The Role of a Ruler

For Friday, April 18, 2008
Proverbs 31:1-9

The words of King Lemuel. An oracle that his mother taught him:
2 What are you doing, my son? What are you doing, son of my womb?
What are you doing, son of my vows?
3 Do not give your strength to women,
your ways to those who destroy kings.
4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel,
it is not for kings to drink wine,
or for rulers to take strong drink,
5 lest they drink and forget what has been decreed
and pervert the rights of all the afflicted.
6 Give strong drink to the one who is perishing,
and wine to those in bitter distress;
7 let them drink and forget their poverty
and remember their misery no more.
8 Open your mouth for the mute,
for the rights of all who are destitute.
9 Open your mouth, judge righteously,
defend the rights of the poor and needy.

A ruler is placed in his position for the purpose of serving those under him, judging rigtheously, and defending the rights of everyone, especially those who are vulnerable to oppression. As such, he is to see his advantageous position of power and wealth as a responsibility to all the more act soberly and maintain integrity, both of which these very possessions dangerously tempt him to lose.

Power corrupts. It leads to arrogance. It takes the powerful man and breaks him so that he has no power to control his sin and folly. The same is true with wealth. It also corrupts him, weakening his moral resolve. It attracts leeches who gather around to suck his money and favor. And when the two are combined in the life of a ruler, the results can be devastating for himself and all who are under him.

Note the two likely temptations - drink and sex. The ruler with power and wealth can have as much drink and sex as he likes. Indeed, he not only has to restrain his own lusts, but he has to resist those who would try to foist these things upon him. For they desire to see him give way because of the advantages they receive - namely, to get his money and his favors.

The ruler - and the ruler may be a government official or a boss or some other kind of leader - must keep before him the high responsibility of his position. It is for doing good, not for gaining personal advantage. The one who understands his purpose and keeps to it is one who obtains nobility. The one who gives into the lusts his position can afford becomes a slave to others and a tyrant over those whom he should be serving.

Give thanks for our Ruler Jesus Christ who resisted all temptation and kept his eyes on the purpose of his calling.

Pressing Anger

For Thursday, April 17, 2008
Proverbs 30:32-33

If you have been foolish, exalting yourself,
or if you have been devising evil,
put your hand on your mouth.
For pressing milk produces curds,
pressing the nose produces book,
and pressing anger produces strife.

The surest mark of a fool is his boasting. He betrays his folly and his ego through exalting himself - exaggerating his deeds, putting himself above others, drawing attention to himself, delighting in the abasing of others, such is folly and evil. The remedy for such boorish behavior is to stop speaking. It is better to be silent than to reveal one's foolishness; it is better to hold one's tongue than to use it to produce strife, which is the point of verse 33.

The effect of such speech is compared to the act of physical "pressing." Such pressure on an object forces it into another mode. Pressing milk through a strainer produces curds. We may think such pressure, then, to be good, but the image of pressing the nose reminds us of the negative point.

Walk into a room where there is already some tension. Begin to boast. The result will be anger pressed into outward strife. The will be anger expressed against you; anger against others in the room; anger against whatever seems to be a cause for grievance.

In life, there is always an element of tension, however happy the occasion may be. We are sinners, and so there is always in us a readiness to be angry. Sin is all about us and has impacted us, and so there is always a cause to get angry. Anyone can mar a happy occasion, and the easiest manner is to exalt oneself as the expense of another. Someone will get offended. Someone will make a remark or express a facial disapproval. The boasting will press inner anger so that it comes out in strife. All the reason then to control one's tongue. It is better not to be thought of than to receive such attention that produces strife.

The Noble

For Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Proverbs 30:29-31

29 Three things are stately in their tread;
four are stately in their stride:
30 the lion, which is mightiest among beasts
and does not turn back before any;
31 the strutting rooster, the he-goat,
and a king whose army is with him.

They feel a sense of nobility who feel confident in their position. The lion, by virtue of his strength and size; the rooster who protects his hens; the he-goat who heads the rest of the flock; and the king who possesses might - each of these carry with them a sense of nobleness which comes from their sense of confidence or security. And that noble bearing has the added effect of increasing their courage so that when a threat comes upon them, they will defend the den, territory, or home for which they are responsible.

These examples before us are not viewed for their aggressiveness. Even the lion is not depicted as an aggressor but as one who will "not turn back from any" who threatens. He is king wherever he walks, not fearing an attack. Likewise a king with his army. He need not fear. Rather, he and the lion and the rooster and the he-goat may be attentive to their responsibility to watch over and protect those under them.

Thus, they do not walk about in a hulking manner, trying to intimidate anyone they meet. They are not bullies who feel that they have something to prove or who are mean-spirited. They are strong, but strong with the knowledge of their responsibility. That is what makes them noble even if they are no more than a rooster or a goat.

And you? Does responsibility ennoble you or debilitate you? Does power fill you with a sense of responsibility to exercise it wise and for good purpose, or does it lessen your sense to care for the weak and any under your authority? Whether you are a mighty lion or a strutting rooster, a king with an army or a he-goat with a flock, it is the spirit of your inner being that ultimately determines whether your outward bearing is noble or ignoble.

Small and Yet...

For Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Proverbs 30:24-28

24 Four things on earth are small,
but they are exceedingly wise:
25 the ants are a people not strong,
yet they provide their food in the summer;
26 the rock badgers are a people not mighty,
yet they make their homes in the cliffs;
27 the locusts have no king,
yet all of them march in rank;
28 the lizard you can take in your hands,
yet it is in kings’ palaces.

Observe nature and learn. We are quick to blame our failure to succeed on a "defect" that gives us decided disadvantage. "I am too small to go against big opponents." "I am not strong enough for the work." "I am not smart enough; I don't have the education needed."

The examples given from nature in this proverb all have disadvantages. They are small and thus could not survive a fight with a larger opponent. They are weak and could not lift heavy objects. But where they are "small" in comparison to other creatures and weak in comparison to the task required, they are nevertheless wise to overcome their supposed weakness, even to turn their weakness into their strength.

The ant and the locust are wise enough to work as a group so that the ant more than provides for himself, and the locust becomes even a fearful adversary. The rock badger, as small as he may be, uses his size and ability to dwell in impregnable fortresses in the clifts. The tiny lizard who is regarded as common and unclean is able to live in palaces precisely because of his size.

Even in sports, where talent is matched against talent, the less talented athlete often emerges as victor because he uses his wits to outsmart his competitor, even to make the competitors greater talent a liability.

The battle belongs not so much to the strong but to the wise and to the great of heart. Determination, matched with wit, is powerful in both the large and the small. Do not let your "small defect" determine what you can and cannot do. Do not be quick to give in to your weakness. Turn, rather, to the strengths you have. You do not know what they are? Then use your wit to find out. You have more wisdom than you know. All you need to do is observe. Observe nature; observe what goes on about you; observe yourself. It will not be long before you learn and profit from what you see.