Living For Jesus

Proverbs 19:11-12 The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression. 12 The king’s wrath is as the roaring of a lion; but his favor is as dew upon the grass.

The Power Of Patience And Self Control

The difference between the television shows I saw when I was a child, and the shows you see today, is that my childhood shows all taught some form of morality. Shows on television today teach and justify immorality. That’s part of the reason our country is in the mess it’s in.

One of those old shows was called “I Love Lucy”. Lucy was the wife of a Cuban Band leader, Ricky Ricardo. In one episode Lucy bought a new hat. Ricky flared up! “You’ve only got one head. Why do you buy so many hats!” Lucy said that Ricky lost his temper too much. Ricky shouted, “What do you mean, I lose my temper? I never lose my temper! Lucy replied, “You’re the first person I ever saw whose veins bulge just because he has a good disposition!”.

They made a bet that if Ricky could keep his temper for a week, then Lucy would buy no more hats. But if Ricky lost his temper, Lucy could buy all the hats she wanted. This is where it gets funny. Lucy did everything she could to get Ricky to lose his temper. She spilled crackers in his bed, and cracked walnuts while he was trying to sleep. When he woke up, got out of bed, and tried to put on his slippers, he nearly fell down. Lucy said, “I was only trying to help dear. You never can find your slippers in the morning, so I nailed them to the floor”.

For breakfast, Lucy gave Ricky tomato juice in a “dribble glass”, which ruined his only white suit. Through every temptation Ricky counted to ten, and held his temper in check. Even his friend Fred got in on the act. He returned Ricky’s golf club, twisted into a “u” shape. Fred said, “I was golfing in Central Park, and a tree jumped out in front of me.”

Toward the end of the show Ricky was looking for an act to add to his show, and the talent scout had dealt with Ricky and his temper before. He knew if he could get Ricky to lose his temper, he could get more money for his clients (and his pocket, too). The agent called. “Ricky, we’ve thought it over carefully and he can’t do it for less than $500”. Ricky calmly replied, “I see. Well, if that’s the man’s price, that’s the man’s price. Unfortunately, I can’t afford it.” The agent told his client, “He didn’t even raise his voice.

He must have somebody else.” The client said, “I want you to get me that job at any price”. Keeping his temper, Ricky got the act for half of what was quoted, $250. This ties into our text today.

Proverbs 19:11 The DISCRETION {śēḵel} of a man deferreth his anger;

Word Study: The word translated “DISCRETION” is the Hebrew śēḵel, which means “good sense, prudence, cunning”. When angered, you are given a choice. Act on the anger, and return retribution in kind, or let it go and control your temper. People make bad decisions when they act in anger. A wise man “DEFERS his anger”, refusing to act on it at that moment. Being angry is like drinking too much alcohol! The Apostle wrote:

Ephesians 4:26-27 (LSB) BE ANGRY, AND [yet] DO NOT SIN; do not let the sun go down on your anger, [27] and do not give the devil an opportunity.

Proverbs 19:11 The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression.

We are most like Christ when we “turn the other cheek” (Matthew 5:39; Luke 6:29). It glorifies God when we imitate Christ in forgiveness. Hanging from the Cross of Calvary, mocked and spat on, naked and bleeding, Jesus said:

Luke 23:34 (KJV) Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.

Even as they “parted his clothing” at the foot of the Cross. I like the phrase, “to pass over a transgression”. It evokes the image of the “Passover”, when God saved Israel from Egypt. God told His people:

Exodus 12:13, 23 (KJV) And the blood {of the slain lamb} shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye [are]: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy [you], when I smite the land of Egypt. … [23] For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the LORD will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite [you].

God forgave us by the Blood of the Lamb. He “passes over” out sin, not discounting it, but forgiving it because we have repented and believed in Him. I heard a Pastor say this, and I quote it because I can say it no better:

“The best weapon I’ve ever used for my soul is forgiveness. We as a culture don’t really know what forgiveness is. The best definition I can give is forgiveness is giving up your right to hurt someone back for hurting you. We’re not minimizing the offense. We’re not giving people a pass. We’re not saying, ‘Oh, you know, that’s okay’. That person is guilty, dead to rights. We’re not navigating around justice. There I some people whom I’ve forgiven even for abuse of someone else. But there is a justice, consequences for your actions. There are people I can forgive, but they wouldn’t be allowed on my property because there’s zero trust. Forgiveness doesn’t mean reconciliation. Forgiveness is giving up our right to hurt someone back for hurting us.”

Rather than let anger control you, control your anger. Defer it. Give it to Jesus. The Bible says that our God is longsuffering:

2 Peter 3:9-10 (NKJV) The Lord is not slack concerning [His] promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. [10] But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.

