Co-Signing Risks

My son, if you become surety for your friend,

If you have shaken hands in pledge for a stranger,

You are snared by the words of your mouth;

You are taken by the words of your mouth.

So do this, my son deliver yourself;

For you have come into the hand of your friend:

Go and humble yourself;

Plead with your friend.

Give no sleep to your eyes,

Nor slumber to your eyelids.

Deliver yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter,

And like a bird from the hand of the fowler.

Proverbs 6:1-5

It would be an oversimplification of the message of Scripture to say that debt is always sin.  However, the reality of the financial burden of debt is a clear and regular message of the word of God.  It is so enticing to help another believer by cosigning on a loan, or taking financial responsibility for them.  This, however, is contrary to godly wisdom.  Giving and lending generously and responsibly is the clear character of the mature believer, but “giving” out of what a person does not have is not generosity, nor is it helping, it is simply pride.  This pride brings a special kind of pain and destruction.  It places undue tension between the borrower and the co-signer, and can ultimately result in great loss on the part of one who pledged what he did not have in order to appear the hero rather than prayerfully waiting upon God to provide what is truly needed.

The Wisdom that Always Was

The LORD by wisdom founded the earth;

By understanding He established the heavens;

By His knowledge the depths were broken up,

And clouds drop down the dew.

Proverbs 3:19-20

In the 1984 film The Gods Must be Crazy a native tribe is exposed to western technology for the first time in the form of a cola bottle.  This comedy follows a group of people trying to figure out the purpose of this strange glass creation.  The villagers find many uses for the bottle and ultimately wind up fighting over it and decide to return it to “the gods” whom they presumed gave the strange item.  While the villagers came up with many creative ideas they were not familiar with the purpose for which the cola bottle was created, and thus they misused it.  We can often mistakenly make the same false conclusion about the very world in which we live.  When the Lord created the world it was created in accord with His infinite wisdom and purpose.  Thus for humanity it is impossible to “create” wisdom or “make” wisdom, but only discover the wisdom of the Creator God who alone is fully wise.  Fortunately the Lord has chosen to reveal Himself, and His wisdom, in the words of the Bible.  When we read and apply the word of God we are truly tapping into the wisdom that formed the heavens and the earth with a word.

The Value of Wisdom

Happy is the man who finds wisdom,

And the man who gains understanding;

For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver and her gain than fine gold.

Proverbs 3:13-14

In the musical Fiddler on Roof the main character Tevye muses in a song what he would do if he were a rich man.  It can be fun to play the “If I were a rich man” game from time to time.  Yet there is something more valuable by far.  Godly wisdom is something that is freely available for all who would approach God and ask (James 1:5) and its worth far exceeds any monetary blessing that we could find.  Of all of the wonderful things which wealth and riches can provide, it is entirely incapable of providing real fulfillment and a right relationship with God.  Godly wisdom has the power to bring satisfaction and happiness that are of far greater value.  While this reality may be rather commonplace in our culture – even to the point of sounding cliché – we find that the practice of valuing true wisdom and standing in humility before the Lord is far more difficult in practice.  Have you ever spent time dreaming what your life would look like if you were abundantly wealthy in the application of Godly wisdom?  Perhaps that would be worth dreaming about!

Discipline vs Punishment

My Son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD,

Nor detest His correction;

For whom the Lord loves He corrects,

Just as a father the son in whom he delights.

Proverbs 3:11-12

It easy to confuse punishment and discipline.  These words are often used interchangeably and yet they have very different meanings.  The point of similarity is that they are both responses to inappropriate or unjust behavior.   The difference is in the goal of the response.  Punishment is related to the idea of justice.  We are looking for a suitable and just punishment to fit the crime.  The Biblical principle of “and eye for an eye” gives us a clear understanding of this principle.  This commandment was given because humanity does not want justice when wronged…we want vengeance.  This commandment limits and defines just punishments as never exceeding the nature and extent of the initial transgression.  Discipline is different.  It is not dealing primarily with justice but with the betterment of the one being disciplined.  Discipline can be negative in terms of unfavorable conditions placed upon a person, but the goal is not that justice be served – the desired result is that the behavior not be repeated.  Discipline can be positive in terms of applying a habit or action that will bring about the best good for the object – such as imposing a bedtime upon a child who needs to sleep whether they feel like it or not.  This is the nature of the Lord’s care of all who are related to Him through the person and work of Jesus Christ.  He disciplines us and corrects us because He loves us.  This may not always be pleasant, but it is always for the very best.

The Folly of Greed

Honor the LORD with your possessions,

And with the firstfruits of all your increase;

So your barns will be filled with plenty,

And your vats will overflow with new wine. 

Proverbs 3:9-10

Western culture had delighted in the telling and the retelling of the story of Ebenezer Scrooge.  He has become the standard archetype for a miserly person.  So deeply did this story grab the popular imagination that it has been presented and represented in nearly every available medium.  The message of a person who holds his possessions as his God is grotesque and sorry in its ultimate end.  However, this personification of greed can be a detriment as well.  We can easily salve our conscience when we think that we are, at least, not so bad off as Mr. Scrooge.  Yet, the thrust of a life of Godly wisdom sees things more clearly yet.  Possessions and wealth are simply a window into the soul and spiritual life of a person.  Again, the proverbs are not promises, but godly observations.  If a person is in a right relationship to wealth and possessions than the Lord is likely to entrust them with more possessions.  This same principle is brought out in 2 Corinthians 9.  It is a matter of the character of God.  He loves His children far to much to let greed destroy us, but He is able (though by no means obligated) to bless those who use their wealth wisely; that is, to His ultimate glory and honor.

