Proverbs 15: 9-12

^{Hey everybody....this is a note from Snoodles (Tonya wrote this study, but I am butting in here!) and I wanted to ask all of you to join me in praying for Tonya's little Stephen. This precious boy has been sick off-and-on for a while, now, and had a distressing visit to the doctor the other day: the nurses were not as gentle as they should have been, and the doctor seemed to ignore the wee babe's fever.  Please lift him up to the Lord in prayer for healing, and ask for God's guidance in finding a doctor with wisdom. OK, I'll get out of the way now. :)
 9} The way of the wicked is an abomination to Jehovah; But he loveth him that followeth after righteousness.

 ¹⁰ There is grievous correction for him that forsaketh the way; And he that hateth reproof shall die.

 ¹¹ Sheol and Abaddon are before Jehovah: How much more then the hearts of the children of men!
¹² A scoffer loveth not to be reproved; He will not go unto the wise.

What happens the minute that you we do something wrong? We try to hide it. Cover it up. Run from it. Right? I grouped these verses together for a reason. We have spent much time talking about walking the right path, and the wrong path for that matter. But when I read these verses, something stood out to me. It seems that when we goof up...we do try to run, hide and cover it up. I guess that's in our blood because isn't that exactly what Adam and Eve did?

The funny, or shall I say sad, thing about that...you would think that we would learn after trying to run and hide for 10,000 years...that it just doesn't work! 

Verse 9 tells us that God loves us for following after righteousness.

 Verse 10 assures us that when we mess up on occasion, we will be punished. But it is so much better to accept our punishment than to not. When we do not 'fess up', accept our punishment, then we are not admitting that we are sinners and in need of a Savior.

 Verse 11 reminds us that God knows. He knows our heart even when we are trying to hide cover up with a fig leaf. I don't know about you...but I am shaking my head that we find it so hard to learn the very first lesson of the Bible! Thank goodness that we have a forgiving, loving, patient Father!

Verse 12 tells us that mockers, scorners and scoffers hate correction so much that they stay away from the wise. Have you ever stayed away from someone just because they were a 'goody two shoes'? I think it is just another means of hiding from all that is good.

Today try to quit hiding. Air that dirty laundry! You'll feel better if you do. And you'll have less burden as you continue along your Path.