Weekly Proverb 23

Wisdom is the source of many great works for which she should be praised. 31:31 Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate

The closing verses of Proverbs speak about the glory of wisdom. As with the neighbouring book of Ecclesiastes, the whole book ends with a reference to the judgement.

Here we are at the city gate, the place where we first heard wisdom’s voice (see 1:21) and the place of judgement. And who is before the court or, perhaps better, whose name is on everyone’s lips? The name of this woman, this woman who represents wisdom. And so it will be on the final day of judgement itself. The name on everyone’s lips then will be the name of Christ, God’s Wisdom, for then it will be realised that every good work ever done has been done through him.

Will your good deeds be on display on that day? It is only possible to have any truly good deeds through the Lord Jesus Christ, the wisdom of God. Therefore, look always and only to him. That is the message of this book.

Weekly Proverb 22

30:18 There are three things that are too amazing for me, four that I do not understand: the way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a snake on a rock, the way of a ship on the high seas and the way of a man with a maiden.

Eagle. If you have ever seen an eagle or any bird of prey flying high up, either in life or on film, you will have been struck by the amazing ease with which it is done. Perfectly adapted to its home ‘high in heaven’ this ‘Bird of the broad and sweeping wing’ has its throne ‘on the mountain top’ while its fields are ‘the boundless air’ (I am quoting John Gates Percival). Hang gliding is the nearest man can get to it.
Snake. A snake has no legs but it is able to quickly move along even rough ground. If you have ever walked across pebbles with bear feet you will appreciate the skill.
Emily Dickinson’s ‘Narrow fellow in the long grass’ is one who ‘likes a boggy acre, a floor too cool for corn.’ She speaks of him and tells how

when a child, and barefoot,
I more than once at morn,
Have passed, I thought, a whip-lash
Unbraiding in the sun,-
When, stooping to secure it,
It wrinkled, and was gone.

Ship. We know that by Solomon’s time navigation and shipping skills were quite advanced. The Phoenicians were the best at it at that time and Solomon made use of some of Hiram’s men for a fleet that was based at Elath, in the Gulf of Akabah on the Red Sea. It brought gold from Ophir. Other trading ships brought silver, ivory, apes and baboons. It is a majestic sight – a sailing ship gliding through the high seas. Even landlubbers can enter into John Masefield’s enthusiasm for ‘the wheel’s kick and the wind’s song and the white sail’s shaking’. What can compare with a

windy day with the white clouds flying,
And the flung spray and the blown spume,
and the seagulls crying.

A man with a maiden. The last reference is either to man’s wooing of a maiden or the act of love itself. Song of Solomon 2:8, 9, 17 is evocative Listen! My lover! Look! Here he comes, leaping across the mountains, bounding over the hills. My lover is like a gazelle or a young stag. Look! There he stands behind our wall, gazing through the windows, peering through the lattice … Until the day breaks and the shadows flee, turn, my lover, and be like a gazelle or like a young stag on the rugged hills.
What is the point of the comparison in each case? Some believe that the point of comparison here is the fact that in each case no trace is left. Probably the point is rather that these are all mysterious things that seem hard, almost impossible - flying, moving smoothly over rough terrain, sailing on the sea, a man seducing a maiden.

The application folows in verse 20 where the adulteress sees the act of adultery as just like having a meal. (This is the way of an adulteress: She eats and wipes her mouth and says, ‘I've done nothing wrong.’) You think, I hope, that is a terrible thing to think and say. How can she live with herself? Yet for her it is no big deal. Yes, the first time she did it, it was probably quite something (think of a fledgling eagle, a young snake, a maiden voyager) but no longer. Her conscience has been seared. What about you? Are you so used to some sins that you no longer think anything of them? What danger! Recognise this and repent. Because he had never sinned the Lord Jesus always saw sin in all its horror, in a way that we do not. We must endeavour to see sin through his eyes.

