Condemnation, Correction, & Conviction

Do you know the difference between condemnation, correction, and conviction? How about where they fit in our journey as Christians and how the interplay with one another? Let's talk about these 3 important C's

⁷One who corrects a scoffer gets dishonor for himself,
And one who rebukes a wicked person gets [a]insults for himself.
⁸Do not rebuke a scoffer, or he will hate you;
Rebuke a wise person and he will love you.
⁹ Give instruction to a wise person and he will become still wiser;
Teach a righteous person and he will increase his insight. Acts 2:42 NASB

Condemnation

• Bible Verses on condmenation
  • Job 10:2
  • Proverbs 12:2
• Condemnation can be a judgment by God or a weapon weilded by Satan
• Satan tries to convince us we are condemned and unworthy of salvation; Satan is a liar
• We should never condmen anyone, instead focus on forgiveness (Matthew 18:22-35)

Correction

• Bible Verses on correction
  • Proverbs 9:7-9
  • Proverbs 13:24
• Correction is needed to help us grow
• It must be delivered in love, however

Conviction

• Must be internal
• The Holy Spirit convicts us of sin
• This is what gives us the motivation to change and be more Christ-like

References

1. "Condmenation". Merriam-Webster; visited June 2021
2. "Correction". Merriam-Webster; visited June 2021
3. "Conviction". Merriam-Webster; visited June 2021

Most Likely to Beat You at Everything

Season 1 Episode 33

¹⁰Who can find a wife of noble character? She is far more precious than jewels. ¹¹The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will not lack anything good. ¹²She rewards him with good, not evil, all the days of her life. ¹³She selects wool and flax and works with willing hands. ¹⁴She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from far away. ¹⁵She rises while it is still night and provides food for her household and portions for her female servants. ¹⁶She evaluates a field and buys it; she plants a vineyard with her earnings. ¹⁷She draws on her strength and reveals that her arms are strong. ¹⁸She sees that her profits are good, and her lamp never goes out at night. ¹⁹She extends her hands to the spinning staff, and her hands hold the spindle. ²⁰Her hands reach out to the poor, and she extends her hands to the needy. ²¹She is not afraid for her household when it snows, for all in her household are doubly clothed. ²²She makes her own bed coverings; her clothing is fine linen and purple. ²³Her husband is known at the city gates, where he sits among the elders of the land. ²⁴She makes and sells linen garments; she delivers belts to the merchants. ²⁵Strength and honor are her clothing, and she can laugh at the time to come. ²⁶Her mouth speaks wisdom, and loving instruction is on her tongue. ²⁷She watches over the activities of her household and is never idle. ²⁸Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also praises her: ²⁹“Many women have done noble deeds, but you surpass them all!” ³⁰Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord will be praised. ³¹Give her the reward of her labor, and let her works praise her at the city gates.” Proverbs 31:10-31 CSB

The Proverbs 31 woman is essentially perfect. It’s the most empowering and intimidating passages the Bible has to offer on what it means to be a virtuous woman. We don’t often talk about the little details, but I'm pretty sure every Christian woman has had a battle trying to align herself with this superwoman standard.

References and Footnotes

1. What I meant about being more conservative and less conservative in a nutshell is that I'm waiting til marriage to have sex, but right now I have blue highlights in my hair. Where I stand on issue doesn't map uniformly to one side or the other.
2. There is so much more to talk about! Be ready for a Proverbs 31 episode, and probably a post. I want to go deeper Biblically and reach out to other women for their commentary. So this is just the tip of the iceberg!

Unknown Unknowns

Do you ever feel like telling people just how dumb you think they are? Maybe you don't understand what people are trying to tell you? Proverbs 17:27 + some life experience have taught me just how to handle these situations.

Season 1 Episode H

The one who has knowledge restrains his words,
and one who keeps a cool head
is a person of understanding.Proverbs 17:27 CSB

00:01:01	Hey guys, welcome back to the PSALMS to God podcast. So tonight, I was looking through the Bible, looking for verses for Monday's episode—and a little bit for, you know, like a midweek episode[1]—and I ended up in the book of Proverbs, which is always loaded with gems. And I stumbled across this verse that I feel like has been following me since I was a child—just the concept has been following me. And it's interesting because, you know, I feel like it's been reiterated in so many different ways, that I felt compelled to share it.
00:01:49	So the verse in question is Proverbs 17:27, and my translation says “the one who has knowledge restrains his words and one who keeps a cool head is a person of understanding.” This passage is something I really should have read when I was a teenager. I think it might have helped me a little; but they also say hindsight is 20/20 so it may not have had the same effects reading it before I experienced life.
00:02:25	But one of the things that I think I've always struggled with is communication, in general. I feel like 9 out of 10 times when I'm talking to people, they’re hearing something totally different than what I've said and I cannot figure out for the life of me how they got what they got out of what I said. And I'm usually just like dumbfounded. I’m just like “wait, this conversation is going in a completely different direction than where I thought it was going,” and I'm very confused right now.”
00:03:00	Photocredit: Unsplash.com/Tra Nguyen And I know initially, you're probably thinking like I don't understand how that ties into this verse, but one of the jump off points that I kind of think sparked my understanding of this verse occurred when I was in my first year of graduate school. So y'all I struggled hard that year. I just struggled, and the major thing that I could not understand was that I was doing everything I was supposed to be doing but I was failing all my tests. I was getting a hundred on the homework. I was getting a hundred on the projects and the assignment outside of class. And I was reading the text. I was paying attention in class. I was talking to the professor during his office hours. I was utilizing the TA, and I still couldn't pass the test. And I could not understand it. So I went to my advisor at the time. I went to his office, and I sat down; I explained the situation, and I asked him what I was doing wrong and what I need to do. He looked at me and with a straight face he said, “you have to learn what you don't know and learn it,” or “you have to know what you don't know and learn it.” And I was like, what? How do I know what I don't know? If I don't know—if I knew that I didn't know it, of course I would learn it, but if I don't know that I don't know it, how do I learn it? And I was like so baffled. I could not wrap my head around what he was saying.
00:04:40	But over time, it started to unravel, and by the time I was actually graduating with my Ph.D., it's become one of my favorite quotes. You know, it's also sort of used in “The Boondocks,” if any of you are boondocks fans. In one of the episodes someone says there are known unknowns and then there are unknown unknowns, and this is the point that that professor was trying to make.
00:05:13	My advisor was trying to tell me that there are things that you don't know, and you have to be aware that there are things that you do not know. As I went through my Ph.D. process, I realized that the professors that I had that I thought were the most intelligent and the ones that were the most helpful throughout that process, where the ones who were completely aware that there were things that they did not know. And so, when I would have a conversation with them, and I would start to ask questions, and I was confused or I was bringing up your situations, instead of jumping to a conclusion, they would hear it out. They would talk it out. And if they didn't understand, instead of, you know, talking down to me or acting like whatever I just brought up was trivial or irrelevant or stupid, they would try to talk through that particular thing.
00:06:11	I met a lot of people—particularly Ph.D. students and people who already have a Ph.D—that are so convinced that they are an expert and that they know everything, that any time somebody says something that is outside of their general knowledge base or their general frame of reference, they just shut it down automatically. And I think that we have this problem as people, in general, particularly in the church. So, as soon as somebody says something that's outside of your worldview or outside of your perception, the tendency is to just, you know, talk down to that person or think that that person has lost their mind.
00:06:56	But in reality, when you have the wisdom of God, when you have the discernment of God, when the Holy Spirit is flowing through you, and you start to become a mature Christian, then you restrain your words. That is when you keep your head calm. That's when you gain understanding, because instead of reacting immediately, you allow that person to talk you into their point of view. A lot of times when we're looking at something, we don't necessarily see all the the details.
00:07:36	So for instance, we could both be looking out a window, and I'm a focus in on a squirrel that's sitting in the tree, but you may be focused in on this flower that's beneath the tree. And when I start talking about the squirrel, you don't see the squirrel because you're looking at the flower, and I don't see the flower because I'm looking at the squirrel. And if we just keep arguing with each other, we're never going to realize that they're both there, and they're both valid. And of course, in some cases maybe I think I see something that's not there or maybe you think you see something that's not there, but it's more beneficial to talk through it patiently, and with understanding, and with restraint, so that you can get on the same page. And once you're on the same page, then both people can learn something.
00:08:29	And what I found from all of those professors that I mentioned, where they would talk through the situation instead of immediately judging me for asking quote-unquote stupid questions, in some cases I was actually right, and I was actually bringing up valid things that they had never thought about. In other cases, I was off in left field, and what I was saying was absolutely crazy, but I built a relationship with those professors that I wasn't afraid to ask those questions, because I knew that it was going to be a productive conversation. And I gained knowledge from it, and they gained knowledge from it. And it’s a good partnership; that's how that's how conversations are supposed to work.
00:09:16	And so seeing this particular verse in the text. you know. God revealed it to me through experience. but seeing it written out is just as beautiful. So, if you're having trouble communicating with people, if they're frustrating you, and you know, you're about to pull your hair out. just take a minute. Breathe. Restrain your words. Restrain your thoughts, and try to talk through the situation. Let the other person drive the explanation, and see if you can understand what they're saying. And also if you're on the other side and somebody's talking down to you, don't be offended maybe they're just missing something that you're saying. See if you can prompt the talking through process, you know. It's a little harder from that side but, you know, pray about it. and see if you can just explain more and be a little bit more detailed about whatever it is that you're trying to get across.
00:10:19	So I hope it helps you. Thank you guys for listening in. Don't forget to subscribe and visit the website. You can also find me on Instagram: shiree.hughes I will see you guys next time. In the meantime, you can find the transcript for this particular episode at www.psalmstogod.com/unknown

