too.  That is the real reason why only a minority of humanity will be at the wedding feast of the Lamb.  I hope to see you there. 

Well Fed

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

Every month when I read this verse I am called back to the real promise.  I am reminded of the importance of comparing translations and have the value of the KJV repeated.  I am referring to the marginal reading of the NASB which is in the text of the KJV where the promise given is for the “soul” (5315) [nephesh] of the “righteous” (6662) not just the “righteous”.

I will concede and stipulate that God also promises to meet our physical needs but I am also aware that there are times of persecution where that is hard to understand.  The key point is that He will always make it possible to have fat souls and healthy bones.

So?  The shout is that God is faithful.  When you soul is well fed but your belly is empty you can sing a song and get on with life.  When your soul is starved and your belly is full it is time for depression. 

Rx

(Pro 9:11 KJV)  For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased.

Our health experts give us all kinds of wisdom.  Eggs are bad.  Salt is bad.  Coffee is bad.  Until they aren’t.  I used to think it was funny when visiting a doctor and having him tell me that I should quit drinking.  Now I think it is pathetic.  I have never been a drinker.  It has probably been at least 40 years since I even tasted alcohol.  In spite of that they spout their mantras.  

We go to doctors because they are supposed to be experts in what will keep us healthy.  Usually it is a facade.  My daughter called the doctor when one of the kids was throwing up and got a virtual visit with a PA.  It was helpful in establishing that we were dealing with a standard childhood sickness.  What was interesting was that if the child were really sick we were told to go to the ER.  Generally doctors want to see well patients or people with mysterious diseases that they can prescribe expensive medications for and give long term prognosis.  

So?  We need to keep reminding ourselves that it is God who determines how long we are going to live.  He gives us admonitions to wash our hands.  Yes, that is in the Bible.  He tells us to isolate ourselves.  He tells us to eat right.  He tells us to trust Him.  I think we are disappointed that He doesn’t give us a pill to take. 

Product Availability

(Pro 8:3 KJV)  She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors.

Wisdom is available all around us.  The problem is not lack of wisdom but a lack of listening.  Or it might be the laziness that gets us listening to the wrong things.  

One of the common complaints I hear and express is that you can’t seem to believe anything you read or hear any more.  I don’t care which side of the political divide you are on, if you are paying attention you know there is a lot of lying going on.  What is one to do?  If you are a Laodicean Christian or garden variety pagan, not much.  You are either luke-warm or on the wrong team.  

If you are serious about your Christian faith then you know that the first source of wisdom is the written word of God.  It is not a coincidence that Jesus said He was “the way, the truth and the life.”  It is not a historical oddity that the Bible has survived for thousands of years.  There is a foundation of laws, principles, examples, applications and whatever else you need to give you a basis for evaluating the world around you.  And remember that you should be preparing for the test before they put the scantron in front of you.

So?  Now where did you put your Bible?  Is that dust I see?

Types of Chains

(Pro 7:22 KJV)  He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks;

In our neighborhood we had a family that walked the streets with their pets:  a dog, a goat and a pig.  They were well behaved and got along famously.  It was quite a sight.

Time went by.  At times the dog was on a leash but only at specific times that the people knew it would not control itself.  The goat eventually went away because it started jumping on cars and such.  The pig was quite happy.  I imagine it was happy up until the day they took it to the bacon man.  Which one was the ox in our verse?  Which one am I?  Which one are you?  There are many kinds of chains and they effect our destiny.

So?  God might put us on a leash once in awhile if we can’t control ourselves.  The outlook for the totally rebellious is not good.  Meanwhile, look out for the bacon man.  There are places, activities, people who want nothing better than to make you history.

Entropy watch

(Pro 6:9 KJV)  How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?

I must confess, the yard needs mowing.  I am running out of excuses.  The wild flowers didn’t have much energy this year and seem to have moved on to “sluggard” (6102) status.  The thunderstorms seem to have passed by so the ground is no longer soggy.  I am running out of excuses.  

My form of sluggishness is entropy.  My movements are random and in disorder and it takes energy to line them up.  Once I get going I do okay.  I hope to live long enough to claim victory.  Meanwhile the grass still needs to be cut.

So?  I think some problems will always be with us and need constant fighting.  Just as an alcoholic must keep fighting the call of alcohol and gluttons like me must daily resist food, so the entropy class must strive for order.

