Love is More Important Than Riches

Pastor Joel Gregory tells the story of a seminary professor who taught the Christian graces of love and forbearance for forty years until he retired. Occupying himself in his retirement years, he poured a new concrete driveway to his house. Finished, he went in to rest and get a … More

Lord

It is better to have little on earth and joy in the heart than to have many luxuries accompanied by great trouble (vv. 16-17). Some writers have suggested that vegetables (herbs) represented the diet of the poor, while meat (ox) was the food of the rich. Generally speaking a person will choose wealth over poverty but what is more important is love for one another.

A hot tempered man stirs up anger while a patient man can quiet quarrels (v. 18). The lazy person finds all kinds of obstructions in his path while the upright and diligent lives on more like a smooth highway (v.19). In fact a lazy man sleeps on a bed of thorns. Usually, however, the thorns are imagined and just provide him with excuses for not facing the responsibilities and realities of life.

Love in a home brings peace, obedience and wise conduct of the children which in turn brings joy to the parents (v. 20). All of this  starts with the parents and how they train their children (Proverbs 22:6). In  many homes today where both the father and mother work away from home the children just grow up with very little training. Regardless of his background however, it is a foolish man who considers himself superior to his mother and ignores her loving advice. Stupidity brings happiness to senseless fools, but everyone with good sense follows the straight path (v. 21).

Application

Love is a key ingredient to having a happy home, a happy work place and a happy life. I need to  be more conscious of loving the Lord, loving my wife and loving those around me.

Proverbs 15:16-22 (English Standard Version)


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