He who gathers crops in summer is a prudent son but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son. – Proverbs 10:5

Today's Scripture Reading (November 7, 2022): Proverbs 10

For over a decade, I lived in farming and ranching country, and every fall, I would see the harvesters out in the fields, often doing their job late into the night with lights blazing on the tops of their cabs, helping them to see in the darkness of the night. If you are a farmer, you know the truth of Ecclesiastes's statement that there is a time for everything. Farming is always hard work, but it is also work no one will tell you to do. You must plant in the proper season set aside for that task. You have to be caretakers of the crop after the planting is completed, and many maintenance tasks must be performed in the season before the harvest.

The crop must be harvested when the time is right, and the harvest is ripe. But harvest time is a narrow window of opportunity. The crop has to be ready to be harvested, but then the crop must be brought in before the weather takes its toll and makes it worthless. There is little room for whim at harvest time. It doesn't matter what else you might have planned to do or what you feel like doing. Everything has to be placed aside until the harvest is completed.

Solomon says that the one who gathers in the harvest at the appropriate time is prudent. He is doing the practical thing and understands what needs to be done. But the son that sleeps through harvest or sets to doing a different task when the crop needs to be brought in is disgraceful. He should know better, but he doesn't.

I no longer live in a farming community and don't have many farmers around me. But that does not mean that Solomon's message is wasted on us. We all have things that need to be done during the appropriate season. Sometimes procrastination in our lives is harmless. But if we want to be remembered as prudent or practical people, we must recognize the times when we must work on the appropriate tasks.

The author of Chronicles remembers the people of Issachar as being this kind of people. Chronicles argues that the tribe of Issachar was made up of "men who understood the times and knew what Israel should do" (1 Chronicles 12:32). They both understood what it was that was demanded from them by the culture at that time, and they understood the tasks that needed to be given attention at the appropriate time. And that is the kind of people we should all aspire to be.  

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Proverbs 11

"Let all who are simple come to my house!" To those who have no sense she says, "Come, eat my food and drink the wine I have mixed. – Proverbs 9:4-5

Today's Scripture Reading (November 6, 2022): Proverbs 9

I have always believed that if you want a job, you must be willing to walk away from it. Apparently, this pastor believed the same thing. He came to the church to apply for the job of Senior Pastor. He looked at the church and then met with the Church Board about the job. The church board members were interviewing the pastor, but whether they realized it or not, this pastor was also interviewing them. He pointed at several maintenance issues at the church and argued that "often when you come here every week, you get used to rooms that need paint and carpet that needs to be replaced. But if you want me to come and be your pastor, these things need to be fixed." And then he added, "Every Sunday, we invite visitors to come to this house, and we need to make sure that everything is as it would be if you had invited an important guest to your home for a meal."

I admit that I was almost continually in conflict with this pastor who served at the church of youth, and I have few good memories of him, but on this point, we agree. Guests are coming every time we open our doors, and we should be ready for them as if they are the most important guests that ever could be invited into our homes.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, a few new names began to attend online. As the pandemic eased, I hoped they would start attending in person. I remember being on vacation when I received a phone call on a Sunday morning informing me that one of these couples had attended church for the first time. I told my daughter, the one on the other end of that phone line, 'Great, treat them like the Royalty that they are." She promised that they would. But the truth is that it does not matter who the visitor might be; every one of them deserves to be treated like royalty.

Wisdom does the same thing. She spreads her table and invites the simple to come and eat. She dresses up in her finery, letting those who attend her table know that she thinks they are important. She tells all who come to her that they deserve the wisdom she carries with her. She tries to impress us, but we can still ignore her.

Solomon also indicates that the wine had been mixed. Under normal conditions, wine was not used for its intoxicating properties. It was used for taste and as a drink to care for thirst. Methodist Theologian Adam Clarke (1762-1832) reminds us that

Among the ancient Jews, Greeks, and Romans, wine was rarely drank without being mingled with water; and among ancient writers we find several ordinances for this. Some direct three parts of water to one of wine; some five parts; and Pliny mentions some wines that required twenty waters: but the most common proportions appear to have been three parts of water to two of wine (Adam Clarke).

We don't need to get drunk to accept wisdom's invitation. Wisdom would argue against that. The wine has been mixed so we can accept wisdom's invitation that intoxication would reject. But the decision is still up to us.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Proverbs 10

At the highest point along the way, where the paths meet, she takes her stand; beside the gate leading into the city, at the entrance, she cries aloud. – Proverbs 8:2-3

Today's Scripture Reading (November 5, 2022): Proverbs 8

Secrets are strange things. And often, they take on a life of their own, bending our will to their desires. Secrets can be dangerous, and they can become the rulers of all who try to keep them. In our personal lives, I seldom find a purpose in the idea of a secret. We keep them because if the knowledge were revealed, we think we would feel uncomfortable or be placed in some kind of danger. But keeping unnecessary secrets puts us in unnecessary peril. The earlier most secrets are revealed, the less threat they pose to our lives and the less stress we have to endure because of the secret.

