Proverbs 12:24

Proverbs 12:24

“The hand of the diligent will rule,
while the lazy will be put to forced labor.” NRSV

We live in a self-indulgent time. Every man for himself. We want our comfort; we want our indulgences; we want our recreation and leisure.

It wasn’t always so. There have been times in our history when people realized that they needed to work and work hard. When there weren’t times in life when work wasn’t necessary; everyone worked. The fact is, life requires us to work. We often look to someone else (the government, our employers, random chance) to provide what we need. And meanwhile we live beyond our means, borrowing against what we hope to have at a later time.

The Bible is clear that believers—that those who are wise in the ways of the Lord—are those who are diligent with their time, efforts, and resources, are those who are willing to work, regardless how humble that work may be. Our choice is always to be diligent . . . or to be lazy.

It’s hard not to be lazy. That is our natural inclination. We like to sit and watch TV, to play on the computer, to read a good book, to indulge in activities which make us feel good. And yet, we must ask ourselves if there isn’t something better we could be doing with our time. Could we be spending it learning more from the Lord through study of His Word? Could we be out ministering to those around us? Could we be putting our hand to the plow (so to speak) by doing the things that need to be done at work, in our homes, in our lives?

We need to ask ourselves how important everything that we have is. In this time of financial crisis, do we need everything that we have obligated ourselves to have? Do we need cable TV, DSL, cell phones, book clubs, game memberships, new clothes, vacations? Where are our priorities? If we are, as the Lord Jesus commanding us, going into the world to preach the gospel and we do so, as Paul said, with the clothes on our back, then we are doing well. If we, however, are doing everything we can to accumulate stuff and experiences and luxuries, then perhaps we need to ask ourselves where our priorities lie. “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Luke 12:23 NRSV).

© 2008 Robin L. O’Hare. All Rights Reserved. International copyright reserved. This study may be copied for nonprofit and/or church purposes only without permission when copied in its entirety (including this notice).

Proverbs 12:23

“One who is clever conceals knowledge,
but the mind of a fool broadcasts folly.” NRSV

I used to be a know-it-all. (Well, I might still be, but I’ve been really working on trying not to be.) You all know what I’m talking about: the kind of person who has an opinion or the “answer” for any and every subject (and who usually, by opening her mouth, puts her foot—or both feet—in it). Some people try to impress with their looks. Well, with my pug nose and sway back, that was never going to work. I clean up good, but I’ll never be what you would call a classical beauty. Some people try to impress with their strength, but I’m just an average woman and not a very good athlete at that. So, for me, it was with my brains. And boy, could I be irritating and downright rude about it.

Hopefully not any more, though it comes out at times. It’s really hard on the Internet. The anonymity and all the discussion really attract me. People like me—people who naturally gravitate toward being know-it-alls—just love discussions (e..g arguments) because it gives us a chance to show off.

Only the Bible says two things about know-it-alls. First, they aren’t clever. Truly clever people conceal their knowledge. Why? Because you learn better when your mouth is closed and your ears are open. (Something I’m just now learning). When I listen rather than talk, I usually find out that my opinion, my perspective, wasn’t necessarily right or best. It’s also awfully prideful to think that what I want to say or what I believe is the way that everyone should go. It places me in God’s position and that’s not a good place to be!

The second thing that the Bible says about know-it-alls is that when they open their mouths, they broadcast to everyone that they are fools! So, when we try to be know-it-alls, we actually accomplish just the opposite of what we intended. Rather than everyone being blown away by our wisdom and knowledge, people are impressed with how foolish we really are. There’s an old saying: “Better to be thought a fool than open your mouth and confirm the fact.”

James 1:19 tells us: “let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak.” Why? Because waiting to hear from others is a sign of humility, of considering them (and their opinions) to be better than we are. Speaking, insisting on our own way, is a definite sign of pridefulness.

I really want to be more like Jesus, to be more humble, to be more of a servant and less of a “king.” Today, I need to remember to stop my words so that I can listen more . . . to others and to God.

© 2008 Robin L. O’Hare. All Rights Reserved. International copyright reserved. This study may be copied for nonprofit and/or church purposes only without permission when copied in its entirety (including this notice).

