August 1

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The Beginning of Wisdom

Proverbs 1:1–7

Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom,

and to turn away from evil is understanding.

Job 28:28 (ESV)

Solomon was renowned for his wisdom, some of which is found in Scripture; he wrote much of Proverbs, and most theologians also attribute the Song of Solomon and Ecclesiastes to him. In these books are found many wise sayings and proverbs about human behavior and how one ought or ought not live. However, they are not laws like the Ten Commandments, which always need to be obeyed. Some proverbs are universally true. But others are more like stereotypes and don’t fit every occasion; what is wisdom in one situation may be inappropriate for another. So besides knowing a proverb, you have to know when to use it. Even so, the Bible’s wisdom is inspired and “useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (2 Tim. 3:16).

Solomon’s introduction to Proverbs indicates the kind of help he hopes to give. He wants to give practical instruction in how to live—how to conduct oneself in everyday situations of life. The name for this knowledge he wants to impart is wisdom and it begins with the fear (knowledge and love) of the Lord.

The best course to follow in any given situation may not immediately seem the most attractive, given the human propensity to prefer short-term gratification over long-term benefit. But wisdom helps us to live a disciplined and prudent life—one that pursues what is right, just, and fair. Many people who lack wisdom have the perception that such a life cannot be very happy or satisfying. Just the opposite is true. Being happy in life and pleasing God are not at odds; God created us to be happy and fulfilled in our service to him and each other. In both this life and the next, our quality of life depends on wisdom—discerning what pleases God and living as we were created to live. 

August 2

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Wisdom or Folly?

Proverbs 9

In everything the prudent acts with knowledge,

but a fool flaunts his folly.

Proverbs 13:16 (ESV)

Wisdom and Folly are portrayed in this chapter as persons who invite simple people (those who need wisdom about how to live) into their houses to be fed (instructed).

·   Wisdom’s house is big, well-stocked, and prepared for her guests, while loud and noisy Folly has a disordered house that contains nothing for guests except what has been stolen from elsewhere. Folly has no life or property of her own; she is a parasite of Wisdom.

·   On Wisdom’s table are the food and drink of understanding how to live, while what Folly serves up are sweet tasting things that appeal to the senses but offer no real nourishment.

It’s an important choice that the simple have—that all of us have, for everyone needs wisdom for living. By the end of this chapter we can see it’s a life and death choice. More than one horror movie is based on the idea that some ghoul disguised as a beautiful person lures naive people to torment and death. Although anyone should be able to see through Folly’s deceit, some do not want to understand; they want to do whatever feels good from moment to moment, and it is these whom Folly snares.

One course of action leads to understanding and life; the other leads to ignorance and death. Those who choose for folly end up fatally deceived. Everybody dies sooner or later, but it is not this grave that Proverbs means. The grave to which fools ultimately go is the grave of eternal destruction. That’s why the fear (knowledge and love) of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. And remember, the instruction of wisdom is good for more than the avoidance of eternal death. It helps us to avoid many foolish and sorrow-producing choices in this life. 

August 3

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The Foolish Neglect of the Essentials

Proverbs 24:30–34

But I say, walk by the Spirit,

and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

Galatians 5:16 (ESV)

This proverb makes practical sense: a farmer’s inattention to weeds can lead to poverty. But it makes good spiritual sense too: we must keep our spiritual focus and keep our souls “weed-free.” Not that anyone should withdraw from the affairs of this world, but we need to understand that there are consequences to how one lives. Each decision people make impacts their character and their relationship with God. Those who neglect that relationship or shun it are headed for a bad end.

Wealth, fame, and power pose special challenges to the nurture of one’s soul. If you long after such things, be especially careful; your dream can be your undoing. Know too that foolishness can trap anyone. Many people have tried, at least in some sense, to live for God. But all of those who ended up fools flirted with danger more than they should have. They all thought they could get away with some compromises to their character or faith but they couldn’t and they didn’t. Those who appear to be getting away with embracing, or even flirting with, evil are not, no matter how long it takes for the consequences to show up.

It’s what you do with the myriad seemingly insignificant challenges in your life that determines your path and end. Keep the weeds out of your field. Keep them out while they’re small, for who knows which ones will grow too big for you to handle.

Certain sins pose particular challenges. Centuries ago, Christians composed a list of what they considered to be the most deadly sins. Although these sins are not grouped in any such list in Scripture, the wisdom of the Bible gives strong warnings against each one. We’ll look at these sins and their corresponding virtues over the next few days.

August 4

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The Deadly Sin of Pride

Proverbs 3:34; 11:2; 18:18–19; Isaiah 14:12–14

Whoever has a haughty look and an arrogant heart I will not endure.

