Proverbs 8

Wisdom's Call

 ¹ Does not wisdom call out?
       Does not understanding raise her voice?  ² On the heights along the way,
       where the paths meet, she takes her stand;
 ³ beside the gates leading into the city,
       at the entrances, she cries aloud:
 ⁴ "To you, O men, I call out;
       I raise my voice to all mankind. 

I love that wisdom is not silent or whispering, impossible to hear or find. She is calling out!

¹³ To fear the LORD is to hate evil;
       I hate pride and arrogance,
       evil behavior and perverse speech. 

Verse 13 struck me in light of the book, Fearless, I just read.  What does "fearing the Lord" look like?  It's hating evil, pride, arrogance, evil behavior, and perverse speech (not hating or judging the person who may do those things).  

 ²² "The LORD brought me forth as the first of his works,
       before his deeds of old;
 ²³ I was appointed from eternity,
       from the beginning, before the world began.
 ²⁴ When there were no oceans, I was given birth,
       when there were no springs abounding with water;
 ²⁵ before the mountains were settled in place,
       before the hills, I was given birth,
 ²⁶ before he made the earth or its fields
       or any of the dust of the world.
 ²⁷ I was there when he set the heavens in place,
       when he marked out the horizon on the face of the deep,
 ²⁸ when he established the clouds above
       and fixed securely the fountains of the deep,
 ²⁹ when he gave the sea its boundary
       so the waters would not overstep his command,
       and when he marked out the foundations of the earth.
 ³⁰ Then I was the craftsman at his side.
       I was filled with delight day after day,
       rejoicing always in his presence,
 ³¹ rejoicing in his whole world
       and delighting in mankind. 

This is the coolest passage!  Awesome!

 ³⁵ For whoever finds me finds life
       and receives favor from the LORD.
 ³⁶ But whoever fails to find me harms himself;
       all who hate me love death."

If we don't choose the way of wisdom, we only harm ourselves.

Proverbs 6

Warnings Against Folly

¹ My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor,
if you have struck hands in pledge for another,

² if you have been trapped by what you said,
ensnared by the words of your mouth,

³ then do this, my son, to free yourself,
since you have fallen into your neighbor's hands:
Go and humble yourself;
press your plea with your neighbor!

⁴ Allow no sleep to your eyes,
no slumber to your eyelids.

⁵ Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter,
like a bird from the snare of the fowler.

So many of the proverbs are "preventative wisdom". They help us stay out of trouble. I am thankful, though, for these 5 verses that help me know what to do AFTER I've put my foot in my mouth. Whatever the instruction, humility is always part of it.

¹⁶ There are six things the LORD hates,
seven that are detestable to him:

¹⁷ haughty eyes,
a lying tongue,
hands that shed innocent blood,

¹⁸ a heart that devises wicked schemes,
feet that are quick to rush into evil,

¹⁹ a false witness who pours out lies
and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.

Warning Against Adultery

²⁰ My son, keep your father's commands
and do not forsake your mother's teaching.

Wouldn't it be awesome if all of us as parents (both mom and dad) were to warn out children against adultery? And wouldn't be awesome if we would command, teach and model purity? Then when our kids "keep" and "do not forsake" then they will be making wise choices that will strengthen their relationships?

²¹ Bind them upon your heart forever;
fasten them around your neck.

²² When you walk, they will guide you;
when you sleep, they will watch over you;
when you awake, they will speak to you.

Beautiful words found in Deuteronomy 6:4-9.

²³ For these commands are a lamp,
this teaching is a light,
and the corrections of discipline
are the way to life,

²⁴ keeping you from the immoral woman,
from the smooth tongue of the wayward wife.

²⁵ Do not lust in your heart after her beauty
or let her captivate you with her eyes,

²⁶ for the prostitute reduces you to a loaf of bread,
and the adulteress preys upon your very life.

²⁷ Can a man scoop fire into his lap
without his clothes being burned?

²⁸ Can a man walk on hot coals
without his feet being scorched?

²⁹ So is he who sleeps with another man's wife;
no one who touches her will go unpunished.

³⁰ Men do not despise a thief if he steals
to satisfy his hunger when he is starving.

³¹ Yet if he is caught, he must pay sevenfold,
though it costs him all the wealth of his house.

³² But a man who commits adultery lacks judgment;
whoever does so destroys himself.

Proverbs 5

I pray these verses for my son...deep within me I long for him to heed these words:

Warning Against Adultery

¹ My son, pay attention to my wisdom,
listen well to my words of insight,

² that you may maintain discretion
and your lips may preserve knowledge.

