Happy hump day everyone, by the way; Do you know what frogs drink on a cold winter day? Well of course; Hot croako, ho, ha. It really makes them, Hoopy.
Wednesday 5/17
Prov. 30:22 "Four things ... the earth can't endure ... A bitter woman who finally gets a husband, a servant girl who supplants her mistress."
Now lets look at the last two things that bring harm to their world;
A bitter (hateful) woman who through some fluke of events finds a man who will marry her,
The inference here is that through some trickery this girl manages to get married, and then begins to taunt other unmarried girls merciously. Of course in this day once you were married, divorce was almost impossible, so the unhappy husband would distance himself from this unhappiness by marrying again, which could result in contention between the bitter wife & the new wife. Well, without any further discussion you can imagine the tension that the bitter person could bring to bear on the home.
The husband would refuse personal contact with the bitter wife and would continue his life with the new wife, and build his life around the gracious wife, have children, and find fulfillment through his new wife, and family while ignoring the angry wife. Should she continue in her bitterness, her only solace would be found in chiding other unmarried women of their present condition.
The second servant girl who supplants her mistress;
You may say what exactly is the conflict, how could she cause a miserable state to her mistress? Well, if you remember Gen. 16:1 where the servant girl, Hagar was encouraged by Sarai to lay with Abraham in order to provide him a son. However, as soon as she was pregnant, she began to show contempt for Sarai making life for her mistress miserable.
The tension was so bad that Hagar ran into the wilderness, willing to die rather than live with Sarai. There at the point of exhaustion, the angel appeared to her, and the story continues, with the angel saying, go back and submit to Sarai's authority, then you will be able to live in peace.
These two comparisons make it clear for us, between the bitter wife who continues in her bitter ways and the results- only finds purpose in making other unmarried women miserable.
While Hagar through submitting to her mistress and as a result finds a life of purpose & fulfillment.
We see the clear choice, continue in hateful conduct and miss any true meaning to our life, or submit to others who are in our life and experience a calmness and enrichment in our lives.
It's really not a difficult choice, rest in the Father's direction for our life or fight against the very possibility for happiness. As Moses presented his final message to Israel, Chose Rebellion or Choose Life.
In the same way Agur states the choices we are faced with, in the next coming few verses he lays out four apposing simple animals that choose life and then the positive benefits they ultimately experience.
So Go With God and you may not have totally, completely positive experiences, but you will if choosing life in harmony with Him have blessings. If you are able, listen to the song Choose life by Big Tent Revival on you tube.
These two women made their choices, to follow the Father or the evil one. One lived a life of bitterness and the other submission & benefit. One lived alone, while the other chose a life of blessing. It's all up to us, what we chose, I can only say, When I chose life in Christ it results in so much blessing, when I chose rebellion, its miserable and empty. Choose Life you'll never regret it.
Becky reminded me of this truth yesterday, thank you sweetheart, for your sweet gracious reminder, those words were a wonderful gift from God through your beautiful, kind lips. It was like the angel's words to Hagar.
THANK YOU PASTOR BEN