Solomon personifies wisdom, and he stresses that wisdom is never a secret to be kept. Secret societies that make you follow a certain path with a secret handshake to achieve wisdom are ridiculous. Wisdom should be obvious and available to everyone. Jesus said that "a town built on a hill cannot be hidden" (Matthew 5:14). In the same way, wisdom cannot be hidden because it reveals itself at the crest of the hill where everyone can see it. Wisdom stands at the city's gates and on the main highways that enter an urban community. Wisdom exists at the places where roads meet and where people are continually brought together. If we don't follow the ways of wisdom, it is not because we don't know but because we choose to do something different.

I have always taught those around me that getting rich is easy. Regardless of who you are, wealth follows one principle; spend less than you make. That's it. Do this, and you will attain wealth. Most people groan when I reveal my wise solution because they already know that. What they want is a different, easier way to achieve wealth. But I stress that those ways don't exist; if they did, we wouldn't be ready for the wealth we might receive. That is the secret revealed by lottery winners. A winning lottery ticket rarely changes life for long. The winners buy the things they want until the money is gone, and then they go back to the same life, living paycheck to paycheck, just as they did before they won the money.

Wisdom is often obvious, but we don't want to listen to it. We know that alcohol and drug use will shrink our opportunities, but we continue to use them. We know that life exists within a certain set of parameters, yet we rebel against those parameters. We know that sexual promiscuity increases the chances of illness even if we participate in safe sex, yet we are willing to assume the long-term risk for short-term pleasure. Wisdom is not hard to find. It is there for all of us. Southern Baptist theologian Duane Garrett makes this observation.

"The important point is that wisdom is for ordinary people—she is not confined to the academic classroom or to sacred precincts of the temple. Nor is she high atop some mountain where only the hardiest and most determined will find her. To the contrary, she wants to attract all and be accessible to all" (Duane Garrett).

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Proverbs 9

All at once he followed her like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer stepping into a noose. – Proverbs 7:22

Today's Scripture Reading (November 4, 2022): Proverbs 7

I find the story of Adam and Eve fascinating, but sometimes the misunderstandings about the story are the most interesting. One of the fascinating aspects of the story is found in the first creation story. The words of God, as recorded in Genesis 1, is that God made Adam “male and female” (Genesis 1:27). The importance of the statement is that mankind, or peoplekind if you prefer (yes, that is a joke that maybe only Canadians will understand), is created with radical equality. Man, perhaps we should say the male, and the woman or female were created from the very beginning as equals with each other. With the development of our human cultures, we prioritized males over females, likely because the males were stronger and provided the protection that the female part of the race needed. But in the eyes of God, there is no priority of one sex over the other.

The other interesting aspect is the sin of Eve. Yes, it seems that Eve was the one who first ate the forbidden fruit, but I think it could have just as easily been Adam. And proof of that is that the story contains no protestations from Adam about the consumption of the forbidden fruit, just acquiescence. Adam eats the forbidden fruit along with Eve; the sin belongs to both.

I live in a world that appears to be currently dominated by the “me too” movement, which is challenging the things that we think that we believe. We are being strongly encouraged by our culture to accept the radical equality between men and women, something that I think the Bible supports. But that also means that we need to read the Bible just a little differently.

At first glance, this advice from Solomon to his son seems to blame the woman for the sexual missteps of the situation. This is especially true in our society, when it appears that men have misused power to force women into a sexual relationship “like an ox going to the slaughter,” and “like a deer stepping into a noose,” more often than women. Does all of this make this statement unacceptable in our society? Is it just another example of men blaming women for their own misbehavior? And the question that our culture wants us to ask is, “is that fair.”

I think the statement is acceptable, but we need to interpret it more broadly. Some women will use what they possess to entice men into their trap. And if a woman wants to do that, it is often easier to force a male into an inappropriate situation than it is the other way around. But the most significant thing we, as the biblical reader, need to realize is that Solomon is talking to his son. I strongly believe that if Solomon addressed this statement to his daughter, he would warn her about the men who want to use their power to get sexual favors from her. The process might change with a male or female predator, but the endpoint is very similar.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Proverbs 8

For a prostitute can be had for a loaf of bread, but another man's wife preys on your very life. – Proverbs 6:26

Today's Scripture Reading (November 3, 2022): Proverbs 6

We are less than a week away from another voting season in the United States. Many have already cast their vote for their preferred politicians. But others are waiting for election day when they will go to the polls to cast their ballot. Money has been spent on advertising, and promises have been made. And now, after a final week of campaigning, the people will make their decision. And one of the mysteries of elections is that there might be a right choice, but sometimes we don't know who that right church might be.

However, part of the political problem is that we often decide who to vote for based on things over which politicians have very little control. In 2020, Donald Trump and Joe Biden made promises to the voting public. And the truth is that they had very little power to keep many of their commitments. Politics is built around the idea that a group of people can effect political change, but they will be paralyzed unless we elect enough from one side. That is not a bad situation in a perfect world because politicians can make compromises that will get the most important things done. But the authors of the world political systems and constitutions probably never envisioned a time when politics would become so polarized that no compromise would be available; only a stalemate would prevail, paralyzing our governments and their ability to do almost anything. Promises would be made by both sides that no one would be able to keep without help from someone else, and sometimes they are promises that could not be fulfilled without a worldwide agreement.

