Proverbs 30:5-6

"Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar."

Of course, this passage makes a powerful assertion about the reliability of Scripture--its inerrancy and authority. But the author doesn't seem to have a doctrinal issue in mind. He has a very practical one. This passage is an exhortation to biblical living. Those who trust God's words and follow them, he is saying, will find them to be great moral and spiritual protection.

Of interest to me is that Agur seems to have the legalist in his cross hairs. In verse six, his great concern is not with those who would ignore certain commands, but with those who would create extras. It's this latter group who most needs reminding that God's words are flawless.

An otherwise good church I know passed a rule against the consumption of alcohol. Anyone in ministry within that church must sign a statement to abstain from drinking alcoholic beverages. No doubt their motives were pure--alcoholism is terribly destructive, and this would prevent people from being tempted or tempting others unwittingly. But, their rule seems misguided because it rejects the message of this passage: God's words can be trusted and need no help from us. Yes, Scripture speaks clearly about the sin of drunkenness, but it does not speak about a sin of consumption. While abstinence may be a very good choice for some, when a church makes it a matter of policy, they have missed the truth of the flawlessness of God's words. God has given us the mandates He intended, and none have been forgotten. With relationship to alcohol consumption, room was left--by God's Spirit--for one to exercise self-control and mature wisdom. By establishing a rule that goes beyond biblical mandates, that church undermined the individual's opportunity to make a personal decision motivated by love and the Spirit of God--a decision that may not be the same in all contexts. They robbed their people of an opportunity to respond to the work of the Spirit in their life and relationships, and replaced with a litmus test that is submitted to at the level of group acceptance. In the end, their policy kept several good men from leadership and poisoned the waters of fellowship, creating a first and second class citizen mentality.

God's word needs no help from us, no additions to protect it from sinners. Follow it faithfully and it will keep you in good stead. Tamper with it, and it will come back to bite you.

Proverbs 29:6

"An evil man is snared by his own sin, but a righteous one can sing and be glad."

Sin undermines one's ability to rejoice. It leaves one with an underlying sense of guilt. It cannot fulfill one's deepest longings so it leaves him empty. It actually depletes the life and spirit of a man, so it leaves him feeling emptier than before he sinned. Thus, the snare is detected--sin seemed so desirable, seemed like the thing I really wanted to do. I was sucked in and came out diminished. In an effort to rebuild, I pursue another source--another immoral relationship, another person to belittle, another item to covet--something that promises the joy I desire, but leaves me a little more dehumanized than I was before. The evil man is snared by his own sin. Dennis Prager has said, "Fun is what you experience during an event, happiness is what you experience after an event." Many things that seem fun undermine your ability to be happy because they are, at their core, sinful.

Righteousness, however, gives everything it promises. The righteous person--one who believes and obeys God's revelation--finds himself happy and singing, the satisfaction of knowing that he is right with God and his neighbor. There is no cause for guilt, nothing to make him stumble.

Proverbs 27:20

"Death and Destruction are never satisfied, and neither are the eyes of man."

No matter how many people die, there's always room for more. The grave will never have its fill. Likewise, the cravings and covetings of man are insatiable. A new computer will need an upgrade, a new car will need a replacement. No matter how many tools or toys one has, there will always be another that he absolutely has to own. A man may marry a beauty queen, but that will not stop his eyes from wandering. Our longings will never have their fill.

Don't believe your eyes. They are the chief reason why advertising works so well--and we all know better than to believe the ad. But we crave and we covet--especially when there's a picture. Your eyes are a harsh master--never satisfied. But contentment may reign in your heart, if you'll learn to ignore your eyes. Contentment is the greatest enemy to eyes of man.