Burunche’s Blog

“A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver. Like an earring of gold or an ornament of fine gold is a wise man’s rebuke to a listening ear.

Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest is a trustworthy messenger to those who send him; he refreshes the soul of his masters.

Like clouds and wind without rain is the man who boasts of gifts never given.

Through patience a ruler can be persuaded, and a gentle tongue can break a bone.

If you find honey, eat just what you need, lest you have too much and vomit it up. Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house, lest he grow weary and hate you.

Like a club or sword or sharp arrow is a man who bears false witness against his neighbor.

Like a broken tooth or a foot out of joint is confidence in a faithless man in time of trouble.

Like one who removes a garment on a cold day or vinegar poured on a wound is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.

If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. For in so doing, you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you.

As the north wind brings forth rain, so a backbiting tongue brings angry looks.

Better to live on a corner of the roof than to share a house with a quarrelsome wife.

Like cold water to a weary soul is good news from a distant land.

Like a muddied spring or a polluted well is a righteous man who gives way to the wicked.

It is not good to eat too much honey or to search out one’s own glory.

Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who does not control his temper.”

““A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver. Like an earring of gold or an ornament of fine gold is a wise man’s rebuke to a listening ear.” Many times, we think that art in Biblical times must have been primitive; however, that is far from the truth. Here the writer is describing a royal treasure, something that was probably highly prized and admired, and comparing words spoken appropriately to such treasures. Decorating your ears with gold jewelry might gain some admiration; however, listening to the wise is a far better ear decoration.

 “Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest is a trustworthy messenger to those who send him; he refreshes the soul of his masters.” It’s amazing how few trustworthy messengers there are. Such a person must be reliable, discrete, self-sacrificing, and readily available. Being around such people is as refreshing as feeling that snow on the back of your neck in the middle of a blistering sunny day.  

Think about being out in a field, struggling to harvest grain with a sickle. You’ve been there since early morning and now the sun is so hot, you feel as if you are broiling. Along comes someone who has just left the mountains carrying snow in a container. You grab that snow and rub it on your face and neck. Just for a few moments, you are blissfully cool. Trustworthy messengers bring just as much refreshment.

“Like clouds and wind without rain is the man who boasts of gifts never given.” When you’re in the midst of a drought, few things are more frustrating and disappointing than watching the clouds roll in and the wind come up, only for the rain to go somewhere else. In the same way, someone making promises he has no intention of fulfilling is just as disappointing. A country Gospel song says, “Too much thunder and not enough rain. Too many programs and not enough praying. Too many people are making too little change, like too much thunder and not enough rain.” (Dixie Melody Boys)   

“Through patience a ruler can be persuaded, and a gentle tongue can break a bone.” Jesus once told a story about an unjust judge and a widow woman who wouldn’t give up. This judge didn’t want to give the little lady justice but day after day, she kept calling on him, demanding that he settle her case. Then the judge told himself, “ Even though I do not fear God or respect men, 5yet because this widow keeps pestering me, I will give her justice. Then she will quit wearing me out with her perpetual requests.” (Luke 18:1-6)

“If you find honey, eat just what you need, lest you have too much and vomit it up. Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house, lest he grow weary and hate you.” Overindulgence in anything results in disaster. And while it’s fine to visit your neighbor to greet him, too many visits too close together will leave your neighbor feeling used and abused. We had to cut off contact with a long-time friend because his greetings turned into frequent requests for money, something we could not do.

“Like a club or sword or sharp arrow is a man who bears false witness against his neighbor.” Once more, the Bible is warning against bearing false witness. Why? In Biblical times, lies could result in someone receiving 39 lashes just as Jesus did-the understanding being that 40 lashes would kill a man. In modern times, people have languished in prison for years because of false witness.  

“Like a broken tooth or a foot out of joint is confidence in a faithless man in time of trouble.” One of the hazards of eating local rice and beans here in Ghana is the possibility of biting down on a small stone and cracking a tooth. I just had to have a molar removed, and the poor tooth came out in several pieces. I have no idea when I first broke it, but it definitely was broken. Bite down on a broken tooth or try to put your weight on a sprained ankle and you immediately realize your mistake. Trust the wrong person and suffer similar consequences.

“Like one who removes a garment on a cold day or vinegar poured on a wound is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.” Few things are more frustrating and painful than struggling with grief only to have someone begin encouraging you to “buck up!” “Look on the bright side!” “It’s really not as bad as you think.” Years ago, we were going through a tough time when well-intentioned acquaintances persisted in giving us useless advice. Finally, I exploded to one friend that I didn’t want to hear from one more person who had lived a shrink-wrapped life. Shrink wrap is the clear plastic protecting packages of meat and vegetables. Nothing gets past shrink wrap. In the same way, there are many people who mistake their lack of experience for success and are more than willing to share their wisdom. 

“If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. For in so doing, you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you.” Few verses are more misinterpreted than this one. In a culture in which fire had to be carefully preserved, it was common to share burning coals from one household to another. Such sharing allowed the second household to kindle its own fires for cooking, allowing them to feed their family. A gift of burning coals could mean life and health to another family. In the same way, God wants us to forgive our enemies, to pray for them, and to help them, trusting that God will reward us.  

“As the north wind brings forth rain, so a backbiting tongue brings angry looks.” In the Eastern Hemisphere, storms move in from the northeast. It is nearly a given that a north wind will bring rain storms. Just as certain as storms can bring rain, backbiting tongues will offend everyone around them. 

“Better to live on a corner of the roof than to share a house with a quarrelsome wife.” Marital discord is as old as marriage itself. Stay with someone who becomes offended by the smallest detail and you too would rather live almost anywhere else, including on the flat rooftop, exposed to storms and sun. At least, up on the roof you would be away from the nagging and would have peace. We know that Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines. Did Solomon create a refuge on the roof just to get away from the bickering?    

“Like cold water to a weary soul is good news from a distant land.” We have lived away from our families in America for decades. Nothing is more encouraging than hearing good news about our relatives.

“Like a muddied spring or a polluted well is a righteous man who gives way to the wicked.” Few of us realize how closely those around us are watching our actions to see if we are reliable and truthful. One of the saddest conversations I have overheard in Ghana took place nearly 40 years ago. Two doctors in a government hospital were discussing another doctor known to be a dedicated Christian. Evidently, this doctor had just begun collecting money from patients under the table. One of the two doctors said to the other, “I hear _____ has begun collecting.” The second doctor replied, “Yes, it’s true; we all come to it sooner or later.” (At that time, doctors’ salaries were so low in Ghana that house officers were closing from work and driving taxis to feed their families.)  

