May Devotions

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" height=115 style=" border-bottom: 1px solid #000000;" BGCOLOR="#FFFFCC" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B> <TABLE BORDER="1" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="525" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#333300" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="NONE" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" BGCOLOR=#FFCCB2 > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 49 WIDTH="80"><div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="age"><B><IMG SRC="03f0e0e0.png" border=0 width="14" height="14" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="age"><B>Home </B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="age"><B>Page</B></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id3.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="ministries"><B><IMG SRC="03a0e0e0.png" border=0 width="14" height="14" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id3.htm" TARGET="_top" 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valign="top" height=365 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div>  <A NAME="1"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="2" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="501" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" BGCOLOR=#EEEEEE > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 78 ><NOBR><div> Proverbs 16:19<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Kabel Bk BT" > </FONT></div> <div> <B>It </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#808080" FACE="Verdana" ><I><B>is</B></I></FONT><B> better </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#808080" FACE="Verdana" ><I><B>to be</B></I></FONT><B> of a lowly spirit among the downcast</B></div> <div> <B>than to divide the spoil with the upper </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#555555" FACE="Verdana" ><I><B>class</B></I></FONT><B>.  </B></div> <bR> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div>  </div> <div> <B><U>Words of the Verse</U></B><B>:</B></div> <bR> <div>     The Hebrew word for "lowly" is translated "low", "lower", "deep," etc., most of the 19 times it occurs.  Its root means "to depress, sink (figuratively, to humiliate)".</div> <div>     "Downcast" is literally "depressed" ( as in 'pushed down').</div> <div>     "Upper class" means "lofty", from a root meaning "to mount up", usually translated "proud".</div> <div>     "Among" and "with" are from the same Hebrew word.</div> <div>     </div> <div> <B><U>Analysis of the Verse</U></B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="GoudyOlSt BT" >:</FONT></div> <bR> <div> Being Compared<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="GoudyOlSt BT" >:</FONT></div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">A sunken spirit in the company of the downtrodden</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Dividing plunder in the company of the higher classes</div> <bR> <div> Their Descriptions:</div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Better</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Worse</div> <bR> <div> <B><U>Teaching of the Verse</U></B>:</div> <bR> <div>     This proverb is the flip side of the previous one.  There we learned about a haughty spirit, one that looks upward and feels it deserves more.  Now Solomon tells us that we are not merely to quell our conceited urges.  We must actually ATTAIN a certain spirit.  We actually NEED a <U>lowly</U> spirit, one that 'hugs the earth,' if you will; one that is so aware of the poisons in the air, even at our normal head height, that it tends to slump its shoulders and bend its back and knees to avoid them.</div> <div>     So what is the difference between this lowly spirit and discouragement?  Well, the lowly spirit we're describing actually belongs to someone who walks confidently BUT cautiously.  His inner spirit shrinks, but this causes his outward man to beam.  And why?  Because it is down low that the man has met the Lord.  The Lord came to him and became his strength in his 'depressed' condition.  Therefore, he is not depressed (as an emotional state), but joyful- as long as he remembers the dangers of pride.  The minute he begins to adopt confidence through and through,* as though HE had attained something- well, look at the previous proverb; he has an appointment with the ground, and not a friendly one.</div> <div>     Most people live life angry because of their constant falls caused by their constant pride.  We never learn.  We are always convinced we deserve better- from man AND from God (though we don't realize they're grousing about God's gifts and dealings).  Adopting a lowly spirit, one that lives with limitations- 'deserved' or not- is the only fix.  But adopting a lowly spirit is basically choosing to be a different person.  Becoming a real Christian is becoming a lowly person to a whole new extreme, in a whole new category.</div> <bR> <div>     How does Solomon persuade us of lowliness' superiority?  He insists that it is EVEN better to choose lowliness with a company of losers.  That's right.  "Dividing the spoil" is something winners do.  Spoil is the gain you've acquired after you've won.  Solomon says that THIS is how important a lowly spirit is:  It's better to excuse yourself from the company of winners- permanently if necessary-if you cannot have a lowly spirit there.  And, let's face it, what's the whole goal of the winners in every generation?  To RISE.  That's their spirit.  Either to rise or, having risen, maintain elevation.  Solomon is telling us that it is better to take a lower paying job all your life rather than ruin your spirit by putting it on the perpetual escalator of success-hunting.</div> <div>     Wow.  Not a very American message.  It is so plain, though.  Solomon shows us two groups.  He tells us that the 'loser' group (those who didn't win, can't seem to win, or have given up on winning) is preferable if that is where our spirits will stay in check.  He's definitely teaching the natural megalomania of the human spirit.  We have to sit among the fallen, the broken, even the quitters in order to <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Poor Richard" ><I>weigh our spirits down sufficiently</I></FONT> to keep them from swelling and eventually popping.</div> <div>     Of course, at the bottom there will be attitudes we must not adopt from many losers.  Many losers are not really the lowly.  Their circumstance is lowly, but they themselves are not.  Obviously we should not choose the company of grousers.  But we may have to put up with some complainers if we choose life at the bottom end.</div> <div>     Solomon's real point, though, is not that we must actually join a certain economic group.  He is really telling us to join a SPIRITUAL group.  We ARE in a company of similar spirit right now, every moment of our lives- either proud or lowly.  Once we attain a lowly spirit, we ARE in select company.  The truly humble are the few.  And oh how we must <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Poor Richard" ><I>yearn </I></FONT>for lowliness to even <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Poor Richard" ><I>hope </I></FONT>to attain it!</div> <bR> <div>     Another angle on this proverb views the <B>way </B>riches are usually acquired.  "Spoils" are usually gained by force.  In a regular job advancement setting, the force usually includes lying and betraying.</div> <div>     Riches of themselves are normally viewed as blessings from God (Prov. 3:16, 8:18).  Negative statements about wealth are always in the context of those who trust in them or, as in our present verse, in considering the company we keep.  Unfortunately, human nature generally dictates that wealth and its society is accompanied by spiritual decay.</div> <div>     Here we are specifically gauging what and whom we <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>value </I></FONT>in life.  Would we really consider ourselves blessed to dwell among the 'have-nots' of society, those who are treated as second-class citizens?  Or would this always be a merely hypothetical issue for us?  "I suppose I could hang with the po' folks if I needed to; good thing I <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>really don't have to</I></FONT>, though!"</div> <div>     Solomon is telling us that there are <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>real choices</I></FONT> to be made.  Yes, most of us won't have to go all the way down to the very dregs of society to avoid complicity with the dishonest.  But most of us <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>will </I></FONT>have to choose whether we will stay in a certain line of work, a certain company, or a certain circle of associates when we find principles of integrity being ignored.  Or we may have to choose whether we will seek to <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>move up</I></FONT> into such ranks.  </div> <div>     The problem is, our inherent love of money (or the comforts it provides) tends to blind us to the compromises we make in these cases.  Furthermore, we may have become real friends with the people in a higher income bracket, people who don't understand the big deal we're making about company ethics (or whatever our conscience quibble is).</div> <div>     Yes, this is an intensely practical proverb.  It is stated in such a way that the wise man has to glean the challenge being issued; but we were told the purpose of Proverbs from the outset and throughout the first nine chapters.  If we're reading them to vindicate our own practices or lifestyle, we won't profit from them any more than from any Scripture.  All <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I><B>I</B></I></FONT> am supposed to see in this proverb is where <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I><B>I</B></I></FONT> am tempted to compromise God's will.  I am supposed to ask, "What, in <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>my </I></FONT>situation, is tempting me to <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>stay </I></FONT>in an unethical situation OR to <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>move into</I></FONT> an unethical (or less-than-ethical) situation?"  </div> <div>     We all tend to fall into discontent about our situations, especially when lack of funds has put us in a bind.  The repairs that have to wait, the improvements that have to wait...  The possibility of greater income or an easier situation presents itself to our minds.  Means to those ends also present themselves to our minds.  The questions our proverb has us ask are these:</div> <bR> <div>    1)  What is unacceptable about my present situation?  (Go ahead, gripe.  God's listening.)</div> <div>    2)  Is it really bad to have to struggle to make ends meet?</div> <div>    3)  Am I approaching my <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>present </I></FONT>occupation honestly?  (This includes giving a full day's work for a full day's pay)</div> <div>    4)  Would I have as much sympathy for or contact with the poor if I were in a higher income bracket?</div> <div>    5)  Do I sincerely thank the Lord for my present situation?</div> <div>    6)  Would I feel insulted in the company of less sophisticated people? (With whom did Jesus eat?)</div> <bR> <div>     We do not know what new company we would adopt in a higher economic bracket.  God does.  Maybe we bemoan our spartan existence foolishly.  Maybe God is keeping us in the circles where we can serve Him with integrity.</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Perpetua" >*  </FONT>And this is not saying that we're supposed to ignore our relative superiority of ability (and all human ability is only <B>relatively </B>better or worse).  If we're good at something, we don't have to pretend we're not; it's just a matter of HOW we sport it.  It <I>would </I>be better to let our talent go unnoticed than for it to become a source of pride.  But as long as we truly give credit where it's due- Divinely and humanly- we can still stay in good shape: a lowly shape<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Perpetua" >.</FONT></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> *************************************************************************</div> <bR> <div>  <A NAME="may_2"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="2" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="485" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" BGCOLOR=#FFCCCC > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 78 ><NOBR><div> Proverbs 16:20<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Kabel Bk BT" > </FONT></div> <div> <B>He who discerns the Word finds good. </B></div> <div> <B>And he who takes refuge in Jehovah- blessed is he! </B><B>  </B></div> <bR> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div>  </div> <div> <B><U>Words of the Verse</U></B><B>:</B></div> <bR> <div>     If Solomon wanted to say, "He who handles a matter discerningly" or "He who discerns a matter", he might likely have used the same words translated above, "He who discerns the Word."  This is because the common Hebrew term for "word" is also the common word for "matter" and "thing".  Therefore, he could also be referring to discerning a man's "word" rather than God's.</div> <div>     </div> <div> <B><U>Analysis of the Verse</U></B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="GoudyOlSt BT" >:</FONT></div> <bR> <div> Being Compared<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="GoudyOlSt BT" >:</FONT></div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">He who discerns the Word</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">He who takes refuge in Jehovah</div> <bR> <div> Descriptions:</div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Finds good</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">How blessed he is!</div> <bR> <div> <B><U>Teaching of the Verse</U></B>:</div> <bR> <bR> <div>     "He who discerns a matter."  This is a description of someone with insight, someone who SEES what he <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Poor Richard" ><I>should </I></FONT>see <B>by </B>God's outline and pointers and <B>under </B>God's direction.  This would be the description of the same man if he were discerning "a word," as it may also be translated, or if he were discerning "the Word," which it may also be rendered.  In fact, Solomon may be intending us to see all three shades of meaning in the verse.  "He who figures out a <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Perpetua Titling MT" >matter </FONT><U>finds good</U>."  So does someone who sees into others' <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Perpetua Titling MT" >words</FONT>.  Someone who fathoms the <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Perpetua Titling MT" >Scriptures </FONT>has certainly acquired the greatest advantage.  Each of these results is true; let us consider them as though Solomon intended us to see all three. </div> <div>     First, someone who simply figures out a <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Perpetua Titling MT" >matter</FONT>/a situation obtains benefit.  Why?  There is no way to improve ourselves in any situation which we fail to understand.  For one thing, discernment allows us to approach situations cautiously.  Almost any circumstance in life contains hidden dangers, unseen potential for harm.  A discerning man remembers that "sin entered the world, and death through sin."  He therefore looks as far down the road as he can in any episode of life, envisaging possible setbacks.  <B>But </B>he knows that there will still be latent factors which he will never see himself.  That is why the truly discerning man is also one who "takes refuge in Jehovah."  His study of life never turns to worry, because he recognizes the line beyond which God simply has to take care of things.  God holds us accountable for what we <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Poor Richard" ><I>can </I></FONT>assess, but that includes the certainty that inquiring directly of <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Poor Richard" ><I>Him </I></FONT>is our most crucial clue in any of life's puzzles.</div> <div>     Secondly, someone who sees into a <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Perpetua Titling MT" >word </FONT>finds good for himself.  This is a deeper type of insight than the former, for this one sees into the motives and very soul of a human.  He who "discerns the word" of another man actually knows that <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Poor Richard" ><I>man </I></FONT>to that extent.  Many times this means seeing <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Poor Richard" ><I>around </I></FONT>an evasive word, but it almost always involves seeing deeper than <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Poor Richard" ><I>mere </I></FONT>words.  This is not to suggest the inadequacy of words, but rather the inadequacy of men as communicators.  Words as tools are perfect for the intelligent (God being at the top of that list), but most people don't realize the power of their words, so they lazily communicate with the easiest ones they can muster.  The discerning listener gathers what the speaker <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Poor Richard" ><I>seeks </I></FONT>to convey via that selection.  This means that a perceptive listener himself CANNOT be lazy, whether the speaker is or not.</div> <div>     Here we have an insight into con men.  They are very discerning in an evil way.  That is, they listen for clues in what other men say; they "discern a communication," figure out what other men want or need, and <B>prey </B>on that.  Just as the Bible speaks of "the wisdom of this world," there is also the discernment of evil men.  Let <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Poor Richard" ><I>us </I></FONT>see into men's words as deeply for GOOD as they do for evil purposes.</div> <div>     Finally, the most important insight is that into the <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Perpetua Titling MT" >Word of God</FONT>.  The one who fathoms God's words interacts with the one who put him together.  Jesus is the alpha and omega, those being the first and last letters of an alphabet.  All meaning can be expressed in words, and all words are restricted to an alphabet, just like you and I (and squirrels and lilies) are expressed through just 4 DNA components.  Everything we are is coded therein.  All expression of meaning is encoded within an alphabet.  Jesus is the beginning and ending of life's alphabet, of its meaning.  You must start and end with Him.  He who "grasps the Word" makes sense of Jesus.  He discovers the sense that IS Jesus.  The sense he makes of himself, the world, and others is THROUGH Jesus.  He listens to God's mind expressed in Scriptures; "we have the mind of Christ."</div> <div>     The starting point is to say, "God makes sense.  God is the smartest.  God is also the most powerful; He could cause to be written exactly what He wanted.  He was also able to preserve that writing for me to read."  After that, the trick is simple.  Never let the Bible fall short of being God's Word.  Always make sure you let it say what it says.  Make sure you never let it be inconsistent (you cannot <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Poor Richard" ><I>cause </I></FONT>the Bible to be consistent; you can only treat it as though it were.  It's a matter of faith.  The Bible will be as big as God is <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Poor Richard" ><I>if </I></FONT>you believe He wrote it).  </div> <div>     This ultimately takes a great deal of reading and comparing and thinking.  I must know the Bible thoroughly in order to treat it consistently.  Hear this:  He who has the most consistent Bible has the Bible that is the most God's, for how can God be inconsistent?  If your Bible is sensible end to end, no mysteries, no loose ends, you have God, for He wrote nothing to mystify us, but only to communicate with us.  Yes, he who "comprehends the Word" locates good, locates the best, locates God.</div> <bR> <div> [ORIGINAL DEVOTION on this proverb]</div> <div>     Since the second half of the verse speaks of our relation to God, the first half seems better taken in terms of His Word.</div> <div>     To discern the Word is to understand what God is saying.</div> <div>     The important thing about comprehending God's words is this:  it is <B>not easy</B>, but it is what humans were originally designed for.  We have to rediscover that original design.  In doing so, we have to <B>break the mold</B> of our sinful design.  Therefore, learning the Word is essentially breaking our sinful mold.  The more God's words are taken in, the more of our rebellious thought patterns are exposed and replaced.  The danger is that we tend to take in God's words <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>in terms of</I></FONT> our sinful thought patterns:</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#008080" FACE="Georgia" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008080" FACE="Eurostile" >2 Pet 3:15, 16</FONT>  And think of the long-suffering of our Lord <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#808080" FACE="Eurostile" ><I>as</I></FONT> salvation, as also our beloved brother <U>Paul wrote</U> to you, according to the wisdom given to him;  as also in all <U>his epistles</U>, speaking in them concerning these things, in which are <U>some things hard to understand</U>, which <U>the unlearned</U> and unsettled <U>pervert</U>, as also <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#555555" FACE="Eurostile" ><I>they do</I></FONT>  the rest of the Scriptures, to <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#555555" FACE="Eurostile" ><I>their</I></FONT>  own destruction. </div> <bR> <div>     The unlearned haven't found out how to listen to God.  They can read the Bible, but all they hear are creaturely voices, not the Creator's.</div> <div>     At this point, many peoples' defense mechanisms pop up:  "But if they're reading the Bible, shouldn't God manifest Himself to them?  If they can twist His words, He must not be clear enough."  So they place the responsibility for man understanding Scripture on God.  Clearly, though, God has done his part:</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#008080" FACE="Georgia" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008080" FACE="Eurostile" >Deut 30:11 - 14</FONT>  For this commandment which I command you today <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#555555" FACE="Eurostile" ><I>is</I>  </FONT><U>not hidden</U> from you, <U>neither is it far off</U>.   It <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#808080" FACE="Eurostile" ><I>is</I></FONT> not in Heaven, <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#444444" FACE="Eurostile" ><I>that you should</I> </FONT>say, Who shall go up for us to Heaven, and bring it to us, so that we may hear it and do it?  Nor <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#444444" FACE="Eurostile" ><I>is</I> </FONT>it beyond the sea,<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#444444" FACE="Eurostile" > <I>that you should</I></FONT> say, Who shall go over the sea for us to the region beyond the sea, and bring it to us, so that we may hear it and do it?  But the <U>Word</U> <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#444444" FACE="Eurostile" ><I>is</I> </FONT><U>very near you</U>, in your mouth and in your heart, so that you may do it. </div> <bR> <div>     God is saying that the Word is a communication <B>meant for humans</B>.  It was not given to mystify, but to draw us near to God.</div> <div>     Does this mean that it is <B><U>easy</U></B>?  No.  It means that whatever is difficult in the Word is not much different than what is difficult in life.  We often have to work extra hard to put food on the table.  So with our labors in the Word.  Are we meant to labor in the Word?</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#008080" FACE="Georgia" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008080" FACE="Eurostile" >2 Tim 2:15</FONT>  Give diligence to present yourself approved by God, a <U>toiler</U> who doesn't need to be ashamed, correctly dissecting the Word of Truth. </div> <bR> <div>     Implication: no 'sweat' over the Scriptures = shame.</div> <div>     And this is exactly where most people find themselves:  content with what they already know in Scriptures.  No need to labor, not even in listening closely to someone else's exposition of the Word.  Whole churches have remained spiritual dwarfs, never growing beyond Christian infancy:</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#008080" FACE="Georgia" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008080" FACE="Eurostile" >Heb 5:12, 13</FONT>  For indeed because of the time <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#555555" FACE="Eurostile" ><I>you are</I></FONT> due to be teachers, <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#555555" FACE="Eurostile" ><I>yet</I> </FONT>you need to have someone to teach you again the rudiments of the beginning of the Words of God, and you came to be having <U>need of milk</U>, and not of solid food;  for everyone partaking of milk <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#555555" FACE="Eurostile" ><I>is</I> </FONT>without experience <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#808080" FACE="Eurostile" ><I>i</I></FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#555555" FACE="Eurostile" ><I>n the</I></FONT> <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Eurostile" > </FONT>Word of Righteousness, for he is an <U>infant</U>. </div> <bR> <div>     Then, true to form, fallen human nature takes its toll on the few who <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Poor Richard" ><I>are </I></FONT>studious in Scriptures.  Most academic types get their fulfillment from the labor and the discovery.  Our proverb indicates what the study is <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>for</I></FONT>, and it is not for its own ends.</div> <div>     "He who takes refuge in Jehovah- how blessed is he!"  The study is for one purpose:  to learn the mind of Christ that we may <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>entrust our lives to it</I></FONT>.  Again, how ironic, but many of the most 'surrendered' Christians, abandoned completely to the will of God, are those who have little care in discerning God's will by hard labor.  They may be willing to pray and fast to learn God's will, but not study.  Where can we find a Scripturally well-rounded Christian?  Those who study, sit; those who just run out to serve leave knowledge on the shelf!</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> *************************************************************************</div> <bR> <div>  <A NAME="may_3"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="2" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="458" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" BGCOLOR=#FFFF99 > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 78 ><NOBR><div> Proverbs 16:21<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Kabel Bk BT" > </FONT></div> <div> <B>The wise in heart shall be proclaimed insightful, </B></div> <div> <B>and sweetness of lips increases learning. </B><B>  </B></div> <bR> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div>  </div> <div> <B><U>Words of the Verse</U></B><B>:</B></div> <bR> <div>     The first half of the verse might be better translated, "The wise in heart shall be <U>addressed</U> as an intelligent / insightful one."