Proverbs 31:10-12 - The Excellent Wife

Proverbs 31:10-12
10 An excellent wife, who can find?
For her worth is far above jewels.
The heart of her husband trusts in her,
And he will have no lack of gain.
She does him good and not evil
All the days of her life.

Message: The Excellent Wife

Time: It seems that Proverbs was written and then compiled sometime between the tenth and sixth centuries B.C. Proverbs was probably written during the reign of Solomon, 971-931 B.C.

What the Lord is Saying: Well, I fortunately have an excellent wife. She is not someone I found but instead someone that God provided for me. She gets more wonderful every day. And yes, her worth is far above any jewel. It is far above anything.

I do trust her. But sometimes my feelings get in the way, but feelings are not facts. Overall, I do trust her, but I do get nervous sometimes and I start believing my feelings more than the facts. It is often the same way in my relationship with God. I focus not on His word, but at times on what I'm feeling.

Pamela does me good and not evil. She has always been careful to be the best toward me. This doesn't mean I always get what I want. Who does? And no one should. But, she is amazing as to how sensitive she is to me. She recognizes me as the leader of the home, but she also has her own will, and often a strong one at that. We are definitely co-heirs and work together well.

Promise: The excellent wife embodies the Lord’s wisdom in fulfilling her divinely appointed role and in bringing great blessing to her family and community.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the gift of Pamela. Thank you for your handiwork in making her the way you have and then bringing her into my life. You knew exactly what I needed. And thank you for molding her into your image and the joy it is just having her by my side everyday. Help me to be a better husband and to continually love her, treating her as more important than myself. Train me to resist the temptation to ever look around for anyone else. The world is constantly throwing distractions my way, but help me to train myself always to making her the only woman in my life.

Ecclesiastes 10:20 - Avoiding Bitterness of Mind and Speech

Ecclesiastes 10:20
²⁰ Furthermore, in your bedchamber do not curse a king, and in your sleeping rooms do not curse a rich man, for a bird of the heavens will carry the sound and the winged creature will make the matter known.

Message: Avoiding Bitterness of Mind and Speech

Time: Solomon's authorship is not stated. Solomon's reign as king of Israel lasted from around 970 B.C. to around 930 B.C. The Book of Ecclesiastes was likely written towards the end of his reign, approximately 935 B.C.

What the Lord is Saying: This is a verse that confronts me, especially in the workplace. There is a spirit often of discontent that wells up in me and it carries forward to cursing those over me. There are always going to be things that frustrate us about those in leadership for we think that we can do things better. It is one thing to make suggestions, but when you sense your voice is not going to be heard then often people resort to grumbling with others. This sort of speech is foolish. For one, we do not know which people have eyes and ears where we do not expect them and anything we say just might end up making its way to them.

What remains at odds with bitterness is love for one's neighbor. It is hard. Bitterness is anger and disappointment at being treated unfairly. How often do I walk around with a bitter heart over very minor things?

The reverse of this is that idea that we are to respect those over us. True, they have vices and they have irritants, but we are still to give respect.

I found this attitude is not encouraged in our world where are communication zones have increased. All of our social media sites, blogs (like this one), media influences, internet news pages, are constantly reporting a commentary on society, on whatever we are experiencing -- and communicating over and over how each person's values and desires should be respected. As I look upon the canvas of social media right now and media in general, there is a constant spirit of attacking going on toward our President. The bottom line is people have not gotten what they wanted. They don't respect the leader. Therefore, they believe they don't have to respect his ways so they take it to the street to convey their displeasure towards him.

I think what is interesting about this all is people are often not taking care of what is most important and instead engaging in activities that have no good outcomes. People have stopped reading their Bible because they are listening to commentaries that the Bible is irrelevant.

The bottom line is I need help with this. I need help not falling into the rhetoric of fear and disrespect towards my elders. What is clear in the Bible.

Promise: God is over all, even kings and rulers. They don't have to adhere to my ways. I can trust God for outcomes.

Prayer: Lord, help me to be careful with my words and my thoughts.

Genesis 2:15 - Taking Care of Home

Genesis 2:15
Then the Lord God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it.
Message: Taking Care of Home

Time: Genesis is the first book and Moses is credited as authoring. The book spans 2400 years of time. It was originally written in Hebrew.

What the Lord is Saying: While the Lord own all and owns all of our resources, from the beginning, even before the Fall, Adam was placed in charge of the garden and tasked to cultivate it and keep it. 

As I read through different translations of this verse, the 1st part -- The Lord took the man and put him into the garden of Eden -- remains fairly unchanged from translation to translation. It is interesting because God didn't direct man and lead him to the garden but he took him and put him. This isn't a suggestion, but a mandate by God of man's purpose. This was to be his permanent home, dwelling place.

After placing Adam in it, he is tasked to dress it, work it, or cultivate it. The land was indeed paradise. Remember, there is no Fall at this point, but still the land needs tilled and sowed. Also, in the process he is told to keep it, take care of it, watch over it, guard it, and/or maintain it. Thus, it was possible for it to ruin. Thus, an unproductive harvest does not constitute sin. And there are animals that could hurt or destroy it. Despite sin not being present, it is possible the adversary was present. Adam is tasked to guard the land given him.