 “It is not good to eat too much honey or to search out one’s own glory.” Honey was a common sweetener; hence, the number of references to honey. Here eating too much honey is compared to enjoying one’s glory too much. Far better to be humble than to be proud.  

“Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who does not control his temper.” Lose your temper and you are handing others your head on a platter. The angrier someone becomes, the less control he/she will have over their tongue and the more likely they are to say something they will bitterly regret later.

APPLICATION: Remembering that Solomon gave all these pronouncements, we can’t help wondering how what Solomon was actually like. Was Solomon really true-hearted or was he simply a royal hypocrite? We can’t know. All we do know is that God has used these proverbs to guide people for thousands of years.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to trust You and to follow You, regardless of the people You might use to advise us. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

More Proverbs of Solomon

“These are additional proverbs of Solomon, which were copied by the men of Hezekiah king of Judah: It is the glory of God to conceal a matter and the glory of kings to search it out.

As the heavens are high and the earth is deep, so the hearts of kings cannot be searched.

Remove the dross from the silver, and a vessel for a silversmith will come forth. Remove the wicked from the king’s presence, and his throne will be established in righteousness.

Do not exalt yourself in the presence of the king, and do not stand in the place of great men; for it is better that he says to you, “Come up here!” than demote you in the presence of the prince.

Even what you have seen with your own eyes, do not go out to argue in haste. Otherwise, what will you do in the end when your opponent puts you to shame? Argue your case with your neighbor without betraying another’s confidence, lest the one who hears may disgrace you, and your infamy never go away.”

“These are additional proverbs of Solomon, which were copied by the men of Hezekiah king of Judah..” Hezekiah lived 200 years after Solomon; however, Hezekiah was a God-fearing man who realized the need to preserve Solomon’s wisdom. 

“It is the glory of God to conceal a matter and the glory of kings to search it out.” This one statement has always bothered me and has made it difficult for me to appreciate the rest of Proverbs 25. Here it is as if Solomon is thumbing his nose at God, giving him back-chat. “See God, it doesn’t matter what You have created; I am going to understand everything.” For a creature to respond this way to his creator scarcely seems appropriate, but Solomon apparently has an ego that just won’t quit and has forgotten Who has given him wisdom in the first place.  

“As the heavens are high and the earth is deep, so the hearts of kings cannot be searched.” Say what? Solomon, you think God doesn’t know every bit of your heart, including your failure to control your lusts and your willingness to cover up using the excuse of the need for strategic marriages for the sake of diplomacy? But Solomon, 700 wives and 300 concubines??? Really? Do you truly think that God doesn’t know the heart of every ruler on earth, including yours?

“Do not exalt yourself in the presence of the king, and do not stand in the place of great men; for it is better that he says to you, “Come up here!” than demote you in the presence of the prince.” Jesus once advised his disciples that when they came to a banquet, they should not take the seat of honor, lest someone more important show up, forcing them to move down the table and to be embarrassed. When we first came to Ghana, we lived in Kumasi, the second largest city, and attended a big Methodist church there. It was quite entertaining to see the big men arriving and jockeying for position on the front rows of the church; it was the same scene that Jesus had described. Throughout the Bible, we are reminded that “he who exalts himself will be humbled and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

“Even what you have seen with your own eyes, do not go out to argue in haste. Otherwise, what will you do in the end when your opponent puts you to shame? Argue your case with your neighbor without betraying another’s confidence, lest the one who hears may disgrace you, and your infamy never go away.” Repeatedly, the Bible warns against bearing false witness; however, this statement carries things even further. Here we are advised to be discrete, refusing to leap into arguments. Even if you are an eye witness, how do you know that you have interpreted events properly? Perhaps you have seen something and have then jumped to a totally wrong conclusion. The results may be very hurtful and you may destroy friendships in the process. One of the most frustrating things about being a police officer investigating an accident or a crime is the number of different interpretations various witnesses will put on the same event. No matter how much we try to be honest, we will always analyze things in the light of our emotions and experience.

APPLICATION: First, we should thank Hezekiah in heaven for having ordered his scribes to record these sayings, preserving them for us. Second, we should strive to avoid Solomon’s mistakes of assuming that we can understand everything and that God cannot possibly know our hearts. We do not know everything and God knows us better than we know ourselves. Third, do not think more highly of yourself than you should. While this is the age of self-esteem, that does not mean God approves us being the centers of our own universes.  Fourth, we should heed the warnings in these verses. Even if you are certain you can give an accurate account of an event, be wary about sharing that information unless you are forced to do so. Rush to judgement and you might find yourself being very embarrassed!  

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to be guided by Your Word, even when we would rather not be. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

“Further Sayings of the Wise

These also are sayings of the wise: To show partiality in judgment

is not good. Whoever tells the guilty, “You are innocent”— peoples will curse him, and nations will denounce him; but it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and rich blessing will come upon them.

An honest answer given is like a kiss on the lips.

Complete your outdoor work and prepare your field; after that, you may build your house.

Do not testify against your neighbor without cause, and do not deceive with your lips.

Do not say, “I will do to him as he has done to me; I will repay the man according to his work.”

I went past the field of a slacker and by the vineyard of a man lacking judgment. Thorns had grown up everywhere, thistles had covered the ground, and the stone wall was broken down. I observed and took it to heart; I looked and received instruction: 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.”

“These also are sayings of the wise: To show partiality in judgment is not good. Whoever tells the guilty, “You are innocent”— peoples will curse him, and nations will denounce him; but it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and rich blessing will come upon them.” Skewed trials are nothing new; they existed in Bible times as well. May God bless all impartial judges!  

“An honest answer given is like a kiss on the lips. We deceive ourselves if we think that what we say has no effect on our bodies. Lie and your body knows it and will pounish you accordingly.

“Complete your outdoor work and prepare your field; after that, you may build your house.” Priorities are of paramount importance. In an agricultural economy, if you ignore your farm, you won’t have any money with which to build a house. Substance is much more important than form. My father and brother farmed successfully for years while buying good used farm implements. Some other farmers mortgaged their farms to buy new equipment, only to lose everything when land values suddenly dropped. Keep your priorities straight and succeed.  