</div> <div>     </div> <div> <B><U>Analysis of the Verse</U></B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="GoudyOlSt BT" >:</FONT></div> <bR> <div> Being Compared<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="GoudyOlSt BT" >:</FONT></div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Wisdom of heart</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Attractiveness of speech</div> <bR> <div> Descriptions:</div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Brings a reputation for keen judgment</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Increases receptivity</div> <bR> <div> <B><U>Teaching of the Verse</U></B>:</div> <bR> <div>     Following a verse on study of the sacred text and its fruit of confiding in God, we move on to further fruits of Bible study.  Two additional factors Solomon says will be true of the proven student of the Word are a reputation for <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>keen insight</I></FONT> and an ability to <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>transfer the knowledge</I></FONT> of Scriptures.</div> <div>     Both these factors imply that the true Bible student is a <B>doer</B>.  He does not study and sit.  He does not study and leave his work in the realm of academia.  He uses his knowledge to help others, to solve problems, to heal relationships.  This is what gains him a reputation as an insightful person.  </div> <div>     Secondly, he is proven to be a <B>doer </B>by the fact that he hones his communication of Scriptural truths into piercing arrows of Spirit-guided persuasion.  He realizes that God did not grant him insight for bragging rights, but to herald a message.  Which vehicle is better for teaching truth- vague, poorly-worded, or simply pale formulations; or words that reach men's spirits with convicting power, words that make clear, commanding, and relevant what God is saying in His Word?  (Your answer should reflect what you believe Scriptures to <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>already </I></FONT>be)    </div> <div>     This does not mean some slick, polished, high-powered presentation that wows its hearers all by itself.  Each truth in God's Word has suitable means by which it may be communicated.  The point is not for us to be able to brandish our teaching skills; the point is to elucidate what God has said.  To do so, our teaching skills should be fine-tuned to their highest potential, but usually that means saying things the most <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>simply </I></FONT>and <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>briefly</I></FONT>.  Good summaries of truth are very difficult to sculpt.  Effective ways to drive them home are a real challenge.</div> <div>     The "wise in heart" is the Christian whose heart has expanded sufficiently to view many factors from many angles.  For him, wisdom does not merely reside in Scriptures any longer, but now wisdom can be said to reside in his heart.  This is because he has taken in a great deal of Scripture and has a good comprehensive knowledge of it.  He has reached the point where there are no passages of Scripture he cannot explain in terms of his overall view of Scripture.  Every problem that comes before him suggests a passage of Scripture to his mind as a solution, and he knows how closely parallel the passage is to the problem, or by how many steps he has had to generalize the Biblical principle to answer the problem at hand.</div> <div>     Because the Bible is God's book, anyone who has such a comprehensive handle on it will be giving God's viewpoint when he analyzes situations.  God's viewpoint cannot help being the most correct.  Therefore, the wise in heart gains a <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>reputation </I></FONT>as an insightful person.</div> <div>     And the same Book that gives him the principles of wisdom also gives him the principles for <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>conveying </I></FONT>that wisdom.  God informs him of his role as a messenger.  The wise sees the way that Paul talks about himself in relation to the churches where he ministered.  He sees that the key to good communications is a heart for your audience, like Paul had for the churches.  When you are ardent for men's souls, and you know that the message you carry is their health and peace, love drives your mind and tongue to inspired heights.  </div> <div>     You do not have to 'add syrup' to what you are saying to make it sweet.  The <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>sweetness </I></FONT>will be present <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>naturally</I></FONT>, like fructose, sucrose, glucose, etc., which God includes in fruits, vegetables, etc.  A gospel that has to go outside the message itself for sweetness is like a candy gospel, full of sugar in unnatural proportions.  Such a gospel relies on "God loves you", and "Jesus died for you", phrases never found in any of the sermons in Acts.  The sweetness in the apostles' messages in Acts came from their desire for God's glory and the knowledge that their audiences were separated from Him by sin.  They knew the difference between persuasion and emotional cajoling.</div> <div>     When it comes to teaching Christians, the same thing is true.  We are not to assume that our audience will find our words succulent (close to the literal meaning of "sweetness"), even if they are good Christians.  We are to embody our message in proper wording <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>in honor of the message itself</I></FONT>.  Our manner of speech should betray our love of the message and its Author.  Our love for our audience should be our awareness of their need for that message and its Author.</div> <div>     Do you have a reputation for heart wisdom?  Or have you, like most of Christianity in our day, settled for a great deal of Scriptural ignorance as unavoidable?  (i.e., God isn't as clear as we'd like Him to be)</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> ***********************************************************************</div> <bR> <div>  <A NAME="may_4"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="2" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="493" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" BGCOLOR=#CCCCFF > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 78 ><NOBR><div> Proverbs 16:22<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Kabel Bk BT" > </FONT></div> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Verdana" ><B>Discernment </B></FONT><I><B>is</B></I><B> </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Verdana" ><B>a wellspring of life to its possessors, </B></FONT></div> <div> <B>but disciplining the imperceptive </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#555555" FACE="Verdana" ><I><B>is</B></I><B> </B></FONT><B>imperceptive.</B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Georgia" > </FONT><B>  </B></div> <bR> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div>  </div> <div> <B><U>Words of the Verse</U></B><B>:</B></div> <bR> <div>     "Wellspring" is from a word meaning "dug".</div> <div>     We have usually translated "the imperceptive" as "the dull-witted", and the like.</div> <div>     </div> <div> <B><U>Analysis of the Verse</U></B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="GoudyOlSt BT" >:</FONT></div> <bR> <div> Being Compared<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="GoudyOlSt BT" >:</FONT></div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Those who possess discernment / intelligence</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">The instruction (or chastisement) of the dull</div> <bR> <div> Descriptions:</div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">It is a spring of life for them</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Is <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#555555" FACE="Lucida Sans Unicode" ><I>ultimately </I></FONT>a mindless thing to do</div> <bR> <div> <B><U>Teaching of the Verse</U></B>:</div> <bR> <div>     The fool is by nature inveterate.  Solomon holds out hope for the <B>simple</B>, but the two kinds of <B>fools </B>Solomon presents throughout Proverbs are both <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>hopeless </I></FONT>until they become something other than fools.  The 'dim-wit' in our proverb is not just shy a few marbles.  He has <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>chosen </I></FONT>to see the world through foggy spectacles.  He doesn't want it the way it really is; he takes it the way he sees it.  In his own mind, he is not lacking sense at all.  Whoever disagrees with him is the senseless one.</div> <div>     The wise, in the several forms he has appeared, also has a fixed character.  Solomon presents the wise man as the mature Christian, or at least one of a stable, dominant righteousness.  Our proverb pictures the wise man as a sort of land-owner.  He has co-title to a piece of land housing a spring called discernment which flows with a water possessing life.  He is always able to draw from this water.  It always invigorates and renews him.  As long as he has the deed to the parcel, his enjoyment of the water is not in danger.  He received the deed by purchase, the purchase <U>price</U> being the labors he expends in <U>studying</U> the king's law.  The king, of course, owns the land outright, but shares it freely with his subjects, requiring only the investment of attention to the kingdom's customs, especially as derived from the royal archives and the king's schools (including courses ranging from elocution before the king to cleaning common men's stables).</div> <div>     The subjects who gain co-title to the king's lands are no less than princes.  Their access to all noble possessions is secured to them.  Only if they forfeit property rights by defaulting on <U>payment</U> will they cease to enjoy the benefits, such as the spring.  Whenever they take their privileges for granted, cease to consider the kings ways or cease to conform their spirits to them, the king has such control of the whole geography of the kingdom as to make the water table lower, effectively cutting off the spring from the presumptuous prince.</div> <div>     The king owns the land outright.  His son has purchased the land for all the tenants, and all the tenants are written onto his property rights.  Their names are even changed to the son's family name.  The son and his father, therefore, require that these adopted family members honor the family name.  Those without this honor in effect show a preference for other sustenance than the king's water.  His change in the water table is hardly necessary, since they already begin digging new wells by hand and machine, alone and in groups, cupping refreshing draughts of mud to their lips and exclaiming its excellence.</div> <div>     Those who are truly king's children will eventually find the mud disagreeable.  They were mud-men before, but no more.  When they come to their senses, they will look down and find new springs of king's water at their feet!  His waters have sought <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>them </I></FONT>out (again)!  The king's words are again precious to them, and his water sweeter than ever.  They may find, however, that the former spring stays blocked up.  The new spring is the same water, but the barren well will always remind them of their folly, lest they repeat it.</div> <div>     This, then, makes the third proverb in a row on the necessity and benefits of Scriptures for the Christian.  The Scriptures are life to the child of God.  They minister the fruit of the Spirit to him.  He knows the ways of the Lord.  He has purchased this knowledge by diligence of study and practicum.  He finds that much of the King's knowledge is actually service.</div> <div>     The <B>fool </B>cannot be taught the King's ways.  The fool cannot conform to them.  There are many of the King's precepts that appeal to him- he uses them to his advantage.  He finds the King's people agreeable- he uses them.  Ultimately, though, while men gather at the springs of discernment, he is bringing the old mud to his mouth.  He is reaching down near the same source.  No one is really nosy enough to inspect the contents of his hands closely.  It is assumed that he is drinking what is available.  Not until his ways begin to prove ignoble do some begin to wonder if he is a trespasser on King's land.  </div> <div>     The sad duty of princes is to detect (by obvious signs, not nosiness) and expel counterfeits.  To continue to try and make King's men out of mud-men is fruitless.  Accepted into the King's fellowship, eventually they will offer mud to King's children.  They know no better.  If we have accepted them, we will have to assume that it is King's water they offer.  They become the channel by which we newly acquire a taste for mud.  The discipline of mud-men in King's ways is muddy-minded madness.</div> <div>     "Ah!  But if we allow him at the King's table, he might well become a King's man!"</div> <div>     Ah, but until the King changes him, he is a mud-man at the King's table.  </div> <div>     We have been warned.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> **********************************************************************</div> <bR> <div>  <A NAME="may_5"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="2" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="493" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" BGCOLOR=#CCCC99 > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 78 ><NOBR><div> Proverbs 16:23<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Kabel Bk BT" > </FONT></div> <div> <B>The wise one's heart makes his mouth intelligent, </B></div> <div> <B>and increases learning </B><B>to his lips</B><B>.</B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Georgia" > </FONT><B>  </B></div> <bR> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div>  </div> <div> <B><U>Words of the Verse</U></B><B>:</B></div> <bR> <div>     "Intelligent" is one of our proverbs words for the wise. </div> <div>     </div> <div> <B><U>Analysis of the Verse</U></B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="GoudyOlSt BT" >:</FONT></div> <bR> <div> Being Considered<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="GoudyOlSt BT" >:</FONT></div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">The heart of the wise</div> <bR> <div> Descriptions:</div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Makes his mouth discerning</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Adds instruction to his lips</div> <bR> <div> <B><U>Teaching of the Verse</U></B>:</div> <bR> <div>     Here is another proverb on the amazing powers of the tongue.</div> <div>     By alerting us to the tongue's capacities, Solomon hopes to fill us with respect for it; hence, to keep us from <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>speaking lightly</I></FONT>.  Also, to keep us from underestimating our ability to <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>help others</I></FONT> through words.</div> <div>     Here are the two amazing things about the tongue:  it is intelligent, and it cross-communicates with the heart.</div> <div>     We already had one proverb that partially told us this:</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#008080" FACE="Georgia" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008080" FACE="Eurostile" >Prov 10:32</FONT>  The <U>lips</U> of the righteous <U>know</U> what is pleasing; but the <U>mouth</U> of the wicked <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#555555" FACE="Eurostile" ><I><U>knows</U></I></FONT> what <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#808080" FACE="Eurostile" ><I>is</I></FONT> contrary. </div> <bR> <div>     Other proverbs have contrasted the wise man's <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>thoughtfulness </I></FONT>to the fool's <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>impulsiveness </I></FONT>of speech.  Now we have a proverb that delves deeper into the mechanics of the wise man's tongue.  He can think through what he says because his heart is specifically <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>connected </I></FONT>to his tongue.</div> <div>     From 10:32 we could have perhaps deduced that the tongue can learn, since it can know, but our verse today leaves us without any doubt.  The wise man's heart "adds learning to his lips."  So the tongue shares communications with the heart.  The heart sends training to which the lips respond.  The heart and tongue can become such companions that the heart "wisens" the tongue even as it speaks ("makes intelligent").  So someone speaking 'from the heart' can be literally true.</div> <div>     Of course, it is a fairly simple theological matter that tongues speak from the storehouse of what is in the heart (Jesus saying that "out of the heart's store the mouth speaks"), but the <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>directness </I></FONT>of the connection between mouth and heart is what we are learning today, and that the heart doesn't merely 'feed' the tongue information, it <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>teaches </I></FONT>it.  So the tongue assimilates and passes on.</div> <div>     It is as though the tongue speaks its own language, and so it <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>translates </I></FONT>"heart-ese" for the world.  Our proverb is also telling us that our tongue translates heart language for <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>us </I></FONT>as well.  That is, <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Poor Richard" ><I><B>we </B></I></FONT>do not really know our own hearts until we hear what our mouths speak.</div> <div>     This brings up the whole point of whether people really listen to themselves.  From this proverb, we would deduce that most don't.  Oh sure, everybody <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>hears </I></FONT>themselves speak, but who actually <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>listens </I></FONT>and hears a heart echo?  For whom is their speech a means of learning who they really are?  Not many, because there are not many wise men.</div> <div>     Have you ever said or been told, "Listen to what you're saying"?   That is an unwitting testimony to the fact that we are generally <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>unaware </I></FONT>of our heart's connection to our tongue.  So the wise man is part of a minority that uses this knowledge to make his heart <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>and </I></FONT>his tongue better instruments of righteousness and love.</div> <div>     So what would you be like if you were beginning to model yourself in the wise man's mold?  You would begin to listen to what you say.  You would begin keeping <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>a log</I></FONT>, even a literal log book if necessary, of what you say throughout the day.  This would bring your heart into direct connection with your tongue.  Of course, if you are self-righteous, you won't find any fundamental flaws in your speech.  But if you have the beginnings of wisdom, you will begin to detect the latent selfishness that subtly permeates most of our being and doing.</div> <div>     You will furthermore begin to detect how your speech affects others.  You will see it in their eyes.  You will hear it in their responses.  Did they speak defensively?  What did I say to put them on guard?  Did they bite?  How did I corner them?  Did they justify?  How did I accuse?  There are so many ways that a discerning person must be aware of his speech and its <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>affects</I></FONT>.  The wise man can learn how to convict without being offensive.  Of course, he knows that sharpness is the only appropriate tool of communication sometimes.  But he <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Perpetua Titling MT" >chooses </FONT>when that time is, and <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>it </I></FONT>doesn't control <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>him</I></FONT>.</div> <div>     So where is your heart in relation to your tongue?  How are they traveling from this day forth, as companions or as strangers?  If as strangers, they'll meet again at Judgment, and their secrets divulged will all be against you.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> **********************************************************************</div> <bR> <div>  <A NAME="may_6"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="2" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="465" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" BGCOLOR=#66FFCC > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 78 ><NOBR><div> Proverbs 16:24<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Kabel Bk BT" > </FONT></div> <div> <B>Suitable sayings </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#808080" FACE="Verdana" ><I><B>are</B></I></FONT><B> a honeycomb, </B></div> <div> <B>Sweet to the soul, and healing to the bone.</B><B> </B></div> <bR> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div>  </div> <div> <B><U>Words of the Verse</U></B><B>:</B></div> <bR> <div>     "Suitable" is used of the "beauty" of Jehovah, Ps. 27:4, 90:17. </div> <div>     </div> <div> <B><U>Analysis of the Verse</U></B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="GoudyOlSt BT" >:</FONT></div> <bR> <div> Being Considered<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="GoudyOlSt BT" >:</FONT></div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Beautiful words</div> <bR> <div> Analogy:</div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">A honeycomb</div> <bR> <div> Descriptions:</div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Sweet to the soul</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Healing to the bones</div> <bR> <div> <B><U>Teaching of the Verse</U></B>:</div> <div>     </div> <div>     We live in an unpleasant world.  People to whom we speak lead disagreeable lives.  It is little enough to speak pleasant words to them.</div> <div>     For those who have seen the beauty of the Lord, beautiful words should come easily.  Perhaps we could say, to the <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>degree </I></FONT>that we have perceived our Lord's beauty we <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>will have</I></FONT> inspiring words to speak.</div> <div>     Solomon uses a single, simple analogy.  Well-spoken sayings are like a honeycomb.  Actually, he says they <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>are </I></FONT>a honeycomb.  Pleasant words are something you can veritably pick up and 'eat'.  By the metaphor, you would even seek these words out.</div> <div>     The two qualities of a honeycomb Solomon sees in splendid sayings are <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>sweetness </I></FONT>and <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>healing</I></FONT>.</div> <div>     Well-suited sayings are "sweet to the soul".  Just as God created our taste buds to match up with the sugars of honey, so when He grants us pleasant words to speak, they go into our hearer's soul most naturally and agreeably.  Furthermore, there is a staying power to attractive words.  They are not just compared to honey, but the honey<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>comb</I></FONT>.  The honeycomb provides a solid to eat along with the viscous honey.  Furthermore, it is the very solid in which the sweetness was created.</div> <div>     Rightly-arranged words are also "healing to the bones".  I'm not sure that science has found the specific link between honey and bone health, but it was apparent to Solomon, perhaps to ancient societies in general.  As with other observations where modern science has 'caught up' with ancient wisdom, so this will probably turn out as well.  It might be just a general link between food and health, but it sounds fairly specific.</div> <div>     If we added a further analogy of taking, say, calcium supplements for bone health, perhaps we could see the point.  Thoughtful words are like calcium supplements; they add stability to men's souls.  But bones are not just the framework for our bodies.  Solomon describes bone <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>rot </I></FONT>in terms that make us think of cancer, even as bone marrow deficiencies are connected to some cancers.  So bone <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>health </I></FONT>means thorough health, health all the way 'to the bone'- actually, 'to the marrow'.</div> <div>     Well-guided words have that much power.  They can actually bring a soul to a generally sound state.</div> <div>     From this, one sad conclusion is painfully obvious:  Not many people know how to speak pleasant words.  Everyone is worried about himself.  No one learns the power of words to uplift and heal.  </div> <div>     Some have gone halfway there.  They speak pleasantries over people.  But real words of beauty are not mere words, but soul communications.  That is not to say that they can't be somewhat general.  There are things you could say about God and His benefits to His people that would uplift any Christian.  But the receiving soul can detect honey.  It comes from a soul that has tasted honey.</div> <div>     Have you seen "the beauty of Jesus"?  If so, it should be evident in your words.  Have you "tasted that the Lord is good?"  You should be able to recreate that taste in the mouth of another.</div> <div>     Task number one is to chew on the honeycomb of God in His Word, filling ourselves with the sweetness of His sayings.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> ***********************************************************************</div> <bR> <div>  <A NAME="may_7"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="2" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="445" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" BGCOLOR=#CCCC33 > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 78 ><NOBR><div> Proverbs 16:25<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Kabel Bk BT" > </FONT></div> <div> <B>There is a path </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#808080" FACE="Verdana" ><I><B>that is </B></I></FONT><B>upright to a person, </B></div> <div> <B>but its outcome </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#808080" FACE="Verdana" ><I><B>is</B></I></FONT><B> the paths of death. </B></div> <bR> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div>  </div> <div> <B><U>Words of the Verse</U></B><B>:</B></div> <bR> <div>     "To a person" is literally "to a person's face"; that is, "in a person's presence".