Tag: God

Hiker standing on rocky mountain peak with sun rays breaking through clouds

Get While the Getting Is Good

Leave a comment

“A worthless person, a wicked man goes around speaking dishonestly, winking his eyes, signaling with his feet, and gesturing with his fingers. He always plots evil with perversity in his heart; he stirs up trouble. Therefore calamity will strike him suddenly; he will be shattered instantly, beyond recovery.” (Proverbs‬ ‭6‬:‭12‬-‭15‬ ‭CSB‬‬ – Read the chapter)

There is a basic human intuition that we should reap what we sow. If someone does good things, they should expect to receive good things coming back their way. If a person does evil things, however, just the opposite expectation should frame their thinking. Given the world as it actually seems to exist, we don’t necessarily see this kind of thing playing out as often as we’d like. Yet this basic intuition is more right than perhaps we realize—something the collection of Proverbs helps us to see. Let’s take a look at another of the many examples of what Solomon had to say about this.

Read the rest…
An ant carrying a clump of soil on a dirt surface with a sunset in the background.

The Great Worth of Work

Leave a comment

“Go to the ant, you slacker! Observe its ways and become wise. Without leader, administrator, or ruler, it prepares its provisions in summer; it gathers its food during harvest. How long will you stay in bed, you slacker? When will you get up from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the arms to rest, and your poverty will come like a robber, your need, like a bandit.” (Proverbs‬ ‭6‬:‭6‬-‭11‬ ‭CSB‬‬ – Read the chapter)

If ants were larger, or capable of self-reflection we’d be in trouble. They greatly outnumber us. It’s not even close. And they’re really strong. And organized. They work really well as a unit. They would take over quickly if they could. It’s bad enough stepping on a fire ant hill! Thankfully, God designed them to be not much of a threat. But they do offer an object lesson, one that Solomon uses here to call us to the wisdom of hard work. Let’s take a look.

Read the rest…
A cloaked figure stands at a signpost pointing to paths labeled Light and Dark Temptation under contrasting skies

Choosing the Right Path

Leave a comment

“So now, sons, listen to me, and don’t turn away from the words from my mouth. Keep your way far from her. Don’t go near the door of her house. Otherwise, you will give up your vitality to others and your years to someone cruel; strangers will drain your resources, and your hard-earned pay will end up in a foreigner’s house. At the end of your life, you will lament when your physical body has been consumed, and you will say, ‘How I hated discipline, and how my heart despised correction. I didn’t obey my teachers or listen closely to my instructors. I am on the verge of complete ruin before the entire community.’” (Proverbs‬ ‭5‬:‭7‬-‭14‬ ‭CSB‬‬ – Read the chapter)

When I was in college I read a book that profoundly shaped my understanding of sin. It’s called The Smell of Sin and the Fresh Air of Grace, by Don Everts. In the book he talked about several of the false ways that sin presents itself in order to capture our attention and devotion. One of those is that sin is enjoyable. Sin is often seductive. It is alluring. It draws us in with promises to satisfy all of our wants and desires. And as much as that is a lie of the highest order, we fall for it over and over and over again. If we buy those lines we will soon discover the trap we have fallen into. Let’s reflect on this with Solomon as he continues his warning against buying into sin’s seductions here.

Read the rest…
Open Bible with broken chains on wooden table at a rural forked path with sunset

The Fast Road to Nowhere

Leave a comment

“My son, pay attention to my wisdom; listen closely to my understanding so that you may maintain discretion and your lips safeguard knowledge. Though the lips of the forbidden woman drip honey and her words are smoother than oil, in the end she’s as bitter as wormwood and as sharp as a double-edged sword. Her feet go down to death; her steps head straight for Sheol. She doesn’t consider the path of life; she doesn’t know that her ways are unstable.” (Proverbs‬ ‭5‬:‭1‬-‭6‬ ‭CSB‬‬ – Read the chapter)

When Paul was warning the Corinthian church about sexual immorality, one of the things he observed to them was that sexual sins hurt ourselves. Most sin hurts other people when we do it. Sexual sin hurts us. It may hurt others too, but it definitely hurts us. Why would anyone do something they knew to be damaging to their body? It just doesn’t make a lot of sense. But unfortunately, folly in this particular area is frightfully hard to resist. We need the kind of wisdom Solomon calls us to here. Let’s talk about it.

Read the rest…
Woman sitting on couch reading book with laptop, phone, televisions, and magazines around

Guard Your Heart

Leave a comment

“My son, pay attention to my words; listen closely to my sayings. Don’t lose sight of them; keep them within your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and health to one’s whole body. Guard your heart above all else, for it is the source of life. Don’t let your mouth speak dishonestly, and don’t let your lips talk deviously. Let your eyes look forward; fix your gaze straight ahead. Carefully consider the path for your feet, and all your ways will be established. Don’t turn to the right or to the left; keep your feet away from evil.” (Proverbs‬ ‭4‬:‭20‬-‭27‬ ‭CSB‬‬ – Read the chapter)

Jesus once got in trouble with the religious authorities of His day because His disciples weren’t washing their hands the right way before eating. That seems like a terribly petty thing to us, but if your relationship with God depended on getting the rules right and there was a rule about washing your hands properly before eating, it would seem like a much bigger deal to you. In response, Jesus told His critics that what goes into the body is not what interrupts our relationship with God, but what comes out of it, and specifically out of our hearts. That means we need to watch what is coming into and out of our heart pretty closely. Solomon agrees. Let’s talk about it.

Read the rest…