Blogging the Bible

A woman/wife, who can find? Chapter 31 is an amazing profile of a godly woman. Most interesting is that she is described as a shrewd business person, a physically strong person, a generous person, a wise and kind teacher, besides managing the household. This is how the bible describes a godly woman who fears the Lord. There are Christian groups that insist that a godly wife and mother will stay at home and not “work outside of the home.” The bible does not make this distinction. It is a creation of modern western life–actually largely made possible by the post WWII boom that dramatically increased wages and allowed mothers the choice to stay at home. Even in early American history few families could afford to have the mother staying at home with the children. And if she was staying home she was working the fields (with the baby or child tied to her back or sitting close by) or gathering wood and various other necessary household tasks. Often the children did not “stay at home” either. When they were old enough (9 or 10!) they frequently were hired out to other families to help care for smaller children or do small household tasks. For the average American rural family to make ends meet, it required everyone to particate in providing for the family. The single income family, except for the very rich, is a rather new creation. Consequently much of the more recent Christian interpretation of what is the proper role of a wife and a mother do not come from the biblical record but from individual historical experience.

The best part of this final proverb is the teaching about beauty and charm. These are nothing compared to fear of the Lord. True praise is due for the woman who fears the Lord, not for the woman who is charming and beautiful. This is another case of the biblical values being diametrically opposed to the world’s values. In the world, beauty is everything and charm applauded. Not in God’s economy. It is great to know that ultimately women will be judged by God’s values and not the world’s. Charm is decietful and beauty vain, but the woman who fears the Lord will be rewarded with the praise of her family and the praise of her God.

This is the final blog in a year long journey many of us have been on together. It has been an amazing experience to read through the bible together. It is amazng that a collection of writings so varied in style and author and from various periods in human history can all speak so relevantly to the current human experience. This is one of the major signs that it is no ordinary book. It is God-breathed in the sense that it communicates truth that transcends place and time. Truth that could only come from an all-knowing God. It is sharp and powerful and always accomplishes its purpose which is to reveal to human kind who God is and who we are as God’s created persons and how we are to live in light of this knowing. My hope and prayer is that many will continue to read, over and over again, so that the word of God may dwell in us richly and may equip us for a way of life that is pleasing to God and reconcling of the world to God. To God be the glory, now and forever, Amen.

Day 365: Proverbs 30

According to proverbs chapter 30, the best advice any wise man/woman can give you, is to realize that every word of God is reliable. The other thing is that when you put your trust in God you will find that he is like a shield in any circumstance or challenge of life (30: 5)

If you can ask God anything, what would you ask? Certainly it is a challenge because we normally have a lot of things we want to take care of. How about asking to be an honest and reliable person? There are more people asking for material blessings and human accomplishments than for a good character.

How about asking for God’s provision rather than for our success? Who am I living for? If I am living for the glory of God, everything I will ask will be to please him, but if am living for my ego then everything will be about me.

It is very interesting that the author asked for two specific blessings that we really need to take in consideration, let’s listen to his words:

“Two things I ask for you; do not deny them to me before I die: remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that I need, or I shall be full, and deny you, and say who is the Lord? Or I shall be poor and steal, and profane the name of my God” (30: 7-9)

How many things would you ask? And what are you going to ask?  God will be waiting for your request, just make sure you ask for the right thing.

Two times this chapter of proverbs speaks about anger. Verse 11 says that a person who vents their anger is a fool as opposed to the wise person who keeps themselves under control. Then verse 22 says that an angry person stirs up dissention and a hot-tempered person commits many sins.

Our culture is one characterized by a lack of self-control and angry outbursts. Road rage is an excellent example of this. In recent years people have been killed for accidently cutting off another driver or for taking a parking place. Young people will pull out guns and shoot them at other young people over common everyday difficulties. Our fuses are very short. Though most of us will not take out a gun and shoot someone, we often open our mouths and our words are like bullets. (See blog from two days ago.)

It is only with the help of God and his Spirit living in us that we can learn the self-control that is necessary to please God and to treat our neighbors with graciousness and kindness.

