December 27, 2022 -- Proverbs 27 various texts -- Journey to Christmas through Proverbs and Luke: Collected wisdom

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

Do not boast about tomorrow,
    for you do not know what a day may bring.
Proverbs 27:1 ESV

What a wonderful thought as we stand on the New Year. We have no idea what this year will bring. So boasting is out of order. It is time for humble prayer to God that He may lead His people in all wisdom.

Faithful are the wounds of a friend;
   profuse are the kisses of an enemy. verse 6

The expression “to kiss up to” means to pretend at friendship or reconciliation. The friend who is at one moment kissing up to you will just as easily, the next moment when you leave the room, mock you or gossip about you. A true friend has faithful wounds, he will bear much in order to prove himself a true, reliable friend. This is the picture of Jesus Christ. See His nail-scarred hands and feet, and His side which was pierced for your transgressions. Jesus’ wounds are the only, truly faithful wounds, for He lives to pray for sinners such as we are. What a Savior!

Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied,
   and never satisfied are the eyes of a man. verse 20

Sheol is the place of the dead; it can mean the grave or hell. Abaddon means destruction, or the place of destruction in the nether world. Think of it. Destruction is never satisfied. Ten plus months in and the Russian aggression against the Ukraine has not ended. Countless hundreds of thousands are displaced, facing a harsh winter with no power and the hungry jaws of destruction keep on chewing up people’s lives. Abortion is never done. Canada keeps speaking of adding to the number of people who can request M.A.I.D. medical assistance in dying.

So too the eyes are never satisfied. Think of how many people cram into big box stores trampling one another to buy things they don’t need in order to hoard things they cannot afford which in the long run add to piles of debt which relentlessly is eroding their financial stability. The eyes of greed are never satisfied. Think of how many ‘boy meets girl romance movies’ are out there, piling up one after another. These are cookie cutter films. The ending is sure. People are happy. The more the eye sees this, the more discontented the heart is with reality, that is, the current living situation—comparing one’s life to such fantasy is the way of the grave. Of course, pornography is evidence of how the eye of man is never satisfied either. It too leads to the destruction of marriage and relationships and drags the soul down to the grave.

The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold,
   and a man is tested by his praise. verse 21

When silver is being purified it must be watched constantly, it can be ruined by the wrong temperature even as one is using the heat to remove the impurities. Praise is a test for any man or woman. Think of King Herod, who was praised by the people who were kissing up to him shouting at his words “the voice of a god, and not of a man!" (Acts 12:22). Herod did not give give glory the One True God, so he was struck down by the angel of the LORD. When you are praised, immediately turn and give the praise to Your Maker. For He has prepared good works for you to do through the grace of Jesus Christ by the power of His Spirit.

Father in heaven, hallowed be Your Name. How rich and varied is the beauty of wisdom which You have given to Your people. It takes the effort of a miner to dig deep into the Word in order to bring to light the treasures You have placed in therein. Forgive us, glorious Father, for the languor of our hearts and the fog of our brains which cloud our vision and mock our feeble efforts. Jesus, Faithful, Wounded, Friend, renew in us a holy zeal to find our peace and rest in You. Spirit of God, raise in us so many questions about God the Mysterious and Magnificent, so that as believers we cannot help but search out the Word until we see the Father through the radiance of Jesus. Jesus, Who was born in a stable, now seated on High, preparing to return in glory with all His holy ones. Amen.

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