Wisdom & Light

There are references to light & darkness in Proverbs & Ecclesiastes, and as I've been studying these things elsewhere, it seemed a good idea to also shine my own spotlight on some passages in the wisdom literature.  

Below are some passages that speak for themselves.  Pay attention to the promises God is making.  If we will receive His words and treasure His commandments … look at the benefits!  It’s staggering, and far better than the ways of darkness. 

Prayerfully consider these teachings, and challenge yourself and your brothers and sisters … are you taking seriously the pursuit of wisdom?  Are you encouraging your fellow travelers to do so?  If not, how can you claim to love them, to be the light, or even to walk in the light?

If you will …

receive my words & treasure my commandments within you, Make your ear attentive to wisdom, Incline your heart to understanding…

if you … cry for discernment, Lift your voice for understanding;

If you … seek her as silver & search for her as for hidden treasures;

Then you will … discern the fear of the Yahweh & discover the knowledge of God. For Yahweh 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 in integrity, guarding the paths of justice, &

He preserves the way of His godly ones.

Then you will … discern righteousness and justice & equity & every good course….  

Wisdom will enter your heart & knowledge will be pleasant to your soul;

Discretion will guard you,

Understanding will watch over you, to deliver you from the way of evil, from the man who speaks perverse things; from those who leave the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness; who delight in doing evil & rejoice in the perversity of evil; whose paths are crooked, & who are devious in their ways…. 

Proverbs 2:1-15

- - - - 

Hear, my son, and accept my sayings and…

The years of your life will be many.

I have directed you in the way of wisdom; I have led you in upright paths.

When you walk, your steps will not be impeded; & if you run, you will not stumble.

Take hold of instruction; do not let go. Guard her, for she is your life. Do not enter the path of the wicked & do not proceed in the way of evil men. Avoid it, do not pass by it; turn away from it and pass on. For they cannot sleep unless they do evil; & they are robbed of sleep unless they make someone stumble. For they eat the bread of wickedness & drink the wine of violence. But…

…The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn that shines brighter and brighter until the full day!

The way of the wicked is like darkness; they don’t know over what they stumble.

My son, give attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. don’t let them depart from your sight; Keep them in the midst of your heart. For they are life to those who find them & health to all their body.

Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.

Put away from you a deceitful mouth & put devious speech far from you.

Let your eyes look directly ahead & let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you.

Watch the path of your feet & all your ways will be established.

Do not turn to the right nor to the left…. 

Proverbs 4:10-27

Investing in the Bank of God

Check this out:

One who is gracious to a poor man lends to Yahweh, & He will repay him for his good deed.
- Proverbs 19:17

When I read this, I always think of Jesus’ description of Judgment Day in Matthew 25, when the Judge says, “When you did it to the least of these, you did it for me.”  Giving to the poor is giving to God.  Caring for the poor is worship, love, praise and glory. 

But this morning I saw something different.  We loan money to get back interest, right?  We invest in something so we can get a return on our investment, and we want to invest in something that’s not too risky, and has the potential for a high rate of return.  Normally those two things are proportional: the greater risk, the greater possible reward.  But in this case, we give to the poor, but really we’re investing in God.  What has less risk than God?  What has a higher potential return? 

My wife and I agreed some years back to be extremely frugal and save for our semi-retirement so we could spend the last years of our lives in self-supported ministry.  That has turned out to have been risky and foolish.  We expected things to go differently than they have.  I wish now we’d have invested based on this truth from Solomon.  

The question is ... will you walk by faith or sight? 

P 9 Women

Reading Proverbs nine recently, I saw it in a new way.  It’s about two women, one is the personification of wisdom; the other, folly.  Each of these women is inviting the “naive” to come into their home.  They each offer something different.  Folly’s offer is short and sweet – she offers juicy, enticing pleasure.  Also, the woman herself is boisterous and ignorant.  And like a siren, she is luring the naive to their death. 

Consider the offer of these two women (the Proverb is below).  Take some time and study each of them, understanding with your mind.  

