Category: Devotions

There is a critical loss of discipline among children. Does not the onus come back to parents? This discipline begins with the self-discipline of parents. Indulgence of children reflects the self-indulgence of parents who shirk their duty to correct their children in the right way and at the right time. “If you who love him do not bend him while he is a child, those who do not love him will break him after he has become a man” (Arnot).

Our verse states boldly that to spare the rod, is to hate one’s son! Do not most parents claim to love their children? Yet, if the rod of discipline is banished from our homes, what does this say about our parental love? With government-sponsored children’s rights advocates, parents, threatened with legal penalties, are now reluctant to discipline their children. The Bible, however, teaches that the right kind of discipline has an assured place in every godly home. “The shortest way to spoil children is to let them have their own way, to allow them to do wrong and not to punish them for it” (J.C. Ryle).

Pastor J. C. Philpot preached on The Tillage of the Poor on Thursday, July 26, 1849 in Trinity Chapel, Southwark, England. In that sermon he makes some valuable suggestions that are still relevant that we will try to re-phrase here.

Stretch or Starve is a humorous, but practical, motto around the dinner table of a large family. It also expresses the truth in our proverb today. Palestine, a small country, was carved into little strips of land for cultivation by each family. The establishment of the Year of Jubilee (Lev. 25) was intended to prevent the acquiring of larger holdings by any one Israelite. Thus all could share its wealth more equitably. “This text is a message to ordinary, mediocre people, without much ability or influence” (Maclaren).

1. Evil Expectation: Verse 21a is a familiar theme. The deceit of this evil expectation is found in thinking sin can be concealed. The reality is that evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him (Ps. 140:11). Do not miss this awful truth, that momentary pleasures, purchased at the cost of Heaven, is too great a price to pay. These momentary pleasures will become perpetual horrors in that eternal doom. But know thou that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment (Eccl. 11:9b). Evil men never look back to see the Avenger following hard at their heels, and for whom there is no city of refuge to hide in. It is this sinful blindness that makes his overthrow all the more tragic and certain (Deut. 29:19, 20; 1 Thes. 5:3).

A companion of fools shall be destroyed, shall smart for it (as in 11:15). The margin suggests be broken. It comes from a root meaning to be made wicked, and all who become wicked will suffer the consequences of that choice.

While there are plenty of fools everywhere, thank God there are wise guides to be found on the path of life. Find them now! Please read prayerfully Psalm 101. It has been called The Psalm of Wills (9) and Shalls (5). It presents a series of resolutions and reservations, things he is resolved to do, and things to be handled with reservation. It is a beautiful testimony to the perfection, that is, to the uprightness and maturity of the Psalmist’s walk. It begins by singing of God’s mercy to him, and ends with sad judgment to be visited on the wicked. This Psalm is a fitting introduction to our Proverb today.

We might also title this: Wanting but Unwilling. This verse (19) may refer to the man who regards reproof or good advice (v.18), and who, as a result, finds his desire accomplished with sweetness to his soul. The fool, on the other hand, refuses instruction (v.18) because it is abomination to fools to depart from evil. “Hatred of holiness is meetness for hell” (Bridges), and “hell is truth seen too late!”

Here two great evils, poverty and shame are now set before us. The first brings want, the second means having to hang our heads. There is a type of poverty born of necessity that is no cause for shame. There is a poverty from sacrificial giving that is a virtue. The poverty referred to here has its roots in stubborn pride that results from refusing criticism. Honest criticism may be a bitter pill to swallow, and most tonics are unpleasant, but we are usually the better for taking them.

What are we to make of the fact that many entrusted messengers no longer tremble at God’s Word, but mock and deny it openly? They have, as someone put it, transmuted God’s Word into theological bubble-gum! R. A. Torrey once remarked: “Loose theology leads to loose morality.” We could phrase it: “Lost theology leads to lost morality!”