The Proverbs 31 Project: Commenting May 28th on Proverbs 28: 9-12

[If you have been here before, in May, then you might want to skip down below the green for today's post.]

"Thirty days hath September, 

April, June and November

All the rest have 31

Except February which has 28

Except during leap year when it has 29"

NO I DID NOT WRITE THIS "POEM"!  (Talk about free verse!)

Why didn't somebody just point out that the four months that do NOT have 31 days (except February, and everyone knows all about February The Exceptional) come every other month except that there is no 30 day month between July and August?  The silly poem above mixes up the order just to hide the fact that the real 30 day months come in two orderly pairs: April/June and September/November.  Can somebody please write a non-silly poem for us that will make this clear, and stick in our minds, but without gooping them up with exceptions (and please just leave February out of it!)?

And to make matters (far) worse, MILLERWRITES has created a Proverbs Pull-A-Part Plan that decimates that fine collection of wisdom in the book of Proverbs, by spreading commentary on each chapter out over 7 months (the good 31 day months)!  Oh don't ask me to explain his system.  You can try to decipher what he said about it at the top of any P31P posts from January or March if you like, or just follow along this month and figure it out.

All Bible passages are from the NIV, and are copied here from Biblegateway.com

REMEMBER: My ideas may be oh so mesmerizing, but you will get more benefit from simply reading the chapter itself!

So here I offer my amateur comments on verses 9-12.  Today's inspired verses are in red, and my comments are neither       (neither inspired, nor red).

PROVERBS 28


1 The wicked flee though no one pursues,
but the righteous are as bold as a lion.


2 When a country is rebellious, it has many rulers,
but a ruler with discernment and knowledge maintains order.


3 A ruler[a] who oppresses the poor
is like a driving rain that leaves no crops.


4 Those who forsake instruction praise the wicked,
but those who heed it resist them.


5 Evildoers do not understand what is right,
but those who seek the Lord understand it fully.


6 Better the poor whose walk is blameless
than the rich whose ways are perverse.


7 A discerning son heeds instruction,
but a companion of gluttons disgraces his father.


8 Whoever increases wealth by taking interest or profit from the poor
amasses it for another, who will be kind to the poor.


9 If anyone turns a deaf ear to my instruction,
even their prayers are detestable.

9) Compare this to another obvious truth: 
 If anyone ignores the invitation to my eternal party in heaven, rejecting even the dress code (the white robe of righteousness I would provide through my Son), even their later wails of despair (their repentance wrought from duress only) will be ignored.

(Yes,I already know I'm not a good proverbialist!)


10 Whoever leads the upright along an evil path
will fall into their own trap,
but the blameless will receive a good inheritance.

10) Good.  Again, God promises to avenge the blameless!  The catch?  Well, without Christ's righteousness covering our sin, there are no "blameless"!


11 The rich are wise in their own eyes;
one who is poor and discerning sees how deluded they are.

11) Why would "the rich" ever equate their net worth with wisdom?  Some of course, are, but the two do not automatically go together.  (Why are not the rich prone to be "lucky in their own eyes"?)


12 When the righteous triumph, there is great elation;
but when the wicked rise to power, people go into hiding.

12) "Oh Lord, help us, to be governed by the (more) righteous."  


13 Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper,
but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.


