End Of The Road

Good Evening Everyone,

Well I didn't forget about our Proverbs journey, I just got a little sidetracked. More than anything I have been working on a funeral I have been asked to preach tomorrow, and I will admit I have been taking advantage of this wonderful weather and doing a little yard work. Let's finish the journey.

Proverbs 25

Proverbs 25:15

¹⁵ Through patience a ruler can be persuaded,

and a gentle tongue can break a bone.

I remember when Pap-paw was in the hospital I decided to get into a battle of whits with another visitor. Pap-paw was sick and didn't feel well but he took the time to teach me that by keeping my mouth shut I would come out ahead. While it's a little different than what is being said here I think the principle applies.

Proverbs 25:21-22

²¹ If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat;
if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.
²² In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head,
and the LORD will reward you.

I am reminded of two friends I had in college that had been friends since High School. These two guys went to a small Christian school where everyone knew everyone else. One of these guys didn't particularly like the other at first. The guy who wasn't liked made it his mission to become friends with the other guy. I believe he lived out the passage I have referenced here. As Christians we don't have the option of treating some people better than others, let's try to be good to everyone.

Proverbs 26

Proverbs 26:18-19

¹⁸ Like a madman shooting
firebrands or deadly arrows
¹⁹ is a man who deceives his neighbor
and says, “I was only joking!”

I work with teenagers therefore I hear a lot of jokes at other people's expense. I am even guilty of making a few of the jokes myself from time to time. I hope that we are the kind of people who would rather build someone up rather than tear them down.

Proverbs 27

Proverbs 27:5

⁵ Better is open rebuke
than hidden love.

I mentioned that I am preaching a funeral tomorrow. Right now there is a family that will never be able to tell their loved one that they love him ever again. Make sure that you are taking every opportunity to tell the people that are closest to you how you really feel about them.

Proverbs 27:17

¹⁷ As iron sharpens iron,
so one man sharpens another.

This should be the anthem of Christians. we need to spend our times building each other up all of the time. This doesn't mean that we only build one another up in services or when we go to camps and retreats but all the time without ceasing.

Proverbs 28

Proverbs 28:22

²² A stingy man is eager to get rich

and is unaware that poverty awaits him.

I was privileged to know a man named Willie Sandlin. Willie was a minister in Northeast Arkansas and made a huge difference in the life of teenagers and adults alike. Willie was one of the most generous men I have ever known. Willie was known for loaning his vehicle to total strangers because they needed it, giving the last dollar in his billfold to someone who was in need or just taking time our his day to talk. All of this might not sound all that remarkable but it might if you knew that Willie lived most of his life in extremely poor health. Willie had a number of ailments that had never been seen before. There are surgical procedures that exist today because of Willie, and even when he didn't have money to pay his medical bills he still found ways to help others. When I grow up I want to be like Willie.

Proverbs 29

Proverbs 29:27

²⁷ The righteous detest the dishonest;
the wicked detest the upright.

I can't really add much to this, it's a good thought and one very appropriate to our times.

Proverbs 30

Proverbs 30:24-25

⁴ “Four things on earth are small,
yet they are extremely wise:
²⁵ Ants are creatures of little strength,
yet they store up their food in the summer

As I was working in my yard the other day I found lots and lots of ant hills. This passage really made me think about the ants in my yard. They are tiny creatures but when a lot of them work together they can build these large hills. When you look at your average person he or she is pretty small but when you put a lot of us together we can do some amazing things. Next time you think you don't make a difference go take a look in your yard and see if you see so ant piles.

Proverbs 31

I'm not going to try to select a few verses from Proverbs 31because this is the chapter used at both of my Grandmother's funerals. I encourage those of you men who are unmarried to read this chapter and then go find a lady who lives up to these standards.

I have enjoyed this journey more than I can tell you. I hope you have enjoyed the journey and more than that I hope you keep on reading your Bible every day.

Be Strong and Courageous,

Paul