The pain of the heart, the joy of the heart
[Proverbs 14:10-35]
Is your heart joyful right now, or is it in pain? If your heart is in pain, why is it painful? If your heart is joyful, why is it joyful? The saying, "When sorrow is shared, it is halved, and when joy is shared, it is doubled," comes to mind. But in reality, are you and I sharing the sorrows and joys we experience in our lives with the people we love around us? Perhaps we are somewhat better at sharing our joys with others, but I think we struggle to share our sorrows. One reason for this is that we may feel others won’t fully understand our sadness. I personally believe this reason is valid. No one can fully understand the sorrows we experience. This is true not only for sorrow but also for joy. I believe that no one can fully understand the sorrow or joy in each of our hearts, not even our spouse, who is one with us. Similarly, the members of the church, who are one body in Christ, cannot fully understand the sorrow or joy in each other's hearts. However, Romans 12:15 says, “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.” Why is this? When I think about this, Hebrews 4:15 comes to mind: “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.” I believe the reason is that God wants the members of the church to sympathize with each other, just as Jesus, our High Priest, sympathizes with us. Therefore, the church must be a community that rejoices together and mourns together.
In today’s passage, Proverbs 14:10 says: "The heart knows its own bitterness, and no one else can share its joy." With this verse in mind, under the title "The pain of the heart, the joy of the heart," I want to reflect on one or two things and receive the lessons that God is giving to both you and me.
First of all, let us consider “the pain of the heart.” When do we experience pain in our hearts? I want to reflect on this by thinking of eight different situations:
First, when our home is falling apart, there is pain in our hearts.
In today's passage, Proverbs 14:11a says: "The house of the wicked will be destroyed ...." Here, "house" can mean family members, according to one commentary, but it can also refer to possessions (Walvoord). If this interpretation is correct, this first part of verse 11 is saying that the house of the wicked, meaning either their family members or possessions, will be destroyed, according to Scripture. Even though, as Christians, we may observe that the wicked seem to prosper in this world, the Bible tells us that their success is temporary (see Psalms 73). Therefore, we must not forget that the house of the wicked, though it may seem to flourish temporarily, will ultimately face destruction. What is the reason for this? It is because of the wickedness of the wicked. The holy and just God will bring ruin to their house because of their sin.
I reflected on this verse and sought to apply it to us as Christians (the righteous). When doing so, I realized that if we, as believers, harbor unrepented sins and have not sought God's forgiveness, even our households could face ruin. The issue lies in our sins. If we fail to repent of our sins, our households will inevitably suffer because of them. One of the consequences of this suffering is that our lives become difficult and burdensome. Look at the second part of Proverbs 14:34: "... sin is a disgrace to any people." What does this mean? The term "disgrace" here refers to "lack or hardship." In other words, when people are sinful, their lives become burdensome and full of hardship (as explained by Yoon-sun Park). While this verse specifically speaks about how a nation's people experience hardship due to sin, I believe the same principle can be applied to families. If a household is full of sin, it will inevitably face hardship. Another form of suffering that sin can bring to a family is disgrace or shame. Look at the latter part of Proverbs 14:35: "... a disgraceful servant incurs his wrath." While this verse specifically refers to a disgraceful servant within a kingdom, when applied to a household, it suggests that a family plagued by sin will not only experience hardship but also shame and dishonor. For instance, when children go astray and commit numerous sins, they can bring dishonor to their parents and disgrace to the family. Similarly, when parents commit many sins, they can bring shame upon their children and cause great dishonor to the household. Such a family is often referred to as a “broken household.” If our family is becoming a broken household due to an abundance of sin, it will undoubtedly bring pain and distress to our hearts. What should we do in such situations? We must rely on the blood shed by Jesus on the cross, confessing and repenting of our sins and those of our household before God. When we do so, God will forgive our sins and the sins of our family, covering them completely. As a result, God will turn the pain in our hearts into joy and gladness.
Second, when we walk down a path that seems right to us but is not right in the eyes of God, it brings pain to our hearts.
