Bumbling and Stumbling

I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths.  When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.  Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life.

Luke 4:11-13

While I wouldn’t consider myself a “runner,” I have done some running in my lifetime; as have you, I’m sure.  When you are running, one of the main things to worry about is falling down.  And even when we don’t actually fall down, we do sometimes stumble and lose our balance.  Every person who has ever run anywhere for any reason has surely stumbled at one point or another.

As Christians, we are in a spiritual “race.”  I Corinthians 9:24 tells us “Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize?  So run, that ye may obtain.”  We are running a spiritual race.  It is not against other people, but against ourselves.  We are “striving for the mastery.”

In this spiritual race, as in a physical race, we want to do our best.  We don’t want to fall and we don’t want to stumble.  In a physical race, we train and exercise so that we will have proper balance and form, which help us to not stumble or fall.  In our spiritual race, we also have tools at our disposal to help keep us from bumbling and stumbling around.  These verses give us some of those tools.

We need to stay in the path of wisdom.  In a race, people often stumble when they get out of their lane.  We need to get in the lane of wisdom and stay there, focusing on not straying from that path.  We also need to “take fast hold of instruction.”  When we get the opportunity to learn something to make us a better runner, we should take it.  Physical runners are always looking for ways to make themselves better.  So should we as Christians.  In fact, these verses tell us that instruction “is thy life.”

How is our spiritual race going?  Are we running straight and smooth?  Or are we bumbling and stumbling?

Get It and Don’t Forget It

Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.

Proverbs 4:5

The book of Proverbs is full of good advice.  This verse is simple to understand, but a little more difficult to remember and live.

“Get wisdom. Get understanding.”  That is just about as simple a statement as you can find.  We are supposed to always be getting wisdom and understanding.  It is an important thing.  In fact, it is the most important thing.  Just two verses after this one says, “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.”  With commands like that, we have no excuse for not obeying them.

Where do wisdom and understanding come from?  They come from the Bible and from the One Who wrote the Bible.  The Word of God is the source of all true wisdom and understanding.  The Bible gives us wisdom and the Holy Spirit opens our eyes that we might understand it.  We can have all of the wisdom and understanding we want, assuming we have a Bible and the Holy Spirit to guide us.

The second part of the verse tells us to “forget it not.”  That is a little more difficult.  We often find ourselves getting wisdom, and then forgetting that wisdom as soon as we turn around.  We need to get wisdom and understanding, and then we need to keep it.  That means we can’t just read our Bible once.  We have to read it day after day after day.  We can’t just get wisdom once.  We have to get it every day.

We are commanded to get wisdom and understanding and we are commanded to keep them.  How are we doing?

Wicked Messenger vs Faithful Ambassador

A wicked messenger falleth into mischief: but a faithful ambassador is health.

Proverbs 13:17

Many of the verses in the book of Proverbs deal with a contrast between two opposite things.  In this verse, we find a contrast between a “wicked messenger” and a “faithful ambassador.”  As we consider these two, we can apply them to our own lives to see which of two we often are.

First, we see the “wicked messenger” and are told that he “falleth into mischief.”  When you think about a messenger, what is he supposed to do?  A messenger has but one job: to deliver a message.  That should be all he does – just deliver the message.  So, if he has only one job to do, how does he become a “wicked messenger?”  He doesn’t deliver his message!  Instead, he might get distracted and start doing other things, hence the “falleth into mischief.”  The wicked messenger is wicked because he does things other than his one job of delivering a message.

On the other hand, we can see the “faithful ambassador” and are told that he “is health.”  How is a faithful ambassador health?  Sometimes an ambassador has to deliver an unpleasant message.  I believe that he is “health” because he delivers the message and does his job.  The recipient of the message now has an opportunity to respond to it.  In some cases, that might mean saving his life.

As Christians, we have a message that we are supposed to be delivering.  The Bible even refers to us as “ambassadors for Christ.”  (II Corinthians 5:20)  If we had to judge our lives today, would we be more likely to fall into the “wicked messenger” category or the “faithful ambassador” category?  Let us all strive to be that faithful ambassador, giving out the message that we have been given!

Wise or Foolish

A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsel: To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. 

Proverbs 1:5-7

Much of the book of Proverbs is a contrast between wisdom and foolishness and between the wise man and the foolish man.  These verses give us a little insight into how both groups of people deal with knowledge and learning.  It’s always helpful to think about these things, if for no other reason than to make sure that we are the right side of these issues.

