What the Bible Says About Bud Light - Day 20- Proverbs 20

Sorry, the title is somewhat a tease. 


Verse 1 of Proverbs 20 is the first mention of alcohol in Proverbs- "Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise."A little surprising to come late after so many others have been mentioned and repeated.


I had a two year men's group called the Reformation Men's Club where we met once a month to study reformed doctrine. It was never a big crowd, until we advertised today's title- what the Bible says about Bud Light- and drew our biggest crowd ever.


That night and many other times I have listened to teaching in this area and am always intrigued about how hard it is to find the Biblical balance on  this issue. And it is such a volatile topic that denominations have split over the boundaries of social or moderate drinking.


Sadly, I just wrote about 200 words on this issue for this blog and highlighted what I though was a word and hit delete, only to realize that I had deleted all the content- man! that stinks!
Maybe that was God protecting a fool.


My main point is that we tend to get out of balance in this area to justify our choice in the matter. And the worst part of Gospel liberty is that we expect others to agree with us and live according to our consciences.


I think we all agree that alcohol consumption can create issues/problems so HANDLE WITH GREAT CARE. Psalm 104:15 says God gives wine to cheer the heart- but we also know the sad legacy of what men often do with a good gift. How many lives destroyed? How many regrets? How many prisoners?
The toughest thing about alcohol is that it doesn't have to be longtime abuse to mess up your life- it could be one time too many.


The only way to adequately deal with the issue is to reflect on I Corinthians 8 and Romans 4 before you even get to the verses about wine and beer. I did find a great online Bible study about dealing with issues of liberty using this passage.   Links to I Corinthians 8 Studies


I tend to play devil's advocate with people on the issue- just to prod them a little. And there is a lot of sensitive and specific discussion that needs to be made about this- too much for me to deal with in this blog.


I don't side with those who say the Bible wine was just grape juice- it doesn't fit the Biblical analogies or narratives. Even this verse would not make sense - "Welch's Grape Juice is a mocker"? Nope- when Jesus changes the water into wine- it was the good stuff and I'm sure it had a healthy ABV. Read about it in John 2.
Also - the gray areas of Christian liberty are impacted by adjusting social mores and how a person was reared. And before you say it is evil- you need to meditate on Psalms 104 (verse 15).


My suggestion is to constantly think through these issues- hold them prayerfully with an open hand- and decide situation by situation in godly wisdom- and be bold. No need to hide behavior if you have a clear conscience- but it is also very OK to say NO if you believe the situation warrants restricting your freedom for the sake of another...in love.


But again- impossible to thoroughly cover in this section..... if you study it thoroughly, you will be shocked, no matter your preference (Martin Luther cut short one of his pastoral travels because the beer was bad and lovingly called his wife' Madame Brewmeister'- but again it takes a while to build a Biblical boundaries here).


My final quick thought about alcohol is to be wise and use in freedom by proper moments and not by habit. "No" is easy and should be utilized a lot. There may be times to enjoy a glass, but they are fewer than most actually do. But a person of total abstinence is not necessarily holier. 


I just re-read what I wrote and realize that there is way more to analyze and clear up. Moving on......


Other principles in Proverbs 20:


I love verse 11- Even a child is known by his actions- which is paraphrased by me 'Christian IS and Christian DOES'.


Multiple references to avoiding the life of a sluggard- the deadly results of being a life long couch potato- we need to be diligent and disciplined- initiate activity and accomplish things.


Does verse 21 have any application to the lottery? 


Verse 25 is huge- do not make commitments without thinking through the consequences- be slow and make less mistakes.


And the surprising last one- verse 30- when life knocks the crud out of you- or when you take a beating- it is actually a good thing.... think about it. I have many stories about that one. 

Update to this post: Aug 6, 2023 (12 years later, where does the time go)- recent events in culture have totally change the power of the allusion in this title.

Anheuser-Busch reported in early Aug, 2023 that its U.S. revenue fell 10.5%, or $395 million, in the second quarter. Bud Light sales plunged amid a conservative backlash after the brand sent a commemorative can to transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney in early April of this year.

The company said its total U.S. market share for all brands fell more than 5% to 36.9% in April but then remained stable from the end of April through the end of June. Some of the company’s brands, like Busch Lite and Michelob Ultra, have gained U.S. market share.

Still, the Bud Light saga has been a costly one for the brewer. In June, Bud Light lost its place as America’s best-selling beer after more than two decades, slipping into second place behind Mexican lager Modelo Especial. 

So, the title won't be as catchy anymore- and when people click to read these days... they are expecting a whole different take!)

The Testimony of Man- Day 19- Proverbs 19

We live in an age of competing world views. There are ultimately only 2 opposing sides: the City of Man and The City of God, and these live in opposition to one another. Scripture paints these two paths in distinct antithetical terms:

Lamb vs Dragon
Lion vs Beast
Holy Spirit vs False Prophet
Spiritual vs Natural
Jerusalem vs Babylon
Faith vs Rebellion

One of the huge distinctives in these competing world views is the answer to the question regarding the core nature of man. The City of Man says, "Man is good" while the City of God says, "Man is evil". This doesn't mean that man can't do good things. There is an (apparently)  unexplainable dichotomy that shows man to be capable of building hospitals on one side and devices of torture on another. How can this be?

Scripture explains the human condition and one of the big reasons why I trust the Bible is the truth that basic human nature has not changed. Read the Iliad or study Shakespeare and you will see that the testimony of man's attitudes, actions, and emotions is relatively unchanged, from the earliest records until now.

As we read Proverbs 19, we get a glimpse into this stark reality- life is wonderful, but it is also a shattered utopia with disease, disappointment, delusion, and dispair.

The human condition surveyed in Proverbs 19: poverty, irrational passion, foolishness, hastiness, lying, imprisonment, bribery, favoritism, isolation, caste systems- avoidance- outcasts, mercilessness, gluttony, waste, punishment, broken families, laziness, anger, rage, temper, constant trouble, flogging, crime, robbery, shame, disgrace, corruption, pursuit of wickedness, abuse.

WOW- what a list. No wonder we meet individuals who are so torn up in life and end up broken. The saddest examples are those who are ripped apart by the collateral damage- it is bad enough to suffer for your choices, but what about suffering those things in which you were just the victim?

Now this is a huge point where some simply say,  'there is no god'- but they are sure mad at Him for being absent. Or they say. "There are no moral absolutes" but make harsh judgements like their morals are absolute.

Now, I get pressed pretty hard about my- 'better than any alternative' defense- but the fact is that if God is not there- you still have evil and brokenness and no real hope or chance to escape and no reason why there should be any change.

German theologian, David F. Strauss captures our predicament if God is absent or impotent:

“In the enormous scene of the universe- amid the whirl and hiss of jagged iron wheels- amid the deafening hammer blows- man, a helpless and defenseless creature, finds himself- not secure for one moment- any second an imprudent wheel may seize and rend him, a hammer may crush him to a powder- and worse- the sense of abandonment is awful.”