“Do not testify against your neighbor without cause, and do not deceive with your lips.” God hates false witness; in fact, He forbade it in the Ten Commandments. In recent years, there have been highly publicized cases in which innocent people have been wrongly imprisoned, only to be released when new DNA evidence has verified their innocence. In some cases, those giving wrong witness have found themselves being prosecuted.

“I went past the field of a slacker and by the vineyard of a man lacking judgment. Thorns had grown up everywhere, thistles had covered the ground, and the stone wall was broken down. I observed and took it to heart; I looked and received instruction: 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.” The band The Eagles had a song in the 1970’s that said, “Time keeps on slippin’, slippin’, slippin’ into the future.” To quote Martin Luther, “This is most certainly true!” Neglect your work for a few minutes, hours, or days, and you will find yourself way behind, struggling to catch up.

Our work in Ghana is sponsored totally by donations, and most of our donors are on modest incomes. Each month I must send financial reports along with scanned copies of receipts to verify expenditures and I must label these receipts with the amounts in dollars. Our exchange rates fluctuate, making this a challenging exercise. Normally, I try to have everything sent out within the first few days of a new month; however, I just sent out the report this morning after compiling and report 94 receipts. I didn’t mean to be this late; however, a combination of work load plus tropical heat caused me to struggle with the labelling part of the exercise.

Why mention our efforts at fund raising? Many people might assume that we are on some kind of salary from a mission group. WRONG! Both groups we work with are faith-based and we depend on donations. Our hospital cares for very poor people and many of them cannot possibly pay large medical bills. If we do not help these people while they are in the hospital, they may return to the village to starve. Many of our families exist on a financial knife edge. (If you want to help, message me on Facebook at Jean A. Young.)

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to live lives pleasing to You. In the mighty and precious Name

Saying 26

“Eat honey, my son, for it is good, and the honeycomb is sweet to your taste.

Know therefore that wisdom is sweet to your soul. If you find it, there is a future for you, and your hope will never be cut off.

Saying 27

Do not lie in wait, O wicked man, near the dwelling of the righteous;

do not destroy his resting place. For though a righteous man may fall seven times, he still gets up; but the wicked stumble in bad times.

Saying 28

Do not gloat when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart rejoice when he stumbles, for the LORD will see and disapprove, and turn His wrath away from him.

Saying 29

Do not fret over evildoers, and do not be envious of the wicked. For the evil man has no future; the lamp of the wicked will be extinguished.

Saying 30

My son, fear the LORD and the king, and do not associate with the rebellious. For those two will bring sudden destruction; who knows what ruin they can bring?”

Saying 26 “Eat honey, my son, for it is good, and the honeycomb is sweet to your taste. Know therefore that wisdom is sweet to your soul. If you find it, there is a future for you, and your hope will never be cut off.” There is a long Jewish tradition of valuing wisdom. In some places, children learning their alphabet even had sweets dropped on their books while teachers would say those things came from angels who approved of their learning. If we spend time with someone who is extremely wise, it’s refreshing and we feel uplifted. My late stepmother Mary had a special gift for such wisdom. Mary had raised five great kids under difficult circumstances and had worked her way up to a career as an award-winning farm editor; she had seen lots of problems and had triumphed over great adversity.   No matter how many health challenges Mary was facing herself, she always had sage advice. I would call her several times a month from Ghana just to hear her calm voice.

“Saying 27

Do not lie in wait, O wicked man, near the dwelling of the righteous; do not destroy his resting place. For though a righteous man may fall seven times, he still gets up; but the wicked stumble in bad times.

Saying 28

Do not gloat when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart rejoice when he stumbles, for the LORD will see and disapprove, and turn His wrath away from him.”

Saying 29

“Do not fret over evildoers, and do not be envious of the wicked. For the evil man has no future; the lamp of the wicked will be extinguished.”

Many times, we feel that righteousness isn’t really worth it. We see wicked people prospering and wonder why God doesn’t simply dispatch a lightning bolt and zap them. But God wants us to focus more on Him and not on the wicked; in fact, all God wants us to do about the wicked is to pray for them and then follow His Will for our lives. God tells us specifically not to gloat because we can bring God’s punishment on ourselves when we do so. Bottom line: Only God knows the human heart and only God can truly judge righteously.

By the same token, God is warning people to refuse to engage in wicked behavior, lest God allow their wickedness to destroy them. Right now we are on the edge of a difficult situation. One of our sponsored students who is pursuing a course as a physician assistant recently had her room invaded; she lost her laptop, her cell phone, and her purse. The main suspect is one of the other tenants in her hostel. When the landlord convened a meeting about the theft, this young man absented himself and quickly moved to a different building. Our constant prayer is that God will so convict this young man that he will restore the stolen items. We suspect that somehow this fellow learned that we were helping this young woman and he used that as an excuse, telling himself that the white people had unlimited funds and would replace whatever he stole. Unfortunately, our funds are not unlimited, and replacing all those things is not possible at this time.   

Saying 30

“My son, fear the LORD and the king, and do not associate with the rebellious. For those two will bring sudden destruction; who knows what ruin they can bring?”  1 Samuel 15:23 tells us, “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.”Rebellion and control are the two sides of the witchcraft coin. All witchcraft is aimed at controlling events, people, the weather, etc. in flagrant acts of rebellion against God. Those practicing witchcraft want to be their own gods. Given these facts, it is little wonder that God and leaders regard rebels as people to be removed when necessary.

Rebellion can be incredibly destructive. Years ago, we had a great working relationship with one medical school in the U.S. Each June, medical students would come to our hospital for two weeks and rotate through all our various departments. Each student would bring a large suitcase full of wonderful medical consumables, things that were scarce in Ghana. One year, a few individuals chose to stage a strike during the visit from the medical students. That rebellious action destroyed the hospital’s relationship with the medical school, depriving us of thousands of dollars’ worth of supplies, not to mention fracturing the relationships we had built through the years. Even sadder is the fact that one of the ring leaders left the nursing profession a few years later to become a pastor. This individual never recognized the damage his actions had created.   

