LINK: Proverbs 20
by Katrina
BACKGROUND
This chapter is a collection of Solomon's proverbs. They don't follow a particular theme but give wisdom on many topics - drunkenness, quarrelsomeness, laziness, righteous living, knowledge, honesty, gossip, etc.
REFLECTION/APPLICATION
Can you think of a "real life" example of any of these proverbs? I think it would be fun if many of you shared your own experiences or observations of these proverbs. Just click on "comments" at the bottom of this post, and you'll see a box to type your thoughts in. I'll do a couple here.
Proverbs 20:14 "Bad, bad," says the buyer; but when he goes his way, then he boasts."
I saw this (and participated in it) in Cambodia. When you go to the market in many Eastern countries, there are no set prices on anything. You must come to an agreement with the seller on a price. If a buyer expresses interest in an item, the seller will give him a very high price for it. Once the buyer makes a counter offer (usually very low), the haggling begins. The seller points out all the best qualities of his product to justify a price higher than the buyer suggests, but the buyer points out all the negative traits of the product and keeps suggesting lower prices than the seller. The buyer keeps raising his price, while the seller lowers his. Eventually, the buyer and seller come to an agreed price somewhere in the middle, and the buyer walks away boasting about the great bargain he got.
This is not to be confused with dishonest business practices. Proverbs 20:10 says, "Differing weights and differing measures, both of them are abominable to the LORD." This type of deceit is frequently referred to in scripture. Cheating a buyer or seller by dishonest weighing or measuring (skimming a little off the top, for example) is not just a "little white lie" but an abomination. It is a very serious offense against the individual and against God. God hates dishonesty, even so-called "slight" dishonesty!
PRAYER
Lord, teach us to be wise in your wisdom, not the wisdom of man. Let us examine what we do in our day-to-day practices and transactions and endeavor to be wholly upright before you. Amen.
3 comments:
I'll have to think about this one for a while.
I so didn't like bargaining when I lived in Southeast Asia! It is so uncomfortable for me. I got used to it though. When I went back there this summer, the guy we brought with us wanted to just pay the full price to the boat taxi driver. He just didn't get that you had to bargain. It was funny.
I don't like dishonesty either. I had such a bad experience with some dishonest people a while back, and I was how destructive it was in every way, even little "white" lies. I can see why the Lord doesn't like it!
Katrina,
Verse 21 "An inheritance gained hurriedly at the beginning will not be blessed in the end." reminds me of the Menendez Brothers' greed.
Excellent example, Dorothy!
Carol, I know the uncomfortable feeling with bargaining. Our missionaries *insisted* that we did it, though. They said if we don't, the Cambodian's say, "Those stupid Americans; they pay too much!" :) So, we tried to find out what a fair price would be and learned to enjoy the process. It's like a game. :)
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