Thoughts from Mark "Hat" Rackley

The Lord detests lying lips,
    but he delights in people who are trustworthy.
The prudent keep their knowledge to themselves,
    but a fool’s heart blurts out folly.
Diligent hands will rule,
    but laziness ends in forced labor.
Anxiety weighs down the heart,
    but a kind word cheers it up.
The righteous choose their friends carefully,
    but the way of the wicked leads them astray.
The lazy do not roast any game,
    but the diligent feed on the riches of the hunt.
In the way of righteousness there is life;
    along that path is immortality.

• Proverbs 12: 22-28

“Proverbs 12:27 does not roast. ”The sluggard lacks commitment to make something of his opportunities (cf. vv. 11, 25).”

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

Our tongues can get us into trouble whether we lie, as in verse 22, or we brag about what we know to be the truth, as in verse 23.  But what we may get into the most trouble with is what we think we know.  We might be wrong and there we are bragging about it.

Verses 24 and 27 talk about the perils of laziness.  Diligent hands are too busy working to get into trouble.  And when it comes to roasting, I like the slow cooker, but if I tried to cook the same thing on a charcoal fire, I would cook it a lot faster.  Even though I know about a slow roast over coals, I crank up the heat.  It is either seared on the outside and raw in the middle or it is so dry that eating shoe leather would be easier to chew.

Verse 25 speaks of anxiety.  Jesus teaches us to not worry, and here Solomon is saying the same thing, but to offer the flip side of the coin, Solomon talks of a kind word.  Have you ever worried about something and then someone says something nice, and your mind is on that nice comment, and you might even forget what you were anxious about.

Verse 26 speaks of the righteous having friends and the wicked lead them astray.  For one thing, the righteous person can maintain friendships.  As the proverb says, the wicked lead them astray.  If you have any self-esteem, you will find a new friend.  Being led astray might mean a few bumps and bruises.  And the proverb might be talking about the quality of the friends, a friend that will stick by your side rather than the fair weather friend.

And the last verse in Proverbs 12 is speaking of salvation.  The way of the righteous is life, even to the point of immortality.

And now let us sing.

The following song is Friends are Friends Forever.  It is sung by Michael W. Smith.

“Packing up the dreams God planted
In the fertile soil of you
Can’t believe the hopes He’s granted
Means a chapter in your life is through
But we’ll keep you close as always
It won’t even seem you’ve gone
‘Cause our hearts in big and small ways
Will keep the love that keeps us strong
And friends are friends forever
If the Lord’s the Lord of them
And a friend will not say never
‘Cause the welcome will not end
Though it’s hard to let you go
In the Father’s hands we know
That a lifetime’s not too long
To live as friends
With the faith and love God’s given
Springing from the hope we know
We will pray the joy you’ll live in
Is the strength that now you show
But we’ll keep you close as always
It won’t even seem you’ve gone
‘Cause our hearts in big and small ways
Will keep the love that keeps us strong
And friends are friends forever
If the Lord’s the Lord of them
And a friend will not say never
‘Cause the welcome will not end
Though it’s hard to let you go
In the Father’s hands we know
That a lifetime’s not too long
To live as friends”

• Michael W. Smith, Friends are Friends Forever

Closing Prayer

Dear Lord,
We need Your wisdom.  Lord, we have even more reminders to watch what we say.  And we must always be diligent.  You tell us to love each other, love our neighbors, love our enemies.  We need a reminder that love is an action verb.  And as we show our love, we act upon our love, we will be able to make friends and keep them.  And as we show that love to others and they return that love to us with kind words, the anxieties of life melt away,
In thy Name we pray.
Amen

Soli Deo Gloria.  Only to God be the Glory.