</div> <div>     </div> <div> <B><U>Analysis of the Verse</U></B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="GoudyOlSt BT" >:</FONT></div> <bR> <div> Being Compared<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="GoudyOlSt BT" >:</FONT></div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">The appearance of a path</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">The <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#555555" FACE="Lucida Sans Unicode" ><I>true </I></FONT>end of that path</div> <bR> <div> Descriptions:</div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Upright in the presence of the traveler</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Paths of death</div> <bR> <div> <B><U>Teaching of the Verse</U></B>:</div> <bR> <div>     Here is an exact repeat of Proverbs 14:12.  What's it doing here again?</div> <div>     Our restatement comes at the end of a section on <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>teaching </I></FONT>and the use of the <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>tongue</I></FONT>.  Our verse is underscoring for us the fundamental connection between a man's tongue and his spirit.  Since man's natural view of his own path is that it is <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>upright</I></FONT>, many men will speak what they consider to be "pleasant words" (16:24), which they will labor to 'improve' upon their lips (16:23), but which will ultimately prove to have been an exercise in self-righteousness.</div> <div>     How will a man know the difference?  There are many tell-tale signs.  The unrighteous man, of course, can never bring himself to love God's ways (Rom. 8:7).  The self-righteous man will always have human <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>counterfeits </I></FONT>for God's righteous ways.  Just like Pharaoh's magicians, the self-righteous can only go so far in imitating God's holy ways.  Just like the Pharisees, they rank spiritual priorities wrongly.  As John tells us in 1 John, their wills cannot submit to commands, their hearts cannot freely love the brethren, and their minds cannot conform to sound doctrine (John's three tests for regeneration).  If we simply make a thorough, honest comparison of men's ways to God's patterns, the truth will become evident.  A leopard cannot change its spots (Jer. 13:23).</div> <div>      And what is Proverbs if not a checklist so that "by their fruits you will know them"?  Almost every proverb gives a specific point of comparison between a righteous man and a godless one.  The purpose, obviously, is to <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>make </I></FONT>the comparison.</div> <div>     Almost every New Testament epistle is an expose of some new Christian counterfeit.  Once the definitions were laid down, the difference was clear to see.  The frauds, of course, usually <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>help </I></FONT>to identify themselves by <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>reversing </I></FONT>the accusation of counterfeit against the true Christians.  If we are actually using Proverbs and the Epistles as we should, the dividing lines should become evident fairly naturally (though never pleasantly).</div> <div>     In particular, consider the importance of the DOCTRINE of salvation.  There is such a mass of information- technical detail much of it- in the New Testament epistles about the MECHANICS of salvation.  This is of interest to the true Christian, because his very privilege of calling God Father is bound up in the MEANS of his salvation.  God has constructed a means and process of salvation which peculiarly brings glory to Him, emphatically negating our own righteousness or merit.  This excites, delights, and motivates the genuine child of God.*  By the same token, it fails at some point to interest the artificial follower of the WAY.</div> <div>     Remember that the false man's path does not merely seem passable to him, it seems altogether "upright".  He may hide behind the 'modest' persuasion that he merely 'hopes' to enter Heaven in the afterlife, but he obviously <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>thinks it</I></FONT> <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>impossible </I></FONT>that he would be denied entrance.  If he were truly in doubt, wouldn't he be avidly pursuing alternatives?</div> <div>     Our proverb tells us that whichever "path" (singular) a pretender chooses, considering it to be 'The One', he will find it to be merely one of the myriad "paths" (plural) that are <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>separated from God</I></FONT> (the truest definition of death), and that are sentenced to <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>eternal </I></FONT>separation from Him.  Life, from this angle, is simply a sorting out of those on the path of life from the rest.</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Perpetua" >*  </FONT>This is also what takes away our fear in the presence of men.  We are sharing with them something that is so very much NOT about us.  There is no pressure on us as witnesses, at least not in the witnessing process.  We are telling about something God has done SO completely and carefully <I>and </I>beyond our involvement- except as happy recipients.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> *******************************************************************</div> <bR> <div>  <A NAME="may_8"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="2" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="426" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" BGCOLOR=#33FFFF > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 78 ><NOBR><div> Proverbs 16:26<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Kabel Bk BT" > </FONT></div> <div> <B>The soul who labors, labors for himself, </B></div> <div> <B>for his mouth urges it upon him.</B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Georgia" > </FONT><B> </B></div> <bR> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div>  </div> <div> <B><U>Words of the Verse</U></B><B>:</B></div> <bR> <div>     "Urges" in Hebrew is "to curve", used only here in Scriptures.  It can mean that his mouth (meaning appetite) 'bends <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><B>over </B></FONT>him', like a task master, driving him to work; or that his mouth 'craves [the labor leading to food] <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><B>from </B></FONT>him'.</div> <div>     Our "soul" is something we feed with physical food (as well as spiritual) in the Old Testament.  Therefore, many translations translate soul as "appetite" here- "the appetite of the laborer labors for him."</div> <div>     </div> <div> <B><U>Analysis of the Verse</U></B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="GoudyOlSt BT" >:</FONT></div> <bR> <div> Being Considered<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="GoudyOlSt BT" >:</FONT></div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">The soul who labors</div> <bR> <div> Descriptions:</div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">He labors for <U>him</U>self (or, His soul labors for <U>it</U>self)</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">His mouth urges it upon him</div> <bR> <div> <B><U>Teaching of the Verse</U></B>:</div> <bR> <div>     This proverb has a very simple message.  The ultimate reason driving all our efforts in life is <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>survival</I></FONT>.  Whatever our activities, the fundamental consideration all our lives is keeping food on the table.  </div> <div>     Even the wealthy have to consider how they manage their wealth; mismanaged wealth could leave rich men beggars on the street- the scenario is not that uncommon.  About the only class of men that can simply 'depend' on food coming their way are kings, since they're at the top of the food chain in a land.  If there is sustenance, it will make its way to the king.  Everyone under him, though, must please the king in whatever capacity they fill; therefore, they must put forth <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>effort </I></FONT>to maintain their position and salary (or place at the king's table).  </div> <div>     Our proverb gives a definition of the 'working man': "the soul who labors".  Most nobility are also working men, despite the ease commoners assume in higher stations.  Whatever else we pursue in life, we are always <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>food-driven</I></FONT> beings.  We have to have food:  our pursuits in life must always address that need.</div> <div>     This may not seem like an earth-shattering discovery, but it is easily overlooked.  We can <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>think </I></FONT>we are pursuing certain goals in life irrespective of our bellies, but it is not so.  The bottom line is always food.  When we have a trade we can reasonably expect to ply profitably, we don't <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>consciously </I></FONT>carry food-pursuit in the front of our thoughts.  But it is always the silent, usually the dormant understood.  Whenever the end of our food supply is in sight, though, the memory of its primacy comes screaming back to fore.</div> <div>     What's the point, then?  </div> <div>     One point is:  be aware of the <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>extortion </I></FONT>that can unrighteously hold working men 'over a barrel'.  When the labor market is tight, employers tend to mistreat their employees more.  What's a worker going to do, quit?  Who cares?  His replacement just filled out an application this morning.  Don't be an employer who uses this form of extortion.  Always be humane.  Peoples' need to eat should never be an invitation for employers to exploit.</div> <div>     Another point is not to be too idealistic about your pursuits in life.  Even the most other-worldly of occupations is ultimately driven by the need to eat.  This does not make every career basically an animal function, but there is an 'animal' part to each human life.  We do not rise above the animals in our dependence on daily bread from God.  We only elevate the meeting of this need by partaking of food (and everything) to God's glory.  The need itself, though, remains.  </div> <div>     Another thing Solomon is reminding us of is that we are true creatures of the earth.  God has tied man's existence to earth's supply.  God hasn't designed us to be <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>directly </I></FONT>dependent on Him in every respect.  Those who depend on God are to make use of the <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>earth </I></FONT>He has placed us on.  That is, God could simply make our stomachs full whenever we were hungry if He wished, but He supplies <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>food </I></FONT>to meet that need.  This also tells us that the pursuit of food is basically a good pursuit, a godly pursuit for Christians.</div> <div>     Lastly, we should realize that though food is good in and of itself, our approach to it can very easily be idolatrous.  Most men on earth, in fact, use food as an idol.  Their use of food is not as a means God has provided.  It is an end in itself, or it is a means to pursuing their own ends.</div> <div>     When we partake of food unthankfully, we become idolaters.  Our 'mouth urges us one' in the pursuit of food, so our mouth must also urge us in the Christian use of food by giving heart-felt thanks.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> ***********************************************************************</div> <bR> <div>  <A NAME="may_9"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="2" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="390" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" BGCOLOR=#33FFCC > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 78 ><NOBR><div> Proverbs 16:27<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Kabel Bk BT" > </FONT></div> <div> <B>A worthless man digs up evil, </B></div> <div> <B>and </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#444444" FACE="Verdana" ><B> </B><I><B>it is</B></I></FONT><B> like a burning fire </B><B>on his lips</B><B>. </B></div> <bR> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div>  </div> <div> <B><U>Words of the Verse</U></B><B>:</B></div> <bR> <div>     "Worthless" is from 'belial' in Hebrew, a compound word meaning "failing of value".  Solomon used it once in the introductory chapters and will use it once more later (6:12, 19:28).  In most of its 27 appearances it is part of the phrase "sons of belial."</div> <div>     </div> <div> <B><U>Analysis of the Verse</U></B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="GoudyOlSt BT" >:</FONT></div> <bR> <div> Being Considered<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="GoudyOlSt BT" >:</FONT></div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">The worthless person</div> <bR> <div> Descriptions:</div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">He digs up evil</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">The evil is on his lips like a burning fire</div> <bR> <div> <B><U>Teaching of the Verse</U></B>:</div> <bR> <div>     There is another motive in life for some men, nearly as pressing as the need for food (16:26).  For worthless people, the quest to make trouble is a driving need.  Particularly, the need to dig up negative information about others and then share it.  The information is like fire on their lips; it 'burns a hole on their tongue' until they can bring the slander to someone else's ears.</div> <div>     Solomon is warning us about this character type.  When we identify them, they deserve no other name than 'worthless one'.  We need to know who these people are according to Jesus:</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#008080" FACE="Georgia" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008080" FACE="Eurostile" >Matt 10:16, 17 </FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Eurostile" >  Behold, I send you out as sheep in </FONT><I>the</I> <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Eurostile" >midst of wolves. Therefore be as wise as serpents and as harmless as doves.  But beware of men ...</FONT></div> <bR> <div>     Jesus did not suggest that we just treat all men nicely and that would make them become nice.  Just as God has a purpose for Satan (otherwise, He would have destroyed him long ago), so He has a purpose for evil and worthless men.  One purpose they fulfill is testing God's children.  One of the tests is whether we even recognize them.  Why else are there proverbs like 16:27?  When we find someone who pants after negative information so they can share it, we have found a 'son of worthlessness'.  </div> <div>     The phrase 'son of worthlessness' can be generic for evil men <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>and </I></FONT>women, but the phrase "daughter of belial" is also used.  Paul warns us of these women:</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#008080" FACE="Georgia" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008080" FACE="Eurostile" >1 Tim 5:11 13</FONT>  But refuse younger widows [from being put on the church's regular support list] ...  And with it all they also learn <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#444444" FACE="Eurostile" ><I>to be</I> </FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Eurostile" > </FONT>idle, <U>going around the houses</U>; and not only idle, but <U>gossips </U>also and <U>meddlesome</U>, speaking things they ought not. </div> <bR> <div>     The ear bends closer so easily when negative information 'makes its rounds'.  If you are in a room where gossip is brought up, you make yourself an enemy of everyone in the room by questioning its appropriateness.  They are ashamed that they were listening, yet their shame doesn't lead to immediate repentance, but rather to reprisal.</div> <div>     The worthless person senses the eagerness of the average ear to hear slander.  He has something that others crave.  He is satisfying his <B>need for importance</B> and the <B>hatefulness </B>in his heart at the same time.</div> <div>     The worthless person "digs up evil".  He is beyond a regular gossip.  He is like the queen gossip.  He provides the infusion of new slander into the gossip circuit.  How appropriate, then, to name such a person worthless.  What function does such a person fill?  Only a destructive one.  Only setting friends against one another.  Only setting this group against that one.</div> <div>     Where do these people come from?  Perhaps they are so suspicious of other gossips, they think they must strike first; perhaps if they can get everyone talking about others, no one will talk about them.  Perhaps they are insecure about their ability to make and keep friends, so they settle for auditory gore as the 'glue' for their friendships ("Whom can we hate together?").  In any case, they have crossed a moral line.  Whatever combination of fear and hatred rules them, they are ungodly.  They are children of the Devil.</div> <div>     Question:  Do you have control of your lips?  Or does negative information about others leave your lips before you even think about it?  Are you, then, in league with worthless ones?  Are you yourself a worthless one?  So God describes the originator of gossip.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> ********************************************************************* </div> <bR> <div>  <A NAME="may_10"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="2" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="445" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" BGCOLOR=#00FFFF > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 78 ><NOBR><div> Proverbs 16:28<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Kabel Bk BT" > </FONT></div> <div> <B>A troublemaker spreads quarrels, </B></div> <div> <B>and a gossip dislodges an </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#555555" FACE="Verdana" ><I><B>intimate </B></I></FONT><B>friend. </B></div> <bR> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div>  </div> <div> <B><U>Words of the Verse</U></B><B>:</B></div> <bR> <div>     "Troublemaker" is literally "A man of overturning".</div> <div>     "Spreads" is literally "sends".</div> <div>     </div> <div> <B><U>Analysis of the Verse</U></B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="GoudyOlSt BT" >:</FONT></div> <bR> <div> Being Compared<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="GoudyOlSt BT" >:</FONT></div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">The troublemaker</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">The gossip</div> <bR> <div> Descriptions:</div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Spreads quarrels</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Alienates a <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#555555" FACE="Lucida Sans Unicode" ><I>familiar </I></FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#555555" FACE="Lucida Sans Unicode" ><I> </I></FONT>friend</div> <bR> <div> <B><U>Teaching of the Verse</U></B>:</div> <bR> <div>     This verse continues a section chronicling the association between bad character types and the spreading of gossip.  Many lawless types share this trait: that they slander others.  Their slander is a means of control, a way to come out on top.  It is also an expression of hatred and an expression of envy.</div> <div>     The word "troublemaker" is nearly Solomon's sole domain.  The word is used once in Deuteronomy (32:20) as a description of a "generation"; the other nine uses are Solomon's.  It is an "unruly" tongue and mouth, "unruly" things spoken or done, the "unruliness" of people or things, but only here an "unruly" man himself.</div> <div>     The troublemaker is a mover and a shaker, but he generally does his work behind the scenes.  He is unhappy with the present situation.  Either he is not getting the recognition or admiration he desires, or he is envious of the friendships of others, or he is simply hateful and destructive, but his reaction is to be the epicenter of social earthquakes.  He has a talent for getting fights started.</div> <div>     This is a great proverb to know.  Usually when a quarrel breaks out, we simply chalk it up to short tempers or misunderstandings.  As often as not, a <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>troublemaker </I></FONT>is behind the wrangle.  There are the very subtlest of ways by which a troublemaker can make one person suspicious of another.  He can even do so with the appearance of speaking admiration.  </div> <div>     Once we are aware of the character trait, we can come to the 'scene of the crime' (a fight) and look for traces of evidence that might lead us to our troublemaker.  We may have to be as intuitive as the troublemaker himself as we play "whodunit", but when he implicates himself two or three times in a row, hanging at the edges of the conflict by innuendos he planted, we can save ourselves much grief by heading off his next sabotage at the pass.</div> <div>     The "gossip" is the other fire-starter in our verse.  He is literally one who "rolls to pieces".  He works information over and works people over until they are no longer who they were.  This transformation makes him powerful and allows him to shape the world differently than he found it.  Those he envies can be dealt with.</div> <div>     Our verse may relay the most devastating affect of gossip.  Gossip is able to dislodge a close friend.  The gossiper <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>is </I></FONT>truly a powerful figure if he can make my best friend despise me.  And such is the nature of gossip.  Once you have identified a gossip, you have identified a most dangerous person.  An unrepentant gossip is like a loaded, cocked gun lying around.  And we should step just as lightly around them.  They are a hidden reef we always have to sail far around, for their gossip is like a wind that blows men into their jagged projections just below the surface.</div> <div>     The very best of gossips go undetected.  If your best friend was aware of being manipulated, do you think he would have turned on you?  It is because neither of you detected the 'submarine'- could not even discern the direction of the torpedo after the explosion.  Sometimes it takes a while for 'what goes around to come around'- for evil sent out to come back to its initiator.  But it does.  We may not have the satisfaction of personally seeing our assassin exposed in this life, but God is keeping track, and they will not escape.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> *********************************************************************</div> <bR> <div>  <A NAME="may_11"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="2" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="445" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" BGCOLOR=#00FF99 > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 78 ><NOBR><div> Proverbs 16:29<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Kabel Bk BT" > </FONT></div> <div> <B>A violent man entices his neighbor, </B></div> <div> <B>and causes him to go in a way </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#444444" FACE="Verdana" ><I><B>that is</B></I></FONT><B> not good. </B></div> <bR> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div>  </div> <div> <B><U>Words of the Verse</U></B><B>:</B></div> <bR> <div>     "Causes him to go" is literally "walks him in a path".</div> <div>     </div> <div> <B><U>Analysis of the Verse</U></B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="GoudyOlSt BT" >:</FONT></div> <bR> <div> Being Considered<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="GoudyOlSt BT" >:</FONT></div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">The man of violence</div> <bR> <div> Descriptions:</div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Entices his neighbor</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Directs his neighbor in a path that isn't good</div> <bR> <div> <B><U>Teaching of the Verse</U></B>:</div> <bR> <div>     The violent enticer serves as the earliest warning in Proverbs:</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#008080" FACE="Georgia" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008080" FACE="Eurostile" >Prov 1:10, 11</FONT>  My son, if sinners <U>lure</U> you, do not be willing.  If they say, Walk with us, let us lie in wait for blood, let us secretly lurk for the innocent without cause ...</div> <bR> <div>     "Lure" in the above passage is from the same Hebrew word as "entices" in our verse today.   </div> <div>     Something about violence craves company.  Violence by nature is coercion, force used on another.  There are plenty of 'non-contact' forms of violence.   Any means by which I 'crowbar' you into doing what <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>I</I></FONT> <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Perpetua" > </FONT>want against <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>your </I></FONT>will is basically violence.</div> <div>     The violent man doesn't necessarily offer everyone a chance to be part of his gang (if he has one), but he definitely seeks to bring others into the practice of his will.  This is part of his violent, coercive nature.  He probably won't say, "Do this" or "Do that."  Not even the gang members in Proverbs 1 did that.  They still said, "Let us ..."  The violent man's desires are fulfilled by <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>taking control of others' wills</I></FONT>.  This he may do consciously, with a sense of accomplishment, or he may do it instinctively, desiring a certain outcome and simply crafting the situation accordingly, using people as his tools.</div> <div>     Women often sense when their husbands are being used by a violent person.  "You weren't like this before you started hanging around Will."  (Get it?  'Will'?  As in strong-<B>will</B>ed?)  The husband will then usually demonstrate the <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>subtle </I></FONT>nature of most violence by saying, "What?  Will has no control over me!  I do as I please."  Which, of course, plays right into Will's hands.  The most complete and submissive slave is the one who doesn't realize he's doing the will of another.</div> <div>     The dominion violent people have may be very partial.  They may only interface with a neighbor or co-worker on a very limited basis.  In that case, it may be just one function or one area where the violent takes control.</div> <div>     How would you know if you were under a violent person's thumb?  If you thought about your actions relevant to them, then considered what would happen if you acted contrary to them, you may have found an accurate way of identifying a violent manipulator.  Then if you began actually behaving independently of their will, you would get definite proof  if you're dealing with a manipulator.  They'll be upset if you counteract them.</div> <div>     Some violent people won't consider it worthwhile to pay you back for defying them; they'll simply move on to new victims.  Their lust is fed by compliance, so the attempt to re-subjugate a will is effort better spent elsewhere.  Others will move heaven and earth to show you your folly in casting off their yoke.  This may be partially a matter of embarrassment, because they probably don't picture themselves as slave-driving controllers.  Your cooperation was a means for their 'nice guy' image to continue, and even the meanest of people don't usually want to be thought of as mean.</div> <div>     Violent people are quite common.  It is almost impossible that you do not interact with one or more of them.  <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>Human nature</I></FONT> very <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>readily </I></FONT>assumes the role of controller.  Some only take as much control as they are given.  They <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>find </I></FONT>themselves in control of a weak-willed person's life.  Some only manipulate as a defense mechanism, when they feel they are losing control of a situation.  But the pleasure/ need is undeniable.  A righteous person would <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>help </I></FONT>the weak-willed find his own two legs to stand on, but the manipulator just can't resist the power of having someone he can dominate.  A godly man would leave matters in God's control; the manipulator's worry wrests the steering mechanisms.  No matter what type of manipulation, the stealing of another's will is unrighteous, even if it was 'given' to you.  Our proverb says that the result is "not good" when one man 'walks another man on a path.'  Our human-to-human duty under God is to respect the freedom of others.  This is true even of those in societies who truly own their servants by a purchase price:</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#008080" FACE="Georgia" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008080" FACE="Eurostile" >Col 4:1</FONT>  Masters, give to <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#555555" FACE="Eurostile" ><I>your </I></FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#555555" FACE="Eurostile" > </FONT>slaves what <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#444444" FACE="Eurostile" ><I>is </I></FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#444444" FACE="Eurostile" > </FONT>just and equal, knowing that you also have a Master in Heaven. </div> <bR> <div>     We all have some degree of violence in our natures.  It is simply part of the sin nature to sit in the judge's seat and rule.  Again, the violent character type is not uncommon in any society, in any setting.  And he would probably be the <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>last to admit</I></FONT> that he was trying to have dominion over others.</div> <div>     It is crucial to recognize the violent temperament in <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>our </I></FONT>circles.  They may be very pleasant people, soft-spoken, well-mannered.  The question is whether they seek to hold <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>sway </I></FONT>over others and over situations (thus controlling others).  Some large frustrations in life that otherwise puzzle us are easily understood once we recognize that we are directly or indirectly being influenced by a manipulator.  In fact, some people are terminally grouchy because they live in the confusion of <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>disliking </I></FONT>having their wills subjugated while actually finding the person<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I> </I></FONT>who is subjugating them <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>likeable</I></FONT>.  </div> <div>     In all these cases and their offshoots, forewarned is forearmed.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> *********************************************************************</div> <bR> <div>  <A NAME="may_12"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="2" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="445" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" BGCOLOR=#C0DCC0 > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 78 ><NOBR><div> Proverbs 16:30<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Kabel Bk BT" > </FONT></div> <div> <B>He shuts his eyes to weave chaotic plots; </B></div> <div> <B>pursing his lips, he consummates </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#555555" FACE="Verdana" ><I><B>the </B></I></FONT><B>evil. </B></div> <bR> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div>  </div> <div> <B><U>Words of the Verse</U></B><B>:</B></div> <bR> <div>     "Weaves plots" is from a Hebrew word meaning literally "to weave" and figuratively "to plot".</div> <div>     "Chaotic" is the word describing our "overturning" man, our troublemaker of 16:28.</div> <div>     "Pursing" is literally "pinching".</div> <div>     "The evil" is more grammatically "an evil <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#555555" FACE="Palatino Linotype" ><I>thing</I></FONT>".</div> <div>     </div> <div> <B><U>Analysis of the Verse</U></B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="GoudyOlSt BT" >:</FONT></div> <bR> <div> Being Considered<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="GoudyOlSt BT" >:</FONT></div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">The man of violence, the man of overturning, and the worthless man of the last three verses</div> <bR> <div> Descriptions:</div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">He closes his eyes to dream up insurrections</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">He compresses his lips to punctuate his blueprints </div> <bR> <div> <B><U>Teaching of the Verse</U></B>:</div> <bR> <div>     The construction of this verse seems best suited to finishing a previous thought.  When we look at the previous three verses, we notice that they all begin with "A _____  man".  "Worthless", "troublemaking", and "violent" filled in the blank respectively.  So our verse seems to be saying that this man, whose initial appellation was "worthless", or these three different men, are all consummate plotters.  They all conceive of a world they would 'create', and they set toward bringing it about.</div> <div>     "He closes his eyes."  This is a simple but eloquent picture of a meditative person.  In this case, it is a person who takes his leisure in the devising of harm.  Of course, <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>he </I></FONT>doesn't see it as harm.  He sees it as setting things to rights, or of receiving his just due.</div> <div>     He plots subterfuge.  Things will not be in their present order if he has his way.  The sad thing is that his desire for power and love of perversity overpowers even his admiration for certain people.  He may really regret some of the devastation he causes, but he just 'can't help himself' (meaning, of course, that he doesn't <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>want </I></FONT>to help himself).  OR he may be a character who feels forced to plot.  He imagines others are plotting against him; he is simply in survival mode by planning their demise.  </div> <div>     We can plainly see that a plotting person is destined to be lonely.  He may try to develop a little circle of real friends, but ultimately, his uncontrolled lust for plotting will make even his friends into pawns.  The best he can hope for is a couple of friends who will be co-plotters.  In this setup, the world becomes a very, very cynical place.</div> <div>     "Pursing his lips"- even more descriptive imagery.  Now we can almost see the wheels turning in his brain as his face molds itself into an expression of malignant approval.  "He consummates evil"- literally, he "ends evil", meaning he completes it, or brings it to pass.  Since his eyes are shut, this obviously has reference to his plan, not the actual carrying out of the act.  He brings it to pass in his mind.  He sees the final details as they will probably work out.  He also has his trap door ready:  he won't be implicated or suspected.  He even has his sympathy speech ready to recite at the scene of the rupture.</div> <div>     So we have this mental image of a man's face.  Why has Solomon given it to us?  He is seeking to create for us a real person who plots mischief.  Why?  We are prone to think of such people only hypothetically.  We can't actually imagine someone <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>we </I></FONT>know fitting the description of "worthless", "anarchical", or "violent".  But they <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>are </I></FONT>'just folks', like you or me.  Only they have this invisible drive within them- simply malicious or else counterplotting and vengeful.  We need this information so that, despite any admirable qualities they may possess, we can limit our dealings with them and always be on guard against them and the fruits of their labors.</div> <div>     Realize:  ALL people imagine scenarios, playing their world out certain ways in their minds.  Violent people are not unique in this.  Secondly, all men have a violent streak.  We have all been described by this proverb, just not to its ultimate degree- hopefully.  But we likely meditate some degree of violence often, as often as we face confrontation or people we disapprove of.</div> <div>     Perhaps an appropriate contrasting image of the <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Poor Richard" ><I>righteous man</I></FONT> would be:  "He closes his eyes to consider God's ways; he smiles in committing his path to God."</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> ************************************************************************</div> <bR> <div>  <A NAME="may_13"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="2" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="445" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" BGCOLOR=#A6CAF0 > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 78 ><NOBR><div> Proverbs 16:31<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Kabel Bk BT" > </FONT></div> <div> <B> Old age </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#555555" FACE="Verdana" ><I><B>is </B></I></FONT><B>a crown of beauty</B><B>, </B></div> <div> <B>It is found i</B><B>n the way of righteousness .</B><B> </B></div> <bR> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div>  </div> <div> <B><U>Words of the Verse</U></B><B>:</B></div> <bR> <div>     "Old age" is the literal meaning of the Hebrew word, but it is also necessarily translated "gray hairs" or "gray head" some places (Job 41:32, 1 Chron. 29:28).</div> <div>     </div> <div> <B><U>Analysis of the Verse</U></B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="GoudyOlSt BT" >:</FONT></div> <bR> <div> Being Considered<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="GoudyOlSt BT" >:</FONT></div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">A gray head</div> <bR> <div> Descriptions:</div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">A crown of luster</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">It  is acquired in the path of righteousness</div> <bR> <div> <B><U>Teaching of the Verse</U></B>:</div> <bR> <div>     The triad of calculating men from the previous four verses are the kind of people who don't tend to live long lives.  Righteousness is a definite advantage in living longer:</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#008080" FACE="Georgia" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008080" FACE="Eurostile" >Prov 4:10</FONT>  Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the <U>years</U> of your life <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#555555" FACE="Eurostile" ><I>shall be </I></FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Eurostile" > </FONT><U>many</U>. </div> <bR> <div>     But Solomon tells us in Ecclesiastes that long life is not absolutely guaranteed:</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#008080" FACE="Georgia" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008080" FACE="Eurostile" >Ecc 7:15</FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Eurostile" >  All </FONT><I>things</I> <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Eurostile" >I have seen in the days of my vanity; there is a just one who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked one who prolongs </FONT><I>life</I> <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Eurostile" >in his wickedness. </FONT></div> <bR> <div>     After which, Solomon reaffirms the general rule that the wicked do not tend to garner long lives:</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#008080" FACE="Georgia" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008080" FACE="Eurostile" >Eccl 8:13</FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Eurostile" >  But it shall not be well with the wicked, nor shall he make </FONT><I>his</I> <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Eurostile" >days longer like a shadow; because he does not fear before God. </FONT></div> <bR> <div>     Of course, when Solomon tells us in Prov. 16:31 that gray hairs are attained on the path of righteousness, he makes no direct comment about the path of wickedness.  Properly, the wicked are not his subject in the proverb.  Solomon's implication concerning the wicked in our proverb is more like that any gray heads among the wicked are not beautiful crowns- perhaps more like broken hard hats that did not well weather the strains of life's workplace.</div> <div>     Solomon is giving us a very important teaching in our proverb.  We already knew that the gray head was to be respected:</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#008080" FACE="Georgia" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008080" FACE="Eurostile" >Lev 19:32</FONT>  You shall <U>rise up before</U> the gray head and honor the face of the old man, and fear your God. I <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#555555" FACE="Eurostile" ><I>am</I> </FONT>Jehovah. </div> <bR> <div>     Solomon is now adding that the gray head is not merely to be accorded honor, but it <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>has </I></FONT>a real beauty to it.  The beauty is not necessarily physical, but it is a real beauty.  It is like a military medal.  You may not like the design or coloration of the medal considered individually, but as part of the whole military uniform and, more importantly, what the medal symbolizes, the informed person finds it quite a treasure and can gaze on it at length.</div> <div>     The gray head symbolizes several things that make it beautiful:</div> <div> <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Perpetua" > 1)  God is faithful to His words: </FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Perpetua" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008080" FACE="Eurostile" >Eph 6:2, 3</FONT>  Honor your father and mother (which is the first commandment with a promise),  so that it may be well with you, and that you may <U>live long</U> on the earth. </div> <div>  2)  Experience has proved God's ways to be right;</div> <div>  3)  Death will soon bring the ultimate crown of righteousness (2 Tim 4:8).</div> <bR> <div>     Solomon says that the gray head is a <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>crown</I></FONT>.  It is a dignity awarded.  It is an authority bestowed.  Why, then, do we have gray-hair-a-phobia?  Hair dye companies make millions off of our vanity.  And all to cover what Solomon says is an honor.  Why do we camouflage it?  Solomon tells us.</div> <div>     "It is attained in the path of righteousness."  Righteousness is not a currency accepted in our social marketplace.  <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>Worldliness </I></FONT>is the coin in which we trade.  But worldliness has a way of shriveling its practitioners in body and soul.  So <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Poor Richard" ><I>youth </I></FONT>becomes the ideal age, and the elderly are banished to insignificance; that is, unless they can keep pace with the young.  So they do what they can to blend in, lest they be sidelined.  Still, the time for sidelining comes.  Old folks' homes spring up like mushrooms as we relegate our parents to obscurity.  We've accepted that they really have no place in our lives.  We accord them no honor, snubbing their crown.  We want no such accursed crown ourselves.</div> <div>     Christians must maintain their own counterculture of respect for old age and the elderly.  My acceptance of my own old age is largely determined by what I see in a gray head <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Poor Richard" ><I>before </I></FONT>I have one.  Solomon is telling us what's there; we just have to remove the darkened glasses the world and our vanity give us when looking.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> *************************************************************************</div> <bR> <div>  <A NAME="may_14"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="2" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="550" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" BGCOLOR=#999900 > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 78 ><NOBR><div> Proverbs 16:32<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Kabel Bk BT" > </FONT></div> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Verdana" ><B>He who is slow to anger </B></FONT><I><B>is</B></I><B> </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Verdana" ><B>better than the mighty, </B></FONT></div> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Verdana" ><B>and he who rules his spirit</B></FONT><B> </B><I><B>is better</B></I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Verdana" ><B> than he who takes a city.</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Verdana" ><B> </B><B> </B></FONT></div> <bR> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div>  </div> <div> <B><U>Words of the Verse</U></B><B>:</B></div> <bR> <div>     "Anger " is literally "nose" in Hebrew, from the excited panting thereof.</div> <div>     </div> <div> <B><U>Analysis of the Verse</U></B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="GoudyOlSt BT" >:</FONT></div> <bR> <div> Being Compared<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="GoudyOlSt BT" >:</FONT></div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">One who is slow to anger</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">One who rules his own spirit</div> <bR> <div> Their Descriptions:</div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Better than a warrior</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Better than the captor of a city</div> <bR> <div> <B><U>Teaching of the Verse</U></B>:</div> <bR> <div>     Here is one of the most devastating affects of sin, and one of the greatest proofs of it.  Man cannot control his own spirit.  This premise is granted by all thinking people.  It requires no more evidence than a halfway unbiased look within ourselves and the same kind of look at mankind around us.  First, we see that we do things we know we shouldn't do; second, we can't seem to stop the misdeeds just by acknowledging they are wrong; not even by willing to stop them.  In Christian terms, each man has a sinful nature inherited from Adam.</div> <div>     The world isn't buying that one, but neither can it deny our twisted instincts.  The modern unbelieving explanation is that our perversities are remnants of our animal ancestry.  But that explanation is insufficient; what's more, it is highly insulting to the animal kingdom.  Since when do animals struggle with their motives?  If man improved from an animal state into a reasoning being, our thoughts would naturally <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>affirm </I></FONT>all our indwelling instincts.  As it is, man is aware of something alien in himself:  this supposition would be quite unreasonable for an advanced animal.  At worst an analytical animal would reason that his nature was the way it was supposed to be.  The reason man doesn't reach that conclusion is that our nature is obviously <B>not </B>as it should be.</div> <div>     Man cannot <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>control </I></FONT>his spirit.  The best he can hope for is to <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>dominate </I></FONT>it, as our proverb says.  Unbelievers seek to do this by sheer force of will.  Believers have the advantage of a new nature implanted within.  This new nature is the only hope we have for truly subduing our hateful and greedy urges.  The new nature can never sit in triumphant dominion over the old nature as over a deposed enemy, but it <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>can </I></FONT>grip and constantly renew a wrestling hold to stay in control.  </div> <div>     The man who maintains this dominance the Bible calls "blameless".  Blameless is not sinless.  To sin is to fall short, and we continue to fall short and experience lawless urges.  Our blamelessness resides in our refusal to <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>submit </I></FONT>to any of sin's urgings.  The New Testament Greek word for blameless literally means "unarrested".  The blameless man gives no outward evidence that sin has the upper hand.  This, of course, means that he is successfully waging the battle on the inner level, for otherwise, his inward submission to sin would have outward manifestations.</div> <div>     Obviously, there have not been too many blameless men in history.  The Bible doesn't mention too many, and Church history doesn't present us with too many either.  We all tend to accept our sinful nature as the real "me," and so we find it impossible to resist its suggestions.  Although my sin nature is truly "me," it is not the real "me."  That is, I am truly responsible for my every sinful thought and act; I choose them all.  But once the new nature entered, <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>it </I></FONT>was destined to completely replace the old one; it is the permanent "me" and therefore the real "me."  But it is very easy on a day by day basis to think otherwise:</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#008080" FACE="Georgia" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008080" FACE="Eurostile" >Rom 7:19, 20</FONT>  For I do not do the good that I desire; but the evil which I do not will, that I do.  But if I do what I do not desire, <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#555555" FACE="Eurostile" ><I>it is</I></FONT> no more I working it out, but sin dwelling in me. </div> <bR> <div>     Again, we cannot <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>by willing it</I></FONT> disentangle our sinful nature from our thoughts.  It is always leering at us, pinching us, choking us, even when we maintain a controlling hold on it.  That's why Solomon's analogy is that of a warrior.  Nothing less is required of the Christian than all out battle- a career in the military, and in time of war.</div> <div>     The mightiest warriors of history and legend will never have a greater foe than their own spirit.  Most of them will not conquer it, however many cities or kingdoms they subjugate.</div> <div>     Solomon specifies <B>anger </B>as an emotion we must control.  He does not say that anger is forbidden.  In fact, anger is commanded (Eph. 4:26).  But we are to have <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>control </I></FONT>over our anger.  We do not release our anger when it comes calling for an unjust/ selfish cause.  And when we manifest righteous anger, <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>we </I></FONT>determine its degree and extent (never longer than sundown- see the Ephesians verse).  But in general, we are all unrighteously angry, disgruntled by our circumstances one way or another most of the time.  Even when we're happy, the anger doesn't go away.  The Christian is the only one truly set against his anger, recognizing it as a reaction against God.  Further than that, the Christian seeks to rein in his spirit completely, discipline it unto godliness, teach it feelings and responses a good person should have.</div> <div>     Is the battle described one into which you have entered?  Is it one for which you train like a military man?  This is the only starting point from which success can be expected.</div> <bR> <div> ***********************************************************************</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div>  <A NAME="may_15"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="2" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="456" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" BGCOLOR=#66CCFF > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 78 ><NOBR><div> Proverbs 16:33<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Kabel Bk BT" > </FONT></div> <div> <B>The lot is cast i</B><B>nto the center, </B></div> <div> <B>But </B><B>all its judgment </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#555555" FACE="Verdana" ><I><B>is </B></I></FONT><B>from Jehovah!</B><B> </B></div> <bR> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div>  </div> <div> <B><U>Words of the Verse</U></B><B>:</B></div> <bR> <div>     "Lot" is from a word for a pebble, relating to its roughness.</div> <div>     "Center" is from a Hebrew word meaning "to enclose".  It is usually rendered "lap" in this verse, though this is the only time of its 38 uses where it would mean this.  It means "bosom" 31 of the times it occurs.  "Center" would indicate a tossing of the pebble into the middle of the circle of those watching.  It does seem strange to cast a lot into someone's lap, since that person's movement or the angle at which he held his garment would determine the landing of the pebble.</div> <div>     </div> <div> <B><U>Analysis of the Verse</U></B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="GoudyOlSt BT" >:</FONT></div> <bR> <div> Being Considered<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="GoudyOlSt BT" >:</FONT></div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">The lot</div> <bR> <div> Descriptions:</div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">It is cast into the enclosure</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Its verdict comes from Jehovah</div> <bR> <div> <B><U>Teaching of the Verse</U></B>:</div> <div>     </div> <div>     'Casting lots' was a common means for determining God's will in Scriptures.  It seemed understood that some issues could not be resolved except by offering them back to God by casting a lot.  </div> <div>     Casting lots was the means by which the Promised Land was apportioned among the twelve tribes.  "Lot" even came to mean "portion of land" or "inheritance."  </div> <div>     The lot was cast successively until Achan was found among all of Israel as the one who had defied God's ban.  </div> <div>     The Apostles used lots to choose which of two qualified men would replace Judas.</div> <div>     We do not know by what means lots were cast, but the effect seems to have been the same as flipping a coin or drawing names out of a hat or an urn.  The point is that, as far as men's ability to influence, the decision would be left to 'chance'.  But that which is thus left to 'chance' is only being taken out of the realm of man's determination and into the realm of God's providence.  Since God ultimately controls all things, a coin-flip or name-draw would leave a decision up to Him.  Therefore, the actual means of casting lots is unimportant.  A coin-flip, picking a 'random' card out of a group, drawing the short straw, etc., are all legitimate means of having God decide.</div> <div>     There are two crucial things to know about casting lots:</div> <div>  1)  They are only to be used when a decision cannot be determined by known factors;</div> <div>  2)  One should only cast lots if he intends to take the outcome as God's decision.*</div> <div>    As to the first point, we cannot cast lots to determine the truth or falsehood of a Biblical doctrine.  