Psalm 101:5 (ESV)

The first of the so-called deadly sins is pride, perhaps because Scripture mentions it more than any other sin. Pride is neither mere self-esteem nor finding pleasure in one’s accomplishments, which Scripture commends (see Eccl. 3:22). It is unfitting self-esteem, an unreasonable estimation of one’s own qualities. Other words for it are conceit, selfishness, arrogance, vanity, egotism, and boastfulness. Pride is never part of wisdom, but it is found in every fool. There’s nothing good in pride and God is resolutely opposed to all who persist in it.

Here’s why: Pride is a resentment of and rebellion against Almighty God, who created everything—from rocks to humans—to depend on his continuing grace. Without that grace, the whole universe would again become the nothingness from which God created it. We have a measure of authority and independence in God’s world but absolute independence is simply death.

According to Isaiah it was pride that caused Satan’s fall from heaven. It also prompted Adam and Eve’s first act of disobedience. Pride is destructive of community. Babies cannot yet know that the world does not revolve around them. But grownups should know better, whether their pride manifests itself as arrogance or a false humility that demands that they be the center of attention. The only antidote is a proper humility before God and others; such humility is always part of true wisdom.

Pride (which is really the will to be independent of God) is the first thing that must go before one can come to Jesus. The proud cannot get into the kingdom of heaven—not until they are humbled to recognize their need of salvation and their utter inability to save themselves or even live without God’s help.

August 5

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The Cultivation of Humility

Proverbs 3:34; 15:33; 18:12; Zephaniah 2:3

This is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble

and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word.

Isaiah 66:2 (ESV)

If pride overrates one’s importance or qualities, humility truly assesses them. False humility does not; it is more like pride in that it draws attention to itself. But true humility gives tribute where it is due. This may involve giving other people credit, but the primary credit for all that is praiseworthy must go to God who entrusts everyone with certain opportunities and gifts.

People often take comfort in comparing themselves to others whose problems are more obvious than their own. But Scripture calls us to compare our attitudes and actions to God’s standards. The remedy for pride is getting to know both God and ourselves better.

Getting to know God better involves prayerful reflection on God’s Word—both individually and communally—by which we come to greater appreciation of his redemptive actions in the world. Besides this, listen to his Holy Spirit in the circumstances of your life and while you engage in deliberate acts of selfless service. Such listening and doing can help you to subdue the pride that will separate you from God’s grace.

A better knowledge of yourself will help too. Can you find yourself in one of these stories Jesus told about pride and humility?—that of the guest who took a better seat than he deserved at a feast (Luke 14:7–11), or that comparing the prayers of a proud Pharisee with those of a humble tax collector (Luke 18:10–14)? Jesus’s conclusion to both stories paraphrases Proverbs 3:34: “Those who exalt themselves will be humbled and those who humble themselves will be exalted” (Luke 14:11). God wants us to know both that we’re unworthy and helpless without him, and that with him, we have no excuse for not obeying his commands. 

August 6

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The Deadly Sin of Anger

Psalm 4:4; 37:8; Proverbs 29:22; Ecclesiastes 7:9

Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down

on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.

Ephesians 4:26–27 (ESV)

Anger is too often associated with foolishness, sin, and evil. But it may not start out that way; it may begin with humiliation or frustration, or even by imitation: “Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person...or you may learn their ways” (Prov. 22:24–25). Anger is infectious. That is easily seen in families; if one person comes home angry, that person’s anger can be enough to set off the other family members. And even if anger is not sinful or foolish in its initial impulse, it too often becomes that.

God’s anger is different; it is righteously directed against the sinful persons or practices that are destructive of his good plans. Sin violates God’s intentions for the world and his creatures. God’s anger is a statement from one who knows all things that he won’t put up with those who ignore or oppose him.  This also explains Jesus’s anger at those who tried to turn God’s good laws for the Sabbath into legalistic rules that forbade the healing and peace he wanted for his sin-plagued and broken people (see Mark 3:1–5).

It is appropriate for us to get angry at such things too; we may share God’s anger with injustice and other sin. If we were less self-centered, we would share even more of God’s anger against all that is unrighteous. Most of the time, however, our motives are not as pure as God’s and our anger is not as righteous. Our anger is usually more concerned with some perceived wrong to ourselves—some violation of our rights. It quickly moves us beyond sulking to being violent in spirit and vengeful. We want the one who offended us to suffer as we have suffered, or to suffer even more. How quickly anger becomes sinful and a deadly foothold for the devil’s work in us. 

August 7

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Assuaging Anger

Proverbs 15:1; 19:11; 29:11; 1 Samuel 25:28

Be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the

anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

James 1:19–20 (ESV)

Each of the Scripture passages listed above offers wisdom about how to prevent or deal with the problem of sinful anger. The first involves the art of the gentle answer. A wise person can sometimes defuse the anger of another by not responding in kind to an angry outburst. This is usually contrary to one’s inclination, which is to take immediate offense. But a hard answer to another’s anger typically supplies more ammunition for that anger and also feeds one’s own perception of being mistreated.