As such, I need to protect that which God has given me and count it as a gift what I have. I am to care for my home and keep it safe from intruders. There is a responsibility in having a home and possessing God's gifts. I am to care for these things.

Promise: Thus, we are responsible to use His resources to provide for our families, and we are to protect and increase what the Lord has given to us. God will hold us accountable for what we do with His creation.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for your providence and providing what you have for me. Help me and remind me that it is yours and I am your servant caring for it. Keep me grateful and keep me diligent to care for it. Thank you for helping me to do this and providing me the means to care for it and those near me.

Proverbs 6:6-11 - Go to the Ant

Proverbs 6:6-11

⁶ Go to the ant, O sluggard, Observe her ways and be wise,
⁷ Which, having no chief, Officer or ruler,
⁸ Prepares her food in the summer and gathers her provision in the harvest.
⁹ How long will you lie down, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep?
¹⁰ “A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to rest”—
¹¹ Your poverty will come in like a vagabond and your need like an armed man.

Message: Go to the Ant

Time: It seems that Proverbs was written and then compiled sometime between the tenth and sixth centuries B.C. Proverbs was probably written during the reign of Solomon, 971-931 B.C.

What the Lord is Saying: As I've learned elsewhere, I have things to learn, even from the ant. In verse 6, I am told to look to the ant, o lazy one, and observe her walking about and then be wise. Take notice of the smallest creature on the earth and realize there is much to be learned from this creature. I continue to find it interesting that the ant's life span is about 30-45 days and yet with no leader each ant has the inborn train of preparing her food in the summer and gathering what the ant will need for the harvest. So, they are gathering for other ants that will live on after them. How can one look at this and say this is all birthed by chance?

Verse 9 begins with 2 words - How long - describing the strange idleness of man. Granted, sleeping and playing and sitting in front of a TV I think all are examples of being a sluggard. Just being out of bed is not enough to escape the sluggard tag on our lives. But, for me, the time I spend staring at a screen, seeking to be entertain by it when there are other things I could be doing. I was at my parents last night and noticed the books by my Mom's nightstand and noticed once again the books of great Christian writers she was taking the time to go through. She is not a sluggard but she is spending time equipping herself in a better way, desiring to bring glory to God. It is a beautiful picture. I look at the house and things I could do and there are many. Help me Lord to not constantly go toward the tube but engage in activities of meaning with my family and friends.

Promise: Be careful about continual acts of putting off to tomorrow what could be done today.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for examples that you provide with even the smallest of your creatures. You are a good God and a kind God and thank you for your Word that encourages us and reminds us in the ways in which we are to live. Lord, train me to surround me with only good sources of information in my life.

Ecclesiastes 10:19 - Bread, Wine, and Money

Ecclesiastes 10:19
Prepare a meal for enjoyment, and wine makes life merry, and money is the answer to everything.

Message: Bread, Wine, and Money

Time: Solomon's authorship is not stated. Solomon's reign as king of Israel lasted from around 970 B.C. to around 930 B.C. The Book of Ecclesiastes was likely written towards the end of his reign, approximately 935 B.C.

What the Lord is Saying: Scripture is interesting. Solomon here relates a theme that sometimes seems counter intuitive to the gospel and that is enjoy a meal, drink and be merry, and money answers everything. Yes, we are to be givers in life, but we also can have enjoyment. My sense is we need to always strike a good balance.

Food can be and should be enjoyed. In making the meals I am making we want food that tastes good. But, I think we must be careful as I think about James Lumbuku in Uganda and the corn they often eat day in and day out. Food to them is sustaining life and they just need it to survive. We however are focused on food from an enjoyment perspective. If anything I am learning now, through the South Beach Diet, and lowering carbs to make food a healthier part of my lifestyle.

And the line -- money answers everything -- I must remember is written in the context of enjoyment of a meal and wine. It is the medium of commerce in our lives that enables the enjoyment. It is true. Money allows us to have enjoyment. But, it doesn't answer all of life. Money can still be the root of all evil. Again, we are not to worship it, but simply use it for God's glory.

Promise: There is a place for us to enjoy what He has given us as part of thanking Him for his goodness.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for good food, good drink and providing us with enjoyment and the opportunities to see enjoyment from the fruit of our labor. Thank you for giving us good food and having different recipes and different choices for food that we can eat and enjoy. Be with those that are less fortunate and supply their needs. Keep me content and thankful at all times.

Proverbs 10:4-5 - The Diligent Hand of the Prudent Son

Proverbs 10:4-5
4 Poor is he who works with a negligent hand, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.
He who gathers in summer is a son who acts wisely, but he who sleeps in harvest is a son who acts shamefully.

Message: The Diligent Hand of the Prudent Son

Time: It seems that Proverbs was written and then compiled sometime between the tenth and sixth centuries B.C. Proverbs was probably written during the reign of Solomon, 971-931 B.C.

