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Tips for beautiful skin
WEATHER conditions, use of medication, illnesses, unhealthy lifestyle and poor dietary habits, and lack of proper skincare can cause our skin to become dehydrated; if we don’t do something about it fast enough, the unflattering consequences will be reflected on our skin such as wrinkles and dry, flaky skin.
Not only will our appearance suffer, but our health too, as dry skin can lead to ailments such as eczema and dermatitis.
Skin hydration is thus vital for healthier and younger-looking skin. To keep our skin in prime condition, we must first be aware of the common causes of skin dehydration:
Not drinking enough water
The body loses two to three litres of water daily from biological processes such as breathing, perspiring and urinating. With higher levels of physical activity, we can even lose up to two litres an hour.
To stay well hydrated, you should drink at least eight glasses of water over the course of the day, and not wait till you feel thirsty.
Water also helps the kidneys to flush out toxins from your body, and this has an impact on the general condition of your skin and health.
Not taking proper care of your skin
If the facial cleanser, washing lotion or body soap you are using leaves your skin feeling dry and taut, it’s best to chuck it.
Some cleaning products may contain ingredients such as alcohol, astringents and fragrances that are too harsh on your skin, and cause it to become dry and itchy. Your skincare routine matters as well. If you cleanse your face or bathe too many times a day, you will be stripping your skin of sebum – the layer of oil that helps to protect the skin, keep it supple and prevent moisture loss.
Not protecting the skin with sunscreen
Prolonged exposure to UV radiation results in wrinkles, skin discolouration and spots, causing premature ageing. UV rays harm the skin by penetrating into its deeper layers, damaging DNA, destroying collagen and depleting essential nutrients within them.
Besides choosing a sunscreen of a suitable SPF, we must also know how to use it correctly. Look for sunscreen offering broad-spectrum protection – that is, one that can block both UVA and UVB rays.
Smoking
Smoking harms the skin by inhibiting collagen production and constricting the blood vessels near the surface of the skin.
Without collagen and oxygen, the skin develops wrinkles and takes on a leathery appearance.
The most telling signs of the damaging effects of smoking on the skin are wrinkles around the mouth, discoloured teeth and skin that is tighter than it should be.
Smokers who are able to kick the habit at an early age will have a better chance at stopping the damage done to the skin. — The Straits Times/asia News Network
Proverbs 13:4
The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat.
Click here to listen to Commentary
Hard work works! But the sluggard will not do it! He hates hard work and perseverance. They are painful to him. He loves to sleep; he wants to take today off. The diligent man, working hard each day, enjoys the prosperity and plenty the sluggard covets and misses.
Lazy people want stuff. They envy and resent the assets of workers. They have many excuses why others have more than they have (Pr 20:4; 22:13; 26:16). They will not put in the work to get things. Instead, they whine about discrimination, luck, favoritism, etc.
They covet much, but they cannot get their lazy backsides out of bed to get those things (Pr 6:6-11). They will not even unfold their arms to put food in their mouths (Pr 19:24; 26:15). Work frustrates them, and they cannot figure out simple means of getting ahead (Eccl 10:15). When success falls in their laps, they cannot get it in the bank (Pr 12:27).
They need a bigger house, but they turn down offered overtime. They want a nicer car, but it is more fun to play basketball than take that side job. They want a better marriage, but they are too tired to invest in their spouse. They are sick of the rebellious children of this generation, but they do not have the energy to train their own tonight. They want to know the Bible better, but the thought of thirty minutes of study overwhelms their minds.
A sluggard is a lazy person. A sluggard goes to bed late, uses the snooze button, sleeps in late, is grouchy until noon, complains about his job, dresses sloppily, arrives late, moves slowly, slouches, is often still with hands in pockets or arms folded, would rather talk than work, takes frequent breaks, complains about difficult tasks, stands around unless forced to action, never asks for the next assignment, looks for shortcuts, leaves early, makes fun of hard workers, and is always talking about his last or next vacation.
A diligent man is the opposite. He loves hard work and stays until the job is finished. He goes to bed early, jumps up early, smiles in the morning, is excited about his job, dresses neatly, arrives early, walks briskly, stands erect, is never still, hates small talk, always asks for the next assignment, does every job properly, stays late, ridicules sluggards, commends hard workers, asks for overtime, and considers vacations necessary evils.
Diligence works. The diligent man rises out of the swamp of losers to the top of the class (Pr 22:29). He becomes a ruler (Pr 12:24). He gets rich (Pr 10:4). He has many possessions (Pr 21:5). God and men reward the man who works hard; in a generation of lazy workers, the difference will be more visible and the distinguishing rewards greater.
How are sluggards cured? Starve them! A man’s desire to work rises as his belly button nears his backbone. Solomon knew this (Pr 16:26). Financial help is only right where acts of God make it justifiable, because sluggards should be punished (Pr 20:4; II Thess 3:10). Welfare creates sluggards; it does not cure or help them, for it rewards those hating work.
How are sluggards cured? Keep them away from “a business opportunity”! Sluggards dream and talk about fairy tales rather than plow the back forty – dreams keep them from real work. But farming, a dirty and boring job like many, is exactly how to have plenty (Pr 12:11; 14:23; 28:19). Every minute spent listening to “a super-fantastic business proposal” wastes precious time and keeps men from being productive. Go to the field and plow; you will be far ahead of the person dreaming and listening to business ideas.
Such a warning about slothfulness is not just Old Testament doctrine. The apostle Paul wrote, “Not slothful in business” (Rom 12:11). He also taught that working hard with your own hands in a good job would provide all you need (I Thess 4:11-12; Eph 4:28). And he taught like Solomon that starvation is the best cure for sluggards (II Thess 3:10).
Hard work is its own reward. Are these the words of a fool? Only fools think so. These words are from Solomon’s exhortation, “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest” (Eccl 9:10). A bad thing about dying is you have to stop working.
Diligence applies to your whole life. The diligent spouse, who works hard at keeping God’s marital commandments, will have a prosperous marriage. The diligent parent, who works hard at child training, will have happy and wise children. The Christian that diligently bears spiritual fruit will have total assurance of their eternal life (II Pet 1:5-11).
Ministers must work hard. It is a horrible shame when the ministry is referred to as one of the non-profit professions. The ministers of Jesus Christ, like the apostle Paul, should outwork every other profession (II Tim 2:3-4; I Tim 4:13-16). Part of the blame for the present famine of the word of God is due to lazy oxen (Amos 8:11-12; II Tim 2:15).
You have a great opportunity today. Work harder than anyone else at your place of employment. Are you a housewife? Work harder than any wife you know. You will obtain everything you need; you will be happy and content in the effort; and you will be a shining example of Christianity in this lazy and slothful generation.
Paul worked harder than any other apostle, and he knew it (I Cor 15:10). The blessed Lord had little time for leisure (Mark 6:31). The Lord will reward you (and so will men), and you will adorn the doctrine of God your Saviour beautifully (I Tim 6:1; Tit 2:9-10).
Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established:
A
prosperous and long-lasting family and estate are built by wisdom,
understanding, and knowledge. There are no shortcuts. There are no
alternatives. The foolish and wicked may appear to be building great houses,
but they are coming down soon. There is no cheating this rule. If you
compromise wisdom, you will lose your family and estate.
Your
“house” is not just the building you live in. It includes your
posterity and inheritable assets. It includes your literal house, but do not
dilute the lesson. Wisdom and understanding here are far more than creative blueprints
(Pr 11:29; 14:1,11; 15:25,27).
It
is possible to see the wicked with large and prosperous families, but their
duration is short. Consider David’s observation, “Wait on the LORD,
and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked
are cut off, thou shalt see it. I have seen the wicked in great power, and
spreading himself like a green bay tree. Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was
not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found” (Ps 37:34-36).
Righteous
men want to leave a godly and prosperous family in the world (Pr 5:16-18; Ps
127:3-5; 128:1-6; 144:12-15; Mal 2:15). They want to train children and
grandchildren to perpetuate the truth of God in the earth (Deut 4:9-10; 6:4-9;
Ps 78:1-8; Joel 1:1-3).
Consider
the house of Abraham in size and quality. The nation of Israel came from him,
which he built and established by wisdom and understanding (Gen 12:1-3; 18:19; Neh
9:7-8). He feared God and lived by faith more than any man of his generation
(Gal 3:9).
Consider
the houses of Lot and Eli in duration and honor. Lot lost everything and
polluted his own daughters (Gen 19:30-38). Eli’s family of priests was
cut off and destroyed for the compromise of a sentimental and weak father (I
Sam 2:27-36; 3:11-18).
Your
family and estate will only prosper by wisdom and understanding, which is
plainly found in Scripture. If you live by any other means, you are doomed to
trouble, pain, and destruction. Humble yourself, and shore up your house with
the Word of God. Today!
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How to stay youthful
HOW can some people remain youthful long after middle age? Why are some seniors able to hang out as equals, physically and mentally, with people who are in their 20s and 30s?
It isn’t a matter of age denial, it’s a technique of age prevention. Learning the basics of keeping ageing away boils down to some simple tips. Here are 10 tips that will help you stay more youthful:
1) As we age, we lose muscle mass. This also causes a loss in cardiac function, so your aerobic capacity goes down as well. A routine of physical activity, especially something that increases the heart rate and works up a sweat, will help slow down the loss of muscle mass.
2) A posture change is a common symptom of age; the torso bends forward. As we spend so much time sitting, muscles that support the upper body weaken, so we sag forward at the hips. Instead, concentrate on walking with your pelvis out and shoulders back. That will make you look and feel younger.
3) Restore range of motion. If you have to stand on tiptoe to reach something in a cupboard that used to be easier to grab, work on stretching upward to restore your ability to reach into that cupboard.
4) Keep a sense of humour. Many boomers stop laughing as they age. Continue to see the funny side of life to enjoy a good joke or a comedy. Don’t let the years make you too serious.
5) Stay away from fast food. Do your own cooking and enjoy the taste of homecooked food. Sit down and eat your meals rather than gulping them down so you’re not just putting calories in your body.
If you don’t have regular relaxed and nutritious meals, your hormonal system never gets to stabilise, so digestion becomes less than optimal.
6) Falls are one of the biggest causes of disability as we get older. Often, it’s because our balance has deteriorated. While physical activity helps maintain balance, you also can do regular balance-specific exercises, like standing on one leg, then the other; or closing your eyes and turning in a circle, trying to stop at the exact place you started.
7) Keep socialising. Being around people not only keeps your social skills sharp, it makes you better at communicating with others. Spending too much time alone, reading or watching TV, can become a habit that leads to isolation – which makes us grow older faster.
8) Stretch often. A lot of boomers don’t stretch, but it’s important for warding off a lot of issues, including muscle atrophy. Put together a 10-minute stretch routine and do it before going to bed.
9) Learn something new every few months. Sign up for a community college course or research a new subject. This forces your brain to make new pathways, maintaining or even increasing your mental sharpness.