14 Blessed is the one who always trembles before God,
but whoever hardens their heart falls into trouble.


15 Like a roaring lion or a charging bear
is a wicked ruler over a helpless people.


16 A tyrannical ruler practices extortion,
but one who hates ill-gotten gain will enjoy a long reign.


17 Anyone tormented by the guilt of murder
will seek refuge in the grave;
let no one hold them back.


18 The one whose walk is blameless is kept safe,
but the one whose ways are perverse will fall into the pit.[b]


19 Those who work their land will have abundant food,
but those who chase fantasies will have their fill of poverty.


20 A faithful person will be richly blessed,
but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished.


21 To show partiality is not good —
yet a person will do wrong for a piece of bread.


22 The stingy are eager to get rich
and are unaware that poverty awaits them.


23 Whoever rebukes a person will in the end gain favor
rather than one who has a flattering tongue.


24 Whoever robs their father or mother
and says, “It’s not wrong,”
is partner to one who destroys.


25 The greedy stir up conflict,
but those who trust in the Lord will prosper.


26 Those who trust in themselves are fools,
but those who walk in wisdom are kept safe.


27 Those who give to the poor will lack nothing,
but those who close their eyes to them receive many curses.


28 When the wicked rise to power, people go into hiding;
but when the wicked perish, the righteous thrive.



By the way...MILLERWRITES copy is COPYRIGHTED. Why cut and paste when you can simply copy the link?

The Proverbs 31 Project: Commenting March 15th on Proverbs 15:6-10

               March 15th?     Read Proverbs 15!

[Please note: The first two paragraphs below are repeated each day for new readers. My amateur comments are offered below each of today's verses from Proverbs.]

Have you ever noticed that, like most months have 31 days, the Book of Proverbs has 31 chapters? Fascinating right? Well, it is at least interesting, and coincidentally beneficial to those who would like to read a portion of thought-provoking scripture every day of the month. You might like to read the calendar coordinated chapter from Proverbs every day this month (I've included the whole chapter below!) and then see if my comments on a few of its verses line up with your own observations. My plan is to go through the year, writing my response to about one seventh of each chapter's verses every day, during each of the 7 months that have 31 days.  Clear as mud? That's what I thought.

I hope you check it out every day, and leave a comment once in a while. Especially if I say something really off base and need to be corrected, because, as we will learn this month on the 27th, Proverbs 27:5 says

                                "Better is open rebuke than hidden love." 

                                    Today's inspired verses, 6-10, are highlighted in red

                                          (and my questionable comments are in blue).

Proverbs 15


1 A gentle answer turns away wrath,

but a harsh word stirs up anger.


2 The tongue of the wise adorns knowledge,

but the mouth of the fool gushes folly.


3 The eyes of the LORD are everywhere,

keeping watch on the wicked and the good.


4 The soothing tongue is a tree of life,

but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit.


5 A fool spurns a parent’s discipline,

but whoever heeds correction shows prudence.


6 The house of the righteous contains great treasure,

but the income of the wicked brings ruin.

6) What kinds of treasure might the righteous own?  The good stuff!  Some of the goods are listed here in Galatians 5:22,23    But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 

I love the parenthetical understatement at the end of this verse!  Perhaps when the 99% realize there are some people that enjoy these riches, and they don't; some envious protectionist laws will be enacted to prohibit the free exercise of true love, real peace and the obviously corrupt concept of "self-control".

And what kind of ruin do the wicked live with?  Besides a guilty conscious and an eternal destiny away from the God they reject (Do not the wicked thus CHOOSE to go to hell?), they endure the opposite traits growing by the Spirit's care through the lifetime of the righteous:  hate, chaos, impatience, meanness, cruelty, infidelity, harshness and autonomy.

7 The lips of the wise spread knowledge,

but the hearts of fools are not upright.

7) There is something about sharing good news that makes having it even better!  When you find a great pizza place, don't you call your best friends and make sure they know where it is, how to get there, what time they're open how much better it is than the old place?  Spreading the wisdom of God's Word is like that.  I wish everyone could enjoy the same benefits I do, in knowing the God who loves us so.

The second half of this proverb doesn't seem to be a classic opposite that most proverbs use to make the point, as in verse 6 above.  Nor is it one that rephrases the theme for emphasis, as in verse 23 below.  It uses the "but" conjunction, but seems to change the subject.  Is it suggesting that someone finding a great restaurant, but not sharing the news, is not acting uprightly?  Something only a fool would do; partly because nobody will ever be eager to share their good finds with him either, perhaps.  What do you think?

8 The LORD detests the sacrifice of the wicked,

but the prayer of the upright pleases him.

8) The wicked offering a sacrifice is a matter of hypocrisy.  Not so, the sacrifice of the repentant wicked, which is the only acceptable position for all of us.

9 The LORD detests the way of the wicked,

but he loves those who pursue righteousness.

