Proverbs 27:1 Redeeming the time

Do not boast about tomorrow,
    for you do not know what a day may bring.

Many people are focused, no, they are fixated, on their future. They obsess about their current finances and their retirement funds, and they have grandiose plans that they LOVE to tell others about. What they will do, what they will buy, how people will be impressed, and how happy all of that will make them.

Well, we know that our Father would have us be wise, and prudent, and prepare for the future. So this verse doesn't mean that those plans and preparations are bad, does it? Nope. This proverb is not counseling against the things that will afford our families a better, safer life, or temporal security. It is in His plan for us to use the wisdom He gives us, and to do all in our power to make a good and happy life while we are here on earth -- and to bring glory to Him. 
However, we are not to brag or boast about great things we will accomplish in the future. Our futures belong to Him. All we have is today --- we can't be sure we will have a tomorrow, or a next week, or next year. (Besides, we've read other proverbs that told us boasting was foolishness, anyway!)

This verse speaks to me and tells me not to put off any needful thing that I might do today, in the thought that I can accomplish it tomorrow, or another day. Helping out the person who needs my assistance, witnessing to that person who seemed interested when we last spoke, reading my Bible and praying so that I'm prepared for whatever God may bring into my pathway . . .  all of these are things that should be done today. 
James 4: 13-15 tells us:

¹³ Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” ¹⁴ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. ¹⁵ Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” 

In Colossians 4:5, Paul told his readers to:

⁵ Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. 

In the KJV, it reads "redeeming the time;" if you check in the NIV, it is translated to "make the most of every opportunity" . . . if we knew that tomorrow we would be in heaven, what would we want to accomplish today?
I just thought of some things I need to get done --- please excuse me!

Proverbs 26:28 Pats on the back

²⁸ A lying tongue hates those it hurts,
    and a flattering mouth works ruin.

You know how some verses are so packed with truth that they are like little packages of dynamite? Yup, this is one of 'em!

In this short proverb, we have two different kinds of lies, and some details about each one. First, a "lying tongue" . . . that's the out-in-the-open kind of lying. The kind that you get when the person isn't worried about covering up the falsehood that they are distributing. Some people call this slander. And Solomon is correct -- the usual motivation for this kind of lying is hatred of the other person.

The liar can be hating on us because they are jealous of something we have . . . anything from a spiritual gift to a material blessing. They could be spiteful because of a real or imagined slight from us. They could just be hating us because they don't like the fact that we are Christians, and that we are not ashamed to admit it.
Whatever the reason, they lie about us because they hope to hurt us.

The second kind of liar is one who flatters us and gushes overly complimentary things about us; we've looked at this kind of conversation before. This liar could be motivated by trying to "set us up" to take a fall. They may hope to get us all puffed up with pride, so that then we'll make mistakes and ruin our Christian testimony. They may be hoping to accomplish something or get something from us -- and they hope to accomplish this with deceit and flattery.

It's one thing to give someone a "pat-on-the-back" compliment, and show our approval of something they have accomplished. I think we all know that flattery, the kind that works ruin, is something different. If we are too interested in hearing good things about ourselves, we leave ourselves open for this kind of cheating and lying to ruin us. If we are content to know that we are doing the right things in our lives, and that our Father sees our accomplishments and is pleased, then we are safe from the flatterer's smooth words.

And of course, for Christians, there should be no room in our conversations with others for lies. We shouldn't magnify the truth, or whitewash it, either. We should avoid twisting it around in our presentation, to suit our agenda.
Ephesians 4:25 tells us:  

"Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body."

We can go ahead and enjoy that pat on the back we've received, but we shouldn't be so anxious to get another one, that we fall prey to the flatterers.  And let's make certain that we just speak the truth, in graciousness and kindness.

Proverbs 26:27 Right back at ya!

²⁷ Whoever digs a pit will fall into it;
    if someone rolls a stone, it will roll back on them.

Hmmm, this one sounds a lot like "you reap what you sow" doesn't it? I think we can see in the scriptures that the plans men make for evil will sometimes come right back to them, and haunt them!

Remember in the book of Esther, when Haman was planning to do away with Mordecai? He couldn't stand Esther's uncle and was scheming to kill him . . . he ended up being hanged on the very gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai! 
It's often true that the plans of the wicked and of the sinner will catch them in their own traps. Solomon's dad, David, noted this in Psalm 7:15:

¹⁵ Whoever digs a hole and scoops it out
    falls into the pit they have made.
¹⁶ The trouble they cause recoils on them;
    their violence comes down on their own heads.

