Proverbs 13:1-25

Hope is one of the most precious gifts that we can have.  Hope lives in the present with an eye on the future that anticipates goodness from the hand of God.  When we lose hope we take a defeatist attitude towards the future that makes us miserable in the present.  Not everyone who has hope sees that hope fulfilled but even in the case of false hope the person tends to be happier in the present than he who has no hope.  I guess false hope is better than no hope in that sense.  The danger of false hope is that it can satisfy us to the point that we do not seek for true hope. The hopeless continue to search and may eventually find true hope.  The difference between true and false hope is the source of hope.  False hope springs from one’s own imagination or optimism while true hope springs from the secure source of the Word of God.  God’s wisdom should fill our hearts with true hope no matter what our current circumstances might be.

HOPE OF RICHES: Riches do not sound like a very spiritual hope, but if we are honest, all of us would love to have more money than we have.  No matter how wealthy one is, there seems to be an innate greed within us that always wants more.  That greed drives people to accumulate and acquire wealth through unjust means.  This road to riches is one that will lead to false hope because they will see their wealth stripped away or their freedom taken away even if their crimes are not discovered; their happiness is swallowed by their fear.  That does not mean that riches are in and of themselves sinful.  They can lead to sin, but there is a wealth that comes from just means and is a true blessing from God and can give reason for real hope.  Our pursuit of riches must be through righteousness and diligence.  We must be blameless and not flaunt our wealth in arrogance.  Those who brag about wealth will end up attracting the attention of those who want to steal it.  We can rejoice in the riches that come through righteousness and have every reason to hope that it will last for a long period of time.  We should seek to gain our wealth slowly and not be caught up in get rich quick schemes.  Honest wealth can give us reason for true hope.


HOPE OF REWARDS: Rewards come in many forms.  Riches are one reward, but certainly not the most valuable.  When Solomon had the chance to choose between wisdom and wealth; he chose wisdom.  Those who listen to instruction and then follow that instruction will experience the hope of many great rewards in the form of security, knowledge, wisdom and longevity.  We seldom think of discipline as being a reward, but it most certainly is a reward to those who receive discipline from their fathers.  God is faithful to reward all of those who trust and follow Him.  When we trust God we have every reason to have secure and eternal hope for celestial and everlasting hope.

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