Series in Proverbs - In Right Standing with God

       

In Right Standing with God

Proverbs 10:1-8

Solomon now moves into the contrasting the righteousness of God to the wickedness of the world. He uses the Hebrew word Tsaddig - righteousness, meaning  in right-standing with God, to group the wise, diligent, prudent, and obedient; those who exemplify the character of Godliness.So let’s read the first portion of the text. “A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish son brings grief to his mother. Ill-gotten treasures have no lasting value, but  righteousness delivers from death. The Lord does not let the righteous go hungry, but he thwarts the craving of the wicked. Lazy hands make for poverty, but diligent hands bring wealth. He who gathers crops in summer is a prudent son, but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son.”

Solomon addresses the concept of joy or happiness as the result of wisdom and righteousness in the life of a wise child. They listen and righteously follow the wisdom of God and live with their parents in blessing in contrast to the wicked child who inhabits folly in their heart and life and brings grief to their parents. 

Second, Solomon switched to the habit of stealing and participating in the obtaining of stolen goods. For the person who receives the pilfered items may seem like an abundant treasure has befallen them but as justice is applied in the connection to the purloined items so justice will do to the person who is in possession of them. The story of Achan would be a classic example of one who brought disgrace, grief, and judgment to the family after stealing items that he treasured and hid them for himself. The justice of God came upon him and all the people of Israel. (Joshua 7)

Third, Solomon reveals how the Lord feels about those who are righteous in the world. First, God’s eyes are always on the righteous as well as the wicked. He is Jehovah Jirah, the God who provides and will not let the righteous go hungry. “The steps of a good man are led by the Lord. And he is happy in his way. When he falls, he will not be thrown down, because the Lord holds his hand. I have been young, and now I am old. Yet I have never seen the man who is right with God left alone, or his children begging for bread. All day long he is kind and lets others use what he has. And his children make him happy.” (Psalms 37:23-26 NLV) and the wicked as well are thwart by God and cut off from Him. “But those who are being punished by Him will be cut off.” (Psalms 37:22b NLV) 

Solomon associates wickedness with laziness, for they both lead to poverty and unrighteousness. God blesses the diligent and prudent. For they did not only see the needs around them but acted upon it. Their work and preparation comes before resting, just as the labor comes before the Sabbath. The lazy ones usually reverse the order, rest first and then see what is left to be done, after others have worked.

Application - It was my mom that taught me the need to do what is right, especially at home as well as at school. Once my neighborhood friends wanted me to go with them into a building that wasn’t theirs. I stalled long enough to think about what my mom would say, so I decided to forgo going out with the boys in the hood, and I was glad later that I didn’t hang out with them. They were brought before the police on vandalism and theft charges . My mother was very proud that I said “no” to the peer pressure which brought joy to my dad and mom. The ill-gotten treasures that they sought brought them trouble.

Again I didn’t grow up in a Christian home, but I cannot remember ever going hungry. We were blessed by God even though we didn’t really know Him. And my parents would take me out to the fields to pick the seasonable fruit and vegetables. We learned to work in order to buy our school clothes and by collecting bottles or doing chores for spending money.

But as I became a Christian parent, my children need to learn and apply the truth of the Word of God to their lives as well as to bring honor and joy to us and to work for the things that they needed or wanted.

Lastly Solomon again references the differences between the righteous and the wicked. So let’s read the final portion of the text. “Blessings crown the head of the righteous, but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked. The name of the righteous is used in blessings, but the name of the wicked will rot. The wise in heart accept commands, but a chattering fool comes to ruin.”

Solomon knew the vast difference between the temperance of the righteous life and the violence of the wicked. He had lived through his family’s affairs of righteous living and the enduring of the wickedness of greed, pride, and envy which were perpetuated by his brothers and others in his father’s house. 