Now, that's not to say that it happens every time, but it does happen! Like the prophets of old, we can point our fingers at those that we think are doing wrong, and get all frustrated with our Father, and say, "Why are they prospering? Why haven't they fallen into their own traps?" But we've talked before about the patience of God as He allows them time to turn to Him.

And in truth, instead of pointing fingers at them, perhaps we should look at our own lives.  As Christians, if we willfully choose to do wrong, and to sin, we can rest assured that our sin will roll back over on us, or in the modern-day vernacular, "it will come back to bite us." Do we say we are Christians? One of the proofs is that the Holy Spirit is living within us --- we won't get away with indulging in sin for very long!

Our conscience, if we are God's children, will bother us when we sin. The thought of our wrong-doing will haunt us. You probably haven't pursued your wickedness long enough for your conscience to be "seared," or callous to the work of the Spirit, so it really bothers you. The old preachers call this conviction -- not a term you hear too often in today's churches, but it's a really good concept. It encompasses the work of the Spirit and the results in your disposition. You are not a happy camper.

But, let's say that you are stubborn (maybe even pig-headed; that is a term my grandma used) and continue in your sin. You turn a deaf ear to the Spirit, and keep pushing on down the path of sin. What happens next? Chastisement. You get caught. Your sin is exposed. Hopefully you are embarrassed and repentant. That is what His chastisement is for --- to get you to turn away from the sin, and turn back in His direction . . . to keep trying to be more like Him.

We need to remember this verse the next time we consider doing something that the Spirit is whispering to us about - words of caution: "don't go there." Especially if our wrong-doing will involve another person.

We can rest assured that the stone we are rolling will roll right back over us!

Proverbs 26:23-26 Masters of disguise

²³ Like a coating of silver dross on earthenware
    are fervent lips with an evil heart.
²⁴ Enemies disguise themselves with their lips,
    but in their hearts they harbor deceit.
²⁵ Though their speech is charming, do not believe them,
    for seven abominations fill their hearts.
²⁶ Their malice may be concealed by deception,
    but their wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.

Seems like just yesterday the Halloween candy and costumes were starting to be displayed in the stores. (Now the Christmas decor is featured -- I always wonder what happens to Thanksgiving. Sorry, I'm digressing here.) As I walked through a discount store, I chuckled to hear a youngster exclaiming over a costume, and how cool it would be . . . no one would recognize him in his disguise!

Solomon is talking here about some other people who use disguises. People that we need to be wary of. Masters of disguise, and masters of deception. And that makes them able to inflict a world of hurt on us, if we are not careful.

We have examples of these people in the scriptures. 
Joab, the commander of David's armies, greeted his relative Amasa cordially, even acting like he was going to kiss him in greeting (as was the custom). Amasa didn't realize there was a weapon in Joab's other hand, and Joab thrust him through with his sword, and killed him. 
Judas betrayed Christ with a kiss, as well, turning him over to the authorities by that mark of affection.
Hatred and spite, even a murderous spirit -- all disguised very well.

Solomon notes that their deception is just like a coating of silver dross (the impurities from the refining process, it is still shiny) on an earthenware vessel. It looks good on the outside, but it really is not valuable, like true friendship. He tells us to be careful of the charming speech that may hide hatred and spite.

The person who has contempt for us, who despises us, will make the greatest noise about how wonderful we are, but talk down about us, behind our back. Beware of someone whose words and actions just don't add up --- do they talk a lot about being our friend, but have little desire to spend time with us? Do they make a show of talking about how fortunate we are, and then act jealous because of those blessings? Do they seem to do things that seem a little off kilter, almost betrayal, then brag to us about how they "have our back"? 

Be cautious of those who seem overly affectionate and effusive with their compliments and approval. If it seems exaggerated, be careful. Use that wisdom from the Lord to discern if they are truly friendly to you, or if it is a deception. Your caution may help you avoid being hurt by a master of disguise.

Proverbs 26:20-22 No fuel for the fire

²⁰ Without wood a fire goes out;
    without a gossip a quarrel dies down.
²¹ As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire,
    so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.
²² The words of a gossip are like choice morsels;
    they go down to the inmost parts.

