Proverbs 14:1-4 says,...

Today's verses are Proverbs 14:1-4 which read,

v.1 - The wise woman builds her house, but the foolish tears it down with her own hands.

The woman who is wise establishes her dwelling place with stability but the woman who is foolish disassembles her dwelling place by her very actions.  Something is going to happen in the home.  Is it going to be build up or torn down?  What is the source of the outcome to that family?  The answer is the actions that come directly from us.

v.2 - He who walks in his uprightness fears the LORD, but he who is devious in his ways despises Him.

He who is going in his straight way reveres Jehovah, "the existing one" but he who is turning from the straight way hold in contempt Jehovah, "the existing one."  Quite a difference on the action given to God which is tied again to the action coming from the wise or the foolish.  One is walking or going in the direction of God's righteousness and the other is turning from that direction to walk or go in his own direction.  One is in awe of God and hallows His very name while the other disdains Him and maybe even used His name as a way to curse.

v.3 - In the mouth of the foolish is a rod for his back, but the lips of the wise will protect him.

With the reference of the mouth is another place of action because we are able to give words for God or words against Him.  The speech of the foolish is a branch across his pride.  A "pat on the back" is suppose to be a way to say "way to go" or "good job" but the speech of the foolish brings out the rod that beats his own back with pain.

The speech of the wise guards his back.  "I got your back" would be common phrase here to use.  The speech of the wise brings about guarding provided by the promises of God because he is walking in the ways of God.  The speech of the foolish strips away those good promises of protection to expose himself the consequences of pain because his words are not pleasing to the Lord.

v.4 - Where no oxen are, the manger is clean, but much revenue comes by the strength of the ox.

If there are no animals in the barn then it is very easy to keep the barn clean but you have nothing to show for it other than a really clean barn.  A barn full of animals is going to take a lot of work to keep clean but the value of what comes out of the barn will be much more than just a clean barn.

The manger is a feeding trough.  The barn that is extremely clean because it houses no oxen has nothing to offer in way of nourishment.  It is a really clean barn but it is so deficient to provide what is needed if an oxen were to wander in there.  On the other hand, if you have feed in the manger, then you have a place that an oxen can live and from that oxen you will reap the benefits of its strength beyond your own.

Maybe the manger or feeding trough is God's word and maybe our mind is the oxen and maybe our lives are the barn.  If we are not feeding on God's word then our lives are just a show that is not much more than a pretty picture but if we are feeding on God's word then our lives reveal the strength of His food and allows us to do great work for Him.  That is definitely an Adam attempt at looking at how this could be applied and I am sure there are many others.

Am I feeding on God?  It will build up the house.  It will guide my goings to be straight.  It will guard my life with the words that come from my lips.  If I am not feeding on God then it tears down what I have around me.  I "kick myself" with my own speech and I wander about where I want to go and thumb my nose at God and His instruction.  

We are coming up on the time of the year when we will see a feeding trough or manger.  In it will be a representation of the baby Jesus made out of all kinds of material.  The baby Jesus is in a place of feeding.  Isn't that appropriate?  Are you feeding on Him?  He said, "Unless you eat My flesh and drink My blood..."  Baby Jesus is in a place that provided nourishment to the lives of the barn animals and is the very nourishment that we need for our lives.  Let's pray.

"Lord, again we are faced by what we say and what we do.  Our actions reflect who we are following after.  The consequences reveal a stark difference of outcomes when I receive unto myself because of my foolish ways and You give greatly to those who act wisely.  May I be ready to be used as an oxen for You today because I have feed at Your manger for the fuel to do wisely and not foolishly.  Amen."

Pastor Adam 
A simple man serving a great God and the local pastor of Stillwater Community Chapel (stillwater-chapel.org). We are in our 38th year of full time ministry. God directed us to this local body of believers on the Western Range of the Rockies to grow with them in mission and mindedness of Christ.

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