Footnotes and References

1. But then I had to work late most days this week so it’s an end-of-the-week episode instead

Stressed?

Too blessed to be stressed? It has a nice ring to it, but sometimes the devil catches me slipping. This week, I had to step back and remind myself that God is the one making moves, not me. Proverbs 16:3 took me back to a time when I understood that very well and I want to keep that understanding alive.

Season 1 Episode C

Commit your activities to the Lord,
and your plans will be established.
Proverbs 16:3 CSB

00:00:56	Hey guys! Welcome back to the PSALMS to God podcast! Proverbs 16:3 says "Commit your activities to the Lord, and your plans will be established." I think we all know this; we've heard it—we even say this to other people. But when it comes down to the moment, it's hard. It's hard to just let things go and assume that they're going to happen. We get stressed out, we worry, we panic, and you know, we take years off of our lives worrying about things—and half the time the things don't even matter.
00:01:28	That's what I've been doing this week. Even though I know better—I know way better—but this week... Y'all, it was a week. It was a long week, and I didn't know if I was going to make it to the end of this week. So at my job—I'm a software engineer, for those of you who don't know—it is deadline week, and one of the things that was due this week was a major defect with one of the features that I developed. This defect was found sometime in December, it's kind of been lingering since just before the holidays, but I was pretty convinced that I knew what was wrong with it and that it wasn't going to be that hard to fix. So I made the promise that I would have it done by today so that they could move forward with the next phase next week. When I made that promise, one of the things I did not know was that one of the experts in the area that I was working in at my job was going to be gone for 2 weeks. So a lot of things that could have been solved just by asking him a question, took me in a days of Googling and researching to figure out. So for the past couple of weeks I've been, you know, kind of ticking away at this problem, and pretty much all of the assumptions I made were correct. What I thought was wrong was what was wrong. How I thought we should solve it is how we ended up solving it. But just the whole timeline was way off; I was way off of that math.
00:03:23	So this past week—because I wanted to be true to my word (the Bible also says "let your yeses be yes and your no's be no"[1] when it comes to promise.) I made a promise, kind of bound to keep the promise, so I was like let me stay and get this done. Usually, I work from 7:30 to 4:30 I've been working from 7:30 to 7:00 7:30 to 7:30. Last night, I worked from 7:30 to 8:30,[2] and that was not fun. I know the nurses out there can testify to this, 'cause y'all work 12-hour shifts all the time, and I don't know how y'all do it—so shout out to y'all for being troopers and taking care of us, even the crazy people. I don't know how y'all do it.
00:04:14	But this week, on top of putting in all of this extra time to try to get this defect resolved, I have been so stressed out about it. Like, there's just something about doing all this makes you tense. I was...my temper was short. I was stressed out. I didn't really want to take the time to eat properly. I didn't really relax. I haven't slept well. It's just been a rough week.
00:04:45	I felt bad about it, because I knew I shouldn't be worrying. I kept telling myself "Shiree, you're not supposed to worry! There are plenty of passages in the Bible that say do not worry. We are not created to worry. God is in charge of everything, why are you worrying?" And yet, I kept worrying&mdas;No matter how many times I told myself not to.
00:05:06	So, I don't know if it was Wednesday or if it was yesterday—things are kind of blurring together at this point—but at some point, I stopped and started reading Bible verses about stress in the Bible.[3] and one of the verses I came to was this particular verse. And what's funny is when I read this verse, even though I already knew what the verse said, and I already knew that I shouldn't be worrying, and I felt bad about worrying, this verse brought to me a memory—a memory that I should have thought of from the jump, because it's one of the reasons that I know this verse is true. I don't just "believe" that God will establish any of your plans when you take it to Him and give it to Him, I know this.
00:05:58	And the reason I know this is because three years ago, I was in the middle of my Ph.D program. I was working on the sensors that—I was creating a device using sensors—and the sensors I was using we're not working the way they were supposed to. I could not get them to behave according to the specification, and it wasn't my code, or at least it didn't seem like it was my code. I couldn't figure out the issue. My advisor couldn't figure out the issue. The other students in my lab couldn't figure out the issue. We called the manufacturer of the sensor; they couldn't figure out the issue. They had never seen it behave that way. They had absolutely no idea what was wrong with it. They almost thought that the part was fried for a minute. And after beating my head up against the wall for, I don't know maybe 2 months, trying to fix this sensor and get it to work the way I wanted it to work, I was just defeated. I went home one day—I was completely deflated. I was ready to quit the program. I was ready to give up. I just did not want to go back and do it again; I did not want to try anymore. I... I was done, and when I went to bed that night, I stopped to pray.
00:07:23	And I was talking to God, and I was just venting all of my frustration. And I surrendered it. You know, I was like, there's only two things that can be happening in this situation: either God was telling me to stop, and He was saying, "This is not for you. This is not what I want you to do," and God was closing that door. If God was closing that door, then nobody can open it, because God is the highest authority and if God doesn't want me to do it, I'm not going to do it. It's just not going to happen, and so I was saying a prayer for that scenario and if that was the case. You know, I was like I accept it and I will move on. But the other side of the coin was it could have just been the devil being the devil, and just trying to get me to doubt God. Trying to get me to doubt myself. Trying to make me frustrated and to do something that God did not want me to do, and in that scenario I prayed that God would stop the devil from doing what he was doing. Because God has the ultimate say, and the devil can only do what God allows him to do. So, I was venting my frustrations and I was saying "if this is for me, if you want me to do this, I need you to tell the devil to sit his butt down, because I just cannot fight this battle anymore."
00:08:41	And the very next day, when I went in to the lab, I figured out the answer in like an hour and a half—or rather I should say God told me the answer within an hour and a half. It was solved. He not only showed me what was wrong with it, He told me how to fix it, and suddenly it wasn't a problem anymore. I was done. From that moment on, I knew that God was in my corner for that degree, and it gave me the confidence to basically assert that I was not going to collect data for my research over the Sabbath, and that was a big deal because my advisor is not religious. And within the scientific community, they don't really care about beliefs. They care about numbers and science and what you can prove. Saying, "I'm not going to collect data on this day because God told me to rest on this day" is not really a scientific explanation, it's not really acceptable explanation.[4] So I was... When I was pitching this, I didn't really know how this would go over in terms of publishing papers, even if my advisor said "fine, okay"—'cause you also have to publish papers—but it turned out absolutely fine, because when you "commit your activities to the Lord your plans will be established." It's written in His Word, and I committed those plans to Him and He established them, and that's how I graduated.
00:10:17	And so this week when I was banging my head against the wall, trying to keep this promise that I probably should not have made, I knew in the back of my head that God could do it. And I needed to see this verse—this is why I'm trying to memorize some verses, so that this is on the forefront of my mind and not all the way in the back of my head somewhere—but I knew that if I would just give it to Him, then He would fix it. And like always, He fixed it. He fixed the problem. I met the deadline. My co-workers met their deadline, and everything is fine, it's great.
00:11:00	It's now the Sabbath, and it's time to rest. And to enjoy and to worship and to celebrate all that God has done this week.
00:11:10	So I wanted to share that with you guys, because I know that you guys will experience similar things and like me you'll probably forget that you already know that He will handle it. But whenever you get the chance to remember, remember Proverbs 16, particularly verse 3 but take a look at verse 4 too, and just commit the problem to God. I promise you, it will be so much easier that way.
00:11:40	So I will see you guys next time. Thank you for tuning in. Don't forget to subscribe! You can find the transcript for this particular episode at www.psalmstogod.com/stressed