Let us look at today's passage, Proverbs 14:12: "There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end, it leads to death." This exact phrase is repeated in Proverbs 16:25. When we reflect on these words in the context of King Solomon, the wise king, we may see this "way that appears right" as referring to his love for "many foreign women besides Pharaoh’s daughter" (1 Kings 11:1) and his romantic involvement with them (v. 2). Despite God's clear warning to the Israelites that intermarriage with foreign nations would turn their hearts away to follow other gods (v. 2), Solomon pursued what seemed right in his own eyes and loved many foreign women. What was the outcome of this decision? 1 Kings 11:4 tells us: "As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been." He went on to follow Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Sidonians, and Molek, the detestable god of the Ammonites (v. 5). As a result, even the immensely wise King Solomon ended up worshiping idols and sinning against God in his old age. Although God had appeared to him twice and commanded him not to follow other gods (vv. 9-10), Solomon failed to obey God's commands (v. 10). It seems that Solomon eventually realized, perhaps too late, that the path he believed to be right was, in fact, a path that led to death.
In the first part of Proverbs 15:25, Scripture says, "The Lord will tear down the house of the proud." God, in His justice, brought judgment upon the proud Solomon, who ignored God's warnings and sinned by disobeying His commands. As a result, during the reign of Solomon’s son Rehoboam, God tore the kingdom of Israel into two. Reflecting on the division of one nation into two, I am reminded of Jesus’ words in Mark 3:24-26: "If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand; his end has come." If our household is divided and in conflict, it cannot remain strong or stable. When there is division within a family, all members inevitably suffer emotional pain and distress. Even Solomon, considered the wisest man on earth, disregarded God’s Word and chose a path that seemed right in his own eyes, only to find that it led to death. Acknowledging this, he warns us in Proverbs 14:12, "There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death." How, then, should we respond to this truth? At the very least, even if a path seems right to us, we must continually examine it in the light of God’s Word. We must ask ourselves whether what appears right to us is also right in God’s eyes. This requires persistent reflection and testing against the Scripture. As we engage in this process, the Holy Spirit will use God’s Word to reveal to our hearts whether the way we deem right is, in fact, contrary to God’s will. When we come to this realization, we must turn back from that path. If we do, God will transform the sorrow in our hearts into joy.
Third, when we pursue pleasures of this world, our hearts experience pain.
Look at Proverbs 14:13: "Even in laughter the heart may ache, and rejoicing may end in grief." This verse highlights that the pleasures of this world are neither pure nor enduring. Worldly joys, particularly pleasures of the flesh, often lead to sorrow afterward (Park). Consider King Solomon. He believed it was right in his own eyes to take many foreign women as wives and concubines, only to end up in his later years committing the sin of worshiping their idols. Imagine how much laughter and joy Solomon must have experienced at first, surrounding himself with so many women. But eventually, they caused him great grief and sorrow. Reflecting on Solomon’s life, it’s hard not to agree that worldly pleasures inevitably lead to pain. Even in my own past, I cannot help but agree with the truth of verse 13. I once sought meaning, happiness, and joy in the things of this world, but ultimately, all it gave me was sorrow and tears. I remember especially the pain of losing two friends who were fatally shot, attending their funerals, and realizing more deeply that the world’s offerings ultimately bring grief and heartache.
In Proverbs 14:16, Scripture says: "The wise fear the Lord and shun evil, but a fool is hotheaded and yet feels secure." The Bible teaches that fools lack the wisdom that comes from fearing God. Instead, they trust only in themselves, living recklessly and committing sins as they pursue worldly pleasures. As a result, they lead indulgent lives, often acting hastily in anger and committing many foolish deeds, as stated in verse 17. Furthermore, Proverbs 14:29 highlights that fools, in their impatience, reveal their folly: "A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones." Ultimately, as verse 18 says, fools embrace folly as their inheritance. Such a fool may appear outwardly to laugh and rejoice, but what remains in the end is nothing but worry and sorrow in their heart. Look at Proverbs 15:13: "A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit." This underscores that true joy is reflected in a radiant countenance, while inner grief deeply wounds the soul.
