April 30, 2021 – Proverbs 23-29

Once, when sharing the gospel with a young man from another religion, my friend responded to my witness, “Why would I replace my religion and my holy book for your Bible? My book tells me how to live all of life, your book is only concerned about Sunday morning.” Of course, this man terribly misunderstood the Bible and Christianity, presumably because of his experience with professing Christians who “went to church” on Sunday morning with their lives, the rest of the week, barely reflecting Scriptural expectations.

Solomon understood that our God is concerned about all of life, every day. Just these few examples.

• “Do not move an ancient landmark” (23:10).

• “Prepare your work outside; get everything ready for yourself in the field, and after that build your house. Be not a witness against your neighbor without cause, and do not deceive with your lips” (24:27,28).

• “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver” (25:11).

• “Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless pursuits will have plenty of poverty” (28:19).

In a nutshell, Paul writes, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2).