The wise man “will hear.”  The wise man is always paying attention.  Being a teacher, I deal often with students who do not like to listen and who do not pay attention.  A wise man is going to hear what is being said.  He is tuned in to what is going on.

The wise man will not only hear, but he will “increase learning.”  He is going think about what he is hearing and he is going to use what he hears to “increase learning.”  He is going to learn.  He doesn’t let things go in one ear and out the other; he uses what he hears to learn.

The wise man “shall attain unto wise counsels.”  He is going to be able to differentiate between wise counsel and foolish counsel.  He can “separate the meat from the bones.”  He is able to understand proverbs and wise sayings because he recognizes them as being wise, and thus, pays attention to them and learns from them.

The fool does none of these things.  In fact, verse 7 tells us that “the fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”  Knowledge starts with a fear of the Lord, and sadly, many foolish men fall off of the wagon right there.

Where are we at today in regard to our dealings with knowledge and instruction?  Would we be classified as wise or foolish?

How To Prolong a Nation

For the transgression of a land many are the princes thereof: but by a man of understanding and knowledge the state thereof shall be prolonged.

Proverbs 28:2

Yesterday we looked at the fact that there are more princes (government, politicians, and laws) in any nation because of the transgression of the land.  Today we will look at the second half of the verse, which says “…but by a man of understanding and knowledge the state thereof shall be prolonged.”

Studying history is often the study of the rise and fall of nations.  Some of those nations have lasted for hundreds or even thousands of years in one form or another.  Others have fallen within decades.  Only God knows for sure how long each nation is going to last, but He has given us some ways to prolong our nation.  This verse tells us that “by a man of understanding and knowledge the state thereof shall be prolonged.”

A wise man can prolong the life of a nation.  Foolish men can destroy a nation, but a wise leader can help and prolong it.  Of course, we all know just how difficult it can be to find a wise man of understanding and knowledge who also happens to be a politician.  Judging by the state of our “leaders” today, wise men of understanding and knowledge are almost an extinct breed.  But, however rare they may be, it is our responsibility to find them and get them in positions of leadership.  They just might help to prolong our nation.

The Bible is full of help, not just for our souls and our spirits, but for our health, our families, our communities and our nations.  The Bible really does have the answer for every problem of life, no matter how complicated they may seem.

Transgression = More Princes

For the transgression of a land many are the princes thereof: but by a man of understanding and knowledge the state thereof shall be prolonged.

Proverbs 28:2

Being a history teacher, I am always interested in things dealing with governments, laws, kings and princes.  I am interested in how nations rise and how they fall.  History really is a fascinating study.

This verse gives some insight into how and why nations rise and fall.  “For the transgression of a land many are the princes thereof.”  Princes are the rulers of a nation.  They are the lawmakers.  Transgression causes an increase in the number of rulers that are required to govern a nation.  A nation (or state or city or business or anything else) whose people are righteous and do what they are supposed to do require far fewer rulers and laws than one whose people are constantly sinning and transgressing.

If nobody broke the law, we would have less need for policemen, sheriffs and jails.  If people followed the Golden Rule, we would not need nearly as many laws, lawyers and politicians.  The greater the sin in any society, the more laws and “princes” they will have to deal with.  I think that we are seeing this in our society today.  Many people complain about the staggering number of laws and regulations we have to put up with today.  Politicians and lawyers seem to be running every aspect of our lives.  Many people complain about the fact that we seem to be losing our freedoms and they wonder why.

Like many other things in our modern society, the reason for our increase in “princes” is our transgression as a nation.  Everyone might not understand it, but we can find it right here in Proverbs.  The next time you hear of some new crazy law being passed, right here is the reason.

Excellent Things

Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsel and knowledge, That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee?

Proverbs 22:20-21

There are many people in our world who either ignore the Bible or scoff at it.  They say that it is full of fables and half-truths.  They say that it has some good ideas but contradicts itself.  They say that it is just another book written by man.  Of course, we know that those things aren’t true.  We know that the Bible is a perfect book, written by God Himself.  These verses give us an insight into why He gave it to us.

He has written us “excellent things.”  The things that He has written are not base, mediocre things.  They are excellent – the highest things that one could imagine.

He has written them for our counsel and our knowledge.  If we need understanding or if we need advice, we can get it from the written word of God.  The book of Proverbs is famous for being full of good, Godly advice.  If we just need information, the Bible has that too, whether it’s historical information, scientific information or information about the human heart or soul.  The Bible is the wisest and more informative book in the world.