There is a good deal in this chapter about the poor again. The ruler who oppresses the poor is like a driving rain that ruins the crops. This is interesting! It implies that oppression of the poor leads to deprivation of all. A poor man who lives right is better off than a rich man who lives wrong. Hard for us to believe this! But the scripture says it is true. And though such a rich man may prosper for a time, we know that in the end when God reveals his righteousness, they will receive the fruit of their perversity. Earthly riches do not follow us into eternity. Only that which is done for the Lord and pleasing to the Lord will last.

Verse 27 says that whoever gives to the poor will lack nothing and the person who “closes their eyes” to the poor will be cursed. Not too ambiguous! Though the proverbs do also speak of the wicked poor and the righteous rich, it is the exception, not the rule. The rule is that most often riches lead to pride and unrighteousness and poverty most often causes people to depend on the Lord and trust him for their reward.

More important the consistentmessage of the proverbs is that TRUE riches are not a result of how much money we have or how many possessions we hold. True riches are the product of being in a right relationship with our Creator and living according to that Creator’s wisdom.

Two proverbs standout for me in this chapter. Perhaps because I need to attend to them more!

The first is verse 2. Praise,when it is about me, in order to be valid, ought to come from someone else’s lips, not my own. When I praise myself it is boasting, it is not praise. And it actually robs another of the chance to praise me. If I say it myself, there is no need for another to say anything. Authentic praise comes from others observing and listening and desiring to express appreciation. When we express appreciation for ourselves it is arrogance! I can be proud of what I have done and know that I have done well and that God is pleased by what I have done. But the proverbs says not to use our own mouth and lips to speak highly of ourselves.

The second proverb that is related, is verses 5 and 6. Praise from strangers is cheap. People that we do not now and that do not really know us can give all sorts of praise. Without relationship, such praise is cheap. But a friend–someone who is with us through thick and thin, good times and bad–is in a position to rebuke us–to correct us when we are wrong. The proverbs says this is more valuable than the praise of a stranger. This is because it is connected to a relationship that knows and understand who we really are. It may hurt–wound us–but it is meant for our good, whereas a stranger’s might feel good, but it lacks credibility because there is no depth to the relationship. A stranger may catch us at our best and be impressed. A friend is with us at our worst and remains committed.

This is not a license to criticize at will. It is encouragement to be honest with our friends–to praise them when we can, and to admonish them when we need to.

Only five more days of our reading through the bible. Can you believe it has been a year? Many have kept up with the reading and will complete their read through the bible in five days. Many others have not completed reading through the bible but they have been faithfully reading at a slower pace. Both groups of people will be blessed for their faithfulness in exposing themselves to God’s Word on a regular basis.

The 26th chapter of Proverbs focuses on the fool…again! A very dominant theme of the proverbs returns. But I want to focus on verse 18 which talks about something that I have experienced often and probably have been guilty of on occasion. It says, “like a madman shooting firebrands or deadly arrows is a man who deceive his neighbor and says, “I was only joking.”

I was just talking about this with a colleague today. Humor is often used as a cover for criticism and ungraciousness. Someone says or does something and another person will say something “funny” in response to it. Then, if the reaction is negative, they can say, “just kidding.” The truth is they were NOT kidding. They were using humor to say something indirectly that they do not have the courage to say directly or they know it is not kind or gracious and so they mask their unkindness with humor. Humor can be healing or it can cut to the bone. The prioverbs say that a person who uses humor in such a way is deceitful and is like a person shooting arrows tipped with fire. They are very destructive to whatever the target. This is a form of sarcasm but when used with a twist of humor it is provides an “out” for the person speaking. Humor can be used to help a person feel part of the group and included or it can be used for the exact opposite–to make them feel embarassed and excluded. This is why the writer of proverbs likens it to fire tipped arrows that could set a whole village on fire. The person may be a “wise-guy” but definetly not wise, according to the proverbs. This person is a fool.

We need to learn to speak the truth in love if we have a criticism and to use humor only when the purpose is truly to bring joy to another person’s life.

