Before Honour Comes Humility

When I was first called to ministry, I made $80,000 a year and lived comfortably in central BC on top of a mountain range in what is called the Cariboo Regional District. We were nestled right behind a single formation known as a Butte, this one was known as the Lone Butte. In the distance to the north was the always white Spanish mountains, and beyond that was the Yukon and to the east and the south lay the weaving highways that made their way through treacherous canyons, seemingly scaling cliffs all the while guiding vehicles and their passengers, to summits of roughly 1200 meters above sea level. Being up there, you would think it was a forested prairie, but when you understand the topographical layout, you know you live on a mountain. Mountain living can be a blissful experience. Neighbours know neighbours, and nobody likes 604s (a 604 is a Vancouver area code specific to residents who live in the lower mainland). When you are no longer referred to as “604,” you have become a member of the community.

I was content, happy and comfortable. I had inquired about a camp director job in Hermosillo, Mexico. But when they declined to take me with the statement, “We see you being a good minister, but not here, not yet,” I got the idea in my head that maybe my job was my ministry. Nothing wrong with that. I was pretty proud of myself, thinking, “I can provide for my family and me.” Which isn’t a bad thought either, or is it? I would work my “4 On 4 Off” shift, waking up at 4:50 am (after the 10th silenced alarm and probably the 11th sleepy nudge from Chelsea), getting to work at 5:45 am, and I would work until 6:15 pm, and then be home for 7ish pm. When I wanted something extra, I would work extra. I provided for us. I would make sure that we had money for food. I would make sure that we had money for our debts. I would make sure we had money for our house. Do you hear it yet? I would also complain at Chelsea when she gave our tithe to the church because I wanted to spend that money elsewhere. After all, I made that money. Chelsea would argue that God gave us that money, and I would refute again that I worked for it. Again, I ask, do you hear it?

I needed to be put in my place before God brought us into ministry. No kidding, hey?

We would go on to lose our job, we had savings, so we lived off of that, and we lived off of EI. There were jobs I should have gotten because I was more qualified than all the other candidates, but somehow, the HR rep misplaced my resume and application. I would phone, and they would apologize, saying they remembered me, but they must have misplaced my papers and hired someone else. No matter what I tried, I could not get a job… As time passed and money got thin, I could not provide food for our family. So embarrassed, I stood in the food bank line, almost blushing because of what I had come to. I was at rock bottom. I started to pray, “God, like you provided for the Israelites as they wandered the wilderness, we need you now.” We had bills, and I could not provide. We had debt, and I could not provide. We had a house, and I could not provide. I could only do one thing - turn to God. When I started to lean on God and his providence, I realized that it isn’t Jesse who provides for his family. True providence can only come from God.

I was wise with my money and my time through a worldly lens. But I was a fool, and God needed to teach me a lesson and humble me if he was going to use me.

Today, we will be spending time looking at a rather large chunk of proverbs, and honestly, I wish I had read it back when I was a fool and listened to what it was saying. We are looking at Proverbs 10-15, containing 2,989 words. I do not have time to dig in and read the whole portion with you.

So, I will summarize the truth spoken in these five chapters…

1. The lazy will not profit in life or, for that matter, spiritually.

2. Those who are prudent will profit in life.

3. Those who tip the balance of the scale are abominations to the Lord

4. God delights in a justified/balanced scale.

As I poured through these proverbs, I couldn’t help but notice a certain theme shining through. This theme is almost financial in nature while contrasting the righteous and the wicked from each other. When I say financial in nature, I mean two things: spiritual wealth and material wealth. Proverbs is a very practical book; it is intended for everyday instruction like how to speak, honour, love, and worship, so why not on how to manage your financial well-being?

Throughout proverbs, there are stern warnings about being a sluggard, lazy and foolish with your time and money. Proverbs 10:5 says,

Proverbs 10:5 NASB95

He who gathers in summer is a son who acts wisely, But he who sleeps in harvest is a son who acts shamefully.

A couple of things are at play here, the first being practical. If you don’t harvest during the proper seasons, your food will spoil, and you will have nothing to trade or sell. If a farmer does not work, his whole family is at risk of ruin even today. Doubly so back then, parents and grandparents depended on the care of their children. There was no care home to turn that responsibility over to. So, a lazy man who does not work is not only shameful but a danger to his family and possibly his community.