9) In the same vein, and as a matter of definition, the Lord should detest the ways of the wicked.  Such ways are contrary to His way.  Much as if you teach your daughter to drive according to your ways, but she refuses to be constrained by your vacant traditions and drives her car (or your car) backwards wherever she goes!  You would hate her ways, because she, whom you love, will likely suffer terrible results.

10 Stern discipline awaits anyone who leaves the path;

the one who hates correction will die.

10) Thankfully, we will prefer discipline to death!  We might complain at the "infringement on freedom" imposed by "the path", but it is the path: It, and it alone, will get us where we want to be.  God is not a killjoy, but a good guide we can trust.

11 Death and Destruction[a] lie open before the LORD—

how much more do human hearts!


12 Mockers resent correction,

so they avoid the wise.


13 A happy heart makes the face cheerful,

but heartache crushes the spirit.


14 The discerning heart seeks knowledge,

but the mouth of a fool feeds on folly.


15 All the days of the oppressed are wretched,

but the cheerful heart has a continual feast.


16 Better a little with the fear of the LORD

than great wealth with turmoil.


17 Better a small serving of vegetables with love

than a fattened calf with hatred.


18 A hot-tempered person stirs up conflict,

but the one who is patient calms a quarrel.


19 The way of the sluggard is blocked with thorns,

but the path of the upright is a highway.


20 A wise son brings joy to his father,

but a foolish man despises his mother.


21 Folly brings joy to one who has no sense,

but whoever has understanding keeps a straight course.


22 Plans fail for lack of counsel,

but with many advisers they succeed.


23 A person finds joy in giving an apt reply—

and how good is a timely word!


24 The path of life leads upward for the prudent

to keep them from going down to the realm of the dead.


25 The LORD tears down the house of the proud,

but he sets the widow’s boundary stones in place.


26 The LORD detests the thoughts of the wicked,

but gracious words are pure in his sight.


27 The greedy bring ruin to their households,

but the one who hates bribes will live.


28 The heart of the righteous weighs its answers,

but the mouth of the wicked gushes evil.


29 The LORD is far from the wicked,

but he hears the prayer of the righteous.


30 Light in a messenger’s eyes brings joy to the heart,

and good news gives health to the bones.


31 Whoever heeds life-giving correction

will be at home among the wise.


32 Those who disregard discipline despise themselves,

but the one who heeds correction gains understanding.


33 Wisdom’s instruction is to fear the LORD,

and humility comes before honor.


Footnotes:
Proverbs 15:11 Hebrew Abaddon

The Proverbs 31 Project: Commenting March 13th on Proverbs 13:4-7

                   March 13th?     Read Proverbs 13!

[Please note: The first two paragraphs below are repeated each day for new readers. My amateur comments are offered below each of today's verses from Proverbs.]

Have you ever noticed that, like most months have 31 days, the Book of Proverbs has 31 chapters? Fascinating right? Well, it is at least interesting, and coincidentally beneficial to those who would like to read a portion of thought provoking scripture every day of the month. You might like to read the calendar coordinated chapter from Proverbs every day this month (I've included the whole chapter below!) and then see if my comments on a few of those verses line up with your own observations. My plan is to go through the year, writing my response to about one seventh of each chapter's verses every day, during each of the 7 months that have 31 days.  Clear as mud? That's what I thought.

I hope you check in, and leave a comment. Especially if I say something really off base and need to be corrected, because, as we will learn this month on the 27th, Proverbs 27:5 says

                                "Better is open rebuke than hidden love." 

                                    Today's inspired verses, 4-7, are highlighted in red

                                          (and my questionable comments are in blue).

Proverbs 13

1 A wise son heeds his father’s instruction,
but a mocker does not respond to rebukes.

2 From the fruit of their lips people enjoy good things,
but the unfaithful have an appetite for violence.

3 Those who guard their lips preserve their lives,
but those who speak rashly will come to ruin.

4 A sluggard’s appetite is never filled,
but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied.


4) A sluggard has plenty of time to sit (or lay) and think about all the things he wants.  Did you ever sit too long with a department store catalog, or even a weekly flyer from the home improvement store?  All of a sudden you find yourself craving things you never even knew you wanted!  My downfall is Menards.  So I decided not to even look at all the cool stuff I could add to my home, or the great tools I've been barely doing without, until I am actually planning a project, and have the cash available to go make the purchase.


