Proverbs 28

PROVERBS 28

"Better is the poor who walks in his integrity
Than one perverse in his ways, though he be rich.
Whoever keeps the law is a discerning son,
But a companion of gluttons shames his father."
(vs 6-7)

Worldly wealth means nothing in the Eternal scheme of things. What does matter is our behavior. Are we honest in our business. Are we faithful to our loved ones. Do we walk humbly and with integrity before the Lord.

Discernment is the result of practice (Heb 5:14), of inquiring of the Lord always, of keeping His commands and spending time in His Word. Those who live as such are called God’s sons. Those whose time is spent rather on the appetites of our earthly nature, shame our heavenly Father.

As we’ve seen all throughout the Proverbs, we read yet again an emphasis on obedience to God’s Word. Being under the New Covenant we have been freed from the Mosaic Law, but as Paul writes often, we will always be under Law, only now it is the Law of the Spirit of Life that we are subject to (Rom 8). Of himself, and Timothy and Titus, Paul said they were "ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life." (2 Cor 3:6) The Apostle knew the Law of Moses inside and out, and had stuck by it to the point where he once persecuted those who were believing in the Name of Jesus. Yet now he knew and could boldly speak the Truth - The letter of the Mosaic Law brings death, but the Law of the Spirit brings Life.

As Jesus prepared His disciples for what was to come after His sacrifice and Resurrection, and His return to the Father, He told them -

“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of Truth, has come, He will guide you into all Truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you."- John 16:12-14

Obedience to the Law which the Spirit reveals to us, is of the utmost importance, and the consequences are eternal.

"Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us."- 1 John 3:24


"One who turns away his ear from hearing the law,
Even his prayer is an abomination."
(vs 9)

Again, that Law is the Law of the Spirit, that brings Truth and Life. If we turn from that Law, if we allow ourselves to be preoccupied with other things so that we cannot hear Him speaking to us, then what we do pray is an abomination to God. The Spirit knew the time would come when men would turn from the Truth which He came to impart to us, and through Paul, warns us -

"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths."- 2 Tim 4:3-4

Indeed, we are to "turn away". Not from hearing, and walking in, the Law of the Spirit, but rather we who are God’s people are to turn away from the sin, and the false gods in our lives -

"Therefore say to the house of Israel, ’Thus says the Lord GOD, "Repent and turn away from your idols and turn your faces away from all your abominations.

"For anyone of the house of Israel or of the immigrants who stay in Israel who separates himself from Me, sets up his idols in his heart, puts right before his face the stumbling block of his iniquity, and then comes to the prophet to inquire of Me for himself, I the LORD will be brought to answer him in My own person.

"I will set My face against that man and make him a sign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from among My people. So you will know that I am the LORD."
- Eze 14:6-8

May we never be found turning away from hearing the words of God. May we never allow iniquity to remain in us that will hinder our relationship to God, and our Eternal destiny. Rather may we be able to confidently say -

"Come and hear, all you who fear God,
And I will declare what He has done for my soul.
I cried to Him with my mouth,
And He was extolled with my tongue.
If I regard iniquity in my heart,
The Lord will not hear.

But certainly God has heard me;
He has attended to the voice of my prayer.
Blessed be God,
Who has not turned away my prayer,
Nor His mercy from me!"
- Psa 66:16-20

Peace & blessings to you & yours,

Michael


Whoever walks blamelessly will be saved,
But he who is perverse in his ways will suddenly fall.
(vs 18)