SOAP 05/31/2014; Proverbs 16:32

Today's reading: Proverbs 16, 17, 18; Romans 12

S) "³² He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
And he who rules his spirit, than he who captures a city."

Proverbs 16:32 (NASB)

O) It's hard for us to always see how these things work in action. Sometimes, we have to take them on faith, initially, until we start to see the way they work as we practice them ourselves. Being slow to anger will prevent a lot of problems. You can avoid a lot of fights, a lot of strife, if anger is never allowed to well up, or fester. The second half of this is really like the key to the first sentence. Ruling your spirit is basically "self-control," except it's a little more assertive. Sometimes, the idea of self-control can seem a little bit abstract, and it can seem like something that is wholly attained, momentously. The verbiage, "rules his spirit," is much more direct, and gives the impression that the responsibility really is on the individual, and allows that it is more progressive and active.

A) Being slow to anger is not natural, and neither is it easy. It takes a conscious effort, and fighting, against our own spirit. In humility, I need to essentially concede my rights to anger. I need to see, when something sparks anger in me, that the anger is not likely justified. I need to immediately see that there is a spiritual fight (with my own spirit) to lay down my selfishness, pride, and anything else, that might be fueling more anger. In terms of worthiness (how I should view "slow to anger" and "rules his spirit"), I need to keep in mind that the LORD is slow to anger, and the Holy Spirit (as part of the Trinity) moves only by the will of the Father, who sends Him.

P) Father, simply remind me of how worthwhile these two characteristics are. Remind me how much You exemplify these two traits, and how You are better than any mighty man, and better than he who captures a city. I want to be like my Lord, in every way according to Your will. Help me to continue subjecting my own spirit to my will, according to Your will. Help me, to slow my anger, to carefully examine anything that causes anger in me. Help me to lay my anger down before You, God. In humility, and recognition of Your way, help me to conquer my own spirit, and be slow to anger. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 05/30/2014; Proverbs 13:20

Today's reading: Proverbs 13, 14, 15; Romans 11

S) "²⁰ He who walks with wise men will be wise,
But the companion of fools will suffer harm."

Proverbs 13:20 (NASB)

O) Ouch. This truth hurts. Literally, hurts. We like to pretend we're above it. We like to pretend that the company we keep has no ill effect on us. The truth is, even if keeping company with fools does not turn us into fools (although, it might), there is no room for interpretation here - we will suffer harm. On the flip-side, we still like to hang on to the promise of this verse. I hear that quoted all of the time. But, we cannot dissect the Bible and only injest the parts that suit our tastes.

A) I think part of the reason we (as a Christian culture) quote only the positive side of verses like this, is the same reason we all like to take the online quizzes which tell us which [fill-in-the-blank]-type of person we are. Ever notice how, regardless of the parameters, the overwhelming majority of those results are still positive? Like, I recently took an online quiz, asking to find out Which Biblical Person Are You? I got Simon Peter. It said some really cool things about, how I like the truth, and I want to lead, but I try to be compassionate, blah-blah-blah. And I'm all like, "Sweet! I can get down with that! I'm like, 'Rock solid!'" - but here's the thing - I don't think I could answer that quiz and get, say, King Uzziah (see 2 Chronicles 26). It's not like, "You start off strong, but your pride usually gets you in trouble with God. If leprosy still existed, you should expect to die from it." - No, we like to take those surveys because they make us feel good about ourselves. The beginning of this verse (and others) feels kinda like that. I'm like, "Yeah! get me some wisdom from some wise men!" But then, when I read the second half, I'm usually like, "Yeah, well, only if I let them affect me like that. But I won't!" - So arrogant! That's not at all what it says! It says, "... will suffer harm." (emphasis added), because there is no doubt about it. I cannot arrogantly think that warnings don't apply to me, and I cannot afford the harm I will suffer, being a companion to fools.

P) Father, open my eyes to see when I am being arrogant! Show me when I am putting myself in harm's way, by keeping company with fools. Spare me, in grace, according to Your will, from such needless pain and loss. When I seek wise counsel, lead me by Your Spirit, so that I am finding wisdom that is from You, and not simply from man. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 05/29/2014; Proverbs 12:4

Today's reading: Proverbs 10, 11, 12; Romans 10

S) "⁴ An excellent wife is the crown of her husband,
But she who shames him is like rottenness in his bones."

Proverbs 12:4 (NASB)

O) Initially, I had mixed feelings about this verse. I think I was mistakenly reminded of the concept of the trophy wife. Like, that an excellent wife would be something a husband would display to others... it is a mistake, however, to think this verse is about a man's wife being, excellent though she may be, something he adorns to make himself look good. I decided to do a search for the appearance of the word "crown" in the Bible. In the eight instances where a crown was taken (taken for himself, or taken from him), all instances were negative. In the 31 instances where a crown was given (whether literally, or figuratively), it was a positive result. In most of those positive examples, the crown given had to do with a defining symbolism. It was almost always given by the LORD, and when it was, it defined the identity of that person (whether figuratively, or literally). When viewed in contrast to the wife who shames her husband, which has an internalized, private result, the crown that she is can be seen as an internalized, private prize.

