Proverbs 21:17-20 says,...

Today's verses are Proverbs 21:17-20, which read,

v.17 - He who loves pleasure will become a poor man; he who loves wine and oil will not become rich.

Solomon brings up again the foolishness of indulging in physical pleasures.  Also, we know that the poorness of the poor man is not just financially but emotionally and spiritually.  An aspect of wisdom is that of self-control in our lives that has a standard of God's word to guide.  The wise look at all of life and lay it alongside of God's word and therefore conform to it rather than the world.  Self-control rises up to be opposed to the foolishness of the world to have no constraints.  

v.18 - The wicked is a ransom for the righteous, and the treacherous is in the place of the upright.

Two sides are seen and shown here.  There is the wicked and there is the righteous.  There is the treacherous and there is the upright.  It is said twice to stress the importance of what is going on here.  What are you right now in relationship to Christ and the cross?  Are you wicked and not following after Him or are you righteous because of Him and the cross?  Are you treacherous by being foolish to not fear the Lord or are you upright because you bow to His will and way for your life?  There is no middle way or middle road or middle ground given.  

The actions of the wicked and the treacherous to take advantage of the righteous and the upright will backfire on them.  They will be the goats and not the sheep.  They will be on the left of Jesus and not on His right.  Instead of getting riches, they will be used as ransom to pay the penalty of their sin.  Instead of being in the spotlight of fame, they will be spotlighted for their wickedness and the result of going against God.  

v.19 - It is better to live in a desert land than with a contentious and vexing woman.

The desert land would be dry and hot and with little or no water.  You would suffer from the heat and also long for moisture.  You may look endlessly for some shade or other ways to cover yourself from the hot rays of the sun.  It would be a constant battle to contend with each day to survive but it would be better in Solomon's words than to live in the luxury of a home with all the benefits of life with a contentious and vexing woman.  Again as I have said before, the sex is given here but the proverb is for those of either who are displaying these unpleasant qualities.

To be contentious is to be judgmental with the goal to bring upon strife onto the other person.  To be vexing is to provoke anger and grief upon another.  The description given here is someone who is set on making life miserable for another and it would be better to set aside all the luxuries in life than to live with this type of person.  The point:  don't be that kind of person.

v.20 - There is precious treasure and oil in the dwelling of the wise, but the foolish man swallows it up.

Solomon gives us the opposite to follow.  When we are wise and following after God there are treasures that come upon us.  He uses the word picture of oil also that was reserved for those who were experiencing the finer things of life.  Those treasures and oil that God brings our way are seen as from Him and therefore not taken for granted but rather expressed by us with gratitude.  The foolish look at the same treasures and oil as something to devour so no one else can share in them and the grabbing of them is the focus rather than where they came from.  

The wise allow those things to dwell so they can be used of God for His glory and to be used for the benefits of loving others.  The foolish quickly swallow them up for personal benefit alone.  This proverb brings up some questions.

How grateful are you for what God has provided?  How willing are you to share and use these resources for His glory?  Is your hand open with what God has given to you to use or is your hand clinched around those things so no one has access but you and you alone?  We fear if we open our hands and use what God has given us that we may end up with an empty hand at some point and then ask "What about us?"  At this point, you and I realize that our trust in not in the God who gave us the resources to use but in the resources themselves.  One is much greater than the other and we so many times settle on the lesser to bring us fulfillment that it can't sustain.  Let us pray.

"Lord, how many times I have put my trust in what You have given me to use for Your glory and hoarded it for myself rather than putting my trust in You who have given to me over and over again.  You provide in a fuller way to me as I live my life patterned after You rather than the selfish desires of my heart.  May I see the greater today and live the greater.  Amen."

Pastor Adam