APPLICATION: Gloating over the fall of enemies, laying traps for others, and rebellion-what do all these actions have in common? Those engaging in such actions are refusing to acknowledge God or to trust God. Only God knows the human heart and only God knows the true circumstances of someone’s situation. When we sit outside the life of another and attempt to judge, we will always make mistakes. The title of this study is “Don’t look at the rocks; look at the river.” When navigating white water rivers, you must focus on the best path to take to avoid winding up on the rocks. Your canoe or kayak will go wherever you focus. If you focus on the acts of the wicked, sooner or later you too will become wicked. But if you focus on God and His righteousness, you will be safe. Don’t look at the rocks; look at the river!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to remember that You are the only One qualified to judge and that You are the One who knows the human heart best. Help us to trust all our problems to You. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

“Do Not Envy

Saying 20

Do not envy wicked men or desire their company; for their hearts devise violence, and their lips declare trouble.

Saying 21

By wisdom a house is built and by understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with every precious and beautiful treasure.

Saying 22

A wise man is strong, and a man of knowledge enhances his strength. Only with sound guidance should you wage war, and victory lies in a multitude of counselors.

Saying 23

Wisdom is too high for a fool; he does not open his mouth in the meeting place.

Saying 24

He who plots evil will be called a schemer. A foolish scheme is sin, and a mocker is detestable to men.

Saying 25

If you faint in the day of distress, how small is your strength! Rescue those being led away to death, and restrain those stumbling toward the slaughter. If you say, “Behold, we did not know about this,” does not He who weighs hearts consider it? Does not the One who guards your life know? Will He not repay a man according to his deeds?

 “Do not envy wicked men or desire their company; for their hearts devise violence, and their lips declare trouble.”  At first, you might read this statement and think, “Well duh! Who doesn’t know that!” But in a day and age in which many people pride themselves on being “bad-ass,” these same people truly are envying the wicked and desiring their company, believing that this will make them strong and invincible. (And where did the term “bad ass” come from? Why should the state of one’s derriere be so interesting? Don’t correct me; obviously I am mocking this term because it has suddenly become complimentary to call something “bad ass.” Previous generations used positive terms such as good, honorable, honest, hard-working, etc.; is this really the best we can do?)

 “By wisdom a house is built and by understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with every precious and beautiful treasure.”  This statement actually goes along with the first one. When you copy the wicked, you will get terrible results. Apply wisdom if you want a good, successful, and prosperous life.

“A wise man is strong, and a man of knowledge enhances his strength. Only with sound guidance should you wage war, and victory lies in a multitude of counselors.” Strength without wisdom can land you in trouble, and refusing to consult the right people can make things far worse. I just received a phone call from one of our staff who had previously been sponsored for training. Unfortunately, when this lady wanted to go for an advanced course, she took off for school, assuming the hospital would pay her fees; meanwhile, the hospital coffers are tapped out because we are trying to help several poor students secure their first qualification. Whether or not this lady discussed the matter with anyone else, she never came to us and we are the major donors to the hospital sponsorship fund. Now this lady is severely disappointed, and all because she didn’t consult anyone else.  

“Wisdom is too high for a fool; he does not open his mouth in the meeting place.”  It’s always good to make sure your brain is in gear before your mouth is in gear.

“He who plots evil will be called a schemer. A foolish scheme is sin, and a mocker is detestable to men.”

We can’t be certain about the term used for “schemer” in the original language, but it’s quite possible that it was far more insulting than the English translation. Schemes, whether foolish or wise are still sinful because these plots are hatched in attempts to manipulate people or events.

“If you faint in the day of distress, how small is your strength! Rescue those being led away to death, and restrain those stumbling toward the slaughter. If you say, “Behold, we did not know about this,” does not He who weighs hearts consider it? Does not the One who guards your life know? Will He not repay a man according to his deeds?“ I have spent most of my professional career working in mission hospitals in remote settings. For much of that time, I have been the only doctor for the hospital, covering all kinds of surgical emergencies as well as other medical emergencies in addition. Whenever possible, I counsel families to make the wisest decisions for their patients and themselves. I do these things conscious that I am always working in the presence of God and I pray over ever surgery patient before I operate for complete healing. You see, I have promised God that if I do the best I can to heal people where I am working, God will take care of my family in the U.S. I try to treat each of my patients as if he/she were my closest relative.  Some days, it is very tough, not because I don’t care but because of the work load and the tropical heat. Those are the days when I remind myself of my agreement with God.  

Wisdom and foolishness, righteous behavior and retribution for misdeeds-these are the main themes of this part of Proverbs 24. May God help us as we work so that we will honor Him in all that we do.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, many of us are tired, wondering if the struggle is worth it. Help us to realize that we are actually working for You and not just for some faceless group. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen. 

Saying 9

“Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always continue in the fear of the LORD. For surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off.

Saying 16

Listen, my son, and be wise, and guide your heart on the right course. Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat. For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and drowsiness will clothe them in rags.

Saying 17

Listen to your father who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old. Invest in truth and never sell it—in wisdom and instruction and understanding. The father of a righteous man will greatly rejoice, and he who fathers a wise son will delight in him. May your father and mother be glad, and may she who gave you birth rejoice!

Saying 18

My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes delight in my ways. For a prostitute is a deep pit, and an adulteress is a narrow well. Like a robber she lies in wait and multiplies the faithless among men.

Saying 19

Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaints? Who has needless wounds? Who has bloodshot eyes? Those who linger over wine, those who go to taste mixed drinks. Do not gaze at wine while it is red, when it sparkles in the cup and goes down smoothly. In the end it bites like a snake and stings like a viper. Your eyes will see strange things, and your mind will utter perversities. You will be like one sleeping on the high seas or lying on the top of a mast: “They struck me, but I feel no pain! They beat me, but I did not know it! When can I wake up to search for another drink?”

““Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always continue in the fear of the LORD. For surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off.”  Envy! My mother used to describe this sin as “the green-eyed monster.” Looking over the fence or next door at what your neighbor’s got and immediately lusting for their house/car/boat/clothes/or even their spouse. There’s a good reason that the Tenth Commandments says “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.” 

Lust after something your neighbor has long enough and you will begin scheming on ways to take it away from him or you will become so unhappy with what you have that you will make the rest of your family unhappy. And who knows what is really going on next door? The Ghanaians have a saying, “Just because you hear the sound of fufu being pounded does not mean that you know what kind of soup they will eat with the fufu.” Fufu is a starchy staple made from boiled yams, cassava, plantain, or any combination thereof. When your neighbors are pounding fufu, the sound echoes through the neighborhood because it sounds like a pile driver next door. Fufu ingredients are pounded in a huge mortar with a 6-foot-long pestle. Ingredients for fufu are relatively cheap, but what about the soup? One of the cheapest soups is made from dried okra and tomatoes and may or may not contain any meat or fish. Nice meat and fish are luxury items that might never appear at your neighbor’s house.  

