Proverbs 21:5 Commentary - Dr Peter Masters

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Proverbs 21:5

Comments

Another great difference between the unbeliever and the believer is that one has heaven in view and the other has earth in view. What do we have in view? ‘The thoughts of the diligent,’ means obviously, the thoughts of the conscientious and the careful. Do not forget the proverbs will always have a spiritual application, so Solomon has in mind diligence before God. What is the will of God in the matter? What does God say? ‘The thoughts of the diligent [and careful] tend only to plenteousness’ – to every kind of spiritual prosperity or blessing. This is not just about an earthly situation. It would be too trite if it was only that.‘But of every one that is hasty.’ The word translated there ‘hasty’ is the Hebrew verb to press or to push, that is, the person who pushes forward. What is implied is that he pushes forward in his own strength, and he does everything according to his own mind and his own desire. Well that sometimes works pretty well in worldly things. We long for people with initiative and energy and zeal who can press issues forward. Sometimes you read histories of great battles in time of warfare, and a whole campaign has been lost because some military commander at a crucial point has had no initiative and his column has stood still, while another has pressed forward. There are many examples of this in World War II where situations were saved by people who had zeal to press forward with their tank regiment or whatever it was, and the day was saved. But in spiritual things, it works the other way round. The person who is careful and considered and hesitates, well, all his planning and thinking tends to move towards plenty and blessing. ‘But to every one that is hasty only to want.’ So it is the difference between whether you are looking at things in a heavenly or an earthly way.

Application

Always seek guidance, always seek help. Everything you buy which is substantial, everything you do which makes a great difference to your life, you need to ask, ‘Is this for the Lord’s cause? What effect will this have on my Christian service? Is this a legitimate part of my spiritual walk? Is it for souls? What good is it going to do spiritually and eternally in the context of my walk with the Lord?’ Keep up daily self-examination and prayer. So there are differences between the saved and the lost. Before conversion you were a hasty person. One of the fruits of the new birth is that now the Scripture has moral demands upon you. You are checked a little in your movement, so you ask, ‘What are the spiritual implications?’ You want to be in the hand of the Lord.

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Proverbs 21:5 Commentary and Bible Study