Humble Wisdom

Do not be wise in your own eyes;

Fear the Lord and depart from evil.

It will be health to your flesh,

And strength to your bones.

Proverbs 3:7-8

A recent popular song presented us with a conundrum.  The subject of the song was said to be beautiful because she did not know that she was beautiful.  One comedian quipped that if she discovered that she was beautiful then she would cease to be beautiful, at which point she would learn that she was not beautiful and in so doing become beautiful again.  He termed this music “Mobius strip pop.”  Humorous as this joke was it points out a real dilemma in humility and wisdom.  It is the very act of believing that we are wise in and of ourselves that brings pride and foolishness into our hearts.  True wisdom finds humility as its only fertile ground.  We cannot be wise in any real way unless we understand that God and God alone is the only one who possesses all knowledge and the Jesus Christ, alone, is Himself The Exclusive Truth.

The Wisdom of Faith

Trust in the LORD with all your heart,

And lean not on your own understanding;

In all your ways acknowledge Him.

And He shall direct your paths.

Proverbs 3:5-6

Familiar verses.  These are some of the first verses that were ever shared with me when I first began to walk with Christ in earnest.  So many times I have revisited these verses, each time they become clearer, each time the application grows more vivid.  Think of how all encompassing these words are.  The only wise path available to humanity is a trust that is placed in the Lord - His character, plan and provision.  A complete and whole-hearted trust from the seat of the intellect, will and emotion.  The other side is equally challenging.  We spend most of our lives attempting to lean upon our own understanding.  Making our own judgments and drawing our own conclusions.  But this verse is challenging us to have a greater humility.  We are not to try to solve our problems and plan our ways by our own means and resources, but to submit ourselves fully to what His word has revealed to us and submit all of our choices to what He has revealed in His word and by His Spirit.  The last statement is the most terrifying.  Should we choose this life of faith, He will direct our paths.  This may mean that the path He chooses for us may lead away from what we think we want – but it will bring us to the place of having what we really need: a closer walk with Him.

Wisdom - Saving Lives

My son, do not forget my law,

But let your heart keep my commands;

For length of days and long life

And peace they will add to you.

Proverbs 3:1-2

I could not count the time that wisdom has saved my life.  Wisdom was what let me know when to cross the street safely.  Wisdom is what taught me to use a harness when climbing over a 40 foot drop.  Wisdom is what taught me to tread carefully when my wife tells me that nothing is wrong when something clearly is wrong.  These verses are not a guarantee that every person who learns and applies wisdom will have peace and long life.  It is a guarantee that apart from God’s wisdom there is no hope for peace and long life.  The three above examples are rather obvious, but the principle is firm.  It is the sad reality of my life that almost every problem I have is one that I have made for myself by my own pride and foolishness.  When we take responsibility for our failures and shortcomings in wisdom and change our mind, deciding instead to make wise choices things shockingly move much smoother for us.  This is, of course, only truly possible as we walk in the moment by moment fellowship with our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Things that Matter

So you may walk in the way of goodness,

And keep to the paths of righteousness.

For the upright will dwell in the land,

And the blameless will remain in it;

But the wicked will be cut off from the earth,

And the unfaithful will be uprooted from it.

Proverbs 2:20-22

One of the cruelest lesson my children have had to learn is that of choice.  Whether that is the choice of what dessert they will have or what they will do with the last remaining hour before bed time regret over decisions is a regular part of my children’s lives.  So frequently I hear the words “I’m bored” an hour before bedtime, and “I want to do this one last thing!” the moment the clock tells us that bedtime has arrived.  Yet, no matter how much my children wish to fit one last thing into the day, it cannot be done.  That time has passed and the opportunity to spend that hour is gone.  One of the things that the book of Proverbs teaches us is that our choices and decisions matter.  By the grace of Christ we have the forgiveness of sins and the ability to start fresh each morning, but we are never going to be given the opportunity to go and relive the time we wasted yesterday.  We are never going to be able to unsay hurtful words, only apologize for them.  One of the key subtexts of the book of Proverbs is that our lives and decisions matter.  While Jesus paid the full price for our sin at the cross, He will still allow us to experience the effects of our actions here on earth – for positive or for negative. 

There is always grace for tomorrow, but there is no reliving today.

Wisdom is Calling

Wisdom calls aloud outside;

She raises she raises her voice in the open squares.

She cries out in the chief concourses,

At the openings of the gates in the city

She speaks her words…

Proverbs 1:20-21

Advertising is a major portion of modern culture.  It is quite common for more money to spent on advertising than on the production of a product.  Not only that advertising has taken on whole new forms.  From junk mail to email, from billboards to internet banners, there is a never ending stream of advertising that we can see to the point where we almost cease to notice it.  The purpose of advertising is to tell people about a product, increase appetite for that product and then instruct people on how to get the product.  We may often think of wisdom as something being impossible to find.  The cliché for seeking wisdom is to find some hidden wise man on a far away mountain top.  But here we see a different picture.  Wisdom is not hiding she is ADVERTISING!  She is not hidden but available and taking appointments.  The only thing that makes her seem difficult find is that we love our own simplicity and folly more than we value God’s wisdom.  The idea that we must travel to find wisdom is a sales tactic of another saleswoman.  As with all good things God is far more willing to give than we are to ask (James 1:5).