This is quite a profound scripture. I cannot help but wonder what provoked Solomon to write such thoughts in the first place. Snow in summer, rain in harvest and honor for fools. These seem to be far flung thoughts with no explanation. Perhaps Solomon intended for us to search out his meanings of these thoughts for ourselves.
The point seems to be that honor is not bestowed on everyone. There are certain character qualifications that are needed to be a recipient of honor. A person can do powerful things in their life, but if they are without character then they will not receive honor. Hitler is a good example of one who did powerful things (even though most were wrong), but he died in dishonor. Therefore it is not about how big the things are that you do, but how big your character is while doing them.
Some experiences in life are almost too good to be true, while others are too bad to forget. Such was the case with me and many others like me back in mid fifties…when trying to get a good job was out of the question. That means that I was thrilled to even get a bad job.
I have had many interesting Charles in my life, but the one I want to talk about today was no doubt the icing on the cake. This Charlie remodeled homes for a living and was always open to hire a fresh new dummy like myself. If Charlie paid you at all he paid you with hot checks. Those of us who worked for Charlie referred to him as “Hot Check Charlie.” Since jobs of any kind were hard to find I figured I would rather have a bad job with hot checks than no job at all. Charlie was what you might call a high level manipulator who did not have a lick of character. That means if you were going to work for Charlie you had to learn how to out manipulate the manipulator.
Such a person as Charlie was certainly not a candidate for honor unless God Himself did a real miracle in his life. But of course that is what the cross of Calvary was all about. Charlie may not have been guilty of having any character, but then most of us—before meeting the Lord—did not have any character either.
Perhaps Solomon was thinking about all of the Charlie types of the world when he used the term “snow in summer” to remind us where we came from. I think it is far too easy for us to judge those who are on the way to salvation and forget about our own wretched “Charlie-life” before we were saved.
I never cease to be amazed at how quickly we forget about our own “Charlie-life” as if it never happened. Maybe it would be good for us to reflect back once in a while just to keep us from walking in false pride. Let’s all try.
Father,
As strange as it may seem I do thank you for putting Charlie in my life. I am sorry Lord that I was so busy trying to out-manipulate Charlie’s manipulation that I forgot all about telling him about You. Help us all Lord to be more alert to “Charlie spottings” and ministry opportunities for the kingdom.
Amen
As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, So honor is not seemly for a fool. Proverbs 26:1 ASV
Apostle John Dean Copyright 2009 All Rights Reserved
Alliance International Ministries