External Influences

1 Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler,
    and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.
2 The terror of a king is like the growling of a lion;
    whoever provokes him to anger forfeits his life.
3 It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife,
    but every fool will be quarreling.
4 The sluggard does not plow in the autumn;
    he will seek at harvest and have nothing.
5 The purpose in a man’s heart is like deep water,
    but a man of understanding will draw it out.
6 Many a man proclaims his own steadfast love,
    but a faithful man who can find?
7 The righteous who walks in his integrity—
    blessed are his children after him!
8 A king who sits on the throne of judgment
    winnows all evil with his eyes.
9 Who can say, “I have made my heart pure;
    I am clean from my sin”?
10 Unequal weights and unequal measures
    are both alike an abomination to the Lord.
11 Even a child makes himself known by his acts,
    by whether his conduct is pure and upright.
12 The hearing ear and the seeing eye,
    the Lord has made them both.
13 Love not sleep, lest you come to poverty;
    open your eyes, and you will have plenty of bread.
14 “Bad, bad,” says the buyer,
    but when he goes away, then he boasts.
15 There is gold and abundance of costly stones,
    but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel. – Proverbs 20:1-15 ESV

“Ears to hear and eyes to see – both are gifts from the Lord.” – Proverbs 20:12 NLT

There are a lot of things that can impact the direction and quality of an individual’s life, and many of them are external in nature. In this proverb, Solomon begins by mentioning the detrimental influence that alcohol can have.

Wine produces mockers; alcohol leads to brawls.
    Those led astray by drink cannot be wise. – Proverbs 20:1 NLT

While the Scriptures don't ban the consumption of alcohol outright, there are clear warnings as to its use and potential abuse. Here in the wisdom literature of Proverbs, we have an in-your-face warning included by Solomon that doesn't mince words when it comes to the potential danger of alcohol. And he isn't talking about distilled alcohol. No, he's talking about the everyday, run-of-the-mill, average household wine that a Hebrew would consume.

He describes it as a mocker. Too much wine or alcohol in the system can turn anyone into an obnoxious, inebriated blowhard who is offensive to be around. The NET Bible puts it this way: "Excessive use of intoxicants excites the drinker to boisterous behavior and aggressive attitudes – it turns them into mockers and brawlers."

You've seen them, been around them, and may have been there once or twice yourself. Alcohol clouds your senses, dulls your thinking, and distorts your perspective. The weak suddenly become strong, the timid feel braver, and the normally quiet ones become increasingly bolder. Inhibitions get tossed aside like a bottle cap and concern for decorum or reputation gets lost in the euphoric, alcohol-induced buzz. The Message has a not-so-subtle way of paraphrasing this verse. "Wine makes you mean, beer makes you quarrelsome – a staggering drunk is not much fun." How sadly true.

But alcohol isn’t the only thing that can negatively influence an individual’s life. Solomon also mentions quarreling and strife.

Avoiding a fight is a mark of honor;
    only fools insist on quarreling. – Proverbs 20:3 NLT

The fact is, we don’t live our lives in isolation. We are constantly surrounded by other people who may not always agree with or even like us, which can easily lead to disagreements and the potential for strife. But while the temptation to defend our rights and state our minds might be strong, Solomon suggests that it would be better to avoid conflict at all costs. In fact, it is a mark of honor and a sign of wisdom. Only fools insist on escalating a conflict to the point that someone is going to get hurt, either emotionally or physically.

Another negative influence on a man’s life is the tendency toward laziness.

Those too lazy to plow in the right season
    will have no food at the harvest. – Proverbs 20:4 NLT

Essentially, Solomon is describing procrastination – the art of putting off until tomorrow what should rightfully be done today. Solomon was not a big fan of the procrastinator. In fact, in Proverbs 6, he describes this kind of individual as if he had one living in his own home.

But you, lazybones, how long will you sleep?
    When will you wake up?
A little extra sleep, a little more slumber,
    a little folding of the hands to rest—
then poverty will pounce on you like a bandit;
    scarcity will attack you like an armed robber. – Proverbs 6:9-11 NLT

But Solomon mentions another external temptation that we must avoid: The use of dishonest means to achieve personal gain.