Patience enables the gentle answer and also helps calm the anger people sense rising in themselves. Patience is being able to wait without complaining in the face of reasons to do precisely that. It is difficult to delay the satisfaction of expressing one’s anger; it requires the help of the Holy Spirit to do it. But that very delay can give anger a chance to subside and a better response to be made. That connects patience to a related fruit of the Spirit—self-control. Self-control is the self-discipline to act in a manner better than one feels like acting. We don’t expect self-control from infants or animals; what looks like self-control in animals is simply training. But it is a crucial virtue for humankind.

Prayer really helps all of these ways of dealing with anger. Besides the special help that God’s Spirit offers in response to sincere prayer, it is almost impossible to hold on to anger against one that you are praying for. Prayer is especially important for the most difficult and most important of the godly responses to anger: forgiveness. Forgiveness is not making light of offenses but deciding to show grace to those who don’t deserve it. It’s what Abigail asked of David and what Jesus himself modeled and commended for those who love and follow him.

August 8

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The Deadly Sin of Envy

Genesis 26:12–15; Proverbs 14:30; 24:17–18

We ourselves were once foolish…slaves to various passions

and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy.

Titus 3:3 (ESV)

The deadly sin of envy is commonly mistaken for jealousy and covetousness; but it differs somewhat.

·   Jealousy is the desire to protect what one possesses.

·   Covetousness goes beyond admiration to become an excessive desire for something that belongs to another.

·   Envy finds displeasure at the successes achieved by others. In an even more malicious form, it finds pleasure in their failures.

Proverbs 24:17–18 warns against taking perverse pleasure in the failure or downfall of others. Admittedly, other Scriptures speak with hope about the coming judgment of the wicked. But such hope is not envy; it is rather the godly desire for evil to be judged so that justice and righteousness can prevail. God’s first desire is not for judgment, but that the wicked will be converted: “Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign Lord. ‘Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?” (Ezek. 18:23).

That was God’s desire for Cain and Saul. Cain’s envy is implied by his anger with Abel following God’s evaluation of the relative merits of their offerings (Gen. 4). Saul’s anger with David was likewise a sign of envy (1 Sam. 18). Envy was also the reason for what some Philistines did to Isaac upon seeing his blessings and wealth. They couldn’t be as successful as Isaac so they tried to bring him down to their level.

Envy is destructive of community. That is reason enough to shun it. But another good reason is the welfare of the one who envies. Not only does peace elude those who harbor envy (see Prov. 14:30), the bitterness of envy often does more damage to those who indulge it than it does to the objects of their envy. 

August 9

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Gratitude and Contentment

Job 5:2; Psalm 23

We, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually

members one of another. Having gifts that differ

according to the grace given to us, let us use them.

Romans 12:5–6a (ESV)

Envious people resent the inequalities of life. To be fair, sometimes inequality does indicate injustice. However, the concern of the envious is not with justice; they resent only those inequalities by which they themselves do not profit. They don’t want equality with the poor and defeated, just with those whom they consider their equals, but who have enjoyed more wealth and success.

Gratitude and contentment are two antidotes of such attitudes.  These are no easier to cultivate than envy is to root out. We need God’s help for both—that we may confess our sin, pray for the will to change, and take to heart what God teaches in his word.

Scripture teaches that in God’s sight we are all equally valuable, although unequal in the gifts and opportunities we receive. This inequality is actually God’s generous way of providing the whole community of his people with the gifts needed to partner with him in his redemptive mission. The comments of Karl Olsson are relevant here: “Everything I envy is God’s gift to someone: intelligence, grace, wit, artistic genius, personal attractiveness. And what others find enviable in me—that is also a gift. Hence [envy is really a despising of the grace of God to another, and] sanctification begins in praising God for the gifts he has given.” Seven Sins and Seven Virtues, 26

Think about how many undeserved benefits you receive by the grace of God. “He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities” (Ps. 103:10). Instead, he tenderly shepherds us through the valleys of life, providing for us in this life and promising to be our security in the next. That understanding can fuel our gratitude and contentment.

August 10

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The Deadly Sin of Greed

Ecclesiastes 5:10–15; 2 Kings 5:20–27

Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness,

for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.

Luke 12:15 (ESV)

Money is often blamed for being the root of all evil. But it is actually the love of money (greed) that Scripture identifies as the root of all evil (1 Tim. 6:10). Money is a good tool, but to love it or other material things goes beyond proper enjoyment to let them, in a sense, replace God as one’s master. As Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters” (Matt. 6:24).

One frequent result of greed is injustice in society.

