Tag Archives: spirituality
Proverbs 15:4
“A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit.”
“The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.” – NIV
Healing Words
There are so many people in this world who are sick and suffering. Their suffering is not physical, necessarily, but emotional and spiritual. The world is full of down and discouraged men and women, but a word of comfort spoken with kindness can be like life-giving medicine.
A wholesome tongue, or a tongue that brings healing, is compared to a life-giving tree. Wholesome, nurturing, healthy words are like food for the soul; food that is found on a tree with roots that run deep, all the way down to the Water of life.
The unattractive need to hear that they are beautiful in God’s eyes. The broken hearted need to hear that there is One who understands and can make all things new. The lonely need to hear that they don’t have to be alone, but that there is One who will always walk beside them, even unto the end of the world. These people need healing words.
Perverse Words
What are “perverse” words? The husband who says to his wife, “You looked better when I married you.” The mother who says, “You’ll never amount to anything.” The friend who says, “Get over it! Just move on with your life.”
Perverse words bring no healing, only destruction. They are like a “breach in the spirit,” says Proverbs. In other words, they are like a crack in a dam which leads to total collapse. They are spoken by fools imitating the wise, and they are nothing but worthless.
“Hard words indeed break no bones, but many a heart has been broken by them.” – Matthew Henry
Words of Life
How can we speak words that resemble a tree of life? Be led by the Spirit of God, and let His words speak through us. A tongue that is guided by the Spirit will bring comfort to the hurting and healing to the wounded.
We must be more like Jesus in your actions. We must lead people to Him as we love as He loved. Speak truth, but encourage; discipline, but build up, and then you will see that “tree of life” bear fruit.
- Fire Words (proverbialthought.com)
- Speech: The Overflow of the Heart (raymondjclements.wordpress.com)
- Proverbs 15-17 (mybiblereadingplan.wordpress.com)
1 Comment | tags: Christianity, deceitful tongue, lonely need, Religion, spirituality | posted in advice, conversation/speech, counsel
Proverbs 14:7
“Go from the presence of a foolish man, when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge.”
Product Labels
Some proverbs, such as this one, are pretty simple and straightforward. But on the other hand, as some product warning labels make abundantly clear, what should be obvious to most needs to be spelled out to others. Here are some examples:
- “Don’t drive with shade in place” (warning on inside of cardboard sunscreen).
- “Not for drying pets” (warning for microwave).
- “Surface may be hot when turned on” (stove instruction manual).
- “May cause a fire” (warning on box of matches).
If there were no stupid people in the world, the above warnings would be unnecessary. However, I am sure there have been people amazed when their hands were burned on a stove eye or by a match. I am positive that someone tried to sue a company because the microwave killed her wet cat.
Stupid People
In this proverb God has placed a warning label on stupid people. Yes, I said “stupid” people, for that is what the word translated “foolish” (סִיל – kesil) actually implies.[1] The Lord wants us to know that it is not good to just stand and listen to what fools have to say, especially when you realize that what they are saying is void of any knowledge.
So, to put this proverb another way, “When you find yourself in the presence of a stupid idiot, don’t bother listening to what he has to say; walk away.”
Now, it may seem ridiculous to make such a statement, but consider why it is important to not listen to what a fool has to say:
- A fool does not accept instruction, so arguing with him is pointless.
- A fool would love to frustrate you and make you angry as you try to argue your point.
- If you listen to a fool long enough you might begin to believe the stupidity he preaches.
A Prayer
Lord, we need wisdom to be discerning. Help us to recognize those who lack words of knowledge. Help us to know when to contend and when to walk away. Help us to know the difference between a fool and someone who is open to the truth.
5 Comments | tags: devotionals, Folklore, Proverbs and Sayings, Religion, spirituality, Stupidity, theology, Warning Labels | posted in advice, conversation/speech, counsel, Fools, Knowledge, Warnings
Proverbs 13:23
“Much food is in the tillage of the poor: but there is that is destroyed for want of judgment.”
“A poor man’s field may produce abundant food, but injustice sweeps it away.” NIV
We Complain
Many times we complain about what we don’t have rather than thank God for what we do have. Have you ever complained about how small your house is, how old your car is, or how out of style your clothes are? Sure you have. And you know, of course, that there are plenty of people out there who don’t even have a roof to sleep under, much less a new car or stylish clothes.
It might be a shock to you, but even pastors (ministers, preachers, bishops) have times when they complain about the “field” they are called to plow. I have done it. I even did it today, right before I read Proverbs 13:23.