When I reflect on this passage, I can't help but think that many Christians may display a smiling face that hides inner sorrow, much like what is described in Proverbs 14:13: "Even in laughter, the heart may ache, and rejoicing may end in grief." Personally, I find myself pausing when I encounter people who are always smiling. This is because, behind their constant smiles, there may be a shadow of worry or sadness. When I see brothers and sisters whose smiling faces lack a radiant glow, I sometimes wonder if they are trying to mask their sorrow or anxiety. What truly matters is that when the joy and delight God gives us fill our hearts, our faces will naturally shine with light. However, if we pursue the joy and pleasure this world offers, it will inevitably lead to sorrow and worry, leaving our hearts to endure pain.
Fourth, when our hearts become perverse, we experience pain in our hearts.
Look at the first part of Proverbs 14:14: “The backslider in heart will be filled with his own ways ....” The phrase "backslider in heart" literally means "to revert to old evil habits, to turn back, or to fall away" (Walvoord). While it would be ideal for us to continually grow in faith and experience transformation as we follow Jesus, there are moments when our spiritual growth seems to stagnate or even regress. When this happens, it is often a sign that we are drifting away from God. One of the troubling symptoms that can appear during such times is turning away from truth, pursuing falsehood, and living a deceitful life. If our hearts become perverse, we distance ourselves from God, believe in lies, seek falsehood, and live deceitfully. As Proverbs 14:25 says in its latter part, “A false witness breathes out lies.” This reminds us of the harmful tendencies of a heart that has strayed. If our hearts become perverse, we devise wicked schemes in our hearts (Proverbs 6:18). In other words, we plot harmful plans against others (Park). Furthermore, we pursue evil (Proverbs 14:22). If we are engaged in plotting wicked schemes and pursuing evil, there can be no joy in our perverse hearts. Instead, a perverse heart experiences pain. Why is this so? The reason is that God will judge us according to our actions. In other words, He will repay us according to what we have done (Proverbs 14:14a). This divine principle of justice ensures that the pain of a perverse heart is a consequence of turning away from God’s ways.
Dr. Yoon-sun Park said, ‘A person can conceal their sin for a time without repenting. However, the day will come when it will cry out and catch up with the person (James 5:4; Genesis 4:10). In other words, the sinner must take the lead in confessing their sin and repenting to resolve it. If they don't do this and push it aside, the sin will eventually catch up with them and take revenge on them’ (Park). I believe this is an undeniable statement. If we do not repent of our sins, they will inevitably catch up with us and take revenge, which, on one hand, resonates with truth, but on the other hand, brings fear. The reason for this is that unrepented sin certainly has consequences. For example, listen to what Jacob, who was deceived and who deceived others in the Old Testament, said when he came to Egypt and spoke to Pharaoh: "...The years of my pilgrimage are one hundred and thirty. My years have been few and difficult, and they do not equal the years of the pilgrimage of my ancestors" (Genesis 47:9). When I think of Jacob's confession, I am reminded of Genesis 37:34-35. When Jacob saw Joseph's coat stained with the blood of a goat, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourned for his son for many days. He did not accept any comfort from his children. He said, "I will go down to the grave to my son in mourning." This teaches us a lesson: when we backslide, turn away from God, and lie, deceive, or harm others, our false actions will certainly have consequences. These consequences include not only being deceived ourselves but also being engulfed in pain and sorrow. Therefore, in order to avoid being overwhelmed by sorrow and pain, we must continue to faithfully draw near to God, so that our hearts do not become corrupt. In doing so, we can prevent our spiritual decline and receive the grace to recognize and repent of our sins. As a result, God will turn our pain into joy and bring peace to our hearts.
Fifth, when we believe every word, there is distress in our hearts.
Look at the first half of Proverbs 14:15: “The simple believes every word ….” The "simple" here refers to someone who is "naive" due to lack of experience or knowledge, or someone who is gullible and easily deceived by others. Such a person is easily influenced by others (Walvoord). If we look at the latter half of Proverbs 14:8, it says, "The folly of the foolish is deceit." What does this mean? It means that the foolish not only deceive others, but they are also deceived themselves. Therefore, the simple person is someone who believes others easily and falls for their tricks. An example of this is the foolish young man from Proverbs 7:7, who was enticed by the crafty woman (v. 5) and lacked wisdom (v. 7). That young man was enticed by the loud voice of the crafty woman (v. 11), seduced by her smooth words, and fell for the deceptive words of her lips (v. 21), following her as an ox goes to the slaughter, as a fool is bound to the correction of a fool (v. 22). What was the result? The result was that he was wounded, fell down, and even unto death, as the Bible says (vv. 26-27). If we are too naïve and easily believe others’ words, we will inevitably experience distress in our hearts. We need wisdom. We must ask God for wisdom. Therefore, we should listen carefully to others' words with the wisdom that God gives us. We need to listen with discernment. By doing so, we can prevent our hearts from suffering distress.