Do you see the point? When you diss or dismiss God in an angry fit of 'why'- you still have to deal with the reality that our planet is not healthy and is not getting better and you have destroyed the only hope for a solution. Some see religion as a great poison- I agree. But in the midst of that poison there is a cure. God is there and Jesus is the right antidote. But He must be taken straight, as He is, or the cure is worthless. He is a great ray of light piercing through the darkness.

Proverbs teaches us to not despair in the misery we see as the human condition. It has an energy to roll up our sleeves and live. It tells us to apply wisdom and help. It teaches us to be realists about how the system works, but warns us to live above the fray and wait on God to settle the score.

Have you ever considered how the justice of God actually assuages human vindictiveness? I love Tim Keller as a level headed, gospel focused, Biblically solid pastor and apologist. He makes an interesting counter intuitive point about how the existence of God and faith in His promise to ultimate justice is a key to breaking the cycle of endless violence:

"Just think about how you feel when someone you love is harmed by another. Do you respond with benign resignation? No, you are angry and you cry out for retribution and even vengeance. Your love drives you to seek justice. God’s wrath also flows from his love of his creation. One has said that if God were not angry at injustice and did not make a final end to violence, then God would not be worthy of worship. If God did not do it, we would undertake the course of action ourselves. Amazingly, it is the lack of belief in a God of vengeance that drives people to commit crimes against others. It does no good to say “Violence doesn’t solve anything.” Such talk is laughable when your house has been burned down or your daughter has been raped or your sons killed. Victims of violence are drawn to more violence in revenge. The cycle will continue indefinitely. Only the belief that God will eventually put all things right will keep you from taking up the sword. It is the lack of a belief in a just God that secretly nourishes violence." Reason for God- Ch 8

So yes- the testimony of man is not good- even our good deeds are tainted by agenda, and manipulation, and selfish ambition. Our default mode is works salvation and we crucify many for falling short of our demands.

My testimony is full of that greed, and selfishness, and pride, and deceit as well.

My only hope is the gospel. It is great news for me. It is my ray of hope and my encouragement to apply a proverb today. Not to save me- but clear evidence that I get it. I will not change the world- but I can help change something today in a small way that makes it worth it to live. It gives me reason to smile. It gives me medicine to endure. It gives me a heart to enjoy. It gives me an attitude of gratitude.

That is why you never see me lie on the ground after I have been kicked in the gut. I will get back up, again and again, until He returns.

The War of Words- Proverbs 18- Day 18

I opened my mouth.......


Things we say- things we do. If I had a 'take back' button or a 'do over' app to my life I wouldn't attach it to my hands or feet- I would weld it to my mouth.


Proverbs 18 again has a myriad of ideas- we should not be living in isolation- we should appreciate a good wife- there are warnings against pride... but most of the ones that jump our regard WORDS.


vs 4- The words of a man's mouth are deep waters
vs 6- A fool's lips walk into a fight- his mouth invites a beating
vs 7- A fool's mouth is his ruin- his lips are a snare to his soul.
vs 13- If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame.
vs 17- The one who states his case first seems right, until the other comes and examines him.
vs 20- From the fruit of a man's mouth his stomach is satisfied
vs 21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue





We have other famous Biblical passages that comment about our speech:

James 3:2 For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. 3 If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. 4 Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. 5 So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things.How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life,

I Peter 3:10 For Whoever desires to love life and see good days,

let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit;

I feel a little foolish in even trying to offer insight to such an issue- my mouth gets me in more trouble than any other area of my life. And I have done more damage to others and God's reputation by my words than any other part of my life.

So at the risk of looking like I'm trying to give golf lessons to Phil Mickelson or fishing advice to Bill Dance, let me suggest a few tips to improving speech:

• Work and pray to remove any cursing, profanity, or by words to your daily conversations and dialogue. We have become way too lax in our culture in this area. I also sugest removing by words that are substitutes for the all too familiar language. Conversely, I am not going to shrink back in horror if someone uses a word- but by example, teaching, and correction I am going to pursue clean speech.
• Speak slowly and with thought. I don't HAVE TO jump into every conversation. I will work hard to tell the truth but I don't have to spill the beans on every subject in exhaustive details.
• Endeavor to never pass along negative information about a person. Our culture today paints people in 'sound bites' and we have a little blip about someone. When someone's name comes up we are often guilty about quoting the quip. If it is negative, it begins to shape our perceptions about the totality of an individual. Our enemy uses this environment as perfect soil to cast aspersions and ruin the reputation of good people. Speaking truth is allowable, but only as a tool to edify and not destroy.
• Gossip is a gross sin. Never pass along 'hear say' information. If you hear information, go to the original source and thoroughly check it out. SO much of the grapevine is incorrect. My phrase has always been: "The speed of the internet and the accuracy of a weatherman". A quick example- when I was losing weight last year, the gossip lines were full speed ahead. I would get stopped from time to time and asked about the accuracy of what was being said- I was sick- I was taking hormone shots- I was eating only yogurt- it was a full stir fried buzz. Sadly, I have seen a lot of situations go from poison to destructive by such a frenzy of loose lips.
• Remove sarcasm and humor that works only at the demise of another. Do not have fun at other peoples expense. I know of a situation where a middle school boy looked at a middle school girl and said two words, "You're fat". That led to years of her battling bulimia and anorexia. He was trying to humor his buddies and almost took a life in the process.
• Anonymous posting on the internet should be outlawed. I fully believe you should have to own what you write and what you say. We live in a country of free speech- but I do not believe in the freedom of free-radical words. If we had to stand behind all that we said, it would make us choose our words more carefully.
• Keep your word. But also live in the reality that as Ben Franklin said, "Three can keep a secret if two of them are dead". It is so hard not to share a secret, but we all need to tighten the screws on this one. Keeping your word also means keeping a promise. Isn't it sad to read contracts nowadays- proof of all the past history of men saying one thing and doing another.
• Season your speech with Scripture. Garbage in=garbage out. I say we hide more of God's speech in out hearts and try to use our speech to heal, and spread cheer, and offer hope, and promote forgiveness- all signs of God's grace and a healthy heart.

Finally, there is one more GREAT word in this chapter of Proverbs.

VS 10 THE NAME OF THE LORD IS A STRONG TOWER; THE RIGHTEOUS MAN RUNS TO IT AND IS SAFE.

When my name goes south and when my words wound and when my tongue has whipped up another season of silliness or strife- I run once again to my dad. "Please help me, I messed it up again- I am hurting- It looks like my name is mud- I didn't mean to vent, but I really said some dumb stuff." The father loves us- forgives- instructs us how to avoid these situations in the future- and loves us all the way through the results- God's grace is that good.

The Daily Grind-The Beauty of Life-Day 17- Proverbs 17

Let's talk about a special gift: today.... this right now life... as you read this pause for 1 second and ponder what a miracle you are in right now... today is a SPECIAL day.

Of course, every single person on the planet will experience something different today. Throughout life, there will be a myriad of people, pressures, and circumstances- a marathon journey to a day of destiny.

If you look at the average life it seems that God ordains a pattern for us: some days of darkness, some unforgettable days of miraculous joy, and a lot of just 'ordinary' days. I could develop all of these ideas more- how the dark days come upon us like an ambush and the memory of those days come like sneak attacks, how the beautiful days make us feel so alive and full of joy and hope.

