Thursday, February 27, 2014

“SIH’s Think On These Things: Proverbs 22:5-8”


He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous (Prov 2:7)

Increasing Life’s Joy: We Reap What We Sow #1: Proverbs 22:5-8
5) Thorns [and] snares [are] in the way of the froward: he that doth keep his soul shall be far from them.
6) Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
7) The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower [is] servant to the lender.
8) He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail.

Solomon looks at another factor, that when understood, will increase our joy, we always reap what we sow in the following areas…

EXPOSITION:
5) Thorns [and] snares [are] in the way of the froward: he that doth keep his soul shall be far from them.
Our lifestyle…
When a person follows a twisted path that distorts God’s will for him, he reap face many pains (thorns) and traps (snares) lie ahead of him.  However, when a person guards his life, making sure he is on the path that God desires, he will be protected from the trials that are found upon the twisted path.

Although following Christ will lead to opposition from the powers of darkness of the world, these areas of opposition will not be the result of punishment or chastening from the hands of Almighty God.

Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: [this shall be] the portion of their cup.   (Psalms 11:6)


6) Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
Training of a child from infancy…
When a person directs an infant to the life path of Godliness through the use of Scriptural discipline, he will reap a child living a life of obedience to the Lord when the child matures.

Please note: this principle does not teach us that, when a child is properly disciplined, they will never depart from the ways of the Lord.  The principle teaches us that the training a child receives when young will greatly influence him following his maturity.  We find the most basic teaching on child rearing in Ephesians 6:4…
And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.   
Note that parents are bring up child follow the Lord using two basic tools…
1. nuture – this speaks of discipline, or punishment,  when willful rebellion is present.  Parents are to use punishment when they willfully rebel to break they spirit of rebellion which prepares them to submit to Christ as their Lord and Savior later in life.
2. admonition – this speaks of teaching, instruction and verbal warnings.  In other words parents are to teach children the proper way to live and then explain to them through the use of warnings why they are to avoid the ungodly areas in this world.  By explaining “Why” they are to serve the Lord and “Why” they are not to live according to the sin of the world, we are developing in them a knowledge and UNDERSTANDING of right and wrong.

Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.  We will not hide [them] from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done.  For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children:  That the generation to come might know [them, even] the children [which] should be born; [who] should arise and declare [them] to their children:   (Psalms 78:3-6)


7) The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower [is] servant to the lender.
Indebtedness….
The basic principle we are to remember is that whose who are have wealth, many times will take advantage of those who are in want.  Beacause of this principle, we are to be very careful when we become indebted, realizing when we borrow from others, we will reap obligation to them and, many times, abuse from them.

But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.   (Matthew 18:25)


8) He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail.
Sinfulness…
Anyone who commits sin will reap worthless mischief, the weapon he uses to harm others out of an angry heart will eventually be dissolved and will ruin him. 

When all is said and done, wickedness and harm done to others will ALWAYS be destructive to the sinful.  Perhaps we will not see this principle come to fruition in this temporal world, but when they stand before our Lord, justice will always be done.

For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: it hath no stalk: the bud shall yield no meal: if so be it yield, the strangers shall swallow it up.   (Hosea 8:7)



SUMMARY:
We will reap what we sow in all areas of our lives… some of these include:
1.  Distorting the path God has given for us will reap many pains (thorns) and traps (snares).
2.  When a person leads a child in the ways of God, they will reap a mature child who is faithful to the Lord.
3.  When a person becomes indebted to another, they will reap we will reap obligation to and abuse from.
4.  Anyone who commits sin will reap worthless mischief. 


By God’s grace, let us all study these proverbs diligently, giving them the value that they deserve.

May the Lord bless us as we receive this sound wisdom and then “Think On These Things”.



No comments:

Post a Comment