He has written these things to us that we can know “the certainty of the words of truth.”  We can know the Lord Jesus and we can know the truth.  People all around the world are searching for the truth, and we can hold it in our hands.

We also have the Bible so that we can “answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee.”  Those people who are searching for something need to be able to get an answer.  And we should be able to give them one through the Word of God.

With all of these benefits, we should all be spending more time reading and studying these “excellent things.”

The Bountiful Eye

He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.

Proverbs 22:9

When the Bibles tells us that doing something will result in blessings, we should be sitting up and paying attention.  We all want to lived blessed lives, so we want to do the things that God blesses.  This verse gives us one of those things: “He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed.”  Having a “bountiful eye” results in blessings.  A “bountiful eye” is clearly something that we want.  But what is a “bountiful eye?”

I think that having a “bountiful eye” refers simply to being a generous person in all areas of life.  The second part of the verse says (of the person with the bountiful eye) “…he giveth of his bread to the poor.”  The person with the bountiful eye is not just generous at some times and in some ways.  His entire life is marked by generosity.

If taken deeper, the term “bountiful eye” can mean that, not only are we generous, but we are able to see the need wherever it is.  We can see that there is a need and we can work to meet that need.  Some people can see the needs of others, but aren’t generous in meeting those needs.  Others are generous, but, unfortunately, are also usually oblivious to needs all around them.  The person with the bountiful eye is able to do both.  In the case of this verse, we see the poor, recognize that they need bread, and give them bread.  Recognize the need and meet the need.

Our whole lives should be marked by generosity.  Recognizing the needs of others and then meeting them should become second nature to us.  We will then officially have “a bountiful eye,” and, according to this verse, we will be blessed.

The Kiss of an Enemy

And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people.  Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast.  And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him.  And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come?  Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him.

Matthew 26:47-50

Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.

Proverbs 27:6

In this passage we have the betrayal of the Lord Jesus.  Judas had already made the deal with the priests, and now came the time.  If this passage isn’t a perfect representation of Proverbs 27:6, I don’t know what is.  Judas used a kiss to identify Jesus and to betray Him.  He also called Him “master.”

Judas’ words dripped with honey, but there was deceit and death behind them.

On the other hand, Jesus had often rebuked His disciples.  He had called them “faithless,” He had referred to Peter as “Satan,” and He had often expressed displeasure with them.  He had “wounded” them.  But those wounds were faithful.  They helped the disciples, unlike the deceitful kiss of Judas.

Another part of this story that stands out to me is the reaction of Jesus to this betrayal.  Instead of being angry and condemning Judas, He still called him “Friend.”  Imagine knowing what was going to happen, knowing who was going to betray you, and still have the humility to call that one “friend.”

Judas was obviously no true friend, but Jesus is our perfect friend.  He will give us a “faithful wound” when we need it in the form of a rebuke or chastisement, and He will give us loving and helping hand when we need it.  If only we could be that kind of a friend to those in our lives.

A Merry Medicine

A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.

Proverbs 17:22

I have been doing some reading and researching lately about health: eating healthier, exercising, and just living an overall healthy lifestyle.  One of the things that I keep coming across is the simple truth given to us in this verse.  I have seen “a merry heart” coming up in discussions about helping your heart, lowering your blood pressure, easing or eliminating everything from headaches to heartburn, and strengthening the brain.

Just being a happy, contented person can cure or, at the very least, help with many diseases and ailments.  How do we get this “merry heart medicine?”  Being thankful and content seems to go a long way toward being a merry person.  When we are not thankful, we get to thinking that we deserve whatever it is that we have or want.  When we are not content with what the Lord has given us, we tend to become greedy for things that He does not want us to have.  Simply remembering that everything we have because of the mercy and grace of the Lord.

Forgiveness also seems to play a part.  If we are not forgiving people, we will eventually become bitter.  And bitterness is something that literally just eats away at us, including our physical health.

Happiness, thankfulness and forgiveness all work together to make us “merry,” and help us – like a medicince.

On the other hand, “a broken spirit drieth the bones.”  As much as being a happy, contented person can help our health, a broken spirit can hurt it.  There are people who seem to be plagued by illness, and their main problem is their broken spirit.  In some cases, the broken spirit is self-inflicted and in some cases, it is broken by someone else.  But whatever the reason, the result is the same: “drieth the bones.”

The Bible is profitable for “doctrine…,” but in addition to doctrine, the Bible is also profitable for practical, everyday things.  If you need a medicine, try a merry heart!