We Whine
Today we had a death in our church. The loss of this key member has been a blow to all of our congregation. And being that our numbers are small, the loss of any member is painful, especially when growth has been extremely slow.
At one point I began to feel anxious. I asked God, “How can we grow a church if our younger adults start dying?” I thought to myself, “If we lose many more, we won’t be able to pay our utility bills, not to mention the little I get to feed my family.” For a moment I considered this field too small for even a minimal harvest.
No Excuses
Then I read this proverb. Then I read what the wise Matthew Henry had to say. Then I felt ashamed.
See…[how] a small estate may be improved by industry, so that a man, by making the best of every thing, may live comfortably upon it: Much food is in the tillage of the poor, the poor farmers, that have but a little, but take pains with that little and husband it well. Many make it an excuse for their idleness that they have but a little to work on, a very little to be doing with; but the less compass the field is of the more let the skill and labour of the owner be employed about it, and it will turn to a very good account. Let him dig, and he needs not beg.[1]
Sounds like I need to just get back out in the field and turn the soil, doesn’t it? A small field can be full of produce if worked well and wisely. It is those who complain that let a harvest waste away.
Like the old song says, “Little is much when God is in it...”
Dear Heavenly Father, strengthen our hands and energize our hearts for the work. The fields are truly white unto harvest, so who are we kidding? We just need to work a little harder to bring it in.
[1] Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible: Complete and Unabridged in One Volume (Peabody: Hendrickson, 1994), Pr 13:23.
Leave a comment | tags: Book of Proverbs, farming, fields, harvest, Matthew Henry, Religion, spirituality, stylish clothes, Wisdom, Work | posted in contentment, Work
Proverbs 13:18
“Poverty and shame shall be to him that refuseth instruction: but he that regardeth reproof shall be honoured.”
Cracker Jack Boxes
Years ago I had a great sales manager, Dennis Vauvrunek. He was great because he was a servant leader; because he was an encourager; and because he tried to bring out the best in his people.
Dennis knew that sales people are competitive by nature. So, in order to showcase the person with the highest numbers each week, he gave away an award – a box of Cracker Jacks.
Now, this was not just any box of Cracker Jacks, but one that had printed on the front the name of the winner and the dollar amount sold. It was amazing how much harder some of us would work when we though someone else might get the box. Sometimes getting that box was more important than a paycheck.
Honor and Reproof
The key to the success of the Cracker Jack box was the natural desire to be honored. The one who received it was considered the “best of the best”…a “go-getter,”…a winner.
But success in any field does not come by accident. Hours and hours of instruction, hands-on training, and learning from one’s mistakes were a prerequisite to being successful. The winners of Cracker Jack boxes were men and women who had been humble enough to accept reproof.
Poverty and Shame
Those who never accept instruction, much less reproof, are usually destined for poverty. Poverty and shame are the wages of pride.
When the industry I was in was active, I made really good money. But making a good living came as the result of dedicated, systematic, hard work. When I trained others to do what I did, I would show them exactly what was needed to be successful. All they had to do was follow my instructions. Those who didn’t went broke. Those who wouldn’t take advice never met their quotas. It didn’t take long before they were gone.
Your Name on a Box
Do you want to succeed in a particular area of life? Do you want to provide for yourself and your family? There is a price to pay. You must be humble.
1 Peter 5:5-6 – “Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time.“
What kind of box do you want?
Leave a comment | tags: Cracker Jack, Finances, Poverty, Proverbs and Sayings, Religion, Snacks, spirituality, Wisdom | posted in advice, Giving Honor, Money and Finances, pride/humility, Work
Proverbs 8:18-19
“Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness. My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver.”
A Tear
As I was reaching up to type these words, I wiped a tear from the table in front of me. The odd thing about it was that I had to stop and think what it was. Evidently, it had been a while since I last saw one drop.
I am sure there will be more. And really, that’s a good thing.
Tears are valuable. They teach what happiness and indulgence never can. They teach us that we are weak, that we break, and that we are incapable of fixing everything, if anything.
They tell us we’re dependent on God. And really, that’s a good thing.
A Better Fruit
To many, a fallen tear on one’s table is nothing more than a drop of water. However, to the Christian, the one who loves Wisdom, it is a glistening jewel-like seed, the fruit of which far surpasses the earnings of any other investment.