God defers His anger – and His anger is righteous – each day so that more might come to Christ. But His anger will one day be released. When it is, God’s anger will destroy the enemy, but also rebuilt the Heaven and the earth (Revelation 21:1).

Proverbs 19:12 The king’s wrath is as the roaring of a lion; but his favor is as dew upon the grass.

Some believe that, since they are in a place of power, that their wrath will accomplish much. It doesn’t. Anger rarely accomplishes anything of value. Some of the worst leaders in history were those who could not control their temper. The Psalmist wrote:

Psalm 37:8 (ESV) Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.

Anger unrestrained leads to wrath, and nothing good comes from wrath. The stepbrother of Christ wrote:

James 1:20 (ESV) For the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

Several years ago my dear wife lost her inheritance because of the evil that and older brother and sister did. While on vacation, we came across the brother-in-law who was also instrumental in robbing my dear wife. It was the hardest thing I ever did, but I walked up to him and civilly greeted him, along with my sweet wife. I despise what was done, but told Sherry that we would never miss what we were robbed of.

And we haven’t!

We turned it over to the Lord. We are children of the King of Kings, of royalty. “The king’s wrath is as the roaring of a lion”. A roaring lion often goes hungry. The young and foolish lions often roar, boastful and proud. But at the end of the day it is the quiet lion that feasts, while the roaring lion starves. Do not let anger take you. Give it to God. God told His Old Covenant Saint:

Deuteronomy 32:35-36 (NKJV) Vengeance is Mine, and recompense; Their foot shall slip in [due] time; For the day of their calamity [is] at hand, And the things to come hasten upon them.’ [36] “For the LORD will judge His people And have compassion on His servants…

and tells us who are His New Covenant Saints:

Romans 12:19-21 (NKJV) Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but [rather] give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance [is] Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. [20] Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.” [21] Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Do good. If you are in a position of authority, do not shout and roar like a foolish young lion, but do good.

Proverbs 19:12 His favor is as dew upon the grass.

Dew on the grass makes things grow. Let your light shine so that the Kingdom of God will grow.

Good Family Relationships Rely On The Parents

Proverbs 19:13-14 A foolish son is the calamity of his father: and the contentions of a wife are a continual dropping. 14 House and riches are the inheritance of fathers: and a prudent wife is from the Lord.

18 CHASTEN {yaw-sar’} thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying.

Dr Benjamin Spock (1903–1998) was a medical doctor whose wrote the book, “Baby and Child Care” (first published in 1946). The book encouraged parents to be less strict and unconcerned about ‘spoiling’ their children. Several generations of children have grown up, challenged by broken families, single parents, and permissive rearing. The renowned Roman Poet Virgil stated,

“As the twig is bent the tree inclines”

The Bible tells us to “Chasten thy son while there is hope”. Children are far easier to correct when they are very young. The Bible does not direct us to brutalize our children, but to lovingly discipline them in the “fear of the Lord”. The Scripture says:

Ephesians 6:4 (NAS) Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

Children raised in one environment in the Church, but in a totally different environment at home will spot hypocrisy, and leave the Church when they come of age. Parents themselves must have “fear of the Lord”, and raise the child in that type of atmosphere. My commentary notes:

“To leave a child to himself is to display a cruel indifference to the fate of one committed to our care. To be heartless and unnecessarily severe in correcting him is the opposite extreme. The Word of God teaches the happy medium that produces the desired results. The child should come to realize that it is his good which is sought. Many irate fathers who merely vented their frustrations have lost the respect of their children”

To “CHASTEN” (Hebrew yaw-sar’) the child is to use corporal means such as the paddle, the switch or the hand on the buttocks of the child. The Bible gives frequent directions on this. For example:

Proverbs 29:15 (ESV) The rod and reproof give wisdom, but a child left to himself brings shame to his mother.

Proverbs 23:13-14 (ESV) Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you strike him with a rod, he will not die. If you strike him with the rod, you will save his soul from Sheol.

Proverbs 13:24 (ESV) Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.

Proverbs 19:13 A foolish son is the calamity of his father: and the CONTENTIONS {miḏyān} of a wife are a continual dropping.

The wise child is the one who is taught by his father. The wife assists the father in training the child by showing respect for his leadership. The word translated “CONTENTIONS” is the Hebrew miḏyān, which means “strife, contention”. I remember watching the “Cosby Show” several years ago, where Bill Cosby played “Cliff Huxtable”. His wife, “Clare” was always cutting him down in front of the children, minimizing him in their eyes. The wife who disputes with or denigrates her husband in front of the children is counterproductive to the raising of the child. What fathers do matter in the raising of the child. When men and fathers are minimized, children grow up lacking proper discipline.

Proverbs 19:14 House and riches are the inheritance of fathers: and a PRUDENT {śāḵal} wife is from the Lord.