Weekly Proverb 21

Lessons for parents 29:15, 17 The rod of correction imparts wisdom, but a child left to himself disgraces his mother ... 17 Discipline your son, and he will give you peace; he will bring delight to your soul
Last visited in 23:13, 14 here is a final reminder about corporal punishment for children. When a rod of correction is used, it is imparting wisdom, a helpful thought to have in mind when exercising such discipline. Unlike the last reference, the emphasis in these proverbs is on the benefit to the parents rather than the child. The same is true of 3 where a grown up child is in mind (A man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father, but a companion of prostitutes squanders his wealth). This is also to be borne in mind. Simply to leave a child to himself will lead to your disgrace in the end. The mother’s disgrace is highlighted. Discipline is the way to peace, a peace that comes at a price. What a delight it is when a child grows up to be a credit to you. The context points to a wider application for the verses but they apply firstly to parents. Or to put it another way, a well-governed country needs well-governed homes. Proverbs is famous for its commendation of strict discipline. This is the only way to wisdom and success. By nature, we are all foolish and perverse and so strict discipline is vital.
These verses on corporal punishment are not necessarily confined to Proverbs. A little while ago a group of Christian schools were arguing their human right to exercise corporal punishment on the basis that it is a biblical doctrine. A professedly Christian academic countered them in the courts. Dr Lloyd Pietersen said ‘I cannot think of a single New Testament passage that supports the idea of corporal punishment.’ He is aware of Ephesians 6:4, which speaks of bringing up children in the training and instruction or nurture and admonition of the Lord. Apparently, he is unaware of the argument that says that while the latter term refers to what is said to the child, the former refers to what is done to him. The first term could be rendered discipline.

Weekly Proverb 20

Innocence leads to confidence, wickedness to fear 28:1 The wicked man flees though no-one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lionGod uses this image of fleeing unpursued in warning his people against disobedience in Lev 26:17 I will set my face against you so that you will be defeated by your enemies; those who hate you will rule over you, and you will flee even when no-one is pursuing you. (Cf Lev 26:36 As for those of you who are left, I will make their hearts so fearful in the lands of their enemies that the sound of a wind-blown leaf will put them to flight. They will run as though fleeing from the sword, and they will fall, even though no-one is pursuing them.) This is what literally happened to the Arameans in 2 Kings 7. Cf Ps 53:5 There they were, overwhelmed with dread, where there was nothing to dread. There is nothing quite like a clear conscience. English proverbs liken it to a soft pillow, an easy couch, a coat of mail and a continual feast.

A striking contemporary example of this is the story of Denver born Katherine Ann Power. At the end of the sixties she was a student in Boston caught up in the anti-war movement of the day. To raise funds the group organised a bank raid in which she was the getaway car driver. In the course of the crime William Schroeder, a police officer, was killed. Legally, Power was considered an accessory to murder. Although the others were soon captured she became a fugitive and evaded arrest. She took on a new name and identity, settling in Oregon under the name Alice Metzinger. She even married and had a son. In 1993, however, some 23 years after the murder, she finally turned herself in to the Massachusetts authorities and received a prison sentence now served. Why did she give herself up? By that time it is highly unlikely that she would have been indicted. Being reunited with her original family no doubt played its part but the chief motive for her action was the desire for peace of mind. Suffering from a deep depression she and her therapist came to accept that the underlying problem was her sense of guilt for her past crime. She was being tormented by guilt. However skilful she had been at hiding from law enforcement officers, she could not hide from herself and the knowledge of her crime.

Here the righteous man, the man with a clear conscience, is said to be like a lion. He is a legitimate tyrant over his own moral life. The righteous have no fear. Behind them is only God’s goodness and mercy. Do you know this blessing? Think of how Daniel and his three friends faced what they faced. This is what made Moses bold before Pharaoh, Elijah bold before Ahab, Paul bold before his Roman judges and Luther bold before the Emperor. If we are wearing the breastplate of righteousness we can say with David (Ps 27:1) The LORD is my light and my salvation - whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life - of whom shall I be afraid?

Weekly Proverb 19

Stay don't stray 27:8 Like a bird that strays from its (her) nest is a man who strays from his home Picture: a bird that leaves its nest and does not find its way back and so is in danger.
Some say this is a verse about banishment and its ill effects. Others see it as a warning against leaving home or abandoning your post. It condemns the quitter, the runaway, the wanderer, the rolling stone, the drifter, the rootless man. Again and again such a life is celebrated in literature and popular culture. Think of W H Davies’s ‘Supertramp’ for example. The contemporary Portuguese Canadian singer Nelly Furtado has an interesting song using the very image used here.

"I’m like a bird, I’ll only fly away, I don’t know where my soul is … where my home is."