·   Ahab’s greed for Naboth’s vineyard led to the deception of his people, a kangaroo court and death for an innocent man, and to God’s judgment upon Ahab’s house (see 1 Kings 21).

·   Israel’s prophets regularly opposed the schemes of the powerful to profit at the expense of the powerless (see Micah 1:15).

·   In every age, injustice too often prevails where power is concentrated in the hands of a few.

Greed does not always perpetrate injustice; even so, it yields a miserable harvest in the lives of the greedy.

·   The greedy are never satisfied. To the contrary, increased abundance usually brings increased anxiety about how to keep it. The love of money—which is by definition excessive—harms those who indulge in it.

·   The greedy increasingly divert resources and energy meant for family and community to achieve material goals.

·   The greedy are progressively enslaved by their desires. In part, this means a decreasing ability to take pleasure in anything else (like the fabled Midas). Nor are only the rich susceptible, for greed is found in every social class, driving the poor to be rich and the rich to be richer. Wherever possessions become an idol, it is the possessor who ends up being possessed. 

August 11

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Liberating Generosity

Deuteronomy 15:11; Proverbs 14:21; 19:17; 22:9

You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way,

which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.

2 Corinthians 9:11 (ESV)

Greed is a harsh master, and all the more so when we remember that we can’t take any of our possessions with us when we die (see Eccl. 5:15). Understanding this, why in the world would otherwise clear-thinking people devote their lives to the excessive accumulation of things that lose every bit of value to the accumulator at death? It doesn’t make sense.

On the other hand, we do take with us the spiritual fruit that is produced in a life changed by Christ. Galatians 5:22 speaks of the fruit of goodness, which can also be translated as generosity. This is not a new emphasis of Scripture. God’s people are repeatedly counseled not to be hardhearted or tightfisted toward the poor, but open-handed (see Deut. 15:7). The generosity God counsels is in imitation of his generosity toward us. The world gives in order to get. We give because we already got; we got everything we have as a gift. Our generosity confirms that we understand and appreciate God’s.

We need to understand that generosity is not merely giving from our leftovers. Our concept of what’s essential and what’s leftover constantly changes to reflect our own circumstances. We may think that we will be able to be more generous when we get a little more. But when we get there, we find that we aren’t satisfied after all, and we recalculate that mythical contentment figure, once again putting off giving until our greed is satisfied.

The only rescue from the sin of greed is with the help of God. Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness.  And with the help of his Holy Spirit, practice the discipline of giving. That will help with both your deliverance from the deadly sin of greed and your dedication to attend to the things in life that last forever.

August 12

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The Deadly Sin of Gluttony

Proverbs 23:1–3, 19–21

Many…walk as enemies of the cross of Christ.

Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and

they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.

Philippians 3:18–19 (ESV)

Gluttony is like greed in its love of things, but its desire is to consume rather than possess. This applies to food and drink, and also to other consumer goods. Gluttony does not care about the difference between enough and too much and actually has more to do with one’s attitude than with one’s shape or dress or possession of luxuries. Gluttony is seen in overeating and in many other things people do to excess: smoking, drinking, use of drugs, and also shopping or attention to various diversions.

Not all gluttony has to do with excess; C.S. Lewis spoke of the gluttony of delicacy—eating with too much fuss or too expensively. This is not to scorn excellence in food preparation, which is good, but not the most important good and never to be an idol that diverts one from prioritizing God and service to him.

Gluttony is an evil master and reaps evil rewards: 

·   Lack of self-control in eating can lead to obesity, about which no more needs to be said. But it can also lead to obsession with fat, dieting, and exercise.

·   The overconsumption of food, drink, and drugs can deprive families of necessary goods.

·   There are health and moral costs from such things as promiscuity, alcoholism and drug abuse, improper eating, and so on. One way or another, gluttony is destructive of community.

Gluttony inevitably leads to poverty, if not physical, then emotional and spiritual poverty. This is especially evident when gluttony crosses the line into addiction. By God’s grace there are ways out of gluttony and addiction. However, the hold of sin is always easier to avoid than it is to escape. 

August 13

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Combating Gluttony

Proverbs 25:27–28; Ecclesiastes 8:15

Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do,

do all to the glory of God.

1 Corinthians 10:31 (ESV)

Godly wisdom commends enjoying eating and drinking, but it also warns against lack of self-control in that enjoyment. Other words are sometimes used in place of self-control—moderation, restraint, and temperance (which applies to more than alcohol consumption). But they all point to the same reality: some things that taste good—like honey—aren’t so good when consumed in excess. Combating gluttony involves forgoing some pleasures for the sake of others that, although more distant, may be better.

Self-control is best formed early in life. It does not come naturally, but is fostered by the discipline of loving parents. Still, external discipline must eventually give way to self-discipline. This does not come naturally either, but is helped by the consideration of what’s best in the long run. It helps to count the costs of consuming to excess: health costs, emotional costs, family costs, and so on. But primarily, we need to understand that gluttony is a spiritual problem, an idol that serves to alienate people from healthy relationships with God.

