July 18, 2020
GOD IS DEBTOR TO THE ONE WHO GIVES TO THE POOR This is an astounding proverb! God willingly makes Himself a debtor to the one who shows pity on the poor, giving to them. Someone may hesitate to give to a poor person, but who would not lend to the Lord? Surely the One who
July 10, 2020
WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS The first part of this proverb applies the law of reciprocity to friendship. The law of reciprocity says that you reap what you sow. Therefore, if you want friends, be friendly. Sow friendship, reap friends. However, the final line of the proverb, if taken in contrast, might
July 9, 2020
THE DIVINE FAVOR FOUND IN A GODLY MARRIAGE Marriage was God’s idea. It is not a mere social construct, but a Divine creation. It is God’s provision for man’s need for companionship and oneness. This oneness is three-dimensional, involving the physical, the soul and the spirit. It is also God’s plan for having children and
June 10, 2020
SILVER HAIR IS NO CROWN WITHOUT RIGHTEOUSNESS Solomon wrote during an age when elders were honored and silver hair was considered a crown. But Solomon made clear that age alone was not sufficient for such glory. For without righteousness, the elderly are perhaps even more “laden with iniquity” (Gill) than the young. For they have
June 8, 2020
HUNGER CAN BE A BLESSING A wise observation by King Solomon: Hunger motivates work. In other words, hunger can act as an incentive for one to labor for himself. Self-employment is hard, but often the most rewarding, for both the stomach and for one’s self-respect. Of course, the opposite must also be true: Full stomachs
May 29, 2020
MAKING PLANS DURING A TIME LIKE THIS There is no biblical prohibition against making plans. There is wisdom in planning for the future. Yet, it is foolish to leave the Lord out of our planning for God is the one who holds the future. So, ask for God’s wisdom when making plans. Seek godly counsel.
May 17, 2020
LOVE MAKES THE MEAL When there is no love in the home no amount of food or furnishing can compensate. Without love, a rich banquet is dry and tasteless. Without love, the steak is too tough and the bread, too hard. But with love, the simplest fare is life-giving. Everything tastes better with love.
April 28, 2020
BE CAREFUL WHEN SAYING ‘I KNOW HOW YOU FEEL’ John Donne wrote that “no man is an island,” illustrating his conviction that we should recognize the unity and commonality of all humanity. Yet, the Proverb teaches that there is within a man that which cannot be fully shared nor understood by another. For the depth
April 9, 2020
THE POWER OF A GOOD WORD Are your words a pressure cooker or a pressure release for others? When you see someone struggling with anxiety, do they need something more to worry about? Or do they need a “good word” that lifts them up? Consider how people perceive you. When they see you coming, what
March 23, 2020
THE RICH AND GENEROUS LIFE OF THE OPEN HAND God’s Word promises that the one who is generous will be made rich. The promise is further illustrated by the phrase, “he who waters will also be watered himself.” Perhaps Solomon was sitting near the Jordan River when he wrote this proverb. As the snow melted