John Wesley did this to determine if the Church of England's teaching of predestination was true.  His friend George Whitefield wrote him a scathing letter of reproof for doing this.  Wesley had been using the lot legitimately to determine things like whether to continue ministering in England or travel to America to minister.  He had weighed the options the best he could on his own, and neither option had a clear advantage.  In that case, the lot is not only a legitimate, but a wise way to determine God's will.  </div> <div>     When Wesley cast lots to determine the validity of a doctrine, though, he was saying that God had not given sufficient information in Scriptures to make that determination.  He thus confused God's <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>secret will</I></FONT> with His <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>revealed will</I></FONT>:</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#008080" FACE="Georgia" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008080" FACE="Eurostile" >Deut 29:29</FONT>  The <U>secret things</U> <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#555555" FACE="Eurostile" ><I>belong </I> </FONT>to Jehovah our God, but the <U>revealed things</U> <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#555555" FACE="Eurostile" ><I>belong</I>  </FONT>to us and to our sons forever, so that we may do all the words of this Law. </div> <bR> <div>     What are the "secret things"?  Anything God has not revealed.  What are the "revealed things"?  In Moses' time, they were what was written and what God continued to give Moses as Scripture.  In our time, the "revealed things" are the completed Scriptures.  Is predestination a secret thing?  No.  There is a considerable body of information on the word itself as well as on the concept in Scriptures.  </div> <div>     Is God unable to communicate His thoughts on this or any matter?  If it was an incomprehensible concept, wouldn't God have consigned it to the secret things and left it out of Scriptures?  But if it is included in Scriptures, to say it is incomprehensible is to blur the line between secret and revealed things.  Moses said that the revealed things were:</div> <div>  1)  "For us".  This means they were made for humans;</div> <div>  2)  "That we may do" them.  How can you <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>do </I></FONT>something you don't comprehend?</div> <div>     Therefore, of necessity, everything in Scripture is understandable.  Does that mean anyone <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>has </I></FONT>ever understood it all (besides Jesus)?  No, but the real question is:  can you point to even one verse of Scripture God <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Poor Richard" ><I>didn't intend to be understood</I></FONT>?  Many people talk as though vast portions of holy writ are consigned to the unintelligible until the sweet by-and-by.  This is even passed off as a reverent position to take.  It is only reverent if calling God senile is reverent.  Either He couldn't gather His wits to write it intelligibly or He couldn't adequately enable His creature to make sense of His words.</div> <div>     How close can Scriptures come to being incomprehensible?</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#008080" FACE="Georgia" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008080" FACE="Eurostile" >2 Pet 3:15, 16</FONT>  ... (as our beloved brother <U>Paul</U> also <U>has written</U> to you according to the wisdom given to him as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things; in which are <U>some things</U> <U>hard to be understood</U>, which the unlearned and unstable pervert, as also <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#808080" FACE="Eurostile" ><I>they do</I></FONT> the rest of the Scriptures, to <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#808080" FACE="Eurostile" ><I>their</I></FONT> own destruction). </div> <bR> <div>     Peter confesses that some of Paul's writings were hard to understand.  I daresay you or I might have some difficulty nailing down some of <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>Peter's</I></FONT> meanings!  But by saying that some things were hard to understand, Peter drew the <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Poor Richard" ><I>furthest possible line</I></FONT> in determining God's mind in Scriptures.  All of it <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>can </I></FONT>be understood, though some of it only by very intensive study.</div> <div>     The plain but sad fact of the matter is that it plays well into the plans of some to make God a bit too heady.  If we can say His divine speeches are 'over our heads', guess what?  <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Poor Richard" ><I>We're</I></FONT> left to resolve the truth by ourselves.  Or at least we can bypass His sayings we don't like.  And that's what Wesley did.  It is a horrible thing to say, perhaps, but the whole Methodist denomination, or at least its Arminianism, is based upon an unBiblical approach to determining correct doctrine.  That is not to say that Methodists and Wesleyans continue to determine doctrine wrongly, but they should roundly join Whitefield (who was glad to be known as a methodist) in condemning Wesley's <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Poor Richard" ><I>means </I></FONT>of determining this doctrine.</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#008080" FACE="Georgia" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008080" FACE="Eurostile" >2 Tim 2:15</FONT>   Give diligence to present yourself approved to God, a <U>workman</U> unashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth. </div> <bR> <div>     <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Poor Richard" ><I>This </I></FONT>is the means God has given us to determine His precepts in Scriptures:  WORK.  This includes the work of prayer, but not prayer as a magic formula to have a meaning 'handed to us on a platter'; rather, prayer as a request for God to open our eyes as we <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>closely scrutinize</I></FONT> His words.</div> <bR> <div> *  <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" >This is the last word on lots per se</FONT>.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> ***********************************************************************</div> <bR> <div>  <A NAME="may_16"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="2" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="486" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" BGCOLOR=#66CCCC > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 78 ><NOBR><div> Proverbs 17:1<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Kabel Bk BT" > </FONT></div> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Verdana" ><B>Better </B></FONT><B>is</B><B> </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Verdana" ><B>a dry morsel and tranquility in its </B></FONT><I><B>partaking</B></I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Verdana" ><B>, </B></FONT></div> <div> <B>than a house filled with the sacrifices of strife.</B></div> <bR> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div>  </div> <div> <B><U>Words of the Verse</U></B><B>:</B></div> <bR> <div>     "In its partaking" is literally "in it", or "with it".</div> <div>     "Morsel" is a fragment, a bit.</div> <div>     "Sacrifice", meaning a kill, is often rendered "feast" here, since the biggest meal in an Israeli house was usually associated with its remaining portion of the meat of the peace offering when it had been sacrificed.</div> <div>     The literal phrase "sacrifices of strife" is usually rendered "sacrifices <B>with </B>strife".</div> <div>     </div> <div> <B><U>Analysis of the Verse</U></B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="GoudyOlSt BT" >:</FONT></div> <bR> <div> Being Compared<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="GoudyOlSt BT" >:</FONT></div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">A dried out piece of food partaken in peace</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">A house full of the sacrificial meat of turmoil</div> <bR> <div> Descriptions:</div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Better</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Worse</div> <bR> <div> <B><U>Teaching of the Verse</U></B>:</div> <bR> <div>     A stale bit of bread is not better in itself than a full course meal.  Quite the opposite.  But this proverb is not comparing portions or quality of food.  It is comparing two households.  One abides in a secure, emotionally restful spirit.  In the other, the main course at meals is commonly one anothers' throats!  Solomon is telling us that the former household is better even if all they eat is an insufficient amount of stale leftovers.  The quarreling household is worse even if they go to church together and then have a brimming Sunday lunch.</div> <div>     The picture of a Sunday lunch after church is actually very close to what Solomon is portraying.  In his own setting, the biggest feasts were almost always associated with sacrifices to God, peace offerings in particular, in which the sizeable leftover portion of the animal was meant to be eaten by the offering family.  Since choice animals were supposed to be brought for sacrifices, this meal was usually a prize in quality and well as quantity.</div> <div>     So if we render the phrase in its most natural way, "sacrifices of strife" becomes a very arresting and ironic picture.  Here's a family preparing for a feast, offering its sacrifice to God.  So far, so good.  But the family was at odds before the sacrifice, and the family will be at odds after the feast.  So their offering is not really a peace offering, for there is no evidence of peace having been wrought in their house.  Their sacrifice is really a sacrifice of strife, not of peace.</div> <div>     Solomon is not concerned whether fighting is going on at the very table of the feast.  When all are busy feeding their faces, there is usually no time for a good fight.  Plus, there is the immediate gratification of the food.  In fact, the meal might be a pause where harmony might actually seem to reign in the home.  But it is the mood of the home during 'normal business hours' that tells what kind of sacrifice they really offer and partake of.</div> <div>     So the average church family today worships together, goes home, and cursorily thanks the God who fills their table, and afterwards settles back into their routine of selfishness and bickering.  Solomon is telling us that this isn't really even a family.  Yet a few blocks or subdivisions away, the poor family, perhaps in a trailer, but thankful for enough money to pay the rent, are better off if they are also thankful for one another.</div> <div>     Unfortunately, being poor does not insure household harmony.  One is probably almost as likely to find squabbling in a poor man's house as in a rich.  Peace is the standard for a <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Poor Richard" ><I>real </I></FONT>household- that is the point.</div> <div>     One more thing.  Frosty quietness is not peace.  Uneasy truces are not harmony.  Cynical coexistence is not anyone's best effort.</div> <div>     How do you know how much responsibility <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>you </I></FONT>bear for the tension in your home?  Try an experiment.  Go one week withholding any negative comments to anyone about anything.  No exceptions.  You can make up for it next week if you like; the house won't explode minus your penetrating critiques.  After a week, take stock.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> *********************************************************************** </div> <bR> <div>  <A NAME="_may17"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="2" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="608" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" BGCOLOR=#C0DCC0 > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 78 ><NOBR><div> Proverbs 17:2<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Kabel Bk BT" > </FONT></div> <div> <B>An intelligent servant shall have rule over a son who causes shame, </B></div> <div> <B>and shall have part of the inheritance among the brothers. </B></div> <bR> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div>  </div> <div> <B><U>Words of the Verse</U></B><B>:</B></div> <bR> <div>     The "son who causes shame" was seen early on- 10:5.  There his shame was sleeping in the harvest, and he was contrasted to a diligent son.  Here he is contrasted to a household servant.</div> <div>     </div> <div> <B><U>Analysis of the Verse</U></B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="GoudyOlSt BT" >:</FONT></div> <bR> <div> Being Considered<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="GoudyOlSt BT" >:</FONT></div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">An insightful servant</div> <bR> <div> Descriptions:</div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Will have rule over a shameful son</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Will have part of the inheritance among the brothers</div> <bR> <div> <B><U>Teaching of the Verse</U></B>:</div> <bR> <div>     So far, we have only referenced household servants in 12:9, there concerning the advantage of having one.  Household servants were quite common in most ancient societies.  In Israel, such servitude was their answer to our present-day welfare system.  Instead of going onto a government dole, though, financially troubled Israelites were taken in by better-off families to become part of the socio-economic system of that family.  After a predetermined period of time not to exceed six years, the servant would be released from his servitude.  When he left, he was to be liberally supplied from the households flocks and other household bounty as an acknowledgment of his contribution to the house and as a goodwill gesture in getting him started in his independent life again.</div> <div>     Some slaves preferred the families they had served to their independence, in which case they could become the permanent possessions of that family (Deut. 15:12 - 18).  So a slave growing up as practically part of the family was not uncommon in Israel.  Our proverb today concerns such a case.  </div> <div>     If a household servant was a good and wise servant of the householder, he would be entrusted with greater and greater responsibility in household affairs.  If, at the same time, a natural son in the household was foolish and shameful, his father would be withholding more and more responsibility from him.  Eventually, a point would come where some, perhaps many expectations and responsibilities due the natural child would have transferred to the servant.  This trend might continue until the natural son retained <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>none </I></FONT>of his rightful duties and remained a son in name only.  Taken far enough, the servant would eventually have practical dominion over the son, just as our proverb says.</div> <div>     So our proverb is making a very simple point.  A family name doesn't mean much when it has no family characteristics with it.  A company name is the same:  you may be in a fine company, but as a bad worker, you dishonor the company's good name.  Religious names are the same.  Someone who calls himself a Christian will not necessarily carry the characteristics of a true child of God.</div> <div>     In terms of Systematic Theology, our verse has some application to the Gentile inclusion into the covenant of salvation.  Israel was like the natural son in our verse; the Gentiles were like the outsiders taken in.  Through Israel's shameful behavior, the outsider Gentiles became, for the time being, the main insiders.  They inherit with all the true sons of Israel from the past.</div> <div>     Our proverb today is an illustration of the fact that "God is no respecter of persons."  That is, he who thinks and acts like a child of the devil will be relegated to that sphere, whatever he calls himself, or whatever his heritage is.  Whoever thinks and acts with the Master's honor and interests at heart will gain the name "Christian" in truth:</div> <bR> <div>  <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008080" FACE="Eurostile" >2 Tim 2:19</FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Eurostile" >  However God's firm foundation stands, having this seal, "The Lord knows those who are his," and, "Let every one who names the name of the Lord depart from unrighteousness." </FONT></div> <bR> <div>     <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Perpetua" >That's what an "intelligent," adopted servant does- part company with unrighteousness.</FONT></div> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> ***************************************************************************</div> <bR> <bR> <div>  <A NAME="may_18"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="2" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="529" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" BGCOLOR=#A6CAF0 > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 78 ><NOBR><div> Proverbs 17:3<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Kabel Bk BT" > </FONT></div> <div> <B>The refining pot </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#777777" FACE="Verdana" ><I><B>is </B></I></FONT><B>for silver, and the furnace for gold, </B></div> <div> <B>but Jehovah tests the hearts. </B></div> <bR> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div>  </div> <div> <B><U>Words of the Verse</U></B><B>:</B></div> <bR> <div>     The "refining pot" is the 'melting place' for metals to be purified.</div> <div>     The "furnace" for the Hebrews was the 'dug' place where a fire could be made and kept hot for metallurgy.</div> <div>     </div> <div> <B><U>Analysis of the Verse</U></B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="GoudyOlSt BT" >:</FONT></div> <bR> <div> Being Compared<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="GoudyOlSt BT" >:</FONT></div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">The refining pot and furnace</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Jehovah</div> <bR> <div> Descriptions:</div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">For silver and gold</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Tests the hearts</div> <bR> <div> <B><U>Teaching of the Verse</U></B>:</div> <bR> <div>     Oh for a constant view of this truth!  How much we miss by forgetting it!  If we could only remember that our hearts were always in God's crucible, that the trials of life, including the mundaneness of life, are <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Poor Richard" ><I>His </I></FONT>'fire' by which He melts and purifies our hearts- we would rid ourselves of so much discontent!</div> <div>     But the world is such a pleasant place.  The power of God's pronouncement, "It is very good," is hard to overestimate.  Even though sin has cursed the world with death, the marred face of the earth is still beautiful! (How much more beautiful was it before sin?  How much more it will be after!)  Add to this the mercies of God that overflow the earth, and what impression do most men adopt?  "No need for negativism.  The world is full of good things; let us have them!"   </div> <div>     And, of course, the world <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>is </I></FONT>a pleasant place, all given generously by God for our enjoyment.  But only the grateful heart, only the humble heart can ever make right use of His world.  Only the heart that knows that there is an <B>inner world</B> to be conquered can make right use of the outer world.  (This has tempted Christians over the centuries to become ascetics, denying earth's pleasures as mere distractions.  This practice is incorrect, though the duty of fasting proves that we must have control of our bodily enjoyments for our spirit's benefit.)</div> <div>     So who can see this inner world?  Only the Christian.  Not only that, but only the Christian operating <B>by faith</B>.  By faith he can 'see' his heart as impure gold that the Lord is constantly seeking to refine.</div> <div>     Also, look how our proverb asserts God's excellence at testing us.  He is 'made' for it.  We would probably expect our proverb to say, "As silver is made for the refining pot..., so our hearts..."  But it is reversed:  "As the refining pot... so Jehovah."  The proverb focuses on the fitness of the <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Poor Richard" ><I>refining vessels</I></FONT>.  How well they execute their tasks!  So with God.  God's nature is such that all His character and resources come to bear beautifully in our much-needed sanctification!</div> <div>     Therefore, can the Lord 'overdo' it in His purifying work?  Can He 'lose His sense of humor', so to speak?  Need we fear that God will just wear us out with His constant attention to our inward improvement?  No.  Remember that He claims to be sympathetic to our general infirmity:</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#008080" FACE="Georgia" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008080" FACE="Eurostile" >Psa 103:13, 14</FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Eurostile" >  As a father pities his children, Jehovah pities those who fear Him.  For He knows our form; He remembers that we </FONT><I>are</I> <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Eurostile" >dust. </FONT></div> <bR> <div>     On the other hand, Jehovah also knows our strength and resilience better than we do:</div> <bR> <div>  <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008080" FACE="Eurostile" >Heb 12:5, 6</FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Eurostile" >  And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons, "My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when you are rebuked by Him;  for whom the Lord loves He chastens, and He scourges every son whom He receives." </FONT></div> <bR> <div>     (This quote in Hebrews is from Proverbs 3)  This exhortation would not need to be made if God's refining fires 'cooperated' with our perceived limits.  Anyway, fire is naturally destructive.  God <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>means to destroy</I></FONT> in His chastening, that is, in His regular dealings with us.  This is because there is something in us needing destruction: of course, it is Sin.</div> <div>     And remember that God is <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>not testing our endurance</I></FONT>!  In our spiritual laziness, we are tempted to just look at a trial as 'something to get through.'  It is not so.  He is testing, refining, and purifying our <B>hearts</B>.  Our very personality, our very approach to life is on the line every day.</div> <div>     We can bear with this testing for many reasons.  One is given in the passage just quoted.  We remember that all these trials are real tokens of <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>love </I></FONT>(a strange love indeed, by most of our reckonings!).  In truth, it is a severe love.  But it must be, because it sees what we cannot- the real ugliness and destructiveness of sin.</div> <div>     We can also bear with it because Jesus already bore with it:</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#008080" FACE="Georgia" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008080" FACE="Eurostile" >Heb 2:17, 18</FONT>  Therefore he was obligated in all things to be made like his brothers, that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make atonement for the sins of the people.  For in that <U>He Himself has suffered being tempted</U>, He is able to help those who are tempted. </div> <bR> <div>     Jesus was tested more than we will ever be.  The fires of life's trials had to reach into every crevice of His life to prove that there was no sin anywhere.  He can directly empathize with us if we will only bring the pain of life's testing to Him.</div> <div>     Our proverb is a good tonic for a day, but it is meant to be a view of life held for its entire duration.  It is the context in which we are to daily pray and think, "Do not lead me into temptation."</div> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> *********************************************************************</div> <bR> <div>  <A NAME="may_19"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="2" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="496" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" BGCOLOR=#A6CAF0 > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 78 ><NOBR><div> Proverbs 17:4<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Kabel Bk BT" > </FONT></div> <div> <B>An evil doer is attentive to shiftless lips, </B></div> <div> <B>Falsehood lends its ear to a ruinous tongue.</B></div> <bR> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div>  </div> <div> <B><U>Words of the Verse</U></B><B>:</B></div> <bR> <div>     "Falsehood" is usually translated "A liar" here.  It is certainly the person that is meant.  The liar, then, is pictured as 'falsehood' itself.</div> <div>     </div> <div> <B><U>Analysis of the Verse</U></B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="GoudyOlSt BT" >:</FONT></div> <bR> <div> Being Compared<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="GoudyOlSt BT" >:</FONT></div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">An immoral person</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">A liar</div> <bR> <div> Their Descriptions:</div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">"Perks us his ears" (literally) to idle lips</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">'Cups its hand to its ear' (nearly literally) to hear a spiteful tongue.</div> <bR> <div> <B><U>Teaching of the Verse</U></B>:</div> <bR> <div>     Here is the essential companion verse to all the Bible has to say about <B>gossip</B>.</div> <div>     This is the verse that tells us that <B>listening </B>to gossip is as bad as telling it.</div> <div>     Gossip is basically sharing hurtful information about someone when he is not present.  Hence, listening to such information is part of the sharing process.  After all, there would be no gossip to tell if there were no one to listen.</div> <div>     This is also another proverb on companionship.  Are you an associate of someone who downgrades others?  Your association also defines <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Poor Richard" ><I>you</I></FONT>.  Sometimes we must be 'rude' to excuse ourselves from hearing such information, but usually a tactful hint will do (like saying something <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>good </I></FONT>about the gossipee).</div> <div>     It is imperative that we develop the skill of sensing our own inward delight at negative news about others.  When we find out that something bad happened to someone, is our first sensation, "Well, after all, they had it coming"?  Again, we may not say it in words, so we have to develop a sensitivity that alerts us to look within ourselves when we hear negative news.</div> <div>     This spirit pegs us all as natural gossips.  We all like to hear or see bad things about certain people.  Our natural sense of justice usually makes us pass right over this sensation.  