February 22, 2021
Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.
Reading along with us in some selections from Psalm & Proverbs? Here’s today’s reading:
Proverbs 6 (NIV)
Warnings Against Folly
1My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor,
if you have shaken hands in pledge for a stranger,
2you have been trapped by what you said,
God’s desire is for us to work hard, be wise with our time and money. We should not expect others to do things for us but yet work for what we have, that He has blessed us with.
7 things that God despises….
A proud look,
A lying tongue,
Hands that shed innocent blood,
A heart that devises wicked plans,
Feet that are swift in running to evil,
A false witness who speaks lies,
And one who sows discord among brethren.
Many of these are covered in the simplicity and completeness of the 10 commandments.
Proverbs 6
Proverbs 6
I like the example of the ant, God gives us the ability to take care of ourselves and not be lazy, we can be generous too, but not to a fault. Proverb 6 makes it clear the things the Lord hates and finds detestable and we should be aware and avoid those things.
What practical wisdom for life is found in Proverbs all based here in principles the rest of Scripture supports: honesty, hard work and purity. How important it is to be honest with our dealings and confront things as they come, and if I happen to be the one who is in the wrong, to admit it and seek to resolve the issue rather than ignoring it or sweeping it under the rug. It is also important to learn the value of working hard and taking responsibility for ourselves. We can be lazy in many areas of life, but if we let that fester it will always catch up to us and lead to destruction. When we work then the time we rest will be more peaceful because we will have the provisions that work brings.
And what sense is found in the things that God hates. They are all things that dismiss God and others and prioritize ourselves. We should learn to hate them ourselves, especially when they rear their ugly heads within our own hearts.
And I love the warnings here around adultery. Being reduced to a loaf of bread and having hot coals dumped in our laps is a stark description of the destructive and deceptive nature of lust. Our sexual compulsion is a strong element within us and the world suffers the consequences daily for not following the dictates of the God who gave us that compulsion in the first place. But once again we are wise to take care of our own sin in this area before we point the finger other places….
2you have been trapped by what you said,
ensnared by the words of your mouth.
3So do this, my son, to free yourself,
since you have fallen into your neighbor’s hands:
Go—to the point of exhaustion—
and give your neighbor no rest!
4Allow no sleep to your eyes,
no slumber to your eyelids.
5Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter,
like a bird from the snare of the fowler.
Proverbs 6