Proverbs 16:9 It is better to be poor and godly than rich and dishonest. I was reading to our boys last night (I know, we’re lame… we read Bible stories and Psalms and Proverbs and such before bed instead of fairy tales… but they don’t know or care right now) and read this Proverb. I immediately thought of my husband. He helped some very rich people get through the various theme parks here, and while the husband was really cool, the wife was awful! John refuses to be unethical and dishonest in order to move through the lines faster, but even knowing this, the entire time she kept urging him to lie or use a lane for the disabled so that she could avoid waiting. John kept saying no. I was SO proud of him. We may be poor, and we may not have a ton of stuff or our own place to live right now… but John was godly in this situation (and oh-so-many others). I choose to believe that it will pay off in the end. That aside, here are a couple of other parts of Proverbs 16 that I liked: vs. 3 Commit your work to the LORD, and then your plans will succeed. (Hope Inspirational Schools) vs. 7 When the ways of people please the LORD, he makes even their enemies live at peace with them. (Our nation) vs. 23 From a wise mind comes wise speech; the words of the wise are persuasive. (I would like to be wise) vs. 32 It is better to be patient than powerful; it is better to have self-control than to conquer a city. (Teaching) And on a completely unrelated path… I usually read the Bible on my laptop in the morning (cut-and-paste is a lot easier than retyping), but last night I read out my physical, paper, Bible and I remembered how nice it is to have it in my hands and to feel the pages and be able to write in the margins. There’s something soothing about an actual book, and even more so about an actual Bible (mine, particularly, but I’m biased). I wonder why that is, that the Bible in my hand (a printed version) can feel so different than the one I read online. Weird. Very weird.
Isaiah 53:4-5Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down… But he was wounded and crushed for our sins. He was beaten that we might have peace. He was whipped and we were healed! Isaiah gave a remarkably accurate prophecy in this chapter. The whole chapter is about Jesus, talking about his life and his death. I think this part is beautiful. All my weaknesses and all my sorrows, all my sin, and all my sickness was placed on his shoulders. I wonder if, in addition to the weight and filth of my sin, if he also felt the pain and regret that accompanies the consequences of our stubbornness. How horrible that must have been! It says later that “When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied.” (vs.11). Jesus went through hell (literally) and chose to suffer (even though he knew it would be excruciating) to bring us peace and to allow us to be counted righteous. All because of His choice. How could you but love someone who is willing to do whatever it takes to be with you? That is love.
Proverbs 3: 9 Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the best part of everything you produce. 10 Then he will fill your barns with grain, and your vats will overflow with good wine. The BEST part of everything is like honoring him with the first part. The best is usually the first part, the initial part – it’s freshest. Then God fills me up and meets my needs. In another version it says our vats will overflow with the finest wine. Like when God turned water into wine at the wedding – he didn’t turn it into decent wine, it was the finest wine at the party! He doesn’t skimp on quality when he blesses His children. He gives the BEST.
“Honey is tasteless to a person who is full, but even the bitter food seems sweet to the hungry.” Proverbs 27:7 Honey is tasteless to a person who is full – I think that sometimes when we are greatly blessed, we are full metaphorically. Life is sweet and we are content. There is no hunger. And sometimes, this is the time when we forget the sweetness of God. Or rather, perhaps the sweetness of God falls on satisfied tastebuds and is not remembered. Rather we forget how wonderful His gifts are. BUT, then there comes a time when we are in times of refinement, and although it is a bitter pill to swallow, it is sweet to know that God is working to make us more like Him (yeah, sounds great in theory, right – but it’s a lot harder in practice!). As we hunger to learn and to know Him better, the bitterness of our circumstances is made a little sweeter.