Thoughts from Mark "Hat" Rackley

A person is praised according to their prudence,
    and one with a warped mind is despised.
Better to be a nobody and yet have a servant
    than pretend to be somebody and have no food.
The righteous care for the needs of their animals,
    but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel.
Those who work their land will have abundant food,
    but those who chase fantasies have no sense.
The wicked desire the stronghold of evildoers,
    but the root of the righteous endures.
Evildoers are trapped by their sinful talk,
    and so the innocent escape trouble.
From the fruit of their lips people are filled with good things,
    and the work of their hands brings them reward.

• Proverbs 12: 8-14

“Proverbs 12:11 frivolity (fantasy). ”Energy expended to worthless pursuits and fantasies is as useless as outright laziness.”

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

Prudence is honored in the first proverb of this set.  The counterpart is warped.  In looking at other translations, perverse is the predominant word used, but also twisted and stupid.

The next proverb speaks of fame and the pursuit thereof.  Being a nobody has its advantages.  These days with the paparazzi, even the not-so-famous have no rest.

The next speaks against animal cruelty, but the definitions for that are getting out of hand.  The righteous should know what is best for the animal, not turning the animal into a pseudo-human.

The next proverb was painfully true, to a point during the Great Depression.  No one had much, but the farmers were never short on something to eat, if they were prudent.  Chasing fantasies or being frivolous leads to not having.

For the next proverb, in the old west, this was borne out as there were hideouts where various gangs of criminals would hide.  But the wise, will know that those evil doers will eventually turn on each other.  And one of the ways that the evildoers fall into trouble with each other is with a slip of the tongue, as the next proverb speaks of.

But if the fruit of our lips are good things, it will reap a reward.

And now let us sing.

The following song is Enough.  It is sung by the composer, Elias Dummer.

“I am not what I make, I am who you have made me to be
I am not what I’ve done, I am loved unconditionally
I am not loved by the measure of love that I bring
I am not who I know, I am known by the king of all kings

Jesus, You are enough
Jesus, You are enough for me
With nothing, I still have everything
Jesus, You are enough for me

You are maker made visible, holding the world in your hands
You are patient and merciful, giver of grace without end
Satisfied simply by being who You’ve always been
You are infinite love and You prove it again and again

Jesus, You are enough
Jesus, You are enough for me
With nothing, I still have everything
Jesus, You are enough for me

Jesus, You are enough
Jesus, You are enough for me
With nothing, I still have everything
Jesus, You are enough for me

In You, I am created
In You, I am sustained
With You, I am resurrected
You overcame the grave

With You, I stand in victory
Now what else could I need?
With You, I want for nothing
Jesus, my everything

Jesus, You are enough
Jesus, You are enough for me
With nothing, I still have everything
Jesus, You are enough for me

Jesus, You are enough
Jesus, You are enough for me
With nothing, I still have everything
Jesus, You are enough for me

Jesus, You are enough
Jesus, You are enough for me
With nothing, I still have everything
Jesus, You are enough for me”

• Elias Dummer, Enough

Closing Prayer

Dear Lord,
We need Your wisdom.  We must be righteous.  We must be prudent.  Being prudent in our work leads to having more food when needed.  Being righteous and prudent, there will be less slips of the tongue that might get us in trouble.  And the more good things we can say, the better.  We need to know how to properly treat our animals and be good to them.  But help us realize that being good to our neighbor is also important.
In thy Name we pray.
Amen

Soli Deo Gloria.  Only to God be the Glory.