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”.
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