December 3, 2008

Today's Reading - Proverbs 3
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Following Scripture Verses

1. My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:
2. For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.
3. Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:
4. So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.
5. Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
6. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
7. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
8. It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.
9. Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:
10. So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.
11. My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:
12. For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.
13. Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.
14. For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.
15. She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.
16. Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour.
17. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.
18. She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her.
19. The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens.
20. By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.
21. My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion:
22. So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck.
23. Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble.
24. When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.
25. Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh.
26. For the LORD shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.
27. Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it.
28. Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and to morrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee.
29. Devise not evil against thy neighbour, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee.
30. Strive not with a man without cause, if he have done thee no harm.
31. Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways.
32. For the froward is abomination to the LORD: but his secret is with the righteous.
33. The curse of the LORD is in the house of the wicked: but he blesseth the habitation of the just.
34. Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly.
35. The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools.

Today's Pathway:
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"Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways." - Proverbs 3:31

Nobody likes a bully. On the school playground, the bully pushes everyone else around, both verbally and physically. Because of this, most of the other kids try to stay as far away from him as possible. When they speak about him, the words are always very negative, but also spoken very quietly lest he might happen to hear. He is feared and despised, and no one wants him around.

Yet, if you were to ask the average kid on the playground if he would like to be able to boss the other kids around, he would probably answer in the affirmative. Most of the kids hate the bully, but they also want to be able to beat up the bully. They fear the bully, but they also want the other kids to fear them. They hate the fact that the bully takes their lunch money, but they would love to be able to get other kids to give them their money. Sometimes they will pattern their lives after the bully. They will dress like he does, or adopt his mannerisms. They may even begin to hang around with him, and help him to bully other kids.

Most of us are not children anymore, but sometimes we act like them. Today's verse warns us to not envy the oppressor or choose to act like he does. We don't like oppressors, yet we often wish that we had the power or fame or material wealth that accompanies that type of behavior. We may even adopt some of their ways of doing things in a hope that we will be able to bend others to our will. Solomon reminds us in the next verse that those who behave this way are an abomination to Him. Therefore, no matter how "successful" the oppressor may be, we need to reject him and follow the Lord.

Pastor Mark J Montgomery