https://odb.org/2024/04/21/the-bitterness-of-stolen-sweets
Proverbs is a book that contains wisdom literature, and yet some are just observations on life, like a statement of fact. For example, Proverbs 20: 14 – “It’s no good, it’s no good!” says the buyer – then goes on to boast about the purchase. This verse speaks of dishonest people who disparage the value of a product to extract a lower price. That is certainly not wisdom. Yet if it teaches us not to be like that, then it is wisdom because dishonest gains may be sweet at the beginning but may well become gravel in the end as taught in Proverbs 20:17. Food gained by fraud tastes sweet, but one ends with a mouth full of gravel.
I believe if we are honest and true, the Lord will see us through. See Matthew 6:33. Perhaps we may not be overflowing with riches and precious stones. Perhaps we may not enjoy the finest luxuries of life or travel in opulent style or to foreign cities and exotic places. But perhaps also we may not get caught in the web of intriguing deception spun by the evil one and becoming chained to the world of substance abuse, alcoholism and other worldly vices – perpetually needing something extra to turn us on or get that rush of adrenaline. Why wait when we can enjoy the suffering and pain of hell here on earth? That I believe is the sweetness and curse of ill-gotten gains as we see how 1MDB unravelled right before our own eyes, setting back our nation by years.
The ultimate wisdom of Proverbs and Solomon is to teach that the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom. In other words, true wisdom is to put our trust in God. In Ecclesiastes, Solomon taught that life is meaningless (vanity in KJV) but gains its meaning when we have God in our lives. A life lived for fame and fortune is meaningless because, in the end, all will be left behind. The only way to cross over to the other side with our soul flourishing is by our faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the only one thing true, as a song says, and is thus worthy of our praise and worship! Have a good Sunday worship today dwelling in the presence of God, everyone! May we see Him face to face in the spirit! Amen!
Ronnie's Thoughts 