Discussion
When the believer desires to learn and faces challenge for the lack of understanding, he or she sees not an obstacle, but the greatness of God that is yet to be unlocked through His Words, by faith. Fret not, as a Good father, the Lord smiles at your passion for the understanding of His words, through faith and patience, in due time it will be revealed unto you. For an insightful reading today, we will look at passages from the 30 Chapter of the Proverbs. The Words of Agur. For three things the earth is disquieted, and for four which it cannot bear. Proverbs 30:21 Before the exposition of the things that are disturbing and that cannot be borne, the verse is simply saying; there are things that cannot be tolerated when it is misused or good things in the hands of undeserving people. A servant when he is king. A fool when he is filled with food. An odious (repulsive) woman when she is married. A handmaid that is heir to her mistress. At first glance, one might question, why is it wrong if a servant becomes a king? It is a leap of prosperity and therefore a beautiful story. Wasn’t Joseph at one point a servant who became a great leader? Question as such shouldn’t place a doubt on the believer’s ability to understand. Instead, let it increase the desire in the believer to fully understand that which is being presented. For this insight, we read further into the chapter, which is again presented as a proverb. Not all proverbs are easily understood on the surface, but as previously stated, let it be a desire to a greater understanding. This we read, for a deeper understanding concerning the four things listed above that cannot be tolerated. For the churning of milk brings forth butter, And the wringing of the nose brings forth blood; So the forcing of wrath brings forth strife. Proverbs 30:33 One might say I still don’t understand why is it wrong for a servant to become a king? Now, concerning the verse above, Benson wrote, “For from little things there is an easy progress unto greater.” To this we add, although Joseph was a servant who turned a leader, however success came through progress and time, a time to grow through challenges and obstacles and a time to learn life’s experience for the preparation to succeed. Like verse 33 , the churning of milk brings forth butter, this paints a picture of doing the little things first, and in a timely manner for a greater reward. Before the milk is turned to butter, the calf must grow into the stage of maturity. The milk that will become a butter, it must first be pressed from the cow. Like Joseph, although no sin is recorded of him in the Scriptures, but God knew his heart, for all the wrong did toward him, there had to be a time for healing and growing before success. On the contrary, a servant who becomes a king through force is like the wringing of the nose which brings forth blood . Such individual will be as a fool filled with food . That is, when he abounds in wealth, he uses it not for the good, but for many acts of wickedness and vengeance. For it is better to serve with integrity than to rule in wickedness. With the understanding of one and two of the four points of the exposition above, the remaining two are easily understood because we used our lack of understanding to dig deeper into that which was before us for a better understanding. The third on the list is: An odious (repulsive) woman when she is married. This has to do with sincerity before God and our fellow men. Knowing that the Lord sees all and knows all that we do, even for those things we struggle with and speak not of, let us confess it to the Lord and trust that He and He alone will bring about the change. Like an odious (repulsive) woman, she bottled the perverse or offensive qualities within her until she is married. For then she displays those things that were once concealed. The lesson here is not to be comfortable in sin by justifying the sin until others finds out, but first take it to the Lord and believe for a change. The last of the four is that which is often enacted without the realization for the lack of a sincere godly conscious. A handmaid that is heir to her mistress. If a handmaid becomes the mistress of the household, through her self-interest by the means of allurement toward the husband, like the previous woman, even when she finally obtains her position wrongfully, she will continue to be the opposite of a good wife because her true nature is to entice to obtain. Or if the husband discreetly seeks pleasure from her until he finds not a need for his wife, let the handmaid be warned, her new husband by lust eventually will cease to find satisfaction in her, and another will take her place in like manner. In conclusion, if we are in a lowly position, let us learn to be content. Lest we receive without being ready and misused that which is before us. It is better to acknowledge the sins that we struggle with than justify the wrong until we start to cause hurt to others. Lastly, let us not be proud and scornful in success, if success is truly earned on God's timing, then it is earned without mischief and the recipient is humbled in being a blessing to others.
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