False weights and unequal measures—
    the Lord detests double standards of every kind. – Proverbs 20:10 NLT

When the Proverbs talk about false weights and unequal measures, it is describing a form of double standard that is aimed at others. It is designed to take unfair advantage of another person by means of intentional deception. The image is that of a vendor using inaccurate weights and measures in order to make the buyer think he is getting more than he is paying for. It is using deception to gain an advantage. But Solomon warns that God is watching and He is totally opposed to such actions – especially among His people.

God hates hypocrisy, and so should we. Yet the double standard is not only tolerated in our society, it’s actually admired. It has become an art form. Living the lie and masquerading as something other than what we truly are has become commonplace – even among Christians. And while we may fool others by our pretense and pretending, we never fool God. He sees and knows all. He is not impressed by our outward displays of righteousness or our Oscar-worthy performances that impress the crowds around us. He can spot duplicity and deceit of all kinds – even when we are trying to trick others into believing we are righteous. God desires honesty and integrity among His people. He wants us to say what we mean and mean what we say. He wants us to keep our word and live in such a way that our behavior is a true indication of our hearts.

Dishonesty has no place in the life of a follower of Christ. Instead, "the godly walk with integrity" (Proverbs 20:7 NLT). The Hebrew word for integrity is tom, and it means wholeness or completeness. It can convey the idea of a simplicity of mind. It is a mind with no deceit, free from mischief and misrepresentation. A life of integrity is a life of wholeness, health, and soundness. To live with integrity as a believer is to live your WHOLE life in a holy manner. It is to give God complete control over every area of your life – not just the convenient ones.

In time, a life of duplicity will always be exposed.

Even children are known by the way they act,
    whether their conduct is pure, and whether it is right. – Proverbs 20:11 NLT

As believers, we are to have one standard, not two. We are to live according to God's righteous requirements, not our own. There is no place for a double standard in our lives. Yet, for many of us, duplicity is a daily companion. We have learned to live the lie, not intending to hurt those around us, but deceiving them all the same. When we act as if all is well and our lives are carefree, yet we are struggling with doubts and troubles of all kinds, we are being duplicitous. We are being dishonest. When we try to impress others with outward displays of spirituality, while on the inside we are wrestling with our beliefs, we are being duplicitous. When we preach to our kids about the importance of God and His Word, but we rarely spend time in it ourselves, we are being hypocrites. And our children are fine-tuned to spot hypocrisy in our lives.

God calls us to be honest, transparent, open, and above board in our relationships with one another. No lying, no deceit, no duplicity, no double standards. We are to be a people of integrity. Not faking it for the sake of those around us, but honestly and openly living our lives knowing that "the Lord's light penetrates the human spirit, exposing every hidden motive" (Proverbs 20:27 NLT).

Solomon reminds us that we have been given two incredible gifts from God.

Ears to hear and eyes to see—
    both are gifts from the Lord. – Proverbs 20:12 NLT

But Solomon’s mention of sight and hearing has little to do with the ability to see and hear. He seems to know that there are far too many people who have good hearing and great eyesight but who might as well be deaf and blind. Their problem is a spiritual one. Their organs of sight and hearing are perfectly fine, but they are spiritually deaf and blind. God used this imagery on many occasions, telling the people of Judah, "Listen, you foolish and senseless people, with eyes that do not see and ears that do not hear" (Jeremiah 5:21 NLT). They were unable to see the greatness of God and unwilling to hear the voice of God.

While sight and hearing are both gifts from the Lord, how much greater is the gift of being able to see and hear spiritually. The ability to see life from God's perspective and to clearly hear His voice is a gift of inestimable worth. Every Christ-follower has been equipped with these God-given senses of spiritual sight and hearing. As a result, we have the ability and responsibility to listen more and talk less. I think it's interesting that speech is not listed as one of the gifts. We put a high value on what we say, but God seems to put a higher value on our capacity to listen – not only to Him but to what is being said around us. We need to train our ears to hear the pain and suffering in the world. We need to hear and discern the falsehood and lies masquerading as truth. We need to hear God speaking in the midst of all the noise around us. But to hear, we have to stop talking.