“Listen, my son, and be wise, and guide your heart on the right course. Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat. For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and drowsiness will clothe them in rags.”  When you are a slave to your appetite, your appetite is driving you and not God. There’s a lot written about alcohol addiction but there are other kinds of addiction such as addiction to food or shopping or gambling or even work. Addictions of any kind are on a continuum, and one addiction may be substituted for another. If you realize you have an addictive personality, watch out! Your addiction may become more important to you than anything else, including your family.

“Listen to your father who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old. Invest in truth and never sell it—in wisdom and instruction and understanding. The father of a righteous man will greatly rejoice, and he who fathers a wise son will delight in him. May your father and mother be glad, and may she who gave you birth rejoice!” Few things are better than watching your kids turn into wonderful productive adults who behave wisely and who raise good kids themselves. Although this verse only mentions sons, wise daughters are equally important. All of us are getting older every minute, and old age arrives a lot sooner than you might expect. One day you’re a cute, handsome twenty-something and the next you wake up and find you’re in your seventies. You know when the weather is going to change because injuries you had when you were young are now letting you know of their existence. You look in the mirror and your mother or father looks back at you. Be kind to old people because some day, God willing, you will be one!

“My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes delight in my ways. For a prostitute is a deep pit, and an adulteress is a narrow well. Like a robber she lies in wait and multiplies the faithless among men.” It’s a little-acknowledged fact that demons transfer during sex. Casual sex can lead to a lifetime of misery, even if you don’t acquire a sexually transmitted disease. Thirty years ago, one of our friends was a bright young man with many gifts and talents, but he began involving himself with women from fetish-worshiping families. Now our friend is confused and cannot focus on any one task; in addition, he has become corrupt and mishandles resources. When the Bible speaks of a narrow well, remember children who have fallen down well shafts so narrow that other excavations had to be made to deliver the child safely to the surface. Sexual immorality traps the unwary in situations from which there is no escape.

“Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaints? Who has needless wounds? Who has bloodshot eyes? Those who linger over wine, those who go to taste mixed drinks. Do not gaze at wine while it is red, when it sparkles in the cup and goes down smoothly. In the end it bites like a snake and stings like a viper. Your eyes will see strange things, and your mind will utter perversities. You will be like one sleeping on the high seas or lying on the top of a mast: “They struck me, but I feel no pain! They beat me, but I did not know it! When can I wake up to search for another drink?” If ever there were a classic description of the feelings of an alcoholic, this is it. Drug addiction was not a big thing during Bible times, but this description could equally apply to the effects of drugs.

APPLICATION: What do all these various problems have in common? LUST! Lust is an overwhelming desire to have something, a desire so strong that it drives us to do things we would not otherwise do. Succumb to lust and you forget everything else apart from your own needs and desires.

The time to deal with lust is to decide your course of action before lust takes hold and then to oppose lust as strongly as possible. But can we do this by ourselves? Not really. That’s why Alcoholics Anonymous encourages people to call on a Higher Power. 1 John 2:15-17 tells us, “Do not love the world, or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world-the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, the pride of life-is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it. But he who does the will of God abides forever.” We need power from God to oppose lust and to become the people God wants us to be. It is ludicrous to assume that we can do everything by ourselves. God made us for Himself and God will help us, if we only will turn to Him and ask Him to transform us.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, many of us are struggling. We feel as if we have been caught in deep narrow wells from which there is no escape. But darkness is as light to You and You are the One who can free us from our bondage. Lord, help everyone who reads these words to confess their sins and their needs to You so that You can graciously deliver them and transform them. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

True Riches-More Sayings of the Wise

Saying 7

“When you sit down to dine with a ruler, consider carefully what is set before you, and put a knife to your throat if you possess a great appetite. Do not crave his delicacies, for that food is deceptive.

Saying 8

Do not wear yourself out to get rich; be wise enough to restrain yourself. When you glance at wealth, it disappears, for it makes wings for itself and flies like an eagle to the sky.

Saying 9

Do not eat the bread of a stingy man, and do not crave his delicacies; for he is keeping track, inwardly counting the cost.  “Eat and drink,” he says to you, but his heart is not with you. You will vomit up what little you have eaten and waste your pleasant words.

Saying 10

Do not speak to a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of your words.

Saying 11

Do not move an ancient boundary stone or encroach on the fields of the fatherless, for their Redeemer is strong; He will take up their case against you.

Saying 12

Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge.

Saying 13

Do not withhold discipline from a child; although you strike him with a rod, he will not die. Strike him with a rod, and you will deliver his soul from Sheol.

Saying 14

My son, if your heart is wise, my own heart will indeed rejoice. My inmost being will rejoice when your lips speak what is right.”

“When you sit down to dine with a ruler, consider carefully what is set before you, and put a knife to your throat if you possess a great appetite. Do not crave his delicacies, for that food is deceptive… Do not eat the bread of a stingy man, and do not crave his delicacies; for he is keeping track, inwardly counting the cost.  “Eat and drink,” he says to you, but his heart is not with you. You will vomit up what little you have eaten and waste your pleasant words.”

Ever dine with a miser? It’s a miserable experience! When we first came to Ghana, we were forced to live with a businessman who wanted the prestige of having us stay at his house. Unfortunately, this rich man also wanted to control every bite of food we ate and every move we made. We literally found ourselves in a Proverbs 23 situation. This man’s cook was cheating him by buying outdated meat; when the liver in the soup was green, we had to give it a miss. But we were new to the country and uncertain as to what we could say. And those supervising us from the capital city had only been in the country 2 years longer and were living in an expatriate situation while we were living in a totally Ghanaian household dominated by a polygamous fetish worshiper who was a nominal church member. Not only were our supervisors not sympathetic, but they were extremely critical, assuming that we were simply chronic complainers. It was truly a nightmare.    