What the Lord is Saying: Even there were not any verse or chapter divisions in the original manuscripts, the beginning of this chapter says -- A wise son makes a father glad, but a foolish son is a grief to his mother. Solomon in Proverbs is primarily speaking to a son or his children to discuss things to think about, mostly regarding behavior. The reality is that left to our natural state, we have a tendency to live lives of complete selfishness. We do not naturally please others. For example, a child has to learn to share. For some it is easier than others. I see this in myself often, my selfishness takes over in so many areas. Yes, I work hard, but often I think that hard work then merits a meeting of my expectations.

These two proverbs contrast the hard working with the lazy. This is a common theme. I have learned in life that it is not just about working hard but working hard in a wise manner. After college I worked in a credit union as a teller for just about 6 months. In that job, I worked quickly but not always carefully. I enjoyed being faster than everyone else, but along the way I wasn't always the most accurate. My next year was spent volunteering in radio and doing temp jobs. In those jobs I sometimes didn't have big time requirements and could work at my own pace. Then, I got a job in retail. It wasn't just working hard that was important, but being wise in that work and working with a smile on my face, which has always been a challenge. In this process, I went back to school and then went to work at an accounting office. I worked hard, but not hard enough. My boss was similar to my boss now, expecting me to get the job done and not being focused on my time. I took a few afternoons off to watch Lobo basketball and didn't come in like he did on the weekends and he let me go. That was a wake up call for I spent another couple of months looking for work while having a wife at home and a new child. I then worked in Santa Fe and had different demands placed on me and I responded, thought it was still a challenge. That was a good job, but I still felt inadequate many times and I wasn't sure I was working well. I then took a job back in Albuquerque with a friend being the resident accountant for a small business. That was a job I didn't have much confidence in and I let others decide how I would work rather, though they looked to me for advice often.

I think overall I have learned to be diligent as verse 4 speaks.

And now I look at my children and I must admit their idleness makes em bothered. I think they spend too much time in entertainment and recreation mode. But, I also need to remember myself and what I had to learn and I need to give them time to learn as well.

Promise: Different seasons of life dictate often how often we spent quality time with the Lord and quality time working, but it is always important to be diligent and work in a wise manner.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the experiences that I have had. Some have been hard to go through, but through them you have taught much about myself. Forgive me for continually thinking of myself as deserving something because I simply work hard. You have gifted me in a certain way to be a certain person and this is who I am. And remind me that I am simply behaving in a way that is consistent with my make-up. Help me to be patient with my wife and children. I need your help Lord, I often act in way that I am not proud of. I want to instead bring glory to Your Name.

Ecclesiastes 10:5-7 - When Reality is Upside Down

Ecclesiastes 10:5-7
⁵ There is an evil I have seen under the sun, like an error which goes forth from the ruler— ⁶ folly is set in many exalted places while rich men sit in humble places. ⁷ I have seen slaves riding on horses and princes walking like slaves on the land.

Message: When Reality is Upside Down

Time: Solomon's authorship is not stated. Solomon's reign as king of Israel lasted from around 970 B.C. to around 930 B.C. The Book of Ecclesiastes was likely written towards the end of his reign, approximately 935 B.C.

What the Lord is Saying: One of the results of the Fall is how the world function in an upside down way. This passage is Solomon or the Preacher looking out on the landscape of life and seeing the people who have the duty of ruler or prince or often foolish ones while those that deserve to be in that place are serving the leaders rather than leading them. It is a reminder that sometimes people get to high status in an undeserving manner. I see this at work where people get into high positions based upon who they know not necessarily due to their expertise.

Benson Commentary: I have observed another great vanity and misdemeanor among men, an erroneous conduct coming from those who have power of conferring honor and authority. That is, foolish and unworthy persons are frequently advanced by the favor or humor of princes into places of great trust and dignity, which is at once a great reproach to the prince, and a sore calamity to his people. Wise and worthy men, rich in endowments of the mind, are neglected and despised, or removed from those places to which their merits and had raised them. I have seen men of a servile condition and disposition riding in pomp and state as princes; and then men of noble birth and qualities, fit to rule a kingdom in a state of poverty and degradation, despised and disregarded.

I like Benson's comments for it simply clarifies further what the Preacher (Solomon) is stating in these verses and that is, unfortunately, at times, people who should be servants are leaders and leaders are sometimes mere servants.

I see this also on what we in society have done with stars and sports figures. We pay these people inordinate of money, simply because they have the ability to entertain us either by making a basket, throwing a pass really well, or taking on a different character very well (acting) or singing a song and yet, many times, the manner in which these people live life can be questionable. The problem is what we see from these individuals is moments from their lives while the people we work with we see 40 to 50 hours a week or most of our awake hours of the week and so we tend to see them as they are, but for entertainers we don't see them as they are. Instead we see excerpts and then are amazed when their lives are often not that great. And yet we are paying them all this money. To me that is also an error.

Promise: Something is wrong when we see fools in power. One day it will be overturned and the world will be right side up again. Knowing that truth encourages us to serve the Lord.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for righting wrongs. Thank you for the wisdom of the Bible and how it speaks to life the way it is being lived today, despite these words being penned thousands of years ago.