The verses set for reading and meditation are Proverbs 6:1-11 (NLT):
“My child, if you have put up security for a friend’s debt or agreed to guarantee the debt of a stranger – if you have trapped yourself by your agreement and are caught by what you said – follow my advice and save yourself, for you have placed yourself at your friend’s mercy. Now swallow your pride; go and beg to have your name erased. Don’t put it off; do it now! Don’t rest until you do. Save yourself like a gazelle escaping from a hunter, like a bird fleeing from a net.
Take a lesson from the ants, you lazybones. Learn from their ways and become wise! Though they have no prince or governor or ruler to make them work, they labor hard all summer, gathering food for the winter. But you, lazybones, how long will you sleep? When will you wake up? A little extra sleep, a little more slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest – then poverty will pounce on you like a bandit; scarcity will attack you like an armed robber.”
These verses perhaps are a good example of the type of proverb where we need to have a clear view of what they are actually teaching. The above verses (first half) are not saying to me that you should not go guarantee for a debt, but that you should not do so in a foolish manner. For example, to guarantee the debt of a stranger when you know nothing of their capacity to repay their debt, would be foolish. It could be that you are going guarantee for the debt – to impress your new ‘friend’ – clearly, the wrong motive. The second part of the above verses are teaching us that laziness is wrong and we should take note of the ants – even they have ‘learnt’ the value of preparation and hard work.
Selwyn has captured this idea very well: “The picture of the ant is one that you should keep continually in your mind. It is an image included in the Word of God in order to bring instruction to the heart. Prepare for the future in every way you can, not only by denying yourself the things that God puts out of bounds, but also by giving yourself to the things you need to know to increase your effectiveness in your chosen profession or vocation. Whatever you plan to do in the days ahead of you – prepare for it. Prepare by study and also by prayer.”
I would add – that God uses all of His followers, in some way or other, for work in His harvest field – to bring others into a relationship with Jesus. An excellent way to prepare for this work is to immerse yourself in God’s Word – Scripture. Develop a habit to read a part of the Bible every day – even if it’s only a few verses at a time! Your relationship with Jesus will continue to grow as you read His Word.
Prepare!
The verses set for reading and meditation are Proverbs 6:1-11 (NLT):
“My child, if you have put up security for a friend’s debt or agreed to guarantee the debt of a stranger – if you have trapped yourself by your agreement and are caught by what you said – follow my advice and save yourself, for you have placed yourself at your friend’s mercy. Now swallow your pride; go and beg to have your name erased. Don’t put it off; do it now! Don’t rest until you do. Save yourself like a gazelle escaping from a hunter, like a bird fleeing from a net.
Take a lesson from the ants, you lazybones. Learn from their ways and become wise! Though they have no prince or governor or ruler to make them work, they labor hard all summer, gathering food for the winter. But you, lazybones, how long will you sleep? When will you wake up? A little extra sleep, a little more slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest – then poverty will pounce on you like a bandit; scarcity will attack you like an armed robber.”
These verses perhaps are a good example of the type of proverb where we need to have a clear view of what they are actually teaching. The above verses (first half) are not saying to me that you should not go guarantee for a debt, but that you should not do so in a foolish manner. For example, to guarantee the debt of a stranger when you know nothing of their capacity to repay their debt, would be foolish. It could be that you are going guarantee for the debt – to impress your new ‘friend’ – clearly, the wrong motive. The second part of the above verses are teaching us that laziness is wrong and we should take note of the ants – even they have ‘learnt’ the value of preparation and hard work.
Selwyn has captured this idea very well: “The picture of the ant is one that you should keep continually in your mind. It is an image included in the Word of God in order to bring instruction to the heart. Prepare for the future in every way you can, not only by denying yourself the things that God puts out of bounds, but also by giving yourself to the things you need to know to increase your effectiveness in your chosen profession or vocation. Whatever you plan to do in the days ahead of you – prepare for it. Prepare by study and also by prayer.”
I would add – that God uses all of His followers, in some way or other, for work in His harvest field – to bring others into a relationship with Jesus. An excellent way to prepare for this work is to immerse yourself in God’s Word – Scripture. Develop a habit to read a part of the Bible every day – even if it’s only a few verses at a time! Your relationship with Jesus will continue to grow as you read His Word.