But I want to spend a little time on the 'normal, ordinary, nothing notable' days. Those are still special days- if every day was a dark day we would eventually dry up and die- if everyday was a super special day, we would have the bar raised too high to actually enjoy those golden moments- the average day is that pace in between the moments of despair and delight.

Chapter 17 in Proverbs are little dittys that encompass the daily grind- this is life. Some homes of happiness, some of strife-paupers and princes- evil and good- old and young- crime and character- communication and debate- gain and loss- wise and foolish-

The challenge is to not waste these days- can you squeeze out the marrow in the routine?

Coach Bryant used to carry around a little poem in his pocket- he read it to us a few times as well:

“This is the beginning of a new day.
God has given me this day to use as I will.
I can waste it or use it for good.
What I do today is very important because I am exchanging a day of my life for it.
When tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever.
Leaving something in its place I have traded for it.
I want it to be a gain, not loss – good, not evil.
Success, not failure in order that I shall not forget the price I paid for it.”

Let's look at a few of the daily life verses in Ch 17:
Verse 1 "Better a dry morsel with quiet than a house full of feasting with strife"- huge reminder about loving people and not things. Think about this when you have career chances that may put your marriage or time with children in jeopardy. Live with less and love more.


vs 6 "Grandchildren are the crown of the aged" this is one of my prayer requests- I want the Lord to allow me health and energy to love my grandchildren- it is in His hands and I am in NO RUSH.


vs 9 "Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends" I immediately think about I Corinthians 13 where true love is willing to overlook faults- but the main point to me here is to think about the harm of gossip. Anonymous internet postings and wild argumentative criticism is symptomatic of our out of control habit of gossip. This is a much bigger sin in the church than we even realize and it provides a harmful environment for Satan's demons of whisper campaigns. I am going to try and even be better at NOT passing bad info.


Finally, I have always loved vs 22 "A joyful heart is good medicine but a crushed spirit dries up the bones"- First it is true- depression and stress does have physical consequences- but it energizes me to be an encourager to others- Wayne Bratcher always says- BE CHEERFUL.




I have tweaked the categories a little more- here is my working list:

• Character/Deeds in the Marketplace

• Problem of Pride

• Attitudes of the Heart

• Stewardship and Management of Money

• The Daily Life: Triviality- Turmoil-Tragedy- Triumph

• The Good Neighbor

• The Tongue

• Family- Marriage and Parenting

• The Fruit of a Fool: Attributes/Attitudes/Actions

• The Crown of Wisdom

Have a GREAT DAY- Be thankful- Be loving- Acknowledge the Creator- Serve- ENJOY!
And if it goes south- STAND FIRM-

This is the beautiful daily grind!

God's Providence in Proverbs- Ch 16- Day 16

I have had a great time diving into these chapters full of wisdom- great reminders and truths!

Chapter 16 has a varied number of our categories- I may list them again tomorrow and tweak the titles a bit- but a huge part of chapter 16 seems to focus on God's sovereign rule.

Chapter 16 has 33 verses and I marked 12 of those that have direct connections to God's providence.

My reformed tradition has a really big view of God- but my biggest, grandest view of Him is just a droplet of dew in the ocean of His true personhood. From time to time I get some sense of it and it almost makes my skin peel off my bald head as I shudder to the immenseness of what God has to be.

A couple of examples: I don't fly often, but when I do I can't look around hard enough at all the sights below. Last time I was in a plane I thought about how many people there were- all of those houses- all of those cars- all of that activity- it is superfluous for me to even try to comprehend how God could hear all the prayers and govern all the stuff- but HE DOES!

Or when I contemplate the universe and a concept like a black hole- I can't even fathom the immensity of a being who holds it all in check and understands the blueprint down to the last atom- but HE DOES!

At this point, we do need to allow the skeptic to speak- "Too big for a neanderthal concept like mythological gods, fairies, and devils." My response- the alternative is even more preposterous, in my opinion. What if? I'm just simple enough to say that God is there- He has revealed Himself- and He says He does it- He says He did something special for me- WHOA! Do you see why it makes me tremble at times?

So are we free if God is in control? And the answer is YES. We choose, but in our choosing make no serious dent on God's intent. If I were to choose today to walk away- I could not effect God's space time continuum at all- and He would easily get me where and when I needed to be without pulling one single puppet string. I cannot explain it because it is too far above me to lay my hands on- but we are free and God is sovereign- Light is a wave and a particle- the answer to both premises is YES.

Look at what chapter 16 says about this:

We plan in our heart- but God controls the ultimate result- vs 1
We evaluate- God is the ultimate judge- vs 2
We should commit to God's way because He is likely to establish those things that line up with His nature- vs 3
God even uses the wicked for His purpose- vs 4
(Though He sometimes works slowly)- steadfast love and loyalty wins- vs 6
God even makes a man's enemies to conform to His purpose- vs 7
God establishes a man's steps- vs 9
The true system of evaluation is God's last word- we should seek His assessment standards- vs 11
Even if you are a King- you are not the ultimate ruler- vs 12
The moment you make yourself a sovereign- God will look to sit you down vs 18
Every decision is under God's rule and control- vs 33

One reminder: I have written about this before- but trusting in God's sovereignty is not an excuse to shrug our shoulders and say "Oh well, God's will." We should pray like everything is up to Him and work like it is up to us. We should trust in God's sovereignty going hard and fast- not weak and slow. Especially in areas if equity and justice: We have to speak up and stand up for what we know is right- even if there are consequences.

Two final observations:

1) Our default mode is to rebel against the King. We do not like to be ruled. We want to be in  charge. Part of becoming a believer is a willingness to bow the knee to the throne in heaven. It means we follow even if we don't feel like it or understand it. This is unnatural to our basic instinct.

2) From how the Bible describes this King, why would you NOT want to bow to Him? The first time I watched the movie, Chronicles of Narnia- I knew that Aslan was going to show. I enjoyed all the talking animals and cute kids.
But when the screen showed the King- the computer generated majestic lion- that I had read about and heard about from my childhood- I just teared up and my heart lept. The symbol of Aslan was just close enough to the reality that it represented that I almost broke down in the theater. Why? Because He is so powerful, majestic, royal- but mostly, because He is sooooo good.

One day we will all bow anyway- why not now? He is in control and He is good. I have no problems with that- in fact, 'tis so sweet to trust in Jesus, just to take Him at His word'......

The A+ Attitude- Day 15- Proverbs 15

We live in a day of numbers, indicators, and stats. Yesterday, I talked about the danger of our pre-suppositions and the need to challenge them. I even used the example of 'waiting to see the film' before making conclusions.

But I am going to go against this thought in one big area today. There is something that is EASY to see. It is easy to read subjectively, and there is little objective data needed to support this.

We know people by their ATTITUDES. Sure, day to day can be a little shaky- everyone can have a grumbling, horrible, no good day or season-but, for a trend over time- show me a man with a great attitude and I will show you a winner.

Proverbs 15 has a great picture of what a great attitude looks like. In fact, if we lived according to this one chapter in the Bible- we would be seen as affable, approachable, kind, and successful.