Footnotes and References

1. Matthew 5:37
2. 7:30am to 8:30pm, that is
3. I'm blaming this redundancy on the lack of sleep from this week. My bad y'all
4. To them, that is. It's perfectly acceptable to me.

Lessons Learned: Wisdom Is Everything

Proverbs is a great book for introspection. As I read Proverbs, I started to think of how these nuggets of wisdom applied to my own life. Am I the fool or the wise man in Solomon's examples. As much as the truth hurts, sometimes I'm the fool, but with the wisdom given, I can work to improve myself and so can you!

Introduction

Proverbs is one of those books I never sat down and read from beginning to end. Generally, I thought of Proverbs as a bunch of disjoint sayings. Now that I've reread it, I rather like reading it as a whole. There are so many gems that even a person like me who isn't generally in to quotes can appreciate the book. I have a desire to make art containing the quotes to hang everywhere in my house. There's so much wisdom in the passages here, it'll never get old. We often forget even the simplest things.
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Improving Myself

As a woman, Proverbs 31 probably sticks in my head the most. However, I think reading Proverbs really made me reevaluate how I view myself. There is always something we can improve upon and I found several qualities in my on life I need to revisit. For one, most of the movies and TV shows I enjoy are riddled with violence; Solomon warns us about taking delight in such things and as I thought about it, it makes sense that God would not want us indulging in such things. Another question I had my for myself was how well do I take criticism? It's easy to criticize, but many times we don't want to hear other's criticisms of ourselves. Going forth, I plan to make an effort to be more aware and pray over criticisms before accepting or rejecting them. While I think I give thought to the poor, I spent much of the past few years feeling as though I was one of the poor. In that state I didn't do much to help those who actually are poor. As an American who grew up in the middle class, it's easy to allow your perception distorted. Even though I didn't have as much money as I needed to live the way I was used to living, I was still fairing much better than others. It is important not only to remember the plight of those less fortunate than ourselves, but to do all that we can for those suffering. This is something I plan to work on as well.

Future Reading

The next time I read through Proverbs I plan to keep a journal comparing the behaviors talked about to my own. I think that by using the wisdom here as a mirror to our own lives we can really improve ourselves and strength our walk with Christ.

References

Proverbs 31: A Virtuous Woman

as No one is perfect, but Proverbs 31 gives women a glimpse down the road of perfection. We find her several virtues we should strive for to make us better women. These help us to strengthen our relationship with God, which subsequently, strengthens our relationships with those around us.

Introduction

Proverbs 31 is the last chapter of proverbs and attributed to King Lemuel, who writes with inspiration from his mother's wisdom. Like with Agur, the identity of Lemuel is a mystery. Once again, there are scholars who believe this could be a nickname for King Solomon. This would make the woman whom inspired the wisdom Bathsheba.^[1]

If King Lemuel is not Solomon, Lemuel is either a nickname for another Israelite king or a gentile. Israelite history does not list a king named Lemuel for either kingdom. This means it could be one of the few entries in the Bible written by a gentile.
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A Few Tips

Before diving into the virtuous woman, Lemuel gives a few tips. First, he advises against a man giving his strength to women. While this could mean the man is not to give up his position as head of the house, it does not mean that the woman can never have what she wants. Since the verse references women verses one woman and goes on to talk about things that ruin kings, it seems more likely that this verse is talking about polygamy. A man who is married to multiple women, spends his energy pleasing his wives. This leaves less time and energy for other matters of importance.

Second, Lemuel advises kings not to drink wine or other strong drinks (i.e., liquor). Not only is excessive drinking unhealthy, the impairments caused while inebriated could cause social, political, or financial damage. People make poor decisions while under the influence and often say or do things they regret. To put it in modern times, how well do you think a meeting with a drunk Donald Trump and leaders from countries the US doesn't particularly get along with will go? Kings must be in proper condition at all times because the people look to them for an example and there is always the possibility of a crucial matter needing his attention spontaneously occurring at a time that interrupts his festivities. Only those who have nothing going for them drink.

Finally, he tells us to speak up for those who are disadvantaged by poverty or disability.

A Virtuous Woman

Photocredit: ShutterStock.com/Djomas

The latter portion of Lemuel's proverbs deal with describing a virtuous woman. In the original Hebrew, this is actually an acrostic, in which the first letter of each line of the proverb constitutes the Hebrew alphabet.^[2]

A Metaphor?

