Category: Proverbs

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

Think about Biblical characters and these verses: eg Moses and Pharaoh, Joshua and Achan. Biblical proverbs aim at giving knowledge beyond personal experience, at extending your understanding of people and situations, of feeding a hunger for wisdom in your heart!

SJA Notes

“When the wicked rise, people hide themselves,”

How true this is in our world today.

And how tightly linked it is for us with other verses,

“Those who forsake the law praise the wicked,”

“Evil men do not understand justice,”

It is clear today that these things are as real now as they were when these proverbs were written.

We are told that evil is good, and that good is evil.

We see the rise of wickedness, we see people barracking and praising it.

Think of the strong movements today to remove the laws around the world that have been founded on biblical principles.

However. There are throughout todays’ reading these wonderful counterpoints!

“When the righteous triumph, there is great glory,”

“… But when they [the wicked] perish, the righteous increase.”

“… But those who keep the law strive against them [the wicked].”

“… But those who seek the LORD understand it [justice] completely.”

We are to strive against the wicked when they rise. We are to teach those around us what God’s word teaches us true justice is.

There is much good for society when the righteous triumph!

* Almighty God,

Praise You for Your word that feeds us these truths.

Praise You for Your Son Jesus who speaks to us these truths, whose righteousness is imparted to us.

And thank You Lord that through Jesus we can know what justice really means. That in Him we can increase. That in Him we can strive against evil and the wicked.

Amen.

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

Recognizing what’s wrong with your own behaviour is the first step to changing it. The second is accepting that such behaviour is stupid. These proverbs therefore use humour to make their point – on laziness, “I was only joking”, gossip, hypocrisy, malice, etc.

SJA Notes

“Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another,”

This proverb is of great importance to God’s people today, to wrestle with what it means for us.

This is not about being argumentative or hyper-critical. We are not to harangue each other into submission to our own wills.

Healthy discussion, rebuke, encouragement and meditating on what is said is the order of the day.

In Hebrews chapter 10 we read,

“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

We are blessed by God with the preaching of His word, sharpening us as we hear from the pulpit each new sabbath day, as well as the preaching we do through our daily lives – Speaking God’s word to one another.

In Colossians chapter 4 Paul says,

“Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.”

The element of grace is a powerful aspect of sharpening one another.

Undergirding all our own work though is the sharpening and refining that God enacts, often through our broken attempts.

From Romans chapter 8,

“Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.”

We have the best of helpers who continues to make us better!

* Saviour God,

Please may we be sharpening and refined by Your, Your word being written on our hearts by Your Spirit.

Thank You for Jesus – The Right Man who shows us how to live.

Thank You for the Holy Spirit – The best helper, drawing us onward toward glory.

And thank You Father for Your love for us. That while we were still sinners, You in the person of God the Son, Jesus, the Lord’s Christ – You died for us.

Amen.

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

These proverbs cover a wide range of life from personal wisdom, to behaviour before those senior to you in your employment, to mission statements, to dealing with fools.

SJA Notes

“Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.”

Do we have a false perception of ourselves, that we are better than we are?

What is the answer for people who think they are saved because they are good people?

In this reading we have,

“Do not put yourself forward in the king’s presence or stand in the place of the great, for it is better to be told, ‘Come up here,’ than to be put lower in the presence of a noble.”

And in Matthew chapter 22 Jesus tells us, of people like this, that they will be cast into the outer darkness,

“In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

This is a clear warning for us!

And yet how easy it is for us to slip a foot sideways on the narrow path – A little glimmer of pride in self, a sprinkle of self-worth in our thoughts, building our identity earthly things.

This is why we need God’s word, why we must continue to come back to the only mirror that always tells us the truth.

“Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.”

Oh that we would hear our King Jesus say “Come up here,” rather than “Leave this place.”

* Sovereign God,

You are _holy_. We are _broken_.

Not even a day or hour or moment goes by without our sin and wrongdoing tainting our thoughts, our words, our actions.

Thank You then that not a moment passes without Your Spirit at work, through all things, working for our good.

Please mark us as a humble people Lord, recognising our desperate need for You, our utter inability to save ourselves.

May we see Jesus today – The true captain of our souls, the only master of our fate.

Amen.