³ For the lips of an adulteress drip honey,
and her speech is smoother than oil;

⁴ but in the end she is bitter as gall,
sharp as a double-edged sword.

⁵ Her feet go down to death;
her steps lead straight to the grave.

⁶ She gives no thought to the way of life;
her paths are crooked, but she knows it not.

⁷ Now then, my sons, listen to me;
do not turn aside from what I say.

⁸ Keep to a path far from her,
do not go near the door of her house,

⁹ lest you give your best strength to others
and your years to one who is cruel,

¹⁰ lest strangers feast on your wealth
and your toil enrich another man's house.

¹¹ At the end of your life you will groan,
when your flesh and body are spent.

¹² You will say, "How I hated discipline!
How my heart spurned correction!

¹³ I would not obey my teachers
or listen to my instructors.

¹⁴ I have come to the brink of utter ruin
in the midst of the whole assembly."

¹⁵ Drink water from your own cistern,
running water from your own well.

¹⁶ Should your springs overflow in the streets,
your streams of water in the public squares?

¹⁷ Let them be yours alone,
never to be shared with strangers.

¹⁸ May your fountain be blessed,
and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth.

¹⁹ A loving doe, a graceful deer—
may her breasts satisfy you always,
may you ever be captivated by her love.

²⁰ Why be captivated, my son, by an adulteress?
Why embrace the bosom of another man's wife?

²¹ For a man's ways are in full view of the LORD,
and he examines all his paths.

²² The evil deeds of a wicked man ensnare him;
the cords of his sin hold him fast.

²³ He will die for lack of discipline,
led astray by his own great folly.

Proverbs 3

¹ My son, do not forget my teaching,
but keep my commands in your heart,

How many times do I forget my Father's teaching? Over and over!

³ Let love and faithfulness never leave you;
bind them around your neck,
write them on the tablet of your heart.

This reminded me of Deuteronomy 6:4-8.

⁴ Then you will win favor and a good name
in the sight of God and man.

⁵ Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;

⁶ in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.
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These verses are so famous. Like John 3:16, I can quote them in a heartbeat, and yet I don't really think I can claim them as my "life" verses. ALL my heart? Lean NOT? ALL ways acknowledge him? No wonder my paths seem crooked sometimes!

⁷ Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the LORD and shun evil.

This is such a good reminder in reading the Proverbs that seems to differentiate between the wise and foolish so clearly. It's not my place to decide I'm wise, but instead observe what defines a wise person and see how my life matches up. (It's been humbling.)

⁸ This will bring health to your body
and nourishment to your bones.

⁹ Honor the LORD with your wealth,
with the first fruits of all your crops;

¹⁰ then your barns will be filled to overflowing,
and your vats will brim over with new wine.

¹¹ My son, do not despise the LORD's discipline
and do not resent his rebuke,

¹² because the LORD disciplines those he loves,
as a father the son he delights in.

Sometimes the Lord's discipline comes through a human that we don't respect, and I think it can cause me to resent quite easily. I need to remember the Lord's rebuke can come from anywhere.

¹³ Blessed is the man who finds wisdom,
the man who gains understanding,

I feel a little hopeful that this man "finds" and "gains".

¹⁴ for she is more profitable than silver
and yields better returns than gold.

¹⁵ She is more precious than rubies;
nothing you desire can compare with her.

¹⁶ Long life is in her right hand;
in her left hand are riches and honor.

¹⁷ Her ways are pleasant ways,
and all her paths are peace.

¹⁸ She is a tree of life to those who embrace her;
those who lay hold of her will be blessed.

¹⁹ By wisdom the LORD laid the earth's foundations,
by understanding he set the heavens in place;

²⁰ by his knowledge the deeps were divided,
and the clouds let drop the dew.

Verses 19-20 are cool. It shows why God's creation makes scientific sense.

²¹ My son, preserve sound judgment and discernment,
do not let them out of your sight;

²² they will be life for you,
an ornament to grace your neck.

²³ Then you will go on your way in safety,
and your foot will not stumble;

²⁴ when you lie down, you will not be afraid;
when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.

Right now I am reading Fearless by Max Lucado. Each chapter deals with a different fear. I love that this proverb shows us a way to fall asleep at night...preserve sound judgment and discernment. Those are broad, and we may have to find what that means to each of us. Maybe not watching the nightly news? Maybe not spending $100 at Target because we'll worry about money later? Who knows, but one directly affects the other.

²⁵ Have no fear of sudden disaster
or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked,

²⁶ for the LORD will be your confidence
and will keep your foot from being snared.

²⁷ Do not withhold good from those who deserve it,
when it is in your power to act.