Sixth, when we are hated by our neighbors, there is distress in our hearts.
Look at Proverbs 14:20: "The poor is hated even by his neighbor, but the rich has many friends." Jesus commanded us, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself" (Matthew 22:39). However, although we know we must obey this commandment of Jesus, we still show favoritism when it comes to loving our neighbors. How exactly do we show favoritism? We tend to judge people based on their appearance (James 2:1; see also John 7:24). So, when someone enters the church wearing a gold ring and fine clothes (v. 2), we say, "Sit here in a good place" (v. 3), but when a poor person in shabby clothes enters (v. 2), we tell them, "You stand there, or sit at my footstool" (v. 3). Such actions are discriminatory, judging others with evil thoughts (v. 4), and showing contempt for the poor (v. 6). The Bible says this is sin. In other words, when we judge people by their appearance, we are sinning against God (v. 9).
In today's passage, Proverbs 14:21a states, "He who despises his neighbor sins." Here, "his neighbor" refers specifically to "the poor" mentioned in the first half of verse 20 or the "needy" mentioned in the latter half of verse 21. In this sinful world, the poor and needy are not only despised by society (v. 20) but are also looked down upon (v. 21). Moreover, they are sometimes oppressed (v. 31). Consequently, the poor and needy often harbor feelings of envy toward the rich, and this phenomenon can be seen in society as a whole. Indeed, in the second half of verse 30, the Bible says, "Envy is the rottenness of the bones." It seems that in our current society, the poor and needy are envious of the wealthy. Ultimately, in a society where envy, hatred, contempt, and oppression prevail, there can be no peace, only pain and sorrow. Even though the society we live in may be like this, the community of the church should be different. In the church, we should not show favoritism or discrimination between the rich and the poor. If there is discrimination and favoritism in the church, the poor and needy brothers will be hated, and their hearts will be filled with distress. To prevent this from happening, we must not judge people based on their appearance, either inside or outside the church. We must not show favoritism. Instead, we should obey Jesus' command to love our neighbors as ourselves. When we do so, the distress in our hearts will disappear, and we will experience joy and gladness in our hearts.
Seventh, when we only speak and do not act, our hearts are filled with pain.
In Proverbs 14:23b states, "... the talk of the lips leads only to poverty." Here, "the talk of the lips" refers to speaking without action (Job 11:2; Isaiah 36:5) (Park). The Bible says that those who speak with their lips but do not act will only bring about poverty (Proverbs 14:23). What kind of poverty does a person who only speaks without acting experience? Dr. Park gives a couple of reasons:
(1) They become impoverished in their physical life.
This is because they are lazy, speaking without doing anything. The lazy person disregards God's command to work diligently (Genesis 3:19), and as a result, they become impoverished as a punishment from God.
(2) Those who speak but do not act, the lazy ones, become impoverished in their spiritual life as well.
Consider this: How can our spiritual life become abundant if we only speak about spiritual matters but do not live according to God's Word? The issue is that, even though we know this, we often walk the path of poverty rather than pursuing abundance in our physical or spiritual lives. In other words, although we know that we should not only speak but also take action, we often only speak about it. This shows how weak human beings are—quick to speak but slow to act. Therefore, the Bible says in Proverbs 14:24b: "The wealth of the fool is only folly." What does this mean? It means that the foolish person, even when they know their wrongs, does not correct them but continues to act foolishly. As a result, the foolish person will inevitably suffer in their heart. We must not become people who speak without acting. Instead, we should cultivate the habit of speaking and immediately translating our words into action. When we live a life of integrity between our words and actions, our hearts will experience joy.