Proverbs 12:22

Proverbs 12:22

Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord,
but those who act faithfully are his delight. NRSV

One of the things I hate about election time is the overflowing amount of caricatures, political cartoons, sarcasm, and satire that seems to flood the media. Political opponents, unwilling to simply point out differences, seem to resort to childish name-calling as they nitpick each other. Personally, it often seems to border on untruths, a picture painted that scarcely resembles the intended object.

To be honest, while I—like most Americans—utilize sarcasm on some occasions, I don’t like it. I think that jokes and satire about others simply hides mistrust and anger and doesn’t truthfully deal with the situation or the person. We excuse it to “make a point,” but the fact is, what we are often trying to do is to paint the other person as low as possible so that we can be better than them.

What is a lie? The dictionary gives two definitions: “1 : to make an untrue statement with intent to deceive 2 : to create a false or misleading impression.” The idea is that, when we lie, we want those listening to us to have a different impression than what they might draw if they hadn’t listened to us. In other words, we want to manipulate them, to steer their opinion of the situation or person in a different direction than if we had stayed silent. Also note that lies aren’t just false; they can also be misleading.

The opposite of lying is, amazingly enough, faithfulness. Faithfulness to what (or to Whom)? Well, to the Lord, of course. When we are faithful to Him, we aren’t worried about what others think or how they might respond to us. We don’t feel the need to manipulate their opinions. We can trust the Lord to work everything for our good. So we say (or do) what is true, not trying to control or fudge on the situation.

When we trust Him, the Lord delights in us! Isn’t that amazing? That we can be something that makes the Lord happy? He is the Creator, Controller, Ruler of the universe and yet, He is delighted when we choose to trust Him, to place our lives, our futures, in His hands. But when we lie—when we try to control by manipulating others with our words—we become an abomination.

It all centers around whether or not we trust Him. If we trust Him, we don’t have to respond with exaggerations (or even lies). We can simply state the truth and let the situation work itself out . . . because the Father is working it out for our good. It may not seem that way at the time, but that’s the nature of trust. Believing in His Word even when we can’t see it with our own eyes.

God delights in us when we trust Him. Don’t you want to be the kind of person He delights in today? I know that I do.

© 2008 Robin L. O’Hare. All Rights Reserved. International copyright reserved. This study may be copied for nonprofit and/or church purposes only without permission when copied in its entirety (including this notice).

Proverbs 12:21

“No harm happens to the righteous,
but the wicked are filled with trouble.” NRSV

“We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28 NRSV).

I think that circumstances being good or bad is more about our perception, our interpretation, than an actual reality. Oh, agreed, there are horrible things that happen in the world! But we know that already. We know that the world is full of sin and sinful people. But we also know that the Father has promised to work all things for our good. why are we so amazed, so filled with consternation when something “bad” happens?

I think that our expectations are more to blame than the circumstances. I truly do. We know that God is in control, so nothing that happens to us is any kind of surprise to Him. He has already made every provision that we need for this need, unexpected situation. Why then are we so fraught with anxiety, so worried, so upset? God only allows what He wills for our good.

“No harm happens to the righteous!” That doesn’t mean that we live lives free of troubles, but that the troubles are being worked out for our good by Father God Who is the Creator, Owner, Ruler of the universe. What happens may seem like trouble, but it cannot harm us because He protects us and uses it for our good. (I know I’m saying that over and over again, but somehow we need to get it in our brains that it’s true!)

A number of years ago, I taught on the Lord’s prayer. One of the verses that really hit me was the verse: “Give us this day our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11 NRSV). You see, what I realized was that not only this was true, but the inverse was also true. In other words, while God gives us our daily bread, if He doesn’t give us something, then we don’t need it. We may think we do, but we don’t. (And who are we to argue with God?)

I think that this verse in Proverbs has a lot to do with mindset, with how we view the world. Notice that “the wicked are filled with trouble.” The NAB says it this way:

“the wicked are overwhelmed with misfortune.”

Overwhelmed. That’s a mindset. That’s how we view something. Feeling overwhelmed. Filled up. No room for anything else. No room for trust or optimism.

