Solomon is teaching his son how to live an honorable life. He talks today about the dangers of overindulgence, of the foolishness of abandoning our vows, and of the shame of abandoning our faithful friends. His son, and all of us, should live with honorable intentions that are fitting for a child of God.
"One who is full loathes honey from the comb, but to the hungry even what is bitter tastes sweet." (Proverbs 27:7) It is possible to have too much of a good thing. When we studied Ecclesiastes we found Solomon saying, "I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my labor, and this was the reward for all my toil. Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun." (Ecclesiastes 2:10-11) At one time Solomon had everything worldly that the heart could desire. He had more money than any other man on earth. He had more fame than any other man on earth. With 1,000 wives and concubines it's probably safe to say he had more female company than any other man on earth. He could afford the best wines and so he drank to excess. (Ecclesiastes 2:3) He was bored and so he filled his time by building beautiful palaces and monuments, plus he planted magnificent orchards. (Ecclesiastes 2:4-6) For a while these things helped him to ignore the gaping hole in his heart where God should have been. But there came a point where he was as sick of these things as a man who has gorged himself on honey. A life of pleasure and debauchery left him feeling emptier and ever, which is why we found him in such a deep clinical depression in the book of Ecclesiastes. He had a hunger, but not a hunger for the things of this world. His hunger was for a relationship with the living God. Nothing less than this was capable of satisfying him. Solomon doesn't want his son to make the same mistakes he made. It's better to find the Lord early in life than to waste years in carnal pursuits.
"Like a bird that flees its nest is anyone who flees from home." (Proverbs 27:8) A bird devotes several days to building the nest and making it just right for habitation. How foolish it would be to expend all that energy on the nest and then abandon it. Solomon says it's equally foolish to spend time building a home with someone only to abandon the marriage vows in order to see if the grass is greener on the other side. This family counseling could also apply to wayward children such as the young man in the parable of the Prodigal Son, who thought life was better and more exciting away from the godly influence of his father. The king says, "You've got it good at home! It's comfortable there. You have everything you need there. Why not work on your relationships at home instead of striking out into this cold world on your own?"
"Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of a friend springs from their heartfelt advice." (Proverbs 27:8) Anointing oneself with perfumes was a way of celebrating life in ancient times. The pleasant smells had a way of uplifting the spirit. Not anointing oneself often indicated distress or mourning, as when Daniel was troubled by one of his visions and said he mourned for three weeks, tasting no meat and wine and using no lotions. Solomon is telling us that advice from a friend who loves us is as spirit-lifting as a sweet smell. We should cherish and nurture our friendships, for they will be a blessing to us.
"Do not forsake your friend or a friend of your family, and do not go to your relative's house when disaster strikes you---better a neighbor nearby than a relative far away." (Proverbs 27:10) Do you have friends who are like family to you? Do you have friends who are closer than family to you? The king says these are the ones to call on when we need help. We can't choose the family we are born into, but we can choose our friends, and a friend who has proven himself faithful is a valuable resource in times of trouble. That's the one we can count on to pray for us and encourage us in the faith.
Solomon concludes his discourse today by reminding his son how he can make his father proud. "Be wise, my son, and bring joy to my heart; then I can answer anyone who treats me with contempt." (Proverbs 27:11) He says, "Live an honorable life, a life that will hold up to scrutiny. Then the only way anyone can say anything bad about you is if they make it up. They will have to lie in order to malign your character, and I will be able to prove them wrong. Would I take delight in a wayward child? Would I rejoice in the actions of a prodigal son? My joy in you will be the proof that you are living wisely. My face will shine with the pride that comes from knowing my son is a good man." Is there anything that makes a godly parent happier than knowing their child is walking with the Lord? Is there anything that makes our Father in heaven happier than knowing we are faithfully following the Lord Jesus Christ? Let's make Him happy today! Let's give Him reason to rejoice over us! Let's go out into this dark world and be a light for those who have lost their way. Let's have honorable intentions toward everyone so that they will see Christ in us.
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