Have you noticed how our world is today? Many people, aged 35 and under, want a job that fits their schedule. One that allows for mental health days multiple times a month. One that is flexible to them calling in because the elevator broke down, and they don’t want to walk up the flight of stairs, especially as their Americano Macchiato Frappe couldn’t be made because the steamer was broken at Starbucks, and now their day is just ruined. Can you spell spoiled? Society’s norm, and our part in it, has set these young adults up for failure. They make unreasonable demands, and their bluff is called, leaving them baffled, as they are holding their desk supplies in a box, wondering what happened, because mummy and daddy would have given in to them. Instead of allowing them to learn and grow, mummy and daddy allow them to move back in for the unforeseeable future.

This is why having a godly family in the home is important. It is imperative that parents teach their children responsible money management and spiritual gifts management when they are young. A spoiled child should be corrected, as we see in the Proverbs that have been assigned to us. A good, godly family will bring up children in the way they should go, in unity. Proverbs 13:24, among other proverbs, says,

Proverbs 13:24 NASB95

He who withholds his rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him diligently.

We also see that unity between the mom and the dad is absolutely important, wives you have more power than you think. Proverbs 12: 4 says,

Proverbs 12:4 NASB95

An excellent wife is the crown of her husband, But she who shames him is like rottenness in his bones.

Proverbs 14:1 says,

Proverbs 14:1 NASB95

The wise woman builds her house, But the foolish tears it down with her own hands.

A husband and a wife who are divided cannot stand and cannot discipline their children in a godly way.

Those whose parents, who were united as parents, have trained them up how they should go (Proverbs 22:6) and so they hold to the sound and wise instructions are more often than not those who wake up at 4:50 am (after the 10th alarm and the 11th sleepy nudge from their wife). They are able to provide for their families and are hard-working. More often than not, these people are the “wise son (who) accepts his father’s discipline” Proverbs 13:1. But hard work and wisdom aren’t always synonymous. As we know, some people tend to tip the balance in their own favour, taking business advantage where it is unfair or being prideful of successes where others helped you climb your way to that position. Other times, men have climbed to that position of success despite having to break the backs of many-a-man on their way up. There is an answer to all this. Proverbs 11:1-4

Proverbs 11:1–4 NASB95

A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, But a just weight is His delight. When pride comes, then comes dishonor, But with the humble is wisdom. The integrity of the upright will guide them, But the crookedness of the treacherous will destroy them. Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, But righteousness delivers from death.

You might be sitting there and thinking, okay money is the issue. After all, isn’t money the root of all evil? Do you know that Bible verse? Have you heard it before? Well, that isn’t actually the verse. Let me give you a refresher from 1 Timothy 6:10

1 Timothy 6:10 NASB95

For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

It is the LOVE of money which is the root of all evil!

You cannot serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. That one is a verse from Matthew 6:24.

I can’t help but process four specific stories when I think of everything we have examined.

The first, I think, highlights how things will be for the sluggard/the lazy person. It is found in Matthew 25:14-30

Matthew 25:14–30 NASB95

“For it is just like a man about to go on a journey, who called his own slaves and entrusted his possessions to them. “To one he gave five talents, to another, two, and to another, one, each according to his own ability; and he went on his journey. “Immediately the one who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and gained five more talents. “In the same manner the one who had received the two talents gained two more. “But he who received the one talent went away, and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. “Now after a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. “The one who had received the five talents came up and brought five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you entrusted five talents to me. See, I have gained five more talents.’ “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’ “Also the one who had received the two talents came up and said, ‘Master, you entrusted two talents to me. See, I have gained two more talents.’ “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’ “And the one also who had received the one talent came up and said, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you scattered no seed. ‘And I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.’ “But his master answered and said to him, ‘You wicked, lazy slave, you knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I scattered no seed. ‘Then you ought to have put my money in the bank, and on my arrival I would have received my money back with interest. ‘Therefore take away the talent from him, and give it to the one who has the ten talents.’ “For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away. “Throw out the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Here we see that the servant who sat on his talent, and did nothing with it, was called the wicked and lazy servant. The punishment for such an attitude if we are not careful sounds like hell, doesn’t it?

