May 20, 2008

Today's Reading - Proverbs 20
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Following Scripture Verses

1. Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.
2. The fear of a king is as the roaring of a lion: whoso provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own soul.
3. It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.
4. The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.
5. Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out.
6. Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?
7. The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him.
8. A king that sitteth in the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes.
9. Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?
10. Divers weights, and divers measures, both of them are alike abomination to the LORD.
11. Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.
12. The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the LORD hath made even both of them.
13. Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.
14. It is naught, it is naught, saith the buyer: but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth.
15. There is gold, and a multitude of rubies: but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
16. Take his garment that is surety for a stranger: and take a pledge of him for a strange woman.
17. Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.
18. Every purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war.
19. He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.
20. Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness.
21. An inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning; but the end thereof shall not be blessed.
22. Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the LORD, and he shall save thee.
23. Divers weights are an abomination unto the LORD; and a false balance is not good.
24. Man's goings are of the LORD; how can a man then understand his own way?
25. It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy, and after vows to make enquiry.
26. A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them.
27. The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.
28. Mercy and truth preserve the king: and his throne is upholden by mercy.
29. The glory of young men is their strength: and the beauty of old men is the gray head.
30. The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil: so do stripes the inward parts of the belly.

Today's Pathway:
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"Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness." - Proverbs 20:20

Many of the proverbs that Solomon writes concerning the family deal directly with parenting. However, in today's verse he gives an admonition to young people concerning their relationship with their parents. He warns that certain behavior on the part of a youth towards his or her parents will result in great punishment. This behavior is referred to as cursing mother or father.

What does it mean to curse? Some would think that as long as the child does not swear at his parents, then he has not violated this precept. However, the word carries far greater implications that that. The Hebrew word used also means "to make light, to despise, or to have contempt for." All of those things can be done without using swear words. When a child makes fun of his parents behind their backs he is cursing them. When he goes to his room and mumbles under his breath about how stupid and unfair his parents are, he is cursing them. When he leaves the house and willfully does exactly what he pleases in rebellion against what his parents have told him, he is cursing them.

The Lord promised long days to those who would obey and honor their parents (Exodus 20:12). Solomon gives the flip side of that promise today when he states that those who do not obey and honor will have their lamps put out in obscure darkness. There are different opinions as to exactly what is meant by this expression, but suffice it to say that the young person will have his life shortened, and the years that he gets will be unproductive. When he dies his life will be considered to have had little importance, and thus his passing will be unnoticed by most. How tragic, and how preventable, this is.

The way a youth treats his parents will be a determining factor in how God treats him.

Pastor Mark J Montgomery