DAY 69 – 90 Days in Proverbs - You Get What You Look For

Proverbs 11:27 [RSV] He who diligently seeks good seeks favor, but evil comes to him who searches for it.

There is an old rock song by the Rolling Stones that says, “You can't always get what you want, But if you try sometimes you might find, you get what you need.”

Proverbs 11:27 tells me just the opposite. It says that I will get what I look for, whether that is seeking good or searching for evil.

Looking at the definitions of the Hebrew words translated seek and search gives us some additional insight. The word translated “seeks” in the phrase “seeks favor” means to seek early, earnestly or diligently.

But the word translated “searches”, speaking of the one searching for evil, means “to tread or beat a path, or frequent.” This paints a better picture of what is going on here. The person seeking evil isn’t just casually looking around to see if there is any bad to be had – he is really working at it – going again and again to the places when you can find evil to the point of wearing down a path toward it.

Proverbs 11:27 is describing someone whose goal and focus is to find evil or, as it is translated in the King James Version: “mischief.” Trouble isn’t finding this person, she is doing her best to find it.

But, what about the early part of the verse “He who diligently seeks good; seeks favor.”? What do the root words tell us about this persons efforts?

The Hebrew word translated “diligently seeks” means “to be up early at a task.” The word translated “procures” means “searches after, strives for” and the word translated “favor” means “to be pleasing, acceptable, approved.” Perhaps you, like me, are up early in the day on most days, spending time searching for what is pleasing or acceptable to God by praying or reading the Bible or meditating on God’s word.

It’s okay if you do this late in the day instead. The implication is that it is a priority to this person to seek to be pleasing or approved in the same way that the other person is seeking mischief or evil.

So far we have addressed seeking to do good or to do evil. This Proverb reminds me of a folk tale that goes like this:

A traveler came upon an old farmer hoeing in his field beside the road. Eager to rest his feet, the wanderer hailed the countryman, who seemed happy enough to straighten his back and talk for a moment.

"What sort of people live in the next town?" asked the stranger.

"What were the people like where you've come from?" replied the farmer, answering the question with another question.

"They were a bad lot. Troublemakers all, and lazy too. The most selfish people in the world, and not a one of them to be trusted. I'm happy to be leaving the scoundrels."

"Is that so?" replied the old farmer. "Well, I'm afraid that you'll find the same sort in the next town.

Disappointed, the traveler trudged on his way, and the farmer returned to his work.

Some time later another stranger, coming from the same direction, hailed the farmer, and they stopped to talk. "What sort of people live in the next town?" he asked.

"What were the people like where you've come from?" replied the farmer once again.

"They were the best people in the world. Hard working, honest, and friendly. I'm sorry to be leaving them."

"Fear not," said the farmer. "You'll find the same sort in the next town."

Whether you seek to do good, or seek to find good in people, you will succeed. Whether you seek to do evil, or seek to find bad in people, you will succeed.

When it comes to wanting favor or wanting mischief, finding good in others or seeing them as bad, sorry Mr. Jagger, you CAN get want you want. In fact, you can count on it.

Sisters, keep striving for good and to see the good in others. You will find it.

PRAYER: Lord God, help me to be careful what I am seeking for – to seek to be pleasing to You and always make You my priority. Help me to work at it as a thresher works at releasing the kernel of wheat. Your scripture is there for me to thresh out the good from it. Thank you for that. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Your thoughts —  

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