Proverbs 28

"He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy."

I bet you wished I picked a different verse today don't you? I wish I had too. 

I wish we could all have one or two secret sins and life go on just fine. I really do- it’s not the most spiritually mature wish, but its mine none the less. The Truth and Wisdom of this Proverb have been proven over and over again. They have been proven in my life and they have been proven in your life. In fact I could give you a few pages of other texts from God’s Word that proves this principle. 

Hidden sin kills you and me. You can't have one and go on just fine. 

It will kill you on every level. It will kill your most precious relationships. It will kill your joy. It will kill your patience. It will kill your future. It will kill your physical health. It is a silent assassin who never misses his target. 

Look at what Solomon said earlier,

"Do not be wise in your own eyes, fear the Lord and shun evil.

This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones."

Solomon knew what we know- hidden sins kill us from the inside out. 

I can hear what you're thinking, at least some of you. "But if they find out...I can't tell anyone they won't understand...I'll lose my job or maybe worse my wife...I'm the only one...I'm addicted...I can't stop I've tried...It's better if no one knows..."

Here is the worst thing you can be thinking right now..."It's not that bad..."

I have heard those same thoughts roll through my head. The truth of the matter is that you and I need to confess and renounce our sin. Life is better with confession. Life is better allowing God's grace to forgive us and his people to restore us. Confession isn't telling everyone about the things you do when no one else is looking. Confession is finding the right person or small group of people who can help you find a path out of the darkness. 

Renounce your sin. Some of the most powerful things you can say are the names of your sin. Try it- tell God you are a liar. An adulterer. Tell him you are a thief, a pervert, an alcoholic, an abuser, a gossip, or a fake. Too often we get in the pattern of asking God to forgive our actions, but the power of confession and renouncing too often lie in label that sin has put on us. You see it’s one thing to ask God to forgive a session of gossip but it’s entirely more personal to ask him to forgive you for being a gossip. We don't like labels, but we wear them still. 

I'm sorry I got angry vs. I'm an angry person who needs help and forgiveness. 

Hidden sin will kill you. Maybe the depth of your condition is hidden from you as well. I pray God will use this Proverb to prompt a couple of us to let his grace and mercy begin to heal our bodies and nourish our bones. That's why he wants to bring your sin to light- not to punish you, but to heal you. Trust me the Great Physician doesn't heal hidden wounds, even self-inflicted one. 

Proverbs 27

"He who tends a fig tree will eat its fruit, and he who looks after his master will be honored."

I often forget how much the Bible talks about our relationships with earthly masters. The generally accepted equivalent is a boss. Most everyone I know has a boss, not everyone but most everyone. We usually forget the biblical mandate to honor our bosses. We usually forget the biblical examples of people who did so.

Joseph was elevated to run Potiphar’s household, because he understood the Wisdom of this Proverb. He made Potiphar look good. He was blessed because of it, in fact when the bosses’ wife tried to change his job description he still looked after the best interest of his boss. John 12 uses similar language in the relationship between Jesus, his Father (Master), and us. We are honored when we serve our masters.

Then why do we spend so much time tearing them down?

“When I run this place I will…”

“He is out of touch we need a new leader…”

“Our pastor doesn’t, isn’t, won’t…can’t”

You get the idea. I’m just quoting myself, not you I promise, if you have ever said this it’s pure coincidence. ;).

What I realized is that when I question or undercut my leader I am only hurting myself. I am missing out on the blessing of being a good follower. I am deciding against honor. It is arrogance, pride, and or insecurity for those of us who aren’t the boss to commentate on her or him every chance we get.

I do it more than I care to admit. I need to watch very carefully how I speak about my boss, so do you. As an employee or associate we need to be the biggest advocate and cheerleader for our superior(s). As a Christian we have an even greater responsibility, when we are submissive at work we are showing the world the pattern that Christ was showing us.

Think about it this way, when you are the boss what do you want your followers saying about you in the break room, or over coffee at Starbucks. Unless you and I start talking that way about our boss why would we ever get the opportunity to sit in that seat?

