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 24

"Finish your outdoor work and get your field ready; after that build your house."

"I went past the field of the sluggard, past the vineyard of the man who lacks judgement; thorns had come up everywhere the ground was covered with weeds and the stone wall was in ruins."

Here is the thing most people didn't learn...hard work is hard work. This morning while making my lunch and getting some stuff ready for the day, I had my 12 year-old son read Proverbs 24 aloud (multi-tasking is my specialty). He gets to the end where it says,

"A little sleep a little slumber a little folding of the hands to rest-- and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man."

The first thing he says is, "aren't we allowed to sleep." My son is addicted to sleep- so a look of panic was on his face...it was pretty funny.

We went back and discussed the previous verses about outdoor work and I think he realized that sleep was allowed, but that too much of it will keep you from accomplishing anything significant.
He is learning that hard work is hard work. Someday soon he'll realize what many of us already know, easy work doesn't pay very well.

The author of this section of Proverbs is pointing out the need to work on the hard things first. To work on the field made sure the farmer and his family would have food at harvest. That is more important than a house. Not really an American concept but it's still true. Do the work that will pay future dividends before you do the things that will give you immediate comfort.

Most successful people get this principle, most average people sorta get it, and most people on welfare don't. I would vote for the candidate who would replace our welfare policies with Proverbs- but I digress.

I'm not a farmer and you probably aren't either but that doesn't mean the wisdom of Proverbs doesn't apply to us. Since college I have worked at 3 different churches so my only perspective is that of a pastor. Here is what I figured out along the way: Being a good pastor is hard work. Building a good church is hard work. Most churches aren't any good. Most pastors don't work hard. Most pastors reading this just got really mad at me.

Before you loose it let me remind everyone that busyness is not the same thing as working hard.  Most of the pastors I know are busy, but I'm not really sure they have figured out the pastoral equivalent of "outdoor work". Building a good church is hard work. Being a farmer is hard work. Being a plumber is hard work. Being an effective school teacher is hard work.

You and I get to decide how hard we work. Let's not blame anyone else, including our Elder Boards on the results.

Too simplistic? Push back.

Proverbs 21

Difference.

That's the word of the day here at Closing the Gaps. All throughout Proverbs you see differences.
The wise are different than the fool.
The rich are different than the poor.
The wicked are different than the righteous.
The list could go on and on.
Their is even a difference in becoming rich by hard work and saving and those who become rich by lying.
v. 6 vs 20

Too often we attribute the differences between people on luck, blessing, and location of birth. "If only I had been born in that family..." type of thinking. I admit there is a huge amount of validity to the differences in people based on those types of variables. Read Outliers to get a great treatment of the topic. The fact I was born in this country in this time period verses being born in Africa or India at the same time makes for an incredible amount of difference.

What I am learning from Proverbs is, that all others factors being equal, my heart and my actions play the most crucial role in my success or failure as a person. Solomon is constantly showing us that the biggest difference is how you behave and what motivates your heart.

Do you wish for more difference in your life? Do you feel a desire to close the gap between who you are and who God made you to be?

I know I do.

We have to quit looking around at the circumstances we find ourselves in and start putting one foot in front of the other toward the place God would have us be. Feel a financial pinch...v 17 is for you. Your marriage is less than ideal...v 19 may speak to that. Are you greedy...v 13.

Here's the bottom line, we have to be the kind of people who quit saying things like, "if I had only married someone else then I wouldn't be in living with all this pain." "If only I had more money I could help the poor more." "If I had gotten an inheritance from a rich relative I wouldn't be in debt right now." God's Word does not support your thinking. God's Word says something completely different. I love the challenge Proverbs lays  out in each verse!

Let's be the kind of people who love God and pursue a life of difference to his glory and honor!

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 18

"The wealth of the rich is their fortified city they imagine it an unscalable wall."

"The name of the Lord is a strong tower the righteous run to it and are safe."

We all choose to put our security in something. I reversed the order of these two verses on purpose. Because If I read about the Lord being a strong tower and THEN read about money being my security I always judge myself as trusting in God more than money.

The problem is that I often really look at money as something that provides for me instead of looking at money as a resource to be managed. (Stewardship) It seems the more money I have the more power it has over me. I start to look at it differently, I find myself trusting in it. The passage clearly shows us the only place to put our faith.
So why do we often turn our gaze to money and look to it to fill so many emotional needs? Why is money often  the filler of the holes in our hearts?

The Name of the Lord...amen! Let that be enough for us today!

"The tongue has the power of life and death..."

Remember the last time someone said something to you that just "killed" your soul? This verse is true, we know because we have also been around someone who brought so much life and energy to our souls by just a single word or phrase.

Use your tongue to spread life today and not death. Let's quit being the verbal Grim Reaper of our dorm or office.

"A man of many companions may come to ruin but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother."

I hope you have someone you consider closer than a brother. It usually takes some sort of effort and time to accomplish such a relationship. Most people tell me their wife is that person, the problem is their wife doesn't really know if she is or isn't. Speaking from the male perspective (its the only one I have currently), I believe that men need a great relationship with their spouse. They need a lover, a partner for life's ups and downs, they need a cheerleader, they need honest feedback, they need help in areas of their weakness, and permission to soar in their areas of strength....man we are pretty needy.

But us men types also need a friend who isn't our wife. It may be your literal brother it may not be. I have that in my life and I am so grateful. I'm probably not the easiest guy to be friends with but I have found a very small number of men who will stick closer, they are one's I can depend upon. I don't talk to them all that often but we don't really need to talk to be men. I trust them and I can depend upon them and I hope they know they can trust me and depend upon me.