Attitude Attribute #1- UNFLAPPABLE- "A soft answer turns away wrath"- Coach David Cutcliffe was the first man who ever taught me to 'not get too high with the highs or too low with the lows'. This doesn't mean we never get excited or angry- we are not cold machines- but I take it to mean that we are not push button nuclear reactors. A person who is unflappable gets calmer in a crisis and that steadiness spreads. The unflappable person is secure enough to take a venting and keep on ticking. The unflappable person also knows when to NOT push a button "a harsh word stirs up anger". This willingness to stay even keel is part of a winning attitude.

Attitude Attribute #2- POSITIVE SPEECH- "A gentle tongue is a tree of life (vs 4)"- "Lips of wise spread knowledge (vs 7)"- "gracious words are pure (vs 26)"-"the righteous heart PONDERS how to answer (vs 28)".  Does this mean we only say the good? Isn't that too 'polly anna'? Always balanced with truth and wise discernment- but a person with great attitude adds to the health of a situation and person by speaking well as often as he can. My grandmother used to say "Look for the bad and you will find it" I say look for the good.

A dear friend of mine grew up with an alcoholic father. For years, he lived in the pain of neglect and overall sadness of that broken relationship. It wasn't until years later that he discovered some of his father's notes that he began to see good attributes of his dad. I was moved to tears one day listening to this friend tell his dad's story and spoke these powerful words of life: "I got the best of him".

That, my friends, is ONE GREAT ATTITUDE!

Attitude Attribute #3- EXCITED, EAGER, AND EXPECTED TO IMPROVE- "whoever heeds reproof is prudent (vs 5)"- "He who loves the Lord pursues righteousness (vs 9)"- "A scoffer does not like to be reproved, he will NOT go to the wise (vs 12)"-"without counsel plans fail but with many advisors they succeed (vs 22)"-"He who listens to reproof gains intelligence (vs 32)." Another part of having a great attitude is a desire to get better. It is a posture to improve. This type of person shows up everyday with a deep hunger to hear and apply. A person with this attribute will listen to instruction and react positively to constructive criticism. We like being around these people. They say "We can and WILL get better"- and we believe them!

Attitude Attribute #4- POSITIVE OUTWARD DISPOSITION- "A glad heart makes a cheerful face (vs 13). "The light of the eyes rejoices the heart and good news refreshes the bones (vs 30)".  Again, we aren't trying to be 'gaawwley Gomer Pyles'- but the energy that comes out of our positive attitudes is infectious. It is an inside out ray of sunshine and hope and is not easily quinched by circumstances.

There are many, many other good thoughts in this chapter- this references our relationship with God more than any so far- we have Him watching us- this chapter mentions our prayer life- but as I was reading I saw the inward and outward expressions of a wise man overflowing with a great ATTITUDE.

What gives me the best chance to live with a great attitude? It is the truth and reality that this world is only temporary and I am on a journey home to be with my father. He is the KING of the universe. He loves me so much that He died for me. He sees the sacrifice of Jesus Christ as total payment of my sin and rebellion. His promises give me great hope that He is going to be with me today and forever. It is nothing based in me- it is a totally free gift that I receive by trust.

In light of that- how can I stay even 1 second in a bad attitude?

It Seems So Right- Day 14- Proverbs 14

For some reason- today's chapter was filled with more good aphorisms than I could ever write about. Again, these are chapters for life- a roadmap for a marathon- layers and layers of application.

I stopped first at verse 4:

Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean,but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox.

What is unusual about this one is that it is the first one I noticed that accepts the reality of 'less than ideal' and is very pragmatic. Also, it is the least parallel of all we have read in its antithesis. No ox means no work, no work means no fruit- the barn will look neat, but totally useless. There are a lot of symbolic analogies here, but what makes the biggest impression to me is that we sometimes adopt ineffective or impractical goals that unintentionally deter progress.


My suggestion is that we communicate effectively before we adopt policies/procedures and investigate potential unintended consequences. A quick example of this: Our athletic administration used to hand down random and often (in some of the coaches' opinion)  inconsistent dress code policies that were subject to frequent redrafts. One in particular was that no coach could wear a black shirt on the sidelines of any athletic contest. Now, I'm willing to follow any decision- but I wondered had anyone ever asked why some of our coaches would be in different shirts during games? If someone had at least asked, they would have discovered that during football games, the easiest way to find a signal is to have that coach wear an opposite color from the general sideline color. So in college and pros, you see the primary signal caller wearing a bright red or sometimes black. The new policy would- look neater- but make it harder to accomplish a task.  That was just a small example of one application of this.


This leads me to another crucial aphorism here in verse 12.

There is a way that seems right to a man,but its end is the way to death.

How many times do we quote this? Do we really understand the import? Our presuppositions may lead us to our destruction. My term for this is that we all must live with a humble and prayerful, 'healthy self-suspicion'. This is one of the big reasons I suscribe to the Presbyterian form of church government and why I am such a big believer in the American form of democracy. The default mode of man is not good- we often judge and perceive by facts that have been twisted to fit our own prejudices.


Having built in checks and balances is a must- but this takes courageous leadership and plain talk communication. There has to be procedures in place to appeal decisions and there must be healthy councils to overturn such decisions. If there is not real accountability- there can be real mistakes made.


Another silly example is in the game of football. I have been coaching for 19 years and have watched thousands of contests and practices. But if I am smart, I will not assume I know exactly what happened in a game or a play until I am able to study the video tape of the contest- sometimes I am SO SURE about what happened only to be humbled by the taped evidence. Sometimes we can be SO RIGHT- we end up being dead wrong. I cannot tell you how many times people have confidently told me about what made the difference in a win or loss but had no data to support it other than what people say or their own memory of mili-seconds of action. If fans knew what actually made a difference in the outcomes- they would say less and NEVER bet on it.


So how do we work in a world that is tainted by our pre-suppositions? What will it take for the truth to crash through our protected illusions?


Here are a few suggestions:


1) Be Cautious and Go Slow. This is actually stated over and over again in Proverbs.- verse 16 says 'One who is wise is cautious, but a fool is reckless'. vs 29 'Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding'. Can we go too slow? YES! Do we often go too hastily? YES YES. This is part of being prudent.


2) Open/Honest Communication. This is so much harder than we ever will admit. But it is easier to be honest if we have attitudes and spirits that are open and patient. If you have a boss who is likely to fly into a rage when you discuss uncomfortable topics or takes it personally- you learn to just keep quiet.


3) Prayer and Scripture- God's Word is a mirror deep into the soul- it helps us to judge motives.


4) Willingness to admit wrongdoing- It is hard to humble yourself to someone else and say, I used to believe this, but now I know I was wrong- but it is a huge trust builder and relationship strengthener.


One more point from Ch 14: See a subtle hint in Vs 9.

Fools mock at the guilt offering,but the upright enjoy acceptance.

People sometimes mistakenly think of different paths to righteousness in the Old and New Testament. We can get tempted to say there are different God's and different salvations. It goes something like this: 'The OT God is wrathful and salvation is by works- the NT God is loving and salvation is by grace.' But this is so wrong it is heretical. God is the same and salvation is the same. Part of OT righteousness is trust in the guilt offering- a shadow of the NT guilt offering in the blood of Christ.


