Words of Wisdom

"Be
not deceived: Evil company corrupts good morals." [1 Corinthians
15:33]
Thought:
Companion to this is the adage: "Birds of a feather
flock together" or "You are known by the company you
keep." The role of peer pressure is seen in all these
statements. Peer groups are both good and bad. If peer
pressure keeps us from doing wrong and encourages what is right, we can
see the positive side. The dark side of peer pressure is evident
when peer pressure encourages the use of drugs, tobacco, alcohol or any
variety of illegal activities. These words of wisdom tells us to
choose our friends carefully.
"The memory of the just is blessed, but the name of
the wicked shall rot." [Proverbs 10:7]
Thought:
In
the Hebrew culture, one's name was considered more than a label, but
ideally the outward expression of one's inner nature and
character. A person's name was considered "an immortal
part" of the person because it survived his death. Illustrations of
this can be seen in the names Abraham Lincoln and Hitler. Though
these men have been dead for a long time, the very mention of their
names gives rise to their character. How often have doors of
opportunity for you been opened or closed by the very mention of your
name? Where ever you go, your name will speak long before you get
a chance to open your mouth.
"...he
that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame." [Proverbs
10:5b]
THOUGHT:
Laziness in adulthood is the product of an
idle youth. It has been said that " he who idles away the time of his youth
will bear the shame of it when old." Proverbs indicates the root causes of an
idle youth is his the refusal to listen to parents, speaking ill of parents
and wasting of his father's resources on foolish and unnecessary things. On
the other hand, some parents abandoned their parental responsibility for their
children's laziness and bad name because they have used indulgence instead of
restrain, emphasized pleasure instead of godliness, shown favoritism instead
of love, passed over little wrongs instead of discipline and given in to
demands instead of exercising parental control. Usually all this is done to
"keep the peace" but he result is the reinforcement of bad behavior and
robbing the child's good character traits that are needed for a productive
life. Laziness is a negative character trait that leads to poverty and
stealing. Young people must accept responsibility for who and what they are
because of the choices they make. Parents who chose to run from parental
responsibility must accept accountability for who and what their children are.
“A good man obtains favor from the LORD, but a man of
wicked intentions He will condemn.” [Proverbs 12:2]THOUGHT:
If for no other reason, men choose to deny the
existence of God. By denying the existence of God, men believe they are
removing themselves from God’s condemnation. To say someone doesn’t exist
doesn't make it
so. All it means is that those who deny the existence of God live in
self-delusion. When they come to realize how wrong they were, it will be too
late. The writer of Hebrews tells us that it is “appointed for men to die
once, but after this the judgment” [9:27]. Two statements are made here. One,
all mankind die. Experience has taught us this is true. The second, after
death we will face judgment. We know this by revelation. If what the Bible
says about this present life is true, do we dare deny what it says the future
life? In Revelation 20:12 – 14 “And I saw the dead, small and great, standing
before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the
Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things
which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and
Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged,
each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake
of fire. This is the second death.” Your choice, your consequences.