The diligent, on the other hand, brings his desires to fruition by, guess what; doing the work!  Then he is satisfied with the job being done, and rewarded in his spirit by the positive feeling of accomplishment.  This is how we are made.
5 The righteous hate what is false,
but the wicked make themselves a stench
and bring shame on themselves.


5) There are so many lies thrown at us every day.  The "father of lies" (Satan) has many deceitful strategies.  I think that one of them is to overwhelm objections to deception by the numbers.  One lie can be resisted simply, by revealing the truth through testimony or evidence.  Three dozen lies at once, and the resistor gets weary and is discouraged as he begins to look like a whiner.


The good news here as that in God's economy, there really is no such thing as the perfect crime.  One slip up exposes the offense and the whole house of cards collapses with a crash of shame.
6 Righteousness guards the person of integrity,
but wickedness overthrows the sinner.


6) Thankfully, this righteousness is a gift from God.  Only Christ is truly righteous, but He shares, or bestows His righteousness on those who trust their lives to Him.  One of the ways it "guards the person of integrity" is by covering him.  God sees the forgiveness through Christ in that robe, instead of the original wickedness that would otherwise see the sinner "overthrown".

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


7) "The Prince and the Pauper" story comes to mind.  The bored young king and the honest pauper somehow find that they are look-a-likes and trade places.  All kinds of mischief ensues as they each discover the intricacies of the other's world.  The proverb today though, I think, is referring to the pride of man.


Sometimes a poorer person is so jealous of, and embarrassed by his well to do neighbors that he tries to put on a show of keeping up.  He has a double mortgage and deals with collection calls all day and night, but he sure looks like he's doing well!


And sometimes the rich plea for sympathy because their stock collapsed and now they are forced to live (gasp!) on a mere $15,000 per month!  While pretending to be so poor, they make themselves miserable because they have to wait until NEXT YEAR to upgrade their yacht.


8 A person’s riches may ransom their life,
but the poor cannot respond to threatening rebukes.

9 The light of the righteous shines brightly,
but the lamp of the wicked is snuffed out.

10 Where there is strife, there is pride,
but wisdom is found in those who take advice.

11 Dishonest money dwindles away,
but whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow.

12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.

13 Whoever scorns instruction will pay for it,
but whoever respects a command is rewarded.

14 The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life,
turning a person from the snares of death.

15 Good judgment wins favor,
but the way of the unfaithful leads to their destruction.[a]

16 All who are prudent act with[b] knowledge,
but fools expose their folly.

17 A wicked messenger falls into trouble,
but a trustworthy envoy brings healing.

18 Whoever disregards discipline comes to poverty and shame,
but whoever heeds correction is honored.

19 A longing fulfilled is sweet to the soul,
but fools detest turning from evil.

20 Walk with the wise and become wise,
for a companion of fools suffers harm.

21 Trouble pursues the sinner,
but the righteous are rewarded with good things.

22 A good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children,
but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous.

23 An unplowed field produces food for the poor,
but injustice sweeps it away.

24 Whoever spares the rod hates their children,
but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them.

25 The righteous eat to their hearts’ content,
but the stomach of the wicked goes hungry.
Footnotes:
Proverbs 13:15 Septuagint and Syriac; the meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.
Proverbs 13:16 Or prudent protect themselves through

The Proverbs 31 Project: Commenting March 11th on Proverbs 11:6-10

March 11th?     Read Proverbs 11!

[Please note: The first two paragraphs below are repeated each day for new readers. My amateur comments are offered below each of today's verses from Proverbs.]