A) It is a mistake for me to objectify my wife (or any person, regardless of relationship or gender). But, that's not what this verse is saying. I should see my wife as a gift; she should define me, when seen through the context of grace through Christ. I am incredibly thankful, that I have never known the anguish of a wife who shames me. My wife is excellent, but that has nothing to do with me. It is purely the grace of God working in her, and the grace of God that we were brought together, and the grace of God that our marriage thrives. So, the crown that she is, isn't something I wear in arrogance, but in humility. I cherish my wife, as a defining part of who I am, not what I have.

P) Father, I am so grateful for the grace You have worked, and continue to work, in my life. It is humbling, every time I see Your grace in a new light. Help me to embrace my wife as the blessing she is. Help me recognize her as a defining part of myself, given in grace. Please keep me from ever objectifying her. Thank You for the blessing You have given us, in our marriage, in each other, in You. Help us to walk in a manner worthy of this grace, to the glory of Your Name. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 05/28/2014; Proverbs 7:8-9

Today's reading: Proverbs 7, 8, 9; Romans 9

S) "⁸ Passing through the street near her corner;
And he takes the way to her house,
⁹ In the twilight, in the evening,
In the middle of the night and in the darkness."

Proverbs 7:8-9 (NASB)

O) This verse describes the naive young man, lacking sense (v.7), and the process of his adultery with the harlot. It is amazing that, thousands of years later, with completely different cultural and technological landscapes, this process of spiraling is the same. Succumbing to sexual temptation is usually a battle lost well before the act takes place. It starts with an unacknowledged resignation - an ignored, but foregone conclusion. The first step toward this adultery is a lost fight that is usually treated as an exhibition of no consequence - finding some excuse to be near to sex. For the modern Christian, this often manifests by visiting a website that is not actually a porn website. Instead, it will be a website that has provocative advertisements, or some other small, side, or otherwise inconspicuous images - it starts by passing "the street near her corner;" You don't start by walking directly to the house of the harlot. You just go near her house. That is the first loss. Then, it's some variation of inevitability, spiraling closer and closer, like a tether-ball. There was little doubt of the final destination, as the fool goes from "near her corner," and finally, "to her house," as the eventual end.

The other warning that comes from this passage, is in verse 9, which describes how long this process can actually take. The word "twilight" can refer to both, "after sunset" but it can also mean, "before sunrise." While most translations have this sequence as a PM happening, I found that the word "evening" here is literally translated as, "evening of the day." Not only does it leave the possibility that this process is an all day, slow, gradual problem, but this has been my exact experience more often than not. The fool, at some point in the middle of the day (but possibly earlier than that), yields to a very minor, seemingly harmless temptation. And all day long, the seed of that temptation swirls him slowly around a whirlpool of sin that resembles a toilet in more ways than one. While it was still daylight, he allowed (or put) himself on the same side of town as the harlot, and as it slowly got darker and darker, found excuses to get closer and closer, until he resigned to just plainly visiting her house under the cover of full darkness. He didn't suddenly lose the fight, there on her doorstep, or as he crossed a threshold not his own. He lost much earlier in the day, repeatedly, when he failed to cut his tether.

A) The most important thing, is recognizing the initial strings attached. The brutal combination of satan and my flesh, will bombard me with temptations incessantly, but they all start quite subtly. That's why it's so crucial to allow "not even a hint." I must recognize them for what they are, and act swiftly and decisively. Those strings become stronger with every circuit around the harlot's block. Eventually, they form the tether that will pull me toward a destructive end. Cutting strings is much easier than cutting rope. Even still, at any point during the process, God assures me that through Him, I have the strength to cut the cord and escape (see 1 Corinthians 10:12-13). I need to recognize how long this process is, because that plays into the subtle deception. I am fooling myself into thinking that there is no problem, because the initial pull is so faint. But, this is just like an orbit. In space, during an orbit, there is still gravity (which is what keeps the object in orbit, instead of floating away). The gravitational pull is so faint, and there are so many distractions, that the subtlety of gravity is not usually felt. Relatively speaking, it doesn't seem to be there at all. That is the danger of sexual temptation. You don't usually feel the gravity of it until you come crashing back to the earth.

P) Father, I do not want to be deceived. I do not want to play the part of the fool, being slowly drawn toward destruction. Open my eyes to see cords that try to ensnare me. Give me courage, strength, and a decisive hand to fight hard against the temptations that start out so small, so subtle. Remind me of the gravity involved, and let me act swiftly and zealously to protect the righteousness You have given me in grace. Thank You for the mercy You have shown me, again and again. Thank You for the victory You have given me over sin, this one and all others. Help me to walk in righteousness, that will glorify Your name, and prove my life to be worship of You. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 05/27/2014; Proverbs 4:23

Today's reading: Proverbs 4, 5, 6; Romans 8

S) "²³ Watch over your heart with all diligence,
For from it flow the springs of life."

