Proverbs
10 reminds me of the changing seasons in life. This chapter seems to
mark a sudden shift. The words and thoughts turn from specific to
general. I imagine Solomon’s son has moved out and he is now
reflecting on their relationship in relative quiet as he looks around
the empty home. We have many decision points in our life, and with
hindsight, Solomon contrasts the options. He begins, “A
wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish son brings grief to
his mother“. Moms and
dads react differently to situations. It is easy to see the pride in
a dad’s eyes, and just as easy to spot the grief in a mother’s.
Both can provide an equal motivation to modify our behavior. I
picture Solomon cleaning up his boy’s now vacant room and thinking
of specific events as he thinks his thoughts out loud. Filling the
trash bag, he writes, “Ill-gotten
treasures have no lasting value“.
Tossing out old food wrappers, “The
Lord does not let the righteous go hungry“.
Wadding up forgotten projects, he adds, “Lazy
hands make for poverty, but diligent hands bring wealth“.
Looking out the window, he is lost in the years, “He
who gathers crops in summer is a prudent son, but he who sleeps
during harvest is a disgraceful son“.
Patching the drywall, he nods, “violence
overwhelms the mouth of the wicked“.
Gathering himself before leaving, he stands tall with the
understanding that his boy has been given the tools, “The
wise in heart accept commands, but a chattering fool comes to ruin.
Whoever walks in integrity walks securely“.
Maybe it is time for a spring cleaning?
Continuing
his walkabout, Solomon comes to the living room to find an open
Bible, “The
mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life“.
Seeing his wife preparing a meal, he is comforted, “Hatred
stirs up conflict, but
love
covers over all wrongs“.
Picking up the old wooden spoon, he remembers, “Wisdom
is found on the lips of the discerning, but
a
rod is for the back of one who has no sense“.
Seeing the missing table setting, he smiles, “The
wise store up knowledge“.
He stares at the chair, recalling a dinner conversation, “The
wages of the righteous is life, but the earnings of the wicked are
sin and death. Whoever heeds discipline shows the way to life, but
whoever ignores correction leads others astray“.
Remembering a word not spoken, he adds, “The
prudent hold their tongues“.
Do you need a refreshing summer breeze?
Perhaps
Solomon looked around with thanks as the holidays approach, “The
lips of the righteous nourish many… The blessing of the Lord
brings wealth, without painful toil for it“.
With the chill of autumn he is filled with confidence, “A
fool finds pleasure in wicked schemes, but a person of
understanding delights in wisdom… The way of the Lord is a refuge
for the blameless“.
Are your fall gatherings warm?
Solomon’s
stream of consciousness winds down with certainty that he has fully
prepared his son for the winter yet to come. “When
the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone, but the righteous
stand firm forever… The prospect of the righteous is joy… The way
of the Lord is a refuge for the blameless… The righteous will never
be uprooted“. It is
time to trust his son to the guidance of God’s Holy Spirit,
prayerfully listening for confirmation, “From
the mouth of the righteous comes the fruit of wisdom, but a perverse
tongue will be silenced…
The lips of the righteous know what finds favor“.
Friend, here is the source of my hope, “For
God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation
through our Lord Jesus Christ”
(1 Thessalonians 5:9). Is this your season for change?