The very blessings of God can become the downfall of one who is blessed. God warned Israel about that, knowing that their enjoyment of good things from him could lead them to pride and forgetfulness (Deut. 8:10–14). For that reason, it can help to fast on occasion—both from food and from other things often consumed to excess. How can we be properly grateful if we are so devoted to satisfying our appetites that we never have the experience of unfulfilled desire? Paul answered those who proclaimed that their freedom in Christ permitted them to “do anything” by saying “but not everything is beneficial” and “I will not be mastered by anything” (1 Cor. 6:12).

August 14

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The Deadly Sin of Lust

Job 31:9–12; Proverbs 6:20–29

This is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain

from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to

control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the

passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God.

1 Thessalonians 4:3–5 (ESV)

Desire is good, even strong desire. Sexual desire too, is a gift of God. But it is to be consummated in the context of marriage, in which a man and woman are bound together in an exclusive pledge of faithful love. The deadly sin of lust is the precursor to fornication (involving unmarried people) and adultery (involving a married person and one who is not that person’s spouse). Jesus made clear that God’s command against these acts is already violated by the lust that gave rise to them (see Matt. 5:27–28). We should note that the temptation to lust is not sin in itself. But when invited to linger, the temptation becomes the sin of lust, whether or not the lust leads to improper physical intimacy. 

Adultery is destructive of marriage, which is foundational to the continued existence of stable families and societies. But premarital sex is not friendly to marriage either. It is often associated with promiscuity and increases the risk of contracting a sexually transmitted disease. It also interferes with the development of the well-rounded intimacy that is an essential foundation for marriage. As Proverbs indicates, those who play with fire get burned.

Sexual liberation is anything but; unrestrained indulgence leads ultimately to perversion and obsession, turning the good things of sexual desire and appreciation for beauty into objects of worship. Lust ends in idolatry. Witness the growing acceptance of pornography as normal. Pornography is commonly thought to serve sexual interests, but it gets bored easily and craves more and more degradation to satisfy. Lust is as demonic for some people as alcohol is for alcoholics. Its hold can be broken only with repentance and the sanctifying help of the Holy Spirit.

August 15

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Conquering Lust

Job 31:1–12

The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people,

training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to

live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in the present age.

Titus 2:11–12 (ESV)

As difficult as it may be, abstinence is the God-approved course of action for the unmarried. It is also one of the best ways to build the trustworthiness and character that helps marriage last. Too many consider abstinence, and even steadfast faithfulness in marriage, to be unrealistic and foolish. C.S. Lewis called chastity “the most unpopular of all the Christian virtues.” But as difficult as it may be, Christ calls us to this spiritual discipline.

Lewis also speaks of men without chests, which, in this context, means those without the will to submit themselves to the Lord’s commands regarding chastity. The development of will might involve such things as cold showers, avoiding situations in which temptations are likely, and making a covenant with one’s eyes—a decision to turn away immediately when tempted. But chastity requires more than that too; lust is best conquered by replacing improper sexual desires with the desires of what Scripture calls true religion.

We have all sinned and fallen short of God’s expectations. But our sexual brokenness is not beyond the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit. Augustine, whom we know as one of the church fathers, was promiscuous in his youth. But, convicted by Romans 13:14, “Clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think how to gratify the desires of the flesh,” he acknowledged his sinfulness and accepted Jesus as his Savior. One day after this, a former “playmate” saw him as he walked along and called, “Augustine, it is I!” He took one look at her and, reminding himself of his new position in Christ, quickly turned and ran away, answering, “But, it’s not I!” Then he quoted Galatians 2:20—“I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.”

August 16

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The Deadly Sin of Sloth

Proverbs 6:6–11; 24:30–34; 26:13–16

[We urge you to] work…so that you may walk properly

before outsiders and be dependent on no one.

1 Thessalonians 4:11–12 (ESV)

Several Proverbs address the foolishness of sloth, particularly as it shows itself in laziness. Sloths fail to take advantage of good times to make provision for bad times. They allow thorns and weeds to infest their fields and do not attend to the breaks in the walls that protect their property. Proverbs 26:13 suggests that fear may be a factor in this neglect. But whether fearful or lazy, sloths are shortsighted and all too often end up in poverty.

The physically slothful take unfair advantage of others’ hard work and generosity. This is self-destructive, harmful to society, and offensive to God, who wants people to use their gifts and talents.