Is the virtuous woman real, or is she just a metaphor? If you remember, Solomon personified wisdom as a woman in his first proverbs. There are also many passages, particularly related to end time prophecies, in which a woman is used to signify the church. Given this knowledge, it's possible that the woman spoken of in the passage is merely a metaphor for wisdom or the church and the traits are meant to be applied to them instead. The traits given could be easily applied to the Bride of Christ or wisdom.^[6]

The following is a list of qualities Lemuel says belong to a virtuous woman:

Valued Above Rubies

She is worth more than rubies (Proverbs 31:10)

Proverbs 31:10 tells us a virtuous wo an is hard to come by and her value is more than rubies. Most of us would agree that people (male or female) are priceless, which definitely makes them worth more than rubies. Nonetheless, I was curious as to what a comparison would look like. Rubies can cost as much as $100,000 per carat!^[3] A carat is 200mg (0.00044 lbs)^[4] and according to the CDC, the average woman weighs 168.5 lbs^[5] which would be equivalent to 382,151.57 carats. At the lowest price per carat—$100—that would be $38,215,157.00 and at the highest price per carat—$100,000—that would be $38,215,157,000.00. Based on this Lemuel is saying women are worth more than millions or even billions of dollars. Obviously this passage is speaking in figurative terms, as I mentioned before, people are priceless, but the numbers definitely drive home this fact.

Trustworthy

Her husband can trust her (Proverbs 31:11-12)

Trustworthiness is an important trait for men and women alike. Lemuel tells us that a virtuous woman is trusted by her husband because she doesn't bring evil upon him. Considering the fact that the Ten Commandments already commands us not to bear false witness (lie), it stands to reason that a woman of God would be honest and therefore trustworthy.

Business Woman

She works with her hands willingly (Proverbs 31:13-16)

Verses 13-16 pretty much shatter any argument that women are not capable of managing a business. Lemuel says that a virtuous woman not only works with her hands, but "bringeth her food from afar," "considereth a field, and buyeth it," and "perceiveth that her merchandise is good." In short, the virtuous woman is about to make money and cultivate wealth. Lemuel tells us that she is able to import her food, which we know costs money, and that she is able to buy land. Not only does she buy the land, but she works the land to produce goods that she considers on par.

This is far from the sexist views of women that have developed over time. Within these verses, it does say that she rises early to bring meat (or food) to those in her household, which is closer to the definition of womanhood society has created. However, in the context of the verse, it seems to show that with her earnings from her labor she takes care of her home. She does not horde the fruit of her labor for herself. If the woman is to represent the Body of Christ, this verse could easily be a reference to tithing, where rising early signifies giving the first of our efforts.

Compassionate

She helps the poor (Proverbs 31:20)

A virtuous woman has concern for the poor. This makes sense considering God continually reminds the men of Israel to be mindful of the poor. This is also illustrated in the fact that she provides for her maids (the poor) in addition to her family.

Fearless

She does not fear (Proverbs 31:21)

This is an interesting verse; it says that she doesn't fear snow because all in her house are clothed in scarlet. At first glance, it doesn't seem to make any logical sense. However, to be clothed in scarlet is to be covered in the blood. At the time of authorship, this would have referred to the sacrifices at the temple, whereas today it would refer to Jesus, our ultimate sacrifice. The snow is inclement weather, a storm, or hard times in our life. She doesn't fear for her husband or her children because she knows they are covered and protected by the grace of God.

Note that this isn't necessarily saying that women have to be super heroes and are responsible for bringing everyone in their house to salvation. A virtuous woman is most likely to marry a God-fearing man because the Bible tells us not to yoke ourselves with non-believers. Thus, she and her husband will be an example for their children. She will aid in training them to be faithful servants of God.

Independent

Her husband is free to carry out business because he doesn't need to oversee her (Proverbs 31:23)

No one wants a spouse they have to watch like a child. Proverbs 31:23 states that the virtuous woman's husband is known at the gates, which means he is free to carry out his business as needed. He doesn't have to be at home with her all the time for their household to function, for her to feel safe, etc. A virtuous woman can operate and carry on business as usual even when her husband is gone. Remember, at the time this was penned, there was no such thing as phones, a car or even a bicycle. When a woman's husband left to do business he had to travel on foot or by beast (donkey, horse, camel, etc.). He might be gone for days depending on where they lived in relation to where he needed to go. Once again, this is the complete opposite of what society began to teach about women.

Seamstress

She makes lavish coverings (Proverbs 31:22,24)

The virtuous woman is able to make beautiful garments to sell. They are of the highest quality. Note that purple was the most expensive color to purchase; this is why it is associated with royalty. Once again, it should be noted that purple, being associated with royalty, is ascribed to the woman. If the woman represents the Bride of Christ, she is the bride of the King and thus royal. In subsequent verses, it says she is clothed in strength and honor, which de-emphasizes fashion and physical coverings.

In today's world, it seems like a lot to expect a woman to know how to sew and make clothes, but when I think about the fashion industry, this seems more relevant than ever. Women's clothes are a disaster. Ignoring the fact that it's almost impossible to find clothes that fit properly due to the variety of shapes and sizes we come in, there's still the issue of appearance. Most of our clothes were not designed for practicality or comfort, but for sex-appeal and aesthetics. Who is designing these clothes? Well, all of the famous designers I can think of are men. How different would the fashion industry be if we were designing our own clothes? How much more empowered would we be if we simply made our own clothes without concern to sizes? I've never sewn an outfit, but I think Lemuel is on to something big here...

Strong

She is strong and honorable (Proverbs 31:25)

Both Proverbs 31:17 and 25 refer to the virtuous woman's strength. Strong is not usually a word associated with femininity, but it goes all the way back to Genesis. God created Eve as a "helpmate," but the Hebrew word translated to "help" is ezer. It occurs 21 times in the Bible and most times, it delineates God's help to mankind.^[7][8] In essence the word can be thought of as meaning strength. Although this may include emotional strength and fortitude, Proverbs 31:17 makes it clear that Lemuel is also attributing physical strength to the virtuous woman.

Wise

She is wise and kind (Proverbs 31:26)

Proverbs 31:26 reminds us to let wisdom and kindness guide our words. I know first hand that sometimes (particular at a certain time of the month), it is easy to say harmful and ridiculous things. However, I also know first hand the power of using wisdom and kindness in conversation to bring a blessing to someone. Not only do people respond more positively to wisdom and kindness, but we are made in God's image and should thus reflect His wisdom and kindness in our speech.

Hardworking

She is not idle (Proverbs 31:27)

There is a lot to be done in a day. Whether a woman is a housewife or a career woman, the list of things to get done in a day as an adult is excruciatingly long. We don't have time for idling. A virtuous woman knows how to prioritize and manage her time. I learned this first hand in the past two years. As a notorious procrastinator, I felt like I never had enough time to do things I wanted to do, but when I looked back on my days, I could figure out where my time was going. Eventually, I realized that instead of taking out the trash, I took several stupid quizzes (such as the ones BuzzFeed publish) online. Instead of reading the Bible, I browsed Facebook and read comments under controversial articles. I couldn't believe there was so much time wasted throughout my day. Now that I focus on how I spend my time and prioritize what needs to be done, I'm much more successful at getting everything done. Plus, I still manage to squeeze in free time to relax. So I definitely understand where Lemuel is coming from here. He's not saying that the virtuous woman does everything in the house, but that she manages her time well enough to accomplish more.