And we need to see more clearly the world as God sees it. We need His vision and insight. We need His perspective. It is easy to be fooled by the false images of this world. But things are not always as they appear. God gives us the ability to see clearly and truthfully. He alone can open our eyes to the reality of what is going on in the world. When we see clearly, we see Him at work. We know the value of His righteousness and the greatness of His power. We view the world through the lens of the future. And our vision of the world is not limited to the here-and-now. God has given us a glimpse into the future and we can see that He has a plan that He is working to perfection. The scenes of this present world are not the end of the story. We see the world through the eyes of God and know how the story ends.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

New English Translation (NET)NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.

Power In Weakness.

2 Corinthians 12

That's why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong. – 2 Corinthians 12:10 NLT

Paul continued to defend his credibility and the validity of his ministry and message. Yet he did so reluctantly. Bragging and boasting about himself didn't come easy to Paul. It wasn't that he didn't have a lot to brag about. It was just that he knew that his ministry wasn't about him, and by boasting about his own accomplishments, he was inadvertently taking credit for what God had done through him. So even Paul's attempt to promote himself ended up focusing on his weaknesses instead of his strengths. Paul had every right to boast about his accomplishments, and everything he said would have been true. But he said, "I won't do it., because I don't want anyone to give me credit beyond what they can see in my life or hear in my message" (2 Corinthians 12:6 NLT). In other words, Paul wanted his life to speak for itself. And for Paul, even the trials and tribulations of life were proof of his apostleship and his calling by God. He even viewed his "thorn in the flesh" as evidence of God's handiwork in his life. We have no idea what this infirmity or affliction was. Paul doesn't tell us. It could have physical or spiritual in nature. But we know that Paul prayed three different times that God would remove whatever it was from his life. Paul's perspective on this problem was that, as bad as it was, God was using it to keep him from becoming proud. This thorn in the flesh was actually driving Paul closer and making him more dependent upon God. The loving Father's response to Paul's request that He remove this affliction forms the core of Paul's outlook on life. "My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9 NLT).

Paul saw God's grace even in his weaknesses and the daily struggles of life. Success or an absence of trouble was not how Paul measured the effectiveness of his life. He had come to view weakness as a blessing, not a curse. "So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me" (2 Corinthians 12:9 NLT). Recognition and acceptance of our weakness allows us to take our expectations off of ourselves and place our hope in God. For Paul, it would have been foolish to brag about himself or boast in his own accomplishments. God was working in him and through him – in spite of him. His weaknesses had become God's proving ground. Which is why he could say, "I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong" (2 Corinthians 12:10 NLT). What a radically different perspective that is. Paul saw weakness as an opportunity to see God's power on display. He was constantly amazed that the God of the universe would use someone as powerless and impotent as him to accomplish His mission on this earth. The very fact that Paul was undergoing persecution, rejection, pain and suffering were ample evidence to him that God was at work in his life. His ministry was growing, even while he was suffering. His influence was increasing, even while his strength was diminishing.

Somehow, we have come to believe that the life of a Christian should be trouble-free and easy-going. We expect our path to be clear and our skies to be sunny. So when a little bit of trouble comes our way, we are shocked and surprised. We become angry and upset. We question God and wonder why He is punishing us in this way. But Paul would encourage us to see our circumstances differently. He would tell us to view our perceived troubles as opportunities to watch God work. He would beg us to embrace our weakness and impotence and turn to God for help. And then we would understand that our weaknesses really do make us strong, because our strength would be coming from the Lord. Paul was proud of his weakness. He was even willing to boast about it. It was at his greatest point of need that Paul was able to witness the great power of God. His insufficiency became the opportunity to witness God's power and sovereignty in his life.

Father, may I continue to learn to embrace my weakness and Your power. Pride is such a powerful force in my life. I want to be self-sufficient. I want to be strong. I want to be able to handle all the problems and difficulties of life on my own. So You allow trials and troubles to expose my insufficiency and reveal my powerlessness. Then I have to turn to You. And when I do, You always show up. I gain strength as I watch You work in ways that are beyond my own capacities. Thank You for this reminder that Your power works best in my weakness. As long as I think I have what it takes to make it in this world, I will never enjoy the power available to me through You. Amen.

No Comparison.