Fathers are important. Men are important. Godly men are important. And Godly women are gifts from God. When families work together as God has intended, then “HOUSE AND RICHES” – a stable home and a family that loves the Lord are what come of it. The word “PRUDENT” is the Hebrew śāḵal, which means “insightful, attentive, one who can give valuable insight or teach”. What a blessing a Godly wife is!

What if a child was raised in the fear and the admonition of the Lord, but has now departed? The parents are to do their best to raise their children to fear the Lord. But children are not machines – they have free will.

Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones preached in his sermon “Nurture and Admonition” (Ephesians 6:4):

“I went to stay with some friends while I was preaching in a certain place; and I found the wife, the mother of the family, in a state of acute distress. In conversation, I discovered the cause of her distress. A certain lady had been there lecturing that very week, her theme being “How to bring up all the children in your family as good Christians.” … She had five or six children, and she had so organized her home and her life that she finished all her domestic work by nine o’clock in the morning, and then gave herself to various Christian activities. All her children were ‘fine Christians’; and it was all so easy, so wonderful. The mother talking to me, who had two children, was in a state of real distress feeling that she was a complete and utter failure. What had I to say to her? … I said, “Wait a moment; how old are the children of this lady?” … Not one of them at that time was above the age of sixteen … I went on: “Wait and see. This lady tells you that they are all Christians, and that all you need is a scheme that you carry out regularly. Wait a while; the story may be different in a few years.” And, alas, it turned out to be very different. It is doubtful whether more than one of those children is a Christian. Several of them are openly anti-Christian and have turned their backs upon it all. You cannot bring up children to be Christians in that way. It is not a mechanical process, and in any case, it was all so cold and clinical…A child is not a machine, and so you cannot do this work mechanically.”

You can do everything right – and still have a child that shames you. The writer of Proverbs, Solomon, is himself proof of this. Solomon, who wrote “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10), raised his son Rehoboam to be his replacement. And yet, the first thing Rehoboam did when he ascended to the throne was divide Israel by his pride and foolishness. You can train a child, yet the child has a free will, as does the adult.

And consider Solomon as the son of David. Though Solomon was the wisest person who ever lived, “Our Daily Bread” notes:

“Solomon’s wisdom did not keep him from playing the fool. In spite of all the insight God gave Solomon, he ended up doing precisely what the kings of Israel were forbidden to do (worshiping false gods – Deuteronomy 17:14-20). In outrageously self-indulgent ways, he multiplied personal wealth, wives, and sexual partners. … Solomon built altars to the pagan gods of his wives on the hills surrounding Jerusalem (1 Kings 11:1-8). Solomon’s life shows us something very important. Wisdom helps us only if we use it.”

God Blesses Those Who DO, Not Intend

Proverbs 19:15 Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger

It is so easy to become a procrastinator, to put off till tomorrow what you need to do NOW. God saves a Christian into His Kingdom to “Go” and “Make”. Our Lord Jesus commanded:

Matthew 28:18-20 (KJV) …All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. [19] GO ye therefore, and TEACH all nations, BAPTIZING them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: [20] TEACHING them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, [even] unto the end of the world. Amen.

The Christian way of life is to be lived. Churches die when its members become slothful. The “IDLE SOUL SHALL SUFFER HUNGER”. You cannot be blessed in bed. God expects us, and has called us to serve Him as long as we live. There’s an old song that has never been out of style:

O land of rest, for thee I sigh!
When will the moment come?
When I shall lay my armor by,
And dwell in peace at home?

We’ll work till Jesus comes, We’ll work till Jesus comes,
We’ll work till Jesus comes, And we’ll be gathered home.

No tranquil joys on earth I know,
No peaceful, shelt’ring dome;
This world’s a wilderness of woe,
This world is not my home.

To Jesus Christ I fled for rest;
He bade me cease to roam,
And lean for comfort on His breast
Till He conduct me home.

We are called to live for Jesus while we walk this earth. It is dangerous to become a sluggard in the Christian way of life. We are told:

Proverbs 19:16 He that keepeth the commandment keepeth his own soul; but he that despiseth His ways shall die

It is God Who gives us life and light. If we become sluggards in obedience, then the Lord can call us home. The Church at Corinth is a good example of this. They had taken the Lord’s Table, and turned it into a party of gluttony. The Apostle told them:

1 Corinthians 11:26-32 (KJV) For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come. [27] Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink [this] cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. [28] But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of [that] bread, and drink of [that] cup. [29] For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. [30] For this cause many [are] weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. [31] For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. [32] But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.

If you love your soul, love the Lord. Keep your eyes on Jesus. Live for Him while you have life. Lift up those in need. Honor God in how you live for Him. Let His light shine through your lives.

May God touch your hearts. Amen!