“Do not wear yourself out to get rich; be wise enough to restrain yourself. When you glance at wealth, it disappears, for it makes wings for itself and flies like an eagle to the sky.”  Years ago, a Christian financial adviser wrote a book entitled Money Talks: It Says Good-bye! If the last several decades have taught us little else, they should have taught us the truth of that title. Ponzi schemes, savings and loans failures, disasters with large corporations-all have left investors who were counting on those dividends for support in their old age to struggle. Politicians have treated Social Security funds as cash cows to be milked for their own abuses, refusing to give cost of living increases previously promised. Many senior citizens have been forced to take jobs in fast food restaurants and other places simply to avoid living on dog or cat food. You can rely on God; however, money? Forget it!

“Do not speak to a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of your words.”  You can only teach the teachable. If you attempt to teach someone who is not interested, you’re wasting your time and energy on someone who doesn’t want to listen anyway.   

“Do not move an ancient boundary stone or encroach on the fields of the fatherless, for their Redeemer is strong; He will take up their case against you.” Remember that all land in Israel was divided up by families and clans and inheritance of that land remained of paramount importance. God cares for widows and orphans and expects us to do so also. Take advantage of the helpless and you risk God’s wrath.  

“Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge.” Why even include this saying? Then as now, there are large numbers of people who are not interested in instruction or knowledge. When I do rounds at the hospital, I teach anybody available, including the cleaners. It’s sad to see the number of nursing students who would rather zone out on their cell phones than learn the profession they claim they want to pursue for the rest of their professional lives.  

“Do not withhold discipline from a child; although you strike him with a rod, he will not die. Strike him with a rod, and you will deliver his soul from Sheol…My son, if your heart is wise, my own heart will indeed rejoice. My inmost being will rejoice when your lips speak what is right.” Raising children is not for the faint-hearted! Some parents do everything right; yet, their kids turn out to be monsters. Other parents neglect their kids and yet the kids become exemplary citizens. A song from the musical The Fantasticks says it all:
“Plant a radish.  Get a radish. Never any doubt.
That’s why I love vegetables; You know what you’re about!
Plant a turnip. Get a turnip. Maybe you’ll get two.
That’s why I love vegetables; You know that they’ll come through!
They’re dependable! They’re befriendable!
They’re the best pal a parent’s ever known!
While with children, It’s bewilderin’.
You don’t know until the seed is nearly grown Just what you’ve sown.”

This is only part of the song. For the rest, check out: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBcpAaUHwNM)

APPLICATION: Looking at these verses from Proverbs 23, you realize that discipline remains a key focal point-self-discipline as well as discipline of children. It takes self-discipline to survive around the rich and around misers. It takes self-discipline to respect boundary lines and not to covet someone else’s property. And it takes self-discipline to maintain a stable family situation in which children can also learn self-discipline. If you fail to model self-discipline, your kids may not learn it from anybody else.

PRAYER:  Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to discipline ourselves and our children so that we will live lives pleasing to You. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

 

Thirty Sayings of the Wise (Sayings 1-6 for today)

Saying 1

“Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise—apply your mind to my knowledge—for it is pleasing when you keep them within you and they are constantly on your lips. So that your trust may be in the LORD, I instruct you today—yes, you. Have I not written for you thirty sayings about counsel and knowledge, to show you true and reliable words, that you may soundly answer those who sent you?

Saying 2

Do not rob a poor man because he is poor, and do not crush the afflicted at the gate, for the LORD will take up their case and will plunder those who rob them.

Saying 3

Do not make friends with an angry man, and do not associate with a hot-tempered man, or you may learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare.

Saying 4

Do not be one who gives pledges, who puts up security for debts. If you have nothing with which to pay, why should your bed be taken from under you?

Saying 5

Do not move an ancient boundary stone which your fathers have placed.

Saying 6

Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will be stationed in the presence of kings; he will not stand before obscure men.”

 “Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise—apply your mind to my knowledge—for it is pleasing when you keep them within you and they are constantly on your lips. So that your trust may be in the LORD, I instruct you today—yes, you. Have I not written for you thirty sayings about counsel and knowledge, to show you true and reliable words, that you may soundly answer those who sent you?” Sometimes we forget that when Proverbs was originally being compiled, those collecting these sayings might have had a different means of organization than the chapters and verses we read today. The thirty sayings of the wise are spread over several chapters; that’s why we only see six of them appearing in Chapter 22.

Here in Africa, particularly in rural areas, the elderly are regarded as repositories of wisdom and young people listen to them. Unfortunately, many young people are being seduced by social media and radio and television to the point that they refuse to listen to the elders, and not everything the elders say is valid either. As a physician, I constantly have to battle against misbeliefs promulgated by the old ladies (and sometimes the old men) in the village. The fact that I too am elderly carries a tiny bit of weight; however, my skin color works against me. And I am not anybody’s auntie, another thing against me.  But the elders still have a great deal of sage advice worth following.

Our General Manager at our hospital is the son of a chief from a northern Ghanaian tribe, and his father obviously spent a great deal of time pouring his wisdom into his son. Not only is our GM highly knowledgeable about administration, but he also makes wise decisions based on the wisdom his late father has imparted to him.

What does it mean to “soundly answer those who sent you?” This statement presumes that the person being addressed will be acting as a courier or diplomat at some point in the future. If this person behaves foolishly, he will embarrass those whom he is representing; on the other hand, when he behaves wisely, he will enhance their reputation.
  

“Do not rob a poor man because he is poor, and do not crush the afflicted at the gate, for the LORD will take up their case and will plunder those who rob them.” Want problems? Just start oppressing the poor and see where it takes you! God has had mercy on all of us and expects us to have mercy on others in return. The mention of “the gate” refers to the city gates where elders and leaders would sit to discuss and decide many matters concerning a town. Merciless men might be foolish enough to deride a poor man at the gate, in an attempt to destroy him while building up themselves. God has all sorts of ways of collecting moral debts; cheat the poor and the money you have gained will dwindle away or become a curse to you. God will not be mocked!

“Do not make friends with an angry man, and do not associate with a hot-tempered man, or you may learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare.” We all know someone with a hair-trigger temper, someone who will take offense at the slightest provocation. No matter how sweetly you might speak to such people, they will still find a reason to be angry. Anger can lead people into saying all matter of foolish things and doing things they might later regret. Associate with such people and you might find yourself blamed for their thoughtless acts of anger. If the angry person does something truly contemptible, you may find yourself in court or even in prison.   