Praised

Her children and husband praise her (Proverbs 31:28)

It seems like a lot of pressure on a woman to be praised by her children and husband, and yet it seems quite normal. After all, a husband who loves his wife would praise her, would he not? Children on the other hand are a lot harder to please; we often go through rebellious phases in which we hate everything our parents do or say. If we're lucky, however, we live long enough to grow out of this phase and begin to appreciate the decisions our parents made. I do not think that Lemuel meant a virtuous woman is always praised by her husband and children, though. Most people are unable to always praise Jesus, who is perfect, so it's quite unreasonable to expect people to be able to praise a human indefinitely. Furthermore, proverbs consistently tells parents that they must punish and chastise their children to steer them in the right direction. Thus, at some point, children will bear ill feelings toward their parents. Usually, as we age, we come to realize our parents were right and resume praising them. I think Lemuel was referencing this endpoint.

Godly Woman

She fears the Lord (Proverbs 31:29-31)

Naturally a virtuous woman is one who fears the Lord. The virtuous woman knows that favor (among people) and beauty are no where near as precious as salvation. As such her actions lead her in the path God has set for her. Instead of spending her time cultivating favor among people (like a politician) or focusing on her beauty, she is out doing the work of God (as stated in the above traits). The second verse, which states that her works speak for her at the gates, can be interpreted in two ways. The most obvious is that when she appears at the gates of heaven, her work will testify to her righteousness. The second, requires knowledge of the time period. As mentioned earlier, business was often carried out at the gate in the cities. This is where Boaz approached Ruth's nearer kinsmen (Ruth 4:1). Men would gather here to discuss important matters. Therefore, the passage could be indicating that the men at the gate would recognize her dedication to God through her works.

Intimidation

One of my friends wrote a blog or Facebook post on how intimidating this passage on a virtuous woman can be (I wish I could remember who and where so I could link it). When we read through this, it seems like the virtuous woman has everything. She's an independent career woman who makes her husband proud, takes care of her house, rears her children well, manages her time, sews her own clothes, is wise and charitable, has a relationship with God and is strong. That's a lot to live up to, which explains why Lemuel says a virtuous woman is hard to find. Many of these traits are dependent upon the others. For instance, if a woman is not God-fearing, she can't remain clam in tough situations and her wisdom will be limited. If a woman does not manage her time, she won't be able to make time for business endeavors. We can't read this proverb and become a virtuous woman overnight, it takes patience, prayer, and purpose.

Why Isn't There a Proverb on the Virtuous Man?

I've heard people ask why there isn't a mirrored passage that describes a virtuous man. The question is meant to accuse Biblical writers, and therefore God, of placing a heavier burden on women than men. However, they neglect the fact that the Bible most often addresses men. The authors refer to their audience as men most of the time. With the exception of sewing, most of these traits are commanded of the men throughout the Bible, and even though there isn't a passage that commands men to sew, men are the ones placed in charge of creating the coverings for the Temple and priestly garments (Exodus 35:30-35).

Examples

the Bible doesn't explicitly refer to any of the women mentioned as being virtuous as defined in Proverbs 31, but I'm sure many of them were. When we think about Eve, Miriam (Moses' sister), Sarah, Rachel and Leah, Mary, and Martha, we know that none of them were perfect. Eve ate the forbidden fruit. Miriam overstepped her bounds chastising her brother over his choice in a wife and was punished with leprosy. Sarah didn't trust God to give her a child. Rachel and Leah fought over Jacob's love. Mary and Martha accused Jesus of being too late to heal Jesus. These women are not perfect, but they are given to us as examples, which should be a reminder that we will not be able to fulfill ever trait all the time. We must strive to do the best that we can, learning from our mistakes and pushing forward.

References

1. "Lemuel". Bible Study Tools; visited August 2017
2. Michael D. Marlowe. "Acrostics in the Hebrew Bible". Bible Researcher; visited August 2017
3. Dr. Barbara Smigel, Dr. Joel Arem, Donald Clark, Richard B. Drucker. "Ruby Value, Price, and Jewelry Information". Gem Society; visited August 2017
4. "Carat (mass)". Wikipedia; visited August 2017
5. "Body Measurements". Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. May 2017
6. "What should we learn from the virtuous woman in Proverbs 31?". GotQuestions.org; visited August 2017
7. Heather Farrell. "The Real Meaning of the Term "Help Meet"". Women in the Scriptures. November 9, 2010
8. "5828. Ezer". Bible Hub; visited August 2017

Proverbs 30: Agur's Proverbs

People aren't really sure who Agur was, but he took the time to pen a chapter of proverbs for us. He makes mention of God's son, which is definitely something to discuss! Agur's proverbs give us concrete examples of the values and concepts he's discussing, which is helpful in understanding his point.

Introduction

The proverbs found in Proverbs 30 are attributed to Agur. In the later half of his proverbs, Agur strongly utilizes comparison to make his points, listing 4 examples of certain qualities or concepts.
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Who Was Agur?

Agur is introduced as the son of Jakeh in Proverbs 30:1. However this is the only time in the entire Bible his name is mentioned. Driven by today's customs, one would think his father, Jakeh, must have been a prominent figure in Israelite history—or at least recorded in the text somewhere for us make a connection. Yet, Jaken is also only mentioned the one time in the Bible. So who were these people and how Agur's proverbs end up in a book with knowledge from Solomon the Wise?

There have been a few theories and attempts to identify Agur. The Hebrew version of the text refers to him as Ha-Massa, which is taken to mean he was a Massaite. Not only would this have made him a gentile, his origins somewhere between Palestine and Babylonia. We don't often think of gentiles in the Old Testament unless they are the villain of a narrative, so this is definitely an interesting theory.

Another theory is that Agur is not actually a name. Remember Semetic languages don't have capital letters like English, so it's probably a little more difficult to identify a name versus a regular word. Take for instance the name Hope. If I said "Hope will prevail," you might surmise I was talking about my friend hope, whereas "hope will prevail" would indicate I was referring to the concept of hope. Many of the words in Proverbs 30:1 can be translated such that the verse is a verse denoting Solomon as the author.^[1]

Whoever he is, Agur admits he has no more understanding of God than the rest of us, though that does not exclude him from being wise. Most wise people are keenly aware of how little they know in comparison to all there is to know.

Agur's Initial Proverbs

...who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou canst tell?Proverbs 30:4 KJV

Agur apparently knew God had a son because he asks us for both God's name and His son's name. If Agur lived during or after the time of Hezekiah (who compiled the previous section of the book), he would have been familiar with Isaiah's prophecies of the coming Messiah. Those who follow Judaism and deny Christ suggest instead that this is a reference to Deuteronomy 14:1, in which God refers to Israel as His son.^[8] Considering the fact that many biblical passages have multiple fulfillments and meanings, I think both could be true.

Agur goes on to remind us that every word of God is pure. We view His pure Words through a tainted lens, which is important to remember as we read. We should be careful not to add or subtract from God's Word. This is told to us in several places, and Agur felt the need to say it again.

Agur required two things before he died: removal of vanity/lies, as well as, a position in life between poverty and riches. Vanity and lies is lumped together likely because when we become vain, we lie to ourselves, usually without even knowing it. Agur asked to be spared from poverty because he doesn't want to be tempted to steal, but he doesn't want to fall into the pitfalls of the rich either. This is something we should be mindful of today.

