Prov. 13-15
There is certainly a wealth of knowledge and good advice to be gleaned from the Proverbs – far too much to comment on in a single sitting! So I will just give some thoughts on a few verses that, for whatever reason, stuck out to me a little more prominently this morning.
Prov. 13:11
“Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it.” I don’t know about you, but I am always in a hurry. I want to “go big or go home”. If there isn’t a significant ‘payout’ of some sort involved, I stick my nose up at it. I have been trying to change that attitude over the past few years, even adopting a motto a couple years ago of, “small is the new big.” Because, really, that’s how things get done. A thousand mile trek doesn’t happen 100 miles at a time, it happens one step at a time. It’s the “little by little” that lasts. I want to take that truth to heart.
Prov. 14:4
“Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean, but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox.” It’s the way of life – every good thing comes with some struggle. We can avoid the struggle, the pain, the inconvenience…whatever it is, but then we miss out on the good that comes with it. Sometimes we choose to miss out on the “abundant crops” because we don’t want to deal with the “dirty manger”. Other times we find ourselves with the ox without having had a choice in the matter. Either way, we still have the choice in what we focus on – will we grumble and complain at the struggles, the difficulties, the inconveniences in life, or will we focus on and maximize the good that comes with it?
Prov. 14:6
“A scoffer seeks wisdom in vain, but knowledge is easy for a man of understanding.” This was interesting to me, as the Bible notes that all you have to do to gain wisdom is ask God for it. So why does it say here that some seek wisdom in vain? The Cambridge English Dictionary describes a “scoffer” as, “someone who laughs and speaks about a person or idea in a way that shows that they think that person or idea is stupid or silly.” So the scoffer does not really believe in what he claims to be seeking, which makes this a matter of the heart! Seek earnestly, and you will find. Ask sincerely, and you will receive.
Prov. 15:8
“The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD, but the prayer of the upright is acceptable to Him.” Note that this was written at a time when sacrifices were a part of God’s command, necessary to keep the people “clean” so that God could and would dwell among them. But, again, sacrifice is a matter of the heart. Offering that sacrifice with the wrong heart – the wrong attitudes and motives – gains you nothing. However, a sincere prayer with a humble heart is an acceptable sacrifice to the LORD. The action of the sacrifice, then, simply becomes and external manifestation of the internal attitude. Just one more affirmation that Godliness has far less to do with actions than it does with attitudes and motives.
Acts 2:1-21
I don’t think I ever noticed before that the reason the multitudes were gathered for the apostles to witness to on that day of Pentecost when they received the Holy Spirit, is because the people heard the sound. It is unclear to me if they heard the “mighty rushing wind” or if they heard the noise of 120 people speaking in all kinds of different tongues all at once, but in either case, it was the noise that brought the masses together before the apostles.
Acts 2:6 says, “And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language.” I guess I always figured the masses just happened to be there. But God got their attention! He wasted no time, after giving His gift of the Holy Spirit to His followers in that room, in giving them opportunity to put that gift to use!