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Better...

by Adam Bennett
3/01/2008 / Church Life

The wise writer of these proverbs knew we do not always make the choices that are best for us. Their common theme is advice about which priorities are better.

Better to have little, with fear for the Lord, than to have great treasure and inner turmoil. (Proverbs 15:16 NLT)

So much of our lives is occupied with wealth. Yet, we know intuitively that money doesn't matter - and many of us hope for a life that matters more money. Jesus said, "Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." (Luke 12:15 NIV)

The proverb is wise and simple. True life is a life with God even if it does not come with the trappings of success expected by our culture.

Here's how The Message paraphrases 1 Timothy 6:6, "A devout life does bring wealth, but it's the rich simplicity of being yourself before God. Since we entered the world penniless and will leave it penniless, if we have bread on the table and shoes on our feet, that's enough."

A bowl of vegetables with someone you love is better than steak with someone you hate. (Proverbs 15:17 NLT)

Next to our relationship with God, the teacher in the proverb that follows reminds us that the next most important thing for a meaningful and joyful life is to spend it with people we love.

We all know of people who's lives have been absorbed by having nothing but the best, but who have sacrificed relationships with their family and friends in the process. A later proverb comments on the subject say, "Better a dry crust eaten in peace than a house filled with feastingand conflict." (Proverbs 17:1 NLT)

Better to have little, with godliness, than to be rich and dishonest (Proverbs 16:8 NLT)

In this proverb the writer comments on our inclination to sacrifice our integrity for the sake of gain. A following proverb says something similar, "Better to live humbly with the poor than to share plunder with the proud." (Proverbs 16:19 NLT)

To be rich, but to have distorted the essence of ourselves is a very sad condition, and not one to aspire to. Another wise man said, "For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost?" (Luke 9:25 NKJV)

Better to be patient than powerful; better to have self-control than to conquer a city. (Proverbs 16:32 NLT)

Finally, along with our fallen desire for wealth, runs our appetite for power. In this proverb we have a contrast between power on one hand and the fruits of godliness: patience and self control. (See Galatians 5:22)

Very simply, the wise man knew that to have patience and self control was a far more difficult thing to achieve than mere 'power'. Anyone with a powerful army can conquer a city but it is only with God's help that we can be patient.

So the true display of power is found in the the Spirit's work and is far better, and far more desirable.

Copyright Adam Bennett 2009. More articles are available at http://godward-thoughts.blogspot.com/

Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com-CHRISTIAN WRITERS

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