June 6, 2020<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The book of Proverbs is a collection of short sayings in the Old Testament meant to instill wisdom <\/em><\/strong>in God\u2019s people. As we read, it is important to remember that a proverb is a statement which is generally<\/em> true in principle, not a universally <\/em>true promise. Let\u2019s dig into the Word together and allow the Lord to shape our hearts, our minds, and our lives in his wisdom over the next month!<\/p>\n\n\n\n The majority of Proverbs 20 deals with having good judgment and discernment. The teachings in this chapter deal with a range of topics such as hard work, justice, being a good and wise ruler, and money. The various teachings contained in this chapter work towards a vision of having good judgment!<\/p>\n\n\n\n In verse 5 we see that people\u2019s true intentions and purposes are often difficult to discern, but in order to be wise we must draw it out of them! Immediately following this verse, verses 6 and 7 say this: \u201cMany a man proclaims<\/em>his own steadfast love, but a faithful man who can find? The righteous man who walks in his integrity-blessed are his children after him!\u201d (emphasis mine). <\/p>\n\n\n\n The author is teaching us that although many people say their hearts are true, proclaiming their faithfulness, but do so in pretense, disguising ulterior motives. We can and should observe the fruit of their lives in such matters and expose those things!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Even more than that, however, these verses act as a call to God\u2019s people to walk in integrity, in total, radical honesty and authenticity, rather than in hypocrisy. Jesus instructed us to \u201cLet what you say be simply \u2018yes\u2019 or \u2018no\u2019; anything more than this comes from evil.\u201d (Matthew 5:37). The principle is clear; in reflecting God\u2019s character to the world, His people are meant to live lives of such uprightness and integrity that we don\u2019t even have to say \u201cI promise\u201d; our \u201cyes\u201d or \u201cno\u201d is enough because we can be trusted to that extent!<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is a tremendously difficult calling, and few people actually live this way, yet God expects this from us as His people! No one should ever have to question if we mean what we say, if we are masking some hidden agenda, or if we really are what we present ourselves to be; our integrity and trustworthiness should be such that we have no pretension with anyone!<\/p>\n\n\n\n The gospel frees us to live this way! Because even our biggest regrets and our most heinous sins have been freely, fully, and forever forgiven in Christ, we can live with total honesty in every area of our lives; if we can come just as we are before the Holy God because of what Jesus has done for us, certainly we can come as we truly are before other broken and sinful people!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s examine our lives and our ways, see if we truly live this way, and come to the Lord in confession and repentance! Let\u2019s lead our lives in such radical integrity, genuineness, and authenticity that the truthfulness and faithfulness of God is put on display through us!<\/p>\n\n\n\n