10) Don’t buy into the myth that getting older makes you useless. That belief leads to depression. Do things that make others see that age is not a barrier to competence. Join a local committee.
Volunteer to help out at cultural or sporting events. Be visible, so that everyone knows you’re a valuable member of your community. – McClatchy-Tribune Information Services
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Proverbs 7:26
There
is another whore in the Bible. The great whore of Revelation 17, which is the
false Church of Rome and the churches that came from her. She has also cast
down many wounded, and many strong men have been destroyed by her false
doctrine and abominable practices. The way to safety is the same – stay
far away from her, and find a true church of Jesus Christ where you can meet, worship,
and serve in apostolic purity.
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Proverbs 7:26
For she hath cast down
many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her.
What
did Samson and Solomon have in common? They could not resist whorish women. Are
men stronger than women? Yes, ordinarily. No, when the woman is an adulteress.
Here is the wise Preacher’s warning about the danger of the strange woman
– a woman other than your wife, especially a woman with a whorish heart (Pr
7:1-27).
Solomon,
a wise father, soberly warned his son about the temptation and danger of a
loose woman (Pr 7:1-5,24-27). After describing her seduction of a foolish young
man in a lengthy parable (Pr 7:6-23), he summarized the grave danger of going
near such a woman two ways – her power over men is great (Pr 7:26), and
the results are fatal (Pr 7:26-27).
Adam
and Eve taught a sober lesson in Eden (Gen 2:18-25; 3:1-6). Though Adam was
made first and Eve was his helper, he could not resist her request to eat the
forbidden fruit (Gen 3:12). Satan’s lie to Eve did not deceive Adam, but
he weakly submitted to his naked wife over God and His commandment (Gen
2:16-17; I Tim 2:14). And Satan has used women to seduce men ever since, whether
married or not (Job 2:9; I Kgs 11:1-11).
By
wise design, God made the woman’s body, flattering speech, physical
contact, and eagerness for intimacy to powerfully attract men. Used properly in
marriage, it results in the great pleasures of the Song of Solomon. Used
outside marriage, only a few men can resist the powerful temptation. As the
proverb declares, “Many strong men have been slain by her.” The
only sure way to avoid adultery is to stay far from her (Pr 7:6-8,25).
Women
have altered nations by seducing their leaders. Consider Cleopatra. This
conniving adulteress stole Egypt’s throne and undermined Rome’s by
seducing Julius Caesar, and then she destroyed the general Mark Antony by
adultery as well. These men, renowned for courage, leadership, and strength,
were soft putty in her lying embraces.
But
there was Joseph, who resisted the repeated advances of Potiphar’s wife,
to eventually rule Egypt, second only to Pharaoh (Gen 39:7-12). Though never
having the strength of Samson or killing a giant like David, Joseph is a
greater hero. And the Lord Jesus Christ, tempted in all points as any man, was
without sin His entire life (Heb 4:15).
What
will adultery cost? You will be wounded and slain! Delilah took Samson to an
early grave of ignominy and shame. Bathsheba cost David enormously the rest of his
life. And pagan women from other nations ruined Solomon’s life and
dynasty. Adultery is not the exciting diversion the world claims; adultery is a
painful hell and death (Pr 7:27).
How
can men defeat the adulteress? They cannot go near her, because they do not
have the strength to resist. They must avoid her altogether.
She has four
wiles: looks, flattery, touch, and willingness. Reject pornography, coed
swimming, and immodestly clothed women. Reject flirting, phoning, texting, or
email liaisons. Reject dancing, embracing, or other physical contact with
another woman. And never allow personal or intimate conversation or opportunity
where her willingness for sin can be communicated.
Good
wives grasp the power they have and use it to please their husbands and win
peace in their marriages and homes (Song 8:6-7; I Cor 7:1-5). And they rejoice
in the wonderful pleasure themselves (Song 1:1-2; 2:3-7; 3:4-5; 5:9-16; 8:1-4).
They will use their looks, romantic words, physical caresses, and initiate
lovemaking to promote romance at home to save their husbands from whorish women
(Pr 5:19-20; I Cor 7:1-5; Heb 13:4).
Proverbs 6:25
Lust not after her beauty
in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids.
A
man’s eyes see a woman’s beauty in a second. Thus far there is no
sin. But three sinful stages follow that are a prelude to adultery. The eyes
linger and move to fascination with the details of her beauty, the heart moves
from nobly admiring to hungrily desiring her, and the soul becomes willing to
the invitation of her eyes. Here are the three steps to hell!
The
depraved heart of man is polygamous. It is never content. The other woman is
always more desirable, just as the forbidden fruit in Eden exceeded all others
in appeal. The unknown is always presumed superior to the familiar. Fallen man
is vulnerable to a beautiful woman, as the pleasure she embodies exceeds any
other in this life. Therefore, wise men must rule their eyes and heart to
resist her dangerous beauty and wiles.
Solomon
and his wife wanted to save their son from adultery (Pr 6:20-35). Here he gives
rules, consequences, and warnings to protect his son from this heinous and
horrible sin. Wise men will consider these things day and night (Pr 6:21-23),
lest they destroy their estate, reputation, and soul by succumbing to her
beauty and sinful ways (Pr 6:24-35).
Sin
follows a simple course. Every man has lusts. When those lusts are given an
object and allowed to consider it, they will powerfully entice the man. The
lusts plan the sin, and the man executes it. Then the sin brings painful
consequences and eventual death. These are the real facts of life that every
young man should be taught (James 1:13-16).
The
appeal of an attractive woman is incredibly powerful. It destroyed the sons of
God and brought the Flood (Gen 6:2), and it took David down in seconds (II Sam
11:2). No woman can fully understand the instantaneous draw a beautiful woman
has on the soul of a man through his eyes. It is an overpowering object of
desire, unless he is walking in the Spirit and ruling his spirit. So Christian
women must dress modestly (I Tim 2:9-10).
Man!
When you see a beautiful woman, and you will, do not let your heart obey your
lusts to fantasize about how much you want her and how happy she could make
you. You must not think on her details in your heart. It is acceptable to say,
“That is a beautiful woman,” like when viewing a house, car, or
garden. But it is unacceptable to think, “I love those curves, and
without clothes, she would give pleasure I have never had before.”
The
eyes are windows of the soul; they can sometimes express more than words can
tell. Solomon knew of their power (Song 4:9). Immodest women paint their faces
to accent their eyes, as did Jezebel (II Kgs 9:30). Wanton eyes are the tools
of whores (Is 3:16). When a woman uses her eyes to flatter a man and offer
herself intimately to him, the most discreet and powerful enticement a man will
ever face, the trap is complete. So Christian women must maintain a look of
shamefacedness and sobriety (I Tim 2:9-10).
What
are the cures for her beauty and eyelids? Remember the three steps to hell, and
provide a defense against each. There is much wisdom here. Solomon had 700
wives, princesses, and 300 concubines. Through wide experience, and exceptional
understanding from God, he knew more about women and their dangers than you and
your counselors.
First,
avoid seeing a beautiful woman and moving to fascination with her by reducing
your exposure to only the necessary. Take precautions against encountering
beautiful women, especially acquaintances. This cure includes colleagues,
neighbors, or church members. Jesus said you should be willing to cut off your
right hand to avoid her (Matt 5:27-30; Rom 13:14). When you feel the rising
heat due to a desirable woman, get away quickly while your visual impression is
still noble admiration and virtuous appreciation.
Second,
keep your heart with all diligence, so it will not recall the images of her
beauty and cause you to play with them by fantasy (Pr 4:23). Fill your heart
with wisdom, righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come (Acts 14:25).
Think about Jesus Christ, heaven, Scripture, and prayer (Phil 3:20; Col 3:2).
Daily activities must include self-examination, repentance, and confession (Ps
139:23-24). Remind yourself of the terrible consequences of sexual sins (Pr 5:1-14).
Renew the covenant with your eyes (Job 31:1).
Finally,
to avoid her invitations, reject casual social interaction and eye-to-eye
contact. The price is too high, the danger too great. Every man knows which
women tempt him, and they cannot be his social companions or correspondents.
And this warning includes both looks and conversations. Remember that phones
and texts can also carry seduction.
The
man who has excited his lusts to a feverish pitch with pornography, unhindered
fantasies, or other lascivious practices will not stand a chance. His body and
mind craves the first opportunity. The rules of this proverb are too late; the
burning desire for sexual satisfaction turns even average women into objects of
lustful desire (II Pet 2:14). If they are weak or wanton, he will go down as
certainly as sheep go down to the slaughter.
Christian
woman, be careful to cover your body well and limit casual conversation with
men, especially if you are attractive. You will never understand the pain and
trouble you cause by your physical presence and friendliness. Stay at home;
love your husband; dress modestly, hide your eyes; talk to women; hold your
children; be merciful and virtuous.
Christian
man, do not be hasty to judge a good Christian woman as arrogant or rude,
because her reservation in conversation, eye contact, friendliness, or body
language may be precisely the modest conduct God requires (I Tim 2:9-10; Titus
2:3-5). Be thankful you have met such a virtuous queen and honor and protect
her well as your twice sister.
The
warning of the proverb also applies to the whorish Church of Rome and her
harlot daughters (Rev 17:1-6). They seductively adorn their exteriors to
attract men, while covering the deceit and fraud of their doctrine. They use
their wiles to seduce the simple, without telling them of the hell to come.
They appear attractive and are forward in their invitations, but they are the
enemies of Christ. Come out of her, my people (Rev 18:4).
Proverbs 2:16
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To deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the
stranger which flattereth with her words;
God
loves His sons, and Solomon loved his son. A great danger facing men is
fornication and adultery, which is warned about often in Proverbs. Both God and
Solomon warn against immoral women, who increase this sin among men (Pr 23:28).
Learn the warning.
Let
every father and son take heed, for here is a warning of great importance to
the safety of your soul. Noble readers will let the wisdom and knowledge of
Proverbs enter into their hearts and be pleasant unto their souls (Pr 2:10),
for then discretion and understanding can save them from the strange woman (Pr 2:11).
Avoid this sin.
What
is a strange woman? She is any woman you have not married, so you have no right
to any romantic or sexual pleasure with her. She does not belong to you. More
specifically, she is a whorish woman, who entices men to commit fornication
with her.
In
the Bible, Jephthah’s brothers despised him as the son of a strange
woman, for his mother was a prostitute (Judges 11:1-2). Their own mother was
their father’s wife, but his mother a whore. Therefore, Jephthah was a
bastard and not a full, legitimate son.
A
strange woman is a stranger, for she belongs to another man. Christians are
strangers in the earth, because this is not their home; their home is heaven. A
strange woman is an evil woman straying from her home and seducing men other
than her husband for sex.
You
will meet with this warning again, as it is a great temptation for men,
especially young men (Pr 6:24; 7:5). No man can play with this temptation, for
many strong men have been slain by her (Pr 7:26). Samson was powerless before
Delilah (Judges 16:4-21), so that he told her all his heart, even though he
knew she was out to destroy him.
