A Golden Outcome

September 30, 2019 by Leave a Comment

Like a gold ring or an ornament of gold
    is a wise reprover to a listening ear.

Proverbs 25:12 ESV

The writer mentions two parties in this verse, the speaker and the listener, and both have an important part in the relationship.

The speaker is described as wise, and his words are corrective. And, though it is not stated specifically the speaker has a willingness to engage another who, given the context, is not doing something correctly. Thus, we could summarize the speaker’s qualities as wisdom and willingness.

In a similar way, the listener demonstrates a willingness to be engaged and corrected by another person, which demonstrates his own wisdom. We can say this with confidence, though it is not explicitly mentioned in this verse, because elsewhere in Proverbs, such a person is described as wise. For example, 10:1 says, “A wise son hears his father’s instruction ….”

The word picture used to illustrate these two people is a gold ring or a gold ornament. These items are used to add value or enhance someone or something else. Thus, the wise reprover adds value to the wise listener. In other words, “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another” (Proverbs 27:17).

Questions:

1. In what way are you preparing yourself to be a wise reprover? How do you build your credibility to offer reproof to another person.

2. Do you have a listening ear, one that accepts correction? When was the last time you received correction/instruction from another person? Did you receive that correction happily or begrudgingly? In what way can you improve in this area?

Filed Under: Helping Others, Old Testament, Proverbs, wisdom, Word Pictures

Take the Long View

September 25, 2019 by Leave a Comment

Fret not yourself because of evildoers,
    and be not envious of the wicked,
for the evil man has no future;
    the lamp of the wicked will be put out.

Proverbs 24:19-20 ESV

Wise parents teach their children the value of the long view, especially when their emotions typically overrule their reason. We can see things our kids can’t. “Be patient, and let’s see how this works out,” we might encourage them in a moment of crisis. “You may not think you need that now, but you will when you go to college … or get a job,” we may warn them when they don’t see the value in a particular course or assignment. “If you spend your money on that, it will be that much longer before you can buy that car,” we remind them at that moment when money is burning a hole in their pocket and they feel like they have to buy something. There are a variety of ways to say, “Take the long view.”

Here, the writer reminds us to “take the long view.” For those worrying that evildoers will ultimately triumph, don’t. For those thinking the wicked have it best, don’t. In those Genesis 3 to Revelation 20 moments, it’s easy to lose heart or focus … or hope. Do you ever wonder why those who pursue evil seem to succeed? You are not alone. In the words of some Old Testament prophets: “Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all who are treacherous thrive?” (Jeremiah 12:1) “You who are of purer eyes than to see evil and cannot look at wrong, why do you idly look at traitors and remain silent when the wicked swallows up the man more righteous than he?” (Habakkuk 1:13)

God answers Jeremiah and Habbakuk and you and me with a three word phrase throughout the Old Testament: “in that day.” This phrase, occurring more than 60 times (see list below), indicates a day of reckoning is coming. Take the long view because things will not always be as they are now. “In that day, … when all things will be made right” is the idea being conveyed. This is what the writer of Proverbs is conveying as well: “for the evil man has no future; the lamp of the wicked will be put out” (24:20).

Don’t lose heart; take the long view. Perhaps spending time in Revelation 20-22 would be helpful in giving meaning to the “long view.”

Questions:

  1. In what circumstances are you most tempted to take a short view of life or circumstances?
  2. In what way(s) could you encourage someone who is tempted to fret because of evildoers, or someone who is envious of the wicked?

NOTE: The phrase “in that day” occurs in:

Amos 8:3,9,13, 9:11

Isaiah 2:11,17,20, 3:7,18, 4:1,2, 5:30, 7:18,20,21,23, 10:20,27, 11:10,11, 12:1,4, 17:4,7,9, 19:16,18,19,21,23,24, 20:6, 22:8,20,25, 24:21, 25:9, 26:1, 27:1,2,12,13, 28:5, 29:18, 30:23, 31:7, 52:6

Jeremiah 4:9, 30:8, 48:41, 49:22,26, 50:30

Ezekiel 38:14,18

Hosea 1:5, 2:16,18,21

Joel 3:18

Obadiah 8

Micah 2:4, 4:6, 5:10, 7:12

Zechariah 2:11, 3:10

Filed Under: Proverbs, Thinkers

An Eternal Perspective

September 23, 2019 by Leave a Comment

Let not your heart envy sinners,
    but continue in the fear of the Lord all the day.
Surely there is a future,
    and your hope will not be cut off.

