A Tale of Two Sons

Proverbs 10

This entire chapter contrasts two different types of people, those who are wise, industrious, righteous, etc, and those who are foolish, lazy and wicked. 30 out of 32of these verses present a contrast. Only verses 10 & 26 do not. The reader is given the choice of what type of son/daughter he/she will be.

We have choices to make everyday and there are consequences that come with each choice. When your choices become habits, character, or lack of character results. Proverbs helps a person choose by principle and character rather than situation and bad habit.

Following are a few of the contrasts:

1. Wise/Foolish. One makes his dad glad, the other makes his mum glum. vs 1
2. Righteous/Wicked. One cheats death, the other cheats his bank account. vs 2
3. Diligent/Slacker. One makes the dough, the other goes too slow. vss 3&4
4. Reaper/Sleeper. One stores while the other snores. vs 5
5. Just/Wicked. One is blessed, the other gets the rest (violence and rotteness) 6,7
6. Wise Heart/Prating Fool. One is a listener while the other loves to hear himself talk 8
7. Right Path/Wrong Path. One stands, the other falls. 9
8. Good Words/Bad Words. One builds, the other destroys. 11, 13
9. Love/Hate. One brings peace, one causes war. 12

Conclusion: The more lazy a person becomes, the more wicked his heart, words and actions. The more diligent a person is, the more he exhibits wisdom, character and is productive.

What type of person do we desire to be?

Make Wisdom Your Friend

Pro 8:36 But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.

Wisdom is the power to see and the inclination to choose the best and highest goal, together with the surest means of attaining it. J.I. Packer

The 8th chapter of Proverbs extols wisdom. Each and every verse sings her praises. She is superior to anything a person can hold in their hands. She is God's vessel of creation. She dances before the throne of the Almighty. She is ready and available in abundance to all seek her. There is a dearth of wisdom among men, through no fault of God or wisdom itself. Many are those who would pass by wisdom in favor of folly, foolishness and frivolity. Sad, for he that finds wisdom finds life and shall obtain the Lord's favor, vs 35.

Finally, we find this daunting promise in the last verse, he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.

It is difficult to understand why so many would make such a poor decision, other than the obvious, they don't fear the Lord, which is the beginning of wisdom.

An angel appears at a faculty meeting and tells the dean that in return for his unselfish and exemplary behavior, the Lord will reward him with his choice of infinite wealth, wisdom or beauty. Without hesitating, the dean selects infinite wisdom.
“Done!” says the angel, and disappears in a cloud of smoke and a bolt of lightning. Now, all heads turn toward the dean, who sits surrounded by a faint halo of light. At length, one of his colleagues whispers, “Say something.”
The dean looks at them and says, “I should have taken the money.”

The Young man and the Streetwalker

(Note: substitute for "young man" preacher, politician, husband, etc.)

Read Proverbs 7 and keep your Bible open.

Gov. Marc Sanford of S. Carolina is now fighting for his life, his career, his family and his reputation. Why? He couldn't keep his pants zipped when temptations came his way. One thing led to another, now he is a has been. He will never amount to a hill of beans as long as he lives. Same with Eliot Spitzer, John Edwards, Jimmy Swaggart, Jim Bakker, etc.

1. What are the temptations? Note: they are on every corner 12
*to not use wisdom 7
*to forget principles 1-5
*to go on the prowl 9 (police adage: "nothing good happens after midnight!")

2. What are the characteristics of this woman?
*flattery, subtlety - smooth talker 10 (14-21)
*indecent clothing 10
*loud and stubborn 11
*a woman of the streets 11-12
*no morals 13 (kissing leads to everything else)

3. What are the results of succumbing to this temptation?
*he yielded to temptation 21
*he became like an ox going to slaughter 22
*he became a fool 22
*he was the prey and got snared 23
*it was much more than a little fun, it was for his life 23 (Sin will take you farther than you wanted to go, keep you longer than you wanted to stay, and cost you more than you wanted to pay)
*even more, it was for his eternity 27

4. How could this young man have been wiser?
*could have stood on principle and kept his heart pure 25
*could have thought with his head, not his hormones 25 "decline"
*could have stayed away from a bad part of town 8, 25
*could have left at any time but instead was overcome with flattery and kisses
*could have realized how common and costly this kind of thing is 26

It is said that strong men can either be taken by fame, finances or females. Watch out for all three. Our society is saturated with the fascination for sexual pleasure but the cost attached to this sin is astronomical.

Ladies, exhibit godliness, good character, chastity and modesty.

Munching the Pachyderm.

Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. Mk 16:15

We just returned home from vacation. You know the old saying, “I need a vacation from my vacation!” Well, that’s certainly how I feel. When I returned, the reality hit me of a million things that need my attention. Youth camp is coming up, the church lawn is screaming for some attention, the people in the nursing homes are wondering why they haven’t been visited, different individuals are needing some serious shepherding, our yard has turned into Sherwood Forest, I am a bit behind in the production of our TV shows, my mother needs me to come and get her so she can move home, there is a wedding just around the corner, financial matters loom…on top of all that there are the regular things of the ministry like sermon preparation and so on. As I have often said in the past, I don’t know how people who have “real jobs” ever get anything done.

That’s where elephant eating comes into play. A native has just downed a few thousand pounds of mammoth meat and scratches his head, “how do I eat this elephant?” The answer has always been the same, “one bite at a time!”

