Proverbs 20:26-30 says,...

Today's verses are Proverbs 20:26-30, which read,

v.26 - A wise king winnows the wicked, and drives the threshing wheel over them.

This proverb is another version found in verse 8 which reads, "A king who sits on the throne of justice disperses all evil with his eyes."  The wise king is one who deals with justice and doesn't sweep it under the rug.  He faces the evil of the world and takes an active role to hold the standard.  To winnow is to disperse, cast away, or scatter the wicked from their settled place in the community.  The threshing wheel is very heavy to crush the grain.  Those that God ordains for the roles of justice have a very important role in our society and need our prayers as they administer holy justice of scattering and crushing evil.

v.27 - The spirit of man is the lamp of the LORD, searching all the innermost parts of his being.

The spirit or the breath of man is light or what is revealed about the man to the Lord.  The Lord sees what is within us.  The spirit or the breath of the conscience of man is our warning system that something is wrong in light of the Lord.  He taps us on the shoulder with a consequence.  He whispers in our ears through concerned brothers and sisters in Christ.  He reveals through His Word truths that speak to what we are dealing with.  The Lord is searching, that is He is actively going from chamber to chamber of our lives and shedding light on what is holy and what is not.

v.28 - Loyalty and truth preserve the king, and he upholds the throne by righteousness.

The wise king who is following after the Lord will be fed to continue on this path with the virtues of loyalty and truth.  Loyalty is goodness, kindness, and faithfulness combined.  Truth is faithful firmness.  The picture is a king who holds his position that administers justice with a life that displays these qualities.  These qualities define him so you know that the justice that he dispenses are shaped by them.

Our daily lives give us situations where justice is needed.  We need to make decisions on what is right and wrong.  We need to actively walk through this life to live holy onto the Lord and therefore we need to have the Lord going through the chambers of our lives pointing out wrong so it can be replaced with loyalty and truth.

v.29 - The glory of young men is their strength, and the honor of old men is their gray hair.

Young men test their physical limits to see what they can do.  They pit themselves against one another to show dominance or where they need to improve.  The emphasis is put on what can be done.  Old men test their mental limits to see what they can know.  They have the life experiences that have accumulated over time as indicated by their gray hair.  The emphasis is put on what can be known.  Hopefully we are maturing to go from what we can do to what we can know.  What we know dictates what we do and not just what we can do for the time being.  I can't do physically what I used to do but I know more to know what to do that is pleasing to the Lord and not just a showing of my strength.  We have that youthful power for awhile which is useful to get some things done but older wise minds need to be always coming up to direct those who are focused on their muscles.  

v.30 - Stripes that wound scour away evil, and strokes reach the innermost parts.

Stripes have happened or discipline or blows to unite have come upon us for a purpose to scour away evil.  They are stripes, discipline, and blows from the Lord that will heal into a wound to remind us of His love for us even when He has to do some tough love on us.  No one likes discipline but the Lord's discipline is to go deep into those chambers for our good that will improve us for His glory.  The first verse of the old song says,  "Search me, O God, and know my heart today, Try me, O Savior, know my thoughts, I pray; See if there be some wicked way in me; Cleanse me from every sin, and set me free."  It is a scary thought to sing or pray this but God knows best and what needs to be struck out of our lives.  Will you allow Him the liberty to walk among the innermost parts of your life and shine His flashlight to reveal what has been passively allowed to be there?  Let us pray.

"Lord, thank You for another chapter in the book of Proverbs.  You have pointed out today that You are a pointer.  You are concerned with justice that comes from loyalty, truth, and righteousness.  You give us maturity through a deep searching our our souls to submit to You as the King of our lives who administers justice that drives out evil.  May we sing that song today as our prayer.  Amen."

Pastor Adam