Lastly, eighth, when we do not repent until the end, there is suffering in our hearts.
Look at the first half of Proverbs 14:32: "The wicked is driven away in his wickedness ...." Here, the term "wicked" refers to those who do not repent until the end. The term "driven away" means to be led away forcibly, implying a compulsion (Park). In other words, the wicked who do not repent are driven into trouble. It means that the holy and righteous God judges the unrepentant wicked, allowing them to be swallowed by their suffering, thereby revealing God's glory. When we sin and do not repent of our sin, we will inevitably face trouble. The issue is that, even though we are enduring trouble because of our unrepentant sins, we may still cry out to God for salvation, yet fail to feel the need to repent of our sins. And even when we plead with God for salvation and receive no answers, and thus continue in our troubles, we may end up blaming God. Ultimately, through our troubles, because we do not realize our sin and repent, we end up sinning even more against God. As a result, the suffering in our hearts grows even more intense. When we face trouble because of our sins, we must examine ourselves before the holy God to see if there are any unrepented sins that we have committed against Him. When we do this, the Holy Spirit will reveal our sins to us, and when we realize them, we should rely on the power of the precious blood of Jesus shed on the cross to confess our sins to God and repent. Surely, our God will forgive our sins and accept us. When we do so, our hearts will be filled with peace and joy.
Finally, what we want to reflect on is the "joy of our heart." Let us think about the seven times when our hearts experience joy:
First, there is joy in our hearts when our dwelling prospers.
Look at the latter half of Proverbs 14:11: "The tent of the upright will flourish." The house of the wicked is bound to perish. Not only will their household face hardship, but they will also be shamed, as the Bible says in the first part of verse 11. However, the tent of the upright will flourish, as stated in the latter half of verse 11. What does this mean? The upright, those who confess their sins and believe in the Lord, receiving His righteousness (Park), live with hope in the heavenly kingdom. This is why they "dwell in a tent." Of course, this does not mean that we should sell all our houses and live in tents. King Solomon, the wise one, uses the word "tent" rather than "house" because the upright person does not live with their hopes set on the things of this earth. Instead, they focus on heavenly things, placing their hope in the kingdom of heaven and pursuing the eternal. Therefore, the Bible says that their tent will flourish.
We are people of faith moving towards a better homeland (see Hebrews 11). This world is not our home. The house where we will dwell forever is the house in heaven. Therefore, while living on this earth, we must set our hopes on heaven and pursue the things of the afterlife. When we do so, God will make our lives prosper. He will prosper our homes and churches, and He will also stabilize them (Walvoord). I believe the same applies to a nation. When the president and leaders of a country are honest and govern the nation with justice, that country will be established as a nation of righteousness (v. 34). When that happens, the people of that righteous nation will increase (v. 28a), and God will exalt that nation ("glorifying" it), as the Bible says. Those who live in a nation, church, or home with prosperity and stability will experience true joy and happiness given by God and will live day by day with peace in their hearts.
Second, there is joy in our hearts when we live truthfully.
Look at the second half of Proverbs 14:14: “… even a good person will be satisfied by his ways.” If our hearts are foolish (v. 14), we will stray from God, believe in lies, pursue falsehood, and live a deceitful life. We will speak lies and deceive others. If our hearts are foolish, we will devise evil plans in our hearts. We will plot to harm others in our minds. We will scheme to do evil (v. 22). A foolish heart will inevitably lead to pain. The reason for this is that God will judge us according to our deeds. However, if we are "good people" (v. 14), that is, if we have received God's grace of salvation and live truthfully as Christians, our hearts will be filled with joy. Specifically, as it says in the first half of verse 33, if we, like the "wise" person, treasure the truth of God in our hearts and live according to that truth (Park), our hearts will surely be filled with joy and gladness. Living according to God's truth, a true believer will be a faithful witness, saving lives and experiencing the joy of salvation and the joy of God by rescuing others (v. 25).
Third, there is joy in our hearts when we trust only in the Lord and act according to His will.
