Burunche’s Blog

The Excellence of Wisdom

“Does not wisdom call out, and understanding raise her voice? On the heights overlooking the road, at the crossroads she takes her stand. Beside the gates to the city, at the entrances she cries out: “To you, O men, I call out, and my cry is to the sons of men. O simple ones, learn to be shrewd; O fools, gain understanding.

Listen, for I speak of noble things, and the opening of my lips will reveal right. For my mouth will speak the truth, and wickedness is detestable to my lips. All the words of my mouth are righteous; none are crooked or perverse. They are all plain to the discerning, and upright to those who find knowledge. Receive my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than pure gold. For wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire compares with her. I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence, and I find knowledge and discretion.

To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate arrogant pride, evil conduct, and perverse speech. Counsel and sound judgment are mine; I have insight and strength. By me kings reign, and rulers enact just laws;

By me princes rule, and all nobles who govern justly. I love those who love me, and those who seek me early shall find me. With me are riches and honor, enduring wealth, and righteousness. My fruit is better than gold, pure gold, and my harvest surpasses choice silver. I walk in the way of righteousness, along the paths of justice, bestowing wealth on those who love me and making their treasuries full.

The LORD created me as His first course, before His works of old. From everlasting I was established, from the beginning, before the earth began. When there were no watery depths, I was brought forth, when no springs were overflowing with water. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills, I was brought forth, before He made the land or fields, or any of the dust of the earth. I was there when He established the heavens, when He inscribed the horizon on the face of the deep, when He established the clouds above, when the fountains of the deep gushed forth, when He set a boundary for the sea, so that the waters would not surpass His command, when He marked out the foundations of the earth. Then I was a skilled craftsman at His side, and His delight day by day, rejoicing always in His presence.

I was rejoicing in His whole world, delighting together in the sons of men. Now therefore, my sons, listen to me, for blessed are those who keep my ways. Listen to instruction and be wise; do not ignore it. Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at the posts of my doorway. For whoever finds me finds life and obtains the favor of the LORD. But he who fails to find me harms himself; all who hate me love death.”

“Does not wisdom call out, and understanding raise her voice? On the heights overlooking the road, at the crossroads she takes her stand. Beside the gates to the city, at the entrances she cries out: “To you, O men, I call out, and my cry is to the sons of men. O simple ones, learn to be shrewd; O fools, gain understanding.”  Here the writer describes all the various places in which news would be cried so that the general public would hear-the heights overlooking the road, at the crossroads, beside the gates to the city, and at the entrances. Even though people are fond of blaming God when things go wrong, much of the time, God has already sent His wisdom abroad and wisdom is speaking but nobody is listening.

“Listen, for I speak of noble things, and the opening of my lips will reveal right. For my mouth will speak the truth, and wickedness is detestable to my lips. All the words of my mouth are righteous; none are crooked or perverse. They are all plain to the discerning, and upright to those who find knowledge. Receive my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than pure gold. For wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire compares with her. I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence, and I find knowledge and discretion.”  There’s a big difference between knowledge and wisdom, and it is unfortunately possible to be an educated fool. Look at the description of wisdom: nobility, righteousness, and truth-no wickedness, crookedness, or perversion. Wisdom includes prudence, along with knowledge and discretion. Now “AI,” artificial intelligence, is becoming a big thing. But there are no guarantees that AI will be wise as well as intelligent, and whose definition of intelligence are we employing here?

“To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate arrogant pride, evil conduct, and perverse speech. Counsel and sound judgment are mine; I have insight and strength. By me kings reign, and rulers enact just laws; By me princes rule, and all nobles who govern justly. I love those who love me, and those who seek me early shall find me. With me are riches and honor, enduring wealth, and righteousness. My fruit is better than gold, pure gold, and my harvest surpasses choice silver. “ Not all knowledge is wise; there is a great deal of knowledge that leads to foolishness. When we study some of the political candidates running this year, they fail the test of wisdom miserably.

The LORD created me as His first course, before His works of old. From everlasting I was established, from the beginning, before the earth began… Then I was a skilled craftsman at His side, and His delight day by day, rejoicing always in His presence. I was rejoicing in His whole world, delighting together in the sons of men. Now therefore, my sons, listen to me, for blessed are those who keep my ways. Listen to instruction and be wise; do not ignore it. Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at the posts of my doorway. For whoever finds me finds life and obtains the favor of the LORD. But he who fails to find me harms himself; all who hate me love death.”

APPLICATION: How much do we really want wisdom? We can acquire knowledge readily; however, wisdom is a much different matter. Wisdom takes time and maturity to acquire. There’s a saying: what makes good judgment-bad experience. Most of us learn more from experience than from anything else.

Proverbs 9:10 tells us that “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.” Now artificial intelligence is becoming a big thing, but who decides what constitutes intelligence? Microsoft Word has AI built in, and I regularly argue with the AI because it wants to dampen down my writing. It would appear that AI might become a dandy tool for not only brain washing but also for obliterating any dissenting opinions.

Galileo Galilei was a mathematician and astronomer who faced persecution by the Roman Inquisition for his heretical beliefs that the earth moved around the sun, rather than the sun revolving around the earth. Forced to renounce his beliefs or face the rest of his life in prison, Galileo renounced his beliefs publicly but continued to believe that the earth moved around the sun; he was too honest not to do so. Can we count on AI to be honest or wise or even God-fearing? A phrase from the early era of computers haunts me: GIGO –Garbage in, garbage out. You can only get out of a computer what you put in during the programming. And will the worship given to AI replace worship of the One True Living God?

I am not trying to inveigh against AI; however, I feel we need to use it in moderation. And we must always watch to ensure that we are not allowing AI to do all our thinking for us, for that way lies slavery.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to seek Your Wisdom above everything else and not to rely on anything else to do our thinking for us. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Warnings about the Adulteress

“My son, keep my words and treasure my commandments within you. Keep my commandments and live; guard my teachings as the apple (pupil) of your eye. Tie them to your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart. Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” and call understanding your kinsman, that they may keep you from the adulteress, from the stranger with seductive words.

For at the window of my house I looked through the lattice. I saw among the simple, I noticed among the youths, a young man lacking judgment, crossing the street near her corner, strolling down the road to her house, at twilight, as the day was fading into the dark of the night.

Then a woman came out to meet him, with the attire of a harlot and cunning of heart. She is loud and defiant; her feet do not remain at home. Now in the street, now in the squares, she lurks at every corner. She seizes him and kisses him; she brazenly says to him: “I have made my peace offerings; today I have paid my vows. So I came out to meet you; I sought you, and I have found you. I have decked my bed with coverings, with colored linen from Egypt. I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, with aloes, and with cinnamon. Come, let us take our fill of love till morning. Let us delight in loving caresses! For my husband is not at home; he has gone on a long journey. He took with him a bag of money and will not return until the moon is full.”

