15 A sluggard buries his hand in the dish;     he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth. 16 A sluggard is wiser in his own eyes     than seven people who answer discreetly.17 Like one who grabs a stray dog by the ears     is someone who rushes into a quarrel not their own.18 Like a maniac shooting     flaming arrows of death 19 is one who deceives their neighbor     and says, “I was only joking!”20 Without wood a fire goes out;     without a gossip a quarrel dies down.REFLECTIONSWritten by Vincent ChanI remember learning a wonderful word in high school: Procrastination. To procrastinate is to delay or postpone something because either we find it too hard or something else becomes more interesting. Either way, my mates and I soon turned it into an artform as we bragged about who still hadn’t started the assignment that was looming closer and closer. And to be honest, I think many of us can still relate to this a bit too much: tax returns that are disrupted by Netflix binges, things that need fixing but we say we’ll do it tomorrow, devotions that you start to write and then you wander over to Facebook…But while our world revels in procrastination and putting things off, there is nothing biblical about that attitude. These few verses from Proverbs take a more humorous approach towards it: Someone who claims there’s a lion roaming the streets just to get out of having to go to work (verse 13), someone who lies in bed all day doing nothing except rolling from one side to the other, like the turning of a door (verse 14), and someone who can barely even cook a meal to feed themselves (verse 15). On paper we laugh, but in real life there’s nothing funny about such individuals. People around them are constantly frustrated as excuse after excuse is given for why they couldn’t commit to what they said they would do.   In Proverbs, the solution to sloth or laziness is to work hard and be diligent. However, the larger biblical picture for sloth points towards more than just needing to work harder. Instead it’s working hard at the right thing. The husband who spends all his time ‘working hard’ at his job but neglecting his family is also lazy – it’s just harder to see from the outside! The opposite of sloth is not productivity, but taking responsibility for the roles that God has assigned us. When we love the people around us, we work at the things we need to even if they make us uncomfortable. After all, the fruit of the Spirit contains both love and self-control. So as you go through today, what are some things you’re prone to procrastinate over? How does love for others re-shape that?ABOUT THE AUTHORVincent is on our ministry staff team, and has tried and re-tried too many productivity apps.

17 Do not let your heart envy sinners,     but always be zealous for the fear of the Lord. 18 There is surely a future hope for you,     and your hope will not be cut off.19 Listen, my son, and be wise,     and set your heart on the right path: 20 Do not join those who drink too much wine     or gorge themselves on meat, 21 for drunkards and gluttons become poor,     and drowsiness clothes them in rags.REFLECTIONSWritten by Stephen SheadThis section talks about two dangers or sins that I don’t think about very much. The first is envying sinners (v 17). What is it about sinners that you are tempted to envy? Sometimes I envy their apparently carefree attitude and lifestyle. At other times, I feel jealous of the results it has brought them – money, a beautiful house, luxury holidays, and all the stuff they buy.Verses 17 and 18 are so helpful for refocusing my heart. The way to not be jealous of sinners is to be zealous for the Saviour! It’s to stop gazing at the shallow pleasures of those around us, and to gaze more on our infinite, glorious, loving heavenly Father. Knowing him deeply is what will fully satisfy our hearts.And verse 18 reminds me that in the end, those who trust in Christ and live for him will not miss out on anything, because in Christ we have a glorious future hope, a rich, eternal inheritance that is stored up for us in heaven (1 Peter 1:3-4). Whatever you feel like you’re missing out on, knowing God is far more satisfying – and there’ll be something a million times better in heaven anyway.The second danger is the sin of gluttony, that is, overindulging in wine and food, which leads to poverty (vv 20-21). That made me reflect on the need to learn self-control, moderation and restraint when it comes to earthly pleasures in general. The New Testament church continued to practise fasting (Acts 13:2-3) – and there are other areas of life where we might need to learn to abstain, if we are getting too absorbed by addictive pleasures. A few years ago I did a “social media fast” for a month, which did me a lot of good. Maybe I need to repeat it – who’s with me? Or is there something else you need to cut back on?In the end, the goal is what we saw in verses 17 & 18: to find our maximum delight in God himself, and to fix our eyes on our future hope when Jesus returns – not to gorge our appetites on fading pleasures.ABOUT THE AUTHORStephen leads the St Barnabas ministry team.