Have you ever noticed that, like most months have 31 days, the Book of Proverbs has 31 chapters? Fascinating right? Well, it is at least interesting, and coincidentally beneficial to those who would like to read a portion of thought provoking scripture every day of the month. You might like to read the calendar coordinated chapter from Proverbs every day this month (I've included the whole chapter below!) and then see if my comments on a few of those verses line up with your own observations. My plan is to go through the year, writing my response to about one seventh of each chapter's verses every day, during each of the 7 months that have 31 days.  Clear as mud? That's what I thought.

I hope you check in, and leave a comment. Especially if I say something really off base and need to be corrected, because, as we will learn this month on the 27th, Proverbs 27:5 says

                                "Better is open rebuke than hidden love." 

                                  Today's inspired verses, Proverbs 11:6-10, are in red

                                          (and my questionable comments are in blue).

Proverbs 11

1 The LORD detests dishonest scales,
but accurate weights find favor with him.

2 When pride comes, then comes disgrace,
but with humility comes wisdom.

3 The integrity of the upright guides them,
but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.

4 Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath,
but righteousness delivers from death.

5 The righteousness of the blameless makes their paths straight,
but the wicked are brought down by their own wickedness.

6 The righteousness of the upright delivers them,
but the unfaithful are trapped by evil desires.


6) I'm thinking about roots.  What are the roots of righteousness, and the roots of evil desires?  Since we are all born with the tendency to sin (actually, being enslaved by sin) the beginnings of righteousness only show up in  our guilty conscience.  They stand up and condemn us, as a matter of fact.  Did you know that is the reason God first gave the 10 commandments to Israel?  They serve basically to show us we can not keep the law, a realization that should then lead us to call on God for the forgiveness we absolutely need.  Then, through faith in His provided Savior, Jesus Christ, we can actually be clothed in righteousness.


The root of evil desires is more readily understood by most of us.  Nobody ever taught their children to disobey, or to lie, or to be selfish.  It's all right there.  And the older we get (speaking for myself) the more evident are the many traps that our evil desires lead us to so inexorably.


7 Hopes placed in mortals die with them;
all the promise of[a] their power comes to nothing.


7) Even your most trusted human friend and confidante will fail, if you are expecting him or her to support you forever.  They are certainly part of your life due to the grace of God.  He provides everything we enjoy.  But He ultimately wants us to lean on His everlasting arms.


8 The righteous person is rescued from trouble,
and it falls on the wicked instead.


8) A proverb is a rule of thumb.  Not a law of the universe.  We all know cases where the good guy gets creamed while the creeps get the goods.  We do love the movies where the bad guy is apparently about to get away with murder, but some smart detective's insight, or hero's brave deed, or a fortunate twist of fate intervenes in the last 5 minutes and all ends well!  In real life; not so much.  In real life, Jesus told us that God "....causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous."  Mathew 5:45


God doesn't bother differentiating between the good and evil.  The benefits and pains of both the sun and of the rain fall randomly from the sky.  The differences among us are revealed by how we react to our circumstances.  The person who accepts a bad situation with grace and patience (God's gifts) will indeed be rescued from the suffering of a particular trouble, while another person will clamor and complain through the same trial and thus bear a load of anxiety and despair as if it fell on his shoulders.


In the end (the VERY end) all of those found righteous through Christ (all repentant sinners) will be rescued from the very definition of "trouble", hell itself, while its torments will fall indeed on the wicked (those who think they will go to God's house having denied His dress code (the white robes of Christ's righteousness).


9 With their mouths the godless destroy their neighbors,
but through knowledge the righteous escape.


9) Lies verses truth.  Gossip and slander are cruel weapons, but the knowledge of the truth will save.


10 When the righteous prosper, the city rejoices;
when the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy.


10) Who isn't happy for their good friends?  Only the wicked, who would actually LIKE to see disaster fall on good citizens.  But again with the movies; we become so involved with a well played character that we do almost shout for joy when the villain loses the combat and falls off a cliff or, gloating triumphantly with his evil laugh, suddenly gets eaten by the alien.  

