Income (Proverbs 14:4)

It is very true that if one is to do nothing, then no mess will be made.

"Where no oxen are, the grain crib is empty, but much increase of the crops is by the strength of an ox." Proverbs 14:4, Amplified

This could not be a truer statement. Where there are no oxen, one does not have to clean the stall nor clean the grin crib, nor fill the grain crib. Life is a little less simple without an ox.

But what this verse is trying to convey here is that one must work and exhibit responsibility in order to get paid. Without that ox, one cannot do certain things.

Think of it like a taxi cab driver who has no taxi cab. How does he make money? He can't. Why does he have no cab? He complains that gas prices are too high, he does not want to have to clean the car or maintain the engine. Gas, cleanliness and maintenance are three things the cab driver must do in order to produce income.

In order to make money for ourselves, we must be willing to do those things which perpetuate our income.

The Rod of Correction (Proverbs 14:3)

It is amazing how easily our own mouths can lead to our undoing. That same mouth, however, can also lead to our preservation. The choice is up to us. We can either be that child of God that we are called to be, or we can continue to walk in the lusts of our flesh.

"In the fool's own mouth is a rod to shame his pride, but the wise men's lips shall preserve them." Proverbs 14:3, Amplified

In the mouth of the fool one can find a rod. The most widely known verse that speaks of a rod can be found in Psalm 23, "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me." (Psalm 23:4, NKJV)

The staff was the large stick with a curve at the top of it that has become synonymous with the shepherd. It was used to guide the sheep and pull on the sheep to get the sheep to go where the shepherd desired without being a detriment to the sheep. The rod, however, had only one purpose: breaking the legs of the sheep for the sake of discipline. The shepherd would break the legs of a sheep that had a tendency to stray and mend the legs. While the sheep was healing, the shepherd would carry the sheep on his own shoulders so that the sheep would become so familiar with the shepherd, that tendency for straying would leave the sheep.

The fool has this same rod in his mouth. By his own words he will be beaten and disciplined. It is like the alpha lion being challenged by another for a leadership position, but he is the one fighting against himself.

The lips of the wise will be like a preservation because the One who speaks through them is the Holy Spirit. As we spend more time pouring the Word of God into our hearts and minds, the more our reactions to every day happenings will mimic the Word of God. The fool fills himself with his own self image, whereas the child of God has a clear understand of who he really is; nothing. Pray then that the Lord would help you to remove that rod from your mouth. I know I have had difficulty in the past removing that same rod from my own mouth.

Hope for the Hopeless (Proverbs 14:2)

I couldn't sleep again tonight. So I am going to the emergency room this morning. I have so out of of tune with the Lord for so long, I did not want to leave without doing my devotion first.

"He who walks in uprightness reverently and worshipfully fears the Lord, but he who is contrary and devious in his ways despises Him." Proverbs 14:2, Amplified

As an employee for Denny's for over two years, my walk with the Lord wavered greatly. I had begun to smoke a year before, however I resolved to quit as I made the transition. This of course did not happen. My life was slowly slipping away and out of my control. I stopped going to church on a regular basis. But my love for the Lord did not die. Deep inside I knew that He alone was the answer for me. It was not until I had been fired that I finally reached out to Him and called upon His name for help. In getting fired, "Red Letter Addition" was born. I actually began a daily devotional. This is something that I had never done before in my entire relationship with the Lord.

As I walked in my own devious ways for that while, my heart was contrary to the Lord. I began to hate the people of my church that I had once loved. Not because they had slighted me, but because the light of the Lord shown so brightly in them. It is impossible to serve both the Lord and the flesh. Only one will rise victorious. The Lord is prepared to put up a fight for your soul, but you must be willing to fight along side Him. There will always be hope for the hopeless.