Monday April 18, 2022

Well, I hope you had a great Easter Sunday wherever you attended. At OFA, we had a wonderful time in the Lord, learning about the resurrection of our Savior. I'm a little bit late today-but better late than never (I guess). Go ahead and read Proverbs Ch.18-my comments will follow.

1 An unfriendly person pursues selfish ends
    and against all sound judgment starts quarrels.
2 Fools find no pleasure in understanding
    but delight in airing their own opinions.
3 When wickedness comes, so does contempt,
    and with shame comes reproach.
4 The words of the mouth are deep waters,
    but the fountain of wisdom is a rushing stream.
5 It is not good to be partial to the wicked
    and so deprive the innocent of justice.
6 The lips of fools bring them strife,
    and their mouths invite a beating.
7 The mouths of fools are their undoing,
    and their lips are a snare to their very lives.
8 The words of a gossip are like choice morsels;
    they go down to the inmost parts.
9 One who is slack in his work
    is brother to one who destroys.
10 The name of the Lord is a fortified tower;
    the righteous run to it and are safe.
11 The wealth of the rich is their fortified city;
    they imagine it a wall too high to scale.
12 Before a downfall the heart is haughty,
    but humility comes before honor.
13 To answer before listening--
    that is folly and shame.
14 The human spirit can endure in sickness,
    but a crushed spirit who can bear?
15 The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge,
    for the ears of the wise seek it out.
16 A gift opens the way
    and ushers the giver into the presence of the great.
17 In a lawsuit the first to speak seems right,
    until someone comes forward and cross-examines.
18 Casting the lot settles disputes
    and keeps strong opponents apart.
19 A brother wronged is more unyielding than a fortified city;
    disputes are like the barred gates of a citadel.
20 From the fruit of their mouth a person’s stomach is filled;
    with the harvest of their lips they are satisfied.
21 The tongue has the power of life and death,
    and those who love it will eat its fruit.
22 He who finds a wife finds what is good
    and receives favor from the Lord.
23 The poor plead for mercy,
    but the rich answer harshly.
24 One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin,
    but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
 There are so many great nuggets of wisdom in Proverb Ch. 18. I would like to draw your attention to Vs. 4 today. It is no more or less important than the others- but, for whatever reason, stuck out to me the most.
Vs. 4 The words of the mouth are deep waters, but the fountain of wisdom is a rushing stream.
This one can be a bit difficult to understand. I'll be honest, when I read it (as a younger man), I had no idea what it is trying to say. To be honest, the KJV words this proverb VERY differently:
 The words of a man's mouth are as deep waters, and the wellspring of wisdom as a flowing brook.
The words "and" and "but" make all of the difference in this verse. Regardless, I looked up some commentaries on this verse (people much smarter than I)-I figured I would simply share with you their ideas. Here is the general consensus: that a person who has sought wisdom and understanding is like a deep body of water that is calm and can not be moved. The wellspring of wisdom is when this person is called upon to use this wisdom-they offer Godly advice and wisdom and have great things to say. 
I hope you are encouraged by the Proverb chapter of the day. God bless.
Pastor Erik.