The graduate course on this topic is to not just speak well of your boss but to look out for his interest- making him or her look good becomes your main priority.  

Proverbs 20

God will be watching the purging will you?

"Blows and wounds cleanse away evil, 

and beatings purge the inmost being."

Ok- that verse is just plain awesome! I believe it proves God is an MMA fan.

Here is the verse I want to discuss today though:

"Even a child is known by his actions, by whether his conduct is pure and right."

Ever had this conversation with a child?

"Son do you love your sisters?"
"Of course I do."
"Then why do you keep hurting them? Stop hitting your sisters!"
"I'm sorry, I don't mean to hurt them sometimes I just want to wrestle and they get hurt so easily."

It seems now that my son is in full blown stage 3 puberty he has no idea how strong he is and how much he hurts his sisters. I know he isn't trying to hurt them too bad, his intentions don't really line up with the results of his actions.

Is that statement ever true of you and me? Our intentions don't really line up with the results of our actions?
As I often explain to my son, if you keep hurting someone no one will believe you love them, even if you say it over and over again. I try to help him understand that his need for physical action and attention can no longer involve the small whimpy person he has as a sister (now one sister can handle it all and even more, but the other one can't). His intention is to wrestle and have fun but the results are crying, bruises, and frustration.

I find the same problem in my life. I intend to go start a conversation with my neighbors but I end up watching ESPN. I intend to rub my wife's feet but I end up talking her into meeting my needs. I intend to have a meeting with a staff member that only focuses on positive things, but I still point out 2 areas of "improvement". I intend to read my Bible but I end up reading a blog instead (ironic I know).

I often hope that the people around me judge me by my intentions, but Solomon reminds us this morning that our actions are the final judge and jury.

What action do you need to stop intending to do and start acting upon? Maybe its an action you and I need to stop...it could be as simple as reading God's Word before you read Facebook. Today is a day of action- pure and right action!

Proverbs 19

"A foolish son is his father's ruin"

"A quarrelsome wife is like a constant dripping"

If you are any thing like me you read a verse like this one and you start thinking about how your son and wife need to change. I go down a line of thought that is something like, "you better stop being foolish, the Bible says so" or "woman if you argue with me one more time..."

Sometimes I wonder what the inner dialogue of foolish sons and quarrelsome wives sound like when they read these verses?

Too often it is easier to read any sort of information and project it onto the people we know who need to change. You and I both know lots of people who fit into one of the two categories listed in this verse don't we? The constant challenge is to let God's Wisdom speak to me and not spend my time and energy worrying about how other people need to change.

I have to continually take stock and ask if I've been foolish or quarrelsome. I don't want to be either but I often find myself living under those very descriptions. Sometimes just stopping to realize that's how I'm behaving is enough to get me to change course. How about you? What helps you avoid foolish or quarrelsome behavior?

The one thing I always try to practice is waiting to act or even react. I save myself so much pain and heartache when I don't react immediately to negative people or circumstances. One practice that helps me tremendously in this area is writing emails to people and then deleting them before I send them. Its very therapeutic for me- try it sometime. If someone is making you angry or disappointing you tell them all about it and then burn the paper or delete the email. Sending it won't really help the situation anyway.

If you and I aren't proactive and intentional in this life we will continue to be called foolish and quarrelsome. I'd rather be known as patient and wise...but I know those labels aren't given out for free they are the result of a life lived intentionally for God the Father. Thankfully his Son Jesus closed the gaps between my foolishness and God's Wisdom.

Proverbs 16

"All a man's ways seem innocent to him but motives are weighed by the Lord."

"There is a way that seems right to a man but in the end it leads to death."

Here is it in black in white, right in God's Word, its a hard truth to swallow, but we can't deny it can we?

You and I are really good at fooling ourselves.

