Proverbs 22 LOOK AHEAD “One day at a time” is a phrase often used by people who do not see the need of making plans or preparations for the future. Those words from a song on the other hand, are very supportive and helpful when one is suffering physically or is in a situation that is taking them through a particularly rough patch in life. A far as a principle for normal living, it can easily become an excuse to put off until tomorrow what should be done today. What I choose to do today can affect my family name and reputation for a lifetime and longer. Dangers inherent in decision making need to be carefully considered. How I respond to both good things and bad things that happen to me will have an effect on others around me.
For many people, “a good name” started generations ago in the lives of my forebearers in different countries of the world, and has followed me to this time and place. Now it is my turn to pass on to those who know me the value of my family name by committing myself to further that “good name.” That name and the impressions and reputation associated with it, is an important part of my heritage that was passed on to me, and should be passed on to my family. In the early church, people “took knowledge of them (the disciples) that they had been with Jesus.” A good name comes as a result of wisdom applied constantly in all areas of life. “Loving favor” is the impression a good name leaves on other people. Every human being, whether rich or poor, is the same to the Lord. One’s position, wealth or the lack of it, nationality and race does not add or take away the value of a person in the eyes of our Creator.
A sensible person knows when to keep his head down and when to run away from danger. He knows there is just judgment ahead of those who are careless in their sins, and who press on into the danger of living and dying without Christ. Even in life, to push ahead into that which is wrong has severe consequences from which one cannot escape. Looking ahead, the fear of the Lord which produces humility, has great dividends as a result. The approval of our Lord and His people, and a meaningful life, accompanies humility. There are unseen snares and traps for those who break laws, and bring disorder and evil. All they have to do to be caught, is to continue on the way they are going. The sensible and upright people will keep as far away as possible from them and what they do. Every Christian should avoid false doctrine like the plague, as well as compromising “Christianity” as they look ahead to the outcome of those things.
Every child in a family is different. Each one has different personalities and different likes and dislikes. They each have different abilities, different strengths and weaknesses. We call that uniqueness their “bent.” There are various interpretations as to what this verse means in regard to the child. The point of the verse is not the child, but the child- trainer. Training is done by repetition of those things that are right, and by the reinforcing of the good things as often as possible and in as many ways as possible. The opposite is true as well. When corrective discipline is needed, be consistent, and do it as often as is necessary to correct wrong behavior. Verbal discipline is the most common way to train because a “Yes” or “No,” or “Not that way, rather do it this way,” may have to be done over and over. Personal discipline, emotional discipline and physical discipline all have their place in child training. When a correct understanding of the wrong, and the kind of discipline suitable to the misdeed is determined, then have confidence in the word of God that the outcome in the future will be good.
Again, the rich and poor are connected, but in this verse, it is not what they have in common, but what is different. In this case, injustice is the point being made. Whenever you borrow money, remember, the lender has rule over you until the loan is repaid. Whatever we sow, we reap. We reap what we sow and we reap more than we sow. That is an unchanging principle. So, look ahead and see whether what you are doing or planning to do, will bring sorrow or joy. A person may unfairly use his power, authority and wealth with anger and fury, but look ahead at the end of the matter, because injustice always has serious consequences. To share what we have with others, doesn’t only reveal a person’s character, but shows that person is aware of the real needs of other people. It may be the need of food, need of the soul, or both.
Sometimes we will have to tell people to leave our presence when they mock God or scoff at the truth of God and those who are saved. When it comes to insults, quarrels and contention, a person like that cannot be allowed to spread his poisonous words and bad influence. In direct contrast to the mockery is the person of a pure heart and of gracious speech. Wise people like that are welcome almost everywhere, even by those who are in authority as leaders among people and nations. We may not realize how much we have learned from the Lord in the everyday lessons of life. Much of what we call “common sense,” comes from God arranging things so we can look ahead at what might happen before it happens and we are caught in sin or something compromising. Those who can’t be trusted will find out the same Lord who guides the use of knowledge, can overrule the plans and words they have, so they have no adverse effect.
Lazy people tend to exaggerate so they have an excuse to not do what should be done. Some people who are smart intellectually, do not look ahead at the effect of the ridiculous things they say. Urge them to go to work and fulfill their obligations and responsibilities before they have so much to say. Watch out when a woman flatters and uses suggestive words. There is a deep dark pit there that will bring you to ruin. Short-term pleasure brings long-term pain. Everyone is by nature, self-centered, self-seeking and selfish. Adults should know better than to allow that in themselves, but children have to be taught what is wrong as well as what is right. Physical discipline is the tried and proven way to effectively adjust a child’s behavior. Children generally are not able to be reasonable until they learn there are consequences to wrong doing. Look ahead and see what will happen to an undisciplined child, and compare that with one who is preserved by the “rod of discipline” administered by concerned and loving parents. They may rip people off to get a bargain, and after doing that enough times, may get rich. You may also try to get ahead by helping rich people get richer, but in the end everyone who is involved in those things will lose it all.
THE SAYINGS OF THE WISE For the next two chapters beginning at verse seventeen and ending at the end of chapter twenty-four, there are thirty specific sayings that tell us what not to do, and the reasons for not doing those things. He begins by saying in essence, “Pay attention to what I am going to tell you.” The first saying is, do what is told you because it is pleasant to be prepared for what is ahead. Pay attention to what is said and learn to always put your trust in the Lord. Pay attention because what is written are the counsels and knowledge from those who have tried and proven them. You can have confidence in what is written because it will establish truth in you, and you will be able to pass it on to others who depend on you.
The second saying is, don’t rob the poor in any way. Poor people have little defense when you take them to court, and you may think you have won there. But just remember, if you think you have won, it is only temporary. God will take all you have won, and more, from you who think you are in the place of authority and have force behind you. The Lord is stronger than you are.
The third saying is, don’t make friends of a hot-tempered person. And more than that, keep your distance from that person. If you hang out with him or her, you are in bad company, and you are in danger of doing the same sinful things. You are likely to get caught yourself and end up with the consequences a hot-temper brings.
The fourth wise saying: don’t be liable for another person’s debt. You may lose all your collateral. If the one you loaned money to can’t pay what they owe, the creditor will come back on you. In the end you might lose everything you have, even the furniture in your house, including your bed.
The fifth saying: do not move property line markers. Those were put in place by people who were here long before you and those boundaries are established and recognized by the powers-that-be. There are a lot of different boundary markers that should never be changed beside the boundary of a piece of land. There are boundaries of conduct that are established in every culture and nation. There are moral boundaries established that are not changeable even though the laws of the land may ignore them and try to adapt boundaries more acceptable to the sins people want to commit. There are boundaries around what is acceptable attitudes toward other people, and even animals. There are boundaries around our speech, and even when cursing and swearing are to some people no more than a habit, that doesn’t change the fact that wrong speech has consequences. There are doctrinal boundaries in the scriptures that are set, even though some people say they are not applicable now, or that is not really important to them as individuals. If it is in the Bible, we do not have the right to add or take away from the written doctrines of scripture. Boundary markers are to prevent chaos and confusion. Right and wrong does not change.
The sixth saying is, do a good job at whatever you put your hand to, and God and men will respect you. What you say and what you do in your work, or in anything you do, need to be consistent to each other. If you apply this saying in the right way, it will be noticed by those who really count in your life.