How should we build our homes? How should we run our lives?
Seek God's wisdom. Prioritize--first things first. Be diligent.
- By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures. v3
- Finish your outdoor work and get your fields ready; after that, build your house. v.27
- A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest--and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man. v. 33-34
The author instructs us to keep our attitude towards others in check. We should not envy the wicked, desire to be with them (v. 1&2)--we need to be in a posture of rescue/restoration in their lives (v. 11 & 12). God will see and disapprove of us if we gloat when our enemy stumbles and falls (17 & 18). In fact, we are told that the wicked have no future hope and "the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out." (v. 19 & 20) If they have no future hope, they are to be pitied.
We are cautioned just as strongly to not "lie in wait like an outlaw against a righteous man's house, do not raid his dwelling place:" v. 15 I wondered if "lying in wait" is what happens when we deliberately look for inconsistencies in our fellow believers' walk...
To judge with impartiality-- to convict the truly guilty, God promises a blessing. v. 23-25 We are not to repay evil for evil. v. 28 & 29.
An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips. v.26 Notice that the text does not say a brutally honest answer...or say that kissing constantly is a good thing... :) "An" honest answer..."a" kiss... restraint in our words...
My visual picture of Solomon as he is writing these down, is a man who is writing as fast as he can, as the thoughts are being given to him. The writing seems urgent to me...like these thoughts are of utmost importance and he desires greatly for them to be heeded.
Father, help us to heed Your instructions of how to live. We want to live lives that serve You and are honoring to You. Help us to daily follow You more closely.
1 comment:
I like the way you prioritized these verses. We cannot be reminded enough to seek Him first! One of the first things I found myself asking the Lord this morning was where do I begin, and the answer was right in front of me - with Him! Unless we begin with the Lord and He "builds the house," whether it's physical or in relationships, we labor in vain. (Ps. 127)
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