My KJV translates the word "gossip" in these verses, as "talebearer." That conjures up a vivid image of a person who is busily moving from set of ears to another, carrying a tale that they want to tell. It may be something very private that someone confided in them. It may be a secret that will devastate the person when it becomes widely known.
Does the talebearer care?
No.
They are happiest when they are proving to themselves just how important they are, and how knowledgeable, because they know something that their hearer does NOT know, and they are puffed up with pride to be able to tell the story. You see, they justify their activities by telling themselves that what they are spreading around is true.
And, in reality, a talebearer is different than a false witness. A false witness is spreading lies. A talebearer is spreading things that you told them in private --- that you didn't want anyone else to know. They may even be telling things about you, that you had no idea they were aware of!
Proverbs 11:13 told us, "A talebearer reveals secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit conceals the matter."
But a talebearer or gossip can't keep the fire going if you remove the fuel . . . How do you remove the fuel? Refuse to listen to them. You can let them know by your body language, your facial expressions, and your words, that you are not going to play that game --- that you find their gossip distasteful and a waste of time. Christians should discuss confidences from other Christians only with them, in private, and with a good dose of prayer!
Now, you will need to be aware of one thing --- when you tell the talebearer that you don't want to participate in their sin, and that you won't listen, you may then become one of their victims. They may begin to tell tales about you.
But, refusing to listen to them will show everyone that you are more interested in keeping your testimony clean, than in hearing the latest dirt.

Proverbs 26:18-19 But I was joking!

¹⁸ Like a maniac shooting
    flaming arrows of death
¹⁹ is one who deceives their neighbor
    and says, “I was only joking!”

Can't you take a joke?

Have these words been directed at you before? Or, have you said that to someone?

We need to be careful! There is a fine line between what we call joking, and what is called "jesting."  Jesting is making sport of someone else --- making others laugh at this person's expense --- mocking them, or joking about the situation they find themselves in . . . anybody besides me getting uncomfortable here? It's not that I do these things, but if I'm in a group setting and this is happening, what is my response? Do I try to stop the behavior before it hurts someone, or am I a passive spectator?

I believe that as Christians, we need to defuse situations like this, by turning the conversation to another topic, or even trying to kindly remind the speaker that those words may be quite hurtful. Jesting is even compared to sins like sexual impurity, jealousy and other immoralities. (Just check out Ephesians 5:3-4)

We hear a great deal these days in the news about children and teens who bully one another. Bullying usually begins with a joke or jest at someone's expense, then goes further.  I think this proverb is talking about pranks and practical jokes, too. Those are not good ideas! You can never be sure what your "victim" is thinking. What have they been going through? What are they thinking? Have they recently been hit with a heavy burden? Are they in pain from a family matter, or some other weight that has them depressed? A practical joke can backfire and cause a world of trouble . . . and then the jokester says, "I was only joking!"

Solomon tells us that if we are jesting and deceiving someone, we are just like that insane person who lights a flaming arrow and shoots it into a barn, and then when caught, says, "I was just having some fun with you! Can't you take a joke?"
Let's determine that not only will we avoid shooting the flaming arrows, but that we will be ready to douse the flames, if someone else is doing the shooting!

God meant it for good . . .

I'm taking a brief break from our studies in Proverbs, because I really feel the Lord nudging me to share something with you. It may be that someone who reads this really needs this encouragement, so here goes!

Do you recall the story of Joseph? Joseph was the youngest son of a doting father, and beginning in chapter 37 of Genesis, you can read his story . . . he was given a gift by his father -- un-asked for, freely given, and a sure jealousy-maker: a coat of many colors.  Jacob didn't give it to him because of his hard work, or his amazing talent, or whatever --- just for the love he felt for Joseph. (Personal note here: since one of our kiddos acted in a presentation of "Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat" musical, I've always had even more of a soft spot in my heart for the story!)

Joseph's brothers were intensely, insanely jealous. They were unable to speak kindly to their brother -- insulted him, mocked him. They questioned his dreams (at seventeen, Joseph may not have presented them as tactfully as he could. Just sayin'...) and plotted to kill him. They threw him into a cistern, only dragging him out when the opportunity presented itself to make a little money AND get rid of him, by selling him off to a traveling band of merchants.

If you are not familiar with the rest of the story, I hope that you will turn to that passage and read on, to the end. Along the way, Joseph dealt with some very, very dark days: betrayal, disappointment, slander, imprisonment and more. But long after, when he dealt with his brothers again, he told them, "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good, to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives." (Genesis 50:20)

All of us go through dark, trying times. They don't happen by chance, or by accident. God uses those times to "grow" us in our imitation of Christ . . . to refine our lives to more closely mirror our Father. He uses the hard and the difficult to teach us to trust what we can't see, more than what we can see.

One of our three children is estranged from our family, and has caused much pain to many of us. You may have a similar situation. Or yours may be difficult health issues, or perhaps financial difficulties.  During those dark times, God is at work with a reason and a plan.
In our situation, we have grown in maturity and wisdom, and now have been able to counsel others who are walking this same difficult path . . . God meant it for good.

If  we will avoid crying out to God, "Why is this happening to ME?" and instead, ask, "What are You trying to accomplish in my life?" or even, "What is it that You are preparing me for, in my life?" then we can move forward to the good that God has planned.