Douglas Baptist Church

A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest-and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man. (Proverbs 24 :33, 34)

There is a warning given numerous times in the Book of Proverbs which can be seen in today’s passage. Simply put… we must be careful not to become lazy. While we are all in need of times of rest and refreshment, Proverbs warns of the dangers of living as a sluggard (a lazy person).  As tempting as it may be at times we must stay active and work diligently. We must be careful not to allow ourselves to become satisfied with just getting by or allowing others to do all the work.

He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy. (Proverbs 28:13)

While it is tempting to cover up our mistakes and the wrong things we do, we only find mercy when we are willing to admit them. The choice is ours cover up and experience guilt or confess and experience mercy!

A quarrelsome wife is like a constant dripping on a rainy day; restraining her is like restraining the wind or grasping oil with the hand. (Proverbs 27:15-16)

Eugene Peterson does a good job with this proverb as well…

A nagging spouse is like the drip, drip, drip of a leaky faucet; You can’t turn it off, and you can’t get away from it.

Many of us (if not all of us) at one time or another need to be reminded to tighten the tap!

A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. (Proverbs 18:24)

We all need friends who will stick close, listen, care, and offer help when it is needed-in good times and bad. it is better to have one such friend than all kinds of superficial acquaintances. Sometimes we may find ourselves wishing for such a true friend. The best way to find such a friend is to set out to be such a friend. There are people who need our friendship-take the challenge become a true friend!

Better is open rebuke than hidden love. (Proverbs 27:5)

Honesty is better than unexpressed love. “Hidden love” is a love that is too timid, too afraid, to shallow, or not trusting enough to admit that honesty and disagreements are a part of genuine love!