Proverbs 28:1-10

verse 5: “Evil men do not understand justice, But those who seek the LORD understand all things.”

I’ve mentioned before enjoying the old Saturday morning cartoon Superfriends. During that first season of the show, the majority, if not all, of the “villains” were not really evil, just misguided in their attempts. They usually learned that what they did was wrong, or at least saw that they could’ve accomplished their goals through less selfish means. Most of them regretted the harm they caused.

But there are those in the world today who do not understand the concept of justice; they only see “their” way as the right way…because they don’t know God’s way. We are not dumb or misguided (as the world says) for wanting to follow God’s way; He knows what’s best for us. Because we follow God’s teachings, we can understand it all. Like Him, we need to love the sinner, but hate the sin. To quote the old question in our daily walk on this old world: “what would Jesus do?”

Something to think about today.

Proverbs 27:19-27

verse 19: “As in water face reflects face, so the heart of man reflects man.”

It’s amazing to observe your reflection in a perfectly still body of water. I pass a lake every morning on my way to work, and there are times when it is so still (no wind or breeze) that the surface looks just like glass. It is in that glass that you can observe your reflection, and the clarity of detail you can see in that reflection can be astounding. I’ve looked at my reflection before and sometimes wondered: “Is that really what I look like?”

Our hearts are that mirror. Outward beauty or appearance (or lack thereof) are sometimes mirrored perfectly on the inside…and in some people what we observe is not what is reflected. The inside can be totally different. Whatever is in our hearts is the true litmus test of what we are. If you have Jesus in your heart, then you should be reflecting Him. So what do you see in the mirror today?

Something to think about.

Proverbs 27:17-18

verse 17: “Iron sharpens iron, So one man sharpens another.”

Two co-workers of mine used to go to the gym and work out together during lunch time. They were both very serious about training, but one day they got into a humorous “competition”. They were doing arm curls with dumbbells, and did a number of repetitions. When they got to the end of the set of “reps”, one of them performed one more “rep”. Seeing this as a challenge, the other one did the set again, adding one more rep past what the first one did. Not to be outdone, the first one repeated the set, and added one more rep on the top of the other one’s last total! And so on, and so forth. Finally, with both of their arms screaming in pain, they mutually declared “Uncle!” and ended their spontaneous competition! Oh, boy, were they sore for a few days!

Despite their competitive nature, my friends used their working out together to keep each other to their promises to exercise. It’s easy to not follow up on a promise when you’re only accountable to yourself. Iron sharpens iron, so one person can hold another accountable when they ask them to keep them “sharp”. Christians need to do this, too. I know my pastor has a confidant in the ministry he uses to keep him accountable on things; so do our deacons. God holds us accountable for our actions. He provides ways for us to stick to our promises. Sometimes that way can take the form of a trusted Christian “workout partner”.

Have a blessed day in the Lord!

Proverbs 27:10-16

verse 10: “Do not forsake your own friend or your father’s friend, And do not go to your brother’s house in the day of your calamity; Better is a neighbor who is near than a brother far away.”

My wife and I became close friends with a co-worker of mine some years ago. We were there for her as she went through a divorce and a job change. We were even part of her wedding to her second husband. Most memorable of all is when we found out that she had accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior, after she had moved away for another job change. We rejoiced with her in that most wonderful decision. We consider her our “little sister” and she has referred to us as her “big siblings”. She did tell me once that I had been more of a brother than her true brother who lives many states away; I’ve always considered that a high compliment.

That memory above is a good example of today’s verse. Footnotes in my Bible and in the Holman Concordance on Proverbs (page 176) clarify that this verse doesn’t slam familial relationships; it praises the neighbor who is a friend in need. Sometimes family can live too far away to be of immediate help in times of crisis; that’s where, as a Christian friend and neighbor, we should be ready to step in and help our fellow neighbors. After all…what would Jesus do?

Something to think about today.

Proverbs 27:6-9

verse 6: “Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But deceitful are the kisses of an enemy.”

I can’t remember if I have ever mentioned this story, but here goes anyway. Back when I officiated high school football, I had a friend of mine who was a veteran referee, who decided to have a heart-to-heart chat with me while driving to a game. What he had to tell me wasn’t what I wanted to hear, but he gave me some honest criticism on how I was coming across as a know-it-all in meetings (I hadn’t intended to be that, I actually asked a lot of questions wanting to learn.) Though it stung at first, I realized that he was doing it because he was my friend. Once I realized the wisdom in his words, I actually came to value his advice even more and to value his friendship because he had been honest with me.

Contrast the “wounds of a friend” with the “kisses of an enemy”…in my Bible, I had a footnote reference to Matthew 26:49. It’s the verse where Judas betrays Jesus to the soldiers with a kiss. I don’t think I need to even elaborate on that, you get the point.

Sometimes as friends, we have to tell other friends things they don’t want to hear or may not like. However, we wouldn’t be friends who care though, unless we did that. Remember, Jesus is our friend, and yes He does rebuke and correct us when we need it.

Something to think about.

Proverbs 27:1-5

verse 1: “Do not boast about tomorrow, For you do not know what a day may bring forth.”

“There is a saying: Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the present.” –Master Oogway to Po, Kung Fu Panda.

In the movie, Master Oogway made that statement to Po the panda; Po was fretting over his past and worried about tomorrow. Oogway was pointing out that he should focus on today.

The Proverbs verse above is a warning to those who think that tomorrow will always be there. James 4:13-15 says otherwise; verse 15 says it best…”Instead, you ought to say, “If the LORD wills, we shall live and also do this or that.”" We need to take care of today, of now, of what the Lord wants us to do…today! We are not promised tomorrow, thus the urgency in reaching a lost world for Jesus. It’s okay to plan for tomorrow, but don’t let plans for tomorrow interfere with action for today.

