*“The man declares I am weary, O God; I am weary O God, and worn out. Surely I am too stupid to be a man. I have not the understanding of a man. I have not learned wisdom.” Proverbs 30:1-3.
My wife Marie often says, “If you cannot be charitable with money, at least be charitable with your thoughts.” This usually arises when someone smelling of beer and cigarettes asks me for money to buy something to eat - yet refuses my offer of a meal. What inevitably follows is my thoughts on the matter and on the person.
What does this have to do with Proverb 30:1-3? First, the lazy lout who tried to beg from me should have sought wisdom. Had he asked me for beer money or for a pack of smokes I would have reward his truthfulness, but through deceit he lost out. Second, I should learn to be more loving and not call someone a lazy lout - I should be more charitable with my thoughts. I don’t now what brought that person to where he was, but I do know: a) he is made in the image of God; b) Christ died for him too; and c) there but for the grace of God go I.
We all fall short of the glory of God, and we are all lacking wisdom - both the fellow who begged for money under false pretenses and me who often forgets the necessity of a charitable heart. We all could use a bit more Godly wisdom - like that possessed by Marie.
Prayer: Lord God, give me wisdom. Give me the wisdom to remember that I come before you as a beggar - a lazy lout who often takes the easy road of sin rather than the hard path of righteousness. Help me to be as charitable toward others with my thoughts and actions as you are toward me with your grace and mercy. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
(*The words of Solomon ended in Chapter 29. In Chapter 30 we find the word of Agur son of Jakeh. Agur was an oracle. Like a prophet, he spoke the word of God - either at the command of God or as an answer to a question asked of him. More about Agur we do not know.)