It is hard to post on September 11 without making note of the day. This is not a happy day in memory for most Americans. Do not forget.
Proverbs 11:9 has two seemingly disconnected statements, but both reflect on the use of words. Further, there is a connection up to 11:6 and down to 11:12. There is power in words: power to destroy our neighbor and power to spread knowledge that helps. Pick one.
Proverbs 11:19 is fulfilled on an eternal scale rather than one we can measure. There are frequent anecdotes that illustrate this in the near-term, but then there are exceptions. Certainly the Christian view sees that the only righteousness which will truly attain life is the righteousness of Jesus, imputed to believers. That does not excuse us from some actions of righteousness, though.
Proverbs 11:29 raises a point that I cannot reconcile. Why in the world would a person deliberately trouble their own home? Yet Solomon is not concerned with the why here. Only with the result: trouble, long-term trouble. I think the argument could be made that the troubler is out to bring an early demise to the paterfamilias, hoping for a cash windfall. Instead, he will get the wind. However, there’s more here, especially when you look ahead at Proverbs 15:27 which describes one who profits illicitly as “troubling his own house.”
The connection is there, and worth pondering. What matters more? Home or profit?
No comments:
Post a Comment
To deal with SPAM comments, all comments are moderated. I'm typically willing to post contrary views...but I also only check the list once a day, so if you posted within the last 24 hours, I may not be to it yet.