²⁸ Do not say to your neighbor,
"Come back later; I'll give it tomorrow"—
when you now have it with you.

This is so good to hear. I must show love to my neighbors.

²⁹ Do not plot harm against your neighbor,
who lives trustfully near you.

³⁰ Do not accuse a man for no reason—
when he has done you no harm.

³¹ Do not envy a violent man
or choose any of his ways,

³² for the LORD detests a perverse man
but takes the upright into his confidence.

³³ The LORD's curse is on the house of the wicked,
but he blesses the home of the righteous.

³⁴ He mocks proud mockers
but gives grace to the humble.

³⁵ The wise inherit honor,
but fools he holds up to shame.

Proverbs 2

⁶ For the LORD gives wisdom,
and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.

No reason to look anywhere else. It is the Lord who gives wisdom!

⁸ for he guards the course of the just
and protects the way of his faithful ones.

This is so amazing to me. There are times when I have chosen to be obedient, but honestly didn't have a clue what was going to happen or how it was going to work out--God was guarding my course, my path! So awesome!

¹⁶ It will save you also from the adulteress,
from the wayward wife with her seductive words,

¹⁷ who has left the partner of her youth
and ignored the covenant she made before God.

Remember here that Solomon's own mother falls into this category.

Lord, I'm feeling like there is so much for me to remember and keep track of in order to be wise. Please just help me look to you and delight in you instead of worrying about the checklist.

Proverbs 1

^{There are some good comments on Proverbs 31, so go back and read those if you haven't! Since we reached the end of Proverbs it feels like we should be done, but we started this challenge at Proverbs 10! I am going to use this opportunity to sprinkle in sermon notes and questions from my pastor's daily meditations (I've received permission!)}

¹ The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:

² for attaining wisdom and discipline;
for understanding words of insight;

³ for acquiring a disciplined and prudent life,
doing what is right and just and fair;

⁴ for giving prudence to the simple,
knowledge and discretion to the young-

⁵ let the wise listen and add to their learning,
and let the discerning get guidance-

⁶ for understanding proverbs and parables,
the sayings and riddles of the wise.

⁷ The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge,
but fools despise wisdom and discipline.

Why did Solomon write the Proverbs? Where does wisdom come from? How is the fear of the Lord the beginning of knowledge? What does it mean to fear the Lord? Who is the wisest person you know?

⁸ Listen, my son, to your father's instruction
and do not forsake your mother's teaching.

⁹ They will be a garland to grace your head
and a chain to adorn your neck.

¹⁰ My son, if sinners entice you,
do not give in to them.

¹¹ If they say, "Come along with us;
let's lie in wait for some one's blood,
let's waylay some harmless soul;

¹² let's swallow them alive, like the grave,
and whole, like those who go down to the pit;

¹³ we will get all sorts of valuable things
and fill our houses with plunder;

¹⁴ throw in your lot with us,
and we will share a common purse"-

¹⁵ my son, do not go along with them,
do not set foot on their paths;

¹⁶ for their feet rush into sin,
they are swift to shed blood.

¹⁷ How useless to spread a net
in full view of all the birds!

¹⁸ These men lie in wait for their own blood;
they waylay only themselves!

¹⁹ Such is the end of all who go after ill-gotten gain;
it takes away the lives of those who get it.

²⁰ Wisdom calls aloud in the street,
she raises her voice in the public squares;

²¹ at the head of the noisy streets she cries out,
in the gateways of the city she makes her speech:

I love that wisdom is described as bold. Sometimes when I'm in the midst of a lot of people who are speaking foolishly or about foolish things, I don't have any confidence at all to speak wisdom. I feel like what I have to say is foolish.

²² "How long will you simple ones love your simple ways?
How long will mockers delight in mockery
and fools hate knowledge?

²³ If you had responded to my rebuke,
I would have poured out my heart to you
and made my thoughts known to you.

²⁴ But since you rejected me when I called
and no one gave heed when I stretched out my hand,

²⁵ since you ignored all my advice
and would not accept my rebuke,

²⁶ I in turn will laugh at your disaster;
I will mock when calamity overtakes you-

²⁷ when calamity overtakes you like a storm,
when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind,
when distress and trouble overwhelm you.

²⁸ "Then they will call to me but I will not answer;
they will look for me but will not find me.

²⁹ Since they hated knowledge
and did not choose to fear the LORD,

³⁰ since they would not accept my advice
and spurned my rebuke,

³¹ they will eat the fruit of their ways
and be filled with the fruit of their schemes.