We actually feel like "God finally did right by me in that situation" if something bad happened to them.  As though God was our personal 'cop'!</div> <div>     Most of us are not beyond a smile creeping onto our lips when we hear 'the right kind' of bad report.  This smile is a good clue if we're ignoring our inner man.  Bottom line:  listening to hurtful information makes you an evil doer and a walking falsehood.  God could not be more displeased.</div> <bR> <div>     Finally, could this verse be here in context because most of us lose track of God's refining of <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Poor Richard" ><I>our </I></FONT>hearts (previous proverb) by thinking about <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>other peoples'</I></FONT> negatives?  </div> <div>     It's so easy for a negative word to slip into our ears.  Our natural machinations as judges begin to whir, and soon, all our sense of judgment is trained on <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>someone else</I></FONT> and <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>outside ourselves</I></FONT>.  Since this feels more comfy, we don't question it, but simply allow it to take place.  Next time we think about God's refining process, we wonder what happened to our awareness of it.  We lost it by letting idle or spiteful words about others distract the proper focus of our sin-discerning function.</div> <div>     On the other hand, when we are aware of the <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Poor Richard" >heart-heat</FONT> by which God is refining us, it is very difficult for <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Poor Richard" >lip-heat</FONT> (gossip) to escape.</div> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> **************************************************************</div> <bR> <div>  <A NAME="may_20"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="2" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="496" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" BGCOLOR=#CCFFCC > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 78 ><NOBR><div> Proverbs 17:5<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Kabel Bk BT" > </FONT></div> <div> <B>Whoever derides the needy defames his Maker; </B></div> <div> <B>he who is gleeful at misfortune shall not be innocent. </B></div> <bR> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div>  </div> <div> <B><U>Words of the Verse</U></B><B>:</B></div> <bR> <div>     The words "his Maker" can refer either to God as the needy man's maker or God as the maker of the man who despises him.</div> <div>     </div> <div> <B><U>Analysis of the Verse</U></B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="GoudyOlSt BT" >:</FONT></div> <bR> <div> Being Compared<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="GoudyOlSt BT" >:</FONT></div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">He who disrespects the needy</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">He who is glad when difficulties <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#777777" FACE="Lucida Sans Unicode" ><I>come into other peoples' lives</I></FONT></div> <bR> <div> Descriptions:</div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Shames his Maker</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Will not be "clean" (literally)</div> <bR> <div> <B><U>Teaching of the Verse</U></B>:</div> <bR> <div>     Here is another 'surprise' identifier of bad traits.  As in the former verse, we would normally not have thought to make these connections and define human character by them.</div> <div>     Especially important in this verse is the connection between the first and second halves of the verse.  We are being told that these two character traits are kindred spirits.  Probably, when you own one of them, you also own the other.</div> <div>     When God designed the world, it did not have poor people in it.  But once sin entered, poverty was an unavoidable eventuality.  God's original design of the human soul included the limits and boundaries to which sin could take it, should sin enter.  Sin having entered, we now have inbuilt gauges that demonstrate the perversity and depravity of our godless spirits.  These gauges operate relative to the fallen environment around us.  SO, there are now poor people AND our response to them tells us at a glance all we need to know about our basic spiritual condition.</div> <div>     Unfortunately, this is not good news.  Solomon is not identifying ridiculers who get out of their cars to go over and laugh in the face of some poor bum on the sidewalk- in other words, those who openly and obviously manifest this spirit (they, of course, are included in his definition).  No, Solomon is identifying an <B>automatic response</B> in all of us.  To outwardly manifest it aggravates our guilt, but we are all <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>basically </I></FONT>guilty of this sin.  We cannot help it.</div> <div>     Think about it.  Whenever you have come into close proximity to a strange 'bum', you were uncomfortable.  If he sought to interface with you in some way, you wished that he would not.  When we see a ragged-looking person, we tend to either put them out of our thoughts or else justify our natural disdain for them by thinking that their own laziness has probably brought them their plight.  Even 'bums' who are not in one another's circles tend to disdain one another.</div> <div>     This automatic negative human response to the 'have-nots' of society is an indicator of our fallen condition.  It is because we naturally set ourselves up as the blessed among men that we see others as 'cursed' by their unfortunate circumstances.  This natural human response is actually reproaching the God who made the bums.  Even if their destitution <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>is </I></FONT>a recompense for their sins, God still remains their maker and protector.  He takes personal offense when we slander His handiwork.  The 'truth' of their repulsiveness does not negate the truth of their origin from God.</div> <bR> <div>     As to the second trait, it, too, is an <B>automatic response</B>.  We do not <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>think </I></FONT>about whether or not we will rejoice at someone else's calamity; we simply do so.  Certain people may provoke more of a negative response in us, but the fact that bad news about another automatically delights us is an indicator of a trait deeply embedded in our souls' 'tissue'.</div> <div>     Again, our conscience may chide us at our perverse delight; then we will think of reasons why that person deserved what they got.  Our conscience will probably also keep us from sharing our delight with others.  In fact, as often as not, we keep it from <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>ourselves</I></FONT>!  We won't even acknowledge that we are feeling such a thing.  Strange being- fallen man!  </div> <bR> <div>     Now consider the common ground of the two traits.  Both are a way of playing God, or at least making ourselves God's counselors.  But what did Jesus say about that kind of response.</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008080" FACE="Eurostile" >Luke 13:1 - 5</FONT>  And some were present at the same time reporting to Him of the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices.  And answering, Jesus said to them, Do you suppose that these Galileans were <U>greater sinners</U> than the Galileans <U>because they suffered</U> such things?  I tell you, No. But unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.  Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were sinners above all men who lived in Jerusalem?  I tell you, No. But unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. </div> <bR> <div>     Jesus turned the reproach back on us.  The 'blessed'' must see that they are basically in the same category as the most 'cursed' in society.  Bad things in men's lives are the result of sin.  But sin has affected us all.  The <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Poor Richard" ><I>ultimate </I></FONT>curse of sin awaits <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Poor Richard" ><I>any </I></FONT>who do not repent.</div> <div>     Ironically, a greater percentage of the earthly-wise cursed ones, the poor, will enter heaven than those who seem and count themselves blessed by comparison:</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#008080" FACE="Georgia" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008080" FACE="Eurostile" >Luke 6:20</FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Eurostile" >  And lifting up His eyes to His disciples, He said, Blessed </FONT><I>are</I>  <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Eurostile" >the poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. </FONT></div> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> **********************************************************************</div> <bR> <div>  <A NAME="may_21"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="2" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="429" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" BGCOLOR=#CCFFFF > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 78 ><NOBR><div> Proverbs 17:6<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Kabel Bk BT" > </FONT></div> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Verdana" ><B>Grandsons </B></FONT><I><B>are</B></I><B> </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Verdana" ><B>the crown of old men, </B></FONT></div> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Verdana" ><B>and the glory of sons </B></FONT><I><B>are</B></I><B> </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Verdana" ><B>their fathers.  </B></FONT></div> <bR> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div>  </div> <div> <B><U>Words of the Verse</U></B><B>:</B></div> <bR> <div>     "Grandsons" is literally "sons of sons", or children of children.</div> <div>     </div> <div> <B><U>Analysis of the Verse</U></B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="GoudyOlSt BT" >:</FONT></div> <bR> <div> Being Compared<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="GoudyOlSt BT" >:</FONT></div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Old men's crowns (honoring them)</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Sons' glory</div> <bR> <div> Their Objects:</div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Grandchildren</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Fathers</div> <bR> <div> <B><U>Teaching of the Verse</U></B>:</div> <bR> <div>     Here is a comparison that interweaves three generations.  In so doing, it joins <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>all </I></FONT>generations throughout mankind's history.</div> <bR> <div> <B><U>Graphically</U></B>:</div> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="2" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="742" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="NONE" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 45 ><NOBR><div> Grandfathers' crown is </div> <div> their <I>grandsons</I></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> g       g       g       g       g       g       g</div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="254"><div>    g       g       i</div> <div>                          i</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 26 WIDTH="190"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="26" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="190" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Wingdings 3" ><B>j</B>     </FONT>Fathers glory in <I>their </I>fathers</div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="254"><div>                           i</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 26 WIDTH="190"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="26" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="190" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="276"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="26" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="276" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <B>j</B> <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" >Grandsons glory in their <I>fathers</I></FONT></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div>     Any three generations considered is a unit, a closed system that relates grandsons to their fathers, those fathers to their own fathers, and those grandfathers back to their grandsons.  </div> <div>     Obviously, though, the <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>grandfathers </I></FONT>in the above illustration would be the <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" >fathers </FONT>of another unit; their sons (the <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>fathers </I></FONT>in the above illustration) would be the <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" >grandsons </FONT>in that unit.  The grandfathers of that new unit aren't pictured in the above unit.  If they were added to the above box, they would be the great-grandfathers.  But Solomon does not 'sew' the family ties that extensively (our own experience teaches us that great-grandfathers usually don't have much direct influence on great-grandchildren).</div> <div>     Solomon is telling us that there is a natural inter-generational connection that puts a child in special relation to his father and a grandfather in special relation to his grandchildren.  The connection of the fathers to the grandfathers in the above illustration is <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>implied </I></FONT>in a child's glory in his father.  Obviously, only children in a man's household are directly referred to.  This means that there are two actual <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>recipients </I></FONT>and two <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>givers </I></FONT>in the illustration.  The grandsons and fathers are recipients, and the grandsons and grandfathers are givers.</div> <div>     The point here is to <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>work with</I></FONT> this natural flow.  In our day, when forces in society tend to disconnect families, grandfathers often feel that their contribution to the lives of their grandchildren is minimal.  This leaves a gap in the lives of both grandfather and grandchild.  Grandfathers are supposed to see a duty and a reward in influencing their grandchildren.  These grandchildren's parents are also to embrace the contribution the grandfathers make to their children.  </div> <div>     Again, for many reasons, this connection is lost to very many families.  Therefore, wherever Christians find themselves, they must begin to <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>rebuild </I></FONT>these connections, instilling in children the responsibilities they will have to their children <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>and </I></FONT>their grandchildren.  This requires the rebuilders to be people of faith.</div> <bR> <div>     Children naturally glory in their fathers.  The fleshly version of this is, "My dad can beat up your dad."  Christian fathers must take advantage of this natural admiration (not the fleshly variety) and become mentors and role models for their children.  No, this admiration will not erase the child's sinful, rebellious, or character-flawed nature.  And at times, the daddy-admiring spirit will be completely buried under a mound of anger, self-righteousness, or fear.  But it is there.  Our proverb assures us that it is.</div> <div>     If fathers need to ask their children's forgiveness for past offenses, let them do so.  The father must do whatever he can to bridge whatever gaps exist in his relationship with a child, whether they be personality-based gaps or gaps imposed by fracturing circumstances.</div> <div>     On the other hand, the father must not fear losing his child's <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>expression </I></FONT>of admiration.  Some of his restrictions may put a cloud over their relationship, but the father must not back off from hard or unpopular decisions in order to maintain the child's admiration (maintaining their <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>approval </I></FONT>is what this becomes).  He must simply have faith that the admiration is still there, and that, in fact, he would <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>lose </I></FONT>the child's real admiration by currying his favor.</div> <bR> <div>     How wonderful to know the natural workings of grandfathers, fathers, and children!  We don't have to invent our own roles.  We merely enjoy and profit from the connections God has already provided.</div> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> ***********************************************************************</div> <bR> <div>  <A NAME="may_22"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="2" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="453" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" BGCOLOR=#FFCCFF > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 78 ><NOBR><div> Proverbs 17:7<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Kabel Bk BT" > </FONT></div> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Verdana" ><B>Masterful speech </B></FONT><I><B>is</B></I><B> </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Verdana" ><B>not suitable for the sordid, </B></FONT></div> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Verdana" ><B>much less are lying lips </B></FONT><I><B>fitting for</B></I><B> </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Verdana" ><B>a noble. </B></FONT></div> <bR> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div>  </div> <div> <B><U>Words of the Verse</U></B><B>:</B></div> <bR> <div>     "Masterful speech" is literally "overhanging lips".</div> <div>     "Sordid" is from a Hebrew word meaning "to wilt", speaking of a debased character.</div> <div>     </div> <div> <B><U>Analysis of the Verse</U></B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="GoudyOlSt BT" >:</FONT></div> <bR> <div> Being Compared<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="GoudyOlSt BT" >:</FONT></div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Excellent speaking ability</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Lying lips</div> <bR> <div> Their Descriptions:</div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Not fitting for the morally weak</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Not suitable for a nobleman</div> <bR> <div> <B><U>Teaching of the Verse</U></B>:</div> <bR> <div>     Speech is supposed to match character type.  Certain character types should accompany certain positions in society.</div> <div>     Solomon allows that some morally flaccid folks may be able to "parrot" excellent speech.  In fact, the character type he pegs here is likely to be unusually good at it.  They are like defiled vessels shaped very handily to fill up with valuable contents.  The contents are borrowed (stolen, more like), but are passed off as original, as native.  The counterfeit contents are, what's more, part of their life of hypocrisy.</div> <div>     Solomon is telling us that once we see the moral deficiency, the excellence of speech ought no longer to intrigue us.  In fact, at that point, the high-sounding verbiage will probably be rather nauseating.  It would be like a nightmare where a jackal's head is on a man, yet speaking in the man's voice:  incongruous to the point of terror.</div> <div>     But Solomon is really using this first image as a base for teaching the second. If it is incongruous for degraded men to speak <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>with </I></FONT>principle, it should be even more discordant for elevated men to speak <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>without </I></FONT>principle.  "Much less" is this acceptable.  Societies still expect more from their leaders than from 'common men', the men whom the leaders lead.  </div> <div>     Solomon has <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>political </I></FONT>leaders especially in mind.  In ancient societies, leaders were groomed in families.  Ruling positions were restricted to noble families, exceptions being rare.  Despite our form of class-crossing democracy, <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>our </I></FONT>leaders usually come from privileged and prepared ranks as well.</div> <div>     How are these leaders to be bred?  With an awareness of the gravity of their responsibilities.  They should be altogether fearful of errors of judgment or the committing of misdeeds <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>because of all the people they affect</I></FONT>.  Furthermore, a good leader will be put in mind that God is watching and evaluating his acts and decisions.</div> <div>     Whether they take their responsibilities seriously or not, it is still unfitting for them to deceive.  They are either truthful or liars, no matter how they or their society seeks to redefine them.</div> <bR> <div>     Christians are nobles.  Spiritually, we are children of royalty.  Our Father, the King, is unable to deceive.  It is <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>doubly </I></FONT>unfitting for us, from <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>His </I></FONT>family, to speak deceptively.  We are "a city set on a hill."  The world sees us; God makes sure of that.  If we forget either thing- that we are nobility or that we are noticed- we tend to relax the standard for our lips.  Nothing could be more foolish.  Secular leaders will have bad consequences for misleading communications; Christians will find God quite intolerant of such behavior from His own.</div> <div>     Lying is very easy to do.  It comes quite naturally to the fallen nature.  Most of the lies we tell, we do not think of as lies.  We put up pretenses for the sake of appearances, for the sake of ego, for the sake of self-defense.  In a prosperous society, these are daily fare.  God says, "Banish them all.  Trust in Me.  The truth alone will serve you."  </div> <div>     Sincerity- us, warts and all- is the only way to think of ourselves or present ourselves (not necessarily in vivid detail).  Deception is not an alternative.  </div> <div>     Do you have good enough comrades with whom to <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>be </I></FONT>yourself?  To <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>improve </I></FONT>yourself?</div> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> *********************************************************************</div> <bR> <div>  <A NAME="may_23"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="2" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="497" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" BGCOLOR=#FFFFCC > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 79 WIDTH="485"><div> Proverbs 17:8<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Kabel Bk BT" > </FONT></div> <div> <B>A gift </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#555555" FACE="Verdana" ><I><B>is </B></I></FONT><B>a stone of favor in the eyes of its possessors, Wherever it turns, it prospers.</B></div> <bR> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div>  </div> <div> <B><U>Words of the Verse</U></B><B>:</B></div> <bR> <div>     Here is a dandy verse indeed for words and translations!</div> <div>     "Gift" is usually translated "bribe", but is also used for a plain gift.</div> <div>     "Stone of favor" is not the usual phrase for "precious stone," which phrase many translations use.  "Magic stone" or "charm," favored by modern translations, seems a stretch.  "Favor" is also translated "grace".  The two times Solomon has used "stone" so far have been of "weights" used in scales.</div> <div>     The second half of the verse can also be, "Wherever <U>he</U> turns, <U>he</U> prospers" (speaking of the stone's possessor instead of the stone itself).</div> <div>     "Prospers" is commonly so translated throughout the Old Testament.  It is additionally one of Solomon's words for the wise, a common usage also.  "The intelligent / discerning" is how we usually render it.  So some translations make the second half, "Wherever he turns, he is prudent."</div> <div>     </div> <div> <B><U>Analysis of the Verse</U></B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="GoudyOlSt BT" >:</FONT></div> <bR> <div> Being Considered<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="GoudyOlSt BT" >:</FONT></div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">A gift (or bribe)</div> <bR> <div> Its Descriptions:</div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">A stone of favor (a favorable weight?) in its possessor's estimate</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">However he uses it, it succeeds</div> <bR> <div> <B><U>Teaching of the Verse</U></B>:</div> <bR> <div>     In determining the meaning of this verse, the <B>gift </B>is central.</div> <div>     The <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>stone </I></FONT>is merely an analogy to better understand how the gift works.  </div> <div>     The key thing we know about the gift is that it has a <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>successful </I></FONT>affect:  "It prospers."  It may be a bad end for which it succeeds, but it does accomplish its ends.</div> <div>     The other thing we know about the gift is that its giver considers it very useful.</div> <bR> <div>     Let us first consider the gift as a bribe.</div> <div>     If the gift is a <B>bribe</B>, then the '"stone of favor" would likely be a "weight" that favors the briber.  In other words, the briber sees his bribe as a kind of extra weight thrown onto the scales to tip an outcome in his own favor.  His money (or whatever his gift is) influences peoples' decisions to be made in his best interests.</div> <div>     In this case, the briber views his bribe as a 'sure-fire' way to make things come out as he wishes.  He comes to view his bribes as a universal man-made 'providence' in his favor.</div> <bR> <div>     If the gift is merely a freely offered <B>present</B>, with no purpose of influencing decisions, then the stone of favor analogy merely means that the giver intends to bless the receiver of the gift.  "Stone of favor" in this case may be 'one up' on the translation, "precious stone," then.  "Stone of grace" might be a good translation, indicating that the gift given as a blessing excels the most precious of mere earthly prizes.  Or it could mean "weight of favor," as with the bribe, except in this case it would not be a weight added to unbalance the scales unjustly; it would simply be an influence to express the desire for favor with the receiver:</div> <bR> <div>  <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008080" FACE="Eurostile" >Prov 21:14</FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Eurostile" >  A gift in secret quiets anger; and a bribe in the bosom quiets strong wrath. </FONT></div> <bR> <div>     "Bribe" in the above proverb is the same Hebrew word as in our passage.  But how can it mean 'bribe' in 21:14 when its corresponding word in the first half, "gift", is merely from the Hebrew word for "give"?  The two words in this verse ought to be translated "present" and "gift", or the other way around.  