The next story that comes to mind is in Acts 5: 1-11. To give you context, people were tithing faithfully and went above and beyond. In Acts 4:32-37, we see that people did not claim their possessions as their own, but they shared them. We see that there was no needy person in the church at this point. People would even radically sell their land or houses and give it to the church. Well, there was a man and his wife named Ananias and Sapphira, and we find them as I said earlier in Acts 5:1-11

Acts 5:1–11 NASB95

But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, and kept back some of the price for himself, with his wife’s full knowledge, and bringing a portion of it, he laid it at the apostles’ feet. But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back some of the price of the land? “While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not under your control? Why is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.” And as he heard these words, Ananias fell down and breathed his last; and great fear came over all who heard of it. The young men got up and covered him up, and after carrying him out, they buried him. Now there elapsed an interval of about three hours, and his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. And Peter responded to her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for such and such a price?” And she said, “Yes, that was the price.” Then Peter said to her, “Why is it that you have agreed together to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out as well.” And immediately she fell at his feet and breathed her last, and the young men came in and found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. And great fear came over the whole church, and over all who heard of these things.

It makes one think that when we call ourselves Christians, we prescribe to a specific covenant with God, and we say that God is the one who has provided us with everything that we have, so in actuality, it is His. Then, with all this in mind, if we do not do as we are Biblically commanded with those possessions, what are the consequences? Have we become so caught up in the world that Satan has filled our hearts, and we lie to the Holy Spirit?

Two final stories come to mind. Mark 12:41-44.

Mark 12:41–44 NASB95

And He sat down opposite the treasury, and began observing how the people were putting money into the treasury; and many rich people were putting in large sums. A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which amount to a cent. Calling His disciples to Him, He said to them, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury; for they all put in out of their surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, all she had to live on.”

This woman gave 2 pennies; she may as well have given a half penny, if we still had those, but even with as little as she gave, she gave more than anyone. And Jesus exalted her!

The final story is from Luke 18:9-14.

Luke 18:9–14 NASB95

And He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. “The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. ‘I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’ “But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’ “I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Remember the beginning of my sermon when I gave you my testimony? I was all “I…I…I…I…” and even then I neglected to tithe. This Pharisee is even better than me by the standard of tithing. At least he still faithfully gave his tithes. I would have been more justified if I had only turned my eyes to the ground, admitting shame and humbling myself before God.

In the end, I believe that God humbled me. He knocked me off of my high horse because, the reality is, the track I was on, I knew God, but I wasn’t following God. And so God gave me over to my vices, and with me, I brought my family, and in that pain and that suffering, I was forced to look at the ground shamefully and call upon God. Because of my demand for others to honour me and my pride, I was hellbound, but I thank God. God had a plan for me—this vagabond I had become.

I think the final verse of Proverbs 15 says it well.

Proverbs 15:33.

Proverbs 15:33 NASB95

The fear of the Lord is the instruction for wisdom, And before honor comes humility.

What does this mean? It means we are to look to God the Father for instruction, guidance, and wisdom. How do we do that? We look to His good and perfect word. If we were to do that, we would see, through the example of Jesus Christ, as reflected by Paul in Philippians 2, that humility is in God’s nature, and after humility comes exaltation and honour.

Historically, us humans have not done an excellent job at following what God wanted us to do. When we honestly apply the words of Jesus in Matthew 5, for instance; where he tells the crowd it's not just about what you do, but also what you think.

If you think you fool, you're a murderer.

If you look at anyone in lust, you’re an adulterer.

You shall not lie or mislead.

You shall not steal etc, etc.

Here is the reality: without Christ, we are all fools. We are all liars, we are all adulterers, we are all thieves, well, most of us are anyway, and separated from Christ on our own, like fools, we are hell-bound!

There isn’t much hope for us, especially when we know the wages of sin is death.

But God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son that who-so-ever believe in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life! (John 3:16).

Because we are all fools and fallen to our sins, Jesus took our place on the cross, and if we were to ask Jesus to be our Lord and Saviour in every part of our life— fools we would be... no more.

Here is what Paul says in Philippians 2:1-15.

Philippians 2:1–15 NASB95

Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. Do all things without grumbling or disputing; so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world,

Do you see it? Do you hear it?

We can only accomplish this sanctification. This perfection, through the blood of Jesus. If we were to truly follow Him, we would recognize that— that Proverb from Proverbs 15:33 definitely rings true.

Proverbs 15:33 NASB95

The fear of the Lord is the instruction for wisdom, And before honor comes humility.

Let’s Pray