Proverbs 13:12-25

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but desire fulfilled is a tree of life…….The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, to turn aside from the snares of death. Good understanding produces favor……The righteous will be rewarded with prosperity…… and the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous. 

On Wednesday I proposed that Solomon’s wisdom was inferior to Jesus Christ – the wisdom of God. This comment might rankle  those banking that the wealth of the righteous will be rewarded with prosperity which (they typically reason) has come from the wealth of sinners which has been stored up for them. Even now I can hear the congregation, “Amen Brother!” I have noticed that many of the rankled have an aversion to the full gospel of the New Testament. I’m not speaking of the full-gospel that involves Jesus and His work of the cross; I’m speaking of the full gospel that refers to us taking ours up daily.

If it is wealth in this life that our hearts long for, we would naturally avoid a testament that does not produce one single testimony of a person finding worldly wealth because of their righteousness. The wisdom of God in Christ is superior and in conflict with righteousness-for- riches / quid pro quo Christianity.

For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wiseand the cleverness of the clever I will set aside.” Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?

If Solomon could issue some revisions to Proverbs, I am sure he would defer to the resurrected Messiah, allowing that Jesusthe teacher of the wise (in His Person) is THE fountain of life, who turns us aside from the snares of death. This is revised understanding and it will indeed produces favor.

There are still those pining for that transfer of wealth from the wicked into their accounts. Many of them are stalwart and continue to confess the inevitability of this promise as a tonic to their sick hearts which suffer from so much misplaced and deferred hope. On the other hand there are those who have grasped that Jesus Himself was the windfall. It was always intended to be Him alone who would fulfill our longings. With or without an earthly portfolio these saints accounts are overflowing with an other-worldly satisfaction that defies all earthly knowledge and wisdom.

I believe Jesus is always inviting us to divest ourselves of our hope in this material world. I believe he is saying that the wealth stored up by the wicked is a grotesquely inferior treasure to that of His His Son for whom our hearts were created. It is those who grasp this who realize the abundance of Life the New Testament describes.

Father, May you lead us directly to those places where we can see exactly where are our hearts are invested. Deliver us Lord from the myriad usurpers who contend for the thrones of our hearts. Help us to hear Your invitations to come away with You, that place where we can truly conduct business with You with whom we have to do. Amen.

 

Proverbs 13:12-25

                  Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but desire fulfilled is a tree of life

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

On Wednesday I proposed that Solomon’s wisdom was inferior to Jesus Christ – the wisdom of God. This comment might have rankled those banking that the righteous will be rewarded with prosperity which (they typically reason) has come from the wealth of sinners which has been stored up for them. Even now I can hear the congregation, “Amen Brother!” I have noticed that many of the rankled have an aversion to the full gospel of the New Testament. I’m not speaking of the full-gospel that involves Jesus and His work on the cross; I’m speaking of the full gospel that refers to us daily taking up our crosses and folowing Him.

It is the cross that makes the path very narrow and broad the way that leads to destruction. Yet, it is only through the cross that our sorrows and disappointments can be converted into joy-filled strength.

I pray that you will have (or make) the time to read and reflect further this AM in the MwM.

Blessings to you,

Rob

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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