April 17, 2008

Today's Reading - Proverbs 17
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Following Scripture Verses

1. Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than an house full of sacrifices with strife.
2. A wise servant shall have rule over a son that causeth shame, and shall have part of the inheritance among the brethren.
3. The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the LORD trieth the hearts.
4. A wicked doer giveth heed to false lips; and a liar giveth ear to a naughty tongue.
5. Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker: and he that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished.
6. Children's children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers.
7. Excellent speech becometh not a fool: much less do lying lips a prince.
8. A gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it: whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth.
9. He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends.
10. A reproof entereth more into a wise man than an hundred stripes into a fool.
11. An evil man seeketh only rebellion: therefore a cruel messenger shall be sent against him.
12. Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man, rather than a fool in his folly.
13. Whoso rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.
14. The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with.
15. He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the LORD.
16. Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, seeing he hath no heart to it?
17. A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
18. A man void of understanding striketh hands, and becometh surety in the presence of his friend.
19. He loveth transgression that loveth strife: and he that exalteth his gate seeketh destruction.
20. He that hath a froward heart findeth no good: and he that hath a perverse tongue falleth into mischief.
21. He that begetteth a fool doeth it to his sorrow: and the father of a fool hath no joy.
22. A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.
23. A wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosom to pervert the ways of judgment.
24. Wisdom is before him that hath understanding; but the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth.
25. A foolish son is a grief to his father, and bitterness to her that bare him.
26. Also to punish the just is not good, nor to strike princes for equity.
27. He that hath knowledge spareth his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit.
28. Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.

Today's Pathway:
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"Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than an house full of sacrifices with strife." - Proverbs 17:1

Many Christians in the United States live an average lifestyle, financially speaking. They have a home and a vehicle or two, and they certainly aren't starving. Yet at the same time they do not have a lot of money for "extras". They don't go out to dinner very often because they really can't afford to, and at home steak and lobster aren't on the menu. They try to squeeze a couple more years out of the old car before they buy a new one, and the "new" one they get is only new to them. The children are not above wearing "hand-me-downs", and they don't have the latest technological gadgets.

Sometimes it is easy to feel sorry for yourself when you don't have an abundance of the world's goods. Yet this verse reminds us that if you have a family where people love God and love each other, you really have something of far greater value than material blessings. When people love God and each other, the house will not be filled with arguing and fighting. Children will not be squabbling with each other, and spouses will speak to each other in a loving and civil manner. The quietness of the house will be broken only by the joy that the family gets from being with each other.

Sometimes people sacrifice that wonderful family on the altar of materialism. Perhaps dad works an extra job or lots of overtime, not because his family needs the money, but because he wants to be able to buy better things. Perhaps mom goes out to work for the same reasons, leaving the children to raise themselves. At the end of the day both parents are too tired to communicate with each other or their children. The kids, who haven't seen enough of their parents, act up in order to gain attention. Soon tempers flare, and the expensive dinner, eaten at the new dining room table in front of the high-definition flat screen TV, is ruined by strife.

If all you have is a dry morsel of bread, but your home is filled with joy and love, then you have the best.

Pastor Mark J Montgomery