Proverbs 27:1-27

There are certain things that we must care for with great attention.  Certainly our relationships are worth of great care.  We all have many different levels of relationships to which we should pay very close attention.  Some people are acquaintances, family members, friends, authorities, neighbors, counselors or enemies who seek to do us harm.  It is of utmost importance that we relate and respond to these various relationships with wisdom.  God also entrusts us with resources for which we must care.  Wise stewardship is an important part of obeying God and walking according to the wisdom of His Word.

CARING FOR YOUR FRIENDS:  Pride is one of the most damaging components of any friendship.  Nobody likes to be around someone who boasts about himself.  On the other hand, we all enjoy being encouraged by others.  If we want our friendships to work well, we will be faithful to complement our friends instead of bragging about ourselves.  Friends know about one another’s likes and dislikes, we can use that information for either good or evil.  We should never try to provoke one another or cause our friends to be jealous.  Provocation and jealousy will destroy friendships.  Honesty is the foundation on which most friendships are built so it is far better to have the open rebuke of an honest friend than the hidden love of those who are afraid to risk a relationship.  We should welcome the rebuke of a friend for it is a sign of genuine love but we should avoid the praise of our enemies because it likely has ulterior motives.  We must seek to fulfill one another’s needs in the marriage relationship so that there is no temptation to seek for fulfillment outside of marriage.  A friend will give good and faithful counsel and will not turn you away in tragedy.  We must be good neighbors and defend our family’s honor.  Our neighbors need their privacy so we should avoid being at their home too often or too early.  We should use our friendships to sharpen one another so that both of us will be more like Christ.


CARING FOR YOUR FLOCKS: God has entrusted us with resources for which we are responsible to care.  In the time of Solomon, most people were farmers and depended of raising animals to provide for their families.  A wise man will pay close attention to his flocks because he knows that his family depends on them.  An application for today would be for us to be diligent with the jobs that we have.  We should not take them for granted  and know that we should save up in the days of prosperity so that we can make provision for the difficult days that will inevitably lie ahead.  Diligence and dedication in our work will allow us to support our families in a way that pleases the Lord.

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