Proverbs constantly shows us that life is not as complicated as we often make out; rather it is comprised of two categories of people: the wise and the foolish, the righteous and the wicked. As Jesus reminded us, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.” (John 3:36)

Righteousness is not our own; we are made righteous through the sacrifice of Christ. But it is outworked through how we live and has an impact on society: “when the righteous triumph, there is great elation, but when the wicked rise to power, men go into hiding.” (Prov 28:12)

Prov 28:7 reminds us that “he who keeps the law is a discerning son, but a companion of gluttons disgraces his father.” The chapter reminds us that rebuke is better than false flattery (Prov 28:21) and that relying on one’s own resources is not wise: “he who trusts in himself is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom is kept safe.” (Prov 28:26). It’s a very human tendency to put our trust in wealth, but ultimately wealth is not the criterion by which we will be judged: “a rich man may be wise in his own eyes, but a poor man who has discernment sees through him.” (Prov 28:11)

The contrast between the two kinds of people is shown right at the start of the chapter:
“The wicked flee though no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion.” (Prov 28:1) Sometimes we have a picture of the wicked as all-powerful, with the righteous timid and fearful. This view was sometimes propagated in the hymns sung in churches: ‘Hold the fort, for I am coming’, William Sherman’s hymn says, ‘See the mighty host advancing, Satan leading on/ Mighty ones around us falling, courage almost gone!’ This is not the picture that the Bible paints of God’s people. Rather, it is the righteous that are as bold as a lion and the wicked who flee, though no one pursues.

How can this be? If we feel isolated in our Christian walk, perhaps the only Christian in our family or in our workplace, how can we have a right view of who we are in Christ? We need to soak ourselves in the truths of God’s Word so that we see the invisible and understand the majesty and power of the Almighty God. Throughout Proverbs, we are assured of God’s care and protection (‘he who walks in wisdom is kept safe’ Prov 28:26) as well as of His forgiveness and mercy (‘whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy” Prov 28:13)

Matt Redman says about his song ‘We Could Change the World’:
“A big view of God is a cure for so many of the things in life that would stand in our way or slow us down in ministry. When we really grasp the heights of who He is, and the depths of His heart for us, and the strength of His power in us, we can live a whole different kind of life. The way we view God will radically affect how our lives operate… We must see and believe Him as big enough, kind enough, real enough and strong enough to move in power in our everyday lives – no matter what we’re facing. The first step for a worshipper is to confidently get to grips with just how magnificent and mighty He is. The next step is to let that confidence in God seep into the very depths of our hearts and minds, forming a holy confidence on the inside of us. When that truly happens, we will dream bigger dreams and live brighter lives.”

That’s why I believe it’s so important to guard what we watch and what we listen to and sing, why we must soak ourselves in the Bible each day to find out what God says about our everyday situations and His almighty power, so that we can become those bold lions, confident in our God and Saviour!

For the first time in our studies on Romans, we actually completed looking through a whole chapter last night!

Romans 14 continues Paul’s discussions on practical Christian living, how to ‘worship’ in every aspect of our lives. “Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarrelling over disputable matters.” (Romans 14:1) Paul goes on to give examples of what this looks like in everyday living. So easily, we find things to argue about. There is a fridge magnet that says ‘Everyone is entitled to my opinion’, and often we live as though that were the case. We have opinions on everything (the examples in the chapter are eating meat that had been sacrificed to idols or treating certain days as more sacred than others) and if someone else has a different opinion, well, they are the ones that are wrong and it’s our job to make sure they know it! ‘Putting down’, ‘condemning’, ‘treating with contempt‘ are all verbs used in this chapter to describe our attitudes towards others; all these attitudes are condemned by Paul, who says we should “stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister.” (Rom 14:13) and “Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food.” (Rom 14:19-20)

The fact that Paul spends so much time discussing what was obviously a problem in the early church shows us how easily we put our own interests before those of others, which is completely the opposite of what worship lived out actually looks like. There are, of course, key issues in the faith for which we must contend. But so often, there are grey areas: issues which may be interesting to debate, but which should never be used to browbeat others. Wearing make-up, what clothes to wear in church, eating halal meat, the length of hair acceptable for men… all of these issues can be ‘hot potatoes’ for us. But are they worth “destroying someone for whom Christ died”? (Rom 14:15) Paul reminds us that we do not live to ourselves alone (Rom 14:7). There has to be consideration and love in the way we live, even when debating fundamental truths. We will not agree with everyone in our own churches, let alone in other denominations or in the world. But we should remember that “the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval” (Rom 14:17-18) and treat others as those for whom Christ died, just as much as we are grateful for the fact that He died for us.

