Today's Proverb: Proverbs 27

This is my second favorite chapter in the book of Proverbs, especially verses 23 through 27. Please read the entire chapter for yourself and keep up with your daily reading of the Proverbs. Remember, the Proverbs are for attaining wisdom, and there is one short chapter for every day of the month.

Here are my thoughts on certain verses:

Proverbs 27

1 Do not boast about tomorrow,
for you do not know what a day may bring forth.

Tomorrow is not promised. Furthermore, god can change you circumstance in an instant. This is not always a bad thing either. In my life, I am often presently surprised by where I am within only six months or a year.

2 Let another praise you, and not your own mouth;
someone else, and not your own lips.

We have to work to be humble. God gives honor to the humble, but humbles the proud.

6 Wounds from a friend can be trusted,
but an enemy multiplies kisses.

I like this verse. I had a friend (F.Butcher...ha, ha!), who had other friends, who would often flatter her. Then she would come to me for confirmation, and I would tell her the truth, even if it wasn't pretty, because as a friend, I had no ulterior motive to gain her favor. F. Butcher, notice who is still around and who proved to be less than true.

7 He who is full loathes honey,
but to the hungry even what is bitter tastes sweet.

My mama said it like this, "Never be too hungry, too tired or too lonely." I guess when you are too hungry, you will settle for anything.

9 Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart,
and the pleasantness of one's friend springs from his earnest counsel.

More on friends. We love our true friends, because we can trust them to be earnest in their advice, even when it is not what we want to hear.

10 Do not forsake your friend and the friend of your father,
and do not go to your brother's house when disaster strikes you—
better a neighbor nearby than a brother far away.

Some of you know this. I do. It is better to rely on friendship in your time of need than mere family relationships. First of all, you chose your friends, and they chose you, which is like a contract saying, "I promise to be here for you." Secondly, family is sometimes treated like an obligation, which can lead to feelings of resentment.

12 The prudent see danger and take refuge,
but the simple keep going and suffer for it.

Do you heed warnings? When God is sending you a warning sign: Danger Ahead, do you listen? I believe God will send us warnings to avoid this thing or that person, but we will sometimes persist anyway.

15 A quarrelsome wife is like
a constant dripping on a rainy day;

16 restraining her is like restraining the wind
or grasping oil with the hand.

We see this a lot. Why do you think it is so important?

17 As iron sharpens iron,
so one man sharpens another.

In an ideal relationship, two people will be spiritually linked and able to hold each other accountable and motivate one another to grow.

18 He who tends a fig tree will eat its fruit,
and he who looks after his master will be honored.

if you do a good job, you will be rewarded.

19 As water reflects a face,
so a man's heart reflects the man.

The New testament puts it this way:

16By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.

What fruit?

22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

20 Death and Destruction ^[a] are never satisfied,
and neither are the eyes of man.

Chasing after things is pointless, because things will never satisfy. You can obtain and obtain more, but it will never be enough. God is the only thing that will feel that void in our lives.

22 Though you grind a fool in a mortar,
grinding him like grain with a pestle,
you will not remove his folly from him.

No matter how many times a fool suffers, he will not learn and change his ways. Maybe this is the definition of a fool.

23 Be sure you know the condition of your flocks,
give careful attention to your herds;

24 for riches do not endure forever,
and a crown is not secure for all generations.

25 When the hay is removed and new growth appears
and the grass from the hills is gathered in,

26 the lambs will provide you with clothing,
and the goats with the price of a field.

27 You will have plenty of goats' milk
to feed you and your family
and to nourish your servant girls.

I love these verses. It's obvious that it is talking about animals, and life in an agricultural society, but today I believe it is a warning to protect our assets. "What are assets?", you ask. Assets are anything that is earning you money, or has the potential to earn you money. For instance, your body; take care of your body (get exercise, eat right) because as long as you have your health and your strength, you can work.

--Saucy Sister