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3/9/13. Proverbs 10:1-32. A REFUGE FOR THE RIGHTEOUS- my devotional

A REFUGE FOR THE RIGHTEOUS

Proverbs 10:1-32                                                                                        3/9/13

Key Verse: 10:29                                                                                Kevin Jesmer NIU UBF

“The way of the Lord is a refuge for the blameless, but it is the ruin of those who do evil.”

Dear Lord Jesus Christ, thank you for being the author and sustainer of our lives. Thank you for expanding our minds and our hearts so that we can not only meditate on the things of God, but also study and grow in all areas of life. Thank you for the satisfaction that you bring to our lives…to my life. You make it rich and full. Thank you. I pray for this gospel to be spread into the hearts of people across our land that they may experience the fullness of life that Jesus brings. Please illuminate my heart and mind with your word. I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen!

Part 1: The Righteous And The Wicked (1-7)

The “Proverbs of Solomon” include chapters 10:1-22:16. The purpose of this book is to help one build a personal code of moral values. They cover a wide range of topics. The first section was written by Solomon and the next tow sections were written by others, but collected by Solomon. These sayings give people practical wisdom for godly living at every stage in life. In chapter 10, the contrast in lifestyle and life direction between the righteous and the wicked is described. It is obvious that God’s hand of blessing and protection is on the righteous, but the wicked person will be frustrated; they will encounter violence; he must live with hatred. Finally, he will be utterly swept away.

 

There are so many points being made by the psalmist. They are presented in a series of couplets. It is hard to make sense of them of all. But there is a theme. The theme is that the way of the Lord is a refuge for the righteous, but it is a way of misery for the wicked.  Look at verses 1-7, “A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish son brings grief to his mother. Ill-gotten treasures have no lasting value, but righteousness delivers from death. The Lord does not let the righteous go hungry,    but he thwarts the craving of the wicked. Lazy hands make for poverty, but diligent hands bring wealth. He who gathers crops in summer is a prudent son, but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son. Blessings crown the head of the righteous, but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked.The name of the righteous is used in blessings,but the name of the wicked will rot.”

God’s hand of blessing and protection is on the righteous, but the wicked man will be frustrated; he will encounter violence; he must live with hatred. Finally, he will be utterly swept away. The way of the Lord is a refuge for the righteous, but it is a way of misery for the wicked.

This is a general principle because there are righteous people who suffer in this world. They endure poverty, sickness, persecution and premature death. But these proverbs are sayings that give general principles and not facts that cover all people at all times. In these verses I can see that Jesus is a refuge to people. He, and the gospel, is surely a refuge to me. This world is very difficult. There are so many forces around us robbing us of life. On our own, we would to just roll up in a ball and go to sleep in a dark room that is very quiet. That would be our refuge. But in Christ, there another option. In Christ, there is total refuge and peace of our souls. We can be sources of blessing. We can achieve wealth. We can be fed both physically and spiritually. We can be diligent and have abundant harvests. Our name will no long rot, but our legacy will pass on the generations. What a wonderful refuge Jesus is to us! His blessings overflow. There is such a great capacity in Jesus to bless any who come to him through faith, even 7 billion people. Their prayers and needs will never overload God like some computer servers get overloaded when there are too many people trying to log on.

I can only testify that God is granting me and Julie an abundant harvest in life (in both this world and the next.) It is just happening by the grace of God. Thank you Lord. Help us to share the source of this a harvest with the world so they can tap into the source also, by faith.

Part 2: Wisdom and Foolishness (8-32)

Verses 8-32 read, “The wise in heart accept commands, but a chattering fool comes to ruin. Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out. 10 Whoever winks maliciously causes grief,   and a chattering fool comes to ruin. 11 The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,    but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence. 12 Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs. 13 Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning, but a rod is for the back of one who has no sense. 14 The wise store up knowledge, but the mouth of a fool invites ruin. 15 The wealth of the rich is their fortified city,    but poverty is the ruin of the poor. 16 The wages of the righteous is life,    but the earnings of the wicked are sin and death. 17 Whoever heeds discipline shows the way to life,    but whoever ignores correction leads others astray. 18 Whoever conceals hatred with lying lips   and spreads slander is a fool. 19 Sin is not ended by multiplying words, but the prudent hold their tongues. 20 The tongue of the righteous is choice silver, but the heart of the wicked is of little value. 21 The lips of the righteous nourish many, but fools die for lack of sense. 22 The blessing of the Lord brings wealth, without painful toil for it. 23 A fool finds pleasure in wicked schemes, but a person of understanding delights in wisdom. 24 What the wicked dread will overtake them; what the righteous desire will be granted. 25 When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone,    but the righteous stand firm forever. 26 As vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes,    so are sluggards to those who send them. 27 The fear of the Lord adds length to life  but the years of the wicked are cut short. 28 The prospect of the righteous is joy, but the hopes of the wicked come to nothing. 29 The way of the Lord is a refuge for the blameless, but it is the ruin of those who do evil. 30 The righteous will never be uprooted but the wicked will not remain in the land. 31 From the mouth of the righteous comes the fruit of wisdom, but a perverse tongue will be silenced. 32 The lips of the righteous know what finds favor,    but the mouth of the wicked only what is perverse.”

There are so many couplets here. It is hard to wrap our minds around them. But lets take a look and see if we can glean some important facts that we can put into practice into our lives. Let’s see….The wise son brings joy to his father, but the foolish man brings grief to his mother.

This is a good one. I am a son. I want to be a blessing to others, especially my parents. I surely don’t want to be a curse to their lives.

Laziness, pointless chattering, refusal to accept discipline or correction are all foolish. I need to be humble and learn from others and keep the point to what I need to do. An arrow doesn’t hit the target unless it is focused.

The wise person is diligent and obedient (8). I definitely need to work on these things. I can be obedient first to God and his truth and guidance by his spirit. I can be obedient to the authorities that God has set above me. And I need to not “drag it” in what I need to do.

He heeds discipline and speaks words that nourish others. I need to nourish others with kind words and words of encouragement.

His heart is full of love, not hatred.  What can I say? If my life is not defined by love then I am nothing more than a resounding gong and a clanging symbol.

The wise person watches his tongue and walks in the righteous way of the Lord. I can not just blurt out what I feel. I must watch my tongue. I need to listen more than I speak and when I do speak I need to make sure they are loving and edifying words.

Prayer: Lord, help me to take refuge in your ways.

One Word: God’s way is a refuge for the righteous

 




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