One of the many benefits of a Christian community gathered around Word and Sacrament is what Luther referred to as, “the mutual conversation and consolation of brothers and sisters” (Matthew 18:19). The spiritual health of a Church is not determined by one charismatic leader, cutting edge technology, modern facilities, and so on. Spiritually healthy Churches are comprised of spiritually healthy people. Join us this Sunday to discover how the Lord is calling you “to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ.”
True friends are hard to find and even harder to keep. We were made to be in relationship with the Lord and with others. Nothing in this world matters more than our relationships. True success is not in the size of one’s bank account but in the depth of their relationships. As we conclude our journey through Proverbs, rejoice in Jesus who calls you “friend” (John 15:15).
he average person speaks 5,000 words every day. Some of those words bring death and others life (18:21). Some words wound and others heal (12:18). Some words should be replaced by action (14:23). Some words should not have been uttered at all (11:12). Our words matter – in conversations and emails and texts and blogs and phone calls and all the rest. Words matter so much that the number one topic of Proverbs 10-31 is, you guessed it, words! The wise know how to use them and how to restrain them (10:19-21). And how does one become wise? Through the living and abiding Word of God.
Proverbs ends with a poem of praise for the ideal wife. God’s beautiful design for marriage creates a foundation for raising children, “in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4). The relationships between parents and children requires much wisdom and Proverbs provides abundantly.
Proverbs focuses on your heart because from it flows good and evil, actions and decisions. Nothing reveals our heart better than how we act toward money. Just as Jesus said, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21). It’s no wonder why money is one of the top subjects addressed by Proverbs. But God’s wisdom is not simply how we spend, it’s also how we get money, save money, and the source of true wealth.
God our Father is not only interested in how we believe and live, but also how we feel. God loves you and cares for you – all of you. Positive emotions radiate from you as a blessing to others (15:30). Likewise, negative emotions have the power to destroy you and others. The words of wisdom from Proverbs are more than simply telling us to, “Think happy thoughts.” Our wise Father is warning us about Anger, Envy, and Jealousy because if left unchecked, they can grow into a root and tree of bitterness (Hebrews 12:15).
Biblical wisdom is more than a list of life-hacks. Wisdom is the foundation for reality. Wisdom is how everything started and how everything still works. In chapter 8, Jesus Christ who is the incarnate wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1:24), speaks to us about His perfect creation.
Wouldn’t life be simpler if evil were always ugly and all of life’s poisons came with a warning label? But in this world disaster can be attractive. “Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14). He seems so successful, but does he know how to live? The truth is, he is a fool, and he wants to make us his fools as we step on his well-concealed land mines. Thankfully, our Father points out all of the hidden traps and leads us to His passionate heart.
Do you sometimes learn things the hard way? Me too! In Proverbs 6:1-19, the Lord uses negative examples to teach us positive wisdom. God speaks into three areas of our lives – how we handle money (1-5), how we discipline ourselves (6-11), and how we build community (12-19). God our Father is calling us to take new steps of faith and repentance into responsibility, opportunity, and unity, for the sake of Christ and our neighbor.
Every day we are being told that, if we want to live, we need to be young, thin, attractive, rich, smart, and so on. This is our cultural ideal, the wisdom of our age. Just one question – Is it working? Every day you wake up, you have a choice to make – will you follow the proven way of Christ or the defunct way of man? Will you follow the way of man which never gives rest, or the way of Christ which crowns you with grace?