The “durable riches and righteousness” of wisdom are far better than the rarest currencies on Earth. What grows from the tears of a humble heart cannot be purchased with all the money in the world.
“Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.”
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. – Rev 21:4
071112
Leave a comment | tags: anger, Christian, faith, Fear, fine gold, God, Jesus, Lord, Mercy, pain, Righteousness, Solomon, spirituality, Wisdom | posted in Money and Finances, Trust the Lord
Proverbs 3:7-8
“Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.”
An advertisement on the side of my web browser promises that if I “click here” I can learn a “weird old trick” to eliminate stubborn belly fat. Each weekday afternoon, Dr. Oz hosts a show advocating the addition of blueberries, seaweed and other “super foods” to fight off cancer and heart disease. A billboard overlooking I-24 in my city displays a lean and tightly-muscled torso, suggesting that a few quick visits to the fitness center are all it takes to achieve such enviable results.
THERE ARE NO SHORTCUTS!
The achievement of health: Everybody’s looking for a shortcut! And yet, we know that it is the slow, plodding discipline of a balanced diet, regular exercise, adequate sleep, and the elimination of detrimental bad habits (smoking comes to mind) which yield the healthiest bodies over the long haul.
The achievement of wise living is no different! There are no shortcuts (“Be not wise in your own eyes”). Rather, wise living is the fruit of good old basic faith (“fear the LORD”) and repentance (“turn away from evil”). This, says the wise father to the son (3:1) is the only sure path to spiritual health (3:8).
NEED HEALING?
By the way, these verses suggest that by following the way of wisdom, it is in fact possible to extricate yourself from a situation of moral and spiritual “disease”, and gain spiritual health in Christ. Those who are spiritually sick can find healing and refreshment, or as some translations put it, nourishment. One thinks of Subway’s marketing front man “Jarrod”, who lost a couple of hundred pounds simply by “eating fresh”. Praise the Lord, it is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. Jesus did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance (Mark 2:17).
1 Comment | tags: Book of Proverbs, Health, Proverbs and Sayings, spirituality, Subway | posted in counsel, food, Paths of Life, Work
Proverbs 19:24
“A slothful man hideth his hand in his bosom, and will not so much as bring it to his mouth again.”
“Pure D”
We say things a little differently here in the South. We say things like “darn toot’n,” “dadgum,” and “y’all.” Occasionally we use the colloquial adjective/adverb-like thingy, “pure D.” Let me give you a few examples of its usage:
- Dadgum! Did you see her? She was pure D ugly!
- See’dat John Deer [tractor] over there? That’s a pure D piece’a art, right there.
- She knows how to fry okra AND drive a truck? Son, that’s a pure D gift from God, I’m tellin’ ya.
Pure D can also be used in a sentence describing the man in Proverbs 19:24. “See that feller with his hand in his shirt? Ain’t moved it a lick. That’s just pure D lazy.”
Slothful
Slothfulness is just pure D laziness, and this verse epitomizes the lazy, slothful bum who won’t even lift a finger to help himself.
Nowhere in the Bible does it say, “God helps those who help themselves.” That saying is actually unbiblical to the core, for God loves to help those who can’t help themselves. Lazy people, however, should not count on God’s intervention.
Those who have the ability to take care of themselves, but are too lazy to lift their hands in effort, are not to be pitied, but warned of the judgment of God. And that’s the pure D truth.
Lord, help us to be faithful stewards of the strength and opportunities you give us. Bless our labor, not our laziness. Teach us, dear Father, to number our days.
- Living in Sleepyland? (proverbialthought.com)
Leave a comment | tags: Bible, john deer tractor, Laziness, Literature, Proverbs and Sayings, Sloth, spirituality | posted in sin, Work
Proverbs 17:15
“He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the LORD.”
My Daddy Used to Say
Down here in the southern United States it is common to hear someone say, “Like my daddy used to say…” What did my dad use to say? He said a lot of wise things. Here are a few examples…
“You haven’t really worked until you’ve shed some blood.”- “It’s colder than a witch’s upper torso outside.”
- “I love your soul, but I’m gonna woop your flesh.”
- “I brought you into this world; I can take you out” (he borrowed that from Bill Cosby).
- “Right before God does something, the devil will always try to mess it up. So, if something bad is happening, God’s just about to do something.”
But when I read this proverb, the first thing that came to my mind was something else my father used to say all the time: “Six of one, half-a-dozen of another.” In other words, one thing meant about as much as another thing.
