May 22

Proverbs of Solomon (Continued) - Disharmony and Strife, Solicitation to evil - Proverbs 1:10-19, 16:29, 25:26, 27:3, 28:10; Violence - Proverbs 3:31-32, 21:7, 21:29; Murderers - Proverbs 28:17; Causing others harm - Proverbs 3:29-30; Revenge - Proverbs 20:22, 24:28-29; Dissension and strife - Proverbs 6:16-19, 17:1, 18:18-19; Meddling - Proverbs 26:17; Honesty, Truthfulness - Proverbs 12:20, 13:5, 24:26, 26:18-19; Accurate weights - Proverbs 11:1, 16:11, 20:10, 20:23; Boundary stones - Proverbs 22:28, 23:10-11; Wrongfully obtained gains - Proverbs 10:2, 13:11, 20:17, 20:21; Bribery - Proverbs 15:27, 17:8, 17:23, 21:14; Justice, False witnesses - Proverbs 12:17, 14:5, 14:25, 19:9, 19:28, 21:28, 25:18; Open-mindedness - Proverbs 18:17; Judicial justice - 17:15, 17:26, 18:5, 21:15, 24:11-12, 24:23-25, 28:5, 29:26

It's amazing and bit embarrassing the number of common-sensical things the Lord has to caution us about in the interest of helping us maintain peace with one another.  Honesty, justice and handling money correctly seem to be biggies with the Big Guy.  In all, I think what we do at a personal level is so much more important to the Lord than what we do in our corporate worship.  We think religion is what happens in the church building.  What happens in the church building is what empowers us to do what God intended real religion to be.

"An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips." Proverbs 24:26

I wonder if this kiss is the holy kiss we should extend to one another or a more romantic variety?  I think it's suggesting the intimate, romantic man and a woman variety kiss because why would it be so specific to say "like a kiss on the lips"?  So I guess, if we've wired ourselves right by filling our minds with the right stuff, we should find pleasure of a romantic proportions in being honest.  Being honest should make us feel sooooooooo very good.  

I like that.   Lord knows.