I know for me, and I'm probably the only one, but I am pretty good at thinking through ways to get what I want. The term for what Solomon is writing about is Rationalization. You know what that is right? I do. We all do it. We all hold beliefs that run contrary to what is True. Here's an example- I was leading a Neighborhood group at a previous church that will stay unnamed. Our Pastor preached on worry, he claimed that the Bible said NOT to worry. I listened to his message and decided he had probably interpreted the Scriptures accurately. That week at our neighborhood group we started to discuss his sermon. At one point a woman and a man (not married to each other) began to argue the benefits of worry. I kid you not. I remember thinking these might be the two dumbest people I know, but they aren't they are really smart, successful, and they love Jesus.

You see it doesn't make you or me evil to rationalize our struggles and behavior, its part of being human. I decided to not worry to much about their rationalization of worry since I was in the middle of rationalizing other equally negative patterns in my life (gluttony).

Here is the solution to rationalization. Find an honest person. Give them permission to tell you the truth. When they have the guts to tell you the truth don't get mad. Go evaluate their feedback and implement change based on the truth rather than your "feelings".

Can someone tell him the truth about his hair?

Most of us have a hard time telling people the truth. We are way too nice. Don't believe me- go watch American Idol re-runs with Simon, why do so many bad singers think they are good singers? Because their parents, grandparents, and church people lied to them. Please don't let Simon be the first person to tell your kids the truth.


We all rationalize and avoid the truth.





The wisdom of this passage is this: we all have behaviors that we need to change and they are based upon beliefs that come out of out rationalizations which are created to make sure we don't "feel" bad about ourselves. God is the purveyor of Truth. We must let him judge our hearts, our motives. The ways that often seem right to us lead to death. Still don't believe me? Read Proverbs 16:25.

Proverbs 13

OK so here is how it went down. Last night our youngest daughter did something she had been told not to do-- play with medicine. She decided to give a toy alligator a bath with soap and liquid Benadryl. The soap got into the brand new bottle of Benadryl which prompted her to tell us of her mistake. For whatever reason she likes to take stuff in the bathrooms cabinets and mix them together. A couple weeks ago it was Vick's vapor rub and some rosemary essential oil stuff. As a result of her decision to mix things together in the bathroom she received three spankings. You would have thought I was ripping her toe-nails out one by one. I'm sure the neighbors wondered if they should call Child Protective Services or not. Yep we spank our kids sometimes. 

I put her to bed early and went up to lay down by her and remind her that I loved her. After I told her I loved her she looked at me with all seriousness and said, are you ready for this...."how can that be, after you spank me harder than any child has ever been spanked? How can that be?" 

She was convinced no one in the history of earth had received what she just received. I actually had to hold her up to a mirror and prove that her butt was not bleeding (she was convinced it was). She sat up for drink of water in bed and said the pain was too much to sit up....I do hope she realizes that she can't keep playing with things that may cause her harm. The entire point of the discipline and ensuring drama was to make sure she never plays with medicine again. I can't take a chance that she'll drink a bottle out of the cabinet, or mix cleaning products. I love her too much to take that chance. 

Then this morning I woke up and read this: "He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him." Now I know that many people have and will use this verse to justify actions that are extreme and abusive. Please look past their mistakes to understand the principle intended. Our children need discipline. Positive discipline in the form of rules, boundaries, and safety nets. But they also need negative discipline like time-out, loss of privileges and sometimes spankings. 

You and I need the same thing. God loves us too much to allow us to keep doing something that will lead to our own destruction. He disciplines us as a loving father who knows what we do not know. He knows the things we are mixing together may prove fatal one day. He disciplines us and we say, "How can you call yourself loving?" I often look at God's discipline as a 6 year old looks at spanking. I will never expect her to thank me for a spanking, but I hope she looks back at her childhood and sees a father who loved her and guided her toward a life with discipline that allowed her to become all that God has created her to become. I know when I look at my heavenly Father that's what I see and if she sees a little bit of Him in me then I've succeeded. 

How does your discipline portray God to your children? 

What would you think of God if he disciplined you like you discipline? 

Has God's discipline kept you from disaster? 

Proverbs 12

"A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult. "

Ouch.