You see, I’m convinced that Christians who truly trust God are optimistic. And why not? We have God on our side and all of eternity to enjoy Him in Heaven. What’s there not to be optimistic about? The other side of that is that we secretly want to blame God for the things we consider to be troubles when, in fact, it is our own sin or the sin of those around us causing those troubles. God isn’t to blame and has, in fact, made provisions for us. We just need to trust Him. “No harm happens to the righteous!” The greatest perceived harm is death and death no longer holds any fear for us:

“For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For this perishable body must put on imperishability, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When this perishable body puts on imperishability, and this mortal body puts on immortality, then the saying that is written will be fulfilled:
“Death has been swallowed up in victory.”
“Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”
“The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ “ (1 Corinthians 15:52-56 NRSV).

If we truly trust God, if we truly believe that He works everything out for our good, then we will truly believe that no harm comes to the righteous. And when we are filled with consternation and anxiety, we know that the remedy is to run to the Throne and confess our sins, for He is faithful to forgive us, to cleanse us, and to make provision for every need.

© 2008 Robin L. O’Hare. All Rights Reserved. International copyright reserved. This study may be copied for nonprofit and/or church purposes only without permission when copied in its entirety (including this notice).

Proverbs 12:16

“Fools show their anger at once,
but the prudent ignore an insult.”

“You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; for your anger does not produce God’s righteousness” (James 1:19-20 NRSV)

We are an angry people. Sitting in the midst of some of the greatest wealth ever experienced in the history of mankind, and we are angry. I see it and read about it everyday. Rudeness. Disrespect. Downright rage. Just do a Google search on the Internet and you’ll find hundreds of programs about anger management.

Part of the problem is that we have embraced our anger. In the 1960's, psychologists (and then pastors) began to tell us that emotion—any emotion—was healthy and normal, that we shouldn’t try to deny or ignore our emotions, but to accept them and to experience them. Even today, the American Psychological Association says:

“Anger is a completely normal, usually healthy, human emotion. . . . Anger is a natural, adaptive response to threats; it inspires powerful, often aggressive, feelings and behaviors, which allow us to fight and to defend ourselves when we are attacked. A certain amount of anger, therefore, is necessary to our survival” (Retrieved on 9/18/08 from http://www.apa.org/topics/controlanger.html).

However, as believers, we don’t get our definitions or our guidelines from the world, but rather from scripture. And the Bible has a lot to say about anger.

Why? Because anger is self-centered. It is about defending ourselves against the actions of others. It is about having our revenge of the moment, of being superior by getting the best we can get and not worrying about those around us. Our Lord Jesus, on the other hand, had a completely different view of things:

“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile” (Matthew 5:38-41 NRSV).

The Lord Jesus wasn’t about defending Himself, but was rather about submitting to the Father’s will, even if that meant that others harmed Him. James taught that anger doesn’t produce God’s righteousness. Think about it. When you are angry, are you thinking about God and how to submit to His will? Or are you thinking about yourself and how you want revenge? When we are angry, we aren’t trusting God; we are trusting ourselves. And that’s a very dangerous position to be in.

Many things lay the groundwork for anger: Needing to be right. Feeling neglected. Being in a hurry or under stress. Even being tired. As believers, we need to be aware of the situations where we know we are likely to become angry, and in those situations, we need to be in even more prayer, be even more aware of our reactions to things. Anger can bubble up like a boil, out of control before we know it. If we are aware of the places where we can potentially be angry, we can be on the watch to control our emotions.

Proverbs talks about insults. I have to laugh to myself because pride is such a delicate thing (and insults only attack pride). My kids at school get their dander up all the time because someone insults them (in their vernacular “disses” them). One of the things I try to teach them is:

If what someone says about you is true, then it’s true. No need to get upset. It’s true. If what someone says about you isn’t true, then their saying it doesn’t make it true, so still no need to get angry.

As believers, we can measure our spiritual maturity by how easily we are angered, insulted, and hurt. If we are leaning on the Lord for everything, then what others say, what others do isn’t going to matter. We will be content knowing that the Father is taking care of everything.

© 2008 Robin L. O’Hare. All Rights Reserved. International copyright reserved. This study may be copied for nonprofit and/or church purposes only without permission when copied in its entirety (including this notice).

