Thoughts from Mark "Hat" Rackley

Like a north wind that brings unexpected rain
    is a sly tongue—which provokes a horrified look.
Better to live on a corner of the roof
    than share a house with a quarrelsome wife.
Like cold water to a weary soul
    is good news from a distant land.
Like a muddied spring or a polluted well
    are the righteous who give way to the wicked.
It is not good to eat too much honey,
    nor is it honorable to search out matters that are too deep.
Like a city whose walls are broken through
    is a person who lacks self-control.

• Proverbs 25:23-28

Proverbs 25:25 ”Sin has led the sinner into a far country. That part of the description of the prodigal son who gathered all and went into a far country aptly describes the condition of the whole human race. Practically, by his sin, Adam set out on a long journey away from his happy home and, soon, he was far from that place when God came where he had formerly communed with him. In like manner, we are alienated from God by wicked works, far off from him in character, for he is light and we are darkness. He is truth and we are falsehood. He is love and we are just the opposite. When a sinner is awakened by the Holy Spirit, he becomes conscious of this distance and he feels, in a measure, like the lost spirits in hell who realize that there is a great gulf fixed between them and God. At first the convicted sinner fancies that gulf can never be passed and the longer he looks into its awful depths-the longer his eyes try to gaze across it to the other side-the more he discovers that he is far off from his God and that there is, indeed, a vast, yawning chasm between him and his Maker. If any of you, dear friends, are conscious of being thus at a distance from God, I have come as a messenger from him bringing to you his words of mercy and grace which should be to you as good news from a far country! And the first piece of good news that I have to give you is that God has not forgotten you. You are a lost sheep, and you have almost forgotten your Shepherd. Perhaps you have altogether forgotten him-but your Shepherd has been counting over the number of his sheep, and he finds that there is one missing, for there are only ninety-nine where there should be a hundred, and he is deeply concerned about the one that has gone astray! ”

• Charles H. Spurgeon, from his sermon notes

The Message

An unexpected rain might be welcomed, but then it might spoil a picnic.  It has spoiled weddings, or made them memorable if you have the right attitude (and you should if the wedding is outside).  But slander might produce more than a horrified look.  The result might be a fight or a lawsuit.

Proverbs 25:24 is interesting.  If built according to Levitical Law, there must be a parapet around the roof.  If not, living on the corner could be hazardous as you have a 50:50 chance of falling.  The quarrelsome wife has been used by Solomon before and as many wives as he had, he should know what he was talking about.  My wife could have her testy moments, but I never thought her to be quarrelsome.

Rev. Spurgeon has written enough on Proverbs 25:25.  And a few times, I have felt like the stranger in a far off land.  When I was on the far side of the world, there alone on business, I might not put my cash in the hotel room safe, but I put my return ticket there, and I checked it daily.  I can understand good news in a far-off land.

But the second half of that proverb is when the clear, cold water gets polluted like a righteous person who goes bad.  We cannot lose our salvation, but does going bad just ruin our testimony or is it a sign that we never had God in our heart in the first place?  I am of the mindset that you never really had God in the first place if you completely turn from God, for God will not let one of His own slip away.  But I have known some who wasted their life by back sliding.

Proverbs 25:27 is reminiscent of Proverbs 25:16, but it ends with not probing a subject that is too deep.  A young believer is extremely hungry, but if you lose yourself in something that many seasoned believers have not figured out yet, you will just spend your wheels.  Then you must ask why you are digging into that deep topic?  Are you doing it for pride in that other believers have not gotten there yet?  Even wanting something good for the wrong reasons may not be good for us.

The walls of a walled city provide security for the residents, but if the walls crumble, you are worse off than an unwalled city, for you have counted on that security that is no longer there.  The unwalled residents are prepared and ready for the danger.  Someone without self-control is open to all kinds of trouble with little or no defense.

And now let us sing.

The following song is Ancient Words.  This is sung by Michael W. Smith.

Closing Prayer

Dear Lord,
We need Your wisdom.  Help us to value wisdom.  We should keep our mouth closed when we do not have all the facts or only hurtful words in our hearts.  We should never be goaded into anger by the foolish words of others.  When we find ourselves far away from Your love oh Lord, show us where we turned astray and guide us home.  And may we always be diligent in keeping our guard up.  It is when we put our guard down that the enemy strikes.  In thy Name we pray.
Amen

Soli Deo Gloria.  Only to God be the Glory.