The picture of a bird flying is very attractive but here it expresses a young woman’s inability to settle down in a relationship, though her partner is clearly wants it. ‘You’re faith in me brings me to tears’ she sings. Such attitudes abound in a society where young people fly the nest before they are ready to set up their own in a proper manner. Many are tempted to think that getting away from home is the answer to their problems – the teenager who argues with his parents, the young man looking for adventure, the spouse who has fallen out with their other half. Here, however, it is given the thumbs down. The truth is that such a supposed solution to a man’s problems will seldom work.
The wider application relates to the unlikelihood of achieving much in any area if we do not settle to the task, if we are not at home with it. Stickability is an important virtue. That applies to anything from finishing a task at your desk or workbench or finishing a book (reading or writing) to fathering a godly family, pastoring a church, governing a country. Spurgeon says ‘The unrest of that man’s mind, and the instability of his conduct who is constantly making a change of his position and purpose, augurs no success for any of his adventures.’

Weekly Proverb 18

Not a contadiction but a way to respond 26:4, 5 Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you will be like him yourself comm Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes comm
Here is a classic case of what appears to be a contradiction. However, it is hardly to be believed that the writer did not notice it! Rather these adjacent proverbs bring out both the limitations of any given proverb and the dilemma we face when reasoning with the unreasonable. Sometimes it is better to veer towards the Scylla of simply saying nothing. At other times it is better, indeed necessary, to head toward the Charybdis of reasoning with such people. Part of wisdom is the skilful application of the right method at the right time. On one hand, we want to avoid becoming fools ourselves by answering foolish questions. A Jewish proverb says that when a wise man argues with a fool then two fools are arguing. On the other, sometimes the fool has to be taken on at his own game or he will never see his error. For example, when the so-called Jehovah’s Witness knocks at your door do you spend time speaking to them or not? Pray for wisdom. If we see something blasphemous on television or in the newspaper, should we always respond? How should we deal with people who appear to be wasting our time? Open-air workers are always wrestling with the problem of how to deal with hecklers. Like the Lord Jesus we must avoid using the fool’s methods and repaying insult with insult (see 1 Pet 2:23, 3:9) and we must sometimes answer their foolish questions and accusations with great wisdom (see Matt 12, 15, 21, 22).

Weekly Proverb 17

25:11 A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver
Picture: golden jewels offset by a silver surround. They look very attractive.
This verse exemplifies its own desideratum. Kings often have to give speeches. We all have to speak to an audience at times. Eloquence and rhetoric are often despised today but we ought not to underestimate the power of attractively spoken and fitting words. Sometimes even a very few words are fondly remembered long after the event. Think of some of the sermons you have heard or words of counsel you have received. I remember someone once saying that it is important in a depression not to do too much thinking. What a help that little gem has been. We trust that similar gems will be found in the settings of silver we have sought to create for them on this blog. Recognise the beauty of Scripture. Endeavour yourself both to be winning in the way you speak and to speak the right word at the right time.

John Kitto wants us to understand citrons rather than apples here and like others sees them as golden fruits in a silver basket. He draws attention to the apples of gold found in the writings of the Puritan Thomas Brooks. He refers to a volume of Brooks’ sayings produced under that title. He urges us to place them in the silver baskets of our minds. Here are two for you ‘Now is an atom that will puzzle the wisdom of a philosopher, the skill of an angel, to divide.’ ‘Two things make good Christians: good actions and good aims; and though a good aim does not make a bad action good (as in Uzzah), yet a bad aim makes a good action bad (as in Jehu).’
This proverb acts as an introduction to the six that follow, also on speech.