³² For the waywardness of the simple will kill them,
and the complacency of fools will destroy them;

³³ but whoever listens to me will live in safety
and be at ease, without fear of harm."

Verse 32 is so good for me to read. It's not that fools went on a mission to ignore God. They were just wayward and complacent. Look where it got them? Killed and destroyed. Listening to wisdom brings safety and ease. I relax just reading those words.

Proverbs 31

¹ The sayings of King Lemuel—an oracle his mother taught him:

According to Learn the Bible there is a great deal of debate as to who King Lemuel is. There are several options, including Solomon himself. I think the most interesting thing about this passage is that it highlights the proverbs taught to a son by his mother. Then later in the chapter we're going to read about the wife of noble character. I never realized this was how this chapter began! And as far as I can tell it is still King Lemuel's mother who is telling him what to look for in a woman!

² "O my son, O son of my womb,
O son of my vows, ^>]">

³ do not spend your strength on women,
your vigor on those who ruin kings.

⁴ "It is not for kings, O Lemuel—
not for kings to drink wine,
not for rulers to crave beer,

⁵ lest they drink and forget what the law decrees,
and deprive all the oppressed of their rights.

⁶ Give beer to those who are perishing,
wine to those who are in anguish;

⁷ let them drink and forget their poverty
and remember their misery no more.

⁸ "Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves,
for the rights of all who are destitute.

⁹ Speak up and judge fairly;
defend the rights of the poor and needy."
Epilogue: The Wife of Noble Character

I think so often women read this to find out the perfect person we should be. Wouldn't it be cool if single men would read this to know what to be looking for?:

¹⁰ A wife of noble character who can find?
She is worth far more than rubies.

¹¹ Her husband has full confidence in her
and lacks nothing of value.

¹² She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.

¹³ She selects wool and flax
and works with eager hands.

¹⁴ She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from afar.

¹⁵ She gets up while it is still dark;
she provides food for her family
and portions for her servant girls.

¹⁶ She considers a field and buys it;
out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.

¹⁷ She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.

¹⁸ She sees that her trading is profitable,
and her lamp does not go out at night.

¹⁹ In her hand she holds the distaff
and grasps the spindle with her fingers.

²⁰ She opens her arms to the poor
and extends her hands to the needy.

²¹ When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
for all of them are clothed in scarlet.

²² She makes coverings for her bed;
she is clothed in fine linen and purple.

²³ Her husband is respected at the city gate,
where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.

²⁴ She makes linen garments and sells them,
and supplies the merchants with sashes.

²⁵ She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come.

²⁶ She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.

²⁷ She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.

What a picture that is? When I'm lazy I want to eat carbs, which in turn just make me want to be lazier!

²⁸ Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:

²⁹ "Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all."

³⁰ Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

³¹ Give her the reward she has earned,
and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

Lord, thank you for the Proverbs. I want to fear you.

Proverbs 30

Proverbs 30 & 31 are considered the "Appendix" of Proverbs, and you will notice they have a different kind of writing style.

Proverbs 30 holds the Sayings of Agur. According to CrossMap.com, "Agur was a man of secular learning and did not consider himself a spiritual man, as he had not learned godly Wisdom; yet, he was a man who was perceptive about the things of God. He first declares that he is ignorant and stupid, as he does not have the knowledge of holy things. He considers all of his secular education as nothing compared to the knowledge of God. This man may not have not a spiritual education, but he did have the sense to ask the right questions, and by reading this entire chapter we find he was a man of spiritual perception."

Click here to read all of Proverbs 30.

⁸ Keep falsehood and lies far from me;
give me neither poverty nor riches,
but give me only my daily bread.

⁹ Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you
and say, 'Who is the LORD ?'
Or I may become poor and steal,
and so dishonor the name of my God.

I know when I am given much I think I don't need the Lord.

²⁰ "This is the way of an adulteress:
She eats and wipes her mouth
and says, 'I've done nothing wrong.'

This is painful to read.

²⁴ "Four things on earth are small,
yet they are extremely wise:

²⁵ Ants are creatures of little strength,
yet they store up their food in the summer;

This time of year in San Diego (hot, dry heat getting up to 100), the ants come marching one by one inside houses. And they're looking for water! It's taken me 5 years of living here to get used to this. It's unreal-they are so strong, SO organized. No wonder scripture points them out.

³² "If you have played the fool and exalted yourself,
or if you have planned evil,
clap your hand over your mouth!

³³ For as churning the milk produces butter,
and as twisting the nose produces blood,
so stirring up anger produces strife."

Lord, help me clap my hand over my mouth!

