Sluggards

For Friday, February 10, 2006
Proverbs 15:19

The way of a sluggard is like a hedge of thorns,
but the path of the upright is a level highway.

For a lazy person there always seems some kind of obstacle to prevent him from making progress. He is an "unlucky" person. For some reason he can't get ahead. Each job he takes, for some reason he gets an unreasonable boss or works with people hard to get along with. If he is a student, his teachers are too demanding and unfair. He would exercise but his schedule keeps him from it. Someday he is going to consider religion but there is too much going on right now to give it proper time.

For the upright, however, progress seems smoother. To the sluggard, the upright gets the lucky breaks or plays up to their bosses or teachers. It does not occur to him that they conscientious commitment to abiding by the rules, making no excuses, taking pride in doing good work, and so on are the real reasons for their progress. Nor does it occur to the sluggard that for the upright such behavior is a matter of ethics. That is why the proverb contrasts the sluggard, not with the energetic but the upright.

The upright will seem more energetic because they do more work. But they are motivated, not so much by the need to get ahead, but by the desire to do what is right before the Lord. They want to please him as their Master. That is why they can work under unfair teachers and overdemanding bosses; why they can work along disgruntled workers. Unlike the sluggard who looks for circumstances to excuse him from progressing, the upright does not let circumstances be the deciding factor for doing quality work. Because his or her relationship with God remains the same in Christ, it is that relationship, not changing circumstances that moves him/her along.

Hot-Tempered

For Thursday, February 9, 2006
Proverbs 15:18

A hot-tempered man stirs up strife,
but he who is slow to anger quiets contention.

Note the opposite effects each man has. The hot-tempered man stirs up strife. Have you ever been in a Bible study where the discussion has been interesting and then, by the way one person interjects his opinions, an argument ensues? A hot-tempered man stirs up strife when there has been no tension present. On the other hand, the one slow to anger is able to quiet contention. Not only does he not promote strife; he is able to quell it.

Which are you? Do you have a history of losing your cool? Do you "set people off" by the way you speak? Do people have to be careful what they say around you because they don't know how strongly you are going to react? Most hot-tempered people know that they are that way. But instead of dealing with it, they seem resigned to it and accept that they are going to cause casualties. But that is sin. We do not have the right before God to accept our anger.

If this is your case, please do something about it. Get help. Anger is not something that a person handles on his own. Explore why you have trouble with anger. Learn techniques to control your anger. The trouble of hot-tempered people is not that they have no sense of self-control, but that they don't exercise control over that one area.

Finally, quit acting as though you must prove yourself. So much anger is the result of thinking that someone is against us and we must exert ourselves in defense. If you are in Christ, understand that God is not against you. Christ has reconciled you to God. And if you are reconciled to him, and if you believe that he is sovereign over your life, there is no reason for remaining hot-tempered. The peace of Christ is with you and in you. And if you are born of God in Christ, it is peace, not anger, that should be manifested in you.

A Good Meal

For Wednesday, February 8, 2006
Proverbs 15:17

Better is a dinner of herbs where love is
than a fattened ox and hatred with it.

The message of the proverb is that love is supreme over wealth. Better to only afford a skimpy diet than to dine luxurously if love comes with the former and hatred with the latter.

This proverb can also teach us an important lesson about hospitality. True hospitality is not the ability to prepare sumptious meals for guests; it is the ability to provide an environment in which the guests feel that warmth and peace is present. It is not uncommon for parties and celebrations to be tense because the anxiety of the hosts, an anxiety brought on by the preparation and worries about everything "going right." It is better to have a host who enjoys his guests than one who worries over them.

How wonderful it is for us to have a Host who enjoys us and provides a banquet overflowing with delicious food. Our Lord makes our cups overflow. But just as a feast can be spoiled by an anxious host, so it can be dampened by overanxious guests who refuse to be at ease. Our Lord invites us to his table every day to enjoy the blessings of his grace, and yet we so often bring to the table the worries and strife that beset us, either because we refuse to let them go or we can't believe that we are allowed to let them go.

Today, your Lord has prepared a feast of his grace, mercy, and love. He knows that you are not dressed as well as you should be; he knows the baggage you bring with you. All the more, he wants you to take his robe of righteousness and even of blessing; he wants to take away the load of your baggage. Don't go through this day missing his feast, but enjoy the fattened ox that is served with love.

True Wealth

For Tuesday, February 7, 2006
Proverbs 15:16

Better is a little with the fear of the Lord
than great treasure and trouble with it.

In truth, the one who fears the Lord is the one who is wealthy, and the one without such fear is impoverished. To truly fear the Lord is to believe in Christ; to believe in Christ is to be born of God, adopted as his child, made an heir of the glories of God's kingdom. It is to possess an inheritance that "is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven" (1 Peter 1:4) for the possessor. It is to be reconciled with your Maker; it is to be relieved of the burden of guilt; it is to be set free from the bondage of sin; it is to experience the full love of God. Will I trade having a nice car and a large bank deposit for such riches? Does not the very question sound absurd?

And yet we Christians often act as though these riches are not enough. Our attitude is "That's nice, God, but what would really make me happy is _______." The treasure of material prosperity is never secure. The wealthiest persons have lost their riches. Material prosperity brings with it the ever constant need to guard that prosperity, to protect from thieves, to withstand competitors. But more to the point is that it cannot bring peace, happiness, or true fulfillment. The wealthy have all the emotional troubles of the poor; indeed, their wealth can produce troubles in their families and other relationships. Their wealth can create stress.

But worse, wealth can create blindness and a false sense of security. It can dullen the soul, making it seem that peace exists through material security and luxury. It can make the possessor addicted to it, so that he will trade his soul for physical pleasure and security. He is impoverished indeed who holds on to what he cannot keep and gives up what would have given eternal joy and peace.

Dealing with Affliction

For Monday, February 6, 2006
Proverbs 15:15

All the days of the afflicted are evil,
but the cheerful of heart has a continual feast.

It seems here that the proverb is not contrasting those who are afflicted and those who have good things happening to them; rather, it is between those who live feeling afflicted and those who live counting their blessings. Sometimes the deeper philosophy lies in what seems fanciful.

Every life has its share of affliction and blessings. The question for us is which of the two we will focus on. Though some people do live under worse afflictions than others, I've never been able to detect a pattern among people in general that connects the amount of suffering with a person's outlook on life. I've seen people mortally ill in great pain who are cheerful and thankful to God; and I've seen people in good health with much going for them and yet are continually downcast.
For most of these people, their unhappiness and happiness are choices they have made. For some, depression has become an affliction itself, unexplainable even to them. Even so, the decision to deal with depression becomes a choice to make. One must choose to get the help needed. You may not be able to choose what feelings you have, but you can choose what feelings you should have and take steps toward achieving them.

The Bible says "in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God" (Philippians 4:6). Whatever our prayer, start with thanksgiving. That alone will help orient our thoughts and feelings, as we recall before God his goodness to us. If we are in Christ, we should daily give thanks for our salvation, remembering this gift that is above all afflictions we might endure in this life. Thus Paul, who could claim the prize of most afflicted, could write, "this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison" (2 Corinthians 4:17).