Fools mock Christ.. but the upright (sinners who participate in the guilt offering) ENJOY acceptance.


Cool huh?


Too much here to capture it all............

Proverbs on Parenting- Day 13- Proverbs 13

I never will forget the tone and words of my wife, just minutes after we walked in the door of our house with our new firstborn child. Just the ride home had been nerve wracking- first time to use a car seat, driving as cautious as I ever had in my life.


She stepped in holding this precious little package, all bundled and tender, and looked at me.


"What do we do now?"


And that began the adventure- with almost no instructions- thankfully with my mother-in-law for a few days- but make no mistake- this was ours to own up to.


I have found the Bible to offer great instructions for many things- but it is especially beneficial in its depth and balance of parenting. The universality of parental love is just another piece of many proofs to me of God's existence. Yes, sin can make it go wrong in both small and disgustingly disastrous areas- but a healthy heart yearns to love, protect, and nurture that little child.


I should have already added the category "Parenting" to the proverbs- the entire Book is dedicated as a father's instructions to a son. But there are enough parental tidbits here to spend some time on this vital area.


Let's start right at verse 1- a wise son needs to heed parental advice. This infers that we give good instruction. For better or worse- we are giving lessons to our children 24 hours a day- in word, attitude, and deed. Because of that- we know we will fail to keep the standards that we want to emulate. That is why I am always gospel focused. The gospel is a beautiful message to human beings- so prone to wandering and error.


What is the enduring instruction I want my children to know? God exists and He is good and the gospel is His greatest expression of that love. The sacrifice of Jesus Christ is a heartfelt mystery that we need to grab in gratitude. Yes, things like obedience and success are things we desire- but more than anything I want them to have JESUS. I want it to be real and not ritual.


All of the good instruction needs to be modeled and reinforced as our children grow.That is why we are consistently in church and a huge reason why our family made a commitment to Christian schooling. I have tried to show my wife a lot of love and hug them with a lot of tenderness. I have tried to teach them- how to read... so they can read His word. I have tried to teach them fun skills like fishing and golf so they can enjoy His world. As much as we have tried- we are short in MANY areas- my wife is MUCH better than me as a parent- but even in her exhaustive effort- our kids have sin and we have areas of neglect and issues- THAT IS WHERE THE GOSPEL comes in again and again. The heart of all of this is FORGIVENESS- how can any relationship stand without softhearted repentance, forgiveness, and restoration?


There is so much good parental standards all through Proverbs- let me step on some toes in referring to verse 7.

One man pretends to be rich, yet has nothing; another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth.

Though I have given some decent effort at combating materialism with my children, I do think that my children have a lower tolerance for contentment in the material area than I do and it is because I have given them too much and let them have it too easily. We live better than the Kings of the ancient world and much better than most of the world. It is OK to have these things, the key is teaching and encouraging us to not be DEPENDENT on certain standards of life.


This is tough because we love giving our children good things- but I caution all of us to do it on a natural pace, be willing to say NO as a training exercise, and giving our children experience with people who have different socio-economic conditions.
As far as pace. I have had students over the years who as freshmen have been all over the world and experienced all kinds of luxuries- often with a ho hum attitude about it. As a football coach, I made special care to never allow my players to belittle a facility of a school from a poorer area. And we can all be better at being grateful for ALL God has given us- especially the little blessings.


This is the heart of this proverb- the wise man does not think it is important to play the status of wealth game. Wise wealthy people do not 'put on airs'- and the foolish so desire material things that it consumes them- even to where they pretend to have more than they do- this is where debt can creep in. The Biblical goal for parenting is contentment in all circumstances without complacency- but especially no need to compare and compete.


Now the often quoted verse 24: 

Those who spare the rod hate their children, but those who love them are careful to discipline them.

This can be mis-used in a variety of ways- here is how we did it in our home.
While my children were infants, we did not restrict their eating and sleeping and comfort. I wanted them to start early in life with warmth and love and safety. When they were hungry, we fed them- when they were sleepy, we let them sleep. Until they matured a little, we did err on the side of spoilage.


At some point, you begin to see their 'will' come in. Now their stubborn will is of some benefit- it helps them fight to walk and battle to grow. But,  I truly believed that I wanted to 'win' the battle of wills in love while they were very young. I taught a firm NO and when they tested it, I gave light reminders- not out of anger and very consistent.


As they became a little more sophisticated in language, we added our famous family paddle. I made it- put this Bible verse on it and showed it to my little 'Jules". I explained before there was a problem what the purpose was. It was my job to train her, this was my duty.. to love her enough to spank her when she broke the rules. The boundaries were clear: defiant disobedience and disrespect would mean a paddling. One good pop for single digits (age 4-9) and double licks when they turned 10.


I am a big believer in this type of controlled corporel punishment- it is instant and it teaches great lessons, including how to take the medicine of consequences.


Here is how I did it:
1) Firm warning- 'you are about to get a paddling'.
2) They go over the line.
3) Without anger but VERY FIRM- I make them get in position to get the lick. They will not want to do this- I just say "Do it now or I will spank you harder." The position was, laying across the bed, eyes closed (so they won't put their hand back).
4) A good suggestion- sometimes I would get them in the position- I would touch their bottom with the paddle, pause, and then not give the punishment. I would hug them and tell them I was proud they they courageously put themselves in that position. But we all know- a bluff is not good for long.
5) The pop- has to be good enough to send the signal, but it is not full speed. I had practice as a paddler because for a while I did it at our school. Right after we introduced the paddle, I had to go out of town- my wife called me after 2 days and said 'The paddle is not working". "I paddled Julie 4 times today and she is still being bad!" My response was, "Sweetie, If i had paddled Julie 4 times, she'd be in the hospital."(My wife understood this as hyperbole) and I know that sounds horrific, but the main point is: it has to make a pop and it had to sting. Only a calm and restrained back and through can make it work.
6) A lot of love afterward- hugs, tears, not words.


I have 3 girls- they are now all teenagers- I used the paddle a total of a dozen or less times total. But it works. And it is HARD to do and may not be for everyone. I think the two hardest things I did as a young parent was to hear my girls cry in their crib (at some point we put them in and made them go night-night and sat in agony as they wailed away AND having to paddle them when they are crying NO. But both produced good fuit of obedience, discipline, and we have a close relationship because it was surrounded by tenderness.


I do not recommend the paddle past 7th grade ( for girls, I'm not sure I would go past 5th grade)- you need to find creative ways to send the same message- disobedience and disrespect will cost you.


I know what I just wrote is controversial and 'out of style'- it can be mis-used and mis-managed- but I greatly believe that you must be tough enough to win control while they are young and do not let them wear you down. Husband and wife need to pray and be on the same page. But when you get a household of teens, you will be glad to have won the battle. 


Finally, the foundation of love and tenderness has to be there. What hurts the most is that they have become out of fellowship with their mom and dad- love them more- but love them enough to allow pain. Positive affirmation has to be there- it needs to be more than getting on to them. Praise them 3 times more than punish them. And it is OK to overlook offenses every now and then. But do try and be consistent!