Something to think about.

Proverbs 26:1-28

Happy New Year to all of you, and now back to wrapping up Proverbs!

verses 20-21: “For lack of wood the fire goes out, And where there is no whisperer, contention quiets down. Like charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire, So is a contentious man to kindle strife.”

I first heard of Conrad Dobler as a child. A little research on Wikipedia, and I discovered what a storied career this NFL defensive player had. However, it wasn’t of Conrad Dobler the football player that I first heard of him…it was of Conrad Dobler, professional troublemaker. Apparently, Dobler had a reputation in his career for dirty play. He capitalized on that reputation in a TV advertisement for a certain beer as part of its “fun bunch”.

The plot would have Dobler sit himself down in the middle of a cheering football crowd, talking about the beer product he was hawking. He’d turn to Fan A on his right and get him to agree that the beer did “taste great”. He’d then to turn to Fan B on his left and get him to agree that the beer was “less filling”. Turning back to Fan A, he’d say, “Are you going to take that from him?” Fan A, indignant, would again repeat his stance; Fan B countered with his stance. The next thing you know, the stands of people are arguing with each other. Dobler would smile at the camera, duck out of the crowd, and exit. His job was done.

That’s what contentious troublemakers do…they stir up trouble. The devil loves to do that; after all, he is behind it. He can still cause trouble for Christians by getting us to bicker among ourselves over trifles. By arguing like that, we’re wasting energy and attention that we could be using to do God’s work. As you go about life on the dawn of this new year, remember to ask Jesus to help you know what is worth arguing about. Keep your mind in the game!

Have a blessed day in the Lord!

Proverbs 25:25-28

verse 28: “Like a city that is broken into and without walls Is a man who has no control over his spirit.”

Among the comic books in my collection is an issue of The Brave and The Bold, featuring a team-up between Batman and Flash. 2 of their villains, Dr. Double-X and the Rainbow Raider, were used in a plan to take on the other’s arch-nemeses…Dr. Double-X would face Flash, while the Raider took on Batman. In the final battle between these four, while Flash found a way to overcome the electrical powers of Dr. Double-X’s double, the Rainbow Raider used his prisma-goggles to try and force overwhelming emotion on Batman (using yellow for cowardice, blue for sadness, red for anger). Batman just determinedly kept marching toward his foe; the Raider was perplexed, because even Flash had fallen to the power of his emotion rays. Batman (in that criminal-chilling voice of his) informed the Rainbow Raider that such rays were useless against a foe who had mastered controlling his emotions. He then proceeded to deck the Raider with one punch!

In the verse above, one’s spirit refers to one’s emotions. The Holman Concordance on Proverbs mentions in its passage on this verse that a man who has no control over his emotions will be vulnerable to an enemy who can control his (Chapter 17, page 198). It’s the same as trying to defend a city whose fortifications are in ruins; you have no protection. The devil loves to play havoc with our emotions (I saw that in the stands of a recent football game…it’s sad when students are behaving better than adults!) Remember, among the many fruits of the Spirit is self-control…and a very important fruit it is too!

Something to think about.

Proverbs 25:21-24

verses 21-22: “If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; For you will heap burning coals on his head, And the LORD will reward you.”

I was watching an old episode of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, a Filmation cartoon I enjoyed in my younger days. Like a lot of these type of cartoons, this one had good moral messages it would convey to the viewer. During the plot of this episode, He-Man and Battle Cat were aiding Orko on his home planet of Trolla against one of Skeletor’s minions. The evil henchman was trying to knock He-Man into a cyclonic bottomless hole by throwing boulders at him (which He-Man of course smashed each one to bits). Seeing an opening, the henchman grabbed a vine-covered boulder and threw it, not realizing he was tangled in the vines. He wound up being snagged on an outcropping in the cliff, just inches from going into the hole. He-Man risked his life and rescued him; once safe, the henchman was confused that He-Man would save him…he wouldn’t have done that for He-Man. “That’s where we are different”, said He-Man, “you see me as your enemy…but I don’t see you as mine.”

This is a proverb that doesn’t make sense to the world. I’m speaking here of a world that believes “look out for number 1″, “what’s in it for me”, and “let’s do it to them before they do it to us”. Jesus Christ doesn’t see us as enemies; make no mistake, He hates sin…but He loves us. He took our place on a cruel cross and sacrificed all to save us. When we know and accept Him as Lord and Savior of our lives, He wants us to do the same….not only loving our family and friends, but loving our enemies. Remember, He showed His love to a committed Christian killer on the road to Damascus…and that man Saul became Paul, one of the greatest missionaries ever to walk the earth. As you walk the earth today, remember fellow Christian…that’s why we are different.

Have a blessed day in the Lord. Happy Thanksgiving!

Proverbs 25:17-20

verse 17: “Let your foot rarely be in your neighbor’s house, Lest he become weary of you and hate you.”

The annoying neighbor…almost sounds like a book, doesn’t it? If you remember old sitcom television, you’ll remember Lenny and Squiggy from Laverne & Shirley. The most famous appearance they would make is when they would bust in on the girls, with nothing more than a BANG of the door flinging open, and Squiggy saying “Hello!”. I guess the more recent version of that would be Kramer on the Seinfeld sitcom. These were friends and neighbors who would just walk right in on you and make themselves at home…usually to the chagrin of the homeowners.

Neighbors are unavoidable when you live in close proximity to people. Good neighbors can be very hard to find. Good neighbors are there in good times and in bad times…and especially appreciated in bad times, like if your house is broken into. You don’t want the reputation of the neighbor that people dread having over at their house…especially the one who doesn’t know how to leave. To quote an old saying, “never overstay your welcome.”

Something to think about.