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STUDY 250

Text: Proverbs 20
9 April 2006

Dear Parents,

THREE SPECIAL VIRTUES
What does it take for a ruler to succeed in his reign? Three virtues may be highlighted.

Mercy and truth preserve the king,
And by lovingkindness he upholds his throne.

Proverbs 20:28

It is not easy to be a ruler. It is even harder to uphold the throne. A bad ruler brings untold suffering to the kingdom. It would take years to rectify bad mistakes made by the king. He would need much to succeed as a good ruler.

1. The Virtue of Mercy

Laws are important if a country is to be ruled well. There will always be miscreants in any country. Justice must of course be upheld. But how does one apply justice?

a) Punishment in view

There are those who see the meting out of punishment as the end of the law. These will sometimes abuse the law.

b) Mercy in view

The wise ruler knows how to administer justice with mercy in view. Punishment for transgression must of course be considered. But at all times, mercy is close at hand.

2. The Virtue of Truth

This is reference to a ruler who loves knowledge and with it, truth. He takes delight in being enlightened. He prizes truth and will always pursue it. In his pursuit of truth, he will also find much wisdom. (Recall Proverbs 1-9 where the pursuit of wisdom is constantly encouraged.)

3. The Virtue of Lovingkindness

There is no question as to the value of this virtue. The ruler who has learned how to be gracious, kind and loving to his subjects will never need to fear an uprising from his subjects.

THE PURSUIT OF VIRTUES
It is important that we encourage our children to pursue virtues. A life without virtue is in a state of bankruptcy. The virtues extolled in the above text are not confined to kings. These virtues are extolled to highlight an important truth – that not even kings can do without the cultivation of virtues.

Prayerfully,
Pastor Charlie