Proverbs 28:2

The book of Proverbs gives us insights into so many different areas of life. The book gives us instruction on how to live our lives for God. Here is a proverb that gives us insight about leadership:

Proverbs 28:2 (ESV)

When a land transgresses, it has many rulers,

but with a man of understanding and knowledge,

its stability will long continue.

Proverbs 28:12

When the righteous triumph, there is great glory,

but when the wicked rise, people hide themselves.

Proverbs 28:15

Like a roaring lion or a charging bear

is a wicked ruler over a poor people.

Proverbs 28:28

When the wicked rise, people hide themselves,

but when they perish, the righteous increase.

Healthy Leadership for mankind has a Healthy Relationship with God. 

When we read leadership books we seldom, if ever, if ever hear about the relationship of good leadership to Godliness.   People who are greedy, self-seeking, promotion driven, and/or power hungry are not good leaders.  They think they are.  They are also given leadership positions.   We actually assess leaders with assessment that measure their acumen for drive, structure and analysis.  These assessments are not wrong, but they would not pass the test Solomon has laid out for us in the above proverbs.   As we read the above proverbs (and these are the ones out of chapter 28 ONLY), it is evident that Solomon draws a strong and bold line between leadership and righteousness.   There are many ways to define leadership.  Not one leadership guru defines it the same.  But, Solomon is crystal clear:  Great leaders are righteous and that righteousness produces understanding and wisdom and that makes for happy and healthy followers.  When a “man” of understanding (another word in Solomon’s vocabulary for Godliness) is leading, good things happen around him.   If we want to be