Weekly Proverb 16

By wisdom a house you'll build, by knowledge its rooms are filled Proverbs 23:3, 4 By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures
This is a very attractive proverb on wisdom, contrasting with the wicked of verse 1 and using the homely figure of a house and its furnishings. It again anticipates Jesus’s parable at the close of the Sermon on the Mount. It can be taken literally or, metaphorically, as referring to a household or dynasty or, best of all, in reference to a life of wisdom.
There are two parts. First, the building and establishing of the house itself, then filling it with rare and beautiful treasures. This powerfully illustrates how wisdom and understanding are gained. For example, growing wise is a long term business. It demands hard work and skill. Planning and careful thought are vital. Perhaps we can think of the whole business as having two aspects. First, there is the work of getting the house up. Certain fundamental things must be understood and established if we are to begin to be wise. Educationists are aware of this. Beyond that, however, there is the filling of the house with treasures. If building a house is a work that takes some time, filling it with rare and beautiful treasures is the work of a lifetime. Further, it is implied that wisdom can provide not only shelter and protection but also comfort and joy. The picture of the man, having built his house and filled it with treasures, sitting back to enjoy them is very seductive. One can pursue the pictures almost endlessly. The thought of the rare and beautiful treasures being damaged because of an unrealised or neglected structural problem comes to mind.
When you meet a person who is able to quote a great writer, tell you an illuminating story or show you the best way of doing something, realise that such treasures were accumulated one by one with patience and proficiency.
In 1901, Flora Kirkland took up the theme of 3 in a hymn. These are some of the verses

Building, daily building, while the moments fly,
We are ever building life work for on high!
Character we’re building, thoughts and actions free
Make for us a building for eternity.

Choosing, as we labour, what we wish to take,
Oh let us be careful for the Master’s sake!
He will help our labour, he will strength bestow.
Let us choose for Jesus all we use below.

May the Lord approve us! ’Tis our earnest prayer.
Oh, to have our building tall, and strong and fair!
Oh, to live for Jesus! Truly every hour,
Building, praying, trusting in his mighty power!

Weekly Proverb 15

Shun inebriation and gluttony to escape impecunity and the gutter 23:20, 21 Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat, for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags
Here the father again speaks to the son and is quite specific. The positive part calls for a hearing, (19 Listen, my son, and be wise, and keep your heart on the right path) the negative warns against joining drunkards and gluttons for that way leads to poverty. Our word gluttony is from a Latin one meaning to swallow or gulp. It can refer both to excess eating and drinking (or even over-indulgence in other ways), though we tend to use it most in regard to food.
These sins are not exactly the same in that, unlike alcohol, most foods do not directly affect the brain. Excess intake of food has its dangers, however. It can mean loss for others, poor health, shortened usefulness and expectancy of life and the diminution of time and desire for spiritual activity. Christ himself was accused of being a glutton and a drunkard (Mt 11:19) and there is a line between asceticism and over-indulgence. Despite their accusations, the Lord was able to tread that line and his followers should also be able to, by God's grace.
The temptation to gluttony and drunkenness has been periodic historically. Our modern situation is such that in some parts of the world it is always a possibility. At the beginning of the 20th Century, dealing with the seven deadly sins, James Stalker felt little need to say anything about gluttony. It is unlikely he would write in the same vein today. At present, it is estimated that in the US more than half of all adults are overweight or obese. Some 300,000 deaths per year are attributable to obesity and as much as 6% of healthcare spending has to do with issues related to this matter. Indirect costs to businesses are also thought significant. Another consequence of this is probably the over-reaction that manifests itself in some forms of anorexia and bulimia.
Similar things can be said about alcoholism. Believers must avoid these sins. Those who fall into them soon become hard up and poor, if not materially then certainly spiritually.
Drunkenness comes up again in 29-35. Gluttony, along with sloth (12), envy (17) and lust (26-28), is one of the traditional ‘Deadly sins’. Appetite, specifically the desire to eat, is natural and unobjectionable although no-one must be a slave to appetite. Overeating is a form of over-indulgence to be shunned by the believer. The spotlight has been on various eating disorders in recent years. Anorexia is in many ways the antithesis of gluttony but another condition, bulimia, involves uncontrolled binge eating along with sporadic dieting and vomiting. These problems usually seem to have their roots in emotional disorders and that is probably true of gluttony too. Whatever the root cause of a sin it is still a sin and must be repented of. In his Screwtape Letters C S Lewis suggests that being fussy over food is a form of gluttony – wanting things just the way we like them. It is also a form of gluttony to want more pleasure from food or anything else than it was intended to give. Paul speaks of those whose god is their stomach (Php 3:19).