And so, rather than being so overwhelmed with the tasks which loom heavily upon me, I will put one foot in front of another, relying on God’s unfailing grace, strength and wisdom. I will tackle one project at a time. What gets done, I will praise the Lord for as I check that item off the list. What doesn’t get done, oh well…

That brings me to the elephant of the ages, soul-winning and missions. There are about 6 billion souls out there without a Savior. Each needs to hear about the love of Christ for them and of His death on Calvary to save them. Somebody has to tell them and that somebody is me and that somebody is you. Truly, the task is daunting, the elephant is impossible, but we can do it, one bite (or one soul) at a time. Rather than shrinking from the task, let’s run to it. Let us lead a soul to the Lord today, another later this week, another next week, a couple next month. And, sure enough, by God’s unfailing grace, we can manage to munch the pachyderm.

The Wife and the Other Woman

Proverbs 5:18 Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth.
5:5 Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell.

Though it may seem that the grass is greener on the other side of the fence, there is no green grass in hell, not one blade. If God has given you a good spouse, seek nothing else. Be content. Make your marriage work. The alternative is unconsciable.

According to this chapter, here is what you get when you forsake your spouse for another:
1. Bitterness - 4
2. Stabbed - 4
3. Death - 5
4. Hell - 5
5. Uncertainty - 6
6. Lost Honor - 9
7. Grind - 9
8. Poverty - 10
9. Subjugation - 10
10. Great Sorrow - 11
11. Disease - 11
12. Regret - 12, 13
13. Shame - 14
14. God's Scorn - 21
15. Bound by Sin - 22
16. A Foolish and Bitter End - 23


But if a person makes things work in their own marriage, the benefits are:
1. Satisfaction - 15
2. Productivity - 16
3. Success - 17
4. Happiness - 18
5. Faithful Companionship - 18
6. Sexual Fulfillment - 19

So, as the writer of Proverbs says, "Drink waters out of thine own cistern."

A Parent's Primary Objective

Pro 3:1 My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:

There is no doubt we all have way too much to do. My intent is not to add to our mounting responsibilities, but rather to trim some of the excess.

Our kids need our instruction more than ever before. When we realize how absent we parents have become in the lives and especially the instruction of our young ones, there is no doubt that the chances of them developing quality character is diminished. This results in more work and greater grieve later on once they begin to stray from normative behavior. What can be done?

Realizing that television has become the number one educator of most children, and what a poor schoolmaster it is, we must cut down their time in front of the set and increase their time at the feet of dad, mom and especially, Jesus.

In the first verse of Proverbs 3, we find a godly parent giving instruction and godly principle to a son who is receptive and needful of the same.

Might I suggest each of us forgo one TV program per day, or one half hour of computer time and instead use it to instruct our most valuable resources and charges, our kids?

There is an abundance of material to use for this purpose, but since we are here in Proverbs, how about reading and expounding upon one chapter of the book per day?

As I observe the youth, even of our church, I see that there is a great need of
guidance, protection, direction and correction. I shudder to think of where many will end up if there is not parental intervention, and very soon. I also observe that there is no lack of love on the part of the parents, just a lack of the discipline it takes in some parents to see their children through to godly maturity. Time restraints, misplaced priorities, lack of knowledge and other difficulties keep them from performing their most important task, passing down the faith in bite sized morsels, causing the kids to assimilate the commandments of God in their young lives.

How about starting, or restarting a family devotional time today?
Additionally, don't miss out on those great teaching moments that arise during the course of the day, something that happened to the kids at play or at school could be the launching pad for a biblical character lesson.

May God bless you as you embark on this path of bringing up your precious little ones in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

Filled With Plenty

Pro 3:9, 10 Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:
So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.

God's math and my math are two very different things. My wife and I decided a long time ago to quit budgeting. I wouldn't suggest that for everyone trying to dig themselves out of debt. In fact, it goes against what all good Christian financial counselors (and others) teach. On paper, it really just doesn't make sense that we could survive and thrive the way we have through God's blessings. But He doesn't seem to be in the "sense-making" mode.

What we have experienced is mind-boggling. The more we give to the Lord, the more we get back. So we give more and we get back more! It kind of goes like this, we give to get to give to get to give. It is true what they say, you just cannot out-give the Lord!

We have experienced some real financial crunches over the past few years, mainly over hospital visits and home buying and selling. Yet, we have done our best to always be faithful to the Lord in tithing and missions giving. Not only has He brought us through, but He has allowed us to flourish. Our latest slump is due to trying to help out a loved one, which has really caused the screws to be tightened. Yet, God is faithful to His promise of verses 9 and 10.

Some have questioned, If the Lord gave you ten times the amount you tithed, what would be your income? Well, let's just say that the IRS would be licking their chops as they reviewed our financial files. We could probably send Michelle and her husband on a date to NYC for pizza and a Broadway show!

Friend, I can't tell you all the “hows” of it, I can only tell you that God keeps His promises. If we will honor Him, first and foremost, with our substance, our barns (bank accounts) will be filled with plenty and our presses will burst out with new wine (Diet Coke!)

I encourage you, give to missions, help the needy, and especially, tithe to your local Bible-believing church! You will not go wrong. Be involved in the new math, God's ledger.