Proverbs 28:15-28
15 Like a roaring lion and a charging bear
Is a wicked ruler over poor people.
16 A ruler who lacks understanding is a great oppressor,
But he who hates covetousness will prolong his days.
17 A man burdened with bloodshed will flee into a pit;
Let no one help him.
18 Whoever walks blamelessly will be saved,
But he who is perverse in his ways will suddenly fall.
19 He who tills his land will have plenty of bread,
But he who follows frivolity will have poverty enough!
20 A faithful man will abound with blessings,
But he who hastens to be rich will not go unpunished.
21 To show partiality is not good,
Because for a piece of bread a man will transgress.
22 A man with an evil eye hastens after riches,
And does not consider that poverty will come upon him.
23 He who rebukes a man will find more favor afterward
Than he who flatters with the tongue.
24 Whoever robs his father or his mother,
And says, "It is no transgression,"
The same is companion to a destroyer.
25 He who is of a proud heart stirs up strife,
But he who trusts in the LORD will be prospered.
26 He who trusts in his own heart is a fool,
But whoever walks wisely will be delivered.
27 He who gives to the poor will not lack,
But he who hides his eyes will have many curses.
28 When the wicked arise, men hide themselves;
But when they perish, the righteous increase.
Do we follow God’s wisdom with understanding to live according to faithfully trust Him, or does our selfish pride lead to our fall? Rulers who have no understanding follow their selfish desires in prideful oppression for their own gain, but if they hate gaining all for themselves they will have longer on the earth to rule wisely. Ruling over our own lives is no different (Proverbs 25:28). If we do not care for what we do to others and do not rule our own lives, we fall into the pit we hew out of the ground for ourselves. Perverse pride in selfish ways bring hard falls while living in the direction of a blameless life before God leads to deliverance from those falls in life. He who honors God will be honored by Him. This means we work diligently, not for our eternal salvation, but for deliverance from God’s displeasure and food for ourselves by our diligence. This kind of faithfulness leads to blessings which the greedy and perverse fail to see in their rebellious disobedience to God and laziness in not pursuing Him according to His word. Similarly, showing partiality instead of generous grace to others only causes us to sin more and cause God’s displeasure. Such greediness to hoard influence and material gain to be rich leads to poverty of the soul and even in life itself. It is therefore best to correct those running after such gain or even disrespect of their parents instead of false flattery, that the transgressor may repent and find the blessings of Christ instead. Pride in the heart only causes division and conflict, but if we trust faithfully and follow God diligently, we prosper in our inner man. The fool trusts his own heart instead, which is desperately evil (Jeremiah 17:9). Living wisely understands these things and lives accordingly. May we then follow these proverbs for other’s and our own good in giving of ourselves to not bring sin’s curses of consequences on ourselves. The wicked will fall away and the righteous will increase towards eternal life. The world flees to hide from those who do not faithfully trust God in the end. May we then follow hard after our Lord.
No comments:
Post a Comment