My God Says
Well, my Abba Father has said a lot of wise things, too. And when it comes to people who either justify the wicked (say what they are doing is OK) or condemn the just (say what is right is wrong), His disgust with them is about “six of one, half-a-dozen of another.” God despises them both equally.
Isaiah 5:20 – “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!”
Leave a comment | tags: Bill Cosby, Family, Folklore, God, Literature, Proverbs and Sayings, Religion, spirituality | posted in advice, conversation/speech, counsel, Parenting, Wisdom
Proverbs 15:4
“A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit.”
“The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.” – NIV
Healing Words
There are so many people in this world who are sick and suffering. Their suffering is not physical, necessarily, but emotional and spiritual. The world is full of down and discouraged men and women, but a word of comfort spoken with kindness can be like life-giving medicine.
A wholesome tongue, or a tongue that brings healing, is compared to a life-giving tree. Wholesome, nurturing, healthy words are like food for the soul; food that is found on a tree with roots that run deep, all the way down to the Water of life.
The unattractive need to hear that they are beautiful in God’s eyes. The broken hearted need to hear that there is One who understands and can make all things new. The lonely need to hear that they don’t have to be alone, but that there is One who will always walk beside them, even unto the end of the world. These people need healing words.
Perverse Words
What are “perverse” words? The husband who says to his wife, “You looked better when I married you.” The mother who says, “You’ll never amount to anything.” The friend who says, “Get over it! Just move on with your life.”
Perverse words bring no healing, only destruction. They are like a “breach in the spirit,” says Proverbs. In other words, they are like a crack in a dam which leads to total collapse. They are spoken by fools imitating the wise, and they are nothing but worthless.
“Hard words indeed break no bones, but many a heart has been broken by them.” – Matthew Henry
Words of Life
How can we speak words that resemble a tree of life? Be led by the Spirit of God, and let His words speak through us. A tongue that is guided by the Spirit will bring comfort to the hurting and healing to the wounded.
We must be more like Jesus in your actions. We must lead people to Him as we love as He loved. Speak truth, but encourage; discipline, but build up, and then you will see that “tree of life” bear fruit.
- Fire Words (proverbialthought.com)
- Speech: The Overflow of the Heart (raymondjclements.wordpress.com)
- Proverbs 15-17 (mybiblereadingplan.wordpress.com)
1 Comment | tags: Christianity, deceitful tongue, lonely need, Religion, spirituality | posted in advice, conversation/speech, counsel
Proverbs 14:7
“Go from the presence of a foolish man, when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge.”
Product Lables
Some proverbs, such as this one, are pretty simple and straightforward. But on the other hand, as some product warning labels make abundantly clear, what should be obvious to most needs to be spelled out to others. Here are some examples:
- “Don’t drive with shade in place” (warning on inside of cardboard sunscreen).
- “Not for drying pets” (warning for microwave).
- “Surface may be hot when turned on” (stove instruction manual).
- “May cause a fire” (warning on box of matches).
If there were no stupid people in the world, the above warnings would be unnecessary. However, I am sure there have been people amazed when their hands were burned on a stove eye or by a match. I am positive that someone tried to sue a company because the microwave killed her wet cat.
Stupid People
In this proverb God has placed a warning label on stupid people. Yes, I said “stupid” people, for that is what the word translated “foolish” (סִיל – kesil) actually implies.[1] The Lord wants us to know that it is not good to just stand and listen to what fools have to say, especially when you realize that what they are saying is void of any knowledge.
So, to put this proverb another way, “When you find yourself in the presence of a stupid idiot, don’t bother listening to what he has to say; walk away.”
Now, it may seem ridiculous to make such a statement, but consider why it is important to not listen to what a fool has to say:
- A fool does not accept instruction, so arguing with him is pointless.
- A fool would love to frustrate you and make you angry as you try to argue your point.
- If you listen to a fool long enough you might begin to believe the stupidity he preaches.
A Prayer
Lord, we need wisdom to be discerning. Help us to recognize those who lack words of knowledge. Help us to know when to contend and when to walk away. Help us to know the difference between a fool and someone who is open to the truth.
4 Comments | tags: devotionals, Folklore, Francis Brown, God, Proverbs and Sayings, Religion, Samuel Rolles Driver, spirituality, Stupidity, theology | posted in advice, conversation/speech, counsel, Fools, Knowledge, Warnings
Caitlin Klem
Chris Jordan
Daniel M. Klem
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Proverbial Thought 