Proverbs 29:3

I received an anonymous comment on my Proverbs 29 post. I don't know the motivation of the commenter, but I wouldn't want her to be confused by Scripture in any way, so I would like to take a few minutes to address this issue:

Proverbs 29:3 says,
"A man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father,
but a companion of prostitutes squanders his wealth."

She said, "Jesus was a companion of prostitutes."

• Let's first look at the 5 different women who could possibly be discussed as a "prostitute" and "companion to Jesus".

1. Sinful Woman Who Anointed Jesus (Luke 7:36-50) Location: Nain area (north). A woman who "had lived a sinful life" came to a party at a Pharisee's house that Jesus was attending and anointed his feet. Jesus honored her by contrasting her graciousness with the host's stinginess at the party. Jesus told her, "Your sins are forgiven. Your faith has saved you; go in peace." And as far as we know this is the only encounter between her and Jesus.
2. Mary Magdelene (Luke 8:1-3) Location: Galilean countryside (north). She and several other women who had been cured of evil spirits and disease traveled with Jesus and his disciples supporting them financially. She was one of 4 women mentioned at the crucifixion of Jesus and he appeared to her after his resurrection. There was probably no female who was more of a companion to Jesus than Mary Magdelene, but scripture gives no indication that she was a prostitute.
3. Woman at the Well (John 4:1-36) Location: Sychar, Samaria. Jesus, ignoring racial prejudices, "bumped" into this woman at the well. After explaining that he had living water, he confronted her sexual promiscuity which included 4 past husbands and living with a man who wasn't her husband. It is quite profound that he admitted to her he was the long-awaited Messiah! She told the whole town about him, and as far as we know they never had another encounter.
4. Woman caught in adultery (John 8:1-11) Location: Mount of Olives, near Bethany (south). She was brought to Jesus by the Pharisees to pose a question to him. We know by the text that she was committing adultery, which does not rule out the fact that she was a prostitute. However, since the gospels use the word "prostitute" other times chances are she wasn't. After saving her from being stoned, Jesus told her to "Go now and leave your life of sin." This is the only encounter we know of between Jesus and this woman.
5. Mary sister of Lazarus and Martha (John 12:1-3) Location: Bethany (south). Jesus loved this family very much. In this passage he had come to Bethany on his way to Passover in Jerusalem. At a dinner in his honor, Mary anointed him with such expensive perfume that it enraged Judas Iscariot who would betray him 6 days later. Mary of Bethany was definitely a close companion, but the Bible never refers to her as a prostitute.

• Secondly, let's marvel at the character of Christ: What was amazingly radical about Jesus is that he was a friend of sinners. The Pharisees used it against him all the time. But Jesus came to seek and save that which was lost (Luke 9:10), and He wasn't going to let the Pharisees get in the way of that. Plus, as Jesus, he was God of the universe, perfect and sinless. Every person he came in contact with was more sinful than he was.

• Lastly, let's make sure we interpret Proverbs 29:3 correctly. The type of "companionship" that this man was having with prostitutes was making him "squander his wealth". Why is that? Because he was paying them for sex. That is most definitely not the type of companionship that Jesus had with the women listed above. His companionship was pure and sacrificial in nature.

Proverbs 28

¹ The wicked man flees though no one pursues,
but the righteous are as bold as a lion.

That is so true! When we have done things we want to keep secret, we live like someone is going to find out at any second! Oh, Lord, I want to live a life where I would have no shame in people finding out what I do when no one is watching.

¹³ He who conceals his sins does not prosper,
but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.

I love this combination of words "confesses and renounces". Even fools will admit sins, but it's when we confess them with heart desire to renounce them that true repentance occurs.

²³ He who rebukes a man will in the end gain more favor
than he who has a flattering tongue.

This is tough to read.

²⁶ He who trusts in himself is a fool,
but he who walks in wisdom is kept safe.

How many times do I trust in myself? When will I ever stop?

Proverbs 27

¹ Do not boast about tomorrow,
for you do not know what a day may bring forth.

So many times I have been very excited about the next day or coming weeks, only to discover my plans don't turn out the way I expected them to. In fact, I'm dealing with that right now, so I'm very thankful this reminder to just wait and see what the Lord is going to do.

⁵ Better is open rebuke
than hidden love.

⁶ Wounds from a friend can be trusted,
but an enemy multiplies kisses.

These verses are very difficult for me. I really want my friendships to be nice and positive. I don't want to deal with the negative stuff, or admit that I have real issues that my friends need to call me on.

¹⁰ Do not forsake your friend and the friend of your father,
and do not go to your brother's house when disaster strikes you—
better a neighbor nearby than a brother far away.

This is a good verse for us military families to hear!