Benefits of Bitter Pills

(Pro 5:12 KJV)  And say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof;

Why do I dislike being corrected?  Maybe you are different but I don’t like people telling me I am wrong whether it is on an opinion or how I mow the grass.  My hackles go up.  My heels dig in.  My teeth clinch.  You know the routine or you are blessed with being wise.

It isn’t just someone trying to share knowledge.  It is the assumption that I am inadequate and need their help.  This verse implies that there is a moral aspect when it talks about “reproof” (8433b).  This is a concept that is taught in both the Old and New Testaments.  It is common in Proverbs.  What we face is a culture that has denied personal responsibility and turned away from all being sinners to embrace the statement, “Judge not.”

So?  If you can get to the point of being receptive to correction, then good.  If you still struggle, be aware of the problem and admit that the problem is in the one being reproved, not the one pointing out the error or your ways.  It is called spiritual growth. 

Tracking

(Pro 4:21 KJV)  Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.

Tracking has become a big thing to the internet generation.  It is a big thing even to the elderly.  When you mail a package or Fed Ex it you get a tracking number and in theory you can go on line and find out exactly where the package is.  So they tell me.  I have never tried it.  The package is either here or it isn’t.  It doesn’t help me to know it was routed through South America to travel 30 miles down the road.

There are things that need to be tracked and it can’t be done on the internet.  I don’t know about you but I have a hard time remember pass words and pins.  The ones I remember are the ones I use on a regular basis.  Have you ever tried to remember the combination to your locker in high school?  I have nightmares at times where I can’t get the door open because of that.  

So?  The same can be true in the spiritual dimension.  One reason why it is important to exercise the spiritual disciplines is that it keeps the truth fresh in our minds and hearts. 

The Wisdom of Polarity

(Pro 3:18 KJV)  She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her.

It would help us if we would think about how some words have been used over the years.  “Happy” (833) to us today is an emotion that makes us feel on top of the world.  That is fine as far as it goes but this concept goes deeper than our bubbly emotions.  The root for “happy” has to do with making progress because we are walking straight.  This is the happy that comes from following directions and keeping out of the ditch.  

I just bought a battery tester for all the sizes I use around the house.  The directions make certain things clear, things that you would think would be automatic.  One of them is to make sure you connect the correct ends of the battery.  I have no idea what the penalty would be.  Do the makers show up at my door and confiscate the tester if I do it wrong?  Does it explode and wipe out the entire block?  Does it short out the battery and make it useless?  Probably none of these.  The key point, I think, is that if you get it in backwards it won’t work and you won’t be getting anywhere.

So?  Following the guidance of God’s wisdom will help us to get the batteries of life in with the right polarity.  It is a big step toward making the timer work. 

There Was A Crooked Man

(Pro 2:15 KJV)  Whose ways are crooked, and they froward in their paths:

Keep in mind that the idea of being “crooked” (6141) is heavily influenced by figurative and spiritual language.  If you are driving over a winding mountain road, the straightest thing you can do is drive crooked.  Take in the context.  The idea is not to condemn people who have a complicated path to follow.  It is for those who twist the path to their own use and ignore the path of righteousness.  

When we were young and even more foolish than today we flew into New York.  Since we did not know any better we took a cab to our hotel and were horrified at the cost.  Later we learned that we had been had.  The driver took a crooked route, knowing we were innocents, and spiked his payoff.  Just because your victims don’t know what you have done does not mean God is ignorant.

So?  There may be times where a choice of veering right or left is value neutral but much of the time there is a consideration of righteousness as defined by God Himself.  Veer at your own risk.

Simply Open

(Pro 1:4 KJV)  To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.

I am sure I have noted it before but one of the meanings of “simple” (naive NASB) (6612a) is “open minded”.  We live in a culture that has made being open minded a great virtue.  The reason that the pagans around us like that understanding is that it means they can fill the open minds with all the mush at their command.  It has the idea of a wide eyed Dorothy stepping out of black and white Kansas into the Technicolor of Oz and standing, mouth agape, staring around her.  Proverbs is the force that will pull aside the curtain and expose the wizards of the left.

I remember when the open school concept was the latest rage.  Walls were removed.  You could see across the entire building.  You were also distracted by everything that went by.  It did not help to educate the kids.

So?  Accept that there are reasons for walls, doors and glass in the windows.  Proverbs is to teach us where to put them and when to open them.  Pay attention.