[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!)
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 8-10. Today's inspired verses are in red, and my comments are neither (neither inspired, nor red).
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.
5 The righteous hate what is false,
but the wicked make themselves a stench
and bring shame on themselves.
6 Righteousness guards the person of integrity,
but wickedness overthrows the sinner.
7 One person pretends to be rich, yet has nothing;
another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth.
8 A person’s riches may ransom their life,
but the poor cannot respond to threatening rebukes.
8) "So Solomon; are you trying to tell me that the rich and the poor live differently?" OK, so now that I'm done mocking (who me?) the wisest guy ever, I admit that I see his particular point. One of the biggest distinctions between the rich and the poor is in their very survivability. The super rich can buy their lives back from those who may threaten to take it. But the very poor have absolutely no such resource, no leverage with evildoers; but must wait entirely on the good graces that may or may not voluntarily flow from the merciful. In fact, since such grace and mercy are borne from God, and are manifest only in those exercising His imprinted image, the poor are rich beyond compare, as they may better know and see God. (OK, I don't know that that was Sol's point, but it is one of mine.)
9 The light of the righteous shines brightly,
but the lamp of the wicked is snuffed out.
9) Like the rich and poor of verse 8; the "righteous" enjoy certain inherent and incomprehensible benefits in life, that set them vastly apart from the "wicked". The wicked may even claim some comfort in the fact that they will be "snuffed out" when death, and its supposed annihilation, comes. Such a prospect would be comforting for those suffering life with authentic guilts, and knowing fears, and spiteful denials, and determined unconfessions; when annihilation is compared with an eternity of the same burdens multiplied and ever growing.
You are not rich enough in material or in spirit to ransom your life by bribing "the Judge" when that day comes. Instead of stoically resisting God's conviction, why not admit its truth, repent, and go on to receive His offer of cleansing and healing and regeneration? Trade being "snuffed out" for the free gift of "shining brightly"!
Furthermore, the "snuffing out" is just of the bright and warm light that is your life. The burnt and smoldering wick endures after the snuffing, and continues pointless, futile and regretful, forever!
10 Where there is strife, there is pride,
but wisdom is found in those who take advice.
10) I know this is a presumptuous question, but do you have enough wisdom to at least consider my advice from verse 9's comment? Not that my comment is anything original with me; but reflects (hopefully) God's word to us all.
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.
By the way...MILLERWRITES copy is COPYRIGHTED. Why cut and paste when you can simply copy the link?
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