Spiritual Laws (Proverbs 17:13)

Payment due for services rendered is a good thing. But what if one is paid for what he does not do? Or what if one is rewarded for the evil that he has performed?

"Whoever rewards evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house." Proverbs 17:13, Amplified

This verse is not a good suggestion or even a warning. This is a promise. If evil is rewarded as if it were good, the rewarder will ever have evil present in his house and life. Forgive the comparison, but it sounds similar to the idea of karma. Good comes back to those who do good and evil comes back to those who do evil. We read in the New Testament, "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he ho sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life." (Galatians 6:7-8, NKJV) Does this verse support karma? No. What this verse is doing is solidifying the spiritual truth found in Proverbs 17:13.

The idea of evil for good is not something foreign to the human heart.Even Jeremiah questioned the validity of repaying evil or good. "Shall evil be repaid for good? For they have dug a pit for my life. Remember that I stood before You to speak good for them, to turn away Your wrath from them." (Jeremiah 18:20, NKJV) In all his years of service to the Lord, Jeremiah did not have one convert. He had a message for the people that the captivity of Babylon was approaching. Instead of heeding his words, the people ignored and threatened Jeremiah. Though he had no converts, but had plenty of questions, Jeremiah remained faithful. Though the world around us may seem to be unforgiving and only give us evil for the good that we perform; remain faithful. Everybody gets what they deserve in the end

The Storehouse of the Heart (Proverbs 15:1-2)

In the book of James, we can read about the tongue. It is the smallest member of the body, yet it conceals so much power. But the fact of the matter is that the heart if the real culprit. Jesus Himself said that out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.

"A soft answer turns away wrath; but grievous words stir up anger." Proverbs 15:1, Amplified

Friction begets more friction. If you take two sticks and rub them together long enough, then you will get fire. Add water into the mix and it becomes impossible. This is what a soft answer becomes. Smokey the Bear tells us that only we can prevent forest fires, and the Holy Spirit is telling us the same things here. It is completely within our power to prevent that spark of anger, so long as what is in our hearts is pure. Jesus said, "A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks." (Luke 6:45, NKJV)

"The tongue of the wise utters knowledge rightly, but the mouth of [self-confident] fools pours out folly." Proverbs 15:2, Amplified

It is possible to have knowledge and to use that knowledge inappropriately. The one who uses it as such becomes the fool pouring out his own folly. Knowledge saves, knowledge prepares. Knowledge should never be used for ones own advantage. Again, we are forced to look at what Jesus said about the abundance of the heart. If one's heart is good, then the use of knowledge will be used correctly and help those around the individual. But if the heart be evil, then knowledge is turned to folly.

Knowledge and the human heart can be either like the mustard seed or the leaven. In the case of the mustard seed, there is an abnormal growth for the seed should produce a shrub and not a tree. With the leaven, there is a very natural poisoning process which takes place. A lump of dough will begin to ferment even if a little bit of the yeast is placed at one end. Whether or not these two instances describe the church or the individual human heart makes no difference. The point is the evaluate the heart. What treasures lurk within the storehouse of your heart?

Devising (Proverbs 14:22)

There are two paths in life, one good and one evil. The Bible always refers to the latter as going astray which would indicate there were only one true path. Now we as Christians know this to be the truth, but when one is on the wrong path, they do not know it. Here is a question proposed by Solomon.

"Do they not err who devise evil and wander from the way of life? But loving-kindness and mercy, loyalty and faithfulness shall be to those who devise good." Proverbs 14:22, Amplified

The test is simple: Those who are wandering from the good path devise evil. You can ask this about friends you have met or even family members. What are they dong on the weekend? Are there plans being made that would violate the commandments of the Lord? Are things going to be done that are not befitting a Christian? Or even for the true sociopath who has completely left the confines of civilization and plans a night of crimes seemingly unforgivable.

But those who have not left the path exude certain qualities. Loving-kindness and mercy and loyalty and faithfulness. These are all characteristics that are found in the man of God. The first two deal mostly with their fellow man. The second two deal mostly with their relationship with the Lord. Now these qualities are not mutually exclusive to these groups, of course. Remember brothers and sisters, those who are devising evil have left the true path. We are the beacon of light that can lead them back to the paths of life. How? Through loving-kindness and mercy and loyalty and faithfulness.

A Dichotomy of Good and Evil (Proverbs 14:15-19)

The Bible has always laid out the differences between good men and evil men and the curses and blessings associated with each of these men. This selection of Scripture is no different.