6 Start children off on the way they should go,     and even when they are old they will not turn from it.7 The rich rule over the poor,     and the borrower is slave to the lender.8 Whoever sows injustice reaps calamity,     and the rod they wield in fury will be broken.9 The generous will themselves be blessed,     for they share their food with the poor.10 Drive out the mocker, and out goes strife;     quarrels and insults are ended.11 One who loves a pure heart and who speaks with grace     will have the king for a friend.REFLECTIONSWritten by Joseph GagliardiThis passage is filled with much wisdom that goes deep into subject matters such as wealth and poverty, rich oppression of the poor, injustice, quarrels, and so on. However, I found it very interesting to think about all these issues as they follow on from verse 6, which talks about the importance of godly upbringing of children. As we were reminded early in this series on Proverbs, the main channel for transmitting wisdom is from parent to child (Proverbs 1:8-9).We are all too familiar with how we were influenced by the world around us when we were little, by our parents, friends, TV, music, church and so much more. The same goes for our children in this day and age, though I feel like times have become worse for them than it was for us. All around us we see forms of immorality and impurity that are the social norm and are very tempting for us as Christians. So, as Christians, when we see this, we firmly desire to form the young minds of today to be conformed to the image of Christ through Scripture. Although Christian parents are crucial in this, other fellow believers can play our part as well.We can’t guarantee that raising children in a certain way will always bring the result we want. But when children are raised with discipline and guidance by God’s word, we are called to trust that God will grow them into wise adults who will not turn from God’s way (v 6). That way, they will grow to be generous to the poor and share with both fellow believers and unbelievers (v 9), being an example of Christ’s attitude. They will not be surprised by mockers fighting against them and certainly they will not be mockers themselves (v 10). Their hearts will be pure, gracious and ultimately will be true friends of the eternal reigning King, Jesus Christ Himself (v 11).To raise children to trust in Christ and bring them into obedience through love with an unshakable faith, is the most important responsibility and gift God has given us as Christians. We don’t know when Christ will return, but we know that Christ has chosen us and our children to be the light of the world (Matthew 5:14). The light will never perish, because it’s our children who will be carrying the baton for future generations before Jesus returns.ABOUT THE AUTHORJoseph is a member of our Bossley Park Morning congregation.

1 In the Lord’s hand the king’s heart is a stream of water     that he channels toward all who please him.2 A person may think their own ways are right,     but the Lord weighs the heart.3 To do what is right and just     is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.4 Haughty eyes and a proud heart—     the unplowed field of the wicked—produce sin.5 The plans of the diligent lead to profit     as surely as haste leads to poverty.6 A fortune made by a lying tongue     is a fleeting vapor and a deadly snare.REFLECTIONSWritten by Gus CameronWe were making pancakes one morning, we had all the Tupperware boxes of ingredients out, but I didn’t look closely enough at the boxes because, instead of adding 2 tablespoons of sugar, I added 2 tablespoons of baking powder! It was only a small detail, but let’s just say that the pancakes should not have tasted like that... small details matter!I wonder if we ever think that God is only concerned about the big “spiritual” details in our lives, but that the everyday things don’t matter as much to him? Like many of the proverbs, these 6 verses seem like a random mix of ideas, but in that randomness we see how God is concerned for every detail of our lives.Many of these proverbs are exactly what we would expect. Verse 1 reminds us how important it is for the rulers of the world, in all their power and greatness, to submit themselves to God, so that they will be a blessing to their people. Verses 2 and 3 remind us that God expects us all to do “what is right and just”. It makes sense then when verse 4 says that pride and arrogance produce sin, and verse 6 warns that we’ll always be caught out when we lie. But what’s the deal with verse 5?! Be diligent, that is, work hard; and don’t be hasty, that is, take your time. It seems like good advice, the kinds of things that our parents might have said to us 100 times when we were growing up, but is that the kind of detail in my life that God’s worried about? I guess that this seemingly random mix of proverbs shows us that every detail is important to God. Even while God warns us about good and evil, he is also telling us how to make a good living and avoid poverty.Let’s give thanks that God does want good things for us.Let’s ask God to help us live every detail of our lives well, and in a way that honors him.ABOUT THE AUTHORGus is an Assistant Minister with our Fairfield congregations and is enjoying the longer evenings and warmer days of spring.