He begins with the blessing of being crowned with righteous living. The peace and security, the serenity and repose attending the life of the righteous, and the anxiety, agitations, and turbulence of a life having to look over your shoulder to see what mayhem was lurking, listening to the vehement hatred of the Israelites that overwhelms the lives of all. Those who lived unrighteously and nefariously  had their names all associated with their foolish and tainted attitudes and actions, and in the end they all will reap what they have sown in life. For those who have learned obedience, prudence, and diligence, will listen and obey commands and blessings, but the ilk of wickedness will come to a foolish end. 

Application - My dad was a Marine gunny-sargent, and he ruled with the crack of his voice and the whip of the belt. In my home doing the right thing was mandatory, not optional. He had many sayings that I can’t repeat for obvious reasons, but there is one that applies to this proverb. “Don’t let your alligator mouth overload your jaybird rear end.” Otherwise, don’t let your mouth get you into a lot of trouble. 

I learned from the Scripture the word blessing also means happiness, and to be crowned means to be honored. So the one who does what is right before God will be crowned with honor. And the opposite is true as well, the violent person brings upon himself overwhelming trouble, as well as anxiety, stress, and bitterness that will literally rot the body, mind, and soul. A classic example is Cain and Abel. The Lord knew the heart and thoughts of Cain, and He spoke to Cain about it. “Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.” (Gen.4:6-7 NIV) In this story, Cain kills His brother and then is led to a life of seclusion and ostracized, desolate and forlorn. He was consumed with bitterness and restlessness because the presence of God is hidden from him.

So in concluding this lesson, God is looking for the man or woman who will stand in rightness with Him. The only way to be righteous is through Christ. For we are all sinners, and He alone was righteous before God. And if we are going to be in the right standing with God it comes from our relationship and lifestyle with Jesus as Lord and Savior of our lives. So be wise, diligent, prudent, and obedient; like those who exemplify the character of Godliness in Christ.  “Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children.” (Eph. 5:1 NIV)

As always, I want to conclude by presenting the gospel in the form of the basic principles of salvation for all those who have not yet received Jesus Christ. For Jesus, God the Son, came into this world to save all who believe and trust in him. He desires to reveal himself to you; he is the light that overcomes the darkness of this lawless world. He hears your prayers, and has given him all authority in heaven and on earth. He will answer you if you truly believe. If you haven't yet asked him to be your Lord and Savior, today could be that day.

First, A: Admit that you are a sinner. This is where that godly sorrow leads to genuine repentance for sinning against a just God, and a change of heart takes place: we change our minds, and God changes our hearts and regenerates us inside and out. Romans 3:10: As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one." Romans 3:23: For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (We are all born sinners, so we must be born spiritually to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.) Romans 6:23: For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. The bad news is that the wages of sin is death; in other words, our sin means we have been sentenced to death; we have the death penalty hanging over our heads; that's the bad news. But here's the good news: The good news is that the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Ephesians 2:8-9 - For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, lest anyone should boast. Secondly,

B - Believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and that God raised him from the dead. This is trusting with all your heart that Jesus Christ is who he said he was. Romans 10:9-10 - That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is righteous, and with the mouth confession is made and is saved. Third,

C - Call upon the name of the Lord. Every person who sees lThose who have lived since Adam will kneel andthey confessed with hismouth that Jesus Christ is Lord, Lord of lords, and King of kings. Romans 14:11 - For it is written: “As I live,” says the Lord, “every knee will bow to me, and every tongue will confess to God.” Don’t wait, do it now. Romans 10:13 - For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” “O God, I am a sinner. I repent of my sin. I want to turn away from it. I believe that Jesus Christ is your Son; I believe that he died on the cross for my sins, that he was buried, and that you raised him from the dead. I have decided to put my faith in Jesus Christ as my Savior, trusting in his shed blood alone as sufficient to save my soul and take me to heaven. Thank you, Lord Jesus, for saving me. Amen.”

Please share this with someone this week, the Lord knows we and they need it.

If you would like other lessons, please visithttp://pmdinhisservice.blogspot.com 

Until next week, In Your Service Mike Davis

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