Agur also discusses a rebellious generation that curses their parents. This generation justifies themselves instead of following the way of God. Each generation has been following this trend for quiet some time. We can all relate to these statements and feel that it relates to our own generation. This descent will continue until the end.

4 Things...

Photocredit: Unsplash.com/Mark Tegethoff

Agur groups his proverbs in sets of four.

4 Things Never Satisfied

The first list of four focuses on things that are never satisfied. Agur gives the following four things:

1. The grave
2. Barren womb
3. The earth not filled with water
4. Fire

An interesting observation in this list is that both the grave and fire are symbols of death and destruction whereas a womb and water signify life. In Agur's example, the earth is devoid of water and the womb is devoid of a child. Thus, all four examples point toward death and the loss of life. Each of these are consequences of sin and gloated over by the devil. The devil will never be satisfied, which is why God will have to intervene to put an end to the devil's treachery once and forever. Directly after listing these four things, Agur speaks of the punish that will come to those who do not obey their parents. Proverbs 30:17 is reminiscent of Luke 17:37.

4 Things too Wonderful

Agur continues by telling us certain things are too wonderful for him to know. Each of thing listed leave little to no trace for our eyes to see. Psalm 139:6 also uses this phrasing.

Photocredit: Unsplash.com/Giovanni Calia

1. Way of an eagle in the air
2. Way of a serpent upon a rock
3. Way of a ship in the sea
4. Way of a man with a maid

For each of the above, there are many things that can be inferred—common sense tells us the eagle has been in the air and the ship has been in the sea. If we are in a rocky terrain where snakes are naive, we can assume they crawled upon the rocks. The way a man and woman exchange looks or words can be telling of a relationship as well. However, without being present at the time of event and witnessing it without our own eyes, it is hard to prove that such things have occurred. God is the same when acting in our lives. We may feel His presence, but from the outside, other will not necessarily be able to identify His presence unless they are familiar with Him.

Before moving on to another list, Agur mentions an adulterous woman, which seems to be a continuation of the description concerning a man with a maid. As I mentioned earlier, things such as rings and displays of affection in public give away a relationship. With adultery, the participants would want to eliminate suspicion and thus there would likely be no evidence of the relationship to protect both parties.

4 Things Disquiet the Earth

Some is disquieting if it causes anxiety or worry. The follow four things are meant to describe the collapse of society, highlighting people in places that they do not belong.

1. A reigning serpent
2. A fool filled with meat
3. An odious woman who is married
4. A handmaid heir to her mistress

The first is obvious: the devil and the serpent are often used interchangeably. A place where the devil is reigning supreme is definitely going to be a place of anxiety and worry. This probably also refers to crooked human leaders as well.

The second thing in the list is a bit odd, however. I'm lead to believe that meat in this verse does not mean food, but information or ammunition. A fool who has been. well fed in foolishness is dangerous. They inspire others to join their foolish thoughts and behaviors.

An odious woman is one who is unpleasant. It is definitely odd to see someone who is unpleasant married, whether the be male or female! When we stop and think about this, we must remember that in prophecy, a woman is often used to symbolize a church. Wouldn't it be concerning for an unruly church to claim unity with Christ (the husband)?

The final example speaks of a handmaid inheriting her mistress' property. My first thought upon reading this was the worry that a maid might kill her mistress before she had children. Surely a woman would leave her possessions to to any children she had, preventing anything to be left to the maid. Someone might infer it was a condemnation of servants rising above their master, but Joshua was Moses' servant before taking Moses' role as leader (Exodus 33:11 and Joshua 1:1). Scholars actually suggest that the property the maid stands to inherit is the husband of her mistress.^[2] While I'm not sure how scholars came to this conclusion, it makes sense. There was a great tension between Hagar and Sarah after Sarah gave Hagar to Abraham as a wife. Although it isn't explicitly mentioned, I'm sure there was tension between Rachel, Leah, and their maids Bilhah and Zilpah who were given to Jacob as wives. Present day there are always concerns about men leaving their wives for the nanny. Therefore I can see how this would be of concern.

4 Things Little, But Wise

Next, Agur tells us about the little but wise. He mentions four animals that are very small in stature, but we could learn a lot from.

1. Ants
2. Conies
3. Locusts
4. Spider

It is well documented that ants are extremely strong and great at working together to function as a unit. Not only can ants lift ridiculous weights in comparison to their size, they can form living bridges and boats to ensure their own survival (now you know why they never die when you try to get rid of them!).^[3]

Coney is another name for rabbit, but scholars assert that the coney mentioned in Proverbs 30:26 refers to the hyrax syriacus.^[4] Agur tells us that despite being small and weak, these animals are able to build strong homes, which is important for safety. The hyrax is know for creating their home in rocks.^[5]

Next on Agur's list of small but wise animals is the locust. Bees and ants have queens, but locusts do not have such a structure. They are able to organize the swarm without a head honcho. Although the church has a King, we must be able to organize ourselves without a physical presence, relying on the Holy Spirit for guidance.

Spiders are small and pretty much unwelcome everywhere, yet a king's palace is just as likely to have a spider building a web in it as a poor man's house.

4 Things Go Well

The final list given by Agur is of things that "go well."

1. Lion
2. Greyhound
3. He goat
4. King

Some scholars believe these examples are meant to show the art of being strong but maintaining your temper, but most interpret this list to mean things that are stately or majestic.^[6]

Photocredit: Unsplash.com/Gwen Weustink

The lion is regarded as the king of beasts; Agur states that lions are also the strongest. While it is known that a tiger is actually more likely to win a fight with a lion than the lion is, we must remember that a Godly definition of strength would never be based sold on physical strength. Unlike tigers, lions live in prides with their families. Their strength comes from the fact that they stick together for offensive and defensive action. So too, there are individuals who will be stronger than us, but as the church of God, we are collectively strong. Lion's have a regal and majestic demeanor which is another reason it is likely included in the list.

The KJV and NKJV list the second animal to be a greyhound, where the NIV and ESV translate the original word to rooster. Scholars have interpreted greyhound to actually mean a war horse, as well.^[6] Interestingly, greyhounds and horses are both used for racing! Greyhounds have been recorded as far back as ancient Egypt,^[9] so it's possible that Agur really did mean a greyhound dog. Of the three options I personally find greyhounds and horses to be more majestic than roosters. However, I have a biased opinion since I have been attacked by roosters and not by horses or greyhounds. Regardless, I will concede that roosters can be beautiful from afar as well.

He-goat, is a male goat, also known as a buck.^[7] Male goats are slightly less intimidating than a ram (a male sheep), but retain the beauty and are still powerful.

The final example is a king with the support of his people. For those of us who grew up in the U.S., a president might fit the bill since we have likely never seen a king.

References

1. J. Frederic McCurdy and Louis Ginzberg. "Agur Ben Jakeh". Jewish Encyclopedia; visited August 2017
2. "Proverbs 30:23 Commentary". Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary, via Bible Hub; visited August 2017
3. Russell Mclendon. "11 Amazing Antics of Ants". Mother Nature Network. July 13, 2017
4. "Coney".Bible Hub; visited August 2017
5. The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica. "Hyrax". Encyclopædia Britannica; visited August 2017
6. "Proverbs 30:29-31 Commentary". Bible Hub; visited August 2017
7. "Buck". Encyclopædia Britannica; visited August 2017
8. Gerald Sigal. "Is Jesus the son that is referred to in Proverbs 30:4? Who is It?". Jews for Judaism; visited August 2017
9. "Greyhound Guide". Animal Planet; visited August 2017

Proverbs 25-29: Hezekiah's Collection

Though written by Solomon, these proverbs were compiled at the urging of King Hezekiah. As such, these are also a reflection of what Hezekiah thought was important.