Weekly Proverb 14

Folly is found at the core of a child, a reforming rod whacks it into the wild 22:15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline will drive it far from him
Here is another reference to children (see 22:6) and the use of the rod (see 13:24). Here the fact that folly is bound up in their hearts is the focus. Experience confirms this. The rod of discipline could be taken metaphorically but in light of other proverbs, the use of corporal punishment is clearly envisaged. Nothing but careful discipline will effectively remove folly. Children are to be beaten not out of revenge or because they irritate us or to work off our anger. It is a matter of discipline. It is to be for their good. As divinely appointed agents we endeavour to correct them and turn them from the dangerous road of folly that they turn to by nature. Tedd Tripp’s excellent Shepherding a child’s heart deals with five common objections to corporal punishment made by parents.

I love them too much to spank them – It is unpleasant but 13:24 shows it is the loving thing to do.
I’m afraid of hurting them – 23:13, 14 comes in here. If we remain calm we will do them no harm.
I’m afraid of making them angry and rebellious – Keep the long term in view and see 29:17.
It doesn’t work – Inconsistency, irresolution, failure to hurt and hitting in rage are the real problems.
I’m afraid I’ll be arrested – Privacy and prudence are crucial factors here.

Another objection is that it teaches violence and getting what you want by force and will encourage violence towards other children. Gary and Anne Marie Ezzo, who also write on these matters, usefully differentiate biblical chastisement and cultural spanking. Cultural spanking is 'Done to the child; a reaction activated by frustration; a last resort; meant to change outward behaviour; a punishment of behaviour; frustrating for the child and without positive long term effects'. Biblical chastisement is 'Done for the child; a response activated by rebellion; an act of love; used to change inward attitudes; intended to amend behaviour; a means of clearing the child’s guilty conscience and moulds lifelong character'. They say that the latter is rare. They also believe it needs only to be carried on in the first five years of a child’s life. Tripp is also rightly keen to stress (as 22:15 establishes) that it is the heart that needs to be disciplined.

Weekly Proverb 13

Oppose the Lord - you lose 21:30 There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the LORD
Chapter 21 ends as it begins with references to the Lord and especially to his sovereign power. Derek Kidner sums up the two closing verses as warnings not to fight against the Lord (30) or without the Lord (31 The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the LORD).
Verse 30 is very striking with its triple negative. There is no wisdom, insight or plan that can beat the Lord. He cannot be outmanoeuvred, though many have tried. There have been football teams and boxers and grand chess masters who have been labelled as unbeatable but their day has come at last. The ship The Titanic was famously thought to be unsinkable but it sank. The Lord, however, is different. He is genuinely unbeatable and unsinkable. Nietzsche declared that God is dead. As one wag put it after his death, ‘God is dead –Nietzsche. Nietzsche is dead – God.’ Mark Twain is said once to have observed that reports of his death had been greatly exaggerated. The same can be said of God and will continue to be said. Despite all the best laid schemes ‘o’ mice an’ men’ they have all ‘gang agley’ and no future scheme can succeed either, despite the many boasts that atheists and others have so often made. He is sovereign and his will must be done. The corollary here is that no-one who opposes God is wise, bright or smart, even though they often claim to be. The truth reaches its height in Acts 2:23, 24 This man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. And then But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.

Weekly Proverb 12

[Sorry we missed last week]

The barterer boasts about a bargain buy 20:14 It’s no good, it’s no good! says the buyer; then off he goes and boasts about his purchase
Now we are in the market place. The bargain hunter is pointing out the faults of the item he wants to buy. He is apparently very unimpressed with the salesman’s claims. When he gets the item home, however, he boasts about his bargain buy. The retail system in this country is not favourable to bartering but I remember how my mother would always ask for something to be knocked off the price if she found a shop-soiled item and there is a little leeway for barter even in the High Street.

This is an observational proverb and so we are not given any firm help on where such shrewd practice becomes sinful (deliberately damaging goods is an obvious no-no). No doubt the seller is well aware of what is going on and has purposely set his original price high. The main lesson is again not to be superficial and not to take everything people say at face value. Perhaps we can more specifically learn that criticisms are often made from envy. An English proverb says that he who speaks ill of the mare would buy her. It is sometimes in a man’s interest to downplay something in order to manoeuvre himself into a position to take it. It is not unknown for a company to talk down the share price of a rival company only to swoop in and to buy it. It is also one reason why unbelievers at one and the same time both oppose and desire Christian faith. 'It's rubbish' they say 'but I really admire your faith'!

From the other side, there is the warning to professing Christians of Hebrews 12:16 See that no-one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son.

