June 8 – Proverbs 6:1-15 – Three Rules for Working Smart   With what you say, avoid dangerous promises – Have farsightedness [6:1-5]. Prov. 6:1 – When you co-sign for someone on a loan or make a questionable business deal with a handshake… Further, see Proverbs 11:15; 17:18; 20:16; 22:26-27; 27:13. 6:2 – When you are entangled and caught in your own words… 6:3-4 – Before it is too late, go and ask, even plead to the point of pestering, to let you out of it, even on your knees be it day or night. 6:5 – Run like an antelope! Solomon is rather clear here about not co-signing on a loan or any other such business endeavor. If you have someone with a genuine need, that you want to help in this matter of co-signing and being surety (say for a house, car, business, etc.), you have a choice of going against this clear advice in the Bible, or two alternatives that are not violating this: Purchasing the object of the "surety" and simply making it a gift from you to him. You could buy it and have a business arrangement of "lease-to-own" for him. You can then share the "trust" involved. Don’t have him put up the money on an installment basis and shoulder the trustworthiness to pay the loan off. But rather have him or her put up the money, as installment-payments, and you put up the trustworthiness in owning the item, until he pays for it. You could put it this way: "I’ll trust you about the money, and you can trust me about the ownership. If the money stops, we consider it rent only, and I’ll pay for the rest, sale it, and give you the net." The significance here is that you can have either of two alternatives to violating what Solomon was saying here.   With what you do, avoid dangerous laziness – Have a plan [6:6-11]. Prov. 6:6 – The ant is industrious. 6:7 – The ant is organized with instincts. 6:8 – The ant is farsighted in time of plenty for time of famine. 6:9-10 – Is your sleep for resting from a hard day’s work or from being tire of doing nothing? 6:11 – Shortsightedness is a thief, slothfulness is a mugger, and laziness is a robber. It is interesting to note in Genesis 2:15 that before sin and its curse entered into man’s world, work was an important part of Adam’s life before and after the fall, although toil "in the sweat of your face" greatly increased with the curse in Genesis 3:17-19. But "the oldest profession" was gardening and homemaking on the part of Adam and Eve, and work is a noble part of life. We need to make all we can, save all we can, and give all we can. We need to encourage each one to "toil, working the good with his hands, in order that he might have something to impart to the one having need." (Eph. 4:28). With whom you associate, avoid dangerous persons – Have integrity [6:12-15]. Prov. 6:12 – A dangerous person talks a deceptive game. The term, "worthless," here is literally, "son of Beli‘al" (which is the same thing, as the "Beliar" in 2 Cor. 6:15 – someone the opposite of Christ). It means someone ("son of…") who is worthless, profitless, useless – a scoundrel. [The origin of the Hebrew word came from two words meaning either being without any use or benefit OR being without any rising up.] Everyone needs to watch the company that he or she keeps. It is always good advice for young people to make friends of their parents friends and for parents to make friends of their children’s friends. 6:13 – A dangerous person can be betrayed by his unusual shifting of his eyes, scraping of his feet, and odd gesturing – in what we call "body-language." (For example, closing one eye in a wink can be a deliberate gesture that often suggests conspiratorial [‘You and I both understand, though others do not’]. Moving the feet can be a common indicator of a person lying, particularly if they are sitting down and their feet are hidden under a table. A pointing finger can indicate direction [‘It's over there’]. For a long distance, the finger may be pointed diagonally upwards, as if firing an arrow. The index finger is usually used, though a middle finger or even all fingers may be used. People who are angry often tend to point more, including at themselves [when they feel hurt or insulted] and at those who they feel are to blame.) 6:14 – He has a real problem with sin. He is always on the make. He loves things and uses people. 6:15 – His sins will find him out! [Num. 32:23] See Isa. 30:13; Jer. 19:11; 2 Chr. 36:16. When it comes to studying people, Jesus exhorted us to be "as wise as serpents and harmless as doves" in Matthew 10:16. In His context of discussing persecution, He sought for us to study and understand people with spiritual insight. (For examples, sin must be taken seriously. Forgiveness is important to offer others. Agape-love is of greatest importance. We need to defend and protect the weak and those less able.)   Questions to consider: In business dealings, what are the proper, biblical conditions for making and offering a loan? How important is an honest day’s work in life? What have you found in the study of "body-language" by others?