Thought for the Day

Verse 25 - The fear of man, and allowing people to intimidate us, brings a snare upon us. Fear is as confining as a trap, preventing us from doing what we ought. We must put our trust in the Lord, and not fear what man might do to us. We must learn to cry out to Him when we are in trouble, for He will keep us safe (Psalm 56:9-11). Those who are "born again" will find that the Lord is on their side, and if God is for us, what man can stand against us? God is the final authority, and nothing can separate us from His love. "What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:31-39).

Verse 26 - Many people seek favor from those in positions of authority, but the wise seek favor from God, knowing that all true judgment comes from Him. God is the Almighty, the highest authority. The hearts of earthly authorities are in His Hand, and He is able to turn them to favor us. "The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will" (Proverbs 21:1). If we trust and wait upon Him, He will not fail us.

Verse 27 - The righteous and wicked are not merely opposed to each other, they are an abomination to each other. The wicked perceive the righteous as abominable, but unrighteous deeds are an abomination to God and the wicked will reap destruction. We must choose to follow God, if we desire life and blessing, as we clearly see from Deuteronomy 30:16-19.

Today's verses conclude the collection of proverbs attributed to Solomon. Solomon's wisdom paled next to that of Jesus. His life shows that even at his wisest, man is still sinful and needs a Savior, and that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Solomon lost that fear, and, in his old, age turned away from God. True wisdom dictates that we must maintain our relationship with God throughout our entire life. Any Christian who reveres God and depends upon Christ in faith, is wiser than Solomon.