Determine
in your heart beforehand to avoid this woman, for she is waiting to cause you
to sin (Pr 23:26-28). She does not always seek wicked and profane men, for she
may seek those with virtuous souls (Pr 6:26). So you can see Potiphar’s
wife enticing noble Joseph, who firmly rejected her advances with a soul
committed to God (Gen 39:7-12).
You could meet her today.
Men work with wives of other men more than ever, and those women are sexually
looser than ever. What can a man do? He must commit his soul to God in all
sexual matters, and he must avoid forward or friendly women. The flattering
attention of a woman is too powerful to allow, for it will lead to destruction
(Pr 7:21-23).
Do
not lust after a woman’s beauty or enjoy her eyes (Pr 6:25). Reject and
flee from her words of praise and flattery (Pr 6:24). Do not think about her in
your heart (Job 31:1). Stay away from her presence with great care (Pr 4:15).
Flee youthful lusts (II Tim 2:22).
Flattery
is kind and friendly speech to win your attention. It is not sincere and
virtuous, for the intentions are not noble or righteous. A woman’s praise
can overpower a man, so avoid it and disregard it (Pr 5:3; 7:21). Do not chat,
call, text, or email such women, unless necessary, for she cannot flatter you,
if you do not communicate with her.
Of
course, she will not say her goal is sin. Instead she will praise you, commend
herself, describe creative lovemaking and great affection, and say she wants to
give you much love (Pr 7:13-18). Hate her words! Run from them! Reject them!
She lies! Though she seems delightful and pleasant, her end is bitter and
painful (Pr 2:18-19; 5:5; 7:27; 9:18).
Solomon
wrote much of Proverbs to protect his son from strange women. Wisdom,
knowledge, discretion, and understanding will keep you from her (Pr 2:10-11).
Know and understand that God has condemned all adulterers and whoremongers (Heb
13:4), and the consequences of adultery are terrible and long lasting (Pr 6:26-35).
It is a man’s wisdom and discretion to minimize social interaction with
any woman but his own wife.
Godly
women must learn to modestly cover their beauty, limit their eye contact, and curtail
friendly speech with other men. If you do not, you kindle a fire that will
destroy your own soul and home and those of others as well. If you truly love
your neighbor, those people God puts in your path, you will protect them from
adultery (Rom 13:8-10).
---------------------------
Proverbs 7:11
(She is loud and stubborn;
her feet abide not in her house:
Here
are three traits of a whore, an adulteress. All wise women will diligently
avoid these three traits, and all wise men will carefully avoid women having
them. Here is wisdom buried in a lengthy description of a strange woman
seducing and destroying a young man.
Chapter
seven primarily consists of a dramatic parable about a young man being tempted
and taken by a strange woman (Pr 7:6-23). Solomon, ever the wise father, used
it to impress upon his son and children the dangers of this seductive enemy (Pr
7:1-5,24-27).
The
whore is generally a loud woman. She likes to talk; she talks a lot; and she
talks loudly (Pr 9:13). She is ready to give her opinion, whether it was asked
for or not, even though she is usually ignorant of the subject matter. If she
receives any resistance, she just gets louder. She often corrects others speaking
for little details that are irrelevant.
She
likes to finish the sentences of others. You can hear her loudly correcting her
children and husband. Verbal sparring delights her. She is self-willed,
headstrong, and wants to express her opinion. She is forward and uncouth with
her mouth, irritating and rude with her words, and contrary in her speech. You
have heard her before. Avoid her!
A
godly woman, far superior to the best whore, has a meek and quiet spirit, which
God Himself considers of great value (I Pet 3:3-4). She remembers her
subordinate role; she is always gracious; kindness rules her mouth; and she
does not mind being silent (Pr 11:16; 31:26; I Cor 14:34-35). She considers
modesty and shamefacedness to be virtues (I Tim 2:9-10). When she speaks, they
are words others appreciate (Pr 15:23; 24:26; 25:11).
Christian
woman, can you cut your words and volume in half? Is it possible? Such a simple
change will dramatically increase your esteem by good men and women. Your
reputation will grow with each reduction in number of words and decibels (Pr 17:27-28).
If you are already a very quiet woman, you should ignore the advice of this
paragraph.
The
whore is generally a stubborn woman. She does not like to be told what to do;
she wants to do things her way; she resents being accountable to anyone; she
hates correction and instruction. She is self-willed and loves her opinions.
Whether authority or affection is used to win her, she will resist until the
matter meets her own approval. She will use tears, threats, emotion, or other
responses to resist leadership of her husband and others.
A
virtuous woman, who is far superior to the best whore, is cheerfully submissive
and very willing to follow the leadership of her husband (Eph 5:22-24; Col
3:18). She does not balk, question, or contend with her husband. She knows she
was created for him, and she knows she is to reverence and fear him (I Cor
11:9; Eph 5:33; I Pet 3:1-2). She honors him and his office, and it is her
delight to obey him and fulfill his desires.
Christian
woman, do you know that stubbornness is a hateful trait in a woman? It truly
makes her odious (Pr 30:21-23). A contentious woman makes married life miserable
(Pr 12:4; 19:13; 21:9,19; 25:24; 27:15-16). Cheerfully obey without answering
again, and you will see an improvement in how you are treated by husband,
family, and others.
The
whore generally does not like to stay at home (Pr 7:12). Domestic duties of serving
a husband and children are boring, frustrating, and beneath her. She wants to
be out and about in the city, attending this and that activity to the neglect
of her high calling. She is bored being a housewife; she gets claustrophobic;
she loves to shop; she loves to leave her house. She is not content working at
home to make her house and family the best.
A
noble woman, who is far superior to the best whore, loves her domestic calling
and cheerfully remains at home to manage the house and provide for her man and
his children (Pr 31:10-31; Gen 18:9; I Tim 5:13-14; Tit 2:4-5). She understands
her very significant role in supporting her husband and caring for their
children. Nursing a baby and preparing a meal for her family are delights to
her soul, even if they include cleaning up the baby later and having a kitchen
to clean after supper.
Christian
woman, will you make greater efforts this very day to be quiet, submissive, and
happy in your domestic duties? You can build your house – your family and
estate – by wisdom in these areas (Pr 14:1). You can be great in the
sight of God and men by rejecting the character traits of the strange woman.
You can be more valuable than rubies.
Let
every woman naming the name of Christ reject loudness, stubbornness, and
dislike of home life. Choose rather to be a living example of a meek and quiet
spirit, submission and reverence to your husband, and the domestic queen of Proverbs
31. You will rejoice in time to come, as God blesses your virtue with godly
fruit and reward (Pr 31:25).
Let
every man avoid and reject women having these three wicked traits. Such women
do not deserve a place in human society, and they especially do not deserve a
husband to support and secure their sinful lives. Young man, the choice is
yours. But you will bear your own burden. Pursue gracious and virtuous women,
and reject all other pretenders.
The
great whore of Rome and her harlot daughters boast loudly, are stubborn for
human tradition over Scripture, and long ago departed from simple apostolic
Christianity. Let every church examine itself to make sure Rome has not
infected her. And let every Christian depart out of her, lest you be taken in
her sins and plagues (Rev 18:4).
--------------------------------------------
Proverbs 31:24
She maketh fine linen, and
selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.
Great
women are ingenious and industrious. They are intelligent and diligent. They see
business opportunities and leverage them for the benefit of the family estate. They
fulfill domestic duties to husband and children first, but they have a mind and
drive to do more.
A
virtuous woman (a female person who plays a significant role (wife, mistress or girlfriend) – the great woman every wise man should marry – is
an enterprising woman. She is not content with merely being a limited housewife.
She knows she is capable of more, so she does more. The example here is a
manufacturing and wholesale business in fine linen and girdles. This woman has
an entrepreneurial and ambitious spirit that seeks profitable projects to
support her husband and build the family income.
Leisure
women, who like the easy life of a limited housewife and resent this proverb,
need to remember that a mother gave the advice. This chapter of Proverbs has
the words of King Lemuel, but they are the prophecy his mother taught him (Pr 31:1-2).
This great mother gave her son godly wisdom on how to be a great king (Pr 31:3-9)
and how to find a virtuous woman for marriage (Pr 31:10-31). Wise men and women
will love the advice.
In
all fairness, the virtuous woman did have servants (Pr 31:15). However,
managing servants has its own burdens. But she did not have refrigerators,
telephones, email, easy transportation, microwaves, vacuum cleaners, clothes
washers and dryers, dishwashers, cheap capital, and a thousand other labor-saving
devices, inventions, and sources of information. She was exceptionally
diligent, disciplined, focused, and productive.
It
is an error of Bible interpretation to believe a woman must be home all the
time doing only domestic duties. Some require this even when children are in
school, old enough to care for themselves, or married and gone! The
“keepers at home” of Titus 2:5 condemns idleness, busybodies, and
gossip, which a comparison with I Timothy 5:13-14 shows. It warns against the
actions of a strange woman, who wanders wantonly in a city (Pr 7:11).
The
Bible error, possibly the Victorian era, and other factors have caused some
Christian women to be decorative, pampered, and unproductive objects at home.
God never intended this! These women struggle to put boxes of cereal out for
breakfast, run a couple loads of laundry through machines, and extort pizza out
of their husbands for supper. What do they do all day? Little! The virtuous
woman could do their day in an hour!
The
virtuous woman is preeminently a diligent woman – extremely hard working
for her husband and children. Fearing the Lord (Pr 31:30), this holy woman
applies herself physically and mentally from early to late each day. She has no
time for chatting on the phone, long emails, window-shopping, tea parties,
Bible studies with televangelists, sitting for hours at soccer practice,
playing tennis, checking prices at ten stores, sewing clothes that could be
purchased, reading for pleasure, art lessons, or other wastes of time.
A
woman with small children and no servants has little time for business, but
that is true only for a few years of a woman’s life. If she is a good
mother and trainer, even children of 7-10 can do many domestic duties. The
heart of a great woman is motivated to do more as soon as possible. She does
not pace herself, protect a leisure lifestyle, or become a soccer mom. She
wants to outwork her husband and contribute financially, so she does!
The
virtuous woman is creative, diligent, energetic, focused, intense, and most of
all, productive. She gets a lot done every day! She does not lose or waste
time. Her family is well cared for, but she does not stop there. She looks to
the future and builds the estate. Men married to such women should give them
part of their earnings, so they can plow it into greater earnings (Pr 31:16,31).
Her husband is famous because of her (Pr 31:23,28).
Christian
woman, here is the standard; here is the ideal – the virtuous woman. The
lesson is simple: she takes on financial projects to add earnings to the
family, whether it is a paid job or a small business. She is not content with
the leisurely life of a housewife in an age of many conveniences. She finds
opportunities to add income for the family, and she does not sacrifice the
family pursuing them. She is the perfect woman. Study her! Copy her!
Christian
wife, if your husband and children are well cared for, and you work a full-time
job, you are already doing a great deal. There is little to no time for much
else. You are to be commended for balancing such large responsibilities in two
opposing directions. May God comfort you that you may have already met the
standard of this proverb, and may He teach you the principle of mercy toward
yourself (Matt 12:7; Pr 11:17).
