This and That

I read Proverbs 27 and 28 this morning. Here are verses I highlighted:

"Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth" (Prov. 27:1). We may make plans, but we never are completely sure that they will come to fruition. We must look at each day as a gift.

"Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of one's friend springs from his earnest counsel" (Prov. 27:9). A true friend has your best interests at heart, and his or her advice brings joy because of his or her pure motives.

"As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another" (Prov. 27:17). My husband and I requested that our minister include this verse in our wedding. Margaret Fuller said, "Two persons love in one another the future good which they aid one another to unfold." Love is tricky in that you love someone as they are, but also love him and, therefore, help him to achieve the full potential that God has created within him.

"As water reflects a face, so a man's heart reflects the man" (Prov. 27:19). If you are miserable, your face shows it. But if you tend to the beauty of your heart, it will flow into your outward appearance.

"Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds; for riches do not endure forever..." (Prov. 27:23-24a). This verse deals with our financial affairs. If you neglect your finances, how can you expect them to be in good health? You must maintain your financial health as you do (or should!) maintain your physical health.

"The wicked man flees though no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion" (Prov. 28:1). So true! Someone who knows he is wrong often acts very defensively and often thinks he has been found out, even if he and God are the only ones who know what he has done. Conversely, when you are following God's ways, you know you are safe ultimately.

"He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy" (Prov. 28:13). This verse makes me wonder again if David drove this point home to his son Solomon over and over. One who harbors a sin in his heart will not find true joy. The funny thing is that oftentimes a person thinks he or she is hiding a sin, but others do know about it. The best thing for everyone is for that person to confront the sin. He or she may find that people will not condemn him or her, but will be supportive and loving.

"He who gives to the poor will lack nothing, but he who closes his eyes to them receives many curses" (Prov. 28:27). This idea keeps nudging me more and more. I am reminded of the verse that says, "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world" (James 1:27). Our society is so driven by materialism. It is destroying our spirits. Chasing after more wealth is like chasing after the wind. The wind always changes, and has one ever grasped the wind between his fingers? It is not right to be blind to the obstacles that face other members of our society. It is pathetic that we often long for more than what we have when we have been blessed with so much. How can we love and save the world if we don't even know what's going on in parts of our own country? I was taught that life is not fair, but I always believed that we should try to make it as fair as possible. Compassion seems to be a lost virtue at times. May God convict our hearts to begin to look for and love all His children.