Another form of sloth is even worse and deadlier—spiritual laziness. In fact, it is this that got sloth included in the list of deadly sins. Spiritual sloth may be displayed as a lukewarm or apathetic spirituality, as was the problem in the church of Laodicea (Rev. 3:14–21). It may also be evident in an individualistic hyper spirituality. The apostle Paul criticized certain Christians in Corinth for focusing on gifts meant for personal edification while neglecting those meant for the strengthening, encouraging, and comfort of others (see 1 Cor. 14). Either way, spiritual sloth is as selfish as the physical kind; it is interested only in what feels good in the moment. And it is another form of idolatry.

Dorothy Sayers made these cogent remarks about sloth: “In the world it calls itself Tolerance, but in Hell it is called Despair...the sin which believes in nothing, cares for nothing, seeks to know nothing, interferes with nothing, enjoys nothing, hates nothing, finds purpose in nothing, lives for nothing, and remains alive be-cause there is nothing it would die for.” “The Other Six Deadly Sins”, Address to the Public Morality Council, Caxton Hall, Westminster, Oct 23, 1941. 

August 17

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Mission Minded

Proverbs 13:4; 21:25–26; 28:19

Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you.

As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”

John 20:21 (ESV)

If the slothful crave and get nothing, the ideal must be to crave and get something. The unslothful don’t crave to excess, like the greedy, gluttonous, or lustful. They crave to honor the Lord by engaging in the work he has created us for. God has equipped us to provide for our own livelihood by the work of our hands and minds. This does not negate our responsibility to be generous and share with those who genuinely need help, but neither does it foster an unhealthy dependency in them.

Besides providing for ourselves and helping the helpless, God wants us to participate in other aspects of his mission in the world. He has a kingdom to grow in our midst and people whom he wants to hear the gospel. He has other people who need to learn more about how to apply the gospel to their everyday life, people who need to learn to bring everything to him in prayer and “demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and…take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Cor. 10:5).

God looks both at your heart and at the deeds of your life. No matter how active you are, you are a spiritual sloth if you do not attend to your relationship with the Lord. There is no substitute for a deep and personal walk with God. But given that, there is no way that you should remain spiritually inert, or too spiritually joyless and hopeless to let God’s love shine through in the deeds of your life. God wants passionate partners for his ongoing mission to the world. His Spirit will motivate and equip you for that; he will keep your hope alive or revive it as you work and pray while taking nourishment and direction from the word and Spirit of God. 

August 18

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God’s Heart for the World

Psalm 67

The Lord has made known his salvation; he has revealed

his righteousness in the sight of the nations.

Psalm 98:2 (ESV)

The command to bring the news of God’s grace to the world is emphasized more in the New Testament than the Old. But, from the beginning, God had more than Israel in mind. His promise to Abraham was not only of blessing for Abraham and his descendants, but of blessings for the nations of the earth through them. Continuing this theme, Psalm 67 begins by asking for God’s blessing on Israel. Next it indicates the larger reason for which God’s people were to be blessed—so that God’s salvation might be known throughout the world. “May God bless us still,” the Psalm ends, “so that all the ends of the earth will fear him.”

The world desperately needs a witness of God; too many people “do not know what makes them stumble” (Prov. 4:19). Consider:

·   The physical problems brought on by unholy lifestyles.

·   The emotional immaturity displayed in the sinful nature, and with this, the compulsion to seek poor substitutes to placate a lack of peace and fear of death.

·   The thinking disabilities of those separated from God: Many allege that there are no universal standards, no essential differences between men and women, and no clear divisions between animals and humans, and so on.

·   The bondage of the will that leaves people susceptible to self-destructive behavior and a lack of self-control.

Not all stumbling immediately disappears when one becomes a Christian; too many Christians walk more closely with the world than with the Lord. Still, God has the answer; he wants everyone to come to him through Christ and get supernatural help from the Holy Spirit so they may experience and celebrate the blessings meant for those who submit to God’s guidance and just rule. 

August 19

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Sharing God’s Heart for the World

Proverbs 4:18–19

I heard the voice of the Lord saying,

“Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”

Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.”

Isaiah 6:8 (ESV)

Sin affects the physical, the emotions, the understanding, and the will. It throws the whole person into deep darkness. However, such people are vulnerable in a healing way to the light in the hearts and lives of those who personally know the light of the world. Our faith may not be as strong as we would like, but it does gives us hope and healing for every aspect of our lives. Will you, therefore, share it with others who need it?

Perhaps you want to but feel inadequate. If so, you’re not alone. But there is help; one of several books on the topic is Paul Little’s How to Give Away Your Faith. He describes friendship evangelism, which is not anything like an armed invasion but more like the making of a friend who hopefully will see real faith in action.

Throughout history the church has grown and flourished only where ordinary Christians learned to give away their faith. Sometimes people are so hungry for the gospel that everything seems to work. At other times, the opposite is true. Today, although interest in spirituality is high, too few people think that the Scriptures will answer their needs or questions. Such people are more likely to listen to friends and especially those in whose lives the light of wisdom and love shines.

