October 14 - Do not Boast about Tomorrow 내일 일을 자랑하지 말라

October 14 - Do not Boast about Tomorrow

 

“Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth.” –Proverbs 27:1

 

 
No human being can infallibly predict what will happen in the future. Some predictions are reasonably secure, such as that the sun will rise. Others are dependent on circumstances, and some can be wildly unpredictable. A wise person makes plans (Proverbs 16:3; 20:18; 24:27) but takes his fallibility into account. Making well-reasoned choices is different from arrogantly ignoring risks.The word "boast" translates into a Hebrew root word rendered as "praise" later in this passage (Proverbs 27:2). No one should praise himself for what he hasn't yet accomplished. A common English statement warns, "Don't count your chickens before they're hatched," meaning not all eggs necessarily become birds. Things our human minds expect to happen might not happen, so we shouldn't speak of them as guarantees. 

 

Such is the attitude criticized by the apostle James (4:13–16). He explains, "You do not know what tomorrow will bring" (James 4:14). The same verse notes that life is uncertain and brief. Rather than overconfidence, we should approach the future with humility. "If the LORD wills, we will live and do this or that" is a better attitude (James 4:15).

 

We like to talk a lot about our future. We desire to succeed in all we do and plan accordingly. But people talk big about their future out of pride before they think about God’s will. James points out that talking big is a sin. “Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’ Why do you not even know what will happen tomorrow? What is your life like? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” (James 4:13-14). 

 

Talking big shows the pride of a human. It is a sin that a man plans to go to another city and make money for a year in a market on his own. “Carry on business and make money” implies the person likes to make money. Peter says of this kind of person: “…with eyes full of adultery, they never stop sinning: they seduce the unstable; they are experts in greed - an accursed brood!” (2 Peter 2:14). They live like animals, having nothing to do with God. Without any prayer of thanksgiving or praise to God, they are only eager to fill up their stomach.

 

We often forget that we are merely human. No one knows what will happen tomorrow. God alone knows everything. We should not plan our future on our own or consider our lives higher than what they are. Our life is like a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes (James 4:14). Our efforts cannot sustain our life. It is only in God’s hands. 

 

Jesus gave us instruction through the story of a rich man. The rich man said, “This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods” (Luke 12:18). The LORD responded to him, “You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?” (Luke 12:20). “This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God” (Luke 12:21). We ought to depend on God day by day. We should live for the gospel, seeking His righteousness and Kingdom first. 

 

 

Today’s Prayer: Pray for pastors who work with couples experiencing marital problems. Ask God to give them the wisdom to counsel effectively and the strength to bear this heavy burden. 

Prayer Pointer: When people do not mind what God speaks to them in His Word, God doth as little mind what they say to Him in prayer. – William Gurnall

Bible Reading: Isaiah 53-55; 1 Thessalonians 2

 

 

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\10월 14일 - 내일 일을 자랑하지 말라

 

“너는 내일 일을 자랑하지 말라 하루 동안에 무슨 일이 날는지 네가 알 수 없음이니라” - 잠 27:1

 

 

어떤 인간도 미래에 일어날 일을 정확하게 예측하지 못합니다. 태양이 아침에 뜬다는 예측과 같은 일부 예측은 믿을 수 있지만 다른 예측들은 상황에 따라 달라지기 때문에 전혀 예측할 수 없습니다. 지혜로운 사람은 계획을 세우지만(잠 16:3; 20:18; 24:27) 자신의 오류가 있을 수 있다고 인정합니다. 합리적인 선택을 하는 것은 위험을 무시하는 오만과는 다릅니다.

 

"자랑하다"는 이 구절의 뒷부분에서 "찬양"으로 번역된 히브리어 단어를 번역한 것입니다(잠 27:2). 자신이 아직 성취하지 못한 것에 대해 자신을 칭찬해서는 안됩니다. 영어에서 "부화하기 전에 병아리를 세지 마시오"라는 경고가 있는데 모든 알이 반드시 병아리가 되는 것은 아니라는 것을 의미합니다. 우리 인간의 마음이 기대하는 일은 일어나지 않을 수도 있기 때문에 절대적인 보장이 있다고 말해서는 안됩니다. 