With her great persuasion she entices him; she lures him with her flattering lips. He follows her on impulse, like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer bounding into a trap, until an arrow pierces his liver, like a bird darting into a snare—not knowing it will cost him his life.

Now, my sons, listen to me, and attend to the words of my mouth. Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways; do not stray into her paths. For she has brought many down to death; her slain are many in number. Her house is the road to Sheol, descending to the chambers of death.”

“My son, keep my words and treasure my commandments within you. Keep my commandments and live; guard my teachings as the apple (pupil) of your eye. Tie them to your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart. Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” and call understanding your kinsman, that they may keep you from the adulteress, from the stranger with seductive words.” In Biblical times, old men might marry several wives at the same time or sequentially, wearing out one wife after another. The lady described here is obviously the pampered wife of an elderly merchant who has traveled, giving her the chance to play around in his absence.  

“For at the window of my house I looked through the lattice. I saw among the simple, I noticed among the youths, a young man lacking judgment, crossing the street near her corner, strolling down the road to her house, at twilight, as the day was fading into the dark of the night.” The writer is peering through a fine lattice that covers the windows of the house, cooling the air as it flows in by the Venturi effect, diffusing light and dust, and incidentally making it difficult for those on the street to realize that they are being observed. This foolish young man is making mistake #1; he is putting himself in the line of temptation by casually approaching this woman’s house at twilight. Doesn’t this guy have somewhere else to go at this time of day? Some family waiting for him? Perhaps a wife and children or parents and siblings? Whatever this guy has been doing earlier, by now he should be headed home, not anyplace else.   

“Then a woman came out to meet him, with the attire of a harlot and cunning of heart. She is loud and defiant; her feet do not remain at home. Now in the street, now in the squares, she lurks at every corner. She seizes him and kisses him; she brazenly says to him: “I have made my peace offerings; today I have paid my vows. So I came out to meet you; I sought you, and I have found you. I have decked my bed with coverings, with colored linen from Egypt. I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, with aloes, and with cinnamon. Come, let us take our fill of love till morning. Let us delight in loving caresses! For my husband is not at home; he has gone on a long journey. He took with him a bag of money and will not return until the moon is full.”  Hoo-boy! This guy is in trouble now! Not only is this lady offering great sex, but she is also dangling the promise of a steak dinner from her peace offering meat. Sex and food-who can resist that combination? One must wonder what vows this woman can possibly have made that she has fulfilled them? Peace offerings are supposed to indicate peace with God, but which god is this woman serving? And the gross misuse of the meat from the peace offerings means that all the rituals this lady has performed this day are nothing more than an elaborate hoax. Good thing that God is not as easily deceived as this foolish young man!

“With her great persuasion she entices him; she lures him with her flattering lips. He follows her on impulse, like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer bounding into a trap, until an arrow pierces his liver, like a bird darting into a snare—not knowing it will cost him his life.”  The key phrase here is “he follows her on IMPULSE. This guy has already made up his mind to sleep with the lady and is now allowing his testosterone to drive him. He may be fooling himself by succumbing to self-pity, telling himself that he works so hard, he deserves some relief. The only thing this guy has on his mind is all the delights this lady is promising.

Now, my sons, listen to me, and attend to the words of my mouth. Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways; do not stray into her paths. For she has brought many down to death; her slain are many in number. Her house is the road to Sheol, descending to the chambers of death.”  One of the most neglected facts that churches refuse to teach is that demons can be transferred during sexual intercourse. The woman in question has been sexually promiscuous, so she is operating under demonic influence. Who knows how many demons have transferred to her during her sexual forays? Now this stupid young man is about to have sex with her and all the demons motivating her can transfer to him. Up until now he has simply been responding to a demon of lust; however, he is about to take on a boatload of other demons.

APPPLICATION: The transfer of demons through sex is a very serious reality. One Christian speaker who was formerly involved in a coven has described the way the coven has recruited members by entrapping them with sex. We have an acquaintance who was a bright young man with a good future 30 years ago. But this fellow befriended a series of women from fetish families. The man has changed wives several times and there are numerous girlfriends in addition. Now this man has a vagabond spirit that prevents him from being able to focus on any subject for more than a few minutes at a time. Give this man instructions and five minutes later, he will be wandering off in another direction entirely. Our friend attends church, but he has never renounced sexual promiscuity, nor has he taken serious steps to free himself from demonic influence. We are watching as our friend’s personality continues to deteriorate, despite warnings from well-intentioned acquaintances and relatives.

How could the young man described in this chapter have protected himself? 1. He could have avoided temptation by staying away from this woman’s house. 2. He could have reminded himself of his obligations to his family. 3. He could have recognized a female sexual predator for what she was, rather than lying to himself. 4. He could have refused to delude himself by telling himself that he DESERVED some fun after all his hard work.

All we can say after all this is “Don’t follow this man’s example.” Although this chapter describes a young man, the temptations are just as real for young women and the advice remains the same: DON’T! Sexual temptations include viewing online pornography, visiting strip clubs, etc.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to follow hard after You and refuse to stray into areas where we know we will encounter temptation. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen. 

Warnings against Adultery

“My son, keep your father’s commandment, and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. Bind them always upon your heart; tie them around your neck. When you walk, they will guide you; when you lie down, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you. For this commandment is a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way to life, to keep you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the adulteress. Do not lust in your heart for her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyes. For the levy of the prostitute is poverty, and the adulteress preys upon your very life. Can a man embrace fire and his clothes not be burned? Can a man walk on hot coals without scorching his feet? So is he who sleeps with another man’s wife; no one who touches her will go unpunished.

Men do not despise the thief if he steals to satisfy his hunger. Yet if caught, he must pay sevenfold; he must give up all the wealth of his house. He who commits adultery lacks judgment; whoever does so destroys himself. Wounds and dishonor will befall him, and his reproach will never be wiped away. For jealousy enrages a husband, and he will show no mercy in the day of vengeance. He will not be appeased by any ransom, or persuaded by lavish gifts.”

“My son, keep your father’s commandment, and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. Bind them always upon your heart; tie them around your neck. When you walk, they will guide you; when you lie down, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you.” Generations ago, parents had more time to spend teaching their children, and children had more respect for their parents as a consequence. In an era when children may be distracted by social media, parental teaching is more important than ever. No matter how much social media may change, moral and spiritual fundamentals are timeless. I am grateful for everything my parents taught me.

