Desirable Wounds

Proverbs 27:6 - "Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but deceitful are the kisses of an enemy."

Solomon uses paradoxical reasoning to make a profound point. What we might believe is sound advice can often be our own justification for our wants or desires. Jesus Christ is the greatest friend we will ever have, yet He does not hold back in telling us the truth. If His words wound and offend, it's because we are still fleshly and carnal and do not yet possess the mind of Christ. He only desires to give us life abundantly (John 10:10).

Insecurity will always seek a common denominator to reinforce its position. A fleshly mind not surrendered to Christ will seek the approval of men rather than the heart of God. When we are seeking to do the right thing and have ventured off the path of truth, we should not despise the wounding of a true friend that would come alongside to correct us. May we all possess the humility to yield to faithful wounding rather than the deceitfulness of what our flesh wants to hear.

Soul Food

Proverbs 26:22 - "The words of a whisperer are like dainty morsels, and they go down into the innermost parts of the body."

As with most human traits, whispering is not a bad thing in and of itself. Whispering can serve a very important function as it protects secrets and creates a decorum of civility rather than open brashness toward others. Solomon tells us how whisperings "are like dainty morsels." What does this mean? The implication of the wise king suggests these are words with sheltered meaning that should not be taken lightly. They are rich with flavor and sustenance to the soul and should be protected by all means. However, there are many "whisperers" out there that would seek to whisper to our souls and captivate "the innermost parts of the body." In a very real sense, what we eat is what we become. Similarly, what we listen to and take into the deep parts of our soul is what will eventually control our lives.

God will always be the Great Whisperer to our souls. So, it only makes sense to learn from Him. The Holy Spirit continually whispers to our inner man the things of the Son and the Father. If we are intently listening, we will begin to think as He does. In so doing, we will begin to speak as He does, allowing our words to become "caviar to our soul" and the souls of others. We will find that we no longer have to shout out our opinions. Instead we will be lead and guided by the Holy Spirit who will make our speech, as it were, quiet and respectful and seasoned with salt (Colossians 4:6). Our conversations will be characteristic of whispering the things of God, because this is the nature of how God speaks to us.

God's Counselors

Proverbs 25:5 - "Take away the wicked before the king, and his throne will be established in righteousness."

Paul tells us in I Timothy 2:2 that we should pray "for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity." Many would say that this verse applies to our president and I would heartily agree. However, how often do we pray for his cabinet? Not only should we be praying for wisdom and knowledge for our commander-in-chief, but we should also pray for those who influence him the most.

In II Samuel 15 we read just how God can frustrate the wisdom of a ruler's counselor, determining the outcome of an entire nation. In the story of Hushai and Ahithophel we read how the former's wisdom was accepted and the latter's was thwarted (II Samuel 15:34). Ahithophel's rebellion toward David cost him dearly, while Hushai became the king's catalyst to restore David's kingdom.

Beloved, know that your prayers matter. Pray that the wicked would be removed from the presence of our rulers and their counsel would be thwarted. Beseech the Lord to give sound wisdom to those who counsel our president, governors, and legislators.

Unlimited Strength

Proverbs 24:10 - "If you are slack in the day of distress, your strength is limited."

Jesus was the greatest example of manhood that ever walked this planet. His strength was never limited because he never trusted in Himself. Philippians 2:7 tells us that He emptied Himself of His God-nature and took on human flesh, entrusting Himself to the Father. There was never a day, an hour, or a minute of His life on earth that He was slack in any regard. His strength never failed because He trusted in the One who gave Him unlimited strength to overcome.

Where do we draw our strength from today? If we are relying on ourselves and our brainpower to solve life's problems, we will come up slack. However, if we trust in God Almighty, emptying ourselves of self, then we will find unlimited power for things that used to baffle and defeat us.

Motivated Through Love

 Luke 6:19-20 - "And all the people were trying to touch Him, for power was coming from Him and healing them all. And turning His gaze toward His disciples, He began to say, 'Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.'"

Many people try to touch Jesus through wrong motives. The masses will always see Jesus as a "good man" and a teacher of high principle. These will desire to touch Jesus' power in their attempt to ascend to godlikeness. They will seek to draw upon all of His virtue without receiving Him for who He really is, the Son of God.

There is redemption in no one else except Jesus. Until we have become "poor in spirit," then we will never understand God's intent through redemption. Jesus' true power is only reserved for His disciples. While some may experience glimpses of His virtue, they will never understand His intent to free us from ourselves until we come to Him with right motives. He is to be loved and desired, not because of what He can do for us, but instead for who He is -- the Lover and Creator of our souls.

Respecting Boundaries

Proverbs 22:28 - "Do not move the ancient boundary which your fathers have set."

If our descendants from a hundred years were around today, would they be proud or dismayed of the heritage they have entrusted to us? Would their ethics regarding respect for life and selflessness be part of the fabric of our lives? Solomon saw the danger in disrespecting absolutes and adopting an attitude of relativity toward life. That is why he warns us not to remove boundaries that are meant to give us life, instead of robbing the heritage meant to prosper.

God’s word confirms the arbitrary attitude toward sin and lawlessness in our society would cause those who have gone before us to be appalled. If they could, they would testify to our dark world rather than the enlightenment so many believe we have attained.

Sin is still sin. God does not change and neither do His boundaries. Lord, help us return to You and the life-giving parameters You have established to give us a future and a hope if we will but turn toward You.

Encourage One Another

Hebrews 3:13 - "But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called 'Today,' so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin."

When we go and encourage our friends and relatives at marathons, 10Ks, 5Ks, etc., it would be superfluous to show up a day early or a day late to do so. If we are to encourage these, we must show up on race day and position ourselves accordingly along the course to give them our support and encouragement.

This is likewise true for the race set before all who know Christ. Oftentimes, the reason we do not feel encouraged by others is because we haven't shown up at the appropriate time to encourage them. If we are not sensitive to those around us who need a word of support, then often these will not be there when we need the same. As with most things, the law of reciprocity is in effect regarding what we give and receive.

May we all sow encouragement in other's lives. Conversely, when we need support, then others will be there for us.