Proverbs 27:7-10 English Standard Version 7 One who is full loathes honey, but to one who is hungry everything bitter is sweet. 8 Like a bird that strays from its nest is a man who strays from his home. 9 Oil and perfume make the heart glad, and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel. 10 Do not forsake your friend and your father's friend, and do not go to your brother's house in the day of your calamity. Better is a neighbor who is near than a brother who is far away. I'm sure you have eaten a big meal and then someone has offered you dessert and you say, "I can't eat another bite; I'm full." There is no room left even for that which is sweet and people desire. However, the hungry man will eat anything, even the bitter food others would reject, because he is just happy to have food to eat. This applies not only in a physical sense, but in a spiritual sense. Some people are so full of their own worldview that they don't have any room left for the sweet truths and wisdom of God and His Word. Others are so hungry spiritually that they will not be discerning about what they are presented with as truth and wisdom--they will simply devour it without giving it a second thought, and they try to be satisfied by the wisdom of this world.
Stay close to home like a bird stays close to its nest. You are close to your spouse and children, there is protection there at home, and it is place God has given you to be your embassy of HIs kingdom to the world. Don't go out seeking strange flesh or looking for strange wisdom. Stay close to the truth that you were taught and to the LORD, and the ones He has given you to love and protect. It is good to get cleaned up and look and smell good for others (especially in the day when Solomon wrote this when bathing was more rare--maybe done once a week if you were rich, less often if you were poor). Taking a bath was something that day that made you feel good and usually involved getting ready to go to the Tabernacle or Temple to worship the LORD, because you wanted to be clean when you entered His presence. Solomon says that a good friend that comes to see you with good news also feels good like this (though for different reasons). Hang on to your friends who are your age, and also become friends with those who your parents were friends with. You need friends who will be with you your entire life, but also those who are older than you who can mentor you, even when your parents are not there anymore. Solomon says to be careful about going far away to a brother's house when you are in trouble. It is better to turn to your friends and neighbors who live near you. They may be closer and better friends to you than your blood relatives that live far away. Your family's answer often will be for you to move back home with them and stop doing the thing that is hard or difficult, even if that is what God called you to do. Friends and neighbors will often come to be with you and ask, "How can I help you through this hard time?" It is a different type of support network. One wants to stop the pain, the other wants to help you through the pain. Solomon encourages you to have many people around you who will help you make it through your trial that live in close proximity to you. Comments are closed.
|
Daniel WestfallI will mostly use this space for recording my "journal" from my daily devotions as I hope to encourage others to read the Bible along with me and to leave a legacy for others. Archives
January 2025
Categories
All
|