Proverbs 18:21-22

²¹The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit. ²²He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord.

Finding Nemo

Have you watched the film, “Finding Nemo?” A protective father fish swam across the ocean to find its lost son named “Nemo.”  The drama surrounding the journey of the father fish and its desire to be united with its one and most precious child Nemo teaches about curiosity. On school trip, Nemo was attracted by a boat, and a diver caught the curious young fish.

Similarly, we are also attracted by things that entice us to venture away from the plan that God designed for us. It declares in Isaiah 53:6,

⁶We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Curious sheep would graze where they graze green grass. Sheep do not know if they go astray. They just follow their instinct to be satisfied. They have no sense of danger. And all of us are like curious sheep. We do whatever may attract our attention. We travel to places that appeals to our preferences. We listen to anyone who may magnetize our interest.

Israel exemplified it in Numbers 25:1-3, ¹While Israel was staying in Shittim, the men began to indulge in sexual immorality with Moabite women, ²who invited them to the sacrifices to their gods. The people ate the sacrificial meal and bowed down before these gods. ³So Israel yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor. And the Lord’s anger burned against them.

The Lord brought the Israelites out of Egypt. They travelled on their way to the Promised Land. But along the way, they were rebellious and disregarded their spiritual leader Moses. So, they were easily enticed by the Moabites into idolatry because they followed their human sinful instinct.

The Israelites who rebelled and disregarded the Lord’s commands did not enter the Promised Land. But those who trusted the Lord and followed his instructions, they entered and lived in the Promised Land. Rebellion and obedience to the Lord have consequential fruits or results.

1. Fruit

²¹The tongue has the power of life and death,

and those who love it will eat its fruit.

Our tongue can produce good or bad fruits. If we speak smartly, we can benefit from it. If we remain silent, we may avoid probable mistakes.

We have to be prayerful and consider what we may speak about. Some people are natural smooth talkers, they say. But anyone can practice how to use the right words appropriately. One can start by writing down statements, especially when speaking before formal gathering.

Most people want to listen to famous personalities. Many leaders, presidents or prime ministers are televised when they give speeches. And, they would hire professional writers to prepare their speeches. They want to be sure that anything they say is edited. Spontaneous speech can be disastrous to their image, if they are not prepared of what they say.

This one reason, we also need to practice giving our testimonies as believers of Christ. Are you ready to testify Christ? Do you know what to say when you are given a divine appointment to testify for Christ? Anyone could be terrified to testify, if they are not prepared. What can we do?

House Dedication

A pastor was invited to dedicate the newly bought house of a friend. He learned that the husband is a foreigner who cannot speak his language. He assumed that the foreigner husband could invite his relatives who may not also speak the local language. So, the pastor decided to share the gospel by using an evangelism tract at the actual house dedication.

Special occasions have captured audience. Some are curious of religious activities. And some may not readily appreciate it. But no matter the result could be, we talk about our personal adventure with Christ, and share the good news that may reconcile them to God. It’s our responsibility.

It declares in John 1:11-12, ¹¹He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. ¹²Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.

Christ is our Creator, yet many people would blatantly reject him. We believe and trust Christ because God gave us faith in him. Instinctively, mankind rejects God. But by God’s grace, he reconciled us to himself. As children of God, we behave like citizens of heaven. We obey him.  Christ warned in Luke 10:16, ¹⁶Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me; but whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me.

Pray for discernment to identify potential believers that the Lord had prepared to listen to Christ. Sharing the gospel of Christ can be practiced. Take and read an evangelism tract many times until you sense confidence to share it. Pray for increase of faith and observe any divine appointment.

Sharing testimonies and gospel regularly favors our spiritual growth.

2. Favor

²²He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord.

Favor from the Lord is blessing that we cherish. And a wife is good favor from the Lord, really? It is clearly written in the Scripture. Does it mean that all wives are good favor from the Lord? If that is so, why is it then that many husbands, even Christian pastors divorce their wife? Are they not blatantly rejecting the good favor that the Lord gave them?

King Solomon get his wisdom from the Lord. When he wrote that a wife is good favor from the Lord, was it the same reason he married 700 wives and 300 concubines? He wanted 1,000 good favor from the Lord. Yet it says in 1 Kings 11:3-4, ³Solomon had 700 wives of royal birth and 300 concubines, and his wives led him astray. ⁴As 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.

Solomon proved that his wives were not actually good favor from the Lord, why? His wives led him astray away from the Lord. Right? So, how should we interpret properly that a wife is good favor from the Lord, then?

First and foremost, a wife as good favor received from the Lord is obedient to God. It announces in Proverbs 31:30, ³⁰Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

A woman who reverently fears the Lord is the kind of wife who is also a good favor from the Lord. Not all married women are good favor from the Lord. So gentlemen, don’t be misled. Marry a wife who reverently fear God. And ladies: A wife as good favor from the Lord, reflect on 1 Peter 3:5-6,

⁵For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to adorn themselves. They submitted themselves to their own husbands, ⁶like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her lord. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.

Sarah insisted on her idea and told Abraham to sleep with her maid. What happened? Their relationship had problems. After Sarah submitted to Abraham respectfully, God allowed her give birth to her own son Isaac.

It’s godly command for a wife to submit to her husband, just as it’s godly command for husband to love his wife. When that happens, it’s God’s grace manifested in the life of husband and wife. Glory to God. Amen!

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