Way too much to cover in one blog journal- but should be a good discussion starter!

Disciplined, Diligent Duty- Day 12- Proverbs 12

The thought provoking aphorisms continue and I have added a few more categories to my list:

discipline- the honorable vs the unruly wife- violence and cruelty- trustworthiness

Let's investigate discipline for a minute- this is the root of discipleship. The gospel is great news of grace- but the fruit of grace is restraint and respect of God ordained boundaries. A key fruit of sanctification is discipline and we learn discipline by being disciplined. The earlier this starts, the easier it is to become a habit.

Our culture of ease and comfort is less disciplined. I remember clearly looking over some of my grandfather's handwriting and noticed how clear and clean it was- those things were drilled in those days. Even though I have greatly grown in self discipline over my adult life, I do not consider myself a disciplined person. Part of that is never being in the military and being in a culture that loves luxury.
A good spring cleaning is a good place to start. We have our home on the market right now and are having to keep it it 'spit shine' shape everyday- but it has helped all of us to do so.

A key to discipline is the diligence to DO IT NOW. It also, for someone like me, takes help. I need someone to help me in the areas that I need to grow.

I love verse 3- "No one is established by wickedness, but the root of the righteous will never be moved."
In our fast paced, instant society- we admire the energy packed rise of the ruthless. I see it in coaching all the time. We are so hungry to win and win now, that we take the fast track- not realizing that the energy from what I call 'the black hat' sometimes has a quick rise and sudden fall.

Doing it right sometimes means slow and steady- but the roots are deep and the fruit comes for a long time. A great Biblical analogy is the root of Jesse- if you cut it down, the bud will show and the tree will regrow.

There is a lot about speech here: our words are to be true and few. We must be willing to hold secrets- that is an area I have progressed in, but we all need to get better in this society of whispers and innuendo.

There is a lot here to take to heart!

Emerging Categories, The List Begins- Proverbs 11- Day 11

As we saw yesterday- the text of Proverbs has now taken on the style that has made this 'daily reading' and 'quick hit' territory for 2500 years. Indeed, chapters 10-29 will be seemingly random, similarly structured witty sayings. If you threw in some of Benjamin Franklin's from Poor Richard's Almanac, you would have a hard time sorting what was Biblical and what was Franklin.

That leads me to a point here: this is GOD's WORD! But it also needs to be interpreted according to the genre- and I think that means we have to be careful about laying hold of these as God's promises. I have always seen this collection as wise precepts and true observations- but very general- indicating trends and stereotypes- but not intended as specific or special commands.

The proverbs are parts of a street map- but it is not the street itself. It is general comments about how character intersects with the world, but not a 'how to' and especially not 'what to do' except for the obvious- don't lie, steal, cheat, or go to the seductress.

What is emerging is an understanding of categories or themes that are randomly repeated- which I believe is of good use and purpose. These are daily vitamins and you need your dose of C and B and Folic Acid and Calcium and Zinc everyday and usually you gather them in varying ways and different amounts- but over time you stay nourished. Same thing here- every time I read these, I have one or two jump out and I think about it, which may be the Holy Spirit's way of telling me there is a deficiency or I need to prepare.

It keeps the Book from ever becoming routine. It also makes it extremely hard to memorize- my guess is on purpose.

Which one did you see more than the others?  This morning it was 'false balances' in verse 1 and "Whoever troubles his own house will inherit the wind' in verse 29.

My intuition is that is Verse 1 jumped out because I am very sensitive still to the results of what happens when human agenda impacts evaluation and decision. No matter the area in life: home inspections, regulations, car problem diagnostics, money exchanges, trading of good's and services, science, and job evaluation and performance- the world and human history are daily littered with the more powerful hurting the less powerful in both large and seemingly insignificant decisions that are sometimes justified by dishonest measurements. The Lord despises a false balance- and it isn't just mechanical. We must work hard to make sure our 'inside scales' are adjusted to truth as well. We must fight to understand that human perception is easily slanted and we often judge on flaky evidence. By the way, a lack of proper accountability is a part of this formula as well. It takes courage to take up these issues and vette them properly.

Verse 29 most likely stood out because of 'inherit the wind' the title of the famous and controversial movie that is set during the Scopes/Monkey trial in TN regarding the teaching of Darwinism- talk about dishonest scales and agenda!
But I also saw it as a warning to me to make sure I am not exasperating my home right now- we are under long term boiling pressure with one graduating- need to sell our house- inevitable change. What can I do to help relieve some of the pressure? What negative things can I stop doing and what positive things can I start doing to help us?

Finally, there is beginning to be an emerging set of categories that we can begin to tinker with and slowly build a way to chart and sort these wise sayings.

Here is my starting list: just business/honest dealings- pride- honesty and other character traits- wealth and stewardship- journey/navigation/destination- tongue- action/fruit- relationship to neighbor- leadership- reputation.

At some point, as we hammer these out, we will begin to see there is plenty of spiritual nutrition for the weary soul.......

The Poetry of Proverbs- Chapter 10- Day 10

I think it will now be helpful to talk a little about the structure of the aphorisms in Proverbs. I have always been amazed that God chose a people to reveal Himself whose language would retain the poetic nature and clear teaching even though translations into multiple languages. Obviously, a skilled translator would work to keep the genre clear- but because the heightened speech, in comparative and parallel language, using examples of common sense observance, allows the message of the fun aphorisms to be  hammered home in what I call 'tweaked antithesis'. The power of the wise sayings survives over time and generations.

The witty use of language has always peaked our interest: from Shakespeare's brilliant irony, to modern day cutting sarcasm, and even (alas) rap music- witty words spoken in unusual, compressed, and parallelled irony makes the message stick. We all have a friend or two who is gifted in short power-point responses and these one-liners punctuate deep truths- and put a period on great stories!

So we begin some of these in Chapter 10- and my journaling will change up some now. My guess is that my blogs will be shorter, general, and highlight a few of my favorite quips in each listing.

But don't forget the narrative- this is a King to a son- he has framed life as an active pursuit of godly wisdom which will help him navigate between the call of two lovers: Lady Wisdom and Woman Folly. One leads to life and the other leads to death. At the end- you almost feel him hand off the bat-tan and say, "Choose well, my son."

So when verse 1 says, "A wise son makes a glad father"- immediately I recognize what I desire for my children and why. I used to think it was selfish for me to pressure my children to conform and 'make me look good' and the danger is to make looking good matter more than the good of the child- but because I believe in 2 roads- or 2 ditches off the road of life- it makes me happy to see my daughters on that good road.

And the antithesis- "A foolish son is a sorrow to his mother"- isn't this always powerful to think "I have really hurt my mom.". See the parallels: wise/foolish- glad/sad- father/mother- and this simple aphorism presses a deep heart button that any human being can relate to regardless of language, continent, culture, or time. This universal spirituality and soul consciousness and common communication is powerful evidence for the existence of God. It is a stretch to say "it just is."