Introduction

Photocredit: Unsplash.com/Graham Holtshausen

Perhaps not as famous in the minds of people today as Solomon or David, King Hezekiah was one of Judah's best kings. He was determined to maintain a good relationship with God and get Israel back on the right track. Proverbs 25:1 tells us that he had his men compile proverbs written by Solomon. This may have been for his own learning, or as a reminder to the people.

Today, these sayings from Solomon are handy because they contain wisdom about our relationship with God and our everyday actions, but for the people of Israel during Hezekiah's reign, they represented much more. For them, Solomon was a famed king who represented the heigh of Israel's excellence. Actually quotes containing his thoughts and wisdom would read as a call to return to greatness.
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Respect Authority

One of the first things we learn as children—or rather one of the first things we're supposed to learn—is to respect authority. Although it's lost favor among scholarly parenting advice, "because I said so" is a familiar phrase we've all hear from our parents. When I was a child, I thought my mom said no just to say no, but once I hit my mid twenties, the tone of a lot of those memories changed. I realized that many times she had a good reason to say no, but sometimes, she really did say no just to say no. We don't learn anything from getting our way all the time or when everything is handed to us on a silver platter. Sometimes we have to go through something to learn from it.

Like our parents, God knows much more than we do about life and the universe. we He is not obligated to share the mysteries of the world with us, but we are welcome to seek out answers. Sometimes He may answer us with "because I said so," but he will also provide answers.

When it comes to authority, there are usually rules and protocols that have to be followed. In the book of Esther, which was written well after Solomon and Hezekiah, there are multiple interactions between the less powerful and the king. Vashti, the King's primary wife before Esther, is banished for not appearing when the king summons her, conversely, Esther fears approaching him without first being called. Solomon echoes Esther's thought pattern that great leaders can only be approached after we have been invited to do so. Luckily of us, God has already extended an invitation!

Another part of authority that we often have trouble accepting is that of judgment or punishment. Most of us don't want to be punished, and thus we don't want to be caught either. However, when we seek out God we get many of those answers that used to be a mystery to us. Solomon explains that only those who seek God can understand his judgements. When we aren't aligned with God's purpose, much of what He does will seem strange.

Watch Your Speech

Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.Proverbs 26:20 KJV

When I was young, they used to teach the saying "sticks and stones can break my bones, but words will never hurt me." Proverbs 25:15 says that a soft tongue breaks bones. I've definitely met people who thought the old saying was flawed. Many believe that words actually do worse damage than broken bones. Bones heal naturally, but the heart and mind are much harder to repair. Still, when I read Proverbs 25:15, I thought there was something interesting about the phrasing—what exactly is a soft tongue? A harsh tongue seems like the tongue of a bully or someone who is spewing damaging words. Soft sounds much more benign. Placing the verse in context, we can assume a soft tongue is one of gentleness, that can be used for persuasion. You are more likely to break a person (i.e., change their mind) with a gentle tongue than with forceful words. Another thought that popped into my head is that if you only speak good without acknowledging truth that maybe less gentle, you endanger people. This would be the equivalent of allowing people to continue harmful behavior because you are too polite to intervene.

Proverbs also tells us that if we maintain an angry countenance, we will drive away rain. Upon reading this verse, I wondered if we were to take this figuratively or literally. Rain could represent the blessings of God. An angry countenance would surely drive a wedge in our relationship with Him and those around us, causing a figurative drought in our lives. Of course, during the time this proverb was penned, agriculture was a major part of everyone's day to day life. Lack of rain was one of the worst things that could happen. Unlike today where we can important food from other areas (in most cases), they couldn't ship food from across the world to cover a shortage. Lack of rain would be a curse and judgement for people.

Solomon also condemns flattering and hasty words. One of the definitions of flatter is to lavish insecure compliments.^[3] Flattering is essentially lying, which God already told us to do. An example of flattery proving to bring about ruin happened with a child I know. The child was constantly praised (re: flattered) for his ability to sing. However, the child wasn't that good at singing. When the child performed in front of an audience, he did not receive the warm praise he was used to and was left humiliated in the midst of the crowd. We should be honest when we speak to people.

In being honest, we should also think through those words. Hasty words often come out wrong. I use to be notorious for saying exactly what was on my mind. Although those words were honest, many times they weren't phrased in the best way. Solomon tells us the fool says everything but the wise wait to speak because they're assessing their speech. Somethings don't need to be said at all, while other things simply need to be rephrased.

Wealth and Poverty

Although what we consider wealth has changed over the centuries, the dynamics of power versus poverty have not. Proverbs warns us about clinging to the desire to be wealthy. Money (or whatever constitutes wealth at the time) is not forever. Money may be able to buy you the best doctor, but it can't buy you friends and family to sit in the hospital with you. It can't buy your way in to Heaven, either. Faith in God is more valuable than the money; not because believing guarantees your survival in this life, but because it guarantees your survival in the next life.

God wants us to focus on helping those who do not have. Proverbs tells us that when we help the poor, we will be blessed. Taking advantage of the poor, ignoring their plight, and oppressing them are all condemned. Proverbs goes so far as to tell us that only a kingdom that takes care of the poor will last forever. If you look throughout history, it is usually the poor that rebel to overthrow the kingdom because they are unsatisfied. This group has the least to lose, so they're easily motivated to take action. On top of that, they're usually the largest group. Right now, in the US, the poverty rate is estimated to be just under 15%.^[4] The wealthy make up only 1%. Only if a majority of those in the middle side with the rich, are the poor out numbered. God has called us to stand with the poor, and since He stands with them, even if we screw up and leave them outnumbered, they'll still win in the end.

Temper

This was touched on in previous posts, and also a bit in the section on watching what you say. Essentially, the Bible condemns anger and violence. Arguments and fights are not to be hastily entered.

This is one of the areas I personally struggle with; I am easily angered by the words and actions of others. One thing I've learned as I attempt to be more Christ-like and peaceful is how wonderful God is that the littlest things don't bother Him. I imagine if God were to be as easily angered as we are, the end of the world would have come along time ago. I imagine, Jesus would have never died on the cross—how many of us would willingly suffer so, knowing the world would still reject your sacrifice? Putting it in perspective helps to calm me. If God can be patient and forgiving, after all that we've done, surely I can be patient and forgiving with my neighbor.

Reproof

Much of Proverbs discusses the necessity of reproof. Reproof is the act of correcting our behavior, wether it is instituted by ourselves, our brothers and sisters in Christ, or God Himself. We are meant to control our actions. I've met many people who insist a drunk person is who the person really is and that people should live without inhibitions. I've always disagreed with this statement and Proverbs 25:28 agrees that you are to control yourself with rules (i.e., morals). The same way we are taught to walk, talk, eat, and behave certain ways in public, we teach ourselves how to react to certain situations. We are who we choose to be. It says a lot that when placed in uneasy situations you choose to take the high road. The devil wants us to believe that the broken and sinful nature we are born with is the only nature we can have, but that simply isn't true.