The NIV translation of Proverbs 6:26 seems to want the reader to make an interesting choice between a prostitute and the wife of a neighbor. But that misses the point. We need to remember Hebrew poetry often tries to state the same thing twice in parallel statements, and this passage is no different. The actual comparison is between a prostitute and an adulteress. And in Solomon's mind, that is the same person.

The idea is that the prostitute makes promises to the one who wishes to use her services. For a small price, she promises to add something to the experience of the one hiring her. She promises excitement, pleasure, attention, and many other things that her customer thinks are missing in his life. But the reality is that the promises are empty. She has no power to fulfill them; in reality, the price will be much higher, costing the customer much more and emptying his life of all he truly values.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Proverbs 7

And I was soon in serious trouble in the assembly of God's people. – Proverbs 5:14

Today's Scripture Reading (November 2, 2022): Proverbs 5

On Sunday afternoon, I had an experience that warmed my heart. Another congregation uses our sanctuary on Sunday afternoons, and I have made friends among the people who attend this service, even though I am not their pastor. On this afternoon, as I was leaving the church to head home for some much-anticipated time with four of my grandchildren, I met a man who was entering the sanctuary in preparation for his service. I smiled and greeted the man by name. I was glad to see him because I knew his story. I hadn't seen him for a couple of years. The man had found himself in conflict with almost everyone in his life. First, he had left his church and all of the relationships he had built there, but the conflict followed him home until he left his family for unknown places. At one point, no one seemed to know where he was. I am in contact with two of his daughters, who had admittedly given up on their father. It is a situation that I have been trying to work on in during his absence. As the father of a daughter, I am convinced that, at some point, this man would come to his senses and discover how much he needs a relationship with his children. And I believe my job might be to see if I can convince his children to understand that and give him one more chance.

This man did come to his senses. He came home and asked for forgiveness from his wife. And then, he asked for time to address the church, his spiritual family, and ask them for their forgiveness. Led by another friend of mine, the church had forgiven him. And then we met at the back of the church. I smiled and greeted him by name, genuinely happy to see him, and then he asked me a question; Can I hug you? I quickly set down my guitar so that I could respond to the embrace. And my heart was filled with joy as I witnessed with my own eyes another prodigal who had come home.

Solomon tells his son that he has not followed the teachings he learned as a child. Solomon admits that he has a problem with women. Not only had Solomon married 700 women, but he had 300 concubines. And these women became his downfall as Solomon began to follow their gods instead of the God of Israel. It was a struggle that continued until he was in serious trouble with the people of God. It wasn't a path that Solomon wanted his son to follow, so he begged his son to listen to his teachings and avoid the pitfalls that had triumphed over him.

And we get to read this advice and hopefully take a different path than Solomon had taken so that our lives go, at least spiritually, in a different direction.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Proverbs 6

For I too was a son to my father, still tender, and cherished by my mother. – Proverbs 4:3

Today's Scripture Reading (November 1, 2022): Proverbs 4

My grandchildren are still trying to figure out family relationships. Last weekend, much to the disdain of his brother and sister, who apparently already possessed the knowledge, it was one of my eight-year-old grandsons who was surprised to find out that the lady they call Grauntie is actually my sister. The same grandchild also mourned the fact that my wife's brother passed away from cancer before he was born. For him, it was a great loss to find out that there have been family members that have died before he was born, and that they never got to meet him. Intellectually, they know that Great-Grandma and Grandpa are my parents, but I am not sure they can really imagine me being their age with parents and parental relationships just like they have.

I remember stories that my maternal grandfather, a big, strong man, was called "Little Murray" as long as his mother was alive. "Little Murray's" mom is the only Great-Grandparent I remember, and she passed away while I was a child. But it is one of the cycles of life. I was once a child under the tutorage of my parents. But time passed, and I became a parent and now a grandparent. And I have the privilege today of being both a grandparent to my five wonderful grandchildren and still being the grandson to my 107-year-old grandmother, whom I cherish.

Solomon reminds his son, as he gives him the advice that the son will need for life, that he was also once a son to his father. Maybe some of these sayings were handed down to him by his father. And possibly, the phrases could have been passed down to his father by his grandfather. If Proverbs really is the wisdom of Solomon, it is possible that some of these proverbs didn't originate with a King who had grown up in the cloistered atmosphere of the palace. Instead, they originated from a shepherd boy fighting off predators of the sheep in the Judean hillside and the wisdom of a Judean rancher struggling to make ends meet for his growing family. And the Proverbs may go back even further than that. If we are lucky, we all have advice that we follow that has been passed down through the generations to us, and Solomon now wants to pass his wisdom down one more time to his son.

All of this changes the nature of the advice that Solomon is about to give to his son. It is not advice that only means something in the sheltered environment of the powerful and the wealthy, but guidance that needs to be heeded by those of us living in the real world. Do these things, and you will set yourself up for success, no matter who you are or who your parents might be.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Proverbs 5