18 Plans are established by seeking advice; so if you wage war, obtain guidance.19 A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid anyone who talks too much.20 If someone curses their father or mother, their lamp will be snuffed out in pitch darkness.21 An inheritance claimed too soon will not be blessed at the end.22 Do not say, “I’ll pay you back for this wrong!” Wait for the Lord, and he will avenge you.23 The Lord detests differing weights, and dishonest scales do not please him.ReflectionsWritten by Tania DarmoThe wisdom that comes from God and that begins with the fear of the Lord (Proverbs 1:7) will touch every aspect of the life of the believer.It is wisdom that is rooted in the love of God and His wisdom (Proverbs 4:6) which produces an attitude that resembles the wise character of a child of God as he lavishes us with wisdom when we ask Him (James 1:5). And it is this wisdom that helps us to respond in ways that this world can’t stand against (Acts 6:10).This wisdom helps us to deal with serious conflict (v 18), knows that we need to forgive and love our enemies (v 22) and believes that revenge is for God alone (Romans 12:19). It knows to avoid “radio heads” – not the band, it’s an Arabic expression for those who talk too much (v 19). It also knows to honour our parents (v. 20, Eph 6:1-3) and not to wish to inherit their possessions too quickly like the prodigal son did (v 21, Luke 15:11-32). Finally, this wisdom strives to deal with people using honest scales so we will be dealt with the same way (Matt 7:2).Pray with me that we will all grow in wisdom and understanding in this way, so that everything we do will bring glory and honour to our Heavenly Father who is maturing us and teaching us to live in this way in Christ His Son through His Holy Spirit. Amen.About the AuthorTania is part of our Fairfield morning congregation.

17 Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord,     and he will reward them for what they have done.18 Discipline your children, for in that there is hope;     do not be a willing party to their death.19 A hot-tempered person must pay the penalty;     rescue them, and you will have to do it again.20 Listen to advice and accept discipline,     and at the end you will be counted among the wise.21 Many are the plans in a person’s heart,     but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.REFLECTIONSWritten by Sherine SinghThese five verses are quite different to each other and touch different aspects of wisdom. A question that comes to my mind while reading this passage is, “Don’t you want to live wisely?”I have a great deal of trouble picturing myself as the creditor of God (v 17). How can we possibly say that we have loaned God from our bank account and now he is the debtor? Everything we have is rightfully God’s, so the idea here is not that God owes us something.What is this proverb saying, then? Sometimes we might be tempted not to give up our hard-earned money or possessions to help someone who won’t be able to repay us. This verse is saying: Don’t let that stop you from being kind and generous to the poor, because God will repay your kindness. Think of it as lending to the Lord – he has infinite treasures to reward us with, and Jesus tells us to store up our treasure in heaven (Matthew 6:20).Look out for vulnerable people. God cares about the poor, so trust him by being generous. Trust is the one human attitude that looks away from our sufficiency to God’s sufficiency. Verses 18 and 20 are about discipline. Our heart is bounded by foolishness. If we don’t discipline our children, they will choose the wrong path. If we harden our hearts or believe it’s too stressful to discipline our children, we will make things worse for them in the end. Do not be afraid to punish your children, though always motivated by love and not in anger. You may save them from eternal pain and suffering. An angry person has many troubles because of their anger (v 19). A wise act would be learning to be patient and also learning to behave well. I would love to be wise. How do we do that? We do it by reflecting God’s way and his glory.Finally, the Lord’s purpose always prevails (v 21). It’s 0% chance and 100% God’s way. All things happen because God has purposed them to happen. For prayer: May the Holy Spirit compel us to be generous to poor and needy, discipline our children out of love, and not be gullible but rather show discernment in all levels of life.ABOUT THE AUTHORSherine is part of our Fairfield Morning Church and enjoys spending time with her five children and adventuring around the surrounding parklands.