¹² The prudent see danger and take refuge,
but the simple keep going and suffer for it.

This is so true!!

¹⁵ A quarrelsome wife is like
a constant dripping on a rainy day;

¹⁶ restraining her is like restraining the wind
or grasping oil with the hand.

I love the additional picture in verse 16 of trying to deal with a quarrelsome wife!

¹⁷ As iron sharpens iron,
so one man sharpens another.

I have been so sharpened by my friends taking part in this Proverbs study. Thank you so much!

²¹ The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold,
but man is tested by the praise he receives.

Wow! How do I start acting once I receive a little praise?

Proverbs 25

¹ These are more proverbs of Solomon, copied by the men of Hezekiah king of Judah:

Proverbs 25-29 were written in the 10th century B.C., but compiled and edited by King Hezekiah's men from 715 to 686 B.C. This was a time of spiritual renewal led by the king, who wisely showed great interest in these writings.

⁹ If you argue your case with a neighbor,
do not betray another man's confidence,

¹⁰ or he who hears it may shame you
and you will never lose your bad reputation.

I've seen that...for someone to really understand why I'm doing something I would have to share another person's secret.

¹⁴ Like clouds and wind without rain
is a man who boasts of gifts he does not give.

I know what this is like because San Diego teases us with clouds w/o rain all the time!

²⁰ Like one who takes away a garment on a cold day,
or like vinegar poured on soda,
is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.

This reminds me of "pouring salt on a wound". Have you been in that setting, though? Someone shares something negative that just happened and someone else has to mention how it's all just fine for them. It's like taking away some one's coat on a cold day!

²⁸ Like a city whose walls are broken down
is a man who lacks self-control.

Wow, this verse is so powerful to me! When I lack self-control, I allow any potential danger or sin to overtake me!

Proverbs 24

30 Sayings of the Wise Man Continued

19)

¹ Do not envy wicked men,
do not desire their company;

² for their hearts plot violence,
and their lips talk about making trouble.

20)

³ By wisdom a house is built,
and through understanding it is established;

⁴ through knowledge its rooms are filled
with rare and beautiful treasures.

I love the picture. Wisdom not only makes a solid foundation, but it also makes a life aesthetically appealing.

21)

⁵ A wise man has great power,
and a man of knowledge increases strength;

⁶ for waging war you need guidance,
and for victory many advisers.

22)

⁷ Wisdom is too high for a fool;
in the assembly at the gate he has nothing to say.

23)

⁸ He who plots evil
will be known as a schemer.

⁹ The schemes of folly are sin,
and men detest a mocker.

24)

¹⁰ If you falter in times of trouble,
how small is your strength!

25)

¹¹ Rescue those being led away to death;
hold back those staggering toward slaughter.

¹² If you say, "But we knew nothing about this,"
does not he who weighs the heart perceive it?
Does not he who guards your life know it?
Will he not repay each person according to what he has done?

26)

¹³ Eat honey, my son, for it is good;
honey from the comb is sweet to your taste.

¹⁴ Know also that wisdom is sweet to your soul;
if you find it, there is a future hope for you,
and your hope will not be cut off.

27)

¹⁵ Do not lie in wait like an outlaw against a righteous man's house,
do not raid his dwelling place;

¹⁶ for though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again,
but the wicked are brought down by calamity.

I find it interesting that the righteous man will still fall, which reminds me that I will not be trouble or trial free. But I will always get back up!

28)

¹⁷ Do not gloat when your enemy falls;
when he stumbles, do not let your heart rejoice,

¹⁸ or the LORD will see and disapprove
and turn his wrath away from him.

My heart is so dark. There are times when I want someone arrogant to get knocked down a peg or two. Lord, forgive me for this. Thank you for loving me in spite of my sinful nature.

29)

¹⁹ Do not fret because of evil men
or be envious of the wicked,

²⁰ for the evil man has no future hope,
and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out.

30)

²¹ Fear the LORD and the king, my son,
and do not join with the rebellious,

²² for those two will send sudden destruction upon them,
and who knows what calamities they can bring?
Further Sayings of the Wise

6 Additional Sayings of the Wise

#1)

²³ These also are sayings of the wise:
To show partiality in judging is not good:

²⁴ Whoever says to the guilty, "You are innocent"—
peoples will curse him and nations denounce him.

²⁵ But it will go well with those who convict the guilty,
and rich blessing will come upon them.

#2)

²⁶ An honest answer
is like a kiss on the lips.

I love how sweet and short this is. Answers that are lies (or variations of the truth) are always bigger, longer, and more complicated than the simple truth.