This one hits close to home. I have this bad habit of making this face that says, "hey I think what you are saying is really stupid." If we are having a conversation and I don't understand, like, or agree with what you are saying I will tend to make the face. I know I make it because my dad told me I did and then a few days later I saw my son make the same face to me. OUCH.

I have to stop showing my annoyance. Proverbs calls me foolish, but I desire to be wise.

Patience.

So much of Solomon's Wisdom is locked up in the practice of Patience. For me and many others Patience is a practice that I have to keep practicing. It does not come naturally to us. We have to work at, but like all things that are difficult the reward is worth the effort.

We all have areas in which we need to have more Patience. We also have areas that require less Patience (injustice and evil). But Patience is so hard if we lack self awareness and discipline. You may have to find someone who is willing and capable of pointing out areas of your Impatience. Most of your friends and loved ones are trying to be nice so they don't tell us the truth, they tell us what we want to hear. Find an honest person, you'll be glad you did.

What are situations that require you to practice Patience?

Any ideas how to improve in this area?

Proverbs 11

Proverbs 11 is one of those speed chapters. You know what I mean right? I typically read it as fast as I can. In the past I would have told you the basic message is it is better to be good than it is to be bad.

That's not a bad summary, but not quite the thing I apply throughout my day. I think if  you and I speed through Proverbs like its a list of camping locations in Numbers 33 then we will miss what it has to offer each of us.

Here a couple of lines from Proverbs 11 that are resonating with me. Not the only ones but the ones I'll discuss here.

When the righteous prosper the city rejoices...Through the blessing of the upright a city is exalted...A generous man will prosper he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed...A kindhearted woman gains respect...

When you and I are righteous...truly righteous...our neighborhood is a better place to live.

When we live the way God intended for us to live the people around us are blessed. They city rejoices and is blessed through the blessings and prosperity of the righteous. I didn't say Christians, because Christians aren't typically respected or celebrated in our communities today. (Christian has become a label we put on ourselves regardless of our morals and behavior. Righteous is a universally accepted standard of morals and behaviors, that in fact are displayed by some folks who also call themselves Christians.) Now some of you will read that statement and start booing the world and culture we live in. I read it and start booing the Christians.

Imagine this situation: Your church receives a donation of $10 million. OK if you are a pastor you need to take a deep breath. Your church just received $10 million. The local paper, the TV channels all show up and ask questions and report the incredible news. How will the average single mom in your community react?

How will people who don't come to your church react?

Would they celebrate the blessings your church received or would your community greet the news with skepticism? Proverbs says, "when the righteous prosper the city rejoices". If our cities and friends wouldn't celebrate a great blessing in our life then we aren't righteous, truly righteous. If the believers in Jesus Christ would make their neighborhoods and communities better places to live then the world would respect our women and celebrate our prosperity and blessings. The solution lies with us.

What can we do to make our communities a better place to live? What are we actually doing? Let's take the Wisdom of Proverbs 11 and start to engage our neighbors in ways that bless them.

Photo by Justin Capp

Proverbs 8- Wisdom

What an original thought!

Try this- go to Google and type in Wisdom and then change your search to "images".

Why is Clint Eastwood listed on the first page?

Why is most of what you find on the internet about wisdom from Eastern Religions?

Proverbs 8 is all about the pursuit and benefit of Wisdom. I love the end of the chapter where Wisdom says, "blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway. For whoever finds me finds life and receives  favor from the Lord. But whoever fails to find me harms himself."

Wisdom is one of those things you can get the hard way or the easy way. I tend to lean toward the hard way, but more and more lately I've been trying to hang out at Wisdom's house more and more.

I love the word picture of Wisdom having a door at which we can hang out and wait for her. The biggest obstacle to my pursuit of Wisdom is hurry. I often find I'm too busy or making decisions too last minute to be able to spend any time at Wisdom's house.

What is your greatest obstacle to attaining Wisdom?

Also, what has Wisdom taught you lately? We could all benefit from hearing from each other on this topic.