Proverbs 15:17 Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.
18 A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife.
19 The way of the slothful man is as an hedge of thorns: but the way of the righteous is made plain.
20 A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish man despiseth his mother.
An important event took place yesterday. It did not receive the attention it should get. There was an election in Israel yesterday. That election was for who will be the Prime Minister. Mr. Netanyahu has been in that seat for the past several years. He has had some difficult times during this latest tenure. There are some leftists among those who should be leading and they were to blame for the disaster of October 7 of a few years ago.
Of course for those who are saved, we understand that God sets up leaders and He takes them down. We also understand that the October event was a judgment of God upon the very secular and ungodly nation of Israel. The vile party that was attacked on that day was a shame upon the land of Israel. The people who should be known as the people of God, not just in name, but in action, is leading the way in defiance against the true God. God has not left them alone. He sent the Babylonians in years ago to punish them. Now it is Hamas and Hezbollah and Iran and a few others. Israel will never be destroyed, but they have more trouble ahead. Currently, there is no clear leader of Israel. They say November 4 will be the next important day. Again, those who are saved look to see who God puts in place as the future leader of the nation of Israel. We are not dependent upon the fickle whims of the people to assign leaders. God uses them, but He puts leaders in place.
It is important to be able to discern value. There is such a thing as fool’s gold. Apparently it looks like real gold to the untrained eye. Years ago, we knew a man who bought a cheap ring that looked fairly impressive. He was at his insurance company, getting his car insurance renewed and the agent saw the ring. He told this man he should get it insured. He thought it looked like an expensive ring. The man wearing the ring knew the real value of it and he turned down the offer to insure it.
There are too many people chasing after false teachers and false teaching. Yesterday we mentioned universities. Our world is brainwashed into believing that you need a college or university certificate in order to get a “good” job. That is, of course, a lie. Too many people believe that lie. What is needed is to know the fear of the Lord. A person that has that in place, will be able to get the training needed for whatever task the Lord has for them, without being polluted by secularism.
As our text tells us, it is better to sit down to a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox where hatred rules. The stalled ox is the ox that has been in a stall and fattened up and then butchered. The meat might be coated with a good layer of fat. However, if it is not prepared properly, with love, it will not be tasty.
God loves us. He provides the right spiritual food that our souls need. That “food” will keep a person in the right way. Israel knew of that food in its early history. Soon, it decided to mix the fatted calf without love with that good food. The result was the weakening of the nation until the Lord sent them into exile. They never recovered from that because they never repented.
When Jesus came the first time, the nation of Israel rejected Him. They wanted His blood to be on them and their children. God heard that. They have suffered for two thousand years because of that plea. They are still in for more suffering. The day will come when the nation of Israel will recognize the Lord Jesus Christ as their Messiah, King, Lord and Saviour. Things will be different for them then. It can be different now, for anyone who will surrender to the God of heaven in repentance and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ alone for salvation, and then walk with the Lord according to His Word after that.
The wrathful man stirs up strife. He is always looking for a fight. He is guilty before God and cannot find peace, and he takes out his frustration on others. Often he is the most vehement against those who actually love him.
The person who can control his emotions, and keeps his anger for that which is justified, will be able to pacify strife. He will be a peacemaker, not because he is a compromiser, or an enabler, but rather because he knows how to respond properly to the situation.
Of course there are people who hate the Truth and will not be pacified. Cain would not listen to wise counsel. It hurt him eternally and it hurt his family for generations after. The Jews of Jesus’ day would not receive the truth and they are still suffering today because they will not receive it.
The slothful man is like the man who falls into a hedge of thorns. He may not have visible scratches and scars. He surely has them inside. There are many people walking around all scarred up in their soul. They cannot find peace because they reject the truth.
The righteous man does not stumble into the hedge of thorns. He chooses to submit to God’s way and finds peace and joy. He will occasionally sin, but he does not live in sin. He has been saved and he has been given a new heart. He is a new creature in Christ. He is blessed in following the way that is plain and free from thorns and potholes.
Jesus referred to that way as the narrow or straight way. It is easy to walk on that way. You don’t need a gps to find your way around. The Holy Spirit indwells the true child of God and He is there to guide the true saint in the right way. The true saint appreciates the Truth and wants to know the blessing of the Lord.
A wise son is a precious thing. A wise son is the saved son who submits to God’s will. Since he does that, he listens to his father. His father does not need to be ashamed of him. His father can have the confidence that his son will lead his family in the right way as well.
Of course the ultimate Father is God. He is the Father to those who are saved. Saved people need to walk humbly with their Father. In so doing, God will be pleased with what we are doing. We do not choose our path and then expect God to bless. We submit to God’s will and follow Him.
A foolish son despiseth his mother. In a godly home, the father and mother love the Lord. They work together to glorify God. They have the same goals for their children. The wise son appreciates his godly mother. The foolish son does not want a mother that loves the Lord, talking to him. He wants a mother who will laugh at his foolishness.
No son needs a godless parent. No godly parent wants to see their son or daughter going the way of the world. It truly is foolishness to despise the way of the Lord.
Pastor Bartel