As we look around us today, we see turmoil, conflict, hate, fear, and self centeredness greater than ever before. There amid all this, where is the one ray of hope. Proverbs 1 includes one sound Warning and a Ray of Hope. God is our only hope and we can only reach Him through Jesus Christ. Alarms are all around us with sound warning reflecting the foolishness of all that we have accomplished through removing God from our lives.
Yet, the foolish go on believing that humanity can rise above it all with their own strength if we could just keep trying harder. How is that going?
There is only one answer that can bring racial harmony, love, peace and joy in this world. That is Jesus!
A sound Warning
Funny how the warnings in Proverbs 10-19 sounds such alarms in my mind and heart today as we see the looting and riots. What happened to George Floyd was wrong; but looting and riots are wrong as well. Listen to Proverbs 1:
My son, if sinful men entice you,
do not give in to them.
11 If they say, “Come along with us;
let’s lie in wait for innocent blood,
let’s ambush some harmless soul;
12 let’s swallow them alive, like the grave,
and whole, like those who go down to the pit;(Setting fire to all they have)
13 we will get all sorts of valuable things
and fill our houses with plunder;
14 cast lots with us;
we will all share the loot”—
15 my son, do not go along with them,
do not set foot on their paths;
16 for their feet rush into evil,
they are swift to shed blood.
17 How useless to spread a net
where every bird can see it!
18 These men lie in wait for their own blood;
they ambush only themselves!
19 Such are the paths of all who go after ill-gotten gain;
it takes away the life of those who get it.
LISTEN
Killing and destroying the livelihood of the innocent will not bring justice to any or for any. It only increases the division and allow evil men and women to justify their motives. Do not repay anyone evil for evil; consider what is good before all people (Romans 12:17). We are to rely upon God to dispense justice and He will one day correct it all. But if we repay evil with evil, we too shall perish in our own destructive evil. The only hope for our nation and our people is to turn to God for the answers we seek.
Instead of joining in the evil, Proverbs admonishes us to
Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction
and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.
9 They are a garland to grace your head
and a chain to adorn your neck. Proverbs 1:8-9
Can you imagine a beautiful golden chain about your neck which could be used to pull you back and keep you from going too far down the wrong path? A reminder of who we are and to whom we belong.
A RAy of Hope: Wisdom’s call
We then find in verses 20-31, the Wisdom (just as God) calls throughout the streets. Sadly, few hear the cries. As you read, imagine Christ calling your name to come.
Wisdom calls aloud [h]outside;
She raises her voice in the open squares.
21 She cries out in the [i]chief concourses,
At the openings of the gates in the city
She speaks her words:
22 “How long, you [j]simple ones, will you love [k]simplicity?
For scorners delight in their scorning,
And fools hate knowledge.
23 Turn at my rebuke;
Surely I will pour out my spirit on you;
I will make my words known to you.
24 Because I have called and you refused,
I have stretched out my hand and no one regarded,
25 Because you disdained all my counsel,
And would have none of my rebuke,
26 I also will laugh at your calamity;
I will mock when your terror comes,
27 When your terror comes like a storm,
And your destruction comes like a whirlwind,
When distress and anguish come upon you.
28 “Then they will call on me, but I will not answer;
They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me.
29 Because they hated knowledge
And did not choose the fear of the Lord,
FINAL DECREE
30 They would have none of my counsel
And despised my every rebuke.
31 Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way,
And be filled to the full with their own fancies.
32 For the [l]turning away of the simple will slay them,
And the complacency of fools will destroy them;
33 But whoever listens to me will dwell safely,
And will be [m]secure, without fear of evil.”
There is coming a day when it will be too late. God will not always contend with man. But one day He will give all who wanted to be separated from Him exactly what they wanted. However, they fail to see that once He removes Himself fully, all His grace goes as well. That is hell—where none of the goodness of God is present. Eternal torment is eternal separation from God. For now, His Grace is holding evil at bay; but what terror and sorrow when He withdraws His hand of grace from all who rejected His gift of salvation.
And all of that plus the previous two posts are only chapter one of proverbs. A lot of message in one little chapter. I hope that inspires your appetite to read a portion of proverbs every day.
DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD?
If you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord: I urge you to go to my page titled How to Be Saved by clicking on this link. There is nothing more important than this; because He is the way, the truth and the life. Therefore, I urge you to seek Him today.
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Disclosures
©Effie Darlene Barba, 2019
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned except for my own books. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
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