Christian
wife, if you are at home with young children, and resources and time will not
allow much outside work, focus on what God does expect. Make sure you are the
best companion and lover for your husband, keep an exceptional home, and diligently
train godly character into your children, so they can help in the house and
soon be great in their lives and endeavors. Be wise as things change to not
miss an opportunity for more.
Christian
man, here is the standard; here is the ideal – the virtuous woman. There
are two inspired criteria that a king’s mother taught: a woman that will
be a great wife fears the Lord (Pr 31:30), and she is exceptionally ambitious
and diligent, well beyond domestic duties. Require these two traits, and you
will have a jewel with value far above rubies (Pr 31:10). If men expected women
like this, many marriages would be different and better.
Proverbs 31:24
She maketh fine linen, and
selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.
Great
women are ingenious and industrious. They are intelligent and diligent. They see
business opportunities and leverage them for the benefit of the family estate. They
fulfill domestic duties to husband and children first, but they have a mind and
drive to do more.
A
virtuous woman – the great woman every wise man should marry – is
an enterprising woman. She is not content with merely being a limited housewife.
She knows she is capable of more, so she does more. The example here is a
manufacturing and wholesale business in fine linen and girdles. This woman has
an entrepreneurial and ambitious spirit that seeks profitable projects to
support her husband and build the family income.
Leisure
women, who like the easy life of a limited housewife and resent this proverb,
need to remember that a mother gave the advice. This chapter of Proverbs has
the words of King Lemuel, but they are the prophecy his mother taught him (Pr 31:1-2).
This great mother gave her son godly wisdom on how to be a great king (Pr 31:3-9)
and how to find a virtuous woman for marriage (Pr 31:10-31). Wise men and women
will love the advice.
In
all fairness, the virtuous woman did have servants (Pr 31:15). However,
managing servants has its own burdens. But she did not have refrigerators,
telephones, email, easy transportation, microwaves, vacuum cleaners, clothes
washers and dryers, dishwashers, cheap capital, and a thousand other labor-saving
devices, inventions, and sources of information. She was exceptionally
diligent, disciplined, focused, and productive.
It
is an error of Bible interpretation to believe a woman must be home all the
time doing only domestic duties. Some require this even when children are in
school, old enough to care for themselves, or married and gone! The
“keepers at home” of Titus 2:5 condemns idleness, busybodies, and
gossip, which a comparison with I Timothy 5:13-14 shows. It warns against the
actions of a strange woman, who wanders wantonly in a city (Pr 7:11).
The
Bible error, possibly the Victorian era, and other factors have caused some
Christian women to be decorative, pampered, and unproductive objects at home.
God never intended this! These women struggle to put boxes of cereal out for
breakfast, run a couple loads of laundry through machines, and extort pizza out
of their husbands for supper. What do they do all day? Little! The virtuous
woman could do their day in an hour!
The
virtuous woman is preeminently a diligent woman – extremely hard working
for her husband and children. Fearing the Lord (Pr 31:30), this holy woman
applies herself physically and mentally from early to late each day. She has no
time for chatting on the phone, long emails, window-shopping, tea parties,
Bible studies with televangelists, sitting for hours at soccer practice,
playing tennis, checking prices at ten stores, sewing clothes that could be
purchased, reading for pleasure, art lessons, or other wastes of time.
A
woman with small children and no servants has little time for business, but
that is true only for a few years of a woman’s life. If she is a good
mother and trainer, even children of 7-10 can do many domestic duties. The
heart of a great woman is motivated to do more as soon as possible. She does
not pace herself, protect a leisure lifestyle, or become a soccer mom. She
wants to outwork her husband and contribute financially, so she does!
The
virtuous woman is creative, diligent, energetic, focused, intense, and most of
all, productive. She gets a lot done every day! She does not lose or waste
time. Her family is well cared for, but she does not stop there. She looks to
the future and builds the estate. Men married to such women should give them
part of their earnings, so they can plow it into greater earnings (Pr 31:16,31).
Her husband is famous because of her (Pr 31:23,28).
Christian
woman, here is the standard; here is the ideal – the virtuous woman. The
lesson is simple: she takes on financial projects to add earnings to the
family, whether it is a paid job or a small business. She is not content with
the leisurely life of a housewife in an age of many conveniences. She finds
opportunities to add income for the family, and she does not sacrifice the
family pursuing them. She is the perfect woman. Study her! Copy her!
Christian
wife, if your husband and children are well cared for, and you work a full-time
job, you are already doing a great deal. There is little to no time for much
else. You are to be commended for balancing such large responsibilities in two
opposing directions. May God comfort you that you may have already met the
standard of this proverb, and may He teach you the principle of mercy toward
yourself (Matt 12:7; Pr 11:17).
Christian
wife, if you are at home with young children, and resources and time will not
allow much outside work, focus on what God does expect. Make sure you are the
best companion and lover for your husband, keep an exceptional home, and diligently
train godly character into your children, so they can help in the house and
soon be great in their lives and endeavors. Be wise as things change to not
miss an opportunity for more.
Christian
man, here is the standard; here is the ideal – the virtuous woman. There
are two inspired criteria that a king’s mother taught: a woman that will
be a great wife fears the Lord (Pr 31:30), and she is exceptionally ambitious
and diligent, well beyond domestic duties. Require these two traits, and you
will have a jewel with value far above rubies (Pr 31:10). If men expected women
like this, many marriages would be different and better.
----------------
Proverbs 25:24
It is better to dwell in
the corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman and in a wide house.
Loneliness
is better than marriage to an odious woman. An arguing wife sucks the life out
of a man’s soul and leaves him numb with pain or rage. There are few
things men cannot bear and that destroy earthly peace; an odious woman is one. She
acts civil when dating, but once the wedding is over, her poor victim wakes up in
marital hell (Pr 30:21-23).
Solomon
was a man, and he wrote as one to his son. He often warned about odious and
whorish women. Both kinds destroy men. He observed odious women destroy
men’s lives (Pr 11:22; 12:4; 14:1; 19:13; 21:9,19; 27:15-16). And he
observed whorish women destroy men’s lives (Pr 2:16-19; 5:3-23; 6:24-35;
7:6-27; 9:13-18; 22:14; 23:27-28; Eccl 7:25-29). God used a queen mother to
write about the perfect woman (Pr 31:1,10-31).
Solomon
knew God had created the woman to help and please the man (Gen 2:18; I Cor
11:3,7-9). The calamity occurs when the creature ordained to comfort and
encourage him becomes his worst enemy and nightmare – one he cannot
escape, for she lives in his house, breaks his heart, consumes his living,
confounds his soul, corrupts his children, and still expects to snore in his
bed at night. Oh, to be single again, but it is too late!
What
is the housetop in this proverb? Houses then had flat and useful roofs, which
could be used for solitude, but which exposed a person to all types of weather.
The sun could bake you, the wind torment, the rain soak, and the cold chill
you. But huddled in a corner of such a housetop is a better living choice than
being down below with an arguing woman, no matter how spacious and comfortable
the living quarters might be.
What
is a brawling woman? It is not a woman who boxes professionally, starts
fistfights with neighbors, or attacks her husband with teeth, clubs, or knives.
It is a nagging wife who cannot allow a matter to rest, cannot stop giving her
opinions, cannot submit to her husband’s decisions, cannot stop
questioning everything he does, cannot stop correcting irrelevant details when
he speaks, and otherwise hounds him mercilessly.
When
writing other proverbs about her, Solomon used angry (Pr 21:19), contentious (Pr
19:13; 21:19; 27:15), and continual dropping (Pr 19:13; 27:15) to describe her.
This evil wife gets upset easily, argues and contests anything her husband says
or does, and constantly nags. She talks a lot, talks loud, is opinionated,
questions everything, corrects her husband and children, worries about details,
argues quickly, gets defensive easily, remembers past offences, seldom
apologizes, or self-righteously turns away when bested.
You
have heard and seen this woman. You are surely related to one. Hopefully, she
is a third cousin, rather than a wife, mother, sister, aunt, or grandmother.
Her stench cannot be hid (Pr 27:15-16). No amount of beauty can cover her odor
(Pr 11:22). The family knows she is odious and her husband is a victim of one
of life’s greatest curses (Pr 30:21-23). God put her in your family to
teach your sons what kind of women are to die single.
Unmarried
man! Do not resent being single. It is far better than marriage to this
irritating and obnoxious creature. Why are many men workaholics or obsessed
with foolish hobbies? Because doing anything, anywhere is better than being at
home with mama. Your loneliness is nothing compared to the pain of fifty years in
marital hell. Rejoice! Your meals are peaceful, your wallet growing, your home
quiet, and your bed pleasant.
Unmarried
man! What can you do? Test any woman well before thinking about marriage. Your
life depends on it. If you doubt this wisdom, spend a night on your rooftop,
which is not as bad as a bad woman. Examine every prospect’s mother for
the odious odor. Test every prospect often. Her irritation now can save you a
crushed spirit and ruined life later. Get her around married men, because their
sense of smell is better than yours.
Unmarried
man! Trust your godly father. He has been married longer than you have been
alive. His experience is worth millions. He has your best interests at heart.
He thinks with a longer time perspective. He has no emotions clouding his
judgment. His testosterone has abated from your blinding levels. His peer
pressure is to help you marry wisely, not quickly. Trust your godly mother. She
also can detect signs that could ruin a son’s life.
Unmarried
man! Do not consider a woman for marriage unless she fears the LORD more than
anything else (Pr 31:30). Great fear and love of God are the only motives
strong enough to overcome a woman’s temptation to argue, contend,
irritate, nag, question, or resist you. Find a woman that trembles before God
and loves Jesus Christ, and join a church where proverbs like this are taught.
You can guarantee marital happiness!
Unmarried
woman! Humble yourself before the wisdom of God and commit in your heart to
never be like this woman. Prepare your mind and practice every day to be
cheerful, cooperative, forgiving, gracious, loving, quiet, peaceful, and
submissive to your parents, your teachers, and your employers. Hate the evil
woman of this proverb. Hate the sins that make her so obnoxious to others.
Grieve for the victims she has married and ruined.
Married
man! What can you do? If you married foolishly and are tormented by this
contentious brawler, pack your bags and head upstairs. Or pray for an early
death, for you, or her. Or leave this proverb in a conspicuous place. Or take
her to a church where such things are taught, and pray she has an ounce of
conscience left to convict her about her spirit. If you married a gentle,
tender, and virtuous woman, take her out tonight.
Married
woman! Examine yourself in the mirror of this proverb. Do not walk away (Jas
1:21-25). Your opinion about yourself is deceptive and wrong. Every odious
woman thinks she is gracious – which is why she is odious! What do others
think about you? Do you have many friends? Are young suitors seeking your
daughters, because they hope to get a woman like you? Let truth and reality
drive you to repentance or renewed effort.
