BETTER THAN THAT

Proverbs 15:16-17 (KJV)

Better is little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble therewith.

Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.

Proverbs 15:27 (KJV)

He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house; but he that hateth gifts shall live.

This morning’s Sunday school lesson is another one on setting priorities.

The book of Proverbs makes a priority of setting priorities.

The importance of priorities can be found in all aspects of life. I listened this week to a program on the 80/20 rule or the Pareto Principle.

The principle reads like this:

“For many events, roughly 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes.”[1]

It’s great how this principle developed.

Pareto, an Italian economist in 1800’s demonstrated that 80% of Italy’s land was owned by only 20% of its population. He got the idea to study that by observing that only 20% of the peapods in his garden contained 80% of the peas.

From there, other began studying this trend:

·   80% of purchases are made by 20% of a business’s customers

·   80% of ministry accomplished by 20% of members

·   80% of the members of a church are happy, only 20% do the complaining

·   80% of our headaches come from only 20% of our circumstances and

·   80% of productivity from just 20% of our efforts

The program I was listening to suggested that the Pareto Principle teaches us identify and improve on our weaknesses but to identify and improve on our strengths.

In other words, make it our priority to do what we are good at and find other people to do those things we aren’t as good at.

Another way to put it is, learn to focus on what is significant; learn to say “No” to the rest.

We are looking at a passage that tells us what to focus our attention on and what to say “No” to.

First

*I. FEAR OF THE LORD EVEN WITH LITTLE IS BETTER THAN GREAT TREASURE WITH TROUBLE

Proverbs 15:16 (KJV)

Better is little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble therewith.

Focus on gaining the fear of the Lord rather than great treasure.[2]

A. Consider God’s Creation

Psalms 8:3-4 (KJV)

When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;

What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?

David had awe for God when he considered His creation.

 

B. Respect God’s Word

Deuteronomy 31:12-13 (KJV)

Gather the people together, men, and women, and children, and thy stranger that is within thy gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear the LORD your God, and observe to do all the words of this law:

And that their children, which have not known any thing, may hear, and learn to fear the LORD your God, as long as ye live in the land whither ye go over Jordan to possess it.

 

All the people of Israel were to gather to hear the Word of God so that they would learn to fear Him. 

 

C. Learn From Scriptural Examples

David used strong language to describe God’s judgments. 

Psalms 88:16 (KJV)

Thy fierce wrath goeth over me; thy terrors have cut me off.

You will find similar expressions by

·   Isaiah[3]

·   Daniel[4] and

·   Paul[5]

 

D. Welcome God’s Chastening

Scripture instructs us to embrace God’s discipline and learn from the reproofs of life: 

Proverbs 3:11-12 (KJV)

My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:

For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.

E. Give a Tithe of Your Increase

Along with supporting the work of the local church, one of the purposes of giving a tithe is to learn to fear the Lord: 

Deuteronomy 14:22-23 (KJV)

Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, that the field bringeth forth year by year.

And thou shalt eat before the LORD thy God, in the place which he shall choose to place his name there, the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the firstlings of thy herds and of thy flocks; that thou mayest learn to fear the LORD thy God always.

 

F. Recall the Chief Duty of Man

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 (KJV)

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

Trouble is agitation, confusion or vexation. The fear of the Lord is the opposite of that.

*II. DINNER OF HERBS WITH LIVE IN THE HOUSE IS MUCH BETTER THAN STALLED, FATTED OX IF THERE IS HATRED IN THE HOME

Proverbs 15:17 (KJV)

Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.

The difference is more extreme than the vegetarian dinner vs. red beef.

A. Herbs refers to that meal that would have been gotten with little care or tillage –

Think gathering wild berries along the road.

When I was younger, we lived in Finley, WA.

We could cut wild asparagus off the sides of the road. It was essentially a weed over there.

This is speaking about the person who is either so poor or ill prepared that all he can eat is what he gathers on the side of the road.

B. The stalled ox would refer to the animal kept purposefully for meat.

·   He hasn’t been worked[6].

·   He has been kept only for the purpose of the finest meat.

Think Kobe beef, the animal has been fed the finest grasses and had regular massages to keep the meat tender.

C. It’s better to have the meager fare that grew up by accident than the finest meal the best chef can prepare if there is no love in the house when you eat it.

Focus on relationships rather than resources.

Finally,

*III. BETTER THAN GREEDY GAIN IS SIMPLE CONTENTMENT AND LIFE

Proverbs 15:27 (KJV)

He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house; but he that hateth gifts shall live.

The old Jews teach that this refers to unjust judges taking bribes for their cases.

I am going to end this lesson by simply saying then,

The focus is on integrity rather than gain.

---

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pareto_principle, accessed 10-7-17

[2] https://iblp.org/questions/how-can-i-learn-fear-lord, accessed 10-7-17

[3] Isaiah 6:5

[4] Daniel 10:8-11

[5] Acts 9:5-6

[6] They tell me that land is such a premium in Japan that these cattle spend their entire lives tethered to a pole or in a stall. They never get out or get exercise. Grazing land does not exist so they are fed, very often, the leftovers from making beer and they are massaged regularly to keep them from getting agitated in their stall.