Certainly Solomon is not suggesting we <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>withhold </I></FONT>a gift when someone is angry at us.  If someone is justly angry at us, a present is a good way to show that we realize we committed a trespass which we wish to rectify.  The gift is simply a symbol for this admission.</div> <bR> <div>     So which is it, "bribe" or "gift"? </div> <div>     This verse could actually be pulling 'double duty'.  It describes both situations adequately.  Solomon may mean that a gift, used righteously <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>or </I></FONT>unrighteously, is very influential and effective. As a bribe, it is a weight to unbalance the scales; as a gift, it is an expression meant to carry the 'weight' of blessing into the recipient's life, whether from appreciation or reparation.</div> <bR> <div>     Have you mastered the art of gift-giving?  It <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>is </I></FONT>a righteous art.  The <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>grace </I></FONT>of gift-giving is a direct challenge to our selfish, greedy natures.  When we think of blessing someone with a gift, we may either think, "He doesn't really deserve it," <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Poor Richard" ><I>or</I></FONT>, "He'll get the wrong idea" (merely an excuse).  When we think of acquiring and parting with something nice, we are commonly struck with the idea, "Hey, I'd like that for <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>myself,</I></FONT>" or we just prefer to save the money.  Perhaps most likely of all, we simply 'don't have the time' for any gift-giving, can't work it into our schedules- probably not even the consideration of it.   </div> <div>     The inward ability to rightly consign my possession to another is a great affront to the flesh.  Of course, if we expect returns on the gift, it really isn't a gift, but a bribe (a happier recipient isn't a <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Poor Richard" ><I>return </I></FONT>we seek, but an <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Poor Richard" ><I>effect </I></FONT>properly sought).  "<U>Freely</U> you have received, <U>freely</U> give."</div> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> **********************************************************************</div> <bR> <div>  <A NAME="may_24"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="2" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="497" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" BGCOLOR=#FFCCB2 > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 78 ><NOBR><div> Proverbs 17:9<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Kabel Bk BT" > </FONT></div> <div> <B>He who covers an offense is pursuing love; </B></div> <div> <B>But he who repeats a matter dislodges </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#555555" FACE="Verdana" ><I><B>a good </B></I></FONT><B>friend. </B></div> <bR> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div>  </div> <div> <B><U>Words of the Verse</U></B><B>:</B></div> <bR> <div>     "Offense" is the common Old Testament word for "transgression", coming from a root meaning "to break away."</div> <div>     "Pursuing" is from a Hebrew word meaning "to seek, to search out."</div> <div>     The word "repeats" may imply continued repetition.  It has to do with duplication.</div> <div>     </div> <div> <B><U>Analysis of the Verse</U></B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="GoudyOlSt BT" >:</FONT></div> <bR> <div> Being Compared<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="GoudyOlSt BT" >:</FONT></div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">He who covers an offense</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">He who repeats a matter</div> <bR> <div> Descriptions:</div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Is pursuing love</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Dislodges a friend</div> <bR> <div> <B><U>Teaching of the Verse</U></B>:</div> <bR> <div>     There are two basic approaches to <B>relations </B>with people- disrupted relations in particular.  One is to <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>put </I></FONT>the offense <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>behind </I></FONT>you and press on with a clean slate towards the offender.  The other is to <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>hold on</I></FONT> to it and seek to exact some payment from the offender.  These approaches define two character types that Solomon is teaching us.</div> <div>     One type of person "covers" it when someone wrongs him.  The offense is 'put out of sight'.  This takes a deliberate act, though it can become virtually second nature. This is NOT the natural thing to do when we are offended.  When man revolted against God, we usurped His prerogative of judgment.  We also became incurably selfish.  Put those two traits together and you have a naturally vengeful creature.  His automatic response to offenses is to be angry and seek payback.</div> <div>     Generally speaking, non-Christians find it an almost insurmountable task to void others' offenses.  However, a natural man may find it in <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>his own best interests</I></FONT> to try to forget offenses; the weight of bitterness in his own soul injures <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>him</I></FONT>.  He may also come to learn some natural compassion when <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>he </I></FONT>has blundered and is in need of <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>another's</I></FONT> forgiveness.  </div> <div>     Christians do not begrudge the non-Christian these instinctive or reasoned approaches to forgiveness, for they guide us too.  However, there are offenses that test our natural human ability beyond its limits.  Where we <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>had </I></FONT>naturally learned compassion, we find that a certain offense lays hold of our 'executioner's instinct' and won't let it go.  The non-Christian at this point is likely to justify his anger because he is usually able to forgive: it must be an offense <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>worthy </I></FONT>of repayment if he cannot forgive.  This is where the Christian has a higher standard.</div> <div>     The Christian is ultimately obligated to forgive because <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>he has been forgiven</I></FONT>.  Jesus plainly tells us:</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#008080" FACE="Georgia" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008080" FACE="Eurostile" >Matt 6:14, 15</FONT>  For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you;  but <U>if you do not forgive</U> men their trespasses, <U>neither will</U> your Father forgive your trespasses. </div> <bR> <div>     How it is we manage to get around this plain precept is inscrutable.  Our 'cafeteria Christianity' just bypasses that menu item and replaces it with unconditional grace.  Certainly grace is unconditional, but Jesus is questioning our very <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>connection </I></FONT>to grace if we do not forgive.  Jesus is saying, 'Someone with grace in his life has the <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>ability </I></FONT>to forgive and has a <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>God </I></FONT>who will drive him to it.  Someone who doesn't forgive manifestly doesn't have the ability nor the God, and so neither the grace.'</div> <div>     This is not to say that forgiveness is easy for the Christian.  It is just as hard for us as for anyone- harder, because we do not have the option of merely excusing or forgetting unforgiveness.  When we have entrenched unforgiveness, we are being shown a 'member' that needs cutting off.  For every unforgiveness there is a real part of ME that insists on justice over mercy.  Until that part of me is put to death, the unforgiveness won't go away.  Even when we successfully forgive, bitterness can come back in through another window, using another of my 'members';  then that one has to be severed as well.  (Fleshly members are destined for destruction anyway.)</div> <div>     The other character type, the one who can't forgive, is a <B>repeater </B>of a matter.  In this verse we see that repeating a matter is an <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>opposite </I></FONT>of forgiving.  Since the repeating of a matter has the potential of driving a wedge between even best friends, we understand that Solomon is referencing the repeating of a matter to a <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>third party</I></FONT> (and possibly beyond).  So the repeater doesn't deal with the offender personally.  His way of handling offenses is telling someone else about it.   </div> <div>     As often as not, the news that the repeater wouldn't tell the offender has the same effect on those to whom he whispers.  No one wishes to straighten it out with the offender.  That's the offender's assumed punishment- to be talked about and thought badly about.  So the news may eventually find its way back to the offender's best friend, and that friend gets a sense of how far the news has traveled to reach his ears.  Now he tends to assume that their little world is divided into those who despise his friend and those who don't.  At this point, it would almost be embarrassing to repeat the actual offense to his friend; after all, this would implicate the friend as one of a long line of gossipers.  So he makes some excuse to distance himself from his friend as well.</div> <div>     So here's the tension.  If we can't cover an offense and know we shouldn't repeat it, what options does that leave us?  Obviously, we must go and settle things with the offender <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>personally</I></FONT>.  A high percentage of the time, we will find out that the offense we took was based on a mistaken impression.  Either that, or the offender will quickly apologize for his thoughtlessness.  If he is actually offended at our accusation (probably because he is guilty), give it some time, and he will probably appreciate you for your candor.  If not, at least you did the right thing in coming to him.  You "sought love."  To repeat the matter is to fuel the gossip train and seek hate.</div> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> ********************************************************************</div> <bR> <div>  <A NAME="may_25"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="2" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="471" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" BGCOLOR=#CCFFFF > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 78 ><NOBR><div> Proverbs 17:10<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Kabel Bk BT" > </FONT></div> <div> <B>A chiding sinks more into a discerning one </B></div> <div> <B>than a hundred lashes into a dullard. </B></div> <bR> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div>  </div> <div> <B><U>Words of the Verse</U></B><B>:</B></div> <bR> <div>     This is the first time the Hebrew word for "lashes" is found in Proverbs.  It is the common word for striking or killing in the Old Testament, translated "smite", "smote", "smitten" in the KJV.</div> <div>     </div> <div> <B><U>Analysis of the Verse</U></B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="GoudyOlSt BT" >:</FONT></div> <bR> <div> Being Compared<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="GoudyOlSt BT" >:</FONT></div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">A discerning person</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">A hard-head</div> <bR> <div> Their Descriptions:</div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">A scolding sinks <B>more </B>deeply into him</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">A hundred blows are <B>less </B>effective on him</div> <bR> <div> <B><U>Teaching of the Verse</U></B>:</div> <bR> <div>     Here is a vital characteristic of wisdom.  A wise person is wise first and foremost because he knows he is a fool by nature.  He furthermore has adduced that his foolishness did not depart from him when wisdom entered; he is now in a struggle against his lower nature to be wise.  Therefore, he realizes the advantage of receiving <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>negative information</I></FONT> about himself.  Any critique of his actions or character will prove very useful in helping him to identify where and how to mass his forces against his indwelling folly.  This remains true even when the critique is not imparted kindly, as may be indicated by the Hebrew word for "chiding/ scolding".</div> <div>     This is not to say that a wise man enjoys a scolding.  There would be something wrong with him if he did.  A scolding brings inner pain, and our natural reaction against <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>inner </I></FONT>pain is the same as it is for <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>outer </I></FONT>pain:  Avoidance.  The wise man shows he is wise by what he does <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>after </I></FONT>the pain.  And guess what?  One thing he might do when he's scolded is get mad!  But again, what he does with the anger is what identifies him as wise.  The wise man will <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>recognize </I></FONT>his anger as a reaction to the pain of critique, so the anger will be unable to take him by surprise.  He will be able to look past justifying himself, past retaliation at being insulted.  He knows there is a purpose in the chiding, and he will have to seek out some quiet space to consider it before God.</div> <div>     The dullard has the opposite reaction to critique.  He gets angry and stays angry.  Or he just laughs it off.  In either case, it makes no real impression on him.  Could there be any truth in the negative words?  If so, it only strengthens his resolve to get even.  If that's true about <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>me</I></FONT>, guess what's true about <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>you</I></FONT>!  The spiritual dullard could be caught dead to rights in his error; he could even admit what is wrong about himself, but it will never cause much deep change in him.  That is the spiritual nature of man.  The unbeliever can only basically affirm himself.  Even when he submits to some form of overhaul, it is always within the limitations of man-centered activity.  He doesn't know where to 'head back to' because he doesn't recognize God as the point we departed from.</div> <div>     So how are you with critique?  Does it make true headway into your soul?  Or are your affirmations of critique only grudgingly made?  The wise man is ultimately thankful, even for the deepest cuts.  But our proverb says that a scolding of any degree is sufficient to work deep, permanent change.</div> <div>     Jesus is scolding us.  We must see others who scold us as working <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>with </I></FONT>Him, not <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>against </I></FONT>us:</div> <bR> <div>  <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008080" FACE="Eurostile" >Rev 3:19</FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Eurostile" >  As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten; therefore be zealous and repent. </FONT></div> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> *****************************************************************</div> <bR> <bR> <div>  <A NAME="may_26"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="2" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="486" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" BGCOLOR=#C0DCC0 > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 78 ><NOBR><div> Proverbs 17:11<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Kabel Bk BT" > </FONT></div> <div> <B>An evil one seeks only rebellion; </B></div> <div> <B>so a cruel messenger shall be sent against him. </B></div> <bR> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div>  </div> <div> <B><U>Words of the Verse</U></B><B>:</B></div> <bR> <div>     "Messenger" is the same Hebrew word for "angel".</div> <div>     "Against him" is literally "in him" or "with him".  The Hebrew word for "in" has a very wide scope, but the literal "in" should be seriously considered here (no version I looked at used it).</div> <div>     The subject/ object order of the first half of the verse is transposable in Hebrew.  So, "A rebellious one seeks only evil" is also correct.  But "only" is the first word of the phrase, and "evil" is the last, so our chosen rendering seems better (so with most versions).</div> <div>     </div> <div> <B><U>Analysis of the Verse</U></B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="GoudyOlSt BT" >:</FONT></div> <bR> <div> Being Considered<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="GoudyOlSt BT" >:</FONT></div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">An evil person</div> <bR> <div> His Description:</div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Seeks only rebellion</div> <bR> <div> Its Consequence:</div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">A cruel messenger will be sent to him</div> <bR> <div> <B><U>Teaching of the Verse</U></B>:</div> <bR> <div>     This proverb gives us an absolute statement which contains a very important doctrinal truth.  <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>An evil person is always a rebellious person</I></FONT>.  </div> <div>     In a way, this is not a very remarkable assertion.  When we define evil in relation to God, every human act which crosses His will must be an act of rebellion.  Every purpose of the human mind that is contrary to any of God's commands is treason.  And which motive or word of man does not fail to love and keep God's way completely, as we are obliged to do as reasoning creatures?</div> <div>     But in saying this, we have gone one step further than our proverb and defined <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>all </I></FONT>men as evil.  This, of course, is true.  The godliest men of all history have been the ones who were most aware of their own lawlessness.</div> <div>     But proverbs is in the business of contrasting evil men to good.  So we can say (with Paul in the latter half of Romans 7, for instance) that we have a <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>side </I></FONT>to us that seeks only rebellion.  Our proverb then assures us that whenever we <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>submit </I></FONT>to that side, we will have a cruel messenger sent against us.  But the grace of God is a power that enables us to dominate the rebellious side of our nature and live righteously and lawfully, in motive and deed.  The rebellious man is still alive within me, and he has his slimy hands on me, sullying me, pulling me down, even when my foot is on his neck.</div> <div>     But most of mankind has <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>no </I></FONT>power against the rebellious inner man.  The rebel is truly <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>themselves</I></FONT>.  They have no <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" >new man</FONT> within to contest their rebellious spirit, even when their God-given conscience tells them they are doing wrong.  </div> <div>     So far, we have only considered rebellion in relation to God, but rebellion is a very comprehensive characteristic.  It affects every aspect of man's life.  Man's rebellious nature affects his relation to other men.  No one likes to be told what to do.  Ultimately, we submit to another person only because we see a benefit to ourselves; otherwise, only because we are simply forced to submit.</div> <div>     The insanity of our rebellion is seen in its application to ourselves.  Each of us rebels against himself.  We do things we know will hurt us.  We eat too much of the chocolate cake we know we will regret eating.  But our greedy nature rises up and says, "I don't care!  I'm going to have it anyway!"  This is an act of rebellion.  Then we have to be the rebel <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>and </I></FONT>the victim- the overweight person who pities himself because he has <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>no self-control</I></FONT>; i.e., he <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>refuses to conquer</I></FONT> his destructive urges enflamed by his rebellion.</div> <bR> <div>    In this universe of God's, no act of men goes without God's notice and evaluation.  He is a judge by nature, which is very good, because in a very short time, no one would be able to live in a world where rebellion was not judged.  Our rebellion would destroy us all.</div> <div>     So <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>part </I></FONT>of God's purpose in sending cruel messengers against rebels is, ironically, to preserve them.  Cruel messengers bring men to their senses for a moment.  Even the dullest of men can make some of these providential connections.  I drank alcohol and drove my car; I ran into a tree; I guess I got what I deserved.</div> <div>     Now we have discovered something else:  <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>Anything </I></FONT>in this world can be a messenger from God- a car accident, an illness, a fellow-worker's hostility, etc.</div> <div>     Now we must hasten to add this:  Cruel messengers are not sent <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>only </I></FONT>against the rebellious.  Paul had a cruel messenger sent against him, though he was not evil, nor had done evil:</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#008080" FACE="Georgia" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008080" FACE="Eurostile" >2 Cor 12:7</FONT>  and by the surpassing revelations, <U>lest</U> I be made <U>haughty</U>, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a <U>messenger of Satan</U> to batter me, lest I be made haughty.<FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Georgia" > </FONT></div> <bR> <div>    Notice again that Paul had done nothing wrong.  He received an evil messenger <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>to keep him</I></FONT> <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>from </I></FONT>committing the evil of pride.  Can we make a connection between this and our proverb?  Can we say that cruel messengers are sent against a Christian's rebellious side to <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>keep it</I></FONT> from coming out?</div> <div>     One more observation while we are looking at Paul's experience.  Did you notice where the cruel messenger was sent?  "In the flesh."  We opened by noting the literal Hebrew phrase, "a cruel messenger will be sent <B>in </B>him."  Ultimately the blows of cruel messengers are meant to sink down <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>into </I></FONT>us.  Whenever adversity strikes, it generally pierces us inwardly with grief.  (Unfortunately, this is usually followed by a renewed wave of rebellion in the form of anger)</div> <div>     Cruel messengers being sent <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>within </I></FONT>is also supported by another passage:</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#008080" FACE="Georgia" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008080" FACE="Eurostile" >Rom 1:27</FONT>  And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust toward one another; males with males working out shamefulness, and receiving <U>in themselves</U> the recompense which was fitting for their error. </div> <bR> <div>     There are many kinds of cruel messengers that afflict the inward parts of rebels, some physical, some psychological.</div> <bR> <div>     Our proverb is a great theological verse.  It is as all-encompassing as any doctrinal truth stated in any New Testament epistle.  All around us we see this principle being worked out every day.</div> <bR> <div>     What does it say to <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>us</I></FONT>?  It tells us to see the world as the home of rebels who must be warned of all cruel messengers as examples of the final cruel [but just] messenger, the Lake of Fire (Isa 13:9).</div> <div>     It also tells us to see the rebel in our own hearts, that we might subdue its evil by God's grace and avoid the shame of God's punishing messengers being sent against us.</div> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> *************************************************************</div> <bR> <bR> <div>  <A NAME="may_27"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></div> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="2" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="487" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" BGCOLOR=#C0C0C0 > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 78 ><NOBR><div> Proverbs 17:12<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Kabel Bk BT" > </FONT></div> <div> <B>Let a man meet a bear bereaved </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#555555" FACE="Verdana" ><I><B>of her cubs</B></I></FONT><B> </B></div> <div> <B>rather than a dullard in his foolishness. </B></div> <bR> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div>  </div> <div> <B><U>Words of the Verse</U></B><B>:</B></div> <bR> <div>     "Dullard" is from a word literally meaning "fat".</div> <div>     "Foolishness" is the other main word for fool / foolishness.</div> <div>     </div> <div> <B><U>Analysis of the Verse</U></B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="GoudyOlSt BT" >:</FONT></div> <bR> <div> Being Compared<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="GoudyOlSt BT" >:</FONT></div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Meeting a bear whose cubs have been killed</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Meeting a dullard in his foolishness</div> <bR> <div> Comparison:</div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Better</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Worse</div> <bR> <div> <B><U>Teaching of the Verse</U></B>:</div> <bR> <div>     It is hard to imagine any kind of person short of a maniacal killer being more dangerous than a bereaved mother bear.  Mother bears are renowned for their ire when they perceive a threat to their live cubs.  How could a fool be more dangerous than a bear whose cub has been killed?</div> <div>     There are two reasons that a hard-head has greater destructive power.  </div> <div>     One is that his destruction is more <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>permanent</I></FONT>.  A bear can take your life once.  A fool can take your soul forever.</div> <div>     The second reason is that the spiritual dullard's threat is much more <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>subtle</I></FONT>.  You know to run from a charging bear; not so a strolling fool.</div> <div>     There is an interesting factor present in our verse.  It is a fool <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>in his perversity</I></FONT> who is to be feared.  This indicates that a fool can be 'dormant'.  He has the potential to harm at all times, but like a volcano, he is only lethal during eruptions.  