Now general points in Ch. 10:

Honest work
Honest work pays off because God supports it
Laziness has its fruit as well- and it is not good
Honest work is also persevering work- life is a marathon
Long walks in the way of wisdom is pleasant and has less regrets
A good heart is open to instruction
Truth telling and integrity is stable and long lasting
A good heart produces positive speech
Wisdom is life- sin is death
A wise son uses thoughtful words- and they are fewer- a fool spews words without care
Darkness and anger deep in the heart will stir a brew of violence and death

and many of these general things are said over and over....

And we need reminders- every day... for life.

But IT IS WORTH IT!

Wisdom vs Folly- Proverbs 9- Day 9

We now come to the last of introductory or preliminary passages before the listing of individual proverbs. We have two feminine personifications- Wisdom and Folly.

Caught in between is the simpleton- a personification of all flesh. Do we grow up to life in maturity or do we fall into destructive traps?

There is one more type here and that is the scoffer or the mocker. This is a tough one. The insinuation of verses 7-8 is that it is a waste of time to correct or reprove a scoffer. In fact, if you proceed to train a scoffer- you will suffer abuse.

So how are we to discern when a person is considered a mocker or scoffer? I find the same dilemma when I consider Jesus's command to not cast pearls before swine in the Sermon on the Mount. At what point is a person unclean?

First of all- discernment is one of the benefits of pursuing godly wisdom. So as we gather experience and wisdom we begin to acquire a skill whereby we confidently choose when to finally withdraw from the scoffer.

Secondly, we have to trust God's regenerative power and grace here as well. I have to trust that even if I choose wrong, God will not lose any who He has chosen to redeem.

Finally, we need to fast and pray- especially if the mocker or scoffer is found to be a loved one or a child. Haven't we all seen those who seem to be defiant almost from birth. These types are NOT honest questioners- they are NOT open. They are NOT reasonable. Always dark- hard- cynical- jaded- abusive. Not an open wayward soul, but one bent on destruction. At some point, all we can do is withdraw and pray- PLEAD with God to overcome the hardened resistance and rebellion. The danger in continuing to present the gospel claims of Christ to this individual is that they become more resistant- more callous- with every rejection. It is more loving to back away and hope the gospel resistance is finally subdued by Christ in a supernatural way. Often though- the last chance is fairly drastic. As you pray- you watch their very world crumble- and you know that there will be a small flicker of hope- but at some point the rejection becomes permanent and the end is tragic. But we should leave the condemnation to God alone.

Let's go back to the average simpleton again (all of us, especially me). Lady Wisdom calling and the Woman Folly calling.... and which way will he go?

Look at the parallel pleads:
Lady Wisdom: 'Come and eat my bread and drink my wine'.
Woman Folly: 'Stolen water is sweet and secret bread is pleasant' .

May we pause here and remember the true bread and wine. Who do you want to dine with?

Raising the Standards- Proverbs 8- Day 8

I never will forget being given a hard time by my boss when I was a student intern at Briarwood Presbyterian church in the early 80's. He had worked with a few 'boys' out of my high school and he liked to goad us a little about 'being from Banks'- playfully insinuating that we were just some rag tag, blue collar, red necks.

He teased me about my wrinkled pants- "You came to work today in your pajamas?"
He laughed about where some of us lived - "You can take the boy out of East Lake but you can't take East Lake out of the boy."
He'd get tickled at our inability to pronounce things and our ignorance of 'culture'.

You have to believe me that: A) This was all in good fun and B) He was training us how to walk with kings and peasants without losing dignity ( He was just an old reformed Berry redneck himself).

But I never will forget when he had kind of set-up for me to take a former Miss Auburn out to dinner. It was  nothing romantic, and I don't remember how it all worked out- but I was supposed to pick her up, take her to dinner, and take her home. You have to also know that I was living with some of the guys I was working with- so they were sort of spying on me, ready to report all the mess ups- this was Banks taking out a high society lady with Mountain Brook pedigree (I don't know if she went to Mountain Brook, but people in B'ham would get the analogy).

I knew what I was getting into- but I dressed up in my best ironed clothes, put on a starched shirt- picked her up- opened the car door, had a nice dinner, took her home, prayed with her, and said 'good night'.

The next day at work, my boss knew all the details- 'Jaybird, that is just amazing what a woman will do to raise a boy's standards!"

Years later, John Croyle, used similar language when he met my wife- 'Jay, looks you done out kicked your coverage' (football lingo- all the former players got it).

The point of this story is the thrust of Proverbs 8. We have had close and detailed descriptions of the prostitute who leads to death and destruction steadily throughout the first 7 chapters. He have seen her, heard from her lips, observed her tactics, and noticed the twistedness, deceit, and perversion that is a part of her ways. Here, she is not mentioned at all.

Instead, this beautiful chapter fully shows the sweet lady, Wisdom, in all her splendor. This chapter moves me to tears when I see how pure and elegant Wisdom is portrayed here. She steps on the stage and the pollution of sin is melted away. This chapter contains not even a hint of anything impure.

She calls out to us.
She wants us to learn from her: prudence, common sense, and nobility.
She wants NO PART of wickedness- she only utters TRUTH.
ALL the words of her mouth are righteous.
Her teaching is better than silver.
Peace and prosperity is her heritage- ENDURING WEALTH.
The fruit of the relationship is better than gold.
She is with the Lord- He is her possession- She is HIS delight.
If you find her: you find life- the Lord's favor.

Why would you not want to possess such a woman? This is another woman you could have in your life that even your wife would approve!

Don't you see now why to miss out on this beautiful woman brings such agony?

"He who fails to find me INJURES himself and all who HATE me LOVE death".

This beautiful and tender lady: Queen Wisdom- calls out to you today.

The first step in acquiring her is to be born again in Christ- the Spirit of God in a man sees and hears wisdom's call.

Missing the Point- Day 7 Proverbs 7

As we read Proverbs 7- even the Chapter headings mention that this is a warning against the adulteress... again!

And it does re-state the, so far, very repeated warning about the seduction that leads to ruin- in very graphic language. The Bible mirrors real life and pulls NO punches.

But as I see how the passage begins and how it ends, I have to ask myself, are we missing another huge point here?

And I think it is this- the call of diligence to pursue wisdom and keep commands. Look at  the points of emphasis: "Keep my words", "Treasure commands", let the teaching be the 'apple of your eye', bind them, write them, call insight- at the end of the chapter- "Listen", "Be attentive"- all of this diligence will prevent the slow slide that leads to quick death.

It takes wisdom to see beyond the temptation- on the surface it seems OK- she looks attractive, she initiates the kiss, she says she has done her religious duty, she wants him, she has prepared her couch for a night of passion, the husband is safely away- and look how proverbs describes this: "with much seductive speech she persuades him"- this is why we have to have God's wisdom to see through the lure and spy the trap.

Without God's wisdom- we will not heed the warning.

So yes- four of the first 7 chapters mentions the power and problem of lust, but did you see something here?

Who is the other woman who stands opposite the seductress? What other woman is vying for our affection? Yes, we are to stay with the wife of our youth- but who is the grand lady of Proverbs that stands in stark contrast to the prostitute?

The beautiful lady and the loyal lady and the pure lady is WISDOM. Let us CLING to her!