Every
reader! Give God the glory for such loving advice and marvelous wisdom. Every
word of God is pure, and this inspired knowledge can save young men from
marital grief. The Bible is as relevant today as ever, regardless of what
skeptics and enemies of truth say. The important issue is whether young men
will heed the warning, young women avoid the conduct, and married women beg God
and their husbands for forgiveness.
------------------
Proverbs 6:24
To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman.
Click here to listen to Commentary
Men love the praise of a woman. They crave female flattery. It is even more exciting when the adoration comes from a new woman, a beautiful woman, or a popular woman. Wicked women use this male vulnerability to seduce men into adultery and fornication.
Young men must be taught against the seducing power and grave danger of a whore’s praise. With modern means to flatter by email, text, tweet, or call, the danger is greater than ever. Since many women lack a conscience or sexual inhibition today, sexting being an example, young men must learn to get completely away from such girls and women.
King Solomon, being a good and wise father, sought to prepare his son for the throne of Israel. Knowing that power is one of the greatest aphrodisiacs and motives for corrupt women, he warned his son often about the danger of enticing words from a strange woman – any woman he had not married (Pr 2:16; 5:3; 7:5,13-21; 22:14; 29:5). He knew the thrill of praise from a woman, implying her desire for intimacy, was a great threat.
An evil woman will go to bed with a man she has not married; she is an adulteress or a whore. She is a strange woman, because she has no right to his marriage bed (Heb 13:4). There are women, and more today than ever, that think lightly of sexual purity or loyalty. Virginity at marriage is mocked, and affairs after marriage are justified. Such women prey on noble and successful men, especially kings’ sons (Pr 6:26; 7:26; 23:27-28).
These evil women have only a few techniques, which wise men learn to identify and avoid. First, they expose and emphasize their feminine beauty and shape by immodest dress or conduct to capture his eyes (Pr 6:25; 7:10; Is 3:16). Since men are stimulated by sight, this is a great temptation and lays the initial foundation for sin. Wise men avoid the presence of immodest women and reject any lust for those they cannot avoid (Pr 5:8).
Second, these women use their eyes to admire a man and show their willingness to be his sexual partner. The use of eyes this way is often called “bedroom eyes.” Evil women know how to signal a man that they want him, and few men can resist the look (Pr 6:25; Is 3:16). Boys learn very early in life how pleasant it is for a girl to look at them affectionately. Noble men do not allow such eye contact with any woman but their wives.
The third trick is flattering speech to break down a man’s resistance and close in for the sexual kill. Immodest attire tempts men at a distance without involvement. Eye contact is usually the first personal connection that begins the seduction. But intimate words confirm the willingness, express desire in more detail, and persuade the man to yield. If a man has foolishly allowed a woman to get this far, it is unlikely he will be able to stop.
How powerful are words from a woman? Far more than most imagine! Consider Samson. Though he knew Delilah intended to destroy him, due to his three tests that she flunked terribly, he could not resist her daily pressing him with enticing words (Judges 16:1-21). It is hard to believe the world’s strongest man went down so easily to a proven liar from a pagan nation. Her sweet words in his ears never mentioned his future as a blind grinder!
Safety from flattery is simple – do not talk more than necessary with women. Cut off any woman that is too complimentary or friendly in her words. This includes texts, emails, and phone calls, where men can be seduced by words without seeing a woman’s body or having eye contact. If this requires avoiding family friends, changing jobs, or other drastic measures, they should be considered (Matt 5:28-30; Rom 13:14; II Tim 2:22).
Young men must be taught to dislike and avoid girls that are forward in speech or conduct. Immodest attire and bold faces usually identify them, but not always. From a young age, both parents should warn their sons that forward girls are evil and dangerous. Specific examples from school, the neighborhood, relatives, or other sources should be used to illustrate and train sons to despise this threat to their virtue and success.
Wise parents recognize from the warning in this proverb that restricting and/or monitoring conversations with girls is important to protect sons from fornication. The telephone is a boon to business and interpersonal communication, but it poses a new threat to young men. The cell phone, or the sin phone in many cases, provides a vehicle for communication that is much harder to restrict or monitor. Parents, beware!
Only foolish parents focus on unchaperoned dating or other obvious opportunities for sexual intimacy. Wise parents will seek to cut off the flattering conversations that seduce hearts and fuel desires before a couple has even been alone together. They know that the sexual stimulus and emotional appeal of lengthy conversations, emails, or text messages can steal hearts and morals long before two young people find a way to be alone.
Young women should be taught to never flirt with words, letters, cards, notes, phone calls, emails, or text messages until they are married. They should know flattering words are for their husbands, not ploys to tease, seduce, or frustrate men. They should be taught the meek, quiet, and shamefaced character the Bible requires (I Tim 2:9-10; I Pet 3:3-4). Godly mothers will also illustrate and teach how to use words to please their husbands.
Men also flatter and use words to disarm and take advantage of girls and women. It happens a million times a day. The emphasis in Proverbs is the danger of wicked women, because it was written by a father for his son’s safety and success. But to fully apply the wisdom here, girls and women should be even more careful, as sweet-talking men that give the slightest hint of seeking sexual favors are to be avoided and despised.
Godly wives learn from this proverb that they can use kind words and praise to build up their husbands and be better lovers. Many Christian wives are too ignorant, prudish, or bitter to verbally adore their husbands, which leaves those husbands vulnerable to worldly women that instinctively use flattery. A Christian wife should have the ability and ambition to beat the strange woman at her own game when it comes to her husband.
Good words and fair speeches are used for more than sexual sins. Paul warned that they are also used to entice Christians into false doctrine (Rom 16:17-18). False teachers will not tell you that they want to mislead you from the truth. They do just the opposite. They sound as sincere and Scriptural as possible. And they often promise many spiritual blessings and benefits in their religion. What is your best protection? Prove all things by the word of God and reject every false idea (Ps 119:128; Acts 17:11; I Thess 5:21).
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Proverbs 7:15
7/12/18
Therefore came I forth to
meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee.
A
whore speaks. Her words are precious. She describes her passion, efforts, and
success at finding her lover. She romantically seduces him from his conscience
and training. She flatters him with eager desire, and he falls for it as easily
and quickly as a bird flies into a trap. She knows how to kiss and flatter her
prey into the numbing nightmare of false love.
Any
woman other than your wife can be the strange woman. And she is the strange
woman – and an enemy – if she does anything to excite or invite
your lusts for intimacy with her. Her kisses or words are a lie, for they tell
of affection and pleasure, though there is only hatred and pain. Do not get
near her kisses, and do not listen to her words.
Solomon
used this chapter to warn against the strange woman. In detail he described her
seduction: her subtle character, her romantic actions, her flattering words,
and her careful precautions (Pr 7:10-21). As the perfect example of a wise
father, he made the efforts to warn his son about one of the most dangerous
temptations in life – whorish women.
Solomon’s
extensive experience with women – 700 wives and 300 concubines – gave
him a unique advantage (I Kgs 11:3). He warned often of the appeal and power of
a woman’s flattering speech (Pr 2:16; 5:3; 6:24; 7:5,21). But here is a
preview of some of her words – the flattering expressions of ardent
passion and fervent love for her victim.
Let
every man tremble in fear of this enemy. Joseph ran from a seductive whore,
even though it landed him in prison (Gen 39:7-20). Samson listened to the
enticing lies, and it cost him his hair – and his life (Judges 16:4-21).
A woman’s passionate flattery is too much for most men. The adoring words
and eager efforts overwhelm most resistance.
Safety
is simple. Avoid desirable women you have not married. Reject any words or
correspondence that even hint of affection, and end the relationship
altogether. Recall that kisses and flattery from other than a wife are simply
an alluring guise for your destruction, no matter whether they were given in
malice or ignorance.
Christian
wife, if you starve your husband of flattering affection and praise, you will
be an accomplice in his sexual sins, for you make him vulnerable to the thing
other women know how to give and are willing to give. When was the last time
you praised his good features of appearance and character (Song 5:9-16)? Even
Paul encouraged it (I Cor 7:3).
The
warning here extends also to belly worshippers and religious compromisers
– Christians with a form of godliness, but not living holy lives. Their
good words and fair speeches deceive the simple, just as the whore deceived the
young man here. So Paul warned to mark and avoid all such persons (Rom
16:17-18; Phil 3:17-20; I Tim 6:3-5).
Remember,
the kisses and words of an enemy are deceitful (Pr 27:6; 26:24-28). Their lives
are false, so it is no surprise their words and affection are false (Ps 28:3;
55:21). As with the harlot, their hearts are subtle (Pr 7:10); they have
compromised truth and integrity in their souls, so their words are deceitful as
well. Their great swelling words of vanity are just so much lying foam (II Pet
2:18; Jude 1:16). Judge them by their lives.
When
they say, “It is so good to see you,” what in the world do they
mean? What is good? What good have they done for you, or what good have they
received from you? What good do they want to give you, or what good are they
expecting from you? Instead of talking about good, they ought to be doing good,
by either joining in your good worship of God or correcting your worship so it
might be good.
True
love is found only in Jesus Christ and exists only in truth (I Cor 13:4-7; Phil
1:9-11; I John 4:7-13). It is amazing how often big smiles, warm greetings,
affectionate hugs, and tearful eyes totally lack anything about Jesus Christ or
His gospel. What is this unholy friendliness? It is the lying deceit of
self-deceived men, who have chosen the love of pleasure over the love of God
(II Tim 3:4,13). Despise their kisses and words (Pr 27:6).
Is
it any wonder that David prayed twice in one psalm to be delivered from strange
children – false brethren – whose mouths speak vanity and their
right hand is a right hand of falsehood (Ps 144:7-8,11)? Sober reader, David
prayed for deliverance from such flattering men that he might enjoy the blessings
of God upon his family (Ps 144:12-15).
The
Church of Rome and all false churches follow the same course. They use the
deceit learned from their father (John 8:44). They pretend to be just men
– apostles of Christ and ministers of righteousness – but they are
ravening wolves (Matt 7:15; Luke 20:20-22; Acts 20:29-30; II Cor 11:13-15). As
a whore will seduce a man for his money, so these false teachers make
merchandise of simple Christians by their feigned words (II Pet 2:3).
The
cure for the strange woman is to find and marry a virtuous woman with whom you
can have God-honoring companionship and lovemaking every day, resulting in a
family for your great pleasure together (Pr 5:15-19). The cure for the false
churches of false religion is to find and join a Bible-preaching, apostolic
church that follows the old paths and earnestly contends for the faith once
delivered to the saints (Jer 6:16; Jude 1:3).
Proverbs 7:25
Let not thine heart
decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths.
Young
man, you can defeat a whorish woman – one of the most difficult
temptations in life – by keeping these rules: guard your heart, and live
virtuously. Keep your heart above her sinful ways, and do not choose her
immoral lifestyle. Be wise, and save yourself.
Solomon,
as the wise father, warned his son and children of the grave danger of being
seduced by the strange woman (Pr 7:5-23). A strange woman is any woman you have
not married, but especially a loose one. The temptation to men by such a woman
is very powerful. It is nearly irresistible, unless advance steps are taken to
avoid her altogether.
