Proverbial Wisdom: God is God and I Am Not!

 Read Proverbs 25

Verses 2-3:  One of the things that makes God, God, is that He has kept some things secret (Deuteronomy 29:29).  He has instructed us in what we need to know, but some things are just beyond us.  He is God, and we are not.  Kings, however, make it their business to be informed and to know the inner workings of their kingdom.  They are not God, and thus they need to be informed as to the activities of their kingdom and of those around them so that they can make the best possible leadership decisions.  God knows the state of a king’s heart, but no man can know with one hundred percent certainty what motivates a leader.  We can be promised a lot of things by our leaders, and even assume the heart of a certain leader based on “party lines” but it may not ring true.  We need to trust God, not man.  Pray for our leaders.  Above all, we must not be fooled to believe that just because a leader states something, that it is 100 percent truth.

Verses 4-5: We need to remember that even when the Bible uses the terminology of “king” that we should associate it with any political leader.  A king that rules by righteousness and justice will find that it strengthens the kingdom by preserving peace and promoting equitable treatment of others.  Those who make sure that the wicked are justly punished reduce corruption and bring benefit to all.  A leader should show no favoritism, but should judge with no partiality.  All people are equal in the eyes of God for judgement and so, a leader should reflect those things.  As God put in the New Testament, there is no Greek, no Scythian, there is no partiality of man.  A man should not be judged based on his creed, his race, or his career.

Verses 6-7  It is foolish to be presumptive and disrespectful to an authority figure by putting oneself forward or taking a higher seat than one should take.  Rather, one should wait for the king to say where one should go rather than to suffer the humiliation of being put lower.  A respectful and gracious approach is wisest.   Simply put, we should have a respect for authority.  This is sadly not taught nor practiced in our world today.

 

Verses 8-10:  Rather than taking a neighbor’s personal offense to the world at large by taking it to the courts or shouting about his error from the rooftops to shame him, it is wiser to try to work things out privately with one’s neighbor first.  Otherwise, it will be clear to others that the one offended has no discretion and no mercy or forbearance.  Everybody makes mistakes, and it is no fun to have a neighbor that is a tattletale.  Tattletales tend to lose a lot of friends fast.  Jesus reinforces this very teaching in Matthew 18.  We should always strive to resolve problems with each other privately at first.  Many times our emotions when first hurt cloud our emotion and if we act hastily, we could cause damage in a relationship that is beyond repair.

 

Verses 11-12:  A timely word to encourage, edify, or provide needed advice is priceless, for wisdom is more valuable than gold and silver.  Learning from those who are wise is like receiving a gift of gold for a person who recognizes the value of such advice.

 

Verse 14:  Lots of people talk a big talk, but it is the walk that matters.  Some people boast about their gifts and abilities, while others faithfully become the servant of all and allow God to strengthen them despite their human weakness and insufficiencies.  We will be judged not on account of our boasting and empty promises, for faith without works is dead.  Even those who give gifts while seeking the attention and approval of man will have had their reward in full (Matthew 6:2).  Serving God is about living a peaceful and tranquil life (1 Timothy 2:2, 1 Thessalonians 4:11) that honors God in the heart and which is satisfied with His approval.  Whether others are there to see or not, a humble heart always does what it does for God rather than for men (Colossians 3:23). 

Verse 15:  Those in authority don’t appreciate being intimidated or talked down to when trying to convince them to change their policy or alter a course of action.  But those who speak graciously, kindly, respectfully, and gently have a much better chance of getting their message through. Have you ever been pulled over for speeding or for a traffic infraction?  Yeah, I have.  It’s a lot better to speak in grace and humility to an officer.  Grace can be extended by those in authority when we can express what we did wrong (confession), promise correction (repentance), and graciously accept the penalty (consequences).

Verse 17:  It is a good thing to open up one’s home and to be hospitable to others, but it is impolite and annoying after a while to presume that somebody else’s home is one’s own.  Constantly invading somebody else’s personal space and privacy is wearying and can cause a person to hate the one who has no respect for proper boundaries.  Even the Bible teaches us here that there is such a thing as overstaying one’s welcome.

Verse 18: Lying and telling an untruth concerning a person is like beating him with weapons of war, for it slanders his testimony, perverts justice, and harms the innocent.  A lot of damage can be done with the tongue.

Verse 21-22:  The Christian response toward our enemies is not to hate them or wish trouble upon them but to love them by being kind to them.  If they are hungry, we should feed them.  If they are thirsty, we should give them something to drink.  This alone is what could change their minds by the refining fire of the gospel made real to them.  It is as the world, including the enemies of believers, sees their good works that they will glorify God (Matthew 5:16).  Vengeance and hate don’t point people to God, but kindness and mercy do.  Love also brings eternal rewards, for it is glorifying to God and indicative of His nature and love for the lost (John 13:34-35, 1 John 4:7-8).  Hateful people find pleasure in making other people hate also, but seeing a love that cannot be turned to hate could convict them of their sin.  Love is the reality that must define the Christian and demonstrate to the world that Christ is real and powerful. 

Verse 24:  Solomon has made this point several times already in this book that being married to a woman who provokes anger, is disrespectful, is spiteful, is hateful, and is ungrateful is one of the worst existences possible.  One is better off isolated on the corner of a roof somewhere than in that situation.  Thus, one must choose wisely when getting married, being sure that one’s wife fears God and values the descriptions of the excellent wife given in chapter 31.  She is a rare find indeed and priceless at that. The same goes for a woman and her choice of a husband.  Neither spirit should be contentious.

Verse 27:  Searching out one’s own glory is the ultimate pride and arrogance.  It is making an idol of oneself, worshipping one’s own looks, ability, intellect, and accomplishments.  It is rejecting God, His provision, His blessing, and His sufficiency.  It is calling the insufficient one sufficient, and it is calling the weak one strong.  It is viewing the world in the totally wrong perspective.  The end of self-glory and vanity is meaninglessness, disappointment, and failure to find true satisfaction.  It is outright deception, and those who love self and hate God will pay in eternity.  We should search out the glory of God, for He made the world, He has all power, and He alone can forgive sin.  Satan wanted more glory for himself, and it led to him being cast out of heaven (Isaiah 14:14).  We must always seek to decrease so that He can increase through the testimony of our lives (John 3:30). 

Verse 28:  In battle, a city has been overrun when its defenses have been broken through and its walls taken down.  Those who have no self-control prove that Satan has control of them, and they need to turn their lives over to Christ so that He can be their Lord and Master and set them free from their chains to sin and death.  In Christ alone is the victory.