11 Through the blessing of the upright a city is exalted,
but by the mouth of the wicked it is destroyed.

12 Whoever derides their neighbor has no sense,
but the one who has understanding holds their tongue.

13 A gossip betrays a confidence,
but a trustworthy person keeps a secret.

14 For lack of guidance a nation falls,
but victory is won through many advisers.

15 Whoever puts up security for a stranger will surely suffer,
but whoever refuses to shake hands in pledge is safe.

16 A kindhearted woman gains honor,
but ruthless men gain only wealth.

17 Those who are kind benefit themselves,
but the cruel bring ruin on themselves.

18 A wicked person earns deceptive wages,
but the one who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward.

19 Truly the righteous attain life,
but whoever pursues evil finds death.

20 The LORD detests those whose hearts are perverse,
but he delights in those whose ways are blameless.

21 Be sure of this: The wicked will not go unpunished,
but those who are righteous will go free.

22 Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout
is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion.

23 The desire of the righteous ends only in good,
but the hope of the wicked only in wrath.

24 One person gives freely, yet gains even more;
another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.

25 A generous person will prosper;
whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.

26 People curse the one who hoards grain,
but they pray God’s blessing on the one who is willing to sell.

27 Whoever seeks good finds favor,
but evil comes to one who searches for it.

28 Those who trust in their riches will fall,
but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf.

29 Whoever brings ruin on their family will inherit only wind,
and the fool will be servant to the wise.

30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,
and the one who is wise saves lives.

31 If the righteous receive their due on earth,
how much more the ungodly and the sinner!
Footnotes:
Proverbs 11:7 Two Hebrew manuscripts; most Hebrew manuscripts, Vulgate, Syriac and Targum When the wicked die, their hope perishes; / all they expected from

The Proverbs 31 Project: Commenting January 11th on Proverbs 11:1-5

January 11;  Proverbs 11, Verses 1-5

[Please note: The first two paragraphs below are repeated each day for new readers.  My amateur comments start below the verses from Proverbs.]

Christians looking for a simple way to review the Bible regularly, have long been convenienced by the fact that the book of Proverbs has 31 chapters, the same number as most of our months.  Each chapter includes multiple bite-sized verses (uhm, proverbs) and can be read through simply in one sitting, one appropriately numbered chapter per day through the month.  My simple mind balks at the idea of trying this pattern in any month with less than 31 days  (It just does, all right?), but there are 7 months every year that are suitable for the effort.

My idea here is to reprint about 1/7 of the verses of each day's chapter throughout this year, every time a 31 day month pops up, and offer a few comments from The Barking Owl.  So in January, we will get through the first few verses of every chapter and then in March, the next group, so that by the time December comes around we can finally get to the last set of verses in each chapter and complete the book's reading.  If you are smarter than I am (is there any doubt?), you will read the whole chapter every day, every 31 day month, and then you will have read the whole book 7 times this year!  By then you are guaranteed to be wiser than The Barking Owl at least, though no one will ever match the wisdom of Solomon!

[All Bible passages are from the NIV, and are copied from www.Biblegateway.com]

Proverbs 11

¹ The LORD detests dishonest scales,
   but accurate weights find favor with him.

 ² When pride comes, then comes disgrace,
   but with humility comes wisdom.

 ³ The integrity of the upright guides them,
   but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.

 ⁴ Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath,
   but righteousness delivers from death.

 ⁵ The righteousness of the blameless makes their paths straight,
   but the wicked are brought down by their own wickedness.

1) 'Dishonest scales'.  It's not enough for God to say 'be honest'.  He knows where we live and how we live:  In the nitty gritty details which offer so many simple temptations.  A thumb on the scale may 'earn' the butcher only a few extra cents, but God knows this is what kills the spirit.  Yes, the dishonest scale would cheat the customer, but the cheating of a customer cheats the butcher (or whoever is cooking the books, as it were) of his relationship with God, and God of His relationship with the cheater.

2) How many times in the Bible does God relay this same message?  You may know it best by "Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall, which we will get to, by the way, on July 16th!

3) Why not be straightforward?  The more we connive and scheme, the more we get caught up and tangled in our own lies.  Life is so much simpler when the only question one must answer is "What is the right thing to do?".  Instead of recognizing that the right thing is uncomfortable and then plotting to simulate the right thing, or imagining how to excuse the wrong thing, we should just go ahead and simply be guided by integrity.  Duplicity leads to destruction, Solomon says!