8 The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to the inmost parts.9 One who is slack in his work is brother to one who destroys.10 The name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.11 The wealth of the rich is their fortified city; they imagine it a wall too high to scale.12 Before a downfall the heart is haughty, but humility comes before honor.13 To answer before listening— that is folly and shame.ReflectionsWritten by Stephen SheadToday’s proverbs have such striking images! Three especially stood out to me.First, gossip as a choice morsel of food (verse 8). Why does gossip do so much damage? Why do we love listening to it, and why is it so easy and fun to spread gossip to others? Because people find it so delicious and tasty. That is, in our sinful nature, we actually want to believe evil, scandalous or shocking things about other people.Why is that? If you know you struggle with gossip, ask the Lord to help you see what attracts you to it. Is it because you like the reaction it gets when you repeat the story to a friend? Is it because you like to think your life isn’t as bad as that person’s? Is it because you find certain sins fascinating, even if you can only “look, not touch”?Ask God to purify the attitudes of your heart towards all those around you, so that you truly grieve for their pain, mourn and hate their sin, and desire the best for them.The second image is in verse 9, where the person who is “slack in his work” is almost the same as one who destroys. Isn’t that a bit harsh? But then, the church in Thessalonica had a problem with people who were both idle and disruptive. Instead of being busy, they were busybodies (2 Thess. 3:11). So it seems that the problem with slackness isn’t just not doing something useful; it’s what you might get up to instead, the ungodly behaviours that laziness or boredom may bring out of us. That’s why the seemingly minor sin of slackness can lead to destructive behaviour (like being a busybody).I struggle with this one. For me, it’s important both to remember each day what things are really most important and valuable, and also to find ways of relaxing that are healthy and good for me.The final image is in verse 11, where the wealthy think their riches are like an impregnable city wall, giving them security and refuge in life. God’s verdict on that mindset is simple: “You fool!” (Luke 12:20). Riches are uncertain and slippery ground in this life, and will abandon us at the last judgment. But there is a true, impregnable fortress that the righteous run to instead of wealth: the Lord himself! Let’s ask him to help us not to hang onto material possessions tightly or trust in them, and let’s run to the Lord Jesus in faith each day.About the AuthorStephen in the senior minister of St Barnabas, and is trying to drag himself back into the habit of some regular exercise (see verse 9 in today’s passage…).

14 Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam;     so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.15 Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent—     the Lord detests them both.16 Why should fools have money in hand to buy wisdom,     when they are not able to understand it?17 A friend loves at all times,     and a brother is born for a time of adversity.18 One who has no sense shakes hands in pledge     and puts up security for a neighbor.19 Whoever loves a quarrel loves sin;     whoever builds a high gate invites destruction.REFLECTIONSWritten by Michael LegaspiAs I reflected on Proverbs 17, I found it quite a challenge.Verse 14 - Oh the emotions, they are powerful indeed. It sounds like common sense but there are many times we want to break down the dam walls instead of drawing the water out slowly. Personally I don’t think this verse is saying you can’t have a disputes or disagreements but rather it’s warning us that starting a quarrel can unleash a torrent of emotions and actions which can cause great destruction. So before you pick a quarrel consider the consequences and ask whether it’s worth it.Verse 15 reminded me of how I tend to look away from people who are being treated unjustly or wronged, only to be reminded of how fearful I am. Should I let it go because I know this world is broken? Will me trying actually change anything? Having a heart like the Lord is quite a challenge and a challenge we can’t do alone.Verse 16. No amount of money in the world can buy you wisdom, and even if it were given freely only a wise person will gain from being taught God’s wisdom. This is an expression of how valuable wisdom is, and what a valuable gift it is to receive from God. As I reflected on this I saw how much God desires and loves his people. He gives a gift that no amount of wealth can ever buy. It begs the question, am I receptive to God’s wisdom? Do I seek it humbly from his word?Verse 17. The precious friendships we have with people are truly amazing. A friend loves at all times, but I thought only family does that! I found it quite a challenge to define a true friend as someone who loves at all times, and so to be called to love my friends in that way, the way God does. But also, knowing that adversity can sometimes turn friends into brothers – that makes adversity worth the pain. (John 15:14-15) Verse 19. If you LOVE quarrelling or fighting or arguing with people you LOVE sin. I think God says this because to LOVE arguing or fighting shows that we don’t value the relationship. And to build your gate high is to build in excess, and that is a sign of arrogance which invites destruction from God.ABOUT THE AUTHORMichael is a member of our Bossley Park Morning Church.