Fornication
and adultery are widespread and popular, with bolder and looser women than ever
before. They are everywhere, and the various media promote them at all times in
most attractive ways. A man cannot escape to the back forty every day, as in
times past, for Potiphar’s wife is everywhere. The warning here is of
utmost importance, for God will judge all whoremongers and adulterers (Heb
13:4). Be wise, and save yourself.
To
wait until after you have met her, talked to her, or embraced her, in the hope
you will be a Joseph, is foolish and guarantees your destruction. Joseph never
entertained such thoughts, for he had carefully guarded his heart and stayed
away from her as much as he could. You should not consider any sin (Pr 24:9),
but especially sexual sins (Pr 6:25).
Consider
the first rule – guard your heart. Keep it above her sensual approach to
life. Sin begins in the heart (Jas 1:13-16). If you have not thought of a sin
or desired it, you will hardly ever do it. But your heart wants to decline to
her ways by its depraved nature from Adam (Jer 17:9). You must keep your heart
with all diligence (Pr 4:23). Exercise your heart in spiritual and noble
directions; do not let it slip to her carnal and lascivious ways.
Christian
young man, your heart forms its thoughts and affections from inputs. If you
feed it holy and noble material, you will have a holy and noble heart. If you
feed it the television, websites, books, music, philosophy, images, and friends
of this world, you will decline to her ways. You will think like her and be vulnerable
to her sinful advances.
Thoughts
of what she offers are delightful to the fleshly mind. Mental images of her are
painted beautifully in a man’s thoughts. Due to your sin nature, you will
never consider the horrible consequences of sex with her. You must reject any thoughts
before they form; you must hate her and her sin; you must fear the God Who will
judge her and you.
Do
not let your heart decline – go down – to thoughts of stolen
pleasures outside marriage. Hate her for using her beauty and wiles to destroy
men; anything less than hatred will not work. Rise above her wicked ways to
noble thoughts of God, wife, family, and home. If married, go hold your wife;
if unmarried, go hold your mother. Love the virtuous women in your life, and
hate this servant of Satan corrupted for your destruction.
Consider
the second rule – walk virtuously. Reject her lifestyle and activities.
Sin does not occur in noble places, while engaged in noble activities. How will
you meet a whore and find an opportunity for sin in the assembly of the saints,
with your family, in your home, diligently at work in your profession? Stay far
away from her, her haunts, and her activities (Pr 4:14-15; 5:8; Rom 13:14; II
Tim 2:22). She is far too strong to confront.
If
David had been at battle, where he belonged, he would not have seen Bathsheba
(II Sam 11:1-2). If he had then stayed that night in the domestic security of
his palace, he would not have seen her. But he ventured out where he did not
need to be. Samson could have avoided all his problems with Philistine whores,
if he had but stayed at home.
It
is foolish to visit bars, clubs, dances, coed gyms, pools, parties, schools,
worldly dating services, and other places where the women are loose and evil.
Her places and lifestyle will seduce and trap you with enormous temptations to
sacrifice your virtue where you cannot escape her. You walked into hell
yourself. Stay away from her and her activities.
Solomon’s
father, David, wrote, “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel
of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of
the scornful. But his delight is in
the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night” (Ps
1:1-2). David has the two rules in reverse order: stay away from her paths and
feed your soul the Word of God. And David’s Son, the Lord Jesus Christ,
did just that (Heb 7:26).
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Proverbs 5:20
And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger?
Click here to listen to Commentary
Why do you even think about it? A beautiful woman offering sexual intimacy is a great temptation. Her flattering affection and intriguing body overwhelm most men. But the horrible consequences crush the pleasure! Why do you think about it? It will ruin you.
Good fathers warn their sons plainly about whores, as Solomon did often (Pr 2:16-19; 5:1-23; 6:20-35; 7:1-27; 9:13-18; 22:14; 23:26-28,33; Eccl 7:26). They are one of the greatest dangers for young men, especially for princes. Do you know their great danger?
No matter how desirable she appears, no matter how flatteringly she speaks, and no matter how certain you will not be caught, fornication with a strange woman is a foolish and horrible crime. The consequences are more painful than death, more permanent than life, deep as hell, and hardly any are recovered to return to the land of the living.
A strange woman is any woman you have not married. Since you have not married her, you have no right to touch her. Your wife is your companion for life, and any other woman is a stranger. After giving negative (Pr 5:1-14) and then positive (Pr 5:15-19) reasons against the strange woman, Solomon asked why his son would even consider her.
The cure for the strange woman is a great marriage with your wife (Pr 5:19; I Cor 7:1-5; Heb 13:4). By exalting your wife in your mind, by choosing to be satisfied with her body, and by choosing to be overwhelmed with her love, there is no room for another woman. You cannot allow any bitterness or faults to spoil your affection for your wife (Col 3:19).
The consequences of sex with a strange woman are horrific. Solomon described them as death and hell (Pr 2:18; 5:5; 7:27; 9:18). A life of death and hell, and hell after death! Few ever recover (Pr 2:19). Young man, forget the beautiful face and body. Ignore the flattering words. Reject any invitation. Do not let her touch or kiss you. Run far away.
You will break your wife’s heart, which God sees (Mal 2:13). You will lose your sure companion (Mal 2:14). You will lose your money (Pr 5:10) and your reputation (Pr 5:9). You will have a husband or father hating you (Pr 6:34-35). No one will understand why you did it (Pr 6:30-33). God will see it and punish you (Pr 5:21; 15:3; Heb 13:4).
You will create a binding sexual addiction to destroy you (Pr 5:22-23; 23:27). Your conscience will punish you with pain (Pr 5:11-14). You will lose a prosperous family of legitimate children (Pr 5:15-18). The pleasure is for a moment; the pain is forever (Pr 9:17-18). You will give occasion for God’s enemies to blaspheme (II Sam 12:14). Your prayers will not be heard (Ps 66:18), and you will face the lake of fire (Rev 21:8).
God in great mercy made Eve for Adam, and He ordained marriage for you to be sexually fulfilled with a devoted and helpful wife (I Cor 7:1-5; Heb 13:4). He invented love, marriage, and sex. Why would you ever think of disregarding the Creator’s rules for His invention? Humble yourself before His infinite wisdom and maximize your marriage.
If you played the fool and embraced the bosom of a stranger, there is hope, but it requires godly sorrow and repentance that most cannot understand or produce (II Cor 7:11). David was God’s favorite before and after his aggravated adultery and murder, because he totally humbled himself before God and confessed his heinous crime correctly (Job 33:27-28; II Sam 12:13; Ps 51:1-19). God will not despise your broken and contrite heart.
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Proverbs 13:22
A good man leaveth an
inheritance to his children’s children: and the wealth of the sinner is
laid up for the just.
Godly
families improve generation by generation. Good men save for grandchildren. God
blesses the noble investment by taking from the wicked and adding it to their inheritance.
Wisdom includes estate planning for your family to improve financially. A
loving patriarch intends for future generations of his family to have greater
economic power.
Good
men are farsighted, especially for their families. They are great family
planners. They rejoice in grandchildren, and they prepare every possible
advantage. God rewards their goodness by keeping their estates for their
posterity. The generations of the just are blessed (Ps 103:17). But He takes
riches from the wicked and gives them to the righteous.
The
Bible promises longevity to the righteous and shortened days to sinners (Pr 3:1-2;
4:10; 9:11; 10:27; Ps 34:11-13; 91:16; Eph 6:2-3). It also promises the safe
transfer of wealth from one generation to another for them (Pr 28:8; Eccl 2:26;
Job 27:16-17). These are wonderful promises that no life insurance salesman can
even approach with his offers.
Israel,
the people of God, visited Egypt, the cat-worshipping pagans of the Nile. When
they left, they took the nation’s wealth of many generations (Ex 3:21-22;
12:36). Saul was envious of righteous David and persecuted him, but God gave
Saul’s throne and wives to David (II Sam 12:7-8). And it is David’s
throne that endures forever (Is 9:6-7).
Men
have a huge family role. Patriarchy is the Creator God’s plan for the
family. As goes the father, so goes the family. Most life problems can be
traced to a negligent father. He first must be morally and spiritually good, as
taught in this proverb. Then he must save and give an inheritance to
grandchildren. He counts grandchildren as his crown (Pr 17:6).
Only
good men are strong enough to retain income and assets for an inheritance (Pr
11:16). Foolish and sinful men are too lazy, selfish, or wasteful to accumulate
an estate for the family. A good man is a hard worker at a real profession or
trade, a consistent and disciplined saver, a frugal and wise spender, a prudent
and pessimistic investor, and a generous giver. He easily denies himself to have
money left over for future generations.
God
has ordered parents to build an estate for their children (Pr 19:14; II Cor
12:14). It is not an option or merely a suggestion – it is His
commandment – it is a rule of wisdom. While children must be ready to
support parents in case of an emergency in old age, this is not God’s ordinary
plan for the two generations (I Tim 5:4,8). The parents should have lived
diligently and wisely enough to provide an inheritance for the next two
generations.
This
profane world mocks God and His ordinances. Their selfish habits and lusts for
pleasures and immediate gratification consume most or all of their income, or
even more, as some men die as net debtors in this evil generation. It is
popular, and funny to fools, for grandparents to say, “We’re
spending our children’s inheritance.” The great God will send those
retirees to hell and give their estates to the righteous, who love their
families.
An
inheritance for your children and grandchildren is one more reason you must
save some of your income. Saving money is not an option or suggestion; it is your
Christian duty (Pr 6:6-8; 30:25), because leaving an inheritance is your
Christian duty. You cannot excuse yourself by reading the Bible and praying
every day. You must save some of your income. Anyone can save simply by putting
money aside and living on whatever is left.
What
if you have little wealth to leave your grandchildren? If you have lived and worked
nobly according to God’s word, He chose your situation for wise purposes.
He wants you to give them even greater gifts. The greatest inheritance a man
can leave his family is fear of the Lord, the Christian scriptures, and wisdom
(Ps 34:11; 119:111; Eccl 7:11). Good men see three or more generations needing
these precious things (Ps 78:1-8; Joel 1:1-3).
Reader,
what are you doing for your family? Is your life of such integrity that
blessings are accruing to your descendants, both spiritually and financially? Is
your family growing in greatness generation by generation? Or are you a fool,
neglecting to give your children the advantages you were charged to give them
(Deut 6:4-9; II Cor 12:14; Eph 6:4)? Shame on you! Let every father remember daily
why he is still alive (Is 38:19).
Proverbs 22:11
He that loveth pureness of
heart, for the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend.
This
is one of Solomon’s finest proverbs. Here is wisdom for your success
– inspired advice to take you to the top. In just a few words, the God of
heaven outlined how a few special men rise above average men to be great. God
and Solomon want you to prosper.
