Category: Morning Musings

Two men support each other in a debris-strewn informal settlement.

Trusting in Something Worthwhile

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“One person gives freely, yet gains more; another withholds what is right, only to become poor. A generous person will be enriched, and the one who gives a drink of water will receive water. People will curse anyone who hoards grain, but a blessing will come to the one who sells it. The one who searches for what is good seeks favor, but if someone looks for trouble, it will come to him. Anyone trusting in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like foliage.” (Proverbs‬ ‭11‬:‭24‬-‭28‬ ‭CSB – Read the chapter) ‬‬

My son asked me the other day about the difference between Karma and God’s justice. I explained that the former is impersonal and not something we can rely on without having to resort to explanations like that we all live multiple lives. Ultimately, it’s not just. The latter, on the other hand, is personal and just and righteous and always driven by love and grace. It is better in every way. But for all its flaws, that we invented an idea like Karma is unsurprising. We are made in the image of a God who is just and we long for justice in our very souls. The idea that people reap what they sow only makes sense to us. Several of this next group of proverbs would agree. Let’s take a look.

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Pig with a nose ring standing in a muddy farm pen

How to Live a Life of Substance

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“The wicked person earns an empty wage, but the one who sows righteousness, a true reward. Genuine righteousness leads to life, but pursuing evil leads to death. Those with twisted minds are detestable to the Lord, but those with blameless conduct are his delight. Be assured that a wicked person will not go unpunished, but the offspring of the righteous will escape. A beautiful woman who rejects good sense is like a gold ring in a pig’s snout. The desire of the righteous turns out well, but the hope of the wicked leads to wrath.” (Proverbs‬ ‭11‬:‭18‬-‭23‬ ‭CSB‬‬ – Read the chapter)

Our culture is suffering from a crisis of meaning. Having unmoored ourselves from the solid rock of Christian theism with its clear and compelling vision for each person’s life, we are searching with greater desperation for something, anything that can give our lives the substance we need. Work is sometimes one of those things, but again, without that large framework of meaning, it quickly becomes empty too. All the rewards we receive from it amount to nothing. Solomon warns us of that here at the beginning of our next group of proverbs. Let’s take a look at these together today.

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Playing Nice with Others

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“Whoever shows contempt for his neighbor lacks sense, but a person with understanding keeps silent. A gossip goes around revealing a secret, but a trustworthy person keeps a confidence. Without guidance, a people will fall, but with many counselors there is deliverance. If someone puts up security for a stranger, he will suffer for it, but the one who hates such agreements is protected. A gracious woman gains honor, but violent people gain only riches. A kind man benefits himself, but a cruel person brings ruin on himself.” (Proverbs‬ ‭11‬:‭12‬-‭17‬ ‭CSB‬‬ – Read the chapter)

In middle school I was getting picked on by a bully. On day I told my table partner in drafting class that I thought I could probably take him if his ever-present goon didn’t jump in. I was not looking for a fight by any stretch. I was simply expressing frustration with who I thought was a friend. He was not a friend. He wanted to see a fight. So, he promptly went and related to the bully my expressed confidence. My bully soon thereafter gave me the opportunity to test my claims (in the locker room after gym class just to keep things as cliched as they could possibly be). I talked my way out of getting my face pounded in…and I never shared anything with my table partner again. Solomon’s proverb in this next batch proved true. Let’s take a look at the rest.

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Man sawing a tree branch while park visitors look up

Creating a Path Safe for Moving Forward

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“Dishonest scales are detestable to the Lord, but an accurate weight is his delight. When arrogance comes, disgrace follows, but with humility comes wisdom. The integrity of the upright guides them, but the perversity of the treacherous destroys them. Wealth is not profitable on a day of wrath, but righteousness rescues from death. The righteousness of the blameless clears his path, but the wicked person will fall because of his wickedness. The righteousness of the upright rescues them, but the treacherous are trapped by their own desires.” (Proverbs‬ ‭11‬:‭1‬-‭6‬ ‭CSB‬‬ – Read the chapter)

There have been a number of particularly devastating wildfires in the last couple of years. There are nearly always wildfires burning somewhere in the country, but several recent ones have torn through populated areas. When a fire like that burns through, while having a lot of money can make recovery easier on the backside, it doesn’t do a thing to prevent the fires from consuming everything in their path. There are many things money can cover, but not everything. Solomon talks about something from this latter category in this next batch of proverbs. Let’s take a look.

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Collage with “WELCOME: ALL NEIGHBORS,” neighbors sharing food, painting a mural, and meeting together

A Milestone Worth Noting

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“The father of a righteous son will rejoice greatly, and one who fathers a wise son will delight in him.” (Proverbs 23:24 – CSB Read the chapter)

If you are doing the math and puzzling over why we have jumped from chapter 10 to chapter 23 in our journey through Proverbs, bear with me because there’s a method to my madness today. I remember being in a conference one time with a guy who had written a book about parenting when he still had young children at home. Fortunately, this was many years later, and he was looking back at his effort with some wry humor at how much he had learned since then. I feel the same. In eighteen years of ministry, I have never preached a sermon about parenting. Honestly, I haven’t even thought about it more than once or twice. Perhaps I will yet someday when I don’t have anymore children at home, and I can be more properly reflective of the whole endeavor. Well, today I am officially a third of the way there, and I can’t help but be a bit reflective.

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