We should be open to the criticisms from God and our fellow believers. This is how we steer ourselves to righteousness. Those who choose to ignore the warnings from God and their loved ones are walking on the path of destruction. It is more important to set ourselves right and to be honest with those around us than it is to keep wisdom secret from them. As people, we need both punishment and reproof to see more clearly.

Compassion

As he that taketh away a garment in cold weather, and as vinegar upon nitre, so is he that singeth songs to an heavy heart. Proverbs 25:20 KJV

The first part of Proverbs 25:20 is easy to comprehend. The second part is a little more confusing. In today's society, we often give our licenses as a security measure. An example would be when touring an apartment complex. In Solomon's day, people left their coats as a sign that they would pay or come back. Throughout the books of law, God explains the importance of using common sense when requiring such a thing. Many poor people would have only one coat and in cold weather this was a crucial item of possession. Clearly, taking away someone's garment when they need it is a horrible thing.

Assumably, vinegar upon nitre is also bad. However, I wasn't sure what nitre was, let alone what vinegar would do to it. Nitre was a mineral mined in ancient Egypt at the time (there's also a mineral called nitre today but it isn't the one being discussed in this passage). When vinegar was poured upon the mineral it would cause an unpleasant reaction resulting in a hissing sound.^[1]

These horrible actions are what we enact when we brag and boast around those who are in pain. We should be mindful of those around us and practice compassion toward their situation.

Foolishness

Proverbs has made it clear that "fools" are wicked people. Solomon tells us that honoring them is like snow in the summer. Whether this is to mean improbable or pointless, it clearly illustrates the how frivolous it is to continue in the path of foolishness, which is equated to wickedness.

Solomon reiterates this by telling us we shouldn't put our faith in men who are unfaithful when we need help. Do not be confident in an unfaithful man when there is trouble. It's not that someone who is unfaithful to God is incapable of being faithful to you. The problem is whether they can actually help you in a time of trouble. If I'm on a plane and the plane is crashing, sure, my mother may be there for me, but she isn't a pilot and she doesn't know how to fix the situation. Similarly, our friends and family who are not following God cannot give us Godly direction in a time of trouble.

Solomon brings up an interesting and seemingly conflicting point in Proverbs 26:4-5. First, he tells us we should follow up foolishness because we're stooping to their level. However, he turns around and tells us we should answer them in kind so they don't leave thinking they're right. Which is it? Many times, especially in the world of social media, people argue back and forth without the slightest exchange of information. The arguments quickly descend to name calling and pointing out grammatical errors. Sometimes people just don't want to hear the truth and sometimes we lose our message because we become too stubborn and prideful (like the fool) to deliver it. At other times, however, we need to put a stop to whatever is being said. Perhaps it is to correct the person in the wrong, or prevent others in the vicinity from harmful information. In those cases we must maintain our patience and temper to correct the situation. Essentially Solomon is reminding us that there is a time for both.^[2]

Fellowship

Proverbs discusses who we should fellowship with. We should provide something to our friend-group that enhances and improves those around us. Similarly, we should surround ourselves with people who make us better. For this reason, Solomon tells us not to keep company with harlots. Many automatically assume this is a reference to prostitutes or promiscuous women. but I'm not so sure. I would agree that anyone engaging in ungodly behavior willingly, with no intent to repent and change is probably not who God intends for you to spend all your time with. However, the word harlot is often used to describe idolatry. Israel is often said to have played the harlot when they turned away from God, and in Revelation, one of the central figures is the Whore (or harlot) of Babylon. Given this, I believe Solomon is talking about those who have turned their back on God, in general, not simply those who are promiscuous.

In general, we think of friend circles as second to family. There are countless sayings that equate to blood is thicker than water, but in reality, friends develop by choice and may actually be better than family. Some people are born in to loving families where everyone is seeking God and the relationship is pleasant. However, on the opposite end of the spectrum are people born in to abusive families. There are also families who may be loving, but may not know God. Nonetheless, Solomon reminds us that a good friend who is near to us is better than a relative that is far away. It goes without saying that this is true when it comes to physical distance. It is much easier for my friends in South Florida to visit me than my family in South Carolina. However, I think this could double as a spiritual reference. Having friends who are nearer to you in the spirit can be more helpful in your spiritual growth than a family member who is far from you.

Pride

Pride is one of the most dangerous human traits. So much goes wrong when we allow ourselves to be prideful. This is why Solomon warns us to be wary of a proud heart, even if it is our own. We aren't to trust in our own heart, which is hard to put into practice. So many lessons taught by the world encourage us to follow our heart, when in actuality, this can only be done safely when our hearts are one with God.

The Wicked and the Just

These proverbs spend a great deal of time discussing the contrast and interaction between the just and the wicked. Solomon provides the followings points on righteousness versus wickedness:

1. People are happiest when righteous people lead them; when the wicked lead people mourn
2. Where there is no vision, people perish; those who keep the law (the vision) delight
3. A king who has understanding and knowledge prolongs his kingdom; rivaling princes bring instability
4. If you turn away from the law, your prayer will become an abomination
5. Punishment is great for those luring the righteous away from God
6. We should not hide our sins; we must admit them and cast them aside to prosper
7. Provide for your enemy

Solomon also reminds us that perception changes everything. The wicked are an abomination to the just and the just are an abomination to the wicked. Our ideas conflict and thus cause us to perceive our actions in a different light. As we follow God, those who do not will see this unfavorably. Meanwhile, we will view their behavior as unfavorable. As long as we keep the law, we are contending with the wicked.

Jesus

Proverbs 27:26 tells us that lambs are for clothing. What's interesting about this passage is that while lambs do provide wool for clothing, Jesus is called the Lamb of God and He clothes us in righteousness.

Misc.

There are a few other proverbs that I wanted to bring attention to before closing the post:

1. Hating covetousness prolongs your life (probably because it reduces your stress)
2. Proverbs 26:13-16 covers slothfulness
3. Overeating honey will cause you to vomit (i.e. too much, even of a good thing, is bad for you)
4. Confused about Proverbs 27:14? See the commentary provided here. (Essentially, we are to be mindful of when and where we show our appreciation.^[5])

Solomon also tells us that to the hungry soul, bitter things are sweet. This has two meanings. First, have you ever been so hungry that you weren't sure if the food you were eating was actually good or not? When you're starving, anything tastes good. This concept applies to our lives as well. When we are devoid of our relationship with God, we crave something to fill our soul. Even evil looks good at that point. Another take on this phrase deals with God's punishment. When we need chastising (as discussed in the section on reproof), the punishment is bitter. However, because we need that punishment to lead us into righteousness, it's actually sweet.

References

1. John Gills. "Proverbs 25:20 Commentary". Bible Study Tools; visited July 2017
2. "Do Proverbs 26:4 and 26:5 contradict? How can both verses be true?". GotQuestions.org; visited July 2017
3. "Flatter". Merriam-Webster; visited July 2017
4. Mark Gongloff. "45 Million Americans Still Stuck Below Poverty Line: Census". Huffington Post. September 16, 2014
5. Proverbs 27:14 Commentaries". BibleHub.com; visited July 2017