Proverbs 27:9 Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man’s friend by hearty counsel.
10 Thine own friend, and thy father’s friend, forsake not; neither go into thy brother’s house in the day of thy calamity: for better is a neighbour that is near than a brother far off.
These two verse center on a very important topic and that is about friendship. It begins by telling us hat just as a sweet perfume is good to smell so is the trust we can put in a true friend. It is good to have a friend to confide in and know you can trust them to keep the conversation confidential. Next we see we should not forsake the friendship of family even though sometimes it is better to have a friend out side the family. Sometimes family may not be close enough to help so you need a close friend. Even sometimes family friendships may not be as reliable. Let us strive to have good friendships with family and people we can put our trust in and to also make ourselves available to be that trusted friend for someone. Pleas attend church today and let God fill your heart and mind with what he has for you today.
Proverbs 27:7 The full soul loatheth an honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.
8 As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so is a man that wandereth from his place.
We see in verse 7 that when someone has had everything to eat and is in need of nothing then anything else is tasteless to them no matter how good it is. This even applies to other when people have more than they need it is nothing to them but would mean a lot to someone who has nothing. The hard working person who hungers finds every bitter thing sweet. Next we see it is wise not to wander to far what we know is right. When we stay close to things we are familiar with then we know there is no uncertainty. If we wander to far from what we know is right it can lead us down a path we do not need to go. We can learn from these verse to be happy with what we have and not to go wandering off somewhere we should not.
Proverbs 27:6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
This verse says a lot of how we react to the constructive criticism we talked about earlier. If a friend wounds us it is usually because they are trying to help us. This may hurt for a while but but when it is done in love it should be welcomed. Then on the other hand an enemy flatters you with his lips to try to persuade you to do something that will benefit him. He believes that by flattering you, you will give him whatever he wants. We should pray that God gives us the wisdom and knowledge of who to listen to and who to take instruction from. We should also be able to accept the fact we do not always make the right choices.
Proverbs 27:5 Open rebuke is better than secret love.
Hers we can see that open rebuke could mean constructive criticism which is something probably all us has needed at some time in our lives. If we really love someone we try to help them to overcome problems in their lives . Secret love is a problem because it can prevent someone from correcting the the person they love. Also when it is secret just between you and the one you love, then is it really love. This could be just taking someone for granted and somewhere down the road someone is going to end up alone. We should always be appreciative of people who love us enough to correct us when we are going in the wrong direction.Also we should be bold enough with those we love to correct them when they need it.
Proverbs 27:3 A stone is heavy, and the sand weighty; but a fool’s wrath is heavier than them both.
4 Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy?
The wrath of fool is is too heavy to bear because it is heaviness of the heart. There is no physical weight that is as heavy as the load of anger a fool imposes. You have heard people say when they hear something good, what a load off my mind, this is same type of thing. Even though the wrath and anger of a fool are bad it is hard to overcome jealousy, which is caused by envy. Anger will go away when the fight is over but jealousy lingers and is seldom settled. It comes from us comparing ourselves with those around us and cause sins such as strife, coveting, jealousy. and hatred. Be satisfied with where you are in life and you will be much happier.
Proverbs 27:1 Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.
2 Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.
This chapter starts by telling us that we are promised another day so we should not boast about what we are fixing to do tomorrow. Even if we have another day we do not know what the day will hold for us so we do not need to dead set on what we plan to do. The next verse tells us that bragging on ourselves is letting pride take control of our lives. If others gives us praise then people accept it because it comes from an impartial person. These verse have a simple message and that not brag about yourself or go around telling people how righteous you are.
Proverbs 26:27 Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein: and he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him.
28 A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin.
These two verses help us to see what we sew is what we will reap. If a person is continually doing something that is getting them into trouble, or digging a pit, it will surely wind up coming back on them. Next the tongue that continues to lie is only deceiving people to destroy them. People who do this to someone has no use for the person they treat this way. All though this chapter we have seen the characteristics of people who need to be finding someone who can help them to find the path to righteousness. Again we all know people who fill the shoes of each of these situations and we need to reaching out them in any way we can but also continually praying for them.
Proverbs 26:24 He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him;
25 When he speaketh fair, believe him not: for there are seven abominations in his heart.
26 Whose hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedness shall be shewed before the whole congregation.
These three verses show a person who is basically beyond hope. This type of person tries to flatter someone to the point of complete destruction and they are very evil because of the seven abominations in their heart. His evilness is covered in deceit but in the end he will be found out whether in this or when they stand before Jesus in eternity As we have went through chapter we have seen all kinds of evil people and in our world today they are more and more of them. This means the righteous have a lot work to because it is God’s desire that all be saved and none lost. So today please attend a church that preaches the truth of God’s word and see what He pours out on you..
Proverbs 26:22 The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.
23 Burning lips and a wicked heart are like a potsherd covered with silver dross.
Again we see the tongue as a way for the wicked to wound the people they come in contact with. The words they speak wound to the deepest part soul. The next verse goes on to tell us that they try to cover there their wickedness to make it look like they are as righteous as the next person. But in the end we know that something that is silver coated will soon lose its brilliance, just like the wicked will soon let their true self be seen. Lets us pray that we have the discernment to recognize people like this so we can be ready to help and pray for them.
Proverbs 26:20 Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.
21 As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife.
Theses two verses tell us a how to keep trouble from starting and spreading. It is simple in fact just like you cannot keep a fire going without fuel to feed it, then rumors will die out if there is no one to tell them. But the second verse goes on to say an evil man who is determined to stir up trouble will, just like when you have a fire you have to stir the coals to keep it burning and add more wood to it to. An evil man will juast keep adding to lies he is telling to see just how much trouble he can cause. This is probably on group of people that is hard to reach to try to get them to see the error of their ways but we can still pray for them.
"For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one." I John 5:7
