Proverbs 22:5-7 says,...

Today's verses are Proverbs 22:5-7, which read,

v.5 - Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse; he who guards himself will be far from them.

I remember getting caught in some of my mother's raspberry bushes that were next to our make shift ball field.  I was going for fly ball and dove over the bushes to stretch for it.  I missed it and landed in the midst of all those thorns.  It was painful getting out and my mom was not too pleased with me.  I had the battle scares for my determination and a story to tell you today about what I know about thorns and snares.

The proverb is that those who are perverse will encounter them.  They may not jump into them but they will receive some scares from traveling the way of thorns and snares.  Picking those same raspberry patches was quite a chore if you didn't want to get poked.  You planned your path to stay away from the thorns otherwise you came out of there like my diving event.  The wise one guards.  He or she takes a look at the path they are taking and recognizes where those pitfalls are that go against God's will.  

v.6 - Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it.

We come to one of the most well-known and quoted proverbs of the book of Proverbs.  This is one that is held dearly by parents.  To train up a child in the way he should go for Solomon is to be raised in the fear of the Lord.  It is the parent training their children about God.  It is speaking of Him at home and praying to Him around meals.  It is attending a church that teaching from His book and providing training for all ages.  It is personally following what you are teaching so they have a living example to follow.

The proverb is that the time spent doing this for your children will not be in vain.  What they have learned will be retained by them even if they stray.  They will have something to remember like the parable of the Prodigal Son given by Jesus in the Gospels.  He was raised under his father's teaching who was a good man but then went his own way among the thorns and snares to remember what his father had said and how his father lived to return.  Parents, keep before your children your witness of Him in the home and also the united time to join with others in worship of Him.  It is making an impact even when it seems it isn't.

v.7 - The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower becomes the lender's slave.

Here is another proverb made popular by Dave Ramsey of the Financial Peace University program.  When you have to borrow money or any other object from someone else there is an obligation that comes with it.  I remember borrowing an ice spud from someone in the church and I broke it.  So I went out to replace it and there were two options.  One was a cheaply made one that was quite a bit less than the sturdy one with a price tag to reflect it.  I thought of the owner of the ice spud and knew I needed to buy what was going to cost me more.  I returned the new spud and I walked away again with no ice spud and less money in my pocket but a lesson learned.

It is not that we won't borrow from one another because we are actually to be people who share what we have because it has been given to us from God but we live in a world that makes money by taking advantage of others.  We need to seriously consider all the conditions when we need to borrow something.  We need to realize that this is an important decision that will put us in an obligation that needs to be fulfilled.  Don't borrow what you can not give back.  Maybe there is a better way.  Maybe you haven't prayed about the situation.  Maybe you just need a little more time to think about it to get past the "got to have it" stage.  

A couple stories from my past to show how the proverbs do relate to real life.  Be attentive to how you walk and where you walk to stay away from Satan's thorns and snares.  Be the example to your children of one who loves and follows after God and it will be stored in their memory banks for the future.  Be wise in your financial adventures and never forget the terms that go with each decision.  Viewing the decision from all angles might bring you to a better conclusion than the initial self satisfying one.  Let us pray.

"Lord, You care so much about our everyday lives.  You guide us how to operate so that we can keep our focus on what is important to You.  May we look for Your path.  May we see the importance of our example of loving You in front of and with our children.  May we watch closer the obligations we make with Your money so that we can continue to give as much to what You put before us.  Amen."

Pastor Adam