Proverbs
15 reminds me of driving in big cities. I find myself gripping the
steering wheel a little tighter as the congestion increases. When we
travel as a family, I begin to talk with the regional accent, cutting
off drivers and closing the gap between cars. It seems that you must
get more aggressive to avoid getting honked off the road. I read an
article recently that said Americans hate traffic circles, because no
one here wants to let others merge in! Solomon was not talking about
traffic, but making conscious decisions to yield. He begins with
word choices, “A
gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger”.
Some people miss the road signs as they barrel through intersections
yelling, “I just had to get that off my chest”, or “I am just
being honest”. Solomon says, “The
mouth of the fool gushes folly”
and “a
perverse tongue crushes the spirit”.
You may not have caused any fatalities, but perhaps you have
frequent collisions. Solomon’s rules for the road continues, “A
fool spurns a parent’s discipline, but whoever heeds correction
shows prudence”.
Young people are frequently accused of speaking before thinking.
Patience pauses to think how these words might sound. For the rest
of the chapter, he helps us check our mirrors of spiritual
discernment, noting that we are not the only car on the road. He
adds, “The
lips of the wise spread knowledge”.
I believe this knowledge is found in God’s Word. Perhaps it is
time for a lane change?
Solomon
wants us to be alert to important signs. The first one is, sin
divides. As speed increases, the separation on roads becomes more
firm. Yellow lines become curbs and then barriers. These are for
everyone’s protection. He writes, “The
Lord detests the sacrifice of the wicked, but the prayer of the
upright pleases Him”.
If you feel like your prayers are just bouncing off the ceiling,
maybe it is because you are heading in the wrong direction. We read,
“He
loves those who pursue righteousness.
Stern
discipline awaits anyone who leaves the path; the one who hates
correction will die”.
Amazingly, wrong-way drivers on the interstate frequently travel a
very long distance. We can only assume that they think everyone
else
is going the wrong way because most often they end in death. It is
important to also note that they are always driving alone. “Mockers
resent correction, so they avoid the wise”.
Are you isolating yourself?
For
the rest of the chapter Solomon helps us identify good travel
partners. People complain about being judged on how they look, but
frequently what is inside shows on the outside, “A
happy heart makes the face cheerful”
and the trip pleasant. Good company can turn any food into a meal,
“the
cheerful heart has a continual feast… Better a small serving of
vegetables with love than a fattened calf with hatred”.
Skipping meals together will make us grumpy and the road feel more
bumpy. He adds, “Understanding
keeps a straight course”.
Roadtrips can be an adventure, but planned trips tend to get you to
the best places, “Plans
fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed”.
Sometimes that means we have to ask for directions, “how
good is a timely word!”
We can end up in difficult places if we do not know where we are
going. Getting off at the wrong exit can be frightening, “The
heart of the righteous weighs its answers, but the mouth of the
wicked gushes evil”.
What a joy when we finally reach our destination, “Light
in a messenger’s eyes brings joy to the heart, and good news gives
health to the bones”.
Are you in search of joy? Do you need some good news? “I
pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power
through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in
your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and
established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s
holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love
of Christ”
(Ephesians 3:16-18). Solomon ends as he began, “humility
comes before honor”.
Will you yield to God?