Reiteration (repetition) is a strategy we all use to emphasise something. The word itself is from the Latin ‘to do again’, with the prefix re- used to emphasise the idea of repetition in many English words. Proverbs 27 starts with two familiar ideas couched in very similar language to previous chapters: “do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring” (see James 4:13-17) and “let someone else praise you, and not your own mouth; an outsider, and not your own lips.” As a teacher, repetition is something I get rather tired of; I often wish pupils would listen the first time and take in what I am saying! But we all tend to need to hear things more than once before the truths of what we hear sink in.

I make no apologies, therefore, for the repetition of certain themes which we find in Proverbs 27. Relationships are again crucial: “a spoken rebuke is better than approval that’s never expressed.” (Prov 27:5) . This reminds me of the poem by Dorothy Law Note which I read daily in the staff room where I work:
“If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn.
If children live with hostility, they learn to fight.
If children live with fear, they learn to be apprehensive.
If children live with pity, they learn to feel sorry for themselves.
If children live with ridicule, they learn to feel shy.
If children live with jealousy, they learn to feel envy.
If children live with shame, they learn to feel guilty.
If children live with encouragement, they learn confidence.
If children live with tolerance, they learn patience.
If children live with praise, they learn appreciation.
If children live with acceptance, they learn to love.
If children live with approval, they learn to like themselves.
If children live with recognition, they learn it is good to have a goal.
If children live with sharing, they learn generosity.
If children live with honesty, they learn truthfulness.
If children live with fairness, they learn justice.
If children live with kindness and consideration, they learn respect.
If children live with security, they learn to have faith in themselves and in those about them.
If children live with friendliness, they learn the world is a nice place in which to live.”
Copyright © 1972 by Dorothy Law Nolte

Jealousy, fury and anger are all negative emotions which Proverbs warns against (Prov 27:4). Relationships help us to grow, however difficult we find them: “as iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” (Prov 27:17) . We often wonder why God put us in our family, our church, our place of work, our neighbourhood and feel we’d be a much better Christian if we lived somewhere else! The grass always looks greener on the other side, but Proverbs reminds us that those ‘awkward people’ who antagonise us and rub us up the wrong way are actually God’s tool for sharpening and refining us. Refining is another theme repeated in this chapter. “The purity of silver and gold is tested by putting them in the fire; the purity of human hearts is tested by giving them a little fame.” (Prov 27:21) In other words, praise can go to our heads at times and we need to learn how to be gracious in all situations.

As we read Proverbs and listen to its down-to-earth similes (eg “A quarrelsome wife is like the dripping of a leaky roof in a rainstorm” Prov 27:15), we begin to grasp that God is there in the ordinariness of our lives. Whether we’re feeling buoyant and excited or worn down by nagging or the frustrations of failure, it has something for every situation. It anchors us in the security and trustworthiness of God and constantly peels back the layers in our own hearts.

Reality TV shows and celebrity culture are prevalent in today’s society. Virtually every newspaper – even ‘reputable’ ones – have gossip columns and pages devoted to the antics of celebrities. Nowadays it seems you can become famous even for achieving very little. The paparazzi then follow you around and your every action can become front page news. It’s a question of style over substance and young people in particular slavishly follow the news, often aping these celebrities in how they look, dress and act.

Proverbs has quite a caustic view of this kind of society, calling this kind of behaviour foolish. “We no more give honours to fools than pray for snow in summer or rain during harvest” (Prov 26:1) . Sadly, today, it seems we fail to heed this approach, elevating people with foolish opinions and lifestyles for all kinds of reasons.

Proverbs advises us “Don’t respond to the stupidity of a fool; you’ll only look foolish yourself.” (Prov 26:4) . It tells us “a proverb quoted by fools is limp as a wet noodle.” (Prov 26:7) .. It tells us “putting a fool in a place of honour is like setting a mud brick on a marble column.” (Prov 26:9) . No matter the wealth, appearance, fashion sense or style of a celebrity, we need to look at the substance of their lives before we ever think they are worth elevating.

Proverbs is blunt about the trouble a wrong understanding of folly can lead us into: “hire a fool or a drunk and you shoot yourself in the foot.” (Prov 26:10). “As a dog eats its own vomit, so fools recycle silliness.” (Prov 26:11) . Quite why we continue to read about the drunken habits and sexual promiscuity of TV and film stars baffles me!

The characteristics of folly are listed in this chapter:
1) butting in on other people’s quarrels (Prov 26:17)
2) having a quarrelsome nature (Prov 26:21-22)
3) being two-faced (Prov 26:18, 24-26)
4) gossip (Prov 26:20)

One of the most striking images in the chapter is “smooth talk from an evil heart is like glaze on cracked pottery.” (Prov 26:23) . We can try to cover over the cracks, but in the end, foolishness is seen by its actions. Let’s not be fools!

