God's Wisdom for Daily Living
Proverbs 21:19-20 (KJV):
19 It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry woman.
20 There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up.
Verse 19 - Usually, a wilderness or desert is a harsh environment, and there are not many people dwelling there. In essence, this verse is saying that there are many things worse than living alone, and one of them is living with the wrong person such as an angry woman. King Solomon usually wrote from a man's perspective, addressing his proverbs to his sons and other men. Of course, the same warning applies to women also. A woman should not marry a man with a bad temper, who is also without character.
Verse 20 - When Scripture speaks of oil, it is usually referring to olive oil, which was a very valuable commodity in Biblical times. It was used as a medium of exchange, and was the evidence of prosperity. Having oil meant a person had the necessities to make his home comfortable. Olive oil was used for cooking, lamps, as an ingredient in cosmetics and medicinal compounds, to anoint the body after bathing, and to anoint the dead for burial. In the temple, it was offered with certain sacrifices. It was also used to keep the lamp of the tabernacle, and later, the lamps of the temple, burning at all times. The priests also used it to prepare a holy oil for anointing purposes.
The wise man stores up supplies and precious treasure. His "precious treasure" consists of more than material things; it includes intangibles such as peace and joy. A wise man does what it takes to create a godly and joyful environment for his family. He considers his family a precious treasure and treats them that way. The foolish man, on the other hand, is lustful and wasteful. Being self-indulgent, he consumes his resources with no thought of saving. The Bible calls this lasciviousness. "For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: all these evil things come from within, and defile the man" (Mark 7:21-23). When we come to the Lord Jesus, He will deliver us from these things if we ask Him to do so.
Wastefulness is a sin which abounds especially in affluent societies. Those with many possessions often think nothing of throwing away what is perfectly good, without considering that it might be useful to the less fortunate. They may feel that it is too much trouble to fix something or find another use for it. Resourceful people, for example, might tear up old clothes that can not be worn, and use them for cleaning rags. Jesus Himself practiced frugality. On two occasions of multiplying food, He ordered His disciples to gather up the remains (Matthew 14:20; and 15:37). A wise man will have plenty, but a foolish, wasteful man who wastes resources, will have nothing.
Dear Father in heaven, I am grateful that You gave me a good wife who is gentle and kind. I am blessed. Lord, I pray for any of my brothers and sisters in Christ who are going through marital problems at this time. God, give them Your love and grace to overcome the relationship problems they may be having. May they discover the secret to a happy marriage is laying down one's life for the other, praying for the other, preferring the other, and honoring and loving them. Lord, we cannot change people, but You can. May each of us ask for the changes needed in our own lives and in doing that, we shall trust You to give us the love, patience and grace to deal with any problems in our relationships. Give us Your wisdom, and help us also to overcome any waste in our lives. I ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.