Proverbs 12:12-15

The wicked covet the proceeds of wickedness,
but the root of the righteous bears fruit.
The evil are ensnared by the transgression of their lips,
but the righteous escape from trouble.
From the fruit of the mouth one is filled with good things,
and manual labor has its reward.
Fools think their own way is right,
but the wise listen to advice. NRSV

All through Proverbs glimpses of what it means to be righteous are given. In other words, when the Holy Spirit fills us, we should demonstrate such characteristics. Now, we know that there is a war within us and that, because of that war (between the Spirit and the flesh), we will struggle with these characteristics. They won’t come naturally because our nature is to be self-centered, lustful, and evil. But God’s nature—living in us—with produce fruit of righteousness.

“The root of righteousness bears fruit.” If our center is God, if our desire in life is to please Him, even when we drift away, we will be drawn back to Him because that’s where we find peace, that’s where we find purpose, that’s where we find comfort. And as we center ourselves upon that root of righteousness—through prayer, through Bible study, through fellowship with other like-minded believers—fruit will be evidenced in our lives.

If we don’t see fruit, if others don’t see fruit, then we need to begin to be concerned. We need to run (not walk) to the Throne and plead with the Spirit to reveal to us the sin that is prohibiting God’s working in our lives.

One of the places where we are going to see fruit is through what we say to others. The NLT says it this way:

“The wicked are trapped by their own words,
but the godly escape such trouble.
Wise words bring many benefits” (v. 13-14a).

It’s said that the eyes are the window to the soul. I disagree. I think that we can see someone’s soul (and the state of it) much more clearly with what they say . . . with what we say. “The wicked are trapped by their own words.” Not only in that situation, but trapped in revealing the state of their souls, for from the godly come words of wisdom.

“From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and brackish water?” (James 3:10-11 NRSV).

James doesn’t say “this isn’t so,” but rather “this ought not to be so.” He implies that, as believers, we have a choice whether or not to be righteous or to be evil, a choice whether to bless or to curse. And when we make that choice, we reveal whether our choice springs from the Spirit living within us or from our own corrupt, sinful natures.

Three characteristics of the righteous are given in these verses:

• They speak words of wisdom.
• They are hard workers
• They welcome and listen to advice

All three of these reveal a spirit of humility, so these characteristics say that this person doesn’t consider herself to be above others, to be privileged, to be right or complete or perfect. We need to judge ourselves (lest we be judged by others) on whether or not these characteristics describe us. When we speak are our words wise? (And when our words wouldn’t be wise do we guard our lips so that we are silent?) Are we busy with the things God put our hands to do, but not so married to our own “To Do” list that we fail to see what we need to do for others? Do we welcome advice, regardless of the source, and realize that we are a work in progress?

Short list. Easy to check ourselves out. Are we going to be righteous . . . or evil . . . today?

© 2008 Robin L. O’Hare. All Rights Reserved. International copyright reserved. This study may be copied for nonprofit and/or church purposes only without permission when copied in its entirety (including this notice).

Proverbs 12:11

“Those who till their land will have plenty of food,
but those who follow worthless pursuits have no sense.” NRSV

“For even when we were with you, we gave you this command: Anyone unwilling to work should not eat. For we hear that some of you are living in idleness, mere busybodies, not doing any work. Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living. Brothers and sisters, do not be weary in doing what is right” (2 Thess. 3:10-13 NRSV).

I have a pastor friend who was in his church office one day preparing his sermon. He had spent the previous day working around the church property, raking up the seemingly unending leaves that were falling on the grass due to the crisp fall weather. He took a moment break from his sermon preparation to walk outside and enjoy the cool autumn air. A man, disheveled and dirty, walked up to him. The man asked for some money to buy food. The pastor—very wise in the ways of human disposition—told the man that he wouldn’t give him money, but that he would hire him to rake the leaves and put them in the trash cans. Once that was done, the pastor would pay him a goodly wage.

The man was taken back, shocked. He told the pastor that he wasn’t interested in working; he just wanted money. The pastor calmly replied that everyone needed to work. That the Bible plainly stated that those who didn’t work, shouldn’t eat . . . and went back to his sermon.

“Give a man a fish; you have fed him for today. Teach a man to fish; and you have fed him for a lifetime”—Author unknown

While the Lord Jesus told us that the poor would always be with us, Paul was astute in repeating the proverbial admonition about working and eating. The fact is, as people, we are innately lazy. Who wouldn’t prefer to lay around the pool, basking in the sun, while others do the work that we should be doing? And yet, Father God—Who has provided an eternal vacation for us in Heaven—commanded that we take dominance over the earth and subdue it. In other words, from the beginning, the human race was commanded to get busy with productive pursuits.