Weekly Proverb 10

Your folly has ruined your life, forget your heart’s rage at the Lord 19:3 A man's own folly ruins his life, yet his heart rages against the LORD
I've known a few Bill Smith's over the years. Whenever I read this proverb, I think of the first I knew. This Bill came regularly to the church where I grew up. I remember him once saying to me that he was very disappointed with the Lord because the Lord had not provided him with a wife. I can picture him now holding his Bible in his hand, black dirt visible under every nail, wearing his scruffy suit and unpolished shoes. His hair was greasy and unkempt, his glasses needed a polish and his shirt partly adrift revealed a dirty vest underneath. I was only a teenager but it did strike me that a lack of effort in the hygiene and neatness departments on his part may have had something to do with his problem. Not all our problems are caused by our own folly but in many cases most of our problems can be traced back to just that. As Job Orton once pointed out, men too often blame God for bad health when they have been intemperate; for difficult circumstances when they have made a bad choice; for rocky family relations when they have been neglectful and a lack of spiritual peace or progress when they have not made use of the means of grace. If we are believers, we can be sure that God is working everything together for our good. Sometimes we do not understand why we have to suffer certain things but for anyone’s heart to rage against God is foolish and sinful.

Weekly Proverb 09

(We missed one last week but at least we'r nice adn early this time)
A man who wants no friends is seeking selfish ends; from all sound judgement he descends 18:1 An unfriendly man pursues selfish ends; he defies all sound judgement.
It is sometimes surprising where the rub of Scripture will expose a raw nerve. I must confess to feeling more convicted in the face of this verse than many other more obvious ones. There is some difficulty in translating the first part of it but the NIV is probably right.
Here is a character we have not really met in these pages before, although we may well have come across him in life or find the tendency in ourselves. He 'separates himself' or is 'unfriendly'. He 'seeks according to his desire' or 'pursues selfish ends'. When he states an opinion it is as likely that he does it to create attention as it is that he says it because he believes it. Selfishness drives him. Such a man 'meddles' (a rare word) 'with all wisdom' - he defies all sound judgement. We want to avoid such a person. He is the very opposite of the friend who sticks closer than a brother (24).
We must ask ourselves whether we are also unfriendly in some of our attitudes. How much of what we say and do is a matter merely of selfishness? I can remember childhood acts of unfriendliness that shame me now – telling a nosy little boy to go away (I still remember his sad face); acting unpleasantly towards boys who were rather better spoken than the rest of us; actually hurting a girl guilty of the same 'crime'. Unfriendliness is a sin to repent of.

Weekly Proverb 08

Friends love always, Brothers are for bad days 17:17 A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity

George VI’s 1942 Christmas radio broadcast referred to a former US President telling 'of a boy who was carrying an even smaller child up a hill. Asked whether the burden was not too much, the boy answered ‘It’s not a burden, it’s my brother!’'
A 1969 hit by the Hollies is based on the story.

So on we go, his welfare is my concern.
No burden is he to bear; we’ll get there,
But I know he would not encumber me.
He ain’t heavy – he’s my brother.
If I’m laden at all, I’m laden with sadness
That everyone’s heart isn’t filled with the gladness of love for one another.

Like 12:26, 14:20, 16:28, 17:9, 18:24, 27:6, 9, 10 this proverb is on friendship. A man born blind when asked what he thought the sun was like replied ‘Like friendship’. True friends are there not only in good times but also in bad. Brothers are especially good for adversity. Great biblical examples - Ruth and Naomi, David and Jonathan - have adversity in the background. Joseph showed undying love to his brothers despite all they did to him.
The Bible presents Jesus as a friend of tax collectors and sinners (Mt 11:19) who calls believers friends not servants (Jn 15:13-15), and is not ashamed to call them brothers (He 2:11-13, etc). Whoever does the Father's will is his brother and sister and mother (Mt 12:50). Gill notes how the Jews saw the verse as referring to Messiah. They saw it as showing 'that the Messiah, being God, would by his incarnation become a brother to men'.
Christ’s friendship is a favourite theme in evangelical hymns. Albert Midlane’s children's hymn begins

There’s a Friend for little children
Above the bright blue sky,
A Friend who never changes,
Whose love will never die;
Our earthly friends may fail us,
And change with changing years,
This Friend is always worthy
Of that dear Name he bears.

Think too of ‘Oh, the best friend to have is Jesus’ (Peter Bilhorn); ‘Friend of sinners, Lord of glory’ (C Newman Hall); ‘Friendship with Jesus’ (J C Ludgate); ‘What a Friend we have in Jesus’ (Joseph Scriven). James G Small (‘I’ve found a Friend, O such a friend!’) speaks of him as

So kind and true and tender,
So wise a Counsellor and Guide,
So mighty a Defender!

And Newton wrote

Poor, weak and worthless though I am
I have a rich almighty Friend;
Jesus, the Saviour, is his name;
He freely loves, and without end.

Weekly Proverb 07

Appetite toils; hunger energises 16:26 The labourer’s appetite works for him; his hunger drives him on
This proverb is very practical. Two men go to dig a field, one foolish, one wise. The fool starts digging but is soon peckish so downs tools to get something to eat. In fact every half hour he heads back to his sandwich box or the café for another bite. By morning's end his work is hardly begun. At the same time the other man is practically finished because, though he has felt hunger pangs all morning, he has kept working. His appetite has worked for him. The nearer lunch came, the harder he worked. What seemed a disadvantage he turned into an advantage.
Of course, we ought to have higher goals when we work such as thinking of how we can help others with our wages and serving the Lord himself (Cf Ep 4:28, 6:7). Jn 6:27 is apposite 'Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.'
A minister mentioned in the book More than notion used to be ashamed of himself spending so much of his morning in the study thinking of dinner. He would sometimes punish himself by going without. One sympathises. However with some tasks and on some days this is all the motive we can muster. When dealing with children, we certainly must try to give them little encouragements to keep them going. Even the laziest can be coaxed in the right direction.
In the world of boxing and beyond the expression they will say a person is 'not hungry enough' to win. Similarly, others are said to be driven. Perhaps the saddest situation is where hunger drives but opportunities are few. It is clear from Jesus’ ministry that what drove him was a desire to do his Fathers’ will. It was his food and drink (Jn 4:34 'My food, said Jesus, is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work'). If we had an appetite for serving God we would find a lot more useful things getting done.

Weekly Proverb 06

Gentleness pacifies; gruffness provokes 15:1 A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger
Like the following proverb (The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouth of the fool gushes folly) and many others, this one refers to speech, although it is as much about self-control as anything. It is also a little like 25:15 (Through patience a ruler can be persuaded, and a gentle tongue can break a bone).
‘Why didn’t you wake me?’ screams Max, late again. ‘You need the rest, honey’ replies Martha ‘I’ll run you a shower; there’s coffee on the table. I’ll take you to the station.’
‘Why are you so stupid?’ enquires Bob, appalled at the mess. ‘I’m sorry’ says Kevin, ‘I’ll clear it up right away’.
‘Why don’t you make the coffee for a change instead of me all the time?’ says Sue. ‘Okay’ says Sonia ‘I really ought to make it more often.’
It is not difficult to see how a gentle answer can turn away wrath. On the other hand, sometimes we would rather tell Max, Bob and Sue where to get off. Such an attitude will only exacerbate the situation. Good scriptural examples are found in the way that Gideon dealt with the Ephraimites in Judges 8 and Abigail’s appeasement of David in 1 Samuel 25. On a higher plane, the gentle words of Christ from the cross, especially when seeking forgiveness for his enemies, Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing, epitomise the atonement that turned away the wrath of God.

Weekly Proverb 05

Hearty heartache; pleasure to pain 14:13 Even in laughter the heart may ache, and joy may end in grief
A poignant observation using an unusually formed contrast. The story is told of a man complaining to his doctor of depression. He is taken to the window, and directed to a circus in the distance. It is recommended, especially the clowns and one very funny one in particular. ‘Go see that clown. I guarantee your depression will disappear!’ The punchline comes when the patient says ‘I am that clown!’ Was it Joe Grimaldi or George L Fox, who suffered depression? It probably refers back to broken-hearted clown Canio in Leoncavallo’s 19th Century opera I Pagliacci. He makes audiences laugh but behind his painted smile he weeps to the point of madness because of his wife's betrayal.
You have, perhaps, been in the midst of great hilarity only to be suddenly overcome by a wave of sadness. How easily a conversation, a journey, a visit begun very happily, may end in tears. I once read of a businessman arriving home by helicopter. His young daughter ran to greet him and full of joy, he lifted her high in his arms, forgetting the still rotating helicopter blades above. On earth, happiness and sadness live cheek by jowl. Think of winners and losers in a football match. A bus crashes at Christmas, a man dies on holiday, a mother dies in childbirth. Shakespeare was aware of this. His tragedies always have comic interludes. His comedies often have a silvery undertone of sadness. Successful modern comedy writers are similar. The best always include a moment of pathos. American series MASH (Mobile Army Surgical Hospital), with its Korean War backdrop, is an extreme example. British series Black Adder is another. It ends most soberly, with soldiers marching to their deaths.
Lessons? Avoid superficiality. There is such a thing as insincere, hollow laughter. Do not be fooled. Be sensitive. Think of is happening inwardly even though outwardly all seems well. Finally, a warning. You can laugh at death one moment and be in hell the next.

Weekly Proverb 04

Hope deferred, heart's diseased; longing fulfilled, life's full

Prov 13:12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life
This is a beautifully poignant observational proverb. The first part provides a balancing warning to the ‘Little by little’ principle of 13:11. The proverb itself is balanced with a contrast strikingly describing the sadness of disappointment and the joy of a longing fulfilled.

Christmas has come and Jack, an orphan who hoped against hope to get a real football this year, despite past disappointments, is holding back the tears. On the other side of town Ned, the same age, is jumping for joy after tearing the paper from the football kit he has plagued his parents for since September. In the same street lives Arthur. He has not had a visit from his son in Scotland for 20 years. There was a card saying he would come if he could, but he has not arrived. Arthur is sick at heart. At the local hospital Karl and Melanie hug each other weeping tears of joy as after 16 long years they have finally been blessed with a little girl, even though doctors had given up hope of them conceiving. And in church, Ted and Rachel have mixed feelings. Their hearts are sick because eldest son Tim, now at university, has made no profession of faith, yet they have found their teenage daughter Beth’s recent baptism like a tree of life.

The hope deferred is not necessarily one that will not be fulfilled but its drawn out nature makes the heart sick with longing. Abraham and Sarah knew most about the hope deferred but also the longing fulfilled with Isaac's miraculous birth. Christ eagerly desired to eat the Passover before the cross and eventually did.

If we are believers, we know that in the new Jerusalem, the tree of life is there for us. Meanwhile as we wait we are often sick at heart.

Weekly Proverb 03

Pacific Prudence and Big Blurter

12:23 A prudent man keeps his knowledge to himself, but the heart of fools blurts out folly
An interesting double contrast proverb. A prudent man has knowledge but willingly keeps it to himself. The heart of fools, however, blurts out what it thinks is knowledge but is really folly. Cf 13:6, 15:2 where a fool exposes his folly and his mouth gushes folly. Wise and foolish differ in style not just content. One is a child emptying the toy box across the floor, the other a craftsman carefully selecting the right tool from his toolbox. Fools are eager to speak first and display their cleverness. They cannot wait to get their facts right or their understanding clear. ‘Empty vessels make the most noise’. Certainly fools are often loudest in proclaiming their folly. Wisdom recognises this and is careful to ignore the hullabaloo surrounding the big noises in this world’s clamour and seeks knowledge from the less publicity conscious.
The prudent willingly take time investigating, weighing things, considering the various angles, even though it means staying silent. Pearls are not for pigs or what is sacred for dogs. Some displays of knowledge are mere self-promotion and revealing certain things too early does more harm than good. Modern sex education is an obvious area where prudence and folly clash. Too many blurt it all out. ‘Nothing can justify speaking contrary to the truth. But we are not always obliged to tell the whole truth.’ (Bridges). Abraham’s dealings with Isaac, Joseph’s with his brothers in Egypt, Esther’s with her king are examples. Perhaps Joseph learned by experience not to blurt out knowledge as he had when younger. Think too how fools rush into print to say Christianity is finished, the Bible is wrong. The prudent willingly wait and have been proved right many times. So it will be to the end. Jesus himself showed such wisdom in his early attempts to secure silence regarding his Messiahship and in how he gradually revealed truth to his disciples. Cf Jn 16:12.