Of course, as already mentioned, the difficulty factor is multiplied times harder in detecting a 'flowing' fool.</div> <div>     Herein lies the challenge of our verse.  It would be like being told that if you see a freshly killed bear cub in the wilderness, get ready to run for your life- a murderous mother bear is probably nearby.  Only our verse is telling us to analyze the signs of an approaching fool exuding his peculiar brand of self-seeking.  He has left God out of his life (though often claiming great love for God); now we are to recognize which brand of rebellion he is sporting in God's place.</div> <bR> <div>     Can you spot a fool when one is around?</div> <div>     Do you recognize fools in Christian circles?  The ones we are told to avoid?</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#008080" FACE="Georgia" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008080" FACE="Eurostile" >2 Tim 3:5</FONT>  They will hold to an outward form of godliness but deny its power. <U>Stay away from</U> such people.<FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Georgia" > </FONT></div> <bR> <div>     Imagine all the harm we have brought to ourselves by not recognizing fools.  Has Solomon labored chapter after chapter, proverb after proverb, for us to consign all his definitions to the "that's interesting" file?  That would be like a guy who made an "A" in zoology class whistling a happy tune on a field trip while a bear bore down on him.  That's what God sees us doing in ignoring fools.  But our spiritual senses can't alert us of danger unless they are attuned to hazards by God's Word.</div> <div>     To the degree we see folly (Paul mentions divisiveness as a particular trait to avoid, Rom. 16:17*), we must keep our distance.</div> <bR> <div>     One last thing:  the Church is in real trouble when she has no real power of her own.  Look at 2 Tim. 3:5 again.  Our <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>own </I></FONT>lack of spiritual power leaves us groping to detect those who are all <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>form </I></FONT>and no Holy Spirit <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>power </I></FONT>(the fruit of the Spirit, of course, being love, joy, peace, longsuffering, etc.; <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Poor Richard" ><I>not </I></FONT>enthralling worship music, etc.).  We allow the presence of fools because we ourselves are largely foolish.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> *  By the way, probably the most prevalent form of divisiveness in our day is separating us from our spiritual past- giving the impression that prior generations didn't have the Spirit like we do, so just imbibe the spiritual riches of today.</div> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> *************************************************************** </div> <div>  <A NAME="may_28"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="2" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="412" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" BGCOLOR=#66FFCC > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 78 ><NOBR><div> Proverbs 17:13</div> <div> <B>Whoever returns evil for good, </B></div> <div> <B>evil will not withdraw from his house. </B></div> <bR> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div>  </div> <div> <B><U>Words of the Verse</U></B><B>:</B></div> <bR> <div>     "Withdraw" is possibly from its next door neighbor word in the Hebrew dictionary, meaning "hand", with the idea of pushing away. </div> <div>     </div> <div> <B><U>Analysis of the Verse</U></B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="GoudyOlSt BT" >:</FONT></div> <bR> <div> Being Considered<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="GoudyOlSt BT" >:</FONT></div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">The person who pays back evil for good</div> <bR> <div> Its/His Consequence:</div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Evil will not depart from his house</div> <bR> <div> <B><U>Teaching of the Verse</U></B>:</div> <bR> <div>     The only reason evil does not permanently roost in each of our lives to our ultimate utter destruction is that God's mercies purposely overflow the earth.  He is always withholding from us what we deserve.  Certainly there is recompense for each of us from the equitable hand of God, but the good He returns is always despite our counterbalancing selfishness; the evil He repays is always well short of the punishment we deserve.</div> <div>     Our verse speaks of evil that does <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>not </I></FONT>depart from someone's household.  In light of what we have just said, this means that that person has done something to seal his house from the inside, so to speak.  Evil would normally 'drain off' to some extent from the 'pressure' of God's mercy.  This man's evil closes the drainage openings.  The evil remains in his house.</div> <div>     What can someone do to cause this to happen?  <B>Repaying evil for good</B>.  Repaying evil for good is a singular kind of evil.  Compare it with its similar possibilities.  Returning evil for someone else's <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>evil </I></FONT>shows lack of trust in God and want of a merciful spirit.  Dealing out evil for <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>no reason</I></FONT> in particular certainly demonstrates a depraved heart.  But what depth of depravity is it, then, when someone repays evil for <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>good </I></FONT>done to them?  Certainly this is an evil in a category by itself.</div> <div>     Think of those who have been especially kind to you.  How have you repaid it?</div> <div>     Probably the main source of this evil among men is <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>children's</I></FONT> vile treatment of their parents.  Parents are the source of all good things for their children, yet so many children return this care and provision with the worst kind of mockery.  As a generation comes to be thus characterized, a nation is in peril.  The house of the nation as a whole follows the individual houses in sealing its poisonous vapors within its own breathing space.  It is doomed to suffocate:</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#008080" FACE="Georgia" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008080" FACE="Eurostile" >Prov 30:17</FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Eurostile" >  The eye </FONT><I>that</I> <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Eurostile" >mocks at </FONT><I>his</I> <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Eurostile" >father and despises to obey </FONT><I>his</I> <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Eurostile" >mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it. </FONT></div> <bR> <div>     This verse says a generation that repays its parents' good with mockery is headed for mass destruction.  An invading army will leave its bones to be picked; or a plague will cause its bodies to be abandoned to the birds and beasts.  The degree of mockery will determine the degree of affliction.</div> <div>     On a much smaller scale, but one of intense interest to each of us <B>:</B>  does evil seem 'glued' to your house?  </div> <div>     Perhaps you sealed it in by your treatment of your parents or some other benefactor.</div> <bR> <div>     One more perspective.  Looking down on the whole earth, there is someone being very good to you every day.  He supplies you with all you need and the ability to enjoy it.  Yet how do you repay this kindness?  Do you not treat His good commands with contempt by neglect of them?  Do you not outright snub His opinion in many matters?  Mankind has certainly sealed evil into <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>its </I></FONT>house by its treatment of God.  </div> <div>     Be especially careful when God does you a <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>particular </I></FONT>kindness, that you do not spend it on wicked pursuits.  God will merely say, "Alright, you do not know how to receive <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Perpetua" ><I>good </I></FONT>gifts.  Have a permanent lease on <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Perpetua" ><I>evil </I></FONT>things until you learn better."</div> <div>     </div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> ***************************************************************</div> <div>  <A NAME="may_29"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="2" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="508" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" BGCOLOR=#66FF99 > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 78 ><NOBR><div> Proverbs 17:14</div> <div> <B>The beginning of contention </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#555555" FACE="Verdana" ><I><B>is like </B></I></FONT><B>the emitting of water, </B></div> <div> <B>so thrust off a wrangle before the torrent. </B></div> <bR> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div>  </div> <div> <B><U>Words of the Verse</U></B><B>:</B></div> <bR> <div>     "Contention" is from a Hebrew word with the idea of argumentation, debating.  Compare this with the word for "wrangle", from a word whose root means to toss, to grapple. </div> <div>     </div> <div> <B><U>Analysis of the Verse</U></B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="GoudyOlSt BT" >:</FONT></div> <bR> <div> Being Considered<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="GoudyOlSt BT" >:</FONT></div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">A fight</div> <bR> <div> Analogy:</div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">A potential fight is like water being held back</div> <bR> <div> Counsel:</div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Cut off the water valve before it spills uncontrollably</div> <bR> <div> <B><U>Teaching of the Verse</U></B>:</div> <bR> <div>     "When you feel a headache coming on ..."</div> <div>     This is similar advice to that given in our proverb.  The key is in early warning.  The reading of warning signs is nearly the whole battle in conquering outbursts of anger or a release of cutting words.  </div> <div>     Like many headaches, though, rising anger is difficult to detect.  It is happening within us, and there is usually not another 'us' present to look on and take note of our anger.  Our proverb is telling us that there <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>is </I></FONT>such a self to monitor us, but we must awaken his vision.  It is, of course, not actually another person, but simply another awareness within us that must be developed.  There are any number of awarenesses we can bring to the front of our attention.  If there were any use for it, we could make ourselves aware of how our socks were fitting.  This kind of awareness is normally sublimated, but we could accentuate it if we wanted to.</div> <div>     There is definitely a use for detecting oncoming anger.  If we believe this, we must cultivate the awareness of it.  This can be very difficult, because some anger is nothing like the gradual building of storm clouds seen moving in from the horizon.  It is like the sudden clap of thunder and the surprising deluge.  In that case, our proverb is supplying us with a portable umbrella that can be pulled out at a moment's notice.</div> <div>     We've used a couple of different analogies thus far, but our proverb uses one itself.  It says that the start of a quarrel is like blocked water.  Here we could picture a <B>dam </B>to get the idea best.  If there is a leak started in a dam, there is only one possibility if it is unattended- it will get worse.  An old Chinese maxim says there is no substance as passive as water, yet for moving irresistible objects, it has no equal.  Solomon, as a master architect, was well aware of this fact.  He was also well aware of the all-destructive power of the tongue.  Let it loose, and its potential for harm is as extensive as whatever lies in its path.</div> <div>     Solomon's exhortation for the leaking dam:  plug it up!  Use whatever is at hand, but use force ("thrust off")!  Do not underestimate the little leak.  Treat it like the torrent it will become.  Even a small unkindness can turn into lifelong enmity.</div> <div>     So who can detect a little leak?  It might only look like a damp streak on the dam.  Unless you're looking for it, you won't notice it.  Then, when you're looking for it, if it you don't treat it as the threat it truly is, you may let a small remark go.  You are surely inviting the complete ruin of the barricade, and a deluge from which you may not recover.  </div> <div>     </div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> ***************************************************************</div> <bR> <div>  <A NAME="may_30"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="2" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="557" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" BGCOLOR=#99FFCC > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 78 ><NOBR><div> Proverbs 17:15</div> <div> <B>He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the just, </B></div> <div> <B>even both of them </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#808080" FACE="Verdana" ><I><B>are</B></I></FONT><B> hateful to Jehovah. </B></div> <bR> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div>  </div> <div> <B><U>Words of the Verse</U></B><B>:</B></div> <bR> <div>    The Hebrew words are more or less juxtaposed in the first half of the verse.  "The just-maker of the wicked and the wicked-maker of the just" is a pretty good rendering.</div> <div>     "Hateful" is the technical word for whom or what God 'abominates'.  </div> <div>     </div> <div> <B><U>Analysis of the Verse</U></B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="GoudyOlSt BT" >:</FONT></div> <bR> <div> Being Compared<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="GoudyOlSt BT" >:</FONT></div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">The one who justifies the immoral</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">The one who condemns the just</div> <bR> <div> Description:</div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Both alike are an abomination to Jehovah</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B><U>Teaching of the Verse</U></B>:</div> <bR> <div>     This verse would seem to have a primary application to <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>public officials</I></FONT> entrusted with judging men's guilt or innocence in court cases.  Actually, it has a primary application to anyone entrusted with judging peoples' guilt or innocence.</div> <div>     The first place this application occurs is in <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>parents</I></FONT>' adjudication of their children.  This may be the most important application of all.  A child's view of justice in the world is first determined by his parents' administration of justice in his affairs.  They're unjustly harsh?  The world is an unfair place.  Too lenient?  The world is my little oyster.  Especially important is a parent's <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>relative </I></FONT>justice.  How is justice administered to one child when compared to a sibling?  (This problem is not avoided by having only one child.  That child then sees whether mom justifies her little sweetie, while all the other kids and their parents are wrong.)</div> <div>     The next place the application of justice occurs in our society is in <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>school</I></FONT>.  More than likely, a child will some time be under the authority of at least one basically unjust teacher.  This is not altogether undesirable, depending on the child's age and readiness, because we all eventually have to learn to deal with unjust authority figures.  An unjust teacher can be quite a traumatic experience, though.  Here, the parent's justice will be underscored for the child.  Will he step in for the child when justice demands it?  Or will he be overprotective and pervert justice further?</div> <div>     The next place we all experience the application of justice is in our <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>social environment.</I></FONT>  Whenever we enter the society of diverse people, there will be those we tend to favor and those we tend to shun.  Are we favoring or shunning on the basis of justice?  Some people <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>should </I></FONT>be shunned when they have demonstrated a destructive, foolish nature.  But are the ones we shun simply those who have been banned by the "in" clique?  Children enter this environment in school, or even in church.  Our own little society or societies where we walk remain settings for justice or injustice all our days.</div> <div>     In all these applications, we either pronounce or agree with <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>verdicts </I></FONT>daily.  Someone is guilty, someone is innocent.  Here is their sentence, here is their reprieve.</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#008080" FACE="Georgia" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008080" FACE="Eurostile" >Psa 82:6</FONT>  I have said, You <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#555555" FACE="Eurostile" ><I>are</I> </FONT>gods, and all of you <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#808080" FACE="Eurostile" ><I>are</I></FONT> sons of the Most High.<FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Georgia" > </FONT></div> <bR> <div>     This statement from God to us is in a short little Psalm on judges and judgment.  By making us in His image and setting us in one another's company, God made us all judges in this respect:  we all have something to do with the earthly and eternal destiny of everyone in our lives.</div> <div>     You can pretty much count on it that if you are justifying the immoral, you are also condemning the just.  Some frightened people try to avoid the whole mess by just saying that everybody's nice.  This only creates a fantasy world and causes its creator to be <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>incurably </I></FONT>guilty of justifying the wicked.</div> <div>     Of course, the first person whom we have to properly condemn is ourselves.  All true justice starts there; <I><B>in</B></I>justice certainly starts there if we fail.  From that point, an unbeliever can only approximate true justice, because, although he may be able to self-<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>condemn </I></FONT>with a measure of honesty (he is in touch with his own crummy heart, after all), he will find it impossible to self-<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>justify </I></FONT>on any acceptable basis.  This is because he is NOT in touch with God's righteous means of declaring sinners righteous.</div> <div>     And this is where the gospel becomes integral to all human existence.  On first sight, the gospel may seem to be a message of God's justifying of the wicked.  This, of course, is not the case, because he is <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>changing </I></FONT>the wicked man into something else.  God's declaration of a sinner's righteousness <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>is </I></FONT>on a just basis, though, because it never claims that the righteousness was the sinner's.  It always declares that the righteousness is Christ's, imputed to the sinner as a gift.</div> <div>     So if a man is going to avoid being an abomination to God, he must understand God's means of equitable dealings.  This is why our unbelieving society has largely given up on attaining true justice.  If Christians would step out into our rightful position as a city on a hill, everyone else could at least understand what just dealings were.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> **********************************************************************</div> <bR> <div>  <A NAME="may_31"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="2" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="557" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" BGCOLOR=#CCCCFF > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 78 ><NOBR><div> Proverbs 17:16</div> <div> <B>Why </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#555555" FACE="Verdana" ><I><B>is there</B></I></FONT><B> a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, </B></div> <div> <B>since </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#555555" FACE="Verdana" ><I><B>he has</B></I></FONT><B> no heart </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#555555" FACE="Verdana" ><I><B>for it</B></I></FONT><B>? </B><B> </B></div> <bR> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div>  </div> <div> <B><U>Words of the Verse</U></B><B>:</B></div> <bR> <div>    Young's Literal Translation renders this verse, <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Palatino Linotype" >"</FONT><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Georgia" >Why </FONT><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#808080" FACE="Georgia" ><I>is</I></FONT><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Georgia" > this- a price in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom, and a heart there is none?"</FONT><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Georgia" >  </FONT>The only part that could be more literal would be "What <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#555555" FACE="Palatino Linotype" ><I>is </I></FONT>this-" instead of "Why <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#555555" FACE="Palatino Linotype" ><I>is </I></FONT>this".</div> <div>     </div> <div> <B><U>Analysis of the Verse</U></B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="GoudyOlSt BT" >:</FONT></div> <bR> <div> Being Considered<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="GoudyOlSt BT" >:</FONT></div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">A fool</div> <bR> <div> Description:</div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">He has money in his hand to buy wisdom</div> <bR> <div> Question:</div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Why the money without heart for the purchase?</div> <bR> <div> <B><U>Teaching of the Verse</U></B>:</div> <bR> <div>     The intersections where the roads of foolishness and wisdom meet are very intriguing.  They even seem a conjoining of paths at numerous points.  From this, many conclude that there is only one road, and all travelers end at a good destination.  </div> <div>     For the Christian, the conclusion is that man's creation in the image of God gave him inbuilt capacities of soul- conscience, knowledge, morality, justice- but that each of these was turned in an ungodly direction by sin.  Each of them is turned <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>back </I></FONT>in the right direction by regeneration, and this is the sense a converted man feels- a redirection.  He has been recreated, but he only feels a shift in the 'polarity of his magnet'.  It is a total shift, but a Christian doesn't feel that he has been turned from normal metal into a magnet, but rather from a magnet of one disposition to that of another.  </div> <div>     Indeed, this is quite accurate, for both before and after conversion, he was human.  He <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Poor Richard" ><I>was </I></FONT>a human directed by sin and self, <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Poor Richard" ><I>now </I></FONT>he is a human directed toward righteousness and God.  Our proverb today tells us that the human sinner is not <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Poor Richard" ><I>missing </I></FONT>a sense of truth.  According to Paul, he <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>suppresses </I></FONT>this sense:</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#008080" FACE="Georgia" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008080" FACE="Eurostile" >Rom 1:18</FONT>  For the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who <U>suppress</U> the truth in unrighteousness </div> <bR> <div>     Therefore, he has his hands on truth, pushing it down, keeping its unpleasantness out of sight.  But at very many points, the unbeliever is forced to acknowledge the truth.  He simply could not live in a world of total lies.  It is an overall <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>shading </I></FONT>of the truth and a denial of <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>particular </I></FONT>truths that colors the unbeliever's world as unrighteous.</div> <div>     So a key word in describing an unbeliever's human experience is Counterfeit.  He has all his inner capacities in place.  He can relate to them when you describe them in Christian terms.  He simply refuses to deal with them in terms of God's reality.  His alternate reality is his chosen one.  He can comprehend God's reality when you describe it to him, but there are many points or a few key points on which he finds it unacceptable to convert.  </div> <div>     False conversions, temporary ones, then, are the result of a shift in the balance of a man's reasons that preferred his Counterfeit.  During temporary conversion, God's reality outweighs man's counterfeit for the moment.  But because he lacked a total change of polarity, the good reasons for conversion will eventually be outweighed again by selfish motives, and the man will <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Poor Richard" ><I>return </I></FONT>to his original alternate reality.</div> <div>     Our proverb today pictures the unconverted man, stubborn in his alternate reality, standing at the sales counter of God's reality.  He sees an item or two on God's shelves that he thinks he needs, and he doesn't know where else to get them.  He stands there with the 'purchase price'- the investment of his human faculties- to adjust to the true wisdom on these points.  Solomon asks, "What are you doing here?  You know you won't have any permanent use for God's wisdom.  You're only going to convert it to your selfish vantage point anyway.  Why not make your purchase where this will already be done for you?"</div> <div>     Of course, there are some matters in which the world has little wisdom to offer, where God speaks plainly and convincingly.  Some worldlings think that because they agree with God on those particulars that they are now associates of His.  Solomon is telling us that it is not so.  Why is it you stand there looking for more wisdom from God when you have never really agreed that the fear of God is the starting place of wisdom?</div> <div>     Christian fools are especially pathetic figures.  They have their own theology that makes sense to them, and they fight with numerous Scriptures to maintain their humanly satisfying paradigm.  For some we could ask, similar to Solomon, "Why do you go to church, seeing you're going to have your own brand of Christianity in the end anyway?"  For others we would have to sadly ask, "Why do you even have a church, seeing that it is only an agreement between fools to adjust God and His ways to your sensibilities?"</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> 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