1 To humans belong the plans of the heart,     but from the Lord comes the proper answer of the tongue.2 All a person’s ways seem pure to them,     but motives are weighed by the Lord.3 Commit to the Lord whatever you do,     and he will establish your plans.4 The Lord works out everything to its proper end—     even the wicked for a day of disaster.5 The Lord detests all the proud of heart.     Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.…9 In their hearts humans plan their course,     but the Lord establishes their steps.REFLECTIONSWritten by James DavidsonIt’s good to make godly plans but we should always remember that they may never come about (verses 1 & 9). God may have other plans and he is in control. We can rejoice in this because God is good and his plans are always better than ours. For example, this year we planned evangelistic events as part of the regional 2020 mission but God had other plans. Due to COVID we couldn’t put our plans into action. But we can rejoice because we can trust that God is working through our present circumstances in far better ways than we could imagine. One example – my mum is now watching my sermons and kids’ talks regularly!But we can deceive ourselves sometimes, verse 2. We think we are acting out of pure motives but God sees otherwise. As the apostle Paul wrote: ‘My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me.’ (1 Corinthians 4:4) Hence, with David, we pray, ‘But who can discern their hidden errors? Forgive my hidden faults.’ (Psalm 19:12) And pray that God will reveal our true motives to us and purify them.Literally verse 3 says, ‘Roll to the LORD, whatever you do…’ This means to ask God for wisdom in making our plans and to allow his word to guide us as we make them. When we do this God promises to make our efforts useful in his purposes. It often troubles me that so many people will end up in Hell. It should trouble me. Jesus wept over Jerusalem because it was going to be judged (Luke 19:41-44). But the proverb of verse 4 tells me that even the judgement of the wicked is part of God’s good purposes for his world. Paul makes the same point in Romans 9:21-24. ABOUT THE AUTHORJames is an assistant minister with our Bossley Park Morning Church.

16 Better a little with the fear of the Lord     than great wealth with turmoil.17 Better a small serving of vegetables with love     than a fattened calf with hatred.18 A hot-tempered person stirs up conflict,     but the one who is patient calms a quarrel.19 The way of the sluggard is blocked with thorns,     but the path of the upright is a highway.20 A wise son brings joy to his father,     but a foolish man despises his mother.REFLECTIONSWritten by Mandy PonnuswamyAs I first read this passage I think I was most drawn to verses 16 & 17. Not because they involve food (although I feel like it’s a great example that he uses to make his point!), but because they really pushed me to think more about the problem of greed.Verse 16 mentions the commonly used phrase ‘the fear of the Lord’ which, looking back to our first devotion on Proverbs, means ‘living in humble, worshipful submission to God’. Even if you only have a little, living with God as your Lord and king is better than even the greatest wealth. This seems to tie in nicely with verse 17. A fattened calf, while a fantastic meal, will not make up for hatred. Love is always better, even if that means it only comes with a few veggies! And we all know that our broken, sinful, fallen world needs love. Sacrificial, selfless, generous love. The kind of love that Jesus poured out for us on the cross. I am challenged in these verses to not choose money or wealth over love. Rather, how can I love others with the money or the material possessions God has graciously given to me?And I am reminded that even though our world idolises wealth, what they really need is ‘love’ and to ‘fear the Lord’ because that is better than anything this world could offer. Maybe there is someone who comes to mind for you? Someone who you could share Jesus’ love with? Let’s thank God for his generosity to us, and pray that we would walk in the ‘fear of the Lord’ and that we might have hearts that are full of love, not greed. ABOUT THE AUTHORMandy is a member of our Bossley Park Morning Church.