Proverbs 23:17-18

Here, the writer encourages his reader to take the long, eternal perspective. The natural tendency is to desire that which we can see. And in this case, the implication is to chase whatever it is that sinners have or are doing. Maybe it’s wealth. Prestige, perhaps. Whatever it is, the writer says, Don’t long for that! It’s here today, gone tomorrow. It’s temporal (see Ecclesiastes 1:3-4, Hebrews 11:24-25).

In contrast, we are encouraged to continue trusting, by faith, in the Lord.

The New Testament shares this same theme:

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

Hebrews 11:1

Hebrews 11 continues, “By faith …

  • we understand that the universe was created by the word of God
  • Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Can
  • Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death
  • Noah built an ark
  • Sarah received power to conceive
  • Abraham offered Isaac on the altar
  • Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau
  • Jacob, while dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph
  • Moses left Egypt
  • the people crossed the Red Sea
  • the walls of Jericho fell …”

What is to be gained for those who fear the Lord rather than envy the sinner? A hope and future that will not be cut off (Proverbs 23:18).

Questions:

What do you envy about sinners, in general, or a specific sinner?

Why is that, whatever it is, more inviting than a future that will not be cut off?

Filed Under: Proverbs, Thinkers, Uncategorized, wisdom

There’s a reason …

September 18, 2019 by Leave a Comment

A fool takes no pleasure in understanding,
but only in expressing his opinion.

Proverbs 18:2 ESV

My elementary school report cards were often littered with X’s on the Excessive Talking line, so it was not infrequent that I was reminded, “There’s a reason God gave you only one mouth and two ears.” In other words, “you should listen at least twice as much as you talk.” In the south, perhaps other places as well, this phrase is used as a logical argument for why a kid (or an obnoxious adult) should demonstrate self-control and talk less, particularly in a group setting.

In Proverbs 18:2, the writer is pressing deeper than simply the matter of self-control. Here, he is suggesting that for the fool what can appear to be a self-control issue is actually a window into the heart. The reason his mouth works overtime is pride.

Beware strong silent types, the fool doesn’t have to be a Chatty Kathy. A quiet reserved person can also struggle with pride, engaging with others only when his/her thoughts or opinion can be shared.

Proverbs fleshes out this idea in other places by describing the wise person. For example, “A wise son hears his father’s instruction, but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke” (13:1 ESV). Or, “Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning” (9:9 ESV).

Whether we are loud or quiet, an important question to ask ourselves is, What do my conversations reveal about my heart? Am I a fool who is only interested in sharing my own opinion or knowledge? Or, do I demonstrate wisdom by being open to instruction and/or correction? Am I willing to learn from others?

Filed Under: Proverbs, wisdom

When I am my own fool

September 16, 2019 by Leave a Comment

One doesn’t need to get very far into the book of Proverbs to see the writer’s emphasis on the contrast between wisdom and foolishness. Transparency alert: When reading through Proverbs, the temptation for a Bible College/Seminary professor (at least this one!) is to see this student or that student playing the part of the fool … you know, a contemporary example of the proverb under consideration.

A better approach to Bible study is to let the text correct oneself long before it is read to correct others. When reading Proverbs, I should be asking questions like: In the situation described here, am I wise or foolish? How does the text describe my own actions or thoughts?

Today, the text reminded me of my own error of seeing others in the text before seeing myself.

Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord; be assured, he will not go unpunished. (Proverbs 16:5 ESV)

Reading the text and immediately seeing how others are the fool before considering my own heart and actions demonstrates a foolish arrogance that doesn’t please the Lord.

Sometimes, I’m my own fool.

Filed Under: Proverbs, wisdom
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