“Do not be one who gives pledges, who puts up security for debts. If you have nothing with which to pay, why should your bed be taken from under you?” Many people in ancient Israel had very few belongings, so someone standing surety for a debt might be forced to pledge his bed as security. Why would anybody be so short-sighted? Such an individual might agree to stand surety in hopes of gaining favor with the person taking out the loan; however, if that person reneges and skips out, the guarantor will now be left without a bed as he struggles to repay the debt!

“Do not move an ancient boundary stone which your fathers have placed.” From the time when the Israelites entered Canaan, God ordered Joshua to distribute the land to the various tribes and clans within the tribes as a perpetual inheritance. The strictures were so binding that if a man died without leaving any sons, the daughters were to marry within the tribe to preserve that heritage. The boundaries of these pieces of land were sacrosanct and not to be tampered with. When wicked King Ahab seized Naboth’s vineyard by cunning, he set in motion the forces that eventually toppled him as king. Naboth had refused to sell his ancestral land to Ahab and Ahab arranged for a kangaroo court trial that resulted in Naboth’s murder.

“Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will be stationed in the presence of kings; he will not stand before obscure men.” I am a surgeon working in an impoverished rural area in a small struggling mission hospital. Does my remote location mean that I am unskilled? NO! Each day when I go to work, I stand before the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, the One who has given me the skill to save lives, the One who loved me so much that He sent His own Son to die a cruel death on a cross for my sins and the sins of the whole world. Each time I operate, I dip the wound in the Blood of Jesus and ask God to heal the patient without complications. Then I beg God to save the patient, every member of his/her family, everybody he/she knows, everybody in their town, everybody in their tribe, and to baptize them in the Holy Spirit and send peace to their area. I pray all this in the mighty Name of King Jesus. By these prayers, I am bringing these patients before the One who has created them and who knows their bodies far better than I do. That operating theater becomes God’s throne room.

I am writing these words as I wait for a lady on her 10^th pregnancy who is bleeding vaginally to arrive from an outlying hospital. The medical officer there takes off every weekend, leaving our facility to pick up the slack. I know nothing about this lady; however, I do know this: God knows this lady and her baby and He loves them far more than I ever can. I am praying for a successful outcome for all of us.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to remember that each day we are standing before You, doing the work You have called us to do. Help us to work heartily, remembering that we are working for You and not merely for other people. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.  

A Good Name

“A good name is more desirable than great riches; favor is better than silver and gold. The rich and the poor have this in common: the LORD is Maker of them all. The prudent see danger and take cover, but the simple keep going and suffer the consequences. The rewards of humility and the fear of the LORD are wealth and honor and life. Thorns and snares lie on the path of the perverse; he who guards his soul stays far from them. Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.

The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender. He who sows injustice will reap disaster, and the rod of his fury will be destroyed. A generous man will be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor. (Some sources include “God loves a cheerful giver…”)

Drive out the mocker, and conflict will depart; even quarreling and insults will cease. He who loves a pure heart and gracious lips will have the king for a friend. The LORD’s eyes keep watch over knowledge, but He frustrates the words of the faithless.

The slacker says, “There is a lion outside! I will be slain in the streets!” The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit; he who is cursed by the LORD will fall into it. Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him.

Oppressing the poor to enrich oneself or giving gifts to the rich will surely lead to poverty.

“ A good name is more desirable than great riches; favor is better than silver and gold. The rich and the poor have this in common: the LORD is Maker of them all. The prudent see danger and take cover, but the simple keep going and suffer the consequences. The rewards of humility and the fear of the LORD are wealth and honor and life. Thorns and snares lie on the path of the perverse; he who guards his soul stays far from them. Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.”

Today is all about character-how to train yourself and how to train your children. One pastor friend who runs a large Christian school has verse 6 as his motto: “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” But how can we train our kids if we don’t model the character traits we want them to have? “Do as I say and not as I do” is no grounds for effective parenting. To maintain a good name, we must be prudent and humble while closely observing for moral traps so that we and our kids do not fall prey. Entire books have been written from this one verse alone.

Sometimes we don’t realize that others are also observing our parenting and copying us. One cousin who lost his father at an early age looked to my dad as an example of good fatherhood. A mom posted on Facebook that she accidentally stepped on her son’s Lego creation that he had worked over for days. But her son forgave her-why? Because the day before, he had accidentally broken one of her favorite plates, and she told him not to worry about it. That boy learned to forgive swiftly because his mom modeled it for him.

“The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender.” High interest rates might be very high, demonstrating the truth of this saying. Check your credit card bill and  you will agree whole-heartedly!

“He who sows injustice will reap disaster, and the rod of his fury will be destroyed. A generous man will be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor. (Some sources include “God loves a cheerful giver…”)” One of the fundamental laws of the Kingdom of God is  that the measure you give out is the measure you will receive. Sow injustice and sooner or later, you will reap disaster and God will destroy the means by which you have been oppressing others. By the same token, when you reach out to the poor and help them, God will also help you. We are supported almost entirely by donations; yet, God is sustaining us. We channel funds through our hospital chaplain to help with patient medical bills and feeding. Due to the poverty of our patients, in the last year we have had to greatly increase our giving, realizing that if patients are forced to settle some of these bills, there will be no money for them to live on when they return home. Sometimes our chaplain must distribute money just so caregivers can feed themselves in the hospital.

“Drive out the mocker, and conflict will depart; even quarreling and insults will cease. He who loves a pure heart and gracious lips will have the king for a friend. The LORD’s eyes keep watch over knowledge, but He frustrates the words of the faithless.”  Few things are more deadly to any organization than mockers and gossips, particularly if they are attempting to fragment the organization for their own interests along political, tribal, or family lines.

“The slacker says, “There is a lion outside! I will be slain in the streets!” The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit; he who is cursed by the LORD will fall into it. Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him.” If you are lazy enough, any excuse to avoid work will be sufficient. Even in ancient Israel, it is highly unlikely that lions were stalking the streets of the cities! As for the wiles of an adulteress, Proverbs 7 has already given an incisive description of an accomplished adulteress. But being “cursed by the Lord” is an escapable fate; you can bring this on yourself by your own choices.   

“Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him.” Discipline is a vital part of sound child-rearing. Whether or not you believe in physical discipline such as spanking, you must develop means of consistent discipline and apply it early and promptly. Children left to their own devices wind up as brats. Other verses in Proverbs tell us that only those who hate their children or even want them to die refuse to discipline them. A British pediatrician of the nineteenth century observed that obedient children were far more likely to live to adulthood than those who were disobedient. When a widowed mother asked General Robert E. Lee, now the President of Washington and Lee University, for advice on rearing her son, General Lee advised her, “Teach him to deny himself.” Many people fail to realize that General Lee was the top student in his class at West Point and that he was also a dedicated Christian.

