August 2 ▪ Day 214

Scripture Readings

Proverbs 20:19
Deuteronomy 15–16
Romans 9–10
Psalms 30

Verse Focus (Proverbs 20:19)

A gossip betrays a confidence;
     so avoid anyone who talks too much.

Meditation

Proverbs 20:19 says, in the NIV of 1984, “A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid a man who talks too much.” The NKJV says, “He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets; therefore do not associate with one who flatters with his lips.” And the NRSV translates this verse, saying, “A gossip reveals secrets; therefore do not associate with a babbler.”

Each version gives a slightly different view of the person we want to avoid. He talks a lot. He babbles. He flatters. The Hebrew word has a number of different meanings. One is of being spacious and open wide — the proverb speaks of the one whose lips are open wide. But the word also refers to one who is foolish, simple, and gullible — as well as to the one who deceives, persuades, or seduces (flatters).

It’s interesting that the proverb tells us that a gossip betrays a confidence. It’s true, of course, but it’s not what I immediately think about when I think of one who gossips. I think more of the delight in telling stories about others. And I suppose, if these stories are secrets and scandalous, all the better. Gossips love to listen to tales about other people; they love to share what they know as well. And that desire to be a talebearer trumps any thoughts of keeping someone’s confidence.

The one who “talks too much” may not be as drawn to personal stories as the gossip is, but if you talk too much, you’ll likely say something that you shouldn’t. Neither the gossip nor the bigmouth has learned the importance of holding your tongue. And, this, as we know from Proverbs and James, is one of the keys to wisdom.

Father God, help us to control our tongues. Let us not be gossips or people who talk too much; may we be trustworthy in confidences. Help us also to be wise about who we spend time with, and not to hang out with those who violate trust by what they say. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Deuteronomy 15 speaks of the Sabbatical year. Verse 1 says, “At the end of every seven years you must cancel debts.” As the ESV puts it, “You shall grant a release.” Whatever has been loaned to an Israelite neighbor or brother is to be released to them — tools, goods, or money. The Israelites are not to ask for these things to be returned to them. Creditors may ask to receive things back from foreigners, but all debts for Israelites are canceled.

Moses warns the Israelites not to become stingy, especially when they see that the Sabbatical year is near. They should lend freely, as much as their impoverished brother needs.

In verse 4, the Scripture says, “But there will be no poor among you; for the LORD will bless you in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.” But then only a few verses later, verse 11 says, “For there will never cease to be poor in the land.” At first glance, this seems like a contradiction. But looking more closely, we see that the promise in verse 4 was accompanied by a condition specified in verse 5. There will be no poor among you… “if only you will strictly obey the voice of the LORD your God, being careful to do all this commandment that I command you today.” So if the Israelites obey God and cancel debts every seven years, then there will be no poor among them.

However, God also knows that the people are sinful and they will not perfectly obey what God commands. Thus, as verse 11 says, “There will never cease to be poor in the land.” The verse continues, “Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.’ ”

Hebrew servants are also to be set free in the Sabbatical year. Verse 13 says, “When you let him go free from you, you shall not let him go empty-handed.” The Scripture makes provision should the servants choose to say indentured for life. But Moses also promises that it will not seem like a hardship to let these servants go free, for they received six years of labor at half the cost of a hired worker. As the Israelites obey God’s commands about the Sabbatical year, verse 18 promises, “So the LORD your God will bless you in all that you do.”

Deuteronomy 16 speaks of several festivals that are to be celebrated at the place where God chooses to place His name: Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Booths. Moses tells them specifically that they are not to offer the Passover sacrifice in any of the towns God gives them. Verse 16 makes it clear that all the males in the household must go to these three festivals. In verses 11 and verse 14, Moses makes it clear that these Feast of Weeks and the Feast of Booths are for everyone: “you and your son and your daughter, your male servant and your female servant, the Levite, the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow who are within your towns.” It seems peculiar to me, that after taking such pains to make it clear that children, servants, and others are also meant to go to these feasts, the Scripture makes no mention of wives. Perhaps they just understood that “you” means the husband and wife (even though the Hebrew word form is singular), but in similar verses “you” simply means the husband — the head of the household. I’m not married, but I identify with the wife in these verses and I feel forgotten.