Proverbs 4:23 (NASB)

O) Every issue is a heart issue. By understanding our own heart, we can more easily identify the root of a problem, and what it takes to change. The problem, though, is that God sees the heart of a man, while we only see the outside (see 1 Sam. 16:7). So, it's not just the solution that requires God's hand (changing us), but we need His help just to identify a problem.

A) When my kids are tired, they get cranky. That is a poor excuse for bad behavior, but a good reason. I tell my kids when they are tired and cranky, so that they are aware. I tell them that, knowing they are cranky helps them know they need to be careful to be respectful, polite, thankful, etc. Knowing what they're up against makes it easier to behave, because they have a better understanding of what it will take that day. Understanding my own heart is the same way. Just because I have a wound in my heart over a particular circumstance, does not excuse anger, but it makes it more clear what I need to do to be freed from that anger. So, my awareness of my heart is not enough. However, not understanding my own heart makes things nigh impossible.

P) Father, shed light on my heart for me. Help me know what You know, according to Your will, so that I can understand what needs to change in my heart. I want to be humbly submitted to You in every way. I know that there are sometimes areas in my heart that I hold back from You, but in humility, I want to give it all away. Help me change my heart, to be fully submitted to Your sovereignty. Show me where my heart must change, and give me the strength and courage to give it to You. Thank You for the life You give me, for the Holy Spirit within me. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 05/26/2014; Proverbs 1:5

Today's reading: Proverbs 1, 2, 3; Romans 7

S) "⁵ A wise man will hear and increase in learning,
And a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel,"

Proverbs 1:5 (NASB)

O) This is nestled in the introduction to the Proverbs, where Solomon drew the reader into the Proverbs by pointing out that wisdom is not produced internally. The chapter as a whole, including the personification of wisdom, really drives the point that wisdom is not inherent, but the above verse sort of sums that up. The word, "hear" makes it clear that the wise man is receiving input. Then, the man of understanding acquires wise counsel, so again it's from an outside source. Wisdom (that's worth anything, anyway) comes from God first. It's important to remember that, but equally, it's important to remember that wisdom does not come from within. I need to seek it outside myself. I need to seek counsel, and I need to hear it.

A) I actually experienced this recently. It is amazing the way God can use other people to impart wisdom, when we do the following three things.
1 - Humbly realize that there are answers to questions that are beyond us.
2 - Ask God for a wise counselor, who can obediently speak as the Holy Spirit leads.
3 - Ask people for willingness to talk through things.
God wants His children to have wisdom (what parent would not want that?!), so I need to ask for it. God is faithful to put people in my life who can speak to me His wisdom, His will. I just need to ask for, and seek, those encounters.

P) Father, continue to remind me, even rebuke me, to know that I cannot increase my own wisdom. I will seek You first, directly, knowing that Your words hold life itself. But I also want to find the wise counsel that You have put near me, that can be in my life. Thank You for the people, the faithful servants, You have brought into my life. Please use me to bless them, even more than they have blessed me. Open my ears to hear, and my eyes to see, so that I do not miss a thing, according to Your will. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 05/25/2014; 2 Chronicles 9:7

Today's reading: 1 Kings 10, 11; 2 Chronicles 9; Romans 6

S) "⁷ How blessed are your men, how blessed are these your servants who stand before you continually and hear your wisdom."

2 Chronicles 9:7 (NASB)

O) These are the words of the queen of Sheba, when she was visiting Solomon in his splendor. Overwhelmed by his wealth, organization, architecture, and wisdom, she confesses that the reports of Solomon's greatness didn't even tell the half of it. It results in her praise of the LORD in v.8, too, which is always a goal of our efforts on earth. But the above verse is really the one that jumped out at me, because it really drew me in, and made me think about being one of those servants.

A) Reading the Bible everyday is, without a doubt, the best thing I can possibly read every day. This verse had me thinking, though, about how much I actually pursue wisdom from other people. We have a lot of the writings of Solomon in the Bible today (most notably Proverbs), but it's still only a fraction of what he said in the totality of his life. In other words, his servants heard much more. I'm not suggesting that there is "better" wisdom to be found outside the Bible, or even that there is "more" wisdom, but I know that there is other wisdom. There is wisdom to be found that is still in harmony with the Bible, because it still comes from the Bible, or is about the Bible, or is simply still from God, and therefore does not contradict the Bible in any way. That is the wisdom I should pursue, in addition to the Bible (certainly never in place of the Bible).

P) Father, thank You for the Bible. And thank You also, for giving men and women wisdom that advances our understanding of You, and the Word, and Your world around us. Give me thirst for wisdom, Lord. I want to hear wisdom continually, as a blessed servant of Solomon did. Open my eyes to see, and my ears to hear, so that I can perceive Your wisdom in other places, in addition to Scripture, but never instead of Scripture. Please give me discernment, and a clear mind and heart, to know what is from You, and what is deception. May I cling to Your truth, wherever it is found. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.