Now consider yourself.  You are the person walking down the road.  Two women cry out to you, offering you something.  Can you tell the difference between their voices?  Which one sounds good?  Which offer should you accept? 

Wisdom’s offer isn't nearly as enticing as folly’s allure, but once inside the house, Wisdom offers a banquet and a long life, whereas Folly offers us a moment of a sweet treat followed by bitterness and death. 

Remember one more thing: it’s easier to resist Ms. Folly if you’re strong, wise and mature.  She is most vicious with the weak, the immature and the struggling.  May God grant you the ears to heed the wise woman.

  == Proverbs 9 ==  

Wisdom has built her house, she has hewn out her seven pillars;

She has prepared her food, mixed her wine & set her table;

She has sent out her maidens, she calls from the tops of the heights of the city:

“Whoever is naive, let him turn in here!”

To him who lacks understanding she says,

“Come, eat of my food and drink of the wine I've mixed.  Forsake folly and live, and proceed in the way of understanding:

·       He who corrects a scoffer gets dishonor for himself, and he who reproves a wicked man gets insults for himself. Don’t reprove a scoffer, or he’ll hate you, reprove a wise man and he’ll love you. 

·       Give instruction to a wise man and he’ll be wiser still, teach a righteous man and he’ll increase his learning.

·       The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom, & the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding

For by me your days will be multiplied, & years of life will be added to you. If you are wise, you’re wise for yourself, & if you scoff, you alone will bear it.”

The woman of folly is boisterous, naive and knows nothing. She sits at the doorway of her house, on a seat by the high places of the city, calling to those who pass by, who are making their paths straight:

“Whoever is naive; let him turn in here,”

And to him who lacks understanding she says,

“Stolen water is sweet; & bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”

But he doesn't know that the dead are there, that her guests are in the depths of the grave.

Slow Down & Take Caution

Reading Proverbs this morning, I came across this, from 13.3: 

He who guards his lips guards his life…

…but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin 

Most of us have spoken "rashly" and know what Solomon is saying only too well.  We speak before we think sometimes, don't we?  

This reminds me of a certain freeway interchange which has a very steep, circular curve in it.  There are giant signs that say "25" and show the shame of the circle on it ... but for some reason I often forget to pay close attention, and once I'm deep in the curve I remember that it's a lot sharper than I'd remembered.  Then I have to remind myself to SLOW DOWN! 

Consider oil tankers – though they’re gigantic and propelled by zillion horsepower engines, they’re steered by a relatively teeny rudder.  Likewise the tongue is a tiny part of the body, but it’s very powerful.  A whole forest fire can be set by one little match … and so the tongue is a match that can defile the whole body and sets on fire the course of our whole life, and is set on fire by hell.  Every species of animal has been tamed, we've tamed the wind and even the power of the atom – but no one can tame the tongue; it’s a restless evil and full of deadly poison.       James 3:4-8 (KPV) 

Since the tongue has such power, it would be wise to slow down and think and concentrate before you take that sharp turn.  Remember that in your car lives and property are at risk ... but when we speak, we can influence others for God - or away from Him.  

Slow down and think - before you speak.  Better yet, pray before you speak, asking God to help you speak only wisdom. 

love

PS: this message was really just for me, because I need it so badly.  I hope none of you have this problem as badly as I do, but if you do ... then read this again and ask God to make sure you obey this wisdom. 

How to Live Securely and without Dread

Wisdom shouts in the street, she lifts her voice in the square…

At the entrance of the gates in the city she utters her sayings:

“How long, O naive ones, will you love being simple-minded? And scoffers delight themselves in scoffing & fools hate knowledge?

Turn to my reproof: I’ll pour out my spirit on you!

I will make my words known to you!

Because I called and you refused, I stretched out my hand and no one paid attention; & you neglected all my counsel & didn’t want my reproof…

I will also laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your dread comes, when your dread comes like a storm & your calamity comes like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you. Then they’ll call on me but I won’t answer; they’ll seek me diligently but they won’t find me –

- Because:

• They hated knowledge &
• They didn't choose the fear of Yahweh.
• They would not accept my counsel,
• They spurned all my reproof.

