Proverbs 17 – 18
Verse 17:4 hits home today:
The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold,
and the LORD tests hearts.
Often we need to understand that God tests us to ensure our intentions are correct. We do things which are claimed to be for “His” glory, but in reality it’s for our own. Personally I want to have the gift of healing, so I can pray for and heal others. Do any of you see what’s wrong with that last statement?
The problem with that statement is the “I” part! See I may say I want the glory of God to flow through me, but it’s so I can get more twitter followers and maybe sell a book. If I am lucky, I’ll capture the event on video and post it to YouTube, all for the “glory of God” and a possible profit. See there is more benefit for me in doing this that expanding the kingdom of God. Now you may understand the “test” that possibly made God question giving me the gift of healing.
Verse 17:24 focuses on our goals and quests:
The discerning sets his face towards wisdom,
but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.
I pray for wisdom and focus on “the ends of the earth.” Right now after months of not purchasing lottery tickets, out of pure frustration on our situation I purchased one yesterday. See to most that’s not a big deal, but to me that’s like being an alcoholic and taking a sip. Sure the sip will not hurt them, if they control it, but it has the possibility of spinning them down the rabbit hole of their addiction. In this case I was praying for wisdom on how to handle our problems, but focusing on the “easy” way to a solution and not wisdom.
Verse 17:28 is a wonderful verse for those of us who to tend to speak first and think later:
Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise;
when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.
This reminds me of an old saying:
Better to remain silent and thought a fool,
then to speak and remove all doubt!
I believe this saying has its roots in Proverbs 17:28. This “saying” has been attributed to Mark Twain, Abraham Lincoln, Samuel Johnson, Chinese Proverb or unknown. Now granted the saying twists the proverb slightly as the proverb has the premise of being thought wise, while the saying is being thought a fool. Either way often we should “bridle our tongues” before speaking out (James 1:26-27). Although often in this world the person who can bullshit eloquently can fool all into thinking they are wise. So we need to test the word by God’s standards and not the worlds.
Verse 18:12 focuses on the issue of pride:
Before destruction a man’s heart is haughty,
but humility comes before honour.
I think of James 4:6 the comment of pride:
But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
No matter how you slice it pride tends to take our focus off God and move the “spotlight” onto ourselves. Go back to my desire to have the gift of healing or winning the lottery and you will see the desires are for a better “bragimony” than a true testimony. We need to approach life and others with humility and not pride.
At the same time I often think I over do the “humility” and “silence” when living my life. Often these are viewed as weakness or indecisiveness, which cause others to lose confidence in the direction we are traveling. At the same time I often get “lambasted” for my “opinion” being wrong and then my “I told you so” is received very poorly. The world is wanting decisive action, be it wrong or not, rather than a thoughtful and prayerful approach.
Just look at the latest decision to avert the “Fiscal Cliff”, no action was taken for months with this deadline looming. When action was taken it was decisive and rash, causing taxes to go up on all and increasing the deficit by 4 billion or trillion (who’s counting these days). Not that is an increase in our debt that would not have happened if we had done nothing!! Again action by the “haughty” may lead us to destruction. Again why I played the lottery!!