God Knows Money- Day 6- Proverbs 6

As we continue in this great book, we now come to Chapter 6. Again, a lot of the same language and themes- think of years of reminders and instructions. You never leave the fundamentals. Don't rush over these as you read- ponder proverbs and pray that they resonante in your heart.

But where Ch 5 tends to lean toward warnings about adultery, Ch. 6 tends to lean more toward principles of money and business. The Bible has a lot to say about the use of money, stewardship, and principles that lead to a prosperous and honest business.

It begins with the danger of debt. It is not wrong to borrow per se- but it is unwise to guarantee a debt because it is dependent on promises that can be outside the guarantor's ability to control. And the more a person lives under debt, the more they are out of control. If we are not careful- the trappings of financial dealings can put us in a situation where we are a slave to mammon and not free to be under the control of God's desire for our lives. We should always live to be a slave only to Christ and not bound by money. I have always taken this as: 1) Give to the Lord 2) Live on less than I make (no consumer interest other than my mortgage) and 3) pay my bills on time. This is so appropriate because of the danger we are under as a nation because of the huge debt we have that is owned by foreign countries, some who would be considered as hostile.

The passage also points to hard work as the key to provision. There is no such thing as a short-cut to success. I love the passage about considering the work ethic of the ant. I believe that discipline is greatly ties to motivation and real motivation is directly tied to your relationship with God. Ultimately, the greatest pressure to improve discipline comes from the inside desire to glorify Christ. The ability to work hard and SMART comes with age. What is it about getting older that allows us to need less sleep and work harder? But we have to be self starters and decide that nothing done for the Lord is ever in vain (I Corin. 15:58) so we should be diligent to press hard in building Christ's kingdom. I know from Scripture that God is pleased with hard and honest work- but He wants it to be in the proper priority (no idol service) and always lubricated with the lotion of love.

A BIG ONE, the need to deal honestly in business. This theme will be highlighted later as a call for honest scales.  But the passage is clear- the con man may steal for a season- but destruction is always at the end of ill gotten gain. I think we will be shocked at the Lord's anger toward all the times His children were scammed over the years- the carpet-baggers will be just as much under his wrath as the drug dealers and war mongers. All the shady dealings will be brought to light and it will not be a pretty sight.

And we have ANOTHER passage on adultery here. I thought about titling this chapter: God knows money and Solomon knew women. We know the narrative about King Solomon- the many wives and concubines and how foreign wives distracted and deadened his heart toward God. Multiplying wives was NOT part of God's law, but He patiently allowed it as David and Solomon chose to follow the pattern of the world here. And we know that both men were taken down by failure in this area. What will the end of history show here about how many men were ruined by ignoring God's boundaries here?

But of all the passages on the seductress- this one reads to me the most poetic and most compelling. In fact this is a beautiful chapter in terms of imagery throughout. One remarkable distinction shown in this chapter is the deadly consequences of adultery in terms of how it can lead to murder.

"The price of a prostitute is only a loaf of bread but a married woman hunts down a precious life." This verse is not saying prostitution is a little sin- it is saying it is little COMPARED to the cost of destroying a marriage.

"Can a man carry fire next to his chest and his clothes not be burned?" I have always attached this thought with an application today to pornography. If the seductress leads to destruction and death- how can any person not light that deadly fire by viewing pornography? I mentioned in yesterday's devotion that the battle must be won in the mind- pornography is a slam dunk mental loss and it pollutes. It keeps us from enjoying the intimacy of marital relations in joy and purity and it pressurizes the temptation to break the covenantal commitments.

Years ago we had a godly man in our small group confess to an addiction to pornography. You know men's group- we sit around and lie to one another for about 3 months and then one day someone gets real and healing begins. This man, with prayer, support, and accountability overcame this sin and escaped the potential consequences. I could write in more detail about the nature of this sin- but this is not the correct forum to do so. But my experience (with all of the sins we like to hide)  is to expose it is first step to victory- let the light shine on this area. Don't broadcast it on you tube- but find a small group of people (or 1 person) who love you and confess it. Then begin the process of victory utilizing the power of Scripture and godly accountability to break the sin cycle. The ultimate win comes through deeply understanding the gospel and finding real forgiveness at the cross.

My prayer is that all of us find the 'expulsive power of a new affection' and the love of Christ and the grace of God and the intimacy with the Holy Spirit allows us to enjoy healthy marriages and run our homes in financial security and meaningful relationships. May our 'affairs' in the marketplace be just and righteous dealings with all people .

 ALL SIN DESTROYS and we should be diligent to root it out of our lives. Proverbs is godly wisdom of warning signs and provides a road map to life!

Too High a Price- Proverbs 5- Day 5

Again, a lot of Proverbs are recurring themes and principles- but the repetition is good.


Chapter 5 tends to lean more toward the consequences of sexual sin, but also correctly puts the correct emphasis on God's allowance for intimacy within His boundary of marriage. Too often, the history of the church was to portray sexual intimacy as lewd- but this chapter lists a lot of positive encouragement for experiencing the pleasure of intimacy within marriage.


Look at the passion in verses 18-19: 

¹⁸ May your fountain be blessed,    and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth. ¹⁹ A loving doe, a graceful deer—    may her breasts satisfy you always,    may you ever be intoxicated with her love.

Does this sound like inhibited expression- only for the procreation of children?


But most of this passage has to do with the deadly consequences of adultery. Our culture has backed away from pressing hard for sexual purity. Some would say that it is a 'victimless' action and if we could remove the guilt attached to old fashioned mores- we could liberate human society.


But we know deep down that this is a lie. You cannot remove the harmful consequences because of how we are wired. Even science is supporting the importance of monogamous relationships. An abstinence group at Harvard is asking students to remain pure because of research which shows the body releasing powerful hormones- one called oxytocin which can create deep wounds when secure relationships are not a part of sexual intimacy.


The writer of proverbs doesn't need the data- he sees the damage: bitter wormwood-death-hell-wayward paths-loss of honor- loss of labor-regret- physical disease-trapped-a fool.


I firmly believe the battle against sexual sin begins in the mind- Jesus points this out in the Sermon on the Mount- fight it mentally and there is a better chance of winning. If you wait to battle it physically, the failure rate is much higher.


I have always credited Dr. Frank Barker and the movie, 'Fatal Attraction' as two excellent sources for warning about sexual sin. Dr. Barker used to preach about mentally rehearsing what would happen to me if I committed adultery: I would lose my wife- my children- my reputation- my job.... is that worth it? And 'Fatal Attraction' portrayed the narrative of what can happen when the seductress is turned loose to destroy- mentally thinking through these things is good ammunition.


I also want to always thank the late Mr Bill Stegall for warning me that temptation to commit adultery never leaves. He used to tell me that for young men it was about the passion and for older men it was about pride. An older man falls because he desires to be desired- especially by the young and attractive. But the price! Oh the pain of that price! 


I never teach on this topic without speaking of God's grace and keep encouraging everyone to struggle well- win- but if there are failures- keep struggling and find forgiveness- the modern psychologists are right- the guilt is a deadly poison- but only the love of God can remove the sting.


I am so thankful to have the wife of my youth- may the warnings of Chapter 5 remind us- this is no pet sin... this one has way too high a price to pay.
'