26 A worker’s appetite works for him,
For his [m]hunger urges him on.
27 A worthless man digs up evil,
While [n]his words are like scorching fire.
28 A perverse man spreads strife,
And a slanderer separates intimate friends.
29 A man of violence entices his neighbor
And leads him in a way that is not good.
30 He who winks his eyes does so to devise perverse things;
He who compresses his lips brings evil to pass.
31 A gray head is a crown of glory;
It is found in the way of righteousness.
32 He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
And he who rules his spirit, than he who captures a city.
33 The lot is cast into the lap,
But its every decision is from the Lord.
This final passage of the 16th proverb is yet another contrast. On one hand we have the worthless, the perverse, the slanderer, and a man of violence. None of these lead to a good end, even more so for those who fall into their traps. On the other hand we have the worker edged on by his hunger, the wisdom of age, the patient one, slow to anger, and the one with self control.
But the end seems strange, all of a sudden we’re talking about casting lots? Likely they had plenty of “games of chance” like we do now–well maybe not quite so many, but they were still there. Yet the casting of lots was often used to determine God’s will, and Solomon confirms “its every decision is from the Lord.” One cannot change the results of the roll of the dice without deceit or trickery.
While they may have been used for finding God’s will in the past, we either use them for fun games or for gambling in our day. And I would dare say you don’t need the dice to tell you God’s will in the latter case, he doesn’t want you to do it. Trying to make a quick buck, or getting lucky aren’t things you’ll find encouraged in God’s word.
I have one of those things with the oil and glass between on my desk, and it’s fun to watch the sand fall from top to bottom and see the patterns that form with the different shades of sand. Yet one must be patient, for if you try to hurry up the process, you get a muddled mess. The result is nowhere near as gratifying as letting the sand fall on its own.
Likewise, Solomon emphasizes the value of hard work, of self-control, and doing things honestly. If you want a good result, then take your time, don’t rush the result, and through it all, ask God for wisdom, to show you the best way–He knows what that is, even if you can’t see it yet. He will guide each step if you let Him, and the result will be even more beautiful than my silly desk ornament of multi-colored sand.