So … they shall eat of the fruit of their own way & be satiated with their own devices. For:

• the waywardness of the naive will kill them, &
• the complacency of fools will destroy them.

But he who listens to me 

shall live securely & 

will be at ease from the dread of evil.
                     Proverbs 1:20-33

Read this section again and again, and three things become clear:

1. Wisdom is offering herself to us, and trying desperately to get us to listen to her, accept her teachings, and even her rebukes.  She will sometimes be hard to hear, and hard to accept. 
2. Refusing to listen to her will result in our personal calamity – and when it comes, she will not rescue us.  Instead, she’ll laugh at us for deliberately putting ourselves in the situation of our own choosing. 
3. Accepting her words and rebukes … results in a life lived without fear or dread.  We will prevent many disasters in our lives.  Still, some storms will come, but we’ll be prepared. 

Read it again and again until it soaks in.  Then make Proverbs and Ecclesiastes (and this blog) your friend, 3-5 times a week, just a bit at a time. 

Learn and apply the teachings of Mother Wisdom.  She is our guide, and her rewards are huge.   

The Popularity Compromise

The poor are shunned even by their neighbors......but the rich have many friends.  (14.20)

 Wealth brings many friends... ...but a poor man’s friend deserts him.  (19.4)

 A poor man is shunned by all his relatives; how much more do his friends avoid him! Though he pursues them with pleading, they are nowhere to be found.  (19.7)

According to Solomon, the rich have many friends.  Obviously this is still true.  There are other things that work like wealth and can make you popular.  Being really good looking can make us popular … having a great sense of humor, being charming and nice and well-spoken … all of these things can make us popular.  In fact, today many people are famous for nothing more than their looks and/or wealth.  

The woman in the picture to the right is considered by many to be attractive, and she’s certainly wealthy.  What has she contributed to the world?  Nothing – as far as anyone can tell, yet her appearance and wealth make her popular, just as Solomon predicted.  Again: what has she added to the world?  Why do we idolize people who are 'cool' or rich or popular or attractive ... but add absolutely nothing of real value to make the world a better place? 

What do you think about this woman?  Is she a hot babe with lots of money?  No, she’s Mother Theresa.  Her popularity was very different, as was her wealth.

What about Jesus?  No, Jesus was said to be unattractive, "like a root that grows up out of parched earth," and "one from whom men turn their faces." (Isaiah 53)  Was he wealthy?  No, he was homeless. 

We are taught by Jesus that we have to make a choice in life.  Jesus said we can’t choose two masters.  He said we must love one and hate the other. (Matthew 6.24)

Which master will you choose?  Would you like to be attractive, rich, funny, likeable and worthless, or will you put God’s Kingdom ahead of all your other interests?  

Mutual Support of Fellowship – Lean on me

Again I saw something meaningless under the sun:         

There was a man all alone; he had neither son nor brother.  

There was no end to his toil, yet his eyes were not content with his wealth.   

He asked:

“For whom am I toiling, and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?”

This too is meaningless— a miserable business! 

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work:

·        If one falls down, his friend can help him up. 

(But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up)

·        Also, if two lie down together, they’ll keep warm.

But how can one keep warm alone?  

·        Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves.

·        A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.  (^E4.7-12)

This passage is from Ecclesiastes.  It was written by King Solomon (the wisest man who ever lived) when he was already an old man.  It is depressing to some people, because he constantly points out the meaninglessness & misery of this life.  He’s tried it all, and it’s all pointless. 

I find the truth of his wisdom here to be refreshing as a disciple of Jesus … because although this life is meaningless and temporary … I want to lay up treasures in heaven (Matthew 6.19-21). Those who invest in this life will find it depressing.  Those who are invested in the next life will find it easier to avoid earthly temptations. 