Precious
wisdom! A man with a pure heart has gracious speech, so that great men choose
him as their friend. It begins with a pure heart – one free from all
bitterness, envy, guile, hypocrisy, malice, pride, or selfishness. Such hearts
use gracious words – acceptable, agreeable, courteous, forgiving, gentle,
kind, merciful, and pleasing words. The combination is so delightful and rare
that noble men are instantly and deeply drawn to it.
Graciousness
is the most beautifying character trait. A gracious person is often described
as a beautiful or charming person. Whether man or woman, graciousness makes a
person delightful, pleasant, and winning. It is a rare and sweet pleasure to
meet one. And this trait is most clearly shown by excellent speech. You will
meet only a few in life; they will have great reputations; they will warm your
soul; you will crave their company.
If
you want to advance, to grow and prosper, in your profession and all relationships,
then you should memorize this proverb and practice it every day. Loving
pureness of heart is something you do every waking minute; gracious speech is
guarding every word when speaking. You should seize the valuable wisdom offered
to you in this proverb, and by consistent practice of its two simple rules, you
will reap the promised reward.
How
did Joseph at only thirty years of age rise to the right hand of power in
Egypt, though he was not an Egyptian and was in prison for attempted rape? He
did it by pure motives and wise speech, no matter the audience or circumstances
(Gen 41:37-45). Pharaoh loved him and gave him honors, rewards, and privileges.
The proverb is true.
How
did Daniel around twenty win the loving favor of one of the greatest and
harshest kings, the Chaldean Nebuchadnezzar? He followed the same plan of pure
motives and gracious speech of Joseph (Dan 1:18-20; 6:3). He was honored by Nebuchadnezzar,
by his descendants, and by his successors Darius and Cyrus the Persian for over
70 years.
Consider
that Solomon, a king, admitted weakness for gracious men. He had heard about
the friendship between his father David and Prince Jonathan, where
David’s gracious speech had won Jonathan in a few moments (I Sam 17:57
– 18:4). Though David was a lowly shepherd and also a threat to his
future reign, Jonathan loved him as his own soul. Why? Because David’s
heart was free from any ambition, guile, pride, or selfishness.
Enemy
kings, mercenaries, and foreign kings loved David. Saul in his right mind loved
David (I Sam 16:21; 24:16-19; 26:17,21-25). When David had to live in Goliath’s
hometown, Achish the king of Gath loved David (I Sam 28:1-2; 29:3,6,9). Mighty
Ittai led 600 soldiers of Gath to mutiny to follow David for the rest of his
life (II Sam 15:21). Hiram, king of Tyre, one of the wealthiest of nations, always
loved David (I Kgs 5:1).
Herod
Antipas appreciated and favored John the Baptist, in spite of John rebuking his
actions, though his adulterous wife eventually secured his murder (Mark 6:16-20).
Paul also found favor with Roman governors, captains, centurions, and kings by
the same formula of Joseph, David, and Daniel (Acts 26:28-32; 28:16,30). The
proverb is true.
Be
gracious, always! Do you grasp the power of this rule from the mouth of God and
pen of Solomon? Do you see the Bible examples of its fulfillment with the most
powerful men on earth? Keep your heart with all diligence, for your speech and
conduct in life comes from this fountain and source (Pr 4:23). Let your speech
be always gracious, nurturing and lifting those around you (Col 4:5-6; I Cor
10:31-33). Honor is coming.
Hate
frowardness, always! Do not allow critical, hard, or negative words out of your
mouth foolishly. Do not be demanding, harsh, proud, or severe unless rare
circumstances call for it. How can you stop offensive speech and body language
that costs you favor and honor with men and women? Think only pure thoughts
about all persons in your heart.
Solomon
said a gracious woman is always revered (Pr 11:16). If a woman has few friends
and is generally disliked, she needs graciousness. It is her odiousness –
the opposite of graciousness – that offends others (Pr 30:23). A virtuous
woman speaks very cautiously and discreetly, and then only with kindness (Pr 31:26).
She says only acceptable things, and she only says them at acceptable times.
The meek and quiet spirit of good women, which God and men admire, is a large
part of graciousness (I Pet 3:3-4).
An
unwanted woman must examine herself through the ears of others. Two things she
can do are to reject all critical and negative thoughts and cut her words in
half. A beautiful woman without the gracious discretion to know what to say and
when to say it is like a jewel of gold in a pig’s nose (Pr 11:22). Her
words and manners keep reminding you of the hairy pig wearing the little piece
of gold. When an average or ugly woman does not have gracious discretion, words
fail to describe the ugliness of this creature.
Solomon
also taught that wise men speak graciously, but fools destroy themselves with
their words (Ec 10:12). While he attached the critical adjective
“odious” to women, he attached “froward” to men. A
froward man is difficult, harsh, obnoxious, perverse, and unreasonable; he is
the opposite of gracious. Kings delight in righteous speech (Pr 16:13), for
they want counselors and ambassadors that advise and represent them well.
Solomon highly praised pleasant words (Pr 10:20,32; 12:18; 15:23; 16:21,24;
24:26; 25:11).
Jesus
Christ is the ultimate example of graciousness. David prophesied of His
gracious lips (Ps 45:2). When He first spoke in His hometown of Nazareth, the
skeptics were amazed at his gracious speech (Luke 4:22). Even his enemies had
to admit that no man had ever spoken like Him (John 7:46). Scripture is full of
His gracious words, coming from the purest heart (John 4:6-30; 8:10-11; 9:37;
11:25-26; 18:1-26; 20:16; 21:1-14).
Graciousness
begins with a pure heart. Bitterness, envy, or strife in the heart is from
hell, and leads to all sort of confusion and evil (Jas 3:14-16). A man’s
speech reflects his heart (Luke 6:45), so you must keep your heart with all
diligence (Pr 4:23). If your heart is cheerful, contented, forgiving, kind, and
thankful, you will think gracious thoughts. You must reject all sinful thoughts
of bitterness, envy, evil surmising, malice, or revenge.
A
pure heart produces gracious speech. Paul said, “Let your speech be alway
with grace” (Col 4:6). He told the Ephesians to avoid all corrupt speech
and focus on words that build others up; he said that a tenderhearted spirit
based in kindness and forgiveness was right, but that bitterness, wrath,
malice, and evil speaking were wrong (Eph 4:29-32). If you think kindly about
others, rule your spirit, and guard your tongue, you will be gracious.
Reader,
lay hold of wisdom. This proverb is pure gold. If you seek to grow in favor
with God and men, there is no better way than graciousness. By starting with
your heart and thoughts about others, you will have the internal fountain for
gracious words. The perfect place to practice is at home with spouse, parents,
children, or siblings, where you are generally the least gracious. With the
blessing of God, the king will soon be your friend.
What
else can you do? Listen more; talk less (Pr 17:27). Promote others (Phil
2:3-4). Learn to live charity (I Cor 13:4-7). Avoid folly (Eccl 10:1). Hate
jesting (Eph 5:4). Be cheerful (Pr 15:13,15). Be content (Heb 13:5-6). Exalt
mercy (Jas 2:13). Develop pitiful compassion (I Pet 3:8). Eliminate moodiness (Pr
16:32). Overlook others’ faults (Pr 19:11). Make peace (Jas 3:17-18).
Only say what is acceptable to others (Pr 10:32). Praise others (Pr 12:25).
Hate the limelight (Num 12:3). Despise envy (Pr 14:30). Do not be a busybody (I
Pet 4:15).
And
pray for it! David had a pure heart, because he asked the Lord to search and
perfect his heart (Ps 139:23-24). Pray for a greater measure of the Spirit of
God in your life, so that you will bear the gracious fruit of the Spirit (Gal
5:22-23). Any man or woman bearing love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness,
goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance will be gracious. He will be
incredibly gracious. She will be a new creature.
Forget
what you think about yourself. Graciousness is what others feel about you
– God and good men. Most odious people think themselves gracious, and
most gracious people think themselves odious. It is this arrogance of spirit or
humility of spirit that makes a person odious or gracious. Humble yourself
before God’s word. Reject your pride. Others certainly do not miss your
abrasive and irritating words and manners. If you have few friends, especially
noble men and women, craving your presence, you are likely odious.
Parents,
teach your children graciousness. Instead of wasting your life and their minds
with the profitless drivel of today’s profane education model, work on
this great character trait that pleases God and men. It will do more for their
future success than memorizing the periodic table of elements. Can you define
graciousness? Can they define it? Can you illustrate it daily in their sibling
relationships? Can you apply it to the various situations with people you
encounter every day? Study the word. Meditate on it. Live it. Require it.
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Proverbs 17:25
A foolish son is a grief
to his father, and bitterness to her that bare him.
How
much pain do you cause your parents? How much will your children cause you? Solomon
observed this calamity in families, where a foolish child can cause both
parents great pain. The lessons are simple – obey and honor your parents,
and train your children.
Godly
parents know this proverb is true. Fathers grieve when children are foolish,
and mothers are pained seeing them reject wisdom for folly. Worldly parents are
not as troubled, because they do not understand wisdom, nor do they recognize foolish
children.
Mothers
endure pain bringing their children into the world (Gen 3:16; John 16:21), and
they work hard and long bringing those children to maturity (I Tim 5:8). But if
they neglect training them in the way of the Lord, those children can bring far
greater grief and bitterness in the future than childbirth or thankless years
doing laundry (Pr 29:15).
What
should you learn? First, obey your parents. When you disobey, you cause them pain.
If you disobey them, you will reap what you sow – future pain from your
own children (Gal 6:7). There is nothing weak about remembering how your mother
will feel when she learns of your sins. Such thoughts have held some men back
from crimes. God defends parents, and His punishment of rebellious children is
terrible (Pr 20:20; 30:17).
Second,
honor your parents. This goes beyond obeying them. Honoring parents is treating
them affectionately, kindly, reverently, and specially. Do you show careful
respect for them at all times? God condemns even speaking lightly about parents
(Deut 27:16). God condemns even disrespectful facial expressions (Pr 30:17).
Because God honors parents, He promises great rewards for you to honor them
– a good life and long life (Eph 6:2-3).
Third,
choose wisdom. After obeying and honoring parents, you should choose a godly
and wise lifestyle dedicated to righteousness and truth. Your highest reasons
to do so should be God’s glory and serving His kingdom on earth. But
before you consider your own prosperity and pleasure under God’s blessing
for such a life, you should consider showing your parents the best character
and conduct for their great peace and pleasure.
What
else should you learn? Child training, requiring sacrifice and investment, has
a fabulous return for all parties. It will save you from the grief and
bitterness described, and it will bring joy and pleasure to see children living
godly and productive lives (Pr 10:1; 15:20; 17:21; 19:13,26; 23:15-16,24-25;
27:11; 29:3,17). It will also bring prosperity and success to your children,
and you will please the God who loaned your children to you.
If
you train your children when they are young, they will give you pleasure when
they are old, by walking in the ways you know are good (Pr 22:6). God loaned
them to you with foolishness bound in them, but He has told you how to drive it
far away (Pr 19:18; 22:15; 23:13-14). Fathers, training is not an option (Eph
6:4). And mothers, you must participate as well (Pr 1:8; 6:20). The choice is
up to you, but the consequences are certain.
