September 10, 2008

Today's Reading - Proverbs 10
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Following Scripture Verses

1. The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.
2. Treasures of wickedness profit nothing: but righteousness delivereth from death.
3. The LORD will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish: but he casteth away the substance of the wicked.
4. He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.
5. He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame.
6. Blessings are upon the head of the just: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.
7. The memory of the just is blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot.
8. The wise in heart will receive commandments: but a prating fool shall fall.
9. He that walketh uprightly walketh surely: but he that perverteth his ways shall be known.
10. He that winketh with the eye causeth sorrow: but a prating fool shall fall.
11. The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.
12. Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.
13. In the lips of him that hath understanding wisdom is found: but a rod is for the back of him that is void of understanding.
14. Wise men lay up knowledge: but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction.
15. The rich man's wealth is his strong city: the destruction of the poor is their poverty.
16. The labour of the righteous tendeth to life: the fruit of the wicked to sin.
17. He is in the way of life that keepeth instruction: but he that refuseth reproof erreth.
18. He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool.
19. In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise.
20. The tongue of the just is as choice silver: the heart of the wicked is little worth.
21. The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom.
22. The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.
23. It is as sport to a fool to do mischief: but a man of understanding hath wisdom.
24. The fear of the wicked, it shall come upon him: but the desire of the righteous shall be granted.
25. As the whirlwind passeth, so is the wicked no more: but the righteous is an everlasting foundation.
26. As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to them that send him.
27. The fear of the LORD prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened.
28. The hope of the righteous shall be gladness: but the expectation of the wicked shall perish.
29. The way of the LORD is strength to the upright: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity.
30. The righteous shall never be removed: but the wicked shall not inhabit the earth.
31. The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom: but the froward tongue shall be cut out.
32. The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable: but the mouth of the wicked speaketh frowardness.

Today's Pathway:
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"It is as sport to a fool to do mischief:" - Proverbs 10:23

I am sure that you have observed a similar situation to this one. An individual, often a young person, decides to get involved in some sort of mischief. It isn't necessarily a terrible thing that he is doing, but it isn't the right thing to do. He commits his sin, and then laughs about it because it seems like fun to him. More than likely he gets away with this conduct, and then repeats it as soon as he can.

We tend to not think of mischief as being a terrible trespass. It may be something like teasing, or a minor act of vandalism, or doing something mean that frightens someone else. Certainly none of these offenses will send a man to jail, and usually no one really gets hurt, at least not physically. The culprit may not seem angry or malicious when committing these acts, and rather seems to find humor in it. Because of this, parents, teachers, and others in authority will dismiss these events as childhood pranks, and not be very bothered by them. They will excuse it as "kids being kids", but this is not what the Lord says. He states that the person who finds it amusing to be mischievous is a fool.

I am sure that adults are guilty of mischief, but it is the children that I want to focus on today. We as parents do not want to raise fools, and we need to stop foolish behavior when we see it. Just because my child laughs when he sins doesn't mean that his actions were acceptable. Just because no one got hurt doesn't mean that what he did was right. Just because he was "cute" doesn't mean that he should be allowed to continue his foolish behavior. He may be a fool because he is young, or he may be a fool because he is a rebel, but either way he is still a fool, and need to be corrected.

Pastor Mark J Montgomery