#3)

²⁷ Finish your outdoor work
and get your fields ready;
after that, build your house.

#4)

²⁸ Do not testify against your neighbor without cause,
or use your lips to deceive.

#5)

²⁹ Do not say, "I'll do to him as he has done to me;
I'll pay that man back for what he did."

I'm convicted that often my version of payback is justified in my own mind. I don't DO things to people, but I'll just remember not to be quite as friendly or understanding. My payback is withholding grace that should be freely given because it's been given to me.

#6)

³⁰ I went past the field of the sluggard,
past the vineyard of the man who lacks judgment;

³¹ thorns had come up everywhere,
the ground was covered with weeds,
and the stone wall was in ruins.

³² I applied my heart to what I observed
and learned a lesson from what I saw:

³³ A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest-

³⁴ and poverty will come on you like a bandit
and scarcity like an armed man.

Proverbs 22:16-29

Proverbs 22:17-24:22 are the "thirty of the sayings of the wise". Because of this, I'm going to # them for you and post the entire passage. I'll comment here and there.

Sayings of the Wise

¹⁷ Pay attention and listen to the sayings of the wise;
apply your heart to what I teach,

¹⁸ for it is pleasing when you keep them in your heart
and have all of them ready on your lips.

¹⁹ So that your trust may be in the LORD,
I teach you today, even you.

²⁰ Have I not written thirty sayings for you,
sayings of counsel and knowledge,

²¹ teaching you true and reliable words,
so that you can give sound answers
to him who sent you?

I love this intro...it really does show that we need to memorize these wise words and know them enough to say them in a moment's notice!

^{#1) 22} Do not exploit the poor because they are poor
and do not crush the needy in court,

²³ for the LORD will take up their case
and will plunder those who plunder them.

^{#2) 24} Do not make friends with a hot-tempered man,
do not associate with one easily angered,

²⁵ or you may learn his ways
and get yourself ensnared.

This is so true! And since I consider myself a hot-tempered man, I am trying to humble myself before the Lord so He can change me. I don't want my children to learn my ways and get ensnared.

^{#3) 26} Do not be a man who strikes hands in pledge
or puts up security for debts;

²⁷ if you lack the means to pay,
your very bed will be snatched from under you.

It's such a hard concept: If you don't have the money, don't buy it.

^{#4) 28} Do not move an ancient boundary stone
set up by your forefathers.

^{#5) 29} Do you see a man skilled in his work?
He will serve before kings;
he will not serve before obscure men.

Proverbs 22:1-16

¹ A good name is more desirable than great riches;
to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.

I guess because the assumption is that man will gossip about us, so they might as well same something good.

⁶ Train a child in the way he should go,
and when he is old he will not turn from it.

Parents need to know this on the tough days.

¹⁰ Drive out the mocker, and out goes strife;
quarrels and insults are ended.

There always seems to be that one person in the family or group of friends who just has to stir things up, doesn't there?

¹¹ He who loves a pure heart and whose speech is gracious
will have the king for his friend.

"Speech is gracious"-what a beautiful thing to have.

¹⁴ The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit;
he who is under the LORD's wrath will fall into it.

Oh, I pray for faithfulness in marriages.

¹⁵ Folly is bound up in the heart of a child,
but the rod of discipline will drive it far from him.

All you have to do is be around an 18 month old (or younger) to understand that we are sinners from birth, right?

Proverbs 21

³ To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.

I've caught myself many times lately telling Timothy, "I'm glad you're apologizing, but what I want is for you to obey the first time!"

⁴ Haughty eyes and a proud heart, the lamp of the wicked, are sin!

Webster's definition of haughty is blatantly & disdainfully prideful. When I think of "wicked", I think of witches and dark things you see on Halloween. Pride isn't the first thing that pops into my head!

⁵ The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.

Oh, that's an interesting contrast. Diligence vs haste.

²¹ He who pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity,^c]"> and honor.

Matthew 6:33, right? But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

²³ He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity.

I guess the flip coin of that is whoever does NOT guard his mouth or tongue DOES NOT keep himself from calamity.

²⁹ A wicked man puts up a bold front, but an upright man gives thought to his ways.

Isn't this ironic? We think that if we can be really bold and confident in our sinning that it justifies it. And again, I love that an upright man actually considers what he is doing.

³⁰ There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the LORD.

Awesome!

Proverbs 20

⁶ Many a man claims to have unfailing love,
but a faithful man who can find?

Let's make sure we read "man" in a gender neutral sense.

¹⁹ A gossip betrays a confidence;
so avoid a man who talks too much.

