Year 2, Day 310: Proverbs 19

Mental Coping Mechanisms

Proverbs 19:1 opens with a challenge.  If you are like me, it is easy to read over those words and to say, “Well, of course it is true.”  But whenever I hit one of those pieces of wisdom that seems “assumed” I have learned to stop and ask myself a question: “Are you willing to live it out?” 

As I grow older I have learned something.  If I assume something to be true without thinking about it, chances are that there is a coping mechanism at work in my mind.  It may be true, but chances are if my eyes assume it to be true without much thought it is my brain’s subtle way of saying, “Move on, nothing to see here.  We don’t want to focus on this.”  And the truth is … in those situations if I really ask myself I find out that I don’t really believe it to be true.  I say it’s true because it’s a part of the Bible.  But I don’t really believe it.

Is it better to be poor and have one’s integrity than to be crooked and have one’s desire?  Of course it is.  But am I really willing to live that out?  Am I really willing to live out a life of integrity? 

Sure.  I pay my bills.  I try not to lie, cheat, or steal.  But is it really a life of integrity to live in my abundance when I know how many people throughout this world die simply because they don’t have drinkable water?  Is it really a life of integrity to live in a society with so much waste when there is such starvation in the world?  Do I really believe that it is better to be a poor man with integrity than to be a person who has his desire fulfilled?

Rage Against God

Proverbs 19:3 is another challenging proverb.  When a person’s folly ruins their life, we tend to get angry with God.  That’s really sad and very true in my life.  I can get so angry with God inside when I look at this world, look at our struggles, and look at the ways we fail one another.  But does it really deserve to be laid at His feet?

Wealth Attracts A Crowd

Proverbs 19:6 is a neat saying that we all know to be true.  Everyone seeks the favor of a generous person.  Anyone who is handing out freebies will always attract a crowd.  It’s life.  It’s just the way that we live.  The reason why?  Because we are all self-mongers.  We are inherently less interested in paying people what they deserve for what we want than we are interested in getting it for free knowing that they are technically incurring a loss.  Now, I realize that we all understand that marketing people upcharge enough to cover the expense of handing out freebies.  So don’t take my words above too deeply in this free-market economy that we have created.  But, think about the human passion within.  Why are we so eager to receive something for free without wondering about the true cost of the person handing it out?

Good Spouses Are From God

Proverbs 19:14 is another great passage.  House and wealth are inherited from fathers, but a prudent wife is from the Lord.  I’m going to take this one two levels.  On the surface, what the author is intending to say is that we tend to focus on the things of life and the assets for which we can account.  We tend to think much more highly about getting that big inheritance check than we do on the day to day blessings of having a good spouse.

But on a much deeper level, the author is also comparing “fathers.”  The author is saying that our earthly fathers can only provide earthly blessings while our spiritual father can give us that which sustains our spirit.  {Earthly fathers, I’m not trying to insult you here.}  But think about it.  Even when an earthly father does manage to increase the spirit of one of their children, are they not able to do it only through the power of God within them?  Fundamentally this proverb is about our trust and upon whom we rely: earthly father or spiritual father.  This proverb is about where our attention and focus resides: earthly blessing or spiritual blessing.

What God Desires

Proverbs 19:22 – especially the first part – is a very good verse to remember.  What is desired in a person is steadfast love.  What does Hosea 6:6 say?  What about Psalm 51:15-17?  Does not God desire our hearts more than He desires rightly practiced tradition?  Would not God prefer us to be filled with love rather than perfection?

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