Parent,
do you have a godly approach to child training? Or is life just happening in
your home? Are you so distracted, frustrated, and tired that you are raising
them with meals and clothes, but no training? Are your children growing up
without daily correction and instruction in truth? The pastor cannot do it for
you, and public education is against truth. God chose to have wisdom
communicated by parents to children (Deut 6:4-9; 29:29).
Why
did you have children? If you will not teach them the fear and love of God, you
should not have had any (Ps 34:11). One of the greatest problems in the world
today is AWOL fathers – men deserting their responsibility to teach and
train children in godliness and wisdom (Deut 6:6-9; Eph 6:4). The pain
described in the proverb will come on both parents, but great pleasure for all
can result from both parents doing their jobs.
If
you trained your child, and you have a fool, he will bear his own burden (Gal
6:5). There have never been perfect parents, and God knows it. If all your
children are good, then you must not require enough, these must not be perilous
times, Jesus must not have a family sword, the Bible’s warnings must not
be true, and holy men with foolish children must be losers. Take comfort there
is more in play with your children than your training.
Remember
the great men and women of the Bible and their problems with children, lest you
despair. Consider Noah (Ham), Isaac and Rebekah (Esau), Jacob (Reuben, Simeon,
Levi, Judah, and others), Manoah and his wife (Samson), Eli (Hophni and
Phineas), Samuel (Joel and Abiah), Job (sons), David (all), Hezekiah
(Manasseh), and Mary (Jesus’ unbelieving siblings). These grieving
parents are some of the best saints in the Bible.
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on MBA -
Proverbs 19:17
He that hath pity upon the
poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.
Here
is outstanding investment advice. Where else can you find a risk-free rate of
return that pays guaranteed dividends in this life and eternity? History’s
richest king, Solomon, tells you about a fully secure investment that yields a variety
of large profits perpetually.
Helping
the poor financially is like making a loan to the LORD Jehovah. The metaphor is
powerful. The true God is a great credit risk. He will repay for sure, and He
will include interest and blessings with it. You can never lose giving to the
LORD. He represents the poor, because He has made them and protects them (Ps
10:14; 12:5; 140:12; Eccl 5:8).
Financial
success is not hard. Give to the truly poor, and God will repay your kindness
with liberal blessings. Economic prosperity was never so easy. Almighty God
will send prosperity down on you. If you scatter money cheerfully, He will compensate
you well (Pr 11:24; Lu 6:38; II Cor 9:7). If you hold back, poverty will come
for sure (Pr 11:24). Of course, the world and your flesh, which are hateful by
nature, do not believe this rule.
This
proverb is a God-ordained law. Believe and trust it like you do gravity and
other natural laws. The business programs at Harvard, Stanford, and the Wharton
School are jokes in comparison to Solomon’s wisdom. Knowledge of his
proverbs is superior to the silly little MBA’s from these schools (Pr 28:11;
I Tim 6:20). Not only are those schools ignorant of Solomon’s wisdom, but
it is even illegal for those Bible-haters to teach it.
There is little difference
between the rich and poor, for God has made them both (Pr 22:2). The fact that
one man has more than another man is God’s choice, not personal
superiority (I Cor 4:7; Eccl 9:11). The rich should never mock the poor or
gloat over them (Pr 14:21,31; 17:5). It is the solemn duty and privilege of all
men to kindly consider the poor (Pr 28:3; 29:7; Ps 41:1). Start with your heart
– do you truly pity the truly poor?
Considering
and helping the poor is so important to God that He attached blessings and
punishments to such charity. Giving to the poor will bring financial blessings
to the giver (Pr 22:9; 28:8,27; Ps 112:9). Being stingy with the poor will
bring financial judgment on selfish wretches (Pr 21:13; 22:16; 28:27). He that
has ears to hear, let him hear.
Who
are the poor, and where are they? They are not on television programs from
socialist do-gooders rejecting God and truth. This includes “prosperity
gospel” heretics posing as Christians. They often use pictures of bloated
and starving babies simply to increase their cash flow to siphon off for their
carnal “ministries.” Nations perpetuating poverty by ignorance, superstition,
slothfulness, or tradition are not objects for Christian charity.
The
poor are orphans and widows, or others suffering under acts of God, which He puts
in your path (Jas 1:27). The Good Samaritan did not go to slums looking for
wounded Jews, but he was eager to help a poor Jew put in his way by God’s
providence (Luke 10:33). The Bible sets the order as family, your church, other
churches of truth, and then God’s providence (I Tim 5:8; Acts 11:28-30;
Rom 12:13; 15:26; Gal 6:10; I Jn 3:17).
The
poor do not include foolish or lazy men, unless they repent and do all they can
for themselves. Foolish or lazy men should starve, as it is the best teaching
device and appropriate justice (Pr 20:4; Matt 25:1-30; II Thess 3:10). Wise and
diligent men are not obligated to provide a general insurance fund for foolish or
slothful men. Let sluggards or wasters learn wisdom and diligence God’s
way (Pr 16:26). His welfare system is perfect.
What
should you give the poor? Food, clothing, and shelter, or things closely
connected to these basic necessities (Job 31:16-22; Is 58:7; Ezek 18:5-9; Jas
2:15-16). Luxuries or pleasures are not the nature of true charity. Considering
the poor is seeing their needs, not their foolish desires (Acts 2:44-45;
4:34-35). Toys for Christmas is not true charity. Neither is the Bible
communistic – the more gifted and diligent should enjoy life more.
In
the churches of Jesus Christ, the giving is to be overseen by bishops and
deacons, lest the undeserving receive charity and the deserving be overlooked.
The money of the early church was laid at the apostles’ feet for them to
make distribution (Acts 4:35,37; 5:2). When the task became too great for them,
they ordained deacons for the job (Acts 6:1-6).
Only
cheerful giving works (II Cor 9:7; Gal 2:10). If you give begrudgingly, you
lose twice. You lose the money you give, and you lose the promised blessings.
You are a loser twice over. You brought nothing into this world, and you will
take nothing out. You have been blessed, so why is your soul so stingy about
giving to the poor? Choose instead to have a generous mentality that loves to
give, and God will bless you (Is 32:8; Mic 6:8).
Only
a faithless fool says, “I cannot afford to give.” The truth is he
cannot afford NOT to give. He is poor because of his stinginess. If he loosened
his purse, he would be blessed financially. But of course, unbelievers cannot
grasp this simple and certain lesson. The faithful man believes the promise and
takes advantage of it with cheer and thanksgiving.
God
does not overlook a single dime you give, or minute you donate, to the poor. He
will repay. And He does not overlook a single dime you withhold or a minute you
keep for yourself. He repays that as well. God will take the little that a
selfish and stingy man has and give it to the rich man, who liberally gives to
the poor (Matt 25:14-30). Amen!
Giving
to the poor is an endowment fund for your family. Psalm 112 describes the man
that truly fears the Lord and God’s blessings upon him. This man is
gracious, full of compassion, shows favor, lends, disperses, and gives to the
poor. God blesses his children with greatness, adds wealth and riches to his
estate, gives him light for living, remembers his righteousness forever, and
defeats his enemies after humiliating them.
Wise
men with faith rejoice to give to the poor. They know charity is the greatest
grace and mark of Christianity (I Cor 13:13; Jn 13:35; I Jn 3:16-19). They know
one purpose and goal for hard work is to have more to give (Eph 4:28). They
know charity is a more excellent way of serving Jesus Christ than being an
apostle (I Cor 12:28 – 13:3). Amen!
Almighty
God will repay every gift you give to the poor. He will repay the principal
– you will never be short. He will repay with interest – you will
have more than if you had not given. He will also repay with many other
blessings (Pr 14:21; Eccl 11:1-6; Phil 4:17-19; I Tim 6:17-19). He will
remember every dime in the Day of Judgment, even when you forget in the heat of
that solemn event (Matt 25:31-46; Luke 14:12-14; Heb 6:10).
If
you still have a hard time giving, consider the glorious Benefactor of His
children, the Lord Jesus Christ. For their desperate and starving condition in the
poverty of sin and condemnation, He became poor so they might be made rich. Do
you understand this glorious message of the gospel? Is Jesus the Son of God?
Then follow Him! What darkness of heart or mind causes any believer to hold
back from giving (II Cor 8:9)?
Woman,
what will your family soon need? Does the house need painting? The gutters
cleaned? The garden planted? The nursery furnished? The freezer filled? The
daughters educated about marriage? Clothes prepared for your husband’s
business trip? Long-term care planned for your parents? A preventive physical
for them or you? Money set aside for an insurance bill? A wise woman will have
such things taken care of with style.
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Proverbs 31:21
She is not afraid of the
snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet.
The
virtuous woman is diligent, foresightful, and classy. She looks and thinks
ahead, so that future needs never catch her by surprise. She is ready for
winter or any other situation that requires special preparation. Not only does
she prepare in advance, but she also has a sharp eye for quality and
appearance. Her family is well prepared for the cold weather, but they will
also look good in the fine clothing she obtains for them.
The
ideal woman fears the Lord above all else, which lays the foundation for her
perfect character and conduct (Pr 31:10-12,30). Diligence is the main practical
virtue of the wonderful woman in this extensive description. Verse after verse
describes her energy, initiative, labor, and productivity, both in the home and
in her business enterprises. She is not distracted or diverted by amusement,
recreation, sleep, or vacations. She is a worker.
But
hard work poorly directed is wasted effort. Wisdom is valuable for directing
energy and strength in productive projects. A tree is cut down most efficiently
with a sharp axe, rather than more effort applied with a dull one (Eccl 10:10).
A virtuous woman has a mind as well as a back. She thinks as well as works. She
looks ahead and sees the needs that are coming, so she can prepare for them in
advance and be ready when they arrive.
For
those living in parts of the world with seasons, one of the duties of a great
woman is to have clothing prepared for the cold weather of winter. With growing
children, this requires obtaining whole new sets of sweaters, coats, boots, and
other protective clothing for each child. Since most budgets cannot afford all
the expense at once, a wise woman plans ahead and begins securing the clothing
items long before the first snow falls.
A
foolish or lazy woman lives day to day. She barely makes it through each day.
The future overwhelms and intimidates her – she hardly has the commitment
and energy to survive today. She is preoccupied with taking a nap, getting out
of fixing supper, or planning a vacation. Future needs that require budgeting
and prudent shopping can wait, she says. She does not see the coming evil, and
she does not hide from it (Pr 22:3; 27:12).
How
does scarlet protect? Can a bright red color warm the body? This proverb
– a short pithy saying with hidden wisdom – describes a great
woman’s concern for quality and class, not just functionality. Rags were
not dyed scarlet! Her family has warm clothing ready, but it is also attractive
and stylish. She is diligent, foresightful, concerned about quality, and
conscious of beauty. She overlooks nothing. She knows appearance, image, and
reputation have a limited value, so she includes them in her planning and
buying.