Look at the second half of Proverbs 14:15: “… the prudent person gives thought to his steps.” The "prudent person" here refers to one who truly trusts only in the Lord and acts according to His will (Park). And the "prudent person crowns himself with knowledge" (v. 18). Therefore, he, in the knowledge of God, carefully considers his actions and does not, like the foolish person, naively believe everything others say and be influenced by them. Instead, he judges and discerns others' words in the knowledge of God and seeks only the will of the Lord, pursuing it above all. As we’ve already reflected on Proverbs 14:8, "The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way, but the folly of fools is deceit," the Bible teaches. What does this mean? The foolish person, not fearing or disregarding God, does not seek God's will and does not walk in the path He desires. Instead, the foolish person walks according to his own will, choosing his own path (v. 8). But the prudent person knows his way. In other words, the wise Christian knows the will God has for him and lives according to that will. He knows what he is to do according to God's will and does it (1 Corinthians 7:17).
In the first half of Proverbs 14:35, the Bible says, "The king's favor is toward a wise servant." Likewise, when we act wisely (with wisdom), we will receive the favor of the King of kings, the Lord. So, how can we act in a way that is considered wise in the eyes of the Lord? It is by doing what pleases God. So, what is it that pleases God? It is living according to God's will. When we live in obedience to God's Word, He will be pleased, and when God is pleased, our hearts will be filled with joy.
Fourth, there is joy in our hearts when we fear the Lord and live by turning away from evil.
In the first half of Proverbs 14:16, the Bible says, "A wise man fears and departs from evil ...." The foolish person lacks the wisdom to fear God, so they trust only in themselves and live arrogantly in sin in this world (14:16a). They do not fear God and pursue the pleasures of this world, living a life of debauchery. As a result, they experience sorrow and pain in this life. However, the wise person fears God and departs from evil. Because they turn away from evil, their life is filled with a sense of security (v. 26a). In Proverbs 14:27, the Bible tells us that the fear of the Lord is the fountain of life. And when we fear God, we will be delivered from the snares of death (14:27). The Bible also tells us that when we live in the fear of the Lord, we have hope even in death (v. 32). In other words, we can find refuge even in death (v. 32b). Therefore, we must become wise children of God, fearing Him and living according to His wisdom. As God's wise children, we must live apart from evil and make God our refuge, even in times of persecution and tribulation (v. 26b). God will surely protect and keep us. When we do this, we will experience the joy and delight that God gives us.
Fifth, when we overcome evil with good, there is joy in our hearts.
Look at Proverbs 14:19: "The evil will bow before the good, and the wicked at the gates of the righteous." The Bible clearly says that the wicked and the unrighteous will bow before the good and the righteous. In other words, the good and the righteous will overcome the wicked and the unrighteous. However, when we look at this evil world, it often seems as if the wicked and the unrighteous are prevailing over the good and the righteous. In other words, from our human perspective, it seems that the evil ones have more power than the good, and they oppress and torment the righteous. In fact, there are even instances where the wicked kill the righteous in this era. Because of this, many Christians may struggle to believe in the truth that the good and the righteous will eventually overcome the wicked and the unrighteous. However, looking at the Scripture, we see many instances where the righteous prevail over the wicked. For example, Joseph's brothers bowing before him (Genesis 42:6), Pharaoh and his people bowing before Moses (Exodus 8:28, 9:27, 12:31-33), the evil men who sought to kill Daniel being thrown into the lion's den (Daniel 7:27), and Haman, who built a gallows to execute Mordecai, being hanged on that very gallows (Esther 7:9-10) can all be cited as examples (Park).
When I meditated on this passage, I thought of Romans 12:21: "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." As we live our faith, if we are overcome by evil, our hearts will inevitably experience pain. However, if God is with us and we overcome evil with good, our hearts will be filled with the joy of victory. Shouldn't we live our faith in a way that allows us to experience this joy? In today's passage, Proverbs 14:22b says, "Those who plan good find love and faithfulness." What does this mean? It means that we must diligently carry out good deeds with preparation and without stopping (Park). When we do so, God will not only show us love (kindness), but He will also faithfully fulfill the promises He has given us. Therefore, we must plan good. We must diligently do good works. We must live lives that overcome evil with good. When we do so, God will give us joy and delight in our hearts.
Sixth, when we love our neighbors, our hearts are filled with joy.
