READING FOR JULY 28, 2025: PROVERBS 10, 2 TIMOTHY 3, PSALM 73:1-15 PROVERBS 10 From this chapter onward, most of the book will consist of short expressions of wisdom. The verses will not necessarily relate to each other in terms of specific topics. The sayings in this chapter, though, are mostly a comparison of the benefits of wisdom with the dangers of ignoring it. Since the language is so vivid, there is not much additional explanation required in most cases.
It is helpful to note that the literal translation of verse 3 is that the Lord won’t allow the “soul” of the righteous to be hungry, even if the righteous might be experiencing a lack of physical food. Verse 4 does not suggest that all who are poor are lazy, but it does mean that poverty does result from laziness and that diligence contributes to wealth. Verse 5 wisely warns to prepare during times of comparative ease to be ready for difficult times when one reaps the results of such preparation. Or as a piano teacher might say, “Don’t expect to play well during the lesson without practicing consistently during the week.”
Next, we have the promise of God’s blessings and a good reputation if we act right and the contrary promise of a rotted reputation is we don’t. How do we want to be remembered? Verses 10-21 speak to the value of carefully considered and edifying speech contrasted with the destructiveness of a gossiping fool. No matter how eloquent one is, there is extreme value in taking to heart verse 19: “When there are many words, wrongdoing is unavoidable, but one who restrains his lips is wise.”
Verse 22 mentions that, despite what we sometimes hear, it is not sinful to be rich. If this wealth is a result of God’s blessings, then there is no sorrow attached. But we should cautiously read verse 24 and not think God will give us an unneeded luxuary car just because we ask for it. If we are truly “righteous,” we will not desire such a luxury and would never ask God for one. We should take our cue from Solomon and desire wisdom. God will certainly grant that desire, as He did for Solomon.
Verse 27 states, “The fear of the Lord prolongs life, but the years of the wicked will be shortened.” This is claimed throughout the Proverbs, but are there any hard data to back it up? The following is a 2024 study published by the National Institutes of Health entitled “The Link between Spirituality and Longevity”: [An] analyses of data from the Nurses’ Health Study (n = 74,534; followed from 1992 to 2012) reported that after multivariable adjustments for relevant factors, attending a religious service ≥ once/week was associated with 33% lower all-cause mortality, 27% lower cardiovascular mortality, and 21% lower cancer mortality compared to women who had never attended religious services.
READING FOR JULY 28, 2025 CONTINUED: 2 TIMOTHY 3, PSALM 73:1-15 2 TIMOTHY 3 Sometimes one hears, even from Christians, that the world keeps getting better, that the arc of history always bends toward justice. This is not consistent with what Paul foresees for the last days. For us older folks, can we honestly rate the world better than when we were younger for the following: “Lovers of self, lovers of money boastful, arrogant, slanderers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God” (vs 2-5)?
Among the people Paul tells us to avoid are those who choose pleasure over God, who on the surface hold to Godliness, but not in reality. They oppose God’s revealed truth and are depraved. Paul even calls them out by name, although these men appear nowhere else in the Bible. If Paul says the latter days will be worse than his time, it stands to reason that more such men exist today. Does anyone or group spring to mind as meeting these criteria?
Then Paul points to Timothy as a model of Godliness. One reason is that he followed Paul’s teaching, not what some would applaud today. Paul likely anticipated this because he said Godly people will be opposed in increasing intensity. Here’s what Paul said Timothy and we should do in light of this: Implement Paul’s teaching and keep obeying the Bible. Here’s why the Bible matters: “From childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and beneficial for teaching, for rebuke, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man or woman of God may be fully capable, equipped for every good work” (vs. 15-17). READ THE BIBLE; READ IT TO OUR KIDS.
PSALM 73:1-15 Verse one serves as a spoiler alert of where Asaph’s little philosophical journey ends up. The fact that he went through some agonizing uncertainties and even grievances to get there is instructive. It is better to surface and examine our doubts than to bottle them up and gradually slide toward permanent unbelief. We really need to give ourselves and others the space to work through our honest feelings if we are ever going to grow a faith that lasts. Maybe that’s why some of our children don’t walk with the Lord when they reach adulthood.
Asaph's problem came when he focused on how well he perceived nonbelievers were doing compared with him, who tried to follow God. He really believed those Facebook and LinkedIn posts that portray success and happiness. He seems to have bought into the culture’s definition of a good life and started to keep score using a worldly point system. Don’t we all do this at times? In the back of his mind, though, he knew this was wrong thinking because he had enough sense not to advocate this position in front highly impressionable children. Stay tuned for the next installment to see how he works out of his spiritual funk.