There is a delicious egocentricity in lazing about! It’s one of the reasons that I love vacations (especially vacations in our motorhome). Though, to be honest, I find myself taking work (homework, schoolwork, Bible study work, sewing, etc.) with me. I find it hard to be idle. There are all kinds of excuses for not working, but the fact is that all of us can do something! We can clean dishes or sweep a floor. We can fold clothes or make a bed. We can water the garden or weed. We can cook a meal or answer a phone or type a letter or read to a child. In fact, if we turned our televisions off, we might find an entire host of things that we actually could do that are productive and fulfilling. If not in our home, then in the home of a neighbor or friend who could use the help.

Our neighbor across the street is disabled; he walks with a cane and limps. His property was cluttered with broken down cars (and a van) and just in disrepair. But this summer, when he learned that we were having our son’s wedding in our yard, he began to come out every day and weed. Only a little at a time, but over the course of a month, the yard looked good! Then he asked for assistance in moving (pushing) the broken down cars to the back, behind the house. Now his property looks great. He always had this capability, but wasn’t motivated.

Often our “inability” is actually a lack of motivation. The task looming before us seems so hard, so impossible, so overwhelming that we fail to simply take that first step. To do something! If we were truly honest, we would see our inability as what it is . . . laziness, and get off our duffs and get to work.

One of my favorite women, Sister Aimee Semple McPherson, once said: “I’d rather wear out than rust out.” Oh, that we all would have that kind of attitude toward the tasks that face us today!

© 2008 Robin L. O’Hare. All Rights Reserved. International copyright reserved. This study may be copied for nonprofit and/or church purposes only without permission when copied in its entirety (including this notice).

Proverbs 12:10

“The righteous know the needs of their animals,
but the mercy of the wicked is cruel.”

God is going to create a new earth (Revelation 21:1). He actually liked what He created when He created this one, for Genesis tells us that, after each day of creation, “God saw that it was good.”

I understand what God saw as good. When my husband and I travel, we often go through parts of California that are untouched by humans. There are wonderful trees and plants and animals that inhabit huge areas and these areas all have their own beauty, their own mystique. And yet, we also travel through parts of California that are inhabited by people, people swarming around doing what they are doing . . . children, adults, old folks. And when God created people, He saw that it was very good.

God loves us too! And while animals don’t have souls (and so don’t have eternal life), God loved what He created. He saw that it was good. He created animals for a purpose and that original purpose wasn’t to provide clothing or food for us. (Remember that those purposes came after sin.)

And so, Solomon writes that “the righteous know the needs of their animals.” The righteous. In other words, when one surrenders to God, seeks His will, part of that will is to understand how we are to relate to the other creatures of God’s creation. Not only are we to love the people around us (as being created in God’s image), we are to understand that the animals around us also have needs and we are to meet those needs as best we can.

When God gave dominion of the earth to people (Genesis 1:28), that command of dominion was more than simply a hierarchy of authority. It was a responsibility. As the righteous, we are to be sensitive to the needs of the animals that we have. We are to feed them, to make sure that they are safe, to provide them whatever housing and other needs they have. And while the people around us are certainly of greater worth (because they are made in God’s image), we share creature-hood with animals. And through our interaction with our animals, we can demonstrate God’s love for all of creation.

© 2008 Robin L. O’Hare. All Rights Reserved. International copyright reserved. This study may be copied for nonprofit and/or church purposes only without permission when copied in its entirety (including this notice).

John 3:30

“He must increase, but I must decrease.” NRSV

Last night I was woken up by, I believe, the Holy Spirit discussing with me the idea of invisible Christians. Oh, I’m not talking about being the kind of Christian where even your neighbors don’t know that you’re saved (you look so much like the world). No, my thoughts began, I think, when I had a few minutes last evening and began to do Internet searches for people that I know or have known. It’s amazing how much trivia is on the Internet, trivia that we might consider to be important (when it’s not). And it doesn’t take much to be considered famous or well-known these days, particularly with the Internet. Write a blog or participate in a discussion board and your name is likely to be Googled.

That’s not necessarily the mark of importance or fame, but getting one’s name “out there” could be the first step.