"The simpleton believes every word he hears, but the prudent man looks and considers well where he is going." Proverbs 14:15, Amplified

This is not a blanket statement on belief, necessarily. Rather it is a statement about direction. But before we go further with this idea of directionality, I would like to focus on the simpleton. When this verse is read and we consider the simpleton, it reminds me of a child, believing everything that he or she is told. It is like "stealing their noses" and using your thumb to pretend that you actually have succeeded in stealing their nose. The child gets freaked out and believes it.

When considering directionality, I am drawn to one verse: "...we should no longer be children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting." (Ephesians 4:14, NKJV) The simpleton has no grounding in anything, he is like the man who built his house on the sand. But the prudent studies his way intently. He considers the cost and goes his way.

"A wise man suspects danger and cautiously avoids evil, but the fool bears himself insolently and is [presumptuously] confident." Proverbs 14:16, Amplified

The Christian cannot be the man who runs into the burning house in the hopes of finding a victim to save. That fire may be made up of different things like lust or covetousness. It is our duty to our Lord to consider every step that we take. One misstep and we risk exposing ourselves to the evilness of this world. To say to ourselves that we have overcome sin is to be like the fool.

"He who foams up quickly and flies into passion will deal foolishly, and a man of wicked plots and plans is hated." Proverbs 14:17, Amplified

Passion is part of our nature, it is one of the things that makes us human. But for us to act on those passions is to act foolishly. This "foaming up" is the same as being quick-tempered, which links together with passion perfectly. Passion and logic are rarely friends. People kill in acts of passions, they initiate adulterous relationships because of passion. Passion in the hands of the wrong person can lead to a deadly end, for that passion can lead to wickedness.

"The simple acquire folly, but the prudent are crowned with knowledge." Proverbs 14:18, Amplified

In every life, one accomplishes something. For the simple, folly is his reward. The the one who considers his steps is rewarded with knowledge. Not only rewarded, but also crowned. The crown is a symbol of authority and power.

"The evil bow before the good, and the wicked [stand suppliant] at the gates of the [uncompromisingly] righteous." Proverbs 14:19, Amplified

This is a promise. As we all know, in this world today, this is not the case. But when the that Day comes, rest assured that those faithful to the Lord will stand tall as the rest of the world bows. In Milton's "Paradise Lost", Satan states, "It is better to reign in Hell than to serve in Heaven." This may be true now, in this fallen world. But when that day comes (and it will), those who were and are faithful to the Lord will live forever with Him. If one has chose to devil's side, then eternal separation awaits him.

Favor (Proverbs 12:2)

To be in favor with the Lord, his heart must be in right standing with the Lord.

"A good man obtains favor of the Lord, but a man of wicked devices He condemns." Proverbs 12:2, Amplified

A good man obtains favor. This word "good" was once used to describe Jesus. Someone had run up to Jesus and called Him "Good Teacher". Jesus turned ad asked why He was called good since there is only One that is good and that is God. (Matthew 19:16, Mark 10:17, Luke 18:18) Being good defines someone that is line with the Lord. When our hearts are aligned with His will, then we can receive the blessing of His favor.

To be of wicked devices means that man is always scheming. The thought of evil is always n his mind. It would be best described as a junkie who is looking for his next score. It does not matter if he got high just two minutes ago, but how long will it be till he gets high again. The idea and planning consume him. The heart of the wicked man, or the one with wicked devices, works the same way. To have our hearts constantly turned toward sin is to invite the judgement of the Lord upon us, and that judgement if condemnation.

But we who have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior know that there is no condemnation in Him. "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit." (Romans 8:1, NKJV)

The Seekers (Proverbs 11:27)

The Bible promises that if we seek after the good we will be blessed.

"He who diligently seeks good seeks [God's] favor, but he who searches after evil, it shall come upon him." Proverbs 11:27, Amplified

To seek after good is to seek favor from the Lord. We are told in the Bible that there is only One that is good and that is God (Matthew 19:17, Mark 10:18 and Luke 18:19). Searching for good is to search out the heart of God. Life is so much more blessed if we search for good.

But when evil is searched out we are promised not that we will find it, but that it will come upon us. There is one thing to find something and there is another to have it find you. AS our heart turns away from the Lord we loose the element of surprise and our senses get dull. Evil will have the upper hand.

The End of Things (Proverbs 11:23)

Whatever task we do or whatever path we take, it brings us to an end. For the righteous, it is good; for the wicked, it is bad.

"The desire of the [consistently] righteous brings only good, but the expectation of the wicked brings wrath." Proverbs 11:23, Amplified

In the heart of the righteous, only good is conceived. It is in the power and plan of the righteous to bring about a good end. However, the wicked have only evil on their heart continually. I do not believe that this wrath spoken of by Solomon is at all earthly. In the end, all will have to answer for their deeds. For the righteous, heaven awaits. Hell and eternal separation and the wrath of God await the wicked man.