In this section Solomon has us thinking about our relationships in terms of mutual support.  Consider this for our relationships with one another.  If we are constantly open, accountable and helpful with each other, we can form the “cord of three strands” that is hard to break.  I’m an introvert by nature, but even I can attest to the truth of this lesson.  I prefer to keep my own company, but going solo is dangerous if anything goes wrong, because there’s no one there to help.  And since Jesus said it’s more blessed to give than to receive, flying solo is really selfish and not as blessed as helping our brother or sister. 

Will you help someone today?  Or will you be like many "Christians," and wonder where everyone is who should be helping you?  Feeling sorry for yourself is not the victorious lifestyle of a committed disciple.  

"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you"
"Love your neighbor as yourself"
"It's more blessed to give than to receive" 
- Jesus, the Anointed One

Friends & Brothers

Learn from these sayings of wisdom from Proverbs.  Pay close attention.  Remember that in Proverbs usually a “brother” is a physical brother, not a spiritual one like we may find in the N.T.  But considering ourselves as spiritual brothers and sisters … and sometimes also friends … we can learn what God wants (and what He hates), and how our relationships as brothers, sisters and friends ought to look. 

Pray that God will give you insight into this, and then act on it!

A righteous [just] man is cautious in friendship...

               ...but the way of the wicked leads them astray.  ^12.26

A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.  ^17.17

An unfriendly man pursues selfish ends; he defies all sound judgment.  ^18.1

A man of many companions may come to ruin,

…but there’s a friend who sticks closer than a brother ^18.24

Don’t make friends with a hot-tempered man, don’t associate with one easily angered, or you may learn his ways and get yourself ensnared.  ^22.24

Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.  ^27.6

Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of one’s friend springs from his earnest counsel. 

Don’t forsake your friend or your father’s friend, and don’t go to your brother’s house when disaster strikes you— better a neighbor nearby than a brother far away.  ^27.9-10

There are 6 things Yahweh hates, 7 that are detestable to him:

1.                haughty eyes,

2.                a lying tongue,

3.                hands that shed innocent blood,

4.                a heart that devises wicked schemes,

5.                feet that are quick to rush into evil,

6.                a false witness who pours out lies

7.                And a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.  (^6.16-19)

Don't be Friends with Gluttons

Don’t let your heart envy sinners, but live in the fear of Yahweh always.  Surely there is a future, & your hope won’t be cut off.   Listen and be wise, & direct your heart in the way.

Don’t be with heavy drinkers of wine, or with gluttonous eaters of meat;

For the heavy drinker and the glutton will come to poverty, & drowsiness will clothe one with rags.  Prov 23:17-21                                                                                                              

Part 3 of 3 - Avoid Fat People? 

Today we think in terms of fat or skinny, fit or flabby.  It’s always about our looks - looking attractive.  Of course fat religious people look down their noses at those who would ever drink, and the world sees drunkenness only as a “problem” or not.  We are told to “drink responsibly” (whatever that means).

Wisdom is different than the world or “Christian” religions.  She teaches us a better way.  She teaches us that sensual pleasures (eating & drinking) are not ‘bad’ or ‘good,’ but as wise or foolish.  Overdoing it regularly is foolish.  When we envy sinners (those who overdo it), we tend to hang out with them and rationalize bad habits.  Just like Israel’s young people did at Moab (Numbers 25:1-9 & 1 Corinthians 10:8).

As servants of the Most High, we ought to see ourselves as His “servant/soldier/athletes.”  Mastering our own appetites means that we can choose when, where, and what to eat or drink, and we don’t allow our worldly flesh to make that decision for us.  When we eat or drink something just because we “want” it – we are letting our desires (want) master us.  (2 Peter 2.19; John 8:34; Romans 6:16)

Controlling our appetite is even harder when we hang out with gluttons.  They are constantly “selling” us food by telling us how good it is, or how it’ll hurt their feelings if we don’t eat with them and behave as foolishly as they do. 