I got to wondering how many saints of the Lord that I’d known might be on the Internet. I searched for one . . . and then another . . . usually with no results. People who are, on the whole, forgotten by the world. What’s left is a headstone and some fading snapshots in an old album gathering dust.

Except in the heart of God. For the Father remembers even the lowliest of His saints and will one day give them the honor that they have earned by being obedient to His Word.

The fact is, as Christians, our motto should be the same as John the Baptist’s: “He (the Lord Jesus) must increase, but I must decrease.” It doesn’t matter whether or not we published a book or led a crusade or were featured on a television talk show. None of that matters.

When we were pastoring a charming older lady (a widow) was attending the church. She had been a member there for many years and had served in many important capacities including on the board of elders. Now, she simply came, believing that her age restricted her from leading, her slowed mind restricted her from teaching, her wavering voice restricted her from singing in the choir. So, instead, she joined my husband and I on a hot summer day (in a church with no air conditioning) to clean the church. She tackled the kitchen alone, washing every dish, wiping out every cupboard, making the entire place shine.

Her name is Myrtle Barker.

She felt that she could no longer contribute in any other area, but she still had strong hands and a willing spirit and would work where no one would see and where no compliments would come. But she knew the Lord would see and she was willing to do whatever she could to still serve Him.

We often look for recognition or fame or at least a compliment. And yet, how many unnamed saints have fallen on the road, unappreciated, unrecognized (except by the Savior)? For every missionary whose story is told over and over there are 100 whose names have been long forgotten. For every pastor who’s published a book, there are thousands who served in tiny churches, content to work there if that was where the Lord called them. For every person who’s starred in a movie or been interviewed on TV or produced a musical album, there are millions of believers who lived their lives quietly, who prayed everyday, who studied the Word, and who disappeared from the face of the earth without a trace . . . except the legacy of service left behind.

Matthew 25:34-40 NRSV: “Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’”

Do you feel invisible? Do you feel that your talents or abilities or desires could be destined for greater things, but God hasn’t opened the doors? Do you wonder why those who are well-known seem so petty in spirit while there are those who are truly serious about their faith and are ignored? Have you been passed over, forgotten, disregarded?

There are saints of scripture whose names are unknown but whose deeds are recounted in Hebrews 11. The chapter ends:

“Yet all these, though they were commended for their faith, did not receive what was promised . . . “ (v. 39 NRSV). They didn’t receive what was promised in this life, but will receive it with us in the life to come. Christianity was never intended to make us famous in the world. We are living for the day when we will inherit the kingdom, a kingdom that is so overwhelming that the Father prepared it from the foundation of the world.

When I think about these things, I realize that I don’t need the temporary rush of fame or glory or riches or even recognition. I can learn to be content with what God has given me, for the best is yet to come.

It’s really not so bad to be invisible . . . because I’m not invisible to Him!

© 2008 Robin L. O’Hare. All Rights Reserved. International copyright reserved. This study may be copied for nonprofit and/or church purposes only without permission when copied in its entirety (including this notice).

Proverbs 12:3, 5-6

“No one finds security by wickedness,
but the root of the righteous will never be moved.
The thoughts of the righteous are just;
the advice of the wicked is treacherous.
The words of the wicked are a deadly ambush,
but the speech of the upright delivers them.”

Plotting revenge.

You know, when I’ve been hurt or maligned, it seems (and I know in my heart that is only seems) that it would be a good thing to get revenge. I want that other person to suffer like I’m suffering.

I’m not very gracious about others’ mistakes (or bad decisions). Particularly if they are “over” me in some way, when they have the ability or the right to make decisions about my life . . . and they make bad ones. To be honest, I like my comforts. I like life being the way I want it, regardless of what that means to others.

Not a very nice way to live.

But the fact is this: Along life’s path, there isn’t a set of circumstances that allows for everyone to have things the way they want it. If someone gets, someone else has to give. If someone is rewarded, often someone else is hurt. If someone has their way, someone else is inconvenienced.

It’s just how it is.

And I need to be honest enough with myself to realize that, in the long scheme of things, I’m rather selfish and self-centered . . . and I shouldn’t be. Why shouldn’t I be inconvenienced? Why shouldn’t I not have my way? It’s not about making things the way I think they ought to be, but rather me finding ways to minister to those around me, even when I’m put out.