 

이것이 야고보가 비판하고 있는 인간의 태도인데(약 4:13-16), 그는 "내일 일을 너희가 알지 못하는도다”(약 4:14)고 말합니다. 그리고 같은 구절에서 인생의 삶이 불확실 할뿐만 아니라 매우 짧다고 지적합니다. 우리는 과신하지 않고  겸손한 자세로 미래를 접근해야 합니다. "주의 뜻이면 우리가 살기도 하고 이것이나 저것을 하리라"(약 4:15)는 것이 더 나은 태도입니다.

 

우리는 미래에 대해 호언장담하기를 좋아하는 경향이 있습니다. 우리는 모든 일에서 성공하기를 원하며 성공을 위해 계획합니다. 그러나 사람들은 하나님의 뜻을 고려하지 않고 인간의 교만한 마음으로 미래에 대해 자랑합니다. 야고보는 자랑하는 것은 죄라고 지적합니다. "들으라 너희 중에 말하기를 오늘이나 내일이나 우리가 어떤 도시에 가서 거기서 일년을 머물며 장사하여 이익을 보리라 하는 자들아 내일 일을 너희가 알지 못하는도다 너희 생명이 무엇이냐 너희는 잠깐 보이다가 없어지는 안개니라”(약 4:13-14) 

 

호언 장담하는 것은 인간의 자부심을 나타내는 것입니다. 사람이 어떤 도시로 가서 장사하여 일 년 동안 돈을 벌려고 하는 것은 죄입니다. 사업을 계속하고 돈을 번다고 하는 말씀은 사람이 돈 버는 것을 좋아한다는 의미입니다. 베드로는 이런 사람에 대해 “음심이 가득한 눈을 가지고 범죄하기를 그치지 아니하고 굳세지 못한 영혼들을 유혹하며 탐욕에 연단된 마음을 자진 자들이니 저주의 자식이라”(벧후 2:14)라고 말합니다. 이들은 하나님과 관계 없는 짐승처럼 살아갑니다. 하나님께 대한 감사나 찬양의 기도 없이 그들의 배만 채우기만을 간절히 원합니다

 

우리는 종종 우리가 단지 인간이라는 것을 잊어 버립니다. 내일 무슨 일이 일어날지는 아무도 모르며 오직 하나님만이 아십니다. 우리 뜻대로 미래를 계획하거나 지금보다 더 교만한 생각을 해서는 안됩니다. 우리의 삶은 잠시 보이다 사라지는 안개와 같습니다(약 4:14). 우리의 노력으로 생명을 유지할 수 없고  생명은 오직 하나님의 손에 달려 있습니다. 

 

예수님은 한 부자의 이야기를 통해 교훈하셨습니다. 부자는 “내가 이렇게 하리라  내 곳간을 헐고 더 크게 짓고 내 모든 곡식과 물건을 거기 쌓아 두리라”(눅 12:18)고 말합니다.. 주님은 그에게  "어리석은 자여 오늘 밤에 네 영혼을 도로 찾으리니 그러면 네 준비한 것이 누구의 것이 되겠느냐 자기를 위하여 재물을 쌓아 두고 하나님께 대하여 부요하지 못한 자가 이와 같으니라”(눅 12:20,21). 우리는 날마다 하나님을 의지하고 복음을 위해 살아야 하며, 허나님의 나라와 의를 먼저 구해야 합니다. 

 

오늘의 기도: 결혼에 문제가 있는 부부들을 상당하는 목사들을 위해 기도하고, 하나님께서 상담의 효과적으로 할 수 있도록 지혜를 주시고, 이 무거운 짐을 잘 감당할 수 있는 힘을 주시도록 기도하십시오.

기도 지침: 사람들이 하나님께서 그의 말씀가운데 말씀하시는 것에 대한 관심이 없다면 하나님은 그들이 기도로 그에게 말하는 것에 대해 별 관심을 가지지 않는다. 윌리엄 건넬

성경 읽기: 이사야 53-55장; 데살로니가전서 2장