The chapter ends with the reminder that the Israelites are not to “pervert justice (v. 19).” As verse 20 says, “Justice, and only justice, you shall follow, that you may live and inherit the land that the LORD your God is giving you.”

In Romans 9 and 10, Paul discusses God’s plan of salvation for the Jews and the Gentiles. Paul earnestly desires for all the Jews to be saved. Yet he points out that “not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel (v. 6).” Both Abraham and Isaac had children of the flesh; however, both also had children that were specifically promised by God. Yet only the children of the promise are part of God’s covenants with the patriarchs. In other words, the people God chooses are the ones who will receive His blessings. God elects people to salvation. He chose the descendants of Jacob to inherit the Promised Land. He did not choose the descendants of Esau to inherit the Promised Land, even though Esau was also Isaac’s son.

The Gentiles were not seeking God, but they received righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ. The Jews were pursuing righteousness by works, rather than by faith. By seeking to establish their own righteousness, the Israelites thus “did not submit to God’s righteousness (10:3).” However, Paul quotes Scripture to illustrate that the Gentiles will make the Jews jealous — and this is all part of God’s plan and purpose.

As Paul tells us in verse 9:18, “So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.” This view of God’s sovereignty in salvation is a very difficult thing for us to understand or accept about God. It is a kind of paradox. Because even in chapter 10, Paul indicates that God’s message of salvation is for all — it’s simply of matter of preaching the gospel; we need to go out and share the good news. And chapter 8 was all about the depths of God’s love for those who are in Christ Jesus — how nothing can separate us from Him.

Even when we read Exodus and looked at what happened to Pharaoh, it was hard to understand. Half the time the Scripture said that Pharaoh hardened his own heart; the other half the time it told us that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart. We don’t really understand how free will works. Do we choose, and then God confirms what we choose? Do we even have the capacity to choose rightly? Or must God give us the ability to choose Him? I think part of the trouble we get into relates to semantics depending on whose point of view you’re talking about, but I also think that the relationship between God’s choices and our own choices is too complex for us to fully understand. So when we talk about it, our words are always inadequate.

If you struggle to accept the idea that God’s choice is the final deciding factor in salvation, you’re not alone. I have less trouble with the doctrine of election now than I did many years ago. I can only tell you what I’ve come to believe. Perhaps it will help you. I think the biggest reason why I fought against the idea of God’s sovereignty in salvation is because I feared that God wouldn’t want to choose me. But I think the fact that I was even worried about this is proof that God was working in me for salvation. I didn’t understand the depths of God’s love for me; I didn’t understand grace very well. Once I came to realize that God chose me even more than I have chosen Him, I stopped having so much difficulty with the doctrine of election.

Psalm 30 is a favorite and beloved psalm. As I consider what this psalm teaches me about God, I think about what verse 5 says. “For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor, a lifetime.” Indeed, this entire psalm is about exactly this — David experienced a moment of instability and fear. He was ill, and it seemed like he might die. He was “terrified (v. 7).” But he called out to God, and the LORD answered him. David was re-established; he was given joy instead of his tears. So now he praises God.

We too may experience moments of distress, moments when we are distant from God and when it seems like He may be angry with us. In David’s case, he literally did have times when God was displeased with him — just remember Bathsheba and Uriah! But these moments are brief when you compare them to the whole of your life. And whether God is actually angry at you or whether you just fear He might be, if you humble yourself before God that moment will be over very soon.

Father God, I’m so grateful that your anger is fleeting and that you are gracious and compassionate. Thank you for your favor. Thank you for sending us Jesus. Thank you for choosing us for salvation. May we live to honor you. May we be generous and open-handed with the poor. May we demonstrate your love to everyone we meet. In Jesus’ name, Amen.