Kings are called to be in touch with reality. God’s glory is “to conceal things, but kings is to search things out”(25: 2) A good king is the one who is searching out to know the reality of his people. Also a good king is one who look for  proper advice to lead his people in righteousness.(25:4-5)

we are not kings, but are leaders in different areas in our society. we are parents, husbands or wives, teachers ,pastors, business people, etc. Our duty is to be informed about the reality of our people and strive for the proper advice to help and encourage them.

The other thing that called my attention in this chapter is the advice of how to deal with our enemies.Revange is not recomended, but compassion. Compassion expressed by deeds not by words. The writer says: “If your enemies are hungry, give them bread to eat; and if they are thirsty, give them water to drink; for you will heap coals of fire on their heads, and the Lord will reward you” (25:21-22

Our call is a call of compassion not of revenge. So make sure that when your enemies stumble you can bless them, not curse them.

There is not a single thing where we do not need wisdom.  To build a house, to lead a country, or to fight a war.According to the writer, only foolish people try to do things without help, he actualy says: “For by wise guidance you can wage your war, and in the abundance of counselors there is victory” (24:6)

Wisdom is also the result of listening to others. There are people who have been dealing with our same problems or challenges, they already learned what to do and what not to do, it will be great if we can listen to their stories. Apostle paul says: “Blessed be the God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all consolations, who consoles us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to console those who are in any affliction with the consolation with which we oouselves are consoled by God” (2 Corinthians 1: 3-4)

Are you telling other people about God’s consolation to your life? How willing are you to listen or ask others for advice? There are many people who are discouraged because of the challenges they are facing, but things could be diferent if we are willing to talk about what God has done in our lives.

Remember what you are living right now it is a training to help other people in the future!!

Who are my friends? That is a question that some people do not ask themselves to often. This proverb is about our relationships in our society.  It talks about the way we suppose to deal with others, especially people that we think are important or influential.

This is a very important subject because there are people who are willing to do whatever it takes to be involved with important persons. They also want to be  VIP, so they invest time, money, energy etc to eat  or espent time with them. The advice is”do not do it”, especially if they are sinners. This is what the writer says: “Do not let your heart envy sinners,but always continue in the fear of the Lord. Surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off” ( 23: 17-18)

Hope in the Lord is what will help us to build our relationships in harmony with the plan God has for all of us.  We really have to believe that God is taking care of us, otherwise any option that come across our way will be a potential opportunity to associate ourselves with the wrong person or wrong choice.

Once again we are reminded to: “Buy truth, and do not sell it; buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding” (23: 23) in other words pay the price of living according to God’s word and he will give you the blessings that you are striving for according to his will.

For Sunday October 21—only 9 days left in our reading through the bible!

Proverbs 22 has one of the most famous proverbs of all. Verse six says, “Train up a child in the right way and when they are old, they will not stray.” Another translation says “Train up a child in the wayhe should go.” The implication is that a child is to be trained up according to that child’s God given way to go. Certain child training principles apply to all children–respect your elders, for instance. But other training is unique to each child depending on their temperament and personality and abilities or disabilities.

To train up a child in the way “they should go” means that a parent or guardian will need to prayerful discern where God is leading the child and what is the right way for that child to go. This is harder work than just making decisions about what to allow a child to do or not to do. It requires careful observation and prayerful engagment to know the heart of a child and to discern what God has in mind for that child.

The other truth of this proverb is often misunderstand. The proverb does not promise that a child will always go the right way. It promises that if we train up a child in the right way, when they are OLD they will not stray. A child who knows what is right can choose to do what is wrong. They can rebel and stray far from the right way. It takes patience and a deep and abiding trust in the Lord to wait and believe that they will return. And this is what the proverb promises. A child rightly trained will eventually return to the right way and then will not depart again. Sometimes the child goes away for a few months or a few years. Unfortunately, sometimes the child goes away for a significant chunk of their life. But, if they were trained in the right way, the promise is that they will return. This is great comfort to those parents with stray children. Sometimes the pain and suffering they experience is what brings them back and makes them even more committed to the right way! God works all things together for good! Teach children God’s way for them and eventually they will find it and live it!