4) With the possible exception of a well placed money clip, no wealth has ever stopped a vengeful bullet.  Maybe a blackmailer's bullet, but wrath is just plain wrathful , and it can not be bought off.  I don't think the abuser referred to in this song could have bought off Miranda Lambert! But more to the point; nothing we save or own or collect or have will impinge on the just wrath of God.  Only the righteous, wearing the white robe granted by the Savior, through grace, will be delivered.

5) Who are 'the blameless'?  Well, there are none.  Isaiah 64:6 says that

"All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away."

Christ takes the blame for us, and only in receiving that gift do we become blameless.  Then, according to verse 5 we become righteous, and walk on a straight path!

The Proverbs 31 Project: Commenting January 10th on Proverbs 10:1-4

January 10;  Proverbs 10, Verses 1-4

[Please note: The first two paragraphs below are repeated each day for new readers.  My amateur comments start below the verses from Proverbs.]

Christians looking for a simple way to review the Bible regularly, have long been convenienced by the fact that the book of Proverbs has 31 chapters, the same number as most of our months.  Each chapter includes multiple bite-sized verses (uhm, proverbs) and can be read through simply in one sitting, one appropriately numbered chapter per day through the month.  My simple mind balks at the idea of trying this pattern in any month with less than 31 days  (It just does, all right?), but there are 7 months every year that are suitable for the effort.

My idea here is to reprint about 1/7 of the verses of each day's chapter throughout this year, every time a 31 day month pops up, and offer a few comments from The Barking Owl.  So in January, we will get through the first few verses of every chapter and then in March, the next group, so that by the time December comes around we can finally get to the last set of verses in each chapter and complete the book's reading.  If you are smarter than I am (is there any doubt?), you will read the whole chapter every day, every 31 day month, and then you will have read the whole book 7 times this year!  By then you are guaranteed to be wiser than The Barking Owl at least, though no one will ever match the wisdom of Solomon!

[All Bible passages are from the NIV, and are copied from www.Biblegateway.com]

Proverbs 10

¹ The proverbs of Solomon:

   A wise son brings joy to his father,
   but a foolish son brings grief to his mother.

 ² Ill-gotten treasures have no lasting value,
   but righteousness delivers from death.

 ³ The LORD does not let the righteous go hungry,
   but he thwarts the craving of the wicked.

 ⁴ Lazy hands make for poverty,
   but diligent hands bring wealth.

Ahh!  We finally get to the proverbs!  Isn't this what we came for Solomon?  What took you so long?  Oh well.  Who am I to argue with the wisest man in history?

Now I will address each proverb on its own.

1) A very 'proverbial' way of saying that Dads and Moms want their kids to make good decisions.  We care more about their well being than we do our own.  I would be miffed at a mistake I made, but heartbroken for their sake if my son or daughter did the same thing.

2) We need to think about the treasures we have that might be 'ill gotten'.  Extra change from an errant cashier, kept, not returned, is only the most obvious.  

1 Cor 4:7  is intended to address pride, but I find a meaning related to our verse 2:

"What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?"   

Is everything you have 'received'?  Either as payment or as a gift?  Look through your stuff to see if there is anything not received, but taken.

3) There are certainly righteous people who are hungry, but part of being righteous (wearing the white robe of righteousness provided by Jesus' salvation) is being satisfied.  1 Tim 6:6 tells us that "Godliness with contentment is great gain."  (I wonder if Paul, when he wrote this 'knock-off' proverb to Timothy, had been doing his own 31 day study of Proverbs.)

And there are certainly wicked folk who have everything they can imagine, but their real craving, their soul's true longing for God Himself, is 'thwarted' by God because they have decided to reject God and all He includes.  Once a man does that, his striving for inner peace will be quenched by God, as a way of getting him to turn around, and come back.

4)Let me see if I can rephrase verse four to make it more clear.

Uhm, no.  I can't.