By God’s grace the faith that gives us hope and healing can be given away so that it enlightens the lives of those around us who are in trouble and darkness. This will help us as well, for faith is strengthened by giving it away. Don’t underestimate the effect that your little words and actions, with the help of the Holy Spirit, can have in introducing others to the Light of the World. 

August 20

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Cover-up versus Confession

Psalm 32:1–5; 139:23–24; Ecclesiastes 12:14

Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper,

but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.

Proverbs 28:13 (ESV)

The good news that God wants the world to know and embrace begins with bad news: We are all sinners and deserving of judgment. The response to that news is crucial. Will we deny or cover-up what God calls sin, or will we confess it and ask God for forgiveness?

David tried both. Whether Psalm 32 was written after his sin with Bathsheba or on some other occasion, David’s first impulse was to deny and cover-up what he’d done. His lack of success with that is familiar to all whose consciences will not let them be after willful sin; he could not rest until he confessed. Only then did he experience the relief and freedom of God’s forgiveness.

In this world some people get away with hiding their sins and maintaining the illusion of spiritual health. But that’s unusual, because secrets have a way of unraveling and sins have a way of betraying the sinner. It’s too difficult to keep secrets and lies straight. Even if it can be done, it exacts a harsh toll. Suppressing the accusations of conscience eventually results in a heart that nothing can get to—no conscience, no feeling, no mercy, no sorrow—a robotic, or even worse, a demonic heart.

Even if sins can be concealed until the time that sinners can no longer be held accountable by any earthly court, concealment is not possible from the Lord of heaven and earth. Breaking the secrecy of sin allows you to get ready for the great accounting when everything will be out in the open. The course of wisdom is to be honest with God and resist all temptations to conceal your sin from him. Pray for forgiveness and for him to correct what is offensive in your heart and life. Only then can you stop compromising the mission that God has for you. 

August 21

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A Good Name

Proverbs 22:1; Psalm 125

The memory of the righteous is a blessing,

but the name of the wicked will rot.

Proverbs 10:7 (ESV)

It has been said that you shouldn’t talk about yourself in a group; it will be done after you leave.  That means you have a reputation—what people think about you.  And what a shame when someone ruins another person’s reputation. In the long run, however, what Abraham Lincoln once said rings true, “Character is like a tree and reputation like its shadow. The shadow is what we think of it and the tree is the real thing.” 

Solomon speaks in Proverbs 22:1 not about the shadow (reputation) but about the real thing (character)—who you really are. In sum, he says that a good name is a good character, and a good character is worth more than any jackpot.

Character begins with sincere trust in the Lord, and it manifests itself in a consistent integrity. Psalm 125 indicates that such a person refuses to participate in evil, or even crooked ways, but rather maintains a steadfast commitment to what is good. Character is inevitably built and proved by the choices we make in daily life, the cumulative effect of which is life or death. As Proverbs 11:3 puts it, “The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.” According to Psalm 125, the former endure while the latter are banished.

The name Christian is no guarantee, for some who bear the name do so under false pretenses. Witness the fate of Ananias and Sapphira, who bore the name but betrayed God and their community by their actions (see Acts 5). True Christians are true followers of Christ. Does that describe you? To what things do you say “yes” and to what things “no”? How do the choices you make every day reflect on the one whose name you bear? 

August 22

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The Lord Is My Shepherd

Psalm 23

I am the good shepherd; I know my own and my own

know me…and I lay down my life for the sheep.

John 10:14–15 (ESV)

Psalm 23 is a favorite of many people for its assurance of God’s comfort and help that accompanies us through the trials of this life and, afterwards, ushers us safely into his presence in eternity. In a sense the Lord does what any good shepherd does. He provides, he protects, he directs, and he disciplines. But the implication is that he doesn’t do this for all sheep. That’s why the personal pronouns of this Psalm are important. It doesn’t say, “The Lord is a shepherd.” but “The Lord is my shepherd.”  With that relationship, we are assured of these things from God:

·   Provision: I will have everything I need to get me home where there will be no more hunger or thirst or pain or homelessness or destitution.

·   Protection: No harm will come that will last longer than the brief years of my present life.  

·   Direction: I’ll never be in a place where God isn’t nearby, and I’ll never be without a clue as to what he wants me to do because he’s left written instructions.

·   Discipline: I have someone who will warn me if I even think about striking off on my own, and who will not give up on me, but will always bring me back to his side.

What a difference it makes to have the promise of such blessings. We need fear no evil for nothing can separate us from the provision, protection, direction, and loving discipline of our shepherd and savior Jesus Christ. He does more than release us from our fears; he offers a sense of fullness and prosperity in the presence of the enemies that usually rob us of such things. The oil of God’s presence covers all of his sheep. His love and mercy envelops each one—now, right here no matter what our current situation, and also for the unending future. 

