Proverbs 27:9-12 says,...

Today's verses are Proverbs 27:9-12, which read,

v.9 - Oil and perfume make the heart glad, so a man's counsel is sweet to his friend.

Oil and perfume were cherished items in the days of Solomon and actually in our day too.  There is quite a market for oils and essential oils and perfumes of many kinds.  People make a good living off of oils and perfumes.  It is the use of these that makes the heart glad.  To have oil and perfume to apply when needed brings about an uptick in how one is feeling, physically and emotionally.  Both of these where to make yourself more presentable and was enjoyed by you and those around you.  We know from the Bible that these were also very expensive at times and used sparingly to make them last.  

These precious commodities are compared to the counsel of a wise man to his friend.  The counsel of those following after God is to be cherished.  It is to be applied when needed.  It makes you presentable before God and is also a help in the presence of others.  When we receive the oil and perfume of our wise friend's counsel it should make our heart glad that we have such a friend.  Someone who will apply and someone who will share with you what they have learned from their God and personally applied to their situation.  I am thankful for a couple of those situations yesterday around the picnic tables at our all-church end of summer picnic.

v.10 - Do not forsake your own friend or your father's friend, and do not go to your brother's house in the day of your calamity; better is a neighbor who is near than a brother far away.

The saying is, "Blood is thicker than water."  I have found this to be true but the proverb says to go with the water.  Blood represents those family relationships where you share common physical DNA but water represents those friend relationships where you share common spiritual DNA of God's gift of grace through the cross of Christ.  Blood ties end at the grave but water ties go on for eternity with the One with whom we were baptized in His name.  How blessed it is when our blood relationships are also our water relationships, when our blood relatives and also our water relatives but it is not always so.

The proverb instructs us to seek out those who can help us with our calamity.  God has put them near to us.  They are our neighbors that we worship with every Sunday.  They rub shoulders with us in the pews.  God has assembled a church family for you to be a part of to not forsake but rather be an active member of by following His words and ways.  Go to those who have been washed by the blood of the Lamb, who are your forever family.

v.11 - Be wise, my son, and make my heart glad, that I may reply to him who reproaches me.

I heard of this last week.  A father came to me about the actions of a grown son that made his heart glad.  His son used wisdom and discernment from God to make a decision for the protection of himself and his family.  It is in those moments that as a parent you get a report card of sorts to know you are doing the right thing.  Your child has a decision to make and you are not there to make it but you have talked about this scenario and they choose what is godly.  

One study Bible said this proverb is true in the reverse also.  "Be foolish, my son, and make my heart sad, and I will have no reply to him who reproaches me."  Our wisdom of following after God and being in awe and respect of Him does something to others in a positive way.

v.12 - A prudent man sees evil and hides himself, the naive proceed and pay the penalty.

What are you doing?  Are you hiding yourself or are you proceeding?  When you see evil do you go the other way, protect your eyes and heart and seek to safety in God's wisdom or do you proceed into the evil, make excuses for doing so and make yourself vulnerable to the consequences of sin?  This is a pretty straight forward proverb to understand but one that is abused so often.

Our way of escape is into the arms of God through His word and the provisions given to us from Him of His family.  Many times instead of taking the way of escape we look to the words of others and the appeal of instant gratification.  To be prudent is to be on the look out for evil.  To be naive is to walk blindly through the day not aware of Satan's schemes and traps to trip you up.  May we do as it says in Romans 12:2 each day, "Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God."  Let us pray.

"Lord, thank You for the counsel of good and godly friends.  Thank You for those we call family not of our blood but of Your blood.  Thank You for the effects of following after Your wisdom upon us and others.  Help us to be on the lookout for evil so we can take measures to protect ourselves with Your words and ways.  Amen."

Pastor Adam