Giving vs. Hoarding

Proverbs 28:27 says:

“The one who gives to the poor will not be in need, but the one who turns his eyes away will receive many curses.”

These are such strong words they almost sound like a threat! Suppose I stood up and said, “Give to the poor or you’ll be cursed!” You would be appalled. Perhaps you would start looking for another church.

We cannot pick and choose what parts of the Bible we will read, and what parts we will ignore. It is all the Word of God!

Why would God use such strong language? There are always needy people in our city and in our world. Some are poor due to their own behavior. Others are poor for reasons beyond their control. What about the children who are born into destitute situations? They have no control over their circumstances. Some adults have been devastated by disease or downturns.

Why should we help people? Generosity and stinginess both reveal a condition of heart. Generous people have an open heart. An open heart not only gives, it receives. A stingy person has a closed heart. Try to put a penny in a clinched fist. A closed heart, like a clinched fist, cannot receive anything from God. Giving and receiving is not a matter of “having something to give.” It is a matter of giving to receive. God will keep pouring into an open heart. A closed heart, like the Dead Sea, becomes a deadly pool in and around which nothing can thrive.

Will the Strong Emerge?

“If you do nothing in a difficult time, your strength is limited.”

~Proverbs 24:10

Our country is experiencing a difficult time. The principles upon which this nation was founded are being tested. This trail is not from the hands of an external foe, but from within. This is not a sudden and recent attack. The facilitators of this attack have been chipping away at the pillars of our republic for a generation… and good men have virtually stood by and done nothing.

Tom Brokaw called the generation that fought in World War II “the greatest generation.” I believe there has always been greatness in our nation. But times of great stress and stirring have historically brought the cream to the top. The question that faces us now is: will the leaders emerge? Where are the men and women or great moral character, of national patriotism and spiritual courage? Are they here among us, and will they arise?

I remain optimistic. It is time for those who have remained silent to begin to speak out. I believe the strong are still among us. Are they strong enough? Will the leaders arise? I expect to see it everyday.

Differing Standards

“Differing weights and varying measures—both are detestable to the LORD.”

~Proverbs 20:10

Many of the items they bought and sold were weighed and measured to determine their value—just like today (a bushel of corn, a pound of flour, a gallon of milk). A practice among unscrupulous merchants in that day was to use weights and measurements that were inaccurate. They would shave the weights to make them lighter or add a bit to make them heavier—depending on whether they were buying or selling. If they were sly they got away with it—and gained a little profit. Lying and cheating to make a buck is nothing new. It was been around since time immemorial, and it will continue to plague our race until the Righteous Prince rules our world. But God calls this practice “detestable”—and we don’t much care for it either.

What hypocrites we are! We find the practice of “skimming” evil in the commercial world, but we are guilty of the same sin almost everyday of our lives! How?

Don’t we measure our sins with one standard and measure the sins of others with another? Don’t we call the lies that others tell “whoppers” and the ones we tell “expedient”? If someone else does not pay their taxes we call them a “cheat” but if we don’t we’re “being wise”? If someone else drives over the speed limit they’re “reckless” but if we do so we’re “justifiably in a hurry”? Differing weights and measures!

What did Jesus say?

“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you” (Matthew 7:1–2, NKJV).

A Man's Words

“The worlds of a man’s mouth are deep waters, a flowing river, a fountain of wisdom.”

~Proverbs 18:4

I wonder if this is speaking of three different cases of men? It sounds like it could.

First is the man whose words are like deep waters. Deep waters move slowly and hide a lot. Some men don’t say too much, but what they do say is worth paying attention to.

Some men are like the flowing river—they never seem to shut up. There is a constant flow of words. They speak a lot, but they don’t say anything.

Then there is a man whose words are like a fountain. Springs are rare and harder to find. The water is cool and clean, filtered by the earth—refreshing to drink. When you find a man like this, who speaks because he has something to say and has the wisdom to keep his mouth shut when he doesn’t—this man you should seek out and listen to. This man is a gift from God—and we need more of them!

Confirming God's Will

Think about it: what is in your heart right now that you are convinced is God’s will for your life?

Have you talked to anyone about it?

What do they say?

Are you ticked?

“They just don’t understand. How can they know God’s will for my life? This is between me and God.”

True, but is that how God operates?

You may be surprised, but the answer is: No, He does not. God births His will in our hearts through a meeting of our minds and His Word, but God always confirms His will through the counsel of others.

Chapter and verse? Excellent question. Here you go:

“The reflections of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the LORD” (Proverbs 16:1).

What is floating around in our hearts is ours, but the Lord confirms His will through the lips of others. Why? Read on:

“All a man’s ways seem right in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the motives” (Proverbs 16:2).

Can we trust our hearts? We think we know God’s will—we are convinced a thing is God’s will for our lives. But can’t our thinking be influenced by our desires. We want it so bad that we convince ourselves it is God’s will. Happens all the time—even in the best of Believers! Consider this:

“A man’s heart plans his way, but the LORD determines his steps” (Proverbs 16:9).

We make our plans, but the LORD always reserves the right to interrupt them... and He does so very often. He allows us to plan and act to get us sailing, and then He changes the wind to His direction. When God changes the wind you can pout, doubt, or move out.

Hackers and Plodders

“A slacker’s way is a thorny hedge,

but the path of the upright is a highway.”

~ Proverbs 15:19

Physically, one way is no different than the other. It is the same way—the same project, the same challenge, the same opportunity. The difference is—and I hate to use the word because it sounds so “Tony Robbins”—but the difference is attitude. The difference is in perspective—how one sees it. Of course the slacker is looking for obstacles. He is looking for all the reasons why he should not go forward. The thorns are all in his head. They are there because he sees them there. He projects them, imagines them to be in the way. He is looking for an excuse not to proceed.

The path of the upright is no different than that of the slacker. They’re both the same path. He sees the obstacles. He observes the challenges. It is not that he stumbles blindly ahead. He looks and he perceives, but he does not let the challenges stop him. He prepares for them. He packs machete. He has a plan. Then he hacks away at the thorns and pushes ahead. He may not reach his goal, but surely no one has ever gone this far forward before. He blazes a trail that others will follow. Lord, we need people like these—people who see the obstacles but refuse to let these stop them. Greater than the challenges are the needs to be met, the goals to be achieved, the help to be rendered, the good to be done.

God give us hackers and plodders!

A Tranquil Heart

“A tranquil heart is life to the body,

but jealousy is rottenness to the bones.”

~Proverbs 14:28

Thom Rainer wrote a book called “Simple Life.” He interviewed 1077 people and asked them some basic questions about life. Most said their lives were so cluttered with stuff and pursuing things that they had lost the joy of life.

A tranquil heart is a contented heart. Paul said that “Godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Timothy 6:6). Professional marketers are constantly telling us that we need one more thing to be happy. Can I really be happy without a big screen TV? Can I really be happy with the mate I have? Can I really be happy with last year’s model automobile? Can I really be happy in the house I live in? Can I really be happy with this computer? The message is always “No; you have to but now!”

We look at what the neighbors have and we feel our lives are shortchanged. Why hasn’t God blessed us? We want their car, their boat, their hardwood floors, their bonus, etc. We make ourselves miserable with our wanting. Why not just be satisfied with what we have? When will we realize that the things that make for a happy, fulfilling life are not the things that accumulate in our garage?

Tranquility of heart does not happen automatically with the next trip to Sears. It happens when we say, “I have enough. I am blessed. God, thank You for what I have. Help me to be a good steward.”