Proverbs 22:26-29 says,...

Today's verses are Proverbs 22:26-29, which read,

v.26, 27 - Do not be among those who give pledges, among those who become guarantors for debts.  If you have nothing with which to pay, why should he take your bed from under you?

Here is another proverb about our finances and dealing with stewardship of what we have from the Lord.  To give a pledge and to become guarantors for debts means to co-sign for someone else's debt.  You put your name on the line under theirs and you agree if they can not make the payments then you will assume the responsibility and pay the debt.  The Bible says to stay away from this practice.  

Why?  Because many who put themselves into this situation take advantage of the co-signer.  It is a great temptation to not pay because it is going to be paid anyways.  Maybe the thought is that they would just pay back the co-signer eventually.  Really they would.  The proverb says in effect, "Why would you put yourself in that situation where you would have to give up your bed because the debt needs to be paid?"  This gives you a clue that the one who is co-signing doesn't have all the resources to pay the debt right now.  If they did, they could just give to the need if it truly was a need instead of going through the financial process of a loan.

We want to help others but this practice of co-signing is very risky and tends to bring hurt to all who are involved.  Many times we think we are helping those who we want to be independent by giving them another opportunity to be co-dependent with our signature.  Instead of being independent, they continue to be co-dependent while you pay the bill.  It is interesting that the proverb says to make some distance between you and those who do this just like making distance between you and those who use anger to solve their problems.  There must be something catching here if we watch and are in proximity of this practice of co-signing for another.  Maybe the lure is present that we will get something out of this action as a financial benefit to us and therefore that is the motive for really "helping out" in the first place.

v.28 - Do not move the ancient boundary which your fathers have set.

You can gain more land by moving the survey markers.  Just move it a little to the right or to the left and you have gained some more real-estate.  We all know that is against the law.  Those points are set and some are driven deep into the ground to deter it from happening.  Now we have digital surveying that corrects if someone was to move such an object.  We have come a long way from "my property is from the apple tree over there to the rise of the hill over there."  

Can I take this proverb in another direction this morning?  Do not move the ancient boundaries of the definition of sin in the Bible set by our Father in heaven.  There is a lot of this going on these days.  What has been set by God is being "re-defined" and "moved" to a new location and many think that they are gaining new ground.  God put those boundaries there for a reason just like to physical boundaries on the corners of your property.  When we respect those markers then peace comes between us and our neighbors and also those who uphold the law between us.  When we abide by the markers of God, peace is a by-product and we will follow the example of a young Jesus who in Luke 2:52 says, "And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men."  We gain something when we hold to the markers that have been set.

v.29 - Do you see a man skilled in his work?  He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men.

What kind of work will you do?  Will it be skilled work or unskilled work?  Will you put effort into doing your very best or will you just make do and leave it for someone else to repair properly?  The one who cares about the work that is before them will be brought before those who are held in respect.  The one who does a mediocre job will not stand in that place but rather be pointed out as not doing all that should have been done.  This is such a practical proverb because we have done this and we have seen this.

We all love great service.  We love it when someone says something and they actually do it and maybe even better than what we thought.  We tend to speak of this person to others in a positive way and they are placed before others because of their work and service.  We all hate it when we get bad service.  We hate it when the job doesn't get done or it isn't done right and we end up doing it ourselves or repairing the repair.  It ends up costing us more money than if we would have had someone do it who was concerned about the final product.  We tend to speak of this person to others but not in glowing terms and they are not placed in front of others in the positive for more work.

We also may be the one who has done this.  We are the one who didn't serve others or work at our job like it was our very own.  We have heard of the story of the young apprentice carpenter who was doing a great job for the master and getting praise for his thorough work.  The master gave him another job but he was tired and found ways to start cutting corners to save himself some money.  The project was completed but its inferior products were covered up for none to know about except himself.  The master then turned over the keys of the new home to the apprentice as a gift for being such a good worker.  Now he possessed something so inferior that would need more work because of his lack of using the skill he was known for.  

How about you?  What do people get from you?  How do you serve?  It will make a difference in the extent of the reach of that service to others and the impact it will have on them.  Let us pray.

"Lord, some more very practical proverbs today.  Help us to see the downfalls of making something happen at any cost rather than following Your guidelines with what You have entrusted to us.  Help us to see why the markers are there that You have set and find peace by leaving them in place.  Help us to give great service to others as if we were serving You or You were right there watching us.  May we be used by You to stand before others and have an audience to tell them about You as the One we follow in what we say and do.  Amen."

Pastor Adam