So this morning as I continued in my personal study (reading through the Psalms and Proverbs), I read Proverbs 13. This is the third time I have read this chapter so far this year, and I have to say that God always seems to draw new things to my attention. This morning He brought an important truth to the forefront. He began laying the foundation in verse 4 below.
“The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing,
while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied.”
(Proverbs 13:4)
The first thing that grabbed me was the wording God used. I wondered why the word “soul” was included, because when I think of “craving”, coupled with “getting nothing”, what came to mind was “...If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat” (2 Thessalonians 3:10), and while this is a valuable truth, I don’t think that principle is what this verse is referring to.
Soul, (nep̄eš) in Hebrew, refers to the seat of the emotions and passions; the place from which one’s desires come. Well, THAT puts things on an entirely different plane, doesn’t it? If the text said – the sluggard craves and gets nothing – then I would surely think this is referring to a physical craving. But that is not the case. God included reference to the “soul”.
As I read on to the end of the chapter, God brought His message home to me. Check this out.
“The righteous has enough to satisfy his appetite,
But the belly of the wicked suffers want.”
(Proverbs 13:25)
Pondering this verse, I saw terms (appetite, belly) that made me think of on a physical plane. BUT catch this! The Hebrew word used here for appetite is…(you guessed it!)…(nep̄eš)!!!! So let’s rephrase that first line using the word “soul”.
“The righteous has enough to satisfy his SOUL…”
Now let’s look at the second phrase of that verse – “…but the belly of the wicked suffers want.” The Hebrew word for belly (beṭen) refers to both the seat of hunger AND the seat of mental faculties.
So connecting the dots God gave me thus far, here it is the truth He was impressing on me.
Those who don’t know God will always suffer “soul want”.
Human beings were created by God and for God. We were designed to have a relationship with Him. There is a hole inside every person that only God can fill. If we try to fill it with anything else, we will never be satisfied.
Don’t get me wrong. A person may experience temporary fulfillment in possessions, in status, or in accomplishments, but they will NEVER be satisfied long term. The thrill and newness will wear off and that person will begin the search for the “next thing” to fulfill you.
Paul wrote in Philippians 4:11-13, “…I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this THROUGH (CHRIST) who gives me strength.”
Fulfillment. Satisfaction. Contentment. These are ONLY found in Christ. Everything else that we may turn to to fill the void within us will never deliver long term. Why? Because nothing on this earth is eternal.
Let me leave you with some truth Paul shared with the church at Ephesus.
“Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Who has blessed (believers) with every spiritual blessing
In the heavenly places in Christ.” (Ephesians 3:2-3)
Because believers are IN Christ, fixed in their position as a child of God, it is THROUGH that relationship that the strength comes to focus on the eternal, to the exclusion of the temporal. It is totally possible to echo Paul’s words in Philippians 4:18-20, but only if you’re IN Christ.
“I have everything I need and more than enough…
and my God will give you everything you need
because of His great riches in Christ Jesus.
Now may our God and Father be honored forever.
Let it be so.” (Philippians 4:18-20)