Jesus disobeyed this proverb.  He ate with sinners, and was even called a glutton and a drunk (Luke 7.34).  So what gives?  Remember that Jesus came “to seek and save the lost,” and that he was going to sinners because he was leaving the ninety-nine to save the one.  Jesus was with them – but He wasn’t one of them.  His mastery of his own flesh was so great that he could go to them and offer them a way out of their situation.  It might be suggested that a young disciple today may want to visit strip clubs and save the girls.  But would that be wise, or would he be tempted too greatly while there? 

I struggle with gluttony, and when I attend church potlucks and things like that, they make it practically impossible for me not to join them in their dissipation.  The leaders of these so-called Christian groups are often fat men who have never controlled their appetites for food and laziness, and so they even add more of these events.  Without (apparently) knowing it, these fat, lazy men are doomed and condemning others because their appetite is their god (Philippians 3.19) and have their minds set on earthly things.  They try to make rules to restrict behavior because they don’t understand that this does not work (Colossians 2.20-23). 

Combining the lessons of Jesus & Wisdom, we should learn this: if you’re strong enough to rescue people from an addiction like drugs, immorality, alcohol or food – then that’s your job.  If you struggle with it yourself, then stay away from those people!  Don’t be foolish.  A bar full of drunks has no appeal to me.  I have no desire to be drunk, so I can go there and experience zero temptation.  But put me at a potluck full of fat lazy “Christians,” and I’m in deep trouble.  So if I’m wise, I’ll defy the social conventions of modern religion.  If I’m wise, you’ll find me at a bar, a bike race or a triathlon – more often than you will with a bunch of fat “good” people who tempt me to sin. 

What about you?  Will you be wise enough to avoid those who can tempt you?  Are you willing to avoid even your friends or relationships that might be poisonous?  

Don’t be deceived: bad company corrupts good morals.  Become sober-minded as you ought, and stop sinning; for some have no knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame. 

(1 Cor 15:33-34)

The Way You Choose

Don’t let your heart envy sinners, but live in the fear of Yahweh always.  Surely there is a future, & your hope won’t be cut off.
  Listen and be wise, & direct your heart in the way.
 Don’t be with heavy drinkers of wine, or with gluttonous eaters of meat;
For the heavy drinker and the glutton will come to poverty, & drowsiness will clothe one with rags Prov. 23:17-21

Part Two of Three

The passage continues in the third line by telling us to do three things:

• ·        Listen
• ·        Be wise
• ·        Direct your heart in the way

Listen

How many times in the Proverbs does the wise woman named “wisdom” beg us to listen to her?  She knows how much she could bless our lives, but we refuse her gift.  Read Proverbs 1.20-33, and read it carefully and closely.  In fact, pray over it and ask God to help you listen.

Be Wise

We aren’t wise, yet, so how do we obey this?  Let’s word it another way: “Don’t be foolish.”  In this case, envying others who seem to have what we don’t is an example of foolishness.  There are many other examples of foolishness in Proverbs.  Will you try to grow out of foolishness, or will you foolishly let this opportunity pass you by?

Direct your heart in THE WAY …

We tend to think of our relationship with God as being right or wrong – being in His “club” (church) or not.  But the scriptures consistently describe our lives as being in “The Way,” or “the way of the Lord.”  In fact in the first days of the disciples, the one true church of Christ was called “The Way” (Acts 19:9, 23; 24:14, 22; etc).  This is because it’s helpful to think of your life as a journey.  When you choose wise paths, the traveling is easier and you can go faster.  True, you don’t get as many stops for snacks … but you don’t end up in the bushes of folly, either.

Is it a sin to drink too much and drive?  Maybe – but even if it’s not, it’s foolish, because you may end up in a ditch or killing someone or other bad things.  Our lives are like that.  We choose to be people-pleasers or to be God-pleasers.  We can choose to be like everyone else and take the wide road, or we can choose the pathway of wisdom that goes through the narrow gate and leads to eternal life.

Which way will you choose?

“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.  For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.” – Jesus (Matthew 7:13-14)