As I'm going through the Proverbs I'm realizing that A) I'm a gossip B) That I really don't know what to do in settings where I'm listening to someone else say something about someone else. Do any of you have some suggestions of ways to kindly diffuse gossip? I would love all the tips I can get.

²² Do not say, "I'll pay you back for this wrong!"
Wait for the LORD, and he will deliver you.

This reminded me of Romans 12:19-20. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head." And that is quoting Proverbs 25:21-22.

²⁴ A man's steps are directed by the LORD.
How then can anyone understand his own way?

And why do we so desperately feel like we need to?

Proverbs 19

² It is not good to have zeal without knowledge,
nor to be hasty and miss the way.

If you know me in real life you, know I tend to be a very excitable person! But excitement is not enough.

³ A man's own folly ruins his life,
yet his heart rages against the LORD.

For some reason I've thought of "folly" as more harmless than it is. I've known it's a bad thing, but I've thought of it as a description of someone who in an air-headed way gets themselves in trouble. But this verse is the opposite of that! It says that the heart of someone with folly RAGES against the Lord. Rages!

¹¹ A man's wisdom gives him patience;
it is to his glory to overlook an offense.

I know I've said this before, but I almost think that those who are wise would have little patience for those who aren't. Yes, one of the beautiful gifts of wisdom is patience.

¹⁵ Laziness brings on deep sleep,
and the shiftless man goes hungry.

I have to confess (I've been doing that a lot in the Proverbs!) that I find myself suddenly tired when there is work to be done that I don't want to do.

¹⁸ Discipline your son, for in that there is hope;
do not be a willing party to his death.

Long before I was ever even married, I was given wonderful advice by a wise mother of teenagers. She said, "We moms always love our children, but sometimes we are tough because we want other people to love them as well." My children are very strong-willed, and I can see that if they were left up to themselves, they would have a very rough road ahead. I continue to set limits and instruct because I want them to have a chance to make it!

¹⁹ A hot-tempered man must pay the penalty;
if you rescue him, you will have to do it again.

Hello, codependency!

²⁰ Listen to advice and accept instruction,
and in the end you will be wise.

Another way to be wise.

²⁴ The sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
he will not even bring it back to his mouth!

I have skipped meals out of being too lazy to have to cook something. That is definitely being a sluggard.

Proverbs 18

² A fool finds no pleasure in understanding
but delights in airing his own opinions.

I admit that I need to spend less energy on spouting my opinions and more energy trying to understand where others are coming from.

⁶ A fool's lips bring him strife,
and his mouth invites a beating.

⁷ A fool's mouth is his undoing,
and his lips are a snare to his soul.

Sometimes I just ask for it-figuratively and literally.

⁹ One who is slack in his work
is brother to one who destroys.

I tend to be lazy, and God has been growing me in this area for many years.

¹⁰ The name of the LORD is a strong tower;
the righteous run to it and are safe.

Click here to hear this song (for free) and read the lyrics. It's not just enough to know the Lord is a strong tower. We must also realize we have to RUN to Him. It is not righteous to believe we can do it on our own. Our righteousness comes from the safety of him.

¹³ He who answers before listening—
that is his folly and his shame.

How many countless times have I cut someone off who was talking!!!! Oh, it is shameful.

²² He who finds a wife finds what is good
and receives favor from the LORD.

What truth! :)

Proverbs 17

Verse 3-The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the LORD tests the heart. What a picture of the refining process!

Verse 6-Children's children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children. The second part is so interesting since I'm in that stage of life where so often parents take pride in the accomplishments of their children. Will my children be able to say this about me?

Verse 10-A rebuke impresses a man of discernment more than a hundred lashes a fool. Sometimes I feel like I'm beating my head against a wall to make some people understand things. This verse explains it!

Verse 12-Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool in his folly. If I hadn't read it, I wouldn't believe it. I really don't take "a fool in his folly" as seriously as I should.

Verse 15-Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent—the LORD detests them both. And yet he knew both would happen with Barabbas and Jesus.

Verse 16-Of what use is money in the hand of a fool, since he has no desire to get wisdom? I have to confess that if I was offered a bunch of money, I don't know that I would ask for wisdom. That's hard to admit about myself.

Verse 24-A discerning man keeps wisdom in view, but a fool's eyes wander to the ends of the earth. Sometimes I'm interested in everything in the world but what I should be interested in!

Verse 27-A man of knowledge uses words with restraint, and a man of understanding is even-tempered. It's ironic because whenever I have the tiniest amount of knowledge I have a tendency to think I'm expert enough to talk incessantly. But this scripture says the opposite.

And fits perfectly with this verse...

Verse 28 Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue.