To confirm with examples the proverb a good name is more important than wealth. Interpretation of the Book of Proverbs of Solomon. A good name, how much can it be valued? How much can it be bought or sold for, and is it sold at all? Is it important to have a good name in life? What does he

1–16. Exhortations to acquiring and keeping a good name. 17–21. A call to heed the words of the wise. 22–29. Instructions are partly moralistic, partly practical.

. A good name is better than great wealth, and good fame is better than silver and gold.

. The rich and the poor meet each other: the Lord created both.

. The prudent sees trouble, and hides; but the inexperienced go forward and are punished.

. Humility is followed by the fear of the Lord, wealth and glory and life.

. Thorns and nets on the treacherous path; whoever guards his soul, depart from them.

. Instruct the young man at the beginning of his path: he will not deviate from it when he is old.

. The rich rule over the poor and the debtor becomes the lender's slave.

. He who sows iniquity will reap trouble, and his reed of wrath will not be.—

:8a. -[He loves a person who gives cheerfully, and the lack of deeds will make up for him.]

. The merciful will be blessed, because he gives to the poor of his bread.–

:9a. –[Victory and honor are acquired by those who give gifts, and even take possession of the souls of those who receive them.]

. Drive away the blasphemer, and dissension will be removed, and strife and strife will stop.

. Whoever loves purity of heart has pleasantness on his lips, the king is his friend.

. The eyes of the Lord guard knowledge, but the words of the transgressor He subverts.

. The sloth says: “The lion is outside! they will kill me in the middle of the square!”

. A deep abyss is the mouth of harlots: whoever the Lord is angry with will fall there.

. Stupidity has become attached to the young man's heart, but the rod of correction will remove it from him.

. Who offends the poor in order to increase his wealth, and who gives to the rich, he will become poor.

The protection of one's good name is recommended by the Wise One (v. 1 gave.) in the same sense - the unconditional superiority of this moral good over material values ​​\u200b\u200b(, cf.). A good name is acquired most of all by active love for one's neighbor, by charity to him: hence the duty of the rich to help the poor is put in the first place, and the motive for charity indicates that both the rich and the poor are equal to the creation of one God (v. 2, sn.;), and I'm put on one life path. Praise is given to prudence in life (vv. 3 and 5) with the condemnation of foolishness, but humility and the fear of God are especially exalted - indicating the beneficial fruits of both in the very outer life man (v. 4). Then, in Art. 6-12 are separately named virtues, which protect and build a good name. Here, first of all, the enormous importance of educating and educating a young man is emphasized precisely from the very beginning. early age(Art. 6). in Mishnich. tractate Avot (IV, 20), in accordance with this it says: “Who teaches a child what he is like? - writing in ink on new paper; and who teaches the old, what is he like? - writing in ink on clean (from the previous letter) paper. Then, mentioning the difference in the everyday life of the rich and the poor (v. 7), the Wise indicates that wealth and well-being in general can be used both for good and for evil. In the latter respect they are called: passion for strife and doing all kinds of evil (v. 8, "sow unrighteousness, evil", as well as "sowing the truth" - a common biblical image: ; ; ), blasphemy (v. 10) and treachery (v. 12). On the other side are put - charity (Art. 9), sincerity (Art. 11) and reasonableness (Art. 12).

Finally, negative side speech about a good name constitutes a warning against the vices of laziness (v. 13 - here is an example of a senseless excuse of a lazy one, sn.), debauchery (v. 14, sn., stupidity (v. 15) and greed, combined with the oppression of the poor (v. 16).

. Incline thy ear, and hear the words of the wise, and turn thy heart to my knowledge;

. for it will be comforting if you keep them in your heart, and they will also be in your mouth.

. So that your hope is in the Lord, I teach you today, and you remember.

. Have I not written to you three times in counsel and instruction,

. to teach you the exact words of truth, so that you can communicate the words of truth to those who send you?

. Do not be a robber of the poor, because he is poor, and do not oppress the unfortunate at the gate,

. for the Lord will intercede in their cause, and will snatch away the soul of their robbers.

. Do not make friends with an angry person and do not associate with a quick-tempered person,

. Have you seen a man agile in his work? He will stand before kings, he will not stand before the common ones.

Art. 17-21 form an introduction to a new group or a new collection of parables, embracing the second half of ch. XXII, and chapters XXIII and XXIV. The parables of this department are distinguished by their length, often embracing several lines (3 verses in st. - c). In the introduction, Art. 17-21, an exhortation is expressed to pay attention to the words of the wise (v. 17), their dignity is noted (v. 18), the main meaning is to arouse hope in God (v. 19), and the ideological essence (v. 20-21). In Art. 22-29 in three couplet parables: a) the oppression of the poor is condemned and forbidden (vv. 22-23); b) a warning is given against intimacy and fellowship with an angry person (vv. 24-25); and c) again a strong warning against bails (vv. 26-27, ff. sl. ; ).

The crime of moving the boundary of the neighbor, not unusual in ancient time, was considered one of the most shameful (cf.;). In Art. 29 indicates a rare, but possible case in the position of a worker - elevation to the degree of closest service to the king.

1. The heart of the king is in the hand of the Lord, like streams of water: wherever He wants, He directs him. Most people who seriously think about life recognize that God is behind everything. On soulless matter He acts physical strength, on wild animals - by instincts, on sentient beings- by motives befitting their abilities, on their redeemed ones - by grace. This parable is just one example of God's providence. Previously, the sage said that a person is entirely dependent on God, now he shows how this truth works in a particular case: king's heart is under God's authority.

Metaphor "streams of water" very accurately describes how God works. The stream begins with a small stream, which cannot turn even a hand-held millstone, which means it cannot grind a portion of flour for the daily sustenance of one person. But, growing due to the influx of other streams and streams, it can turn hundreds of mills, giving food to thousands of people. thoughts king's heart at first, it's just an idea about how to make the lives of your subjects better. Then the idea develops into a concrete action. The Supreme Lord directs the affairs of even the most despotic ruler, directs them to His goal, just as the channel directs the streams of water.

Most likely, Solomon in this parable means irrigation canals. water flow moves freely along the canal. So God guides king's heart as His representative, without taking away his free will in actions.

The history of our blessed, though now maligned, Reformation is another a prime example how God rules the heart of a monarch. God used Henry VIII in order to accomplish His work, the king's son also became the mediator of divine providence and continued this great deed. History teaches us to place all the burdens of the Church on her Head and rejoice in the fact that it is not kings who rule, but the King of kings.

2. Every way of a man is right in his eyes; but the Lord weighs hearts. We should be grateful for the repetition (see 16:2) of this important parable. It is extremely valuable because it explores my heart and tests my spirit. The heart is so deceitful that it not only deceives others, but also itself. Every thinking Christian knows this from experience. For the same act, we judge ourselves and our neighbor in completely different ways. We are convinced that we had reasons to do so. While justifying ourselves, we also condemn other people for the same behavior. Therefore, we must constantly pray that God will examine, test us and reveal us to ourselves (Ps. 139:23). No one in the world makes as many mistakes as we ourselves. But to be justified by God is a great mercy!

3. Observance of truth and justice is more pleasing to the Lord than sacrifice. Did Solomon mean to downplay sacrifices? No one appreciated him as highly as he did (see 1 Kings 3:4; 8:64). Sacrifice was established as a symbol of the great sacrifice for sin (Heb. 10:11-12). But it was never meant to take the place of the obedience required by the law of God. However, man quickly perverted the purpose of this institution. He soon replaced the self-denial of the heart with the offering of bulls and goats. Israel kept the rites, continuing to walk in the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Victim cannot replace the love of God. We must ask ourselves if we are not worshiping formally. Maybe you hear the call to abandon the dead religious form and seek the living power of righteousness? Cain offered a sacrifice, but not a heart. Remember that rites always strive to take the place of the consecrated heart, and this deception comes from the evil one. May your heart be with God.

4. Pride of the eyes and haughtiness of the heart, which distinguishes the wicked, is sin. It is impossible to make a mistake: God's thought is clear! However this sin takes so much various forms that until the Spirit of God reveals himself to a person, he will not think that this one is about him. Moreover, he proud with his arrogance!

The trouble of such a person is not only pride of the eyes and haughtiness of the heart. Sin struck even him everyday life. The lamp of the wicked is sin! How can such a simple thing be sinful? Motivation determines action. The most natural actions are evaluated in terms of faith, they have a moral coloring depending on the motive. If there is no pious motive in your actions, you are sinning. “Sacred intention is for human actions what the soul is for the body, the content is for the form, the root is for the tree, the sun is for the world, the source is for the river, the foundation is for the building. If the former does not exist, then the latter has no life: the body becomes a corpse, the form a void, a tree a log, the world darkness, a river a dry bed, a building ruins, and action a sin, useless and worthless ”(Bishop Taylor).

We have been given the principle: idleness is sin(2 Thess. 3:10). But labor is sin unbelief if it is done without God. The visible result of labor is good, but the motive spoils all efforts. If the spring is bitter, what will make the water sweet? Sinfulness tarnishes every good intention of a Christian's heart, but here in question about the sin. In the first case, it is the inability to walk on a straight path, in the other, it is walking on crooked paths. When the wicked“God considers both eating and gluttony a sin; both drinking and drunkenness; How business relationship so is greed and an immoderate love of the world" (Hopkins). The condition of such a person is appalling. If only he could see it! Whether he prays or neglects prayer, both are equally vile. He cannot but sin, but he bears full responsibility for your sins. Shouldn't he be doing his duty? "Man's impotence should neither create prejudice against God's sovereignty, nor diminish man's duties" (Reynolds). What is left for him to do? He must learn that it is necessary to be born again. Let the wicked seek the great Physician, who heals with the word (Matt. 8:3) and cleanses from every disease with His blood (1 John 1:7). As soon as the nature of a person is purified, his deeds will become pure.

5. The thoughts of the diligent strive for abundance, but everyone who hastily suffers deprivation. In the book of parables diligent, as a rule, they are opposed to the lazy (10:4; 12:24, 27; 13:4), but here they are opposed to a hasty person. thoughts both diligent and hasty bear fruit. At the first they lead to abundance the second - to deprivation. A patient, industrious, industrious person perseveres in his work, regardless of obstacles. He is content to collect his wealth slowly. He does not relax and does not lose heart. Such zeal, when God blesses him, brings great benefits. “Hoping to provide for your family without hard work is like expecting when the sky it will rain from silver coins» (Swinnock).

Hasty can also be diligent up to a certain extent. But as laziness is vicious, so haste full of flaws. It makes people do stupid things. Our English philosopher advised to "measure the work real time labor, not idle time. After observing how people were in a hurry to finish the work, he said: “Don't be in such a hurry, we want to finish as soon as possible. To do everything in time means to save time, rash actions are useless ”(Lord Bacon).

Mirskaya haste- great evil. Often it encourages a person to take on stupid plans. But we must run along the predestined race, not with haste or haste, but with patience (Heb. 12:1). Haste is a deceit that ends in disappointment. There is nothing more important than the all-inclusive operation of grace, which brings abundant fruit to the glory of God.

6-7. Acquiring treasure with a lying tongue is a fleeting breath of those who seek death. The violence of the wicked will come upon them because they have refused to keep the truth. Here Solomon vividly shows how haste leads a person along his uneven paths to poverty. A treasure obtained by a lying tongue becomes a trap. The profit of unrighteousness is a worthless gain, for the wrath of God mixes bitterness and bitterness into the reward of sin. Judas tried to get rid of his ill-gotten wealth because it had become an unbearable curse. However, he could not escape from the painful remorse of conscience.

The wicked seem to seek death as their reward. They seem to love the path that leads to eternal perdition. Each of their sins is a step towards the edge of the abyss.

8. Perverted is the way of the perverted man; and who is pure, that action is direct. Look at the striking contrast between the man who lives by nature and the man who lives by grace. Who can say that man is the same today as he was when he first left the hand of the Creator? After all, he turned away from God and followed his self-will.

But, reborn by the grace of God, he does the will of God. He now lives for God and aspires to heaven. My God, show me me, just so that I can bear this sight; help me to humble myself and always hold on to my Savior, constantly use His precious blood, unceasingly cover myself with His pure and perfect righteousness.

9. It is better to live in a corner on the roof than with a quarrelsome wife in a spacious house. It is sad when people who have made the decision to live together cannot live in peace. Many suffer from this. When making an important decision about marriage, they do not seek God's help, they do not ask the Lord for a wife, therefore God does not send her. As a result, they marry, but their marriage does not bring blessings. Forbidden pleasures, miserliness and debauchery bring misfortune that apparent advantages - wealth or position in society - cannot for a moment correct.

Both husband and wife should consecrate themselves to God in order to find the only safe path to a happy family life.

“Reward me as you know and with whom you want” (Chrysostom). You can be happy only when mutual love is based on God's ordinances. Spouses must remember: passion is nothing, patience is everything. The husband, demanding submission, will remember that he did not find a slave, but a wife. The wife will not forget about “the incorruptible beauty of a meek and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God” (1 Peter 3:4).

10. The soul of the wicked desires evil: neither will his friend find mercy in his eyes. Satan himself is depicted here. He not only does evil, he wishes evil. Evil natural for the wicked because that is their nature. They long to indulge in their lusts, for this is their highest pleasure.

Nor will his friend find mercy in his eyes. His love does not go beyond the threshold of the house. He sweeps away from his path everyone and everything who prevents him from achieving his selfish goals. Friend and brother have to make way for his selfish pleasures.

Such is sin, such is its terrible essence, and such are its pernicious fruits. But look at the man of God whose heart is expanded and softened by the influence of the gospel. May there be more such people in the Church of God!

11. When a blasphemer is punished, the simple becomes wise; and when a wise man is enlightened, he acquires knowledge. We have already seen a similar parable (19:25). It was about God's providential punishment. Not one stroke of His rod is useless. One and the same blow leads to different consequences. Them the blasphemer is punished but at the same time the wise understand. The very idea of ​​the grace of God is an object of ridicule and contempt for blasphemer. Do not be surprised that a daring criminal will be punished.

Wise, although he has already been taught by God, he is cultivating his knowledge, daily heeding instruction. Among the most useful lessons- instruction with a rod. Wise the rod admonishes, not punishes.

12. The righteous watch over the house of the wicked: how the wicked are plunged into misfortune. The accomplishment of God's providence often leaves us perplexed. Often the believer does not understand why the wicked prosper, bold thoughts about God are born in him (Ps. 72: 2-14). But when a person who trusts God looks with the eye of faith, he sees more than just the brilliance of momentary success. He sees not only the welfare of the sinner, but also his death. Its prosperity is short-lived, and its collapse is inevitable. Faith understands this.

13. Whoever stops his ear from the cry of the poor, he himself will cry out - and will not be heard. If the poor there were no people, a large part of the Word of God would have been written in vain, for the Bible says a lot about how we should have compassion and help the poor. “We must not only help, but also sympathize. We must sacrifice luxury for the convenience of our neighbor, our own convenience for the need of our neighbor, our needs for the sake of our neighbor's misfortune" (Howard).

A deaf ear is cruelty and insensitivity, indifference to misfortune. Consider both a duty and a blessing to serve the poor. By helping them, you will be able to follow the example of your Master (Matt. 14:14-21). Greed and sensuality harden the heart. First the heart turns to stone, then the ear deafens.

14. A secret gift extinguishes anger, and a gift in the bosom - a strong rage. Secret gift- also evil. Both sides are guilty of the sin of bribery. The giver plays the role of the tempter. The one who accepts readily transgresses God's law (Ex. 23:8). Human lust is easily aroused. A greedy person ceases to be angry if he is appeased with gifts, especially if you do this. secretly, keeping his reputation. Wounded pride is conquered by another passion - greed! We must diligently keep our hearts pure in order to walk with God.

15. The observance of justice is joy for the righteous and fear for those who do evil. righteous and justice is observed and finds in it joy. He is also happy about justice, as the wicked - about evil. But only righteous can rejoice in it. For a person who believes in God only in words serves Him as a slave. God is known to him only as a slave owner. But when a Christian serves God, holiness for him is as inseparable from happiness as heat from a flame and rays of light from the sun. So it was in the life of our Lord, who gladly made God's will. If only we, the servants of God, felt the same!

16. A person who has gone astray from the path of reason will settle in the assembly of the dead. Most likely, the terrible death of the apostates is described here. God shows the path of the mind. If it is said that a person has gone astray from the path of reason, it means that he once walked along it. At least he was instructed and confessed that he was walking this road. Deliberate departure from God ends in eternal death.

The state of spiritual death is often hidden behind the observance of religious rites. The cause of death lies in the fact that in the hot flame of religious zeal there is no living faith. There is no sincerity in prayer, and therefore there is no genuine desire to follow God. Despite the light, knowledge and blessings that God gives, such a person is still stray from the path of reason.

Indeed, fallen man wanders. Beware of the first idle step both in teaching and in conduct. You may, like Bunyan's blind wanderers who have gone astray and found themselves among the graves, end your journey in apostasy. in the assembly of the dead. Remember, if you are in the meeting of the dead, then most likely you are next to your own kind. Won't all those who consciously renounce wisdom die forever?

17. Whoever loves fun will become poor; but whoever loves wine and fat will not get rich. Does that mean we should never have fun? A ban on fun and joy would certainly turn people away from faith in God. But godly gladness is common in the ways of God (3:17). Shouldn't we rejoice in earthly comforts? God has given us everything to enjoy (1 Tim. 6:17). However, oddly enough, enjoy fun does not mean loving it or making it the goal of your life. A man who gives his whole heart fun embarked on the path leading to poverty."How more people drinks the world, the more it intoxicates him ”(Rutherford). The spiritual state is our glory. Personal holiness is vital to spiritual enjoyment. So, always remember how empty the pleasures of this world can be.

18. The wicked will be the ransom for the righteous, and the evil one for the upright. ransom, which is referred to here is a replacement, an exchange (Ps. 48:8-9). Sometimes, by good reasons, God touches righteous man the same court as wicked. Sometimes the punishment is in store wicked in order to avert disaster from a righteous people (Josh. 7:24-26). Also often due to God's retributive justice the wicked fall into the disaster they were plotting against the righteous(cf. 11:8). Sometimes God forces the enemies of the Church to fight each other. But no matter how hopeless, from a human point of view, the position of the Church is, we must not give up. The night may be dark, but a day is coming that will shine with the fullness of God's glory.

19. It is better to live in a desert land than with a quarrelsome and angry woman. Solomon again depicts a family without peace (see v. 9). Remember that by choosing according to intelligence or beauty and forgetting godliness, you deprive yourself of the guarantee of God's blessing and happiness.

Punishment by a spouse will teach us not to rely on ourselves (2 Corinthians 12:7) and will provide an opportunity to exercise grace. Backstorf quotes a Jewish proverb: “How can a man prove strength of mind? Tolerating a grumpy wife." When Socrates was asked how he endures his wife, he replied: “She teaches me and shows me how I should behave outside the home. Learning to patiently endure her daily whims, I feel calmer in the company of other people.

“The family sometimes turns into fire. It may be the most difficult test in the world” (Cecil). But in order not to get upset over any trifle, you need to pray more and show more indulgence. It is an effective remedy for irritability. We must also remember that God helps to carry the cross. In addition, one must look forward with hope, expecting to reach a home where eternal peace reigns.

And here it is necessary to raise extremely important question: is it permissible to get a divorce or just live in different places for the sake of peace and not carry your cross? Solomon says that it is better to live in a desert land, how with a quarrelsome and angry wife. Job had a quarrelsome wife, but he never divorced her, although she advised him to curse God (Job 2:9). “Satan did not touch his wife because he wanted her to be the temptress and tormentor of her husband” (Henry). Job did not throw off this marital cross, he learned patience, for which he received praise.

Our Lord restored the sacrament of marriage to its rightful place. He taught that you can only get divorced for one reason (Matt. 5:32; 19:1-9). Leave unfaithful wife maybe for a sin, but a grumpy and angry wife should be endured like a cross.

20. The longed-for treasure and fat - in the house of the wise; A foolish man squanders them. Loving earthly treasures leads to poverty (21:17). But at the same time, they right attitude, can become a blessing from the Lord (10:22), for prudence keeps from worldliness. Moreover, indifference to the coming test is not faith, but the foolishness of a simpleton (22:3).

Even in the hut of a pious poor man there are sometimes stocks of flour and oil - this is a reward for Christian diligence. However, poor is that chamber in which the Bible, with its repositories of incomprehensible riches, has not become the main treasure, and the oil of joy the best consolation. In a house where this treasure is valued above all else, lives wise, let him be poor. Cecil, Queen Elizabeth's secretary, said as he left Bernard Gilpin's home, "There is as much happiness there as there is on earth." In the house stupid person such joy is not to be found.

21. He who keeps righteousness and mercy will find life, truth and glory. Holiness should become the rule of our lives, and not just a religious duty. We must search righteousness with pleasure, not out of obligation. It must flow from the heart, from which Love banished fear. “Our will is attracted to God, and it loves this attraction. No man will complain that he is in prison if he has a crown on his head. In the same way, the Son of God made us free, subjecting us only to the service and power of the Spirit. We are free as king's sons. We have a crown on our heads precious stones. Our chains are really ornaments, the law is the law of freedom, and the service of God is perfect freedom. The better we serve as subjects, the more we rule as kings. The longer we run, the lighter the burden becomes. The yoke of Christ is like feathers to a bird. They are not a weight, but a means of flight; without them, the bird falls” (Bishop Taylor). Such righteousness is our goal.

22. A wise man enters the city of the strong and overthrows the fortress in which they hoped. A wise general knows that wisdom surpasses might (24:5-6). Skillful tactics win over simple prowess. Joshua, when taking the city of Ai, showed his military talent (Josh. 8:3-22). Sounds like Solomon heard about wise a man who single-handedly freed the city from the power of a powerful king.

Similarly, spiritual wisdom, which is God's gift, overcomes frightening difficulties. Let us become warriors, mighty in the Lord, put on the whole armor of God (Eph. 6:10). Then victory is guaranteed. Fortress will be taken.

23. He who keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps his soul from harm. The sage often reminds us that we are responsible for our tongues (10:14; 12:13; 13:3; 14:3; 17:20; 18:6-7, 21). He does this so that we constantly test our faith in God (James 1:26). The condition of the reborn heart is reflected in the words. Conversely, when the heart is evil, the mouth only aggravates the already wicked behavior of a person. Language- this is an unbroken horse that carries its rider to death. If we open our mouth too hastily and say whatever we like, our neighbor suffers and God loses his glory.

How can this be avoided? Walk before God. Cherish love for His commandments. Use language to serve Him. Ask for His grace now to both restrain and use your tongue correctly.

24. The arrogant villain - the blasphemer is his name - acts in the heat of pride. Here is a colorful depiction of the pharaoh, who arrogant and proud asked who God was, that he should obey Him (Ex. 5:2).

But God's children can behave like a pharaoh. God will not turn a blind eye to their sin and pity the rod. The glory of their name will fade. They will see that God is looking at them disapprovingly. Although King Asa was devoted to God most of his life, because of his sin, a cloud covered his sun (1 Kings 15:14; 2 Chronicles 16:10-13). "For our God is a consuming fire" (Heb. 12:29).

25-26. The sloth's hunger will kill him because his hands refuse to work; every day he hungers greatly, but the righteous gives and does not regret. We have already seen more than once what a shame awaits a lazy person. The sloth's hunger will kill him. Where there is no effort, there can be no fruit. “He can’t even reach out and take what he wants. He prefers to sit and starve to death” (Bishop Hall). He lives by desires, not by works. “With one desire, an object located at a certain distance cannot be obtained. There is no life in inactive desire. A dead desire is a death desire” (Dr. Reynold). But beware of greed sloth. His greed brings death. And we must resort to all means of grace. Sir Thomas More said a great prayer: "Lord, help me to make an effort to acquire what I constantly pray for."

To serve the Lord, we must exercise faith. Exercise gives spiritual strength with which we must move forward. Even if you are frustrated or lazy, focus on praying for God to restore His power in you. It is impossible that the Lord would not answer such a prayer. Consciously commit yourself to Him. Sacrifice whatever it takes. Use every opportunity. For while the lazy man is hungry for himself, the righteous man lives for the Church of God. He gives and does not regret. He will be a blessing on earth (Is. 19:24).

The following exhortation is worth thinking about. “Our heart is by nature far from God. One step will not bring us closer to Him. A few minutes of formal prayer is not enough to refresh our soul. Let us fear laziness. Because of it, we waste precious time on the road that leads to heaven. Lost days soon become years, so you can be late for the wedding feast. We are ready to climb high mountain making incredible efforts, because we want to enjoy beautiful view and clean air. Let's climb Mount Zion, where we can breathe a truly life-giving air, see beautiful Eden with rivers of living water and a flowering tree of life. May the Lord give us the necessary will and energy!” (Felix Neff).

27. The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination, especially when it is offered with wickedness. This verse repeats and develops the idea of ​​one of the previous parables (15:8). Never and under no circumstances can God accept the sacrifice of the wicked because it does not satisfy any of His requirements. She has no heart. Their worship is formal and hypocritical (Matt. 15:7-9). They cannot enter into the presence of God. Such worship is self-righteous hypocrisy.

Especially when they bring it with cunning. This makes sin doubly worse. A mind dominated by sin is like a contagious disease. True, sometimes Seems, What sacrifice of the wicked accepted. But the Lord sees the depths of the human heart and never leaves their secret impulses unpunished.

28. The false witness will perish; and whoever listens to him will perish forever. false witness calmly looks at iniquity, he does not care about the truth. God will surely punish such perjurer. And even “a man will confuse him and shut his mouth. And no one in the future will accept his testimony” (Poole).

29. A wicked man is bold in his face, but a righteous man keeps his way straight. cheeky face, in which there is no shame, which does not blush even in the presence of sin, is a terrible manifestation of a hardened heart. Cain stood boldly in the presence of God as his brother's blood dripped from his hands. The infamous traitor became so insolent that he dared to kiss the holy cheeks of our Lord. Which cheeky face these had evil people! They shamelessly did evil. Indeed, “we are not in control of ourselves. So skillful is our will, and our foreheads so strong, that if God had left us at the mercy of our violent nature, we would soon have ruined ourselves” (Bishop Sanderson).

But the child of God has spiritual sensitivity. If we are afraid to continue on our own path, then we are putting ourselves into the hands of the Lord. Pious simplicity enlightens the eye of the soul. If the heart serves God, it will find the right way. The wicked man is bold in his face against God's ordinances, but righteous they lead on a straight path. Childish trust bestows on man God's favor, which is more beautiful and majestic than the scepter of the Ruler of the universe.

30-31. There is no wisdom, and there is no understanding, and there is no counsel contrary to the Lord. The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but victory is from the Lord. The history of the Church confirms the truth of these parables. “The decisions of God cannot be shaken, despite all the wiles of men. To resist them is like fighting against the movement of the sun” (Lavater). Wisdom, intelligence And advice human will lead nowhere if directed against God. “They are empty words if they oppose the decisions and ordinances of heaven” (Bishop Patrick).

A horse can protect, but one should not think that material means of protection guarantee us complete security in time of war. Use them, but don't make idols out of them. Those who trust them will fall shamefully. Those who remember that their victory is from the Lord will remain standing. In spiritual warfare, it is more important to show trust and dependence on God. Salvation is from the Lord. It is the complete, final and eternal victory over the forces of hell.

Roots Friesen, presbyter, Moscow

(From a sermon at a regional fraternal meeting in Moscow in April 2006)

“A good name is better than great wealth, and a good reputation is better than silver and gold” (Prov. 22:1).

This important passage of Scripture tells us many things today. Of course, we will not talk about the literal meaning of the name.

People have such a weakness: to somehow stand out, to say something about me, to become famous on earth. It is in the nature of man. Paul taught: “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not to men” (Col. 3:23).

Vanity must be avoided. We must work so that there are no such impure motives within. The brothers of Jesus said to Him: “For no one does anything in secret and seeks to be known himself. If You do such things, show Yourself to the world” (John 7:4).

People on earth strive for fame. But Christians are not called to seek glory for themselves, because “as it is not good to eat a lot of honey, so it is not glory to seek glory” (Prov. 25:27).

But whether we like it or not, the glory of us, good or bad, will go on. How to live on this earth so that good fame goes about us?

At that time, Jesus' brothers were unbelievers. They offered Him a chance to become famous and prompted Him, but that was not what Jesus was looking for.

And our life on earth can bring us fame, but what kind? The end of Judas Iscariot also became known, whether he wanted such a shame or not.

We are interested in having our children or brothers say good things about us, but we must be careful that this is not our initiative or any predilection.

Sometimes believers aspire to preach, or even to be ordained ministers, because it is prestigious. Such intentions will lead to a sad end. Speaking of the bishopric, Paul meant sacrificing and consecrating oneself to God in order to deny oneself, forget oneself, and seek the glory of the One who died for us all.

Elijah the priest was once told: “I will glorify those who glorify Me, but those who dishonor Me will be put to shame” (1 Sam. 2:30).

Good fame better than wealth but then when God will do it, not we ourselves. Better, try to have praise from God. Why give free rein to the desire to write something about myself, so that they notice that I did something, baptized someone. We ourselves, without realizing this report, strive to show ourselves, but is it modest? It is better when others see the light in us even without our help. If something or someone is dearer to us than the Lord, then it will hurt our soul.

I will talk about those who did not seek glory, they were modest, invisible and even humiliated among people, but in due time God Himself exalted them. They did not even think that God could glorify them, but it happened.

Jesus Christ said: “He who speaks from himself seeks glory for himself; but whoever seeks glory for Him who sent Him, He is true, and there is no unrighteousness in Him” (John 7:18). Jesus Himself pointed this out to us. Whoever seeks the glory of Him who sent Him, He is true.

Take, for example, for our edification, the Book of Esther. This ancient book, but there are heroes in it that we still remember. Glory accompanied them, but they did not look for it. Remember Esther and her cousin Mordecai, who took her in to raise her? She was the youngest in the family, when her parents died, Mordecai took her in to raise her. He was a blessed, God-fearing man, teaching her the law of God. With the help of the Lord, he managed to put the laws of God's love into this young heart, and they were preserved there to the end.

Expensive! How important it is for us today to be able to invest in our children not to seek earthly glory, but to glorify God, honor and respect their parents, and live in obedience. Even when they grow up and have their own families, so that they have respect inside, respect for the elders, those who are higher, who sacrificed for them.

Esther, having come of age, reached royal dignity. This great glory on the land that many aspired to. But God chose and blessed Esther, distinguishing her from others. She did not forget her people and still obeyed Mordecai. “Esther did not speak about her people, nor about her kindred, because Mordecai ordered her not to tell” (Esther 2:10).

Let's look at who God glorifies. It happens that as soon as we are entrusted with some kind of service, we immediately become independent and arrogant, having received a talent, we cease to reckon with our elders. God will not give a good name to the disobedient.

Queen Esther, having reached the height, still continues to obey her cousin older brother. God supports such glory.

When the people of God were threatened, she sacrificed herself and said, “If I perish, I perish. I can't help but go for my people." God grant that we have the same love for the people of God. If we have something on earth, if God has entrusted something to us, then it is necessary that the people of God be precious to us. Then our name will be in good glory with God and people.

Mordecai was God-fearing humble person, but he was firm in faith and did not bow under another's yoke with the infidels. In such service, God is glorified and sustains man. If God glorifies someone, then that is real glory. But when a person himself strives for glory, then he will remain in disgrace, and his end will be sad.

Of Mordecai it says: "Great was Mordecai in the king's house, and his fame went out into all the regions, for this man, Mordecai, rose higher and higher" (Esther 9:4). He did not bow before man, because he knew the One to whom he owed his life and sought to please Him.

Neither circumstances, nor people, may shake my desire to seek glory for the One Who accepted shame, spitting and died for me!

God glorified Mordecai, he became the second in the kingdom, great among the people and loved by many brothers, for he was looking for good for his people. That is the secret of good fame.

It is good when everyone loves and appreciates us, but this must be achieved not by asserting our own authority, but by modest service, as the Lord did.

If someone has to wash their feet, then it is prestigious, it is not shameful.

When there will be good fame about us, then wives, children, brothers and everyone in the church will understand you, don't worry. When you seek the glory of God and His righteousness, God will mark and magnify you. Don't look for it! If there is modesty, He will add whatever is needed. To him be glory! Amen.

A good name, how much can it be valued? How much can it be bought or sold for, and is it sold at all? Is it important to have a good name in life? What does it affect? Why did the Holy Spirit move Solomon to write this verse? Is there a person who gave up wealth for the sake of acquiring a good name?

A good name, how high its price is, and how quickly it is quickly exchanged today for something that is priceless. Solomon warns the rich and poor in this verse, he seems to be addressing: “You who have or do not have wealth, the good name that you have is better, it is preferable to great wealth with a bad name. If you have the choice to trade good name for wealth, don't do it, it's not worth it."

Good fame is better than silver and gold, it follows the heels of a good name, but it can be seen from afar. Even before the name is seen, the glory will already be visible, and she will speak to everyone who sees her on the horizon about the person she is following. Everyone has “Glory”, and she is a faithful companion of the name, no matter what it is. And what “glory” will depend on the name, and what it will say. Everyone knew Zacchaeus, even those who had never seen him knew about him. Solomon was also known everywhere, and his fame spread throughout the earth, his wealth became a reflection of the good name that he acquired over the years ...

It is worth working for a good name more than for wealth. Solomon showed the scale of his evaluation by which we should evaluate people. The values ​​of the modern generation are changing, and with these changes a good name has become dependent on wealth. Today it is considered in the world, "Great wealth is better than a good name." Oh how crazy this world is. We, Christians, have a great struggle ahead of us, and we must come out victorious, we are called to be careful, because you can make an exchange and not even notice ... But, even those who have lost a good name, you have the opportunity to return it like Zacchaeus, but You have to sacrifice a lot, but it's worth it...

Proverbs 22:1

And character is better than a good name, because if your character fails you, your name will cease to be good.

Character is very important for the quality of a person's life, for his ability to manage himself. All people fall or rise according to only one criterion. This criterion is their character.

Four Books of the Bible tell us about the lives of many Israelite kings. If you carefully analyze their stories, you will see that those who rose and rose steadily had a strong character, as they constantly worked on themselves. Those who did not possess the art of self-government, even once exalted by God to the level of kingship, soon fell very quickly.

Our character determines our place not only in earthly life, but also in eternity. That is why we must constantly look to Christ, who is our example. By imitating Him in all things and mastering the art of self-government, we will be able, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to form in ourselves the character of God. But in order to master the art of self-management, we first need to become more organized and disciplined. We will talk about how to do this in the next chapter.

golden truths

Our character determines our place not only in earthly life, but also in eternity.

The type of temperament of a person does not at all indicate what kind of character he has.

The nature of a person is determined by those life values by which he is guided in his life.

God's Essence inherent in each of us.

Character is not who you will be tomorrow, but who you are today.

Who can control himself at the level of thoughts, he is able to control himself.

internal struggle inherent in every person.

If a person persistently strives to form the character of God in himself, he will surely find inner freedom.

The path to liberation from any problem begins with its recognition.

Jesus Christ is a perfect example of how to manage yourself. He shows us the perfect character of the Father.

What you do not want to fight today will bring you many problems tomorrow.

Character can only be formed through pain and hardship.

A Christian must be a person of strong character.

A strong character enables a person to be true to his principles.

The character of a person depends on the state of his inner world.

Our character determines our essence.

The true character of a person is revealed in trials.

Character can always be improved.

Chapter 3

How to become organized and disciplined

Organization, discipline, order

In order to become organized and disciplined, one must first of all be deeply aware of what these two concepts represent.

The word "organization" means submission to a certain plan, a certain order. Without organization it is impossible to successfully achieve the goal.

An organized person is distinguished by composure, self-discipline, the ability to act accurately and systematically. It is organization that makes it possible to unite people into one close-knit team, into one team.

The body of Christ is unthinkable without organized coordinated work, just like the human body, all organs of which initially have God's perfect organization. This allows them to accurately interact with each other, providing human life.

As members of the Body of Christ, each of us must be organized, that is, each must organize his life in such a way as to achieve God's purpose, while working closely with other members.

The word "discipline" means obligatory obedience to the established order, certain rules. Self-discipline is following the rules adopted for oneself, the habit of self-established order of life.

Order is the correct, well-oiled, organized state or sequence of something.

Organization, discipline and order are qualities that characterize God, as they are fully inherent in Him. Therefore, they should also be inherent in those who consider themselves God's children, called to fulfill His plan and establish God's Kingdom on this earth.

The unsurpassed power of self-discipline

God created this world of planet Earth on certain laws and principles. They are the ones who govern life on this planet. Every person living on earth is responsible for violating these laws and principles. And the very first such law is the law of self-government. It is the mastery of the art of self-management that distinguishes the man of vision. Only the one who has been able to conquer himself is able to win in life.

The most important thing in mastering the art of self-management is discipline, that is, following the rules and principles adopted for oneself, the habit of order. In every area of ​​his life, a person needs to discipline himself. In work, family, ministry, sports, or grooming, each of us needs Discipline if we are to achieve sustainable success.

Discipline is the basis of success in any business. Discipline is the foundation of self-government. We all know that if a good foundation is laid, then the constructed building will be reliable. Without it, at one fine moment, the building will simply collapse. Discipline is the golden seed of sustainable success.

Our efficiency and effectiveness will depend, first of all, on the knowledge that we have in one direction or another. Having the right information on how to discipline ourselves in a particular area will help us learn how to manage ourselves.

The life of an undisciplined person is actually a ruined life. The Bible says so.