2 Corinthians 11:16-33

If I must boast, I would rather boast about the things that show how weak I am. – 2 Corinthians 11:30 NLT

Over the last two to three weeks, I have had two of my cars break down and require major, unexpected repairs. My father had to be admitted to the hospital on two separate occasions during that same time period. While he was there, the AC at his house went out requiring the replacement of the outside condenser unit. At the same time, the dishwasher and garbage disposal at my home both decided to call it quits. Then one of the cars I had just gotten out of the shop broke down on me as I was heading from the hospital back up to the church to teach a Bible study. It was the transmission this time. To say the least, it was not a fun few weeks. But as all this was taking place and I was reading through the letters of Paul, the thought dawned on me that I would have a hard time comparing war stories with the apostle Paul. If I tried to compare my difficulties with his, it would be like toddler trying to take on Mike Tyson. Talk about a mismatch.

In reading through 2nd Corinthians, we've reached an interesting place in the letter where we find Paul literally bragging about himself. It's a somewhat awkward read and seems a bit unexpected from someone of Paul's spiritual caliber. But there's a method to Paul's madness. He isn't really bragging, but simply trying to make a point. There are those in Corinth who have questioned his authority as an apostle and his credibility as a teacher. A group of self-proclaimed apostles have shown up who are trying to discredit Paul, in order to elevate themselves in the minds of the people. As a result, they boast about their human achievements, wearing their curriculum vitae on their chest like a badge of honor. So Paul decides to fight fire with fire. He admits that he feels like a fool doing it, but if these men want to get into a battle based on comparative worth and worth, Paul is more than willing to oblige them. These people were putting high stock in their "Jewishness." They were Hebrews and wanted everyone to know it. They believed their ethnicity gave them a leg up and made them more "Christian" than the Gentiles. But Paul assures his readers that he too is a Hebrew and an Israelite. He too is a card-carrying member chosen race and a descendant of Abraham. He is also a servant of Christ, just as they claim to be. In fact, he argues that he is a harder working servant of Christ and then he proceeds to give ample proof of his claim. What comes next is Paul's laundry list of trials, troubles, difficulties and circumstantial setbacks. He had been imprisoned, beaten, whipped, shipwrecked, stoned and left for dead, gone without food and water, and nearly froze to death. On top of all that, Paul had the constant pressing responsibility for the spiritual well-being of all the churches he had helped start.

Paul was not some fly-by-night, headline-grabbing, attention-seeking, self-serving and self-proclaimed spokesman for God. He was the divinely appointed messenger of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles. He had been called and commissioned by Jesus Christ Himself. But if they wanted to get into a war of one-up-man-ship, Paul was more than willing to oblige them. He admits that his boasting "is not from the Lord" (2 Corinthians 11:17 NLT), but he is doing it to validate his message and defend his authority as a spokesman for God. But one of the interesting things about Paul's boasting is that he only boasted about his weaknesses, humiliations and sufferings. He wasn't bragging about his intellectual prowess or oratorial skills. Paul boasted that he had suffered as a result of his ministry. He was not a success in the eyes of many because his life didn't seem to have the trappings of success. Paul made it clear that if he was going to boast at all, it would be about all those things that reveal his own weakness and his need for God's strength. Paul didn't pat himself on the back for having accomplished great things for God. He simply listed all the things that had happened to him as he faithfully served God. The very fact that Paul was still at it, in spite of all that happened, was more than enough proof of God's sustaining power and Paul's divine authority as an apostle of Jesus Christ. God was at work in the midst of all the troubles. He was using Paul in spite of his weakness and countless obstacles. That was all the proof Paul needed. And it was all the proof he was going to give. Paul's life was like that of Christ Himself. He suffered willingly and obediently. He sacrificed his comfort for the cause of the Gospel. He had learned to rely on God's strength instead of his own. His life was marked by weakness and apparent failure, yet God was at work in him and through him. The Christian life is not a contest or cause for comparison. Our lives should reflect Christ and reveal the power of God at work in and around us. We should be able to boast about what God is doing in our lives. Our greatest testimony is a life of complete reliance on God. Nothing else compares.

Father, I want to continue to learn to boast about those things that reveal my weakness and Your strength. Don't allow me to become too full of myself and in love with my own accomplishments. I am nothing without You. But I can do all things because of You. Amen.