Thoughts from Mark "Hat" Rackley

Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,
    but whoever hates correction is stupid.
Good people obtain favor from the Lord,
    but he condemns those who devise wicked schemes.
No one can be established through wickedness,
    but the righteous cannot be uprooted.
A wife of noble character is her husband’s crown,
    but a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones.
The plans of the righteous are just,
    but the advice of the wicked is deceitful.
The words of the wicked lie in wait for blood,
    but the speech of the upright rescues them.
The wicked are overthrown and are no more,
    but the house of the righteous stands firm.

• Proverbs 12: 1-7

“Proverbs 12:1 stupid. ” From the Hebrew ‘to graze’; he is as stupid as the brute cattle (cf. Pss. 49:20; 73:22).”

• John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

I can strongly agree with the second half of the first proverb in this set.  I liked corrections.  I did not want to go through the punishment again, but I did not like the discipline.  My Dad worked on the road.  He might be home for the weekend, once a month, or longer.  A couple of times, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and Mexico City, Mexico, he might be gone six months at a time.  It averaged about once each month.  My mother was a “wait until your Dad gets home” type of disciplining mother, but she would never tell me when I did something wrong.  When I saw the extra car in the driveway, I knew I would be beaten, spanked, etc.  I would ask why.  My Dad would say that I knew why.  After they had both passed away, it finally dawned on me why.  Because my mother wanted to see me get a blistering, as they called it.

Thus, my upbringing was not discipline, for there was no correction.  There was never a correction, and sometimes, I may have never deserved it.  I learned to try to be as quiet as a church mouse, unseen and unheard, and I lived in constant fear of a pin dropping.

The second proverb in this set is a relational statement between us and God.  Good people find favor, while the wicked are hated due to their wicked schemes.  So, maybe if the wicked quit devising wicked schemes? …

The word “established” is the key in the next proverb.  The wicked can never be established.  They will always be looking over their shoulder.  But the righteous can become established.

The last chapter of Proverbs contains a definition of a wife of noble character, but in Proverbs 12:4 we get the reason for having a wife of noble character.  She is her husband’s crown, but without that noble character, she rots her husband’s bones.  My wife was far from perfect, but she lived the closest to a woman of noble character of anyone I have ever known.  She was my crown.

The next proverb is practically giving definitions, but have you ever asked advice of a wicked person?  Can you trust their advice?  Maybe if you play upon their inflated ego, but can you trust them?  And what will it cost you in the long run?  The next proverb follows with the words of the righteous and the wicked.

And this set ends with the righteous will have a house that stands.  Some righteous do not own their house, but those within the family, who do not rebel, will stand firm.

And now let us sing.

The following song is Righteousness, Peace, & Joy.  It is sung by Ron Kenoly.  I love the beat.

“Righteousness, peace, joy in the Holy Ghost
Righteousness, peace and joy
In the Holy Ghost that’s the kingdom of God

Don’t you want to be a part of the kingdom
Don’t you want to be a part of the kingdom
Don’t you want to be a part of the kingdom
Come on everybody
There’s love in the kingdom
So much love in the kingdom
There’s love in the kingdom
Come on everybody

There’s peace in the kingdom
So much peace in the kingdom
There’s peace in the kingdom
Come on everybody

There’s joy in the kingdom
So much joy in the kingdom
There’s joy in the kingdom come on everybody

There’s love in God’s kingdom so much love
Come on everybody

There’s peace in God’s kingdom so much peace
Come on everybody

There’s joy in God’s kingdom so much joy
Come on everybody I’m an heir of the kingdom
So glad I’m an heir of the kingdom
I’m an heir of the kingdom come on everybody”

• Helena Barrington, Righteousness, Peace, and Joy

Closing Prayer

Dear Lord,
We need Your wisdom.  We must be righteous.  Righteousness has so many rewards, but if we do not accept discipline, we will never understand what righteousness is.  May we have wise advisors, Lord, so that we can trust that advice.  And if our wife is not of the noblest of character, could it not be that the husband has not helped lifting her up?
In thy Name we pray.
Amen

Soli Deo Gloria.  Only to God be the Glory.