“Oppressing the poor to enrich oneself or giving gifts to the rich will surely lead to poverty.”  God is the Guardian of the poor; however, He depends on us to be His hands and feet. Throughout the Bible, God urges us to care for the poor and to defend the poor. On the other hand, giving gifts to the wealthy is an exercise in futility. If someone already has everything he/she needs, what can you possibly give that they don’t already have? Many wealthy people have no idea how much those who are poorer struggle and may scorn any gift. Truly, you will waste your gifts and become more impoverished.

APPLICATION: The main themes of these verses are the need for discipline, both self-discipline as well as proper training of children, and the importance of integrity. Both are crucially important and both are also in short supply. But what if you are the victim of poor parenting? God has the answers, for God is the perfect Parent. Ask God to “teach you and guide you in the way you should go.” (Psalm 32:8) Ask God to help you to become like Him and not to copy mistakes your parents may have made. God will gladly answer such prayers!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, many of us are burdened with the results of bad examples our parents have set for us. But You have promised to teach and guide us. Lord, help us to change so that we become like You and do not replicate the mistakes our parents have made. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

The King’s Heart (Psalm 21:1-13)

“The king’s heart is a waterway in the hand of the LORD; He directs it where He pleases. All a man’s ways seem right to him, but the LORD weighs the heart. To do righteousness and justice is more desirable to the LORD than sacrifice.

Haughty eyes and a proud heart— the guides of the wicked—are sin. The plans of the diligent bring plenty, as surely as haste leads to poverty. Making a fortune by a lying tongue is a vanishing mist, a deadly pursuit. The violence of the wicked will sweep them away because they refuse to do what is just. The way of a guilty man is crooked, but the conduct of the innocent is upright.

Better to live on a corner of the roof than to share a house with a quarrelsome wife. The soul of the wicked man craves evil; his neighbor finds no favor in his eyes. When a mocker is punished, the simple gain wisdom; and when a wise man is instructed, he acquires knowledge.

The Righteous Onea considers the house of the wicked; He brings the wicked to ruin. Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too shall cry out and receive no answer. A gift in secret soothes anger, and a covert bribe pacifies great wrath. Justice executed is a joy to the righteous, but a terror to the workers of iniquity.

The man who strays from the path of understanding will rest in the assembly of the dead. He who loves pleasure will become poor; the one who loves wine and oil will never be rich. The wicked become a ransom for the righteous, and the faithless for the upright.

Better to live in the desert than with a contentious and ill-tempered wife. Precious treasures and oil are in the dwelling of the wise, but a foolish man consumes them. He who pursues righteousness and loving devotion finds life, righteousness, and honor. A wise man scales the city of the mighty and pulls down the stronghold in which they trust. He who guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from distress. Mocker is the name of the proud and arrogant man—of him who acts with excessive pride.

The craving of the slacker kills him because his hands refuse to work. All day long he covets more, but the righteous give without restraint. The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable—how much more so when brought with ill intent! A lying witness will perish, but the man who listens to truth will speak forever.

A wicked man hardens his face, but the upright man makes his way sure. There is no wisdom, no understanding, no counsel that can prevail against the LORD. A horse is prepared for the day of battle, but victory is of the LORD.”

““The king’s heart is a waterway in the hand of the LORD; He directs it where He pleases. All a man’s ways seem right to him, but the LORD weighs the heart. To do righteousness and justice is more desirable to the LORD than sacrifice.”  Most of us feel very insignificant when it comes to current events. How can we possibly have any influence over world leaders? Proverbs 21:1 gives us the answer: PRAY! God can move the hearts of leaders just as easily as He directs the paths of streams and rivers. There are many books documenting the effects of prayer groups in England and America during World War II. At one point, the Germans could easily have overrun England, and yet they did not. Why? Hitler suddenly changed his mind. Later, it was found that prayer groups in England were praying specifically for that very thing to occur.

“Haughty eyes and a proud heart— the guides of the wicked—are sin. The plans of the diligent bring plenty, as surely as haste leads to poverty. Making a fortune by a lying tongue is a vanishing mist, a deadly pursuit. The violence of the wicked will sweep them away because they refuse to do what is just. The way of a guilty man is crooked, but the conduct of the innocent is upright.”  We don’t hear the term “dot com millionaires: very much now, but decades ago, there were those who rose to prominence by their sales through the internet. For those judicious enough to diversify their investments, all remains well; however, for those who have not changed their methods, the dot com bonanza has evaporated just as these verses tell us.

“Better to live on a corner of the roof than to share a house with a quarrelsome wife…. Better to live in the desert than with a contentious and ill-tempered wife.” During my time running mission hospitals, I have coped with problems of staff accommodation. Years ago, one couple were so easily offended that they could scarcely tolerate any of their neighbors, making it impossible for the neighbors to tolerate them in return. It was actually a relief when the couple chose to move out in the middle of the night, claiming they were being attacked spiritually. Unfortunately, their abrupt departure rendered it impossible for us to investigate what might be happening.

“He who pursues righteousness and loving devotion finds life, righteousness, and honor. A wise man scales the city of the mighty and pulls down the stronghold in which they trust. He who guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from distress.” Once more, the writers of Proverbs are praising righteous and wise behavior. Frequently, we are our own worst enemies, creating unnecessary problems for ourselves by irritating those around us. Here in Ghana, many people live in compound houses where they will have a sitting room, a bedroom, a toilet and bath, and a small kitchen area. Such houses may contain as many as 15-20 units. Under such circumstances, normal social conventions become vitally important; without them, neighbors may struggle to get along peaceably.

“There is no wisdom, no understanding, no counsel that can prevail against the LORD. A horse is prepared for the day of battle, but victory is of the LORD.”  A popular Gospel chorus in Ghana says, “Who has the final say? Jesus Christ has the final say!” The Ruler of the Universe is not impressed by military might or technology or any other created thing because He is far more powerful. When facing trials, we need to rely on God and not on our own wisdom, for God can help us when nobody else can.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to rely on You rather than on ourselves or on any other technology or weapon. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.