Proverbs 25 continues to guide us on life’s journeys. We’re urged to be reliable and trustworthy, keeping people’s confidences (Prov 25:9-10), understanding the value of words:
“the right word at the right time is like a custom-made piece of jewellery and a wise friend’s timely reprimand is like a gold ring slipped on your finger.” (Prov 25:11-12)

Not only should we watch our words to other people; we need to be careful what we say (and think) about ourselves: it’s not for us to exalt ourselves. Better to wait for others to do that! (Prov 25:6-7) We also need to be careful not to jump to conclusions hastily: “there may be a perfectly good explanation for what you saw.” (Prov 25:8). That reminded me of the ‘Vicar of Dibley’ episode where Geraldine sees her boyfriend with his sister and assumes they are romantically involved, leading to much anguish on Geraldine’s part (including a very funny scene where she imagines them getting married and interrupting the service with the song ‘It Should Have Been Me’!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5dzvE7YMpA )

Proverbs has so much to teach us about how to live rightly: “patient persistence pierces through indifference; gentle speech breaks down rigid defences” (Prov 25:15) and “singing light songs to the heavyhearted is like pouring salt in their wounds” (Prov 25:20) are both valuable reminders of how to deal with life situations wisely. Our words should be our bond: reliable friends are like a cool drink on a hot day, but if we talk big and never do what we say, we are ‘like billowing clouds that bring no rain’ (Prov 25:13-14) .

Perhaps the most intriguing verse for me in Proverbs 25 is right at the start, however; when we read “God delights in concealing things; scientists delight in discovering things.” (Prov 25:1) We live in an age where knowledge and discovery are highly prized and we often talk about ‘the God of revelation’. Yet at times we have to admit that God seems better at hiding things than revealing them. Jesus spoke to His disciples in parables (Matt 13:13-15), partly, it seems, to make people really think about what He was saying rather than handing explanations out on a plate. Isaiah (quoted in Matthew 13) tells us also “Truly you are a God who has been hiding himself, the God and Saviour of Israel.” (Is 45:15) We don’t always understand why God, at times, seems to hide His presence. We know He is always with us (Matt 28:20, Heb 13:5) and that He is near to us (Phil 4:5), but at times we feel as though He is a million miles away and are often told that that is our fault: “if you feel God’s a long way away, you’re the one who’s moved.” I appreciate what the writer means by that comment, but I do think there are times when God works in ways we don’t understand, not because He is capricious or cruel, but because we learn more through that experience than if He simply told us all we needed to know instantaneously. As a teacher, I know the value to pupils of discovering answers for themselves, rather than simply writing down what I tell them. I can remember the time I watched a French film and was struggling to understand the dialogue and suddenly illumination came and the words made sense to me, tying together all the strands of learning. It was a light-bulb moment for me, and I believe God delights in concealing things at times so that we dig deep to find Him and when we do, that light bulb is turned on and revelation is so much more precious.

Proverbs 24 continues the thirty ‘wise sayings’ or ‘sterling principles’ started in Proverbs 22.

The first section looks at not envying the wicked. As Paul says bluntly in 1 Corinthians 15:33 ‘bad company corrupts good character’. We need to be careful about the friends we choose to spend time with. We may not be able to choose our family or our work colleagues, but we need to understand that in the world ‘their hearts plot violence, and their lips talk about making trouble’ (Prov 24:2) People without God can easily distract us from God.

Next, the writer continues the theme by looking at the fact that a house is built with wisdom. This is true literally, but also metaphorically if we view our lives as a building – Hebrews 3:6 reminds us that ‘we are God’s house’.

Then the writer talks about the wisdom needed in leadership, especially when engaged in war. The Message version reminds us ”It’s better to be wise than strong; intelligence outranks muscle any day.” (Prov 24:5) Those of us that love action films may not agree with this, but it’s worth remembering!

The chapter goes on to look at the responsibilities we face and how to live among people. Prov 24:11-12 reminds us that we are indeed our brother’s keeper; there is a collective responsibility on us to help others. God sees our actions and knows what we are doing (Prov 24:12, 18). We need to have something solid on which to build, for “if you fall to pieces in a crisis, there wasn’t much to you in the first place!” (Prov 24:10) Honest speech is commended ( “An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips” Prov 24:26) – and that goes for behind people’s backs as well as to their faces! (Prov 24:28-29) The other day I heard a teenage girl make the comment that ‘everyone talks about everyone behind their backs’. Proverbs makes it abundantly clear that that ought not to be the case: Eph 4:29 reminds us “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”

Finally, the chapter concludes with the by-now familiar warning against indolence. That kind of laziness ultimately will lead to poverty and problems: Paul had to remind the Thessalonians that waiting for the day of the Lord does not lead us to sit back and do nothing; he reminds us that we should ‘be awake and sober.’ (1 Thess 5:7) There is still much for us to do!