Proverbs 15

I was asked a great question this week about the Proverbs.  Are we supposed to do all the things that the Proverbs teaches?  In other words, some of the recommendations that Proverbs makes seem wrong or foolish.  Are we supposed to put them into practice?  The Proverbs are observations and truisms about life.  Sometimes we put them into practice.  Verse 1 is an example of this.  If we want to calm people down and settle a dispute, nothing is better than a gentle answer.  We’ve all seen this.  If someone will reply in a soft voice, they can calm the angriest of people.  Other Proverbs don’t require direct action from us, they are simply observations about life or God.  Verse 11 is an example of this kind of Proverb.  It reminds us that God knows our hearts, the good, bad, and ugly.  This kind of Proverb may cause us to make changes in our life, but no recommendations are directly given.  We simply obey what God’s Spirit is leading us to do.   Still other Proverbs are observations that we are not supposed to practice.  Verse 12 is an example.  Obviously the wise person will live contrary to the mocker.  Verses like this also help us to discern people’s character.  If you have a friend who resents correction, keep your distance, they are a mocker.  You don’t have to read many chapters of Proverbs to realize that the way of the mocker is filled with pain.  

I hope this helps on your Qwest for Wisdom.

Proverbs 13

The Proverbs give us a great deal of wisdom in raising our children.  Verse 24 is an obvious example of that.  I never thought of a parent who doesn’t discipline their child as a parent who hates, but it’s true.  The ultimate act of selfishness is to set your child up for failure by failing to discipline them.  They will struggle their entire lives with authority.  

We’ve all seen the fulfillment of verse 20 in kids as well as adults.  Praying that our kids find wise friends who have wise parents is one of the best prayers we can pray.  Even if our child lacks wisdom, they will grow wiser by walking with the right friends.

Father, help us to be wise parents who raise wise children.

Proverbs 12

The difference between being a person of knowledge and a person of stupidity is how we receive correction.  The word discipline in verse 1 could be translated correction or chastisement.  Those who receive correction gain a hunger for knowledge, those who don’t stay in the dark.  We see this in our church.  The people who have listened to a rebuke, repented of their sin, and found healing for their brokenness are the ones who are the most hungry for God and for knowledge.  When someone confronts you, are you an open book, a listening ear, or do you have your fists up ready to fight?

Verse 15 has a similar thought.  In addition to being stupid, we also learn that those who close their ears to others are fools.  Wow, what a contrast.  Today, I can be a stupid fool or a wise man full of knowledge, all depending on how I listen to others advise and counsel.  

Father, please give us the humility and openness to receive the advise and rebuke of a friend.  Thank you for honest friends.

Proverbs 11

One of the words that you see often in the Proverbs, especially in contrast with wickedness, is the word righteousness.  There are few things that are important to understand about righteousness.  First of all, if you have trusted Jesus as your Savior, you are righteous.  2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”  In God’s eyes, you are forgiven, clean, holy, and righteous.  He doesn’t see sinful Troy Knight.  He chooses to see me through the blood of Jesus.  We are righteous!  Thank God!

However, though we are righteous, we still live in a sinful body and a sinful world.  Every day we are tempted to do wicked things.  Therefore we need and depend on God’s Spirit to help us live righteously.  Proverbs 11 gives us the motivation and desire to live righteously.  The blessings of living righteously are astounding.  Righteousness makes a straight way for us (v.5), delivers us (v.6), rescues us from trouble (v.8), gives us the knowledge to escape destruction (v.9), cause the city to rejoice (v.10 & 11)... You get the idea.  When we see the big picture, the blessings of living righteously and the pain of wickedness,  it makes doing the right thing seem like a no-brainer.

Proverbs 10

Today we start the individual Proverbs of Solomon.  They are shorter sayings full of wisdom and truth.  Remember what we said last month, quality is more important than quantity.  It’s better to meditate on an individual Proverb and put it into practice than read the whole chapter and forget what you read.  Take your time and have a conversation today about one of the verses.  Let’s start the conversation now.  What is your favorite verse or verses from Chapter 10?  Why is it significant for you right now?  How do you plan on “putting it into practice” in your life today?

Proverbs 9

I think we all start out simple.  By the way, when Proverbs refers to the simple, its not a compliment.  It means simple-minded, naïve, easily fooled.  Two different voices call, both cry out from “the highest point of the city” (v.3 & 14)  One voice is wisdom.  She has set her table and prepared a great meal for us to eat.  Those who eat her food and drink her drink will be blessed beyond measure.  The other voice is Folly.  Her food also taste good, at least for a season.  But the meal is a short one, because her guests end up “in the depths of the grave” (v.18).

I would love to hear your thoughts on the subject of today’s message.  Did you realize how many blessings were associated with the Fear of the Lord?  What changes are you going to make in your life to live in the Fear of the Lord?