Rewards along the Way

Having thought about procrastination, motivation, diligence, and consequences, Solomon and other wise men wrote the following lines of encouragement: The hope of the righteous is gladness, But the expectation of the wicked perishes. (10:28) Hope deferred makes the heart sick, But desire realized is a tree of life. (13:12) Desire realized is sweet to the soul, But it is an abomination to fools to turn away from evil. (13:19)

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A Big Lesson . . . from a Tiny Critter

Having established that humanity bears the image of God and possesses the ability to make decisions, establish plans, and then alter our environment to accomplish our goals, Solomon turned to nature for a much-needed object lesson. He took us on a field trip to an anthill to discover some truths about motivation and diligence:

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A Worthy Game Plan

AN OLD YEAR HAS COMPLETED ITS COURSE. A new year is smiling at us, with twelve months of the unknown. I feel like we’re sitting on the beach, an entire ocean of possibilities, including both sun-drenched days and a few storms with howling winds and giant waves, stretched out across the uncharted waters. If you and I let ourselves, we could become so afraid of the potential dangers that we would miss the adventure.

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Bad Intentions

Pro•cras•ti•nate: To put off intentionally and habitually . . . to put off the doing of something that should be done. — Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 11th Edition. Most of us know the meaning of this word all too well, but a concise definition helps clarify the issue. The procrastinator usually has logical reasons, valid excuses, and plausible explanations for inaction.

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The Choice Is Yours

Let’s conclude our consideration of contentment with advice from an older pastor to his younger apprentice. The apostle Paul wrote to Timothy, warning about the dangers of discontentment. The younger pastor served in Ephesus, an ancient city whose economy thrived on the practice of magic and divination, and whose commerce depended upon the influx of pilgrim money to the Temple of Artemis, one of the seven ancient wonders.

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Confess and Be Cleansed

No one can tell me that Scripture, though written more than two thousand years ago, is not relevant today. David’s poem is both beautiful and practical. Having celebrated the faithfulness of God and acknowledged the difficulty of confession, he scolds the reader for his or her stubborn pride.

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The Thief of Discontentment

By now, the best way to ease the grind of discontentment should be clear. The book of Proverbs counsels us to find personal delight in the things money cannot buy, such as love and interpersonal harmony. Wisdom also points to another intangible hope that satisfies the heart in ways that material possessions fail to do. Better is a little with righteousness, than great income with injustice. (16:8)

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Waiting with Patience

As David concludes his song about the grinding pain of unjust treatment and his chosen responses, he then commits to patience. Resolved: I will patiently stand and wait for relief. Do not take my soul away along with sinners, Nor my life with men of bloodshed, In whose hands is a wicked scheme, And whose right hand is full of bribes. But as for me, I shall walk in my integrity;

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Open before the Lord

As David endured unfair treatment despite his doing what was right, He cried out to God in the verses of Psalm 26. As we read his anguished lyrics, we will uncover some resolutions David made which kept him (and will keep us) from slipping into bitterness and resentment during times of mistreatment. Resolved: I will be open before the Lord (26:2).

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The Most Dangerous Part

Solomon had a lot to say about what we say. In fact, tongue, mouth, lips, and words occur almost 150 times in Proverbs. On average, a reference to speech appears five times in each of the thirty-one chapters. Seems to me any subject mentioned that often calls for extended attention in our examination of the book of Proverbs. So we will devote two weeks to the topic of wise uses of the tongue.

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