Sunday, August 29, 1999 This Week's Lesson:
In this week's lesson, which came from Proverbs 12:11-16, we learned about the importance of working hard and also of being open to sound, biblical counseling. In these verses, Solomon taught a clear work ethic. It is not good for a person to be given everything. People appreciate most those things for which they have worked hardest. Hard work increases our degree of satisfaction and also our gratitude for the little things. With age and accumulation, we should become more appreciative. Solomon used the analogy of someone tilling the ground and harvesting his or her crops. Tilling comes from the Hebrew word that means labor, work, or to do work. It can mean to work for someone else, or it can mean to serve God. In the matter of our Christian work ethic, Solomon was saying that we would be easily satisfied by the returns of this life if we would just learn to keep our focus on our service to the Lord. When we lose that focus, we become caught up in the insignificant affairs of life. Following after vain people is another unwise activity. Vain comes from the Hebrew word that means empty and worthless. Our hope should be in the Lord, not in others. Psalms 39:5-7 says, "Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah. Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them. And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in thee."
Next, Solomon wrote that wicked people desire the nets of evil men. With these words, he was saying that wicked people want the same gains and returns as other wicked people. Matthew Henry wrote, "When the ungodly see others prosper by sin, they wish they could act in the same way. But the root of Divine grace, in the heart of the righteous, produces other desires and purposes." Evil people envy each other, but this kind of envying produces strife and disharmony. Proverbs 15:18 says, "A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife." To be the person we should be, we must avoid envy. We must also be ever careful about what we say. Wicked people get themselves into trouble by their tongue. James 3:5-6 says, "Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell." By contrast, Solomon did not say that the just would stay out of trouble, but he did say that they would not stay in trouble. When we do wrong to others, we should do our best to correct the situation. In Proverbs 12:14, Solomon wrote that a person would be satisfied if he or she lived and spoke right.
Throughout the Book of Proverbs, Solomon repeated some common themes. Seek wisdom and godly understanding. Live right. Work hard. Control your tongue. Avoid evil people. Control your being and guard your life. When we build our lives around these simple principles, then we will be the kind of people the Lord wants us to be. In the coming week and weeks, do your best to live for Him and to be the person He would have you be.
Tom of Spotswood"He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life." (I John 5:12)
"And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart." (Jeremiah 29:13)
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