August 23

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Can God Trust You?

Proverbs 3:1–12

It is required of stewards that they be found faithful.

1 Corinthians 4:2 (ESV)

“The Lord is my shepherd” is a statement of trust in God. As important a claim as that is, however, it doesn’t mean much if it’s not backed up by action. Proverbs 3 indicates some of the attitudes and actions that confirm the extent of your trust in God, or to put it another way, that confirm that God can trust you.

·   Are you teachable; do you accept and learn from his discipline?

·   Do you acknowledge the Lord in all your ways?

·   Do you bow to God’s wisdom when it differs with yours? 

·   Do you honor God with the firstfruits of your wealth?

Some people wonder whether the trouble they face is from Satan or is part of the Lord’s discipline. But it’s really both. Satan tries to use trouble to separate you from God. But when God allows it, it’s because he wants to use it to draw you closer to himself. So if there are identifiable ways that you’ve ignored or disobeyed God, then take trouble to be God’s loving discipline, meant to get you back to where he wants you. If, on the other hand, you can’t identify particular sinful ways, there’s still more to learn about trusting God. So, no matter where your trouble comes from, cultivate your relationship with the Lord and let him see that he can trust you in the bad times as well as the good times.

Pay special attention to how you use your gifts and abilities and the material rewards that come from using them well. Perhaps God has given you the ability to make lots of money. Or maybe not. Either way, with the understanding that you are not the owner but merely the steward of the possessions God has given you, prove your trustworthiness by living a life of gratitude and generosity. If you want to trust God and to have him trust you, then be the best manager you can be with the life and possessions that God has given you. 

August 24

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Irresponsible Debt

Psalm 37:21; Proverbs 22:7 

If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous

[earthly] wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches?

Luke 16:11 (ESV)

Noah Webster, in his 1828 dictionary, used biblical and moral illustrations in defining terms. He said this about debt: “It is a common misfortune or vice to be in debt.” Today, debt may be considered a misfortune but it is rarely considered a vice. But Proverbs 22:7 is correct: debt puts you in a type of bondage. This is not necessarily an argument against all kinds of debt. However, too often people go into debt simply because they cannot say “no” to their desire to accumulate things.

Irresponsible debt creates many problems:

·   It gives the illusion of financial security and success.

·   It frequently causes worry and family problems.

·   It invites temptations—whether to postpone or avoid repayment or to cheat in order to save or get money; such things put additional burdens on honest people.

·   It ties up money in principle and interest payments that could be better used for necessities or to help others.

·   In the case of irresponsible debt by governments, it puts future generations in bondage to debts that they did not incur.

There’s help for those who need it. The only trouble is, it has to do with self-discipline, which is not very pleasant to those who aren’t used to it. Monetary self-discipline includes such things as learning the ability to postpone pleasure, not spending money on sin, living within one’s means by adherence to a budget, accepting responsibility, etc. Each of us needs to consider whether or not our lives show godliness with contentment. Irresponsible debt and irresponsible spending, whether or not that incurs debt, hampers our life and witness and, as Jesus said, our ability to receive the true riches that God wants to give his people. 

August 25

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The Value of a Friend

Proverbs 17:17; 27:5–6, 17; Ecclesiastes 4:9–12

A man of many companions may come to ruin,

but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Proverbs 18:24 (ESV)

Good friends are of great value in helping us become the people God wants us to be; they can help us avoid what God hates and pursue the things that God loves and desires for us. Bad friends, on the other hand, hurt us through their weakness of character or lack of wisdom by not holding us to account for our poor choices. We all want and need friends. But we have a choice in that regard: “Walk with the wise and become wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm” (Prov. 13:20).

The desire and need for friends finds its origin in God’s creation of humankind. God made us not only to relate to him, but to love and be loved, and to help and be helped by each other—we were created to live in community. Marriage is one of the most intimate expressions of friendship, but certainly not the only one. You can also be supported and learn about yourself and your life in conversation with friends. Intelligence and zest for living are stimulated and sharpened by such interaction. As you verbalize your disappointments, aspirations, failures, and victories, you come to a fresh sense of purpose and strength to meet challenges.

To be so vulnerable is disastrous with enemies and with false friends, whose only interest is in what they receive or who love only in good times. False love indiscriminately affirms every decision, whether good or bad, and refuses to mention or, worse, praises sinful living. Even enemies can flatter people and tell them what they want to hear, but true friends will tell the unpopular and difficult truth, even at some hazard to themselves. They love, support, and stimulate us to be better than we are and correct us when we’re wrong. No wonder the Bible advises wisdom in the matter of choosing our friends. 


Last modified: Friday, August 10, 2018, 10:13 AM