Posted on 05/31/2022 5:41:30 PM PDT by Pilgrim's Progress
“To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion” (Proverbs 1:4).
Now, there are two kinds of simpletons. We only think of one, but there are two kinds. See, here it is “to give subtilty to the simple,” someone that is good. David says, “The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding to the simple” (Ps 119:130). In our passage, the word “simple” is someone that is earnest, honest and open to God. Paul speaks of the simplicity which is in Christ. He also says that “charity believeth all things.” That is simplicity, believing whatever the Bible tells you. So, it is not bad to be simple. Don’t try to make something what it isn’t, don’t try to make a situation complex when it is not.
One thing a good pastor understands, when they try to deal with Christians and their problems, that the believer always tries to make the problems complex when the solution is almost always simply believing God’s answer to an issue and applying it. The problem usually isn’t complex, the problem most always is sin in the life. Take care of the sin and that will take care of the problem. See, that’s too simple! Folks say, “You mean that’s all there is to it?” “Yea, that’s all there is to it.”
The problem is that they think there problem is so immense and so enormous, and that they are so special—which is the real problem, they are so egocentric, their whole problem is based on them—me, me, me, I, I, I . . . we are nobody, except a hunk of flesh, worm food. Who do we think we are? One fellow said that if we want to see how important we are, we should stick our fist in a bucket of water, and when we take our fist out how big is the hole left behind in the water. They say, “You mean that is all there is to it?” “Yea, just go hit the altar, forsake that sin, get right with God and everything will be fine.”
It is nuts to spend twenty hours or more in counselling. All most people want is just a Band-Aid to put on their sore, but they don’t want to do anything about the problem. Don’t waste time with going on about it. One preacher said, “I counsel three times a week; Sunday morning, Sunday night, and Wednesday evening.” Don’t take at them, preach at them—if they won’t get right, there is nothing you can do for them. In fact, we just worsen the problem by spending hour after hour dealing with them. They are just wanting all that attention, and you are feeding their flesh.
Proverbs is like this. It annihilates the flesh at every opportunity. The Book of Proverbs is not a lot of gospel, but it’s a whole lot of meddling.
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