Look at Proverbs 14:21: "Whoever despises their neighbor sins, but blessed is the one who is kind to the poor." If we disobey Jesus' command and fail to love our neighbor, but instead despise them, our hearts will inevitably be filled with pain. The reason is that we are sinning against God. However, if we obey Jesus' command and love our neighbor as ourselves, the more we do so, the more joy and happiness we will feel in our hearts. Look at the first verse of hymn "Jesus Comes With Pow’r to Gladden": "Jesus comes with pow'r to gladden, When love shines in, Ev-'ry life that woe can sadden, When love shines in. Love will teach us how to pray, Love will drive the gloom away,
Turn our darkness into day, When love shines in.” So, how should we love our neighbors? In the second half of Proverbs 14:21, the Bible commands us to have compassion on the poor. The Bible says that such a person is blessed. Why is that? The reason is that having compassion on the poor is a way of honoring the Lord (v. 31b). This means that if we claim to honor the Lord with our lips but do not have compassion on the poor, we are not truly honoring Him. We must not only speak with our lips but also show compassion for the poor through actions, helping them with love. To do this, one thing we need, as mentioned in the first half of verse 29, is great wisdom. When we are wise, we will be slow to anger toward our neighbors (v. 29a). Also, we should not be hasty in our hearts. In doing so, we will love our neighbors with patience and humility, especially having compassion for the poor. Therefore, we will experience peace in our hearts in our relationships with our neighbors (v. 30a).
Finally, seventh, when we work diligently, there is joy in our hearts.
Look at the first half of Proverbs 14:23: “All hard work brings a profit ....” While meditating on Proverbs, we have seen that the wise King Solomon speaks repeatedly about laziness and diligence. The key point of his words is that we should not be lazy, but diligent. In the first half of today’s passage, Solomon says that all labor brings profit. In other words, a person who only speaks without putting in any effort will come to poverty (v. 23b), whereas a diligent person who works hard and sweats will gain profit. What kind of profit might he gain? We can think of three possibilities:
(1) The Bible says that the diligent person will become rich.
Look at Proverbs 10:4: “Lazy hands make for poverty, but diligent hands bring wealth.” The Bible teaches that a diligent person works hard, especially during the harvest time, not resting but diligently working to reap the rewards (v. 5).
(2) The Bible says that the diligent person will have plenty of food.
Look at Proverbs 12:11: "Those who work their land will have abundant food, but those who chase fantasies have no sense." By working diligently and cultivating their land, the person will naturally have plenty of food to eat.
(3) The Bible says that the diligent person will rule over others.
Look at Proverbs 12:24: "The hand of the diligent will rule, but the lazy will be put to forced labor." The lazy will be forced to serve, but the diligent will rule over others, which is another benefit of diligence. When we think about these benefits, if we are diligent and work hard, our hearts will be filled with joy.
I would like to conclude this reflection on the Word. Often, we go up to the house of God and sing the hymn “Out of My Bondage, Sorrow and Night,” which goes, "Out of my bondage, sorrow and night, Jesus, I come, Jesus, I come. Into Thy freedom, gladness and light, Jesus, I come to Thee" (Verse 1). When I sing this song of repentant forgiveness, it reminds me that indeed, this world is full of suffering, and there are many times when we face defeat and disappointment. There are many causes for this, but reflecting on today’s scripture, I realize that it is when I walk the path I believe to be right with a proud heart, even though it is not the path that pleases God; when I pursue worldly pleasures, speak without action, and fail to repent despite knowing I should, I sometimes find myself in pain and disappointment. Therefore, when I sing this hymn, I often lay down my proud heart before the cross and desire to follow the blessed Word of God. When I do so, I experience God comforting my sorrowful heart and giving me strength when I feel discouraged. With the strength God provides, I want to trust in the Lord alone and live according to His will. I want to live truthfully, fearing God, and walking a life that turns away from evil. I want to live overcoming evil with good. I want to love my neighbor according to the commandments of Jesus and work diligently in the Lord’s service. I believe that when I live this way, the Lord will prosper His Church and His family.
Looking to God, who turns the pain in our hearts into joy,
James Kim
(March 7, 2012)