It begins with my thoughts, with my own expectations about how life should be.

The thoughts of the righteous are just.

This is about what my “rights” are . . . and, as a Christian, my “rights” center on pleasing God. In other words, outside of His will, I have no rights. And inside His will, my rights are that He will make everything for my good, regardless of what circumstances I’m in. In other words, my “right” is that I get to trust Him and He gets to act. My “right” isn’t that I get to determine what happens; I get to trust.

That puts an entirely different spin on everything. And it means that what I say needs to change. “The speech of the upright delivers them.” Do my words reflect what I believe my rights to be? Absolutely! So, when I’m complaining, I’m saying that I think my rights have been violated, that I deserve something other than what I got. But as a Christian, I get what God wants me to have. Even in those difficult and dark circumstances, God is placing me there by His holy will for His purposes. Perhaps so that I will learn to trust. Perhaps so that I can minister to those around me.

We live in a sinful world. It’s impossible to get away from suffering simply because we are surrounded by it. Disease, decay, death . . . they surround us. And sometimes God leads us purposefully through times us suffering so that we can learn how to console others:

“He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ. Even when we are weighed down with troubles, it is for your comfort and salvation! For when we ourselves are comforted, we will certainly comfort you. Then you can patiently endure the same things we suffer” (2 Co. 1:4-6 NLT).

Regardless whether we suffer because we live in a sinful world or we suffer to learn consolation for those around us, our expectations should be that we walk through the suffering trusting God, rather than expecting a life of no suffering and turning to sin (gossip, complaints, etc.) when we find that things aren’t going as we thought they should.

© 2008 Robin L. O’Hare. All Rights Reserved. International copyright reserved. This study may be copied for nonprofit and/or church purposes only without permission when copied in its entirety (including this notice).

Proverbs 12:1

“Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,
but those who hate to be rebuked are stupid.”

Perfection. I think it’s something that many of us wish we could achieve. Think about how many millions of dollars we spend to fix up things (including ourselves). We buy new cars (because the old ones aren’t perfect . . . they keep breaking down). We remodel and redecorate our homes I order to have the latest appliances, cabinets, and decor (because the old isn’t perfect; it looks outdated). We arrange for plastic surgery, make-overs, new clothes because the old is, well, just tired looking.

We are looking for perfection. But in our quest, we often look in the wrong places. Sort of like the boy who put his finger in the dike, hoping to stave off the levy breaking, we put our efforts into trying to hold off the effects of sin in our world. The fact is, everything (including our own bodies) is someday going to be destroyed. Revelation 21:1 tells us: “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more” (NRSV). We put wasted effort into trying to make things here on this earth perfect. Now, there’s nothing wrong with maintaining what we have. That’s good stewardship of the blessings God has given. But when our focus is upon trying to find perfection in the things of this earth, we are spinning our wheels.

On the other hand, there is a place in our lives where we can strive for perfection and that is in our character, in how much we are imitating Christ. But the fact is, that is often the one place we really don’t want to have change. We like who we are, foibles and all. We’d like to think that our opinions, our worldview, our decisions are fine, rather than looking at them skeptically, understanding that we usually make choices based on our lusts rather than from the perspective of the Holy Spirit. James 5:16 tells us to confess our sins to each other. Why? Because our own judgment is suspect. We will, at all times, try to defend and protect our ego and it’s our ego that gets us into trouble.

Paul, in Romans 7, talks about how we often do what is sinful rather than doing what is righteous. It is the reason that we need each other as believers. While we may not be able to make the right decision (because we are emotionally enmeshed in the situation), our brothers and sisters may have a more objective view, may be able to hear from the Holy Spirit when we cannot. Additionally, there are many elder believers who have walked where we are now and intimately know the pitfalls. They are willing to help us through the difficult situation if we will only listen.

Here in America we are independent beyond belief. We would like to believe that we can stand on our own two feet without the help from anyone else. Sort of a Christian John Wayne approach. But the fact is that we need each other. We need to be willing to listen to the discipline (the teachings) of others and to embrace rebukes so that we might actually learn how to fully imitate Christ, to listen always to the teachings of the Holy Spirit.

© 2008 Robin L. O’Hare. All Rights Reserved. International copyright reserved. This study may be copied for nonprofit and/or church purposes only without permission when copied in its entirety (including this notice).