“For this commandment is a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way to life, to keep you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the adulteress. Do not lust in your heart for her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyes. For the levy of the prostitute is poverty, and the adulteress preys upon your very life.” Most of us are poor listeners and worse learners! The key phrase here is “the reproofs of discipline.”  What makes good judgment? Bad experience! If we refuse to learn from the bad experiences of others, we are likely to suffer the same consequences ourselves. Adultery starts with lust in one’s heart and being captivated by flirtatious looks. But anyone foolish enough to become involved with a prostitute will wind up impoverished and possibly suffering from HIV, Hepatitis B and C, gonorrhea, or syphilis. Then there is also the possibility of blackmail. Currently, prominent American politicians are attempting to dodge accusations of involvement in a prostitution scandal involving children. Denials are worthless because the stain on the character refuses to budge.

 “Can a man embrace fire and his clothes not be burned? Can a man walk on hot coals without scorching his feet? So is he who sleeps with another man’s wife; no one who touches her will go unpunished.”  Adultery carries its own punishment along with it. Sleeping with someone else’s spouse is as foolish as embracing fire or walking on hot coals. This meme says it all: “Follow your heart” has ended more marriages, caused more addictions, mutilated more bodies, destroyed more souls, and ended more lives than Satan imagined. It’s one of hell’s most effective slogans. Don’t follow your heart, follow the One Who created it.”

“Men do not despise the thief if he steals to satisfy his hunger. Yet if caught, he must pay sevenfold; he must give up all the wealth of his house. He who commits adultery lacks judgment; whoever does so destroys himself. Wounds and dishonor will befall him, and his reproach will never be wiped away. For jealousy enrages a husband, and he will show no mercy in the day of vengeance. He will not be appeased by any ransom, or persuaded by lavish gifts.” Adultery is a horrible sin against humanity because it demonstrates a lack of respect for an established marriage and the two spouses, as well as a lack of self-respect. The non-adulterous spouse will feel devalued as a human being and will suffer a crippling lack of self-esteem. The non-adulterous spouse must also overcome a number of fears and insecurities if he/she is to forgive the adulterous spouse and continue in the marriage. And what about the adulterer? If the adulterer is married, his/her spouse will suffer the same fears and damage of self-esteem. The net result of adultery may be the failure of two marriages. And what about the children of these marriages? No matter how much the adulterer attempts to reassure the children, they will still feel rejected. The adulterer/adulteress is also setting a terrible example for children. Children who have witnessed a parent involved in a series of adulterous relationships may refuse to get married themselves because they are so afraid that their marriage might fail.

APPLICATION: Why is marriage referred to as an institution and why is it important? Being in a relationship but refusing to commit to marriage implies that we might want to bail out quickly at some point. Relationships are temporary, no matter how many years they last. There is always the question of whose surname the children of a relationship will bear and even who inherits when the partners die. Children need consistency and stability that only a marriage commitment can give.

There can be extenuating circumstances. I once cared for a patient with complicated surgical problems who had been counseled by a Social Security worker in the U.S. that she and her beloved husband should divorce because her medical benefits would be better that way. At the time I cared for her, she was agonizing over this idea.

Two of the overlooked causes of infidelity are self-pity coupled with a sense of entitlement. There is a popular misconception that one’s beloved should make one happy and if happiness is not coming instantly, one is free to look elsewhere because one DESERVES happiness. Sniff! Sniff! Balderdash! Poppycock! Rubbish! Happiness is a choice we make ourselves; we cannot demand that someone else be responsible for our happiness. It may have been the late Will Rogers who wisely said that most people are about as happy as they choose to be. Most of the patients I care for are extremely poor; yet, they and their families choose to be happy despite their poverty. On the other hand, I once had a friend whose family was extremely wealthy, and that family was riddled with health challenges, alcoholism, and a number of other problems. Money did not buy that family happiness; in fact, they were constantly concerned lest someone take their money away from them.

But what if you enter into a relationship and then marry? Isn’t that all right? The problem is that the relationship began as a temporary one, and that sense of impermanence will always be there, unless both partners commit their lives to Christ and recommit their marriage to Him as well. The only wise foundation for a marriage is for it to begin and end in Jesus Christ and for God to be the bed rock on which the marriage is built. I am speaking from personal experience, because I have done it both ways. My first marriage was based on a relationship and it fell apart quickly. My current marriage based on Jesus Christ is approaching its 42^nd anniversary.

“Oh! You are narrow-minded!” you might say. Jesus said in John 14:6 “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No man comes to the Father except by me.” If you need to reach a destination, why mess around with alternate routes when there is already a super highway available? You are free to disagree with me and argue with me; however, why not ask God instead?

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, many of us have been wounded in relationships and are afraid to commit for fear of more pain. Speak to our hearts and show us Your Way, Your Truth, and Your Life. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Warnings against Foolishness

“My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, if you have struck hands in pledge with a stranger, if you have been trapped by the words of your lips, ensnared by the words of your mouth, then do this, my son, to free yourself, for you have fallen into your neighbor’s hands: Go, humble yourself, and press your plea with your neighbor. Allow no sleep to your eyes or slumber to your eyelids. Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler.

Walk in the manner of the ant, O slacker; observe its ways and become wise. Without a commander, without an overseer or ruler, it prepares its provisions in summer; it gathers its food at harvest. How long will you lie there, O slacker? When will you get up from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and need like a bandit.

A worthless person, a wicked man, walks with a perverse mouth, winking his eyes, speaking with his feet, and pointing with his fingers. With deceit in his heart he devises evil; he continually sows discord. Therefore calamity will come upon him suddenly; in an instant he will be shattered beyond recovery.

There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to Him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that run swiftly to evil, a false witness who gives false testimony, and one who stirs up discord among brothers.”

“My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, if you have struck hands in pledge with a stranger, if you have been trapped by the words of your lips, ensnared by the words of your mouth, then do this, my son, to free yourself, for you have fallen into your neighbor’s hands: Go, humble yourself, and press your plea with your neighbor. Allow no sleep to your eyes or slumber to your eyelids. Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler.” The more things change, the more they stay the same. Even in Bible times, men could get into trouble by standing surety for someone, only to find they were the ones footing the total bill. This verse graphically describes the fate of those foolish enough to enter into such agreements in the first place. The term “mashugana” means “crazy” in Yiddish, and anybody foolish enough to get stuck like this truly is mashugana!

“Walk in the manner of the ant, O slacker; observe its ways and become wise. Without a commander, without an overseer or ruler, it prepares its provisions in summer; it gathers its food at harvest. How long will you lie there, O slacker? When will you get up from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and need like a bandit.” There’s a saying in the American South that “No rest for the wicked, and the righteous don’t need none.” We can’t expect to have things if we aren’t willing to work for them. Around the world, many families work together for the good of the family; however, there are some wealthy parents who have given their children everything. When these people grow up and must work for themselves, it can be a real shock!

“A worthless person, a wicked man, walks with a perverse mouth, winking his eyes, speaking with his feet, and pointing with his fingers. With deceit in his heart he devises evil; he continually sows discord. Therefore calamity will come upon him suddenly; in an instant he will be shattered beyond recovery.” You can spot them coming a mile away-the manipulators, the perverters of justice, the sneaky Petes who will stop at nothing to gain their own ends. Discord is the big weapon of such people because they know there is good fishing in troubled waters.

“There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to Him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that run swiftly to evil, a false witness who gives false testimony, and one who stirs up discord among brothers.”

People who boast about being bad have no idea that they are doing the very things God hates. Amazingly, after seriously offending God by such behavior, these same people then turn around and expect things to go well for them. When things fail to suit them, they then blame God, even though they are the ones who have angered Him by their unrepentant behavior. These people have definitely joined the ranks of those who are mashugana.

APPLICATION: It’s been said that insanity is making the same mistake repeatedly and expecting different results. As we read the list of warnings in Proverbs 6, it’s likely that we can think of acquaintances who have exhibited most of this ridiculous behavior.

As we progress further into 2024 and anticipate upcoming elections, we need to ask ourselves how the candidates stack in up in light of Proverbs 6. Forget the promises; how many of these people fit this description: “haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that run swiftly to evil, a false witness who gives false testimony, and one who stirs up discord among brothers.”

I am currently re-reading Merle Miller’s seminal book on Harry S Truman, Plain Speaking. Truman was a man without artifice, a politician so painfully honest that on his last day as President of the United States, he returned a pen to someone from whom he had borrowed it. (As the Clintons were leaving the White House, they looted the place!) Refusing to profit from having held the highest office in America, Truman always viewed himself as a servant of the people. After handing over to Dwight Eisenhower, Mr. Truman and his wife took the train back to Independence, Missouri, where they resumed living in a house belonging to his mother-in-law. The question is, would someone of Truman’s character be able to survive in today’s political climate? We can only pray!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to become people of character, men and women who will please You rather than anger You. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.  

Avoiding Immorality (Leviticus 20:10-21; 1 Corinthians 5:1-8)

“My son, pay attention to my wisdom; incline your ear to my understanding, that you may maintain discretion and your lips may preserve knowledge. Though the lips of the forbidden woman drip honey and her speech is smoother than oil, her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a double-edged sword. Her feet go down to death; her steps lead straight to Sheol. She does not consider the path of life; she does not know that her ways are unstable.

So now, my sons, listen to me, and do not turn aside from the words of my mouth. Keep your path far from her; do not go near the door of her house, lest you concede your vigor to others, and your years to one who is cruel; lest strangers feast on your wealth, and your labors enrich the house of a foreigner. At the end of your life you will groan when your flesh and your body are spent, and you will say, “How I hated discipline, and my heart despised reproof! I did not listen to the voice of my teachers or incline my ear to my mentors. I am on the brink of utter ruin in the midst of the whole assembly.”

Drink water from your own cistern, and running water from your own well. Why should your springs flow in the streets, your streams of water in the public squares? Let them be yours alone, never to be shared with strangers. May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth: A loving doe, a graceful fawn—may her breasts satisfy you always; may you be captivated by her love forever. Why be captivated, my son, by an adulteress, or embrace the bosom of a stranger? For a man’s ways are before the eyes of the LORD, and the LORD examines all his paths. The iniquities of a wicked man entrap him; the cords of his sin entangle him. He dies for lack of discipline, led astray by his own great folly.”

“My son, pay attention to my wisdom; incline your ear to my understanding, that you may maintain discretion and your lips may preserve knowledge. Though the lips of the forbidden woman drip honey and her speech is smoother than oil, her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a double-edged sword. Her feet go down to death; her steps lead straight to Sheol. She does not consider the path of life; she does not know that her ways are unstable.” It’s been called the oldest profession, and it’s certainly one of the oldest, although farmers could argue that farming is older. Obviously, any woman attempting to seduce a susceptible man is going to speak as sweetly as possible, even though the end result will be hellish. We can’t be certain how old sexually transmitted diseases are; however, they have been a fact for years as well.  

“So now, my sons, listen to me, and do not turn aside from the words of my mouth. Keep your path far from her; do not go near the door of her house, lest you concede your vigor to others, and your years to one who is cruel; lest strangers feast on your wealth, and your labors enrich the house of a foreigner. At the end of your life you will groan when your flesh and your body are spent, and you will say, “How I hated discipline, and my heart despised reproof! I did not listen to the voice of my teachers or incline my ear to my mentors. I am on the brink of utter ruin in the midst of the whole assembly.”

The story of Samson is repeated in every generation. A gifted man involves himself with totally unsuitable women, only for that involvement to ruin him. Unfortunately, such involvements not only ruin things for the man himself but also for many of his family members. The key phrase here is: “How I hated discipline., and my heart despised reproof! I did not listen to the voice of my teachers or incline my ear to my mentors.”

“May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth: A loving doe, a graceful fawn—may her breasts satisfy you always; may you be captivated by her love forever. Why be captivated, my son, by an adulteress, or embrace the bosom of a stranger?” Women’s magazines make big money from addressing these issues. How to maintain a husband’s interest? How to remain attractive while working 40 hours a week, commuting to and from home, and trying to keep up with housework? And how does a man maintain his interest in his wife, rather than allowing his thoughts to stray?

“For a man’s ways are before the eyes of the LORD, and the LORD examines all his paths. The iniquities of a wicked man entrap him; the cords of his sin entangle him. He dies for lack of discipline, led astray by his own great folly.” The key word here is discipline. It takes discipline to maintain a relationship despite the stresses that would tear it apart. It takes discipline to look the other direction when an attractive member of the opposite sex appears, particularly if that person becomes aggressively friendly. It takes discipline to refuse to substitute the positive feedback we may receive from work or hobbies for spending real time with our families. It takes discipline to refuse to become offended and seek solace with anyone emotionally available when a spouse speaks to us abruptly. And it takes discipline to spend quality time with our families and not simply occupy the same room at the same time while we all are on cell phones.

APPLICATION: The title of this study came from advice an Italian American uncle gave my husband when my husband was headed to the U.S. Navy at age nineteen. “Bobby,” Uncle Philip advised my husband, “beware of da girl wit da ruby red lips!” Studying Proverbs 5, you realize that summarizes much of this chapter.

True commitment demands a great deal of self-discipline. Eugene Petersen wrote the book A Long Obedience in the Same Direction about the pilgrim psalms, the psalms of ascents. But faithfulness to one’s spouse could easily be described in that same fashion. Let’s face it, nobody is an angel and after the honeymoon glow has worn off, marriage can become a grind, especially if several small children are added to the mix. Part of the problem is that we may enter marriage with unrealistic expectations, assuming that the intense physical attraction that has helped bring us together will last indefinitely. While physical attraction is important, for couples to stay together, they must become each other’s best friend. Friendship requires a willingness to help, understand, encourage, and tolerate another’s shortcomings, realizing that they are having to tolerate yours as well.

Another part of marriage is listening and responding. For us, the last few months have been hectic.  Our birthdays have passed in a blur of work-necessary work, but work that precluded opportunity for celebration. I realized it was time to step back when my husband began begging me to take time off. I have cleared things at work and we will be out for a few days. Generally, if we go out, we are doing things for the mission hospital where we work. We must respect each other and honor each other. This matter of honor can be difficult if you have come from a family where honor was not practiced, and you may have to work at it.

Yet another means of maintaining a commitment is accountability. If you are unwilling to be accountable to your spouse, you had better not marry in the first place. We honor each other when we allow the other person to question our motives or to ask, “Are you sure you are doing the right thing?” We also guard each other’s hearts by being careful about the books or electronic media we allow in our home. A home should be a refuge, a place of peace. But you must fight to maintain that peace because there are all sorts of influences that can come through television or social media.

We had a pastor friend who somehow became addicted to online pornography. Our friend’s wife could have become revolted and left him; instead, she stood by him, prayed for him, and helped him overcome this addiction. And that story brings up another point: your spouse should be one of your closest prayer partners. If you can’t pray with someone, don’t marry them. A successful marriage must be based on God; otherwise, the marriage has little chance of survival. Love alone is not enough. Sexual attraction may wane, especially as body parts begin to go south. There are all kinds of stresses that can tear a marriage apart; if you don’t pray together and worship together, your marriage has little chance of staying together.

One final tip: kiss each other and tell each other “I love you” every time you are about to separate for any length of time. In my home area, there was an older couple living on a farm who loved each other very much. But one rainy morning, the husband tracked mud onto the kitchen floor and they exchanged words. The husband went off to town and was killed when a freight train at a crossing with a non-functioning signal struck his vehicle. For the rest of her life, the wife had to live with the fact that the last words she said to her husband were bitter ones. That story has cautioned us for years. I kiss my husband each morning just before I hop on my bicycle to ride to the hospital, even though it is a short distance. These days, we have tricycle vehicles called “Motokings” that blaze along, heedless of anyone else on the road. There’s a real chance that I might be struck and killed by one of these vehicles on the way to the hospital.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. May all who read these words take them to heart and establish You as the rock on which their marriages are built. We ask this in the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

 A Father’s Instruction

“Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction; pay attention and gain understanding. For I give you sound teaching; do not abandon my instruction. When I was a son to my father, tender and the only child of my mother, he taught me and said, “Let your heart lay hold of my words; keep my commands and you will live. Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn from them.

Do not forsake wisdom, and she will preserve you; love her, and she will guard you. Wisdom is supreme; so acquire wisdom. And whatever you may acquire, gain understanding. Prize her, and she will exalt you; if you embrace her, she will honor you. She will set a garland of grace on your head; she will present you with a crown of beauty.”

Listen, my son, and receive my words, and the years of your life will be many. I will guide you in the way of wisdom; I will lead you on straight paths. When you walk, your steps will not be impeded;

when you run, you will not stumble. Hold on to instruction; do not let go. Guard it, for it is your life. Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evil men. Avoid it; do not travel on it.

Turn from it and pass on by. For they cannot sleep unless they do evil; they are deprived of slumber

until they make someone fall, since they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.

The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining brighter and brighter until midday.

But the way of the wicked is like the darkest gloom; they do not know what makes them stumble.

My son, pay attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not lose sight of them; keep them within your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and health to the whole body. Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow springs of life. Put away deception from your mouth; keep your lips from perverse speech. Let your eyes look forward; fix your gaze straight ahead. Make a level path for your feet, and all your ways will be sure. Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your feet away from evil.”

“Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction; pay attention and gain understanding. For I give you sound teaching; do not abandon my instruction. When I was a son to my father, tender and the only child of my mother, he taught me and said, “Let your heart lay hold of my words; keep my commands and you will live. Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn from them.” Study King David’s life and you realize he wasn’t Father of the Year material; however, evidently, he did do his best to mentor Solomon, whom he knew would succeed him.  

“Do not forsake wisdom, and she will preserve you; love her, and she will guard you. Wisdom is supreme; so acquire wisdom. And whatever you may acquire, gain understanding. Prize her, and she will exalt you; if you embrace her, she will honor you. She will set a garland of grace on your head; she will present you with a crown of beauty.” By the time David was mentoring Solomon, he had already fallen into adultery and had suffered through the loss of the son that resulted from that first act of intercourse. Here David is speaking from bitter experience, urging Solomon to treasure wisdom. Conquering heroes received garlands when returning from war; hence, the mention of the garland  or grace and the crown of beauty.

“The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining brighter and brighter until midday.

But the way of the wicked is like the darkest gloom; they do not know what makes them stumble.” As a cosmopolitan city, Jerusalem-and even the royal court-had plenty of examples of righteous and wicked people. It’s quite possible that when David was teaching Solomon, David mentioned specific individuals by name. Certainly, Solomon has remembered these teachings and is passing them on.

APPLICATION: In a previous Bible study, I quoted one of our friends who is fond of saying that “It’s all about choices.” At any given time, we can choose to act wisely or foolishly, with predictable results if we choose wrongly. But what if we find ourselves facing a decision in which both alternatives appear equally positive and righteous? How can we make a wise choice? God loves it when we quote His Word back to Him because it means that we have been paying attention. Here is a simple prayer for guidance:

“God, You tell us in Proverbs 4 that “The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining brighter and brighter until midday.” I am in a dilemma and I have no idea which way I should choose. Will You please shine Your light on the way You want me to go and cause the choice that is not of You to recede into the background? Thank You in advance for directing me. Amen.”

At this point, you can begin to consider both alternatives. You will find that one alternative appears to make increasing sense while the second alternative is rapidly disappearing into the background. If you don’t get clarity the first time around, you can go on to pray something like this: “Father, I am still confused, but You are not a God of confusion but a God of peace. Will You please give me Your Holy Spirit peace about the choice You want me to make? Help me to get quiet enough to hear You speak to my heart. Thanks again for leading me. Amen.”

God is a good Father, and good fathers communicate clearly with their children. No caring father is going to force a small child to guess what he is thinking; instead, he will make certain that the child understands perfectly. God knows our limitations and the many distractions that make it difficult for us to hear His will. We can trust that God, who knows us and loves us, will certainly make His will known when we ask.

You can use this same process in small problems as well as big ones. I am not one of those people who shop for entertainment; I want to get in, make the best choice, and get it over with. I find praying prayers such as these while I shop makes it far easier to focus on clothing that will be attractive and wear well. On the other hand, I also pray similar prayers while I am operating, particularly if I come to a difficult problem while operating. May God help you and guide you as you grow closer to Him in prayer!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help all who read these words to trust You to guide them and give them Your peace as they make decisions. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.    

The Blessings of Wisdom

Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who acquires understanding, for she is more profitable than silver, and her gain is better than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire compares with her. Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. All her ways are pleasant, and all her paths are peaceful. She is a tree of life to those who embrace her, and those who lay hold of her are blessed.

The LORD founded the earth by wisdom and established the heavens by understanding. By His knowledge the watery depths were broken open, and the clouds dripped with dew. My son, do not lose sight of this: Preserve sound judgment and discernment. They will be life to your soul and adornment to your neck. Then you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble. When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you rest, your sleep will be sweet. Do not fear sudden danger or the ruin that overtakes the wicked, for the LORD will be your confidence and will keep your foot from the snare.

Do not withhold good from the deserving when it is within your power to act. Do not tell your neighbor, “Come back tomorrow and I will provide”— when you already have the means. Do not devise evil against your neighbor, for he trustfully dwells beside you. Do not accuse a man without cause, when he has done you no harm. Do not envy a violent man or choose any of his ways; for the LORD detests the perverse, but He is a friend to the upright. The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked, but He blesses the home of the righteous. He mocks the mockers, but gives grace to the humble. The wise will inherit honor, but fools are held up to shame.”

 “Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who acquires understanding, for she is more profitable than silver, and her gain is better than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire compares with her. Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. All her ways are pleasant, and all her paths are peaceful. She is a tree of life to those who embrace her, and those who lay hold of her are blessed.” Who among us does not want a peaceful life? I am an adrenaline junkie; I love downhill skiing, white water canoeing, and mountain biking. I entertain my coworkers at the hospital by launching my bike off the wheelchair ramp in front of the theater building. (OR) But there is a time for adrenaline and a time for peace. As I am writing this, Mr. Cat, the feline who rules our household, is stretched out on our 3-seater couch. When the fit strikes him, Mr. Cat will engage in kitty Olympics, dashing through the house and bouncing off furniture. But right now, Mr. Cat is engaged in a different pursuit-one of the countless cat naps he will enjoy today.

Mr. Cat follows the wisdom God has given him, but frequently, we aren’t wise enough to know when it’s time to rest and seek guidance. God is the Ultimate Source of wisdom; however, the Holy Spirit speaks best when we are quiet, not when we are dashing around like Mr. Cat bouncing off furniture. Want wisdom? Get quiet someplace and listen for God’s still small voice.  

“Preserve sound judgment and discernment. They will be life to your soul and adornment to your neck. Then you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble. When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you rest, your sleep will be sweet.” In this world of clamoring competing voices, how can we possibly preserve sound judgment and discernment? We need God’s Word. We need the Bible, for in it we find the principles we require to maintain our balance in uncertain situations. As long as we follow God’s precepts, our consciences will be clear and we will sleep peacefully.

“Do not withhold good from the deserving when it is within your power to act. Do not tell your neighbor, “Come back tomorrow and I will provide”— when you already have the means. Do not devise evil against your neighbor, for he trustfully dwells beside you. Do not accuse a man without cause, when he has done you no harm. Do not envy a violent man or choose any of his ways; for the LORD detests the perverse, but He is a friend to the upright. The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked, but He blesses the home of the righteous. He mocks the mockers, but gives grace to the humble. The wise will inherit honor, but fools are held up to shame.”

The title of this study is “God hates bait and switch!” Throughout the Bible, God repeatedly warns His people against cheating others of their wages or withholding those wages when the money is available. The Law of Moses warns against taking someone’s cloak in pledge and then keeping it overnight, leaving the poor person shivering in the cold. “Bait and switch” is a particular form of scam in which the seller advertises a product at an impossibly low price, only to entice people to come in and then to switch them to something far more expensive and possibly worth far less than the original item advertised.

Throughout the time when I headed a mission hospital, I did everything I could to maintain good relations with our suppliers, including paying them on time or working out payment schedules and then sticking to those schedules. I was succeeded by someone with less regard for such relationships. Now our institution is struggling to rebuild the trust that has been lost.

In an earlier age, it was a supreme compliment to say of someone that his/her word was his/her bond, that the individual in question would do everything in their power to fulfill their promised obligations. These days, we are still able to do emergency purchases because we are steadily rebuilding that trust.

There are many keys to success in business and in life, and this chapter of Proverbs hold some of the most important ones. Don’t promise what you can’t produce and fulfill the promises you have made as promptly as possible. When you do your best to honor commitments, God will honor you as well and help you fulfill your word.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, we bless You and praise Your glorious Name that in a world where so many are cheating and stealing, You promise to bless us when we honor our commitments. Help us to seek Your wisdom so that we don’t promise more than we can possibly deliver. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Trust in the LORD with All Your Heart

“My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments; for they will add length to your days, and years and peace to your life. Never let loving devotion or faithfulness leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will find favor and high regard in the sight of God and man.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and turn away from evil. This will bring healing to your body and refreshment to your bones.

Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the first fruits of all your harvest; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine. My son, do not reject the discipline of the LORD, and do not loathe His rebuke; for the LORD disciplines the one He loves, as does a father the son in whom he delights.”

““My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments; for they will add length to your days, and years and peace to your life. Never let loving devotion or faithfulness leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will find favor and high regard in the sight of God and man.” Once upon a time, workers joined a company, expecting that they would move up the corporate ladder and remain with that company until they retired. Sadly, that era has ended. Companies that once demonstrated loyalty to their workers, offering good medical insurance and educational advantages are now ruthlessly cutting back, mechanizing, and cutting costs by any means possible.  In response workers are protecting themselves by scrutinizing their positions, poising themselves to jump to another company at the first sign of a problem. Marriages have not fared any better. Even among Christians, divorce rates sometimes approach 50%. Vows that are supposed to last a lifetime may be thrown aside quickly. In such settings, do loving devotion and faithfulness have any place at all?

The short answer is “Yes, devotion is a lot of work, but it’s worth it!” The longer you give to a relationship of any kind, the more rewarding it can be. We have worked in the same community for nearly 24 years; in that time, we have gained strong credibility and we have the chance to help the people who have become our neighbors and friends. We feel the same way about our marriage. In more than four decades, we have weathered injuries, a heart attack, several major surgeries, and the loss of parents and siblings. We remain each other’s best friends, although there are times when we remember Ruth Bell Graham’s statement. Someone was interviewing Mrs. Graham and asked her if she had ever considered leaving Billy. Mrs. Graham is alleged to have answered, “Leave Billy? No. Kill him? Sometimes!”

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and turn away from evil. This will bring healing to your body and refreshment to your bones.” There’s a line from a song from the musical Fiddler on the Roof that goes “Life has a way of abusing us, blessing and bruising us…” It’s amazing how many of us trust in our own understanding rather than asking God for assistance. Insanity has been defined as repeating the same mistakes and expecting different results, but many of us are really slow learners. In these verses, God is also promising that when we follow God’s plans for our lives, it will bring healing to our bodies and refreshment to our bones. Many of us are more than happy to receive refreshment to our bones because every joint in our bodies is likely to check in with all kinds of weird snapping and cracking noises.

“Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the first fruits of all your harvest; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine.” One of the fundamental laws of the Kingdom of God is that the measure you give out is the measure you will receive. You need to honor God with your wealth and with your first fruits. First fruits are the very first harvest from your farm or garden, your first-born animals, etc. Giving God your first fruits is a risk; what if that’s all you get that year? How will you survive? What will you live on? But when you are generous, God responds in ways you can’t imagine. We spend a large amount of money weekly supporting indigent patients and their relatives in the hospital. Recently, we were shopping for a microwave when the shop owner asked to speak with us. When we wound up counseling the shop owner and praying for him, he gave us a microwave out of gratitude. (We did not ask for anything; we were simply trying to help him.)

“My son, do not reject the discipline of the LORD, and do not loathe His rebuke; for the LORD disciplines the one He loves, as does a father the son in whom he delights.” OUCH! This one is tough! Most of us are more than happy to talk about God’s blessings, but when it comes to God’s discipline, it’s a different story entirely. The problem is that all of us need correction, and the harder the calling God has for us, the stricter the discipline we must undergo to prepare ourselves for it. In Bible times, fathers would claim their natural children or children they had adopted and discipline those children. Discipline indicated sonship. When I was six, my parents added my foster sister to our family. My mother was a stern disciplinarian and didn’t hesitate to spank us when necessary. One day, my foster sister misbehaved, and even though she was sixteen years old, Mom swatted her anyway. Amazingly, my sister was thrilled-why? Because Mom treated my sister just like her other kids. That was the day when my sister really felt that she was part of the family.

Perhaps today you feel as if God is being hard on you, but what if God is preparing you for some great future and needs you to be ready? Neither my husband nor I grew up in wealthy circumstances, and my family lived quite simply when I was very young. But God was preparing us to live in a small northern Ghanaian village with no electricity or running water. That early training turned out to be essential.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to trust You rather than ourselves and to submit to Your discipline, knowing that You have high callings for us. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

The Benefits of Wisdom

“My son, if you accept my words and hide my commandments within you, if you incline your ear to wisdom and direct your heart to understanding, if you truly call out to insight and lift your voice to understanding, if you seek it like silver and search it out like hidden treasure, then you will discern the fear of the LORD and discover the knowledge of God.

For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk with integrity, to guard the paths of justice and protect the way of His saints. Then you will discern righteousness and justice and equity—every good path. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will delight your soul. Discretion will watch over you, and understanding will guard you, to deliver you from the way of evil, from the man who speaks perversity, from those who leave the straight paths to walk in the ways of darkness, from those who enjoy doing evil and rejoice in the twistedness of evil, whose paths are crooked and whose ways are devious.

It will rescue you from the forbidden woman, from the stranger with seductive words who abandons the partner of her youth and forgets the covenant of her God. For her house sinks down to death, and her tracks to the departed spirits. None who go to her return or negotiate the paths of life. So you will follow in the ways of good men, and keep to the paths of the righteous. For the upright will inhabit the land, and the blameless will remain in it; but the wicked will be cut off from the land, and the unfaithful will be uprooted.”

“My son, if you accept my words and hide my commandments within you, if you incline your ear to wisdom and direct your heart to understanding, if you truly call out to insight and lift your voice to understanding, if you seek it like silver and search it out like hidden treasure, then you will discern the fear of the LORD and discover the knowledge of God.” In Ecclesiastes, Solomon says that there is nothing new under the sun and boy, is he right! When we really go in for both wisdom and understanding, we discern the fear of the Lord and discover the knowledge of God. But notice, we need understanding to bolster the wisdom. There are all kinds of wisdom circulating, and much of it is rubbish!

Thanks or no thanks to our satellite dish, we are offered the opportunity to view programs on “Ancient Aliens,” promulgating the idea that someone from another planet has previously visited earth, leaving mysterious objects behind. We are invited to speculate as to the nature of these ancient beings, perhaps even to worship them. The Bible tells us that when Satan fell from heaven, one third of the angels fell with him, coming to earth and becoming demons. So much for ancient aliens-a perfect example of wisdom without understanding.

“For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk with integrity, to guard the paths of justice and protect the way of His saints. Then you will discern righteousness and justice and equity—every good path. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will delight your soul. Discretion will watch over you, and understanding will guard you, to deliver you from the way of evil, from the man who speaks perversity, from those who leave the straight paths to walk in the ways of darkness, from those who enjoy doing evil and rejoice in the twistedness of evil, whose paths are crooked and whose ways are devious.”

Many of us are cheating our children and endangering them spiritually! Why? Because we have chosen to believe that small children are incapable of memorizing Scripture; meanwhile, ask any small child to sing you the song about Barney, the purple dinosaur, and they will repeat it endlessly. I am blessed that I was raised in an unenlightened age in which Sunday Schools assigned memory verses to children. Each Saturday night, my parents helped me study my Sunday School lesson and learn my memory verse for the next day so that I could make a good showing in Sunday School. When I was confirmed in the Lutheran Church, we had to memorize large sections of Luther’s Small Catechism, including Luther’s emphatic affirmation after each of his statements that “This is most certainly true!” Later, when I wandered away from God, those Bible verses and Luther’s affirmations that would pull me up short of total self-destruction.

“It will rescue you from the forbidden woman, from the stranger with seductive words who abandons the partner of her youth and forgets the covenant of her God. For her house sinks down to death, and her tracks to the departed spirits. None who go to her return or negotiate the paths of life. So you will follow in the ways of good men, and keep to the paths of the righteous. For the upright will inhabit the land, and the blameless will remain in it; but the wicked will be cut off from the land, and the unfaithful will be uprooted.”  I can already hear the feminists in my audience screaming, “Male chauvinism! Why don’t they mention a forbidden man as well?” These verses are products of their culture. Obviously, there were women who strayed; that’s where the forbidden woman” came from, so there were also “forbidden men.” But for women in that time, the consequences of infidelity were horrific-they would be turned out of their husband’s home and possibly rejected also by their own families, leaving them to suffer and starve. But the point remains: stick close to God and you will be protected from seductive strangers of either sex.

APPLICATION: “For the upright will inhabit the land, and the blameless will remain in it; but the wicked will be cut off from the land, and the unfaithful will be uprooted.” As I am writing this, my husband and I are embroiled in a situation involving a sister institution that has been badly mismanaged. Crooked individuals have been controlling the finances, resulting in corruption throughout the system and shortages of drugs and consumables so that those who do want to work effectively are hampered. One of those taking a stand for righteousness has recently seen his business burnt to ashes, and it is unclear whether this tragedy was due to an electrical fire or to arson by vicious opponents.

One thing is absolutely certain: God knows all the details of this situation and God will not allow the righteous to be removed. Even when we have no means of rooting out transgressors, God sees all, knows all, and is infinitely resourceful. The individuals who have mishandled things will answer to God.

Perhaps you find yourself in a similar situation. You have taken a stand for righteousness and now people whom you have not even suspected of wrong-doing are attacking you. Hang in there! Stay calm and trust God. God knows the human heart and God is the One who can sort things out completely. Trust God and He will work on your behalf.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to trust that when we are doing Your Will, You will guide us, lead us, and protect us. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Proverbs 1:1-7 The Beginning of Knowledge (Proverbs 9:1-12)

“The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel: To know wisdom and discipline, to comprehend words of insight, to receive instruction in wise living, in righteousness, justice, and equity, to impart prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young—let the wise listen and gain instruction, and the discerning acquire wise counsel—to understand the proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.

The Enticement of Sin

Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction, and do not forsake the teaching of your mother. For they are a garland of grace on your head and a pendant around your neck. My son, if sinners entice you, do not yield to them. If they say, “Come along, let us lie in wait for blood, let us ambush the innocent without cause, let us swallow them alive like Sheol, and whole like those descending into the Pit. We will find all manner of precious goods; we will fill our houses with plunder. Throw in your lot with us; let us all share one purse”—my son, do not walk the road with them or set foot upon their path. For their feet run to evil, and they are swift to shed blood. How futile it is to spread the net where any bird can see it. But they lie in wait for their own blood; they ambush their own lives. Such is the fate of all who are greedy, whose unjust gain takes the lives of its possessors.

Wisdom Calls Aloud

Wisdom calls out in the street, she lifts her voice in the square; in the main concoursec she cries aloud, at the city gates she makes her speech: “How long, O simple ones, will you love your simple ways? How long will scoffers delight in their scorn and fools hate knowledge? If you had repented at my rebuke, then surely I would have poured out my spirit on you; I would have made my words known to you.

Because you refused my call, and no one took my outstretched hand, because you neglected all my counsel, and wanted none of my correction, in turn I will mock your calamity; I will sneer when terror strikes you, when your dread comes like a storm, and your destruction like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish overwhelm you. Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; they will earnestly seek me, but will not find me. For they hated knowledge and chose not to fear the LORD. They accepted none of my counsel; they despised all my reproof. So they will eat the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices. For the waywardness of the simple will slay them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them. But whoever listens to me will dwell in safety, secure from the fear of evil.”

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.” While King Solomon was allegedly one of the wisest men who ever lived, his personal life was a mess. Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines and wound up involving himself in all kinds of idolatry as a result. If this is the case, why have these sayings been preserved and why are they in the Bible? One of the fascinating things about the Bible is that God uses faulty people to speak His Word. Proverbs contains divine wisdom, no matter the conduit. While King David was a magnificent leader in many respects, he wasn’t the greatest father; however, David realized that Solomon was to succeed him and evidently made strenuous efforts to teach Solomon.

“My son, if sinners entice you, do not yield to them.” One of the smartest pieces of advice ever given came from David to Solomon thousands of years ago. Bad associations create bad character. We cannot play with dirty things without becoming dirty ourselves. Whether we are accessing online pornography or betting sites or viewing filthy or violent videos or listening to music that degrades people, or playing violent video games, the results will always be the same. God has created us for purity, righteousness, and holiness, not for filth.

“For the waywardness of the simple will slay them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them. But whoever listens to me (Wisdom) will dwell in safety, secure from the fear of evil.”  Nothing has changed in thousands of years: pursue righteousness and live or pursue sin and die miserably. We set ourselves up to live or die, depending on our actions.  

APPLICATION: In a recent video, Jeff Foxworthy describes a Bible study he runs for homeless men in Atlanta. One of the common experiences these men share is that someone broke their hearts and then someone else enticed them into bad company. One man told a thrilling story. When this man was little, his mother gave him a Bible containing a love letter she had written to him. But after that man’s mother died, he inherited some money, plunged into bad company, and eventually lost the Bible during one of his many moves. The loss of the Bible broke this man’s heart because it was the only thing he had kept from his mother. Someone renovating a place 100 miles away employed this man and his friend to help clear out debris from the place before the renovations began. The clearance was nearly complete when this man picked up the last load of rubbish; underneath was a Bible-the same Bible his mother had given to him as a boy! That Bible became the man’s most precious possession.

Proverbs 22:6 says “Train up a child in the way he should go: And when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Even though that man’s mother had been dead for many years, the early training she had given remained in his heart and mind. The miraculous recovery of that Bible and the manner in which God restored it to that man completely changed that man’s life. Now he was attending a Bible study and making efforts to get his life back on track, all thanks to his mother’s teaching and her gift of a Bible with a love letter.

One of our friends is fond of saying that “It’s all about choices.” We can choose to do well or to pursue paths that lead to self-destruction. As we go through Proverbs, you will find that different verses will speak to you while others leave you unmoved. No problem. That’s why I read Proverbs through each month. Frequently a verse that has meant nothing to me suddenly leaps off the page and into my heart. I highly recommend this habit to you, for I am certain that you will have a similar experience.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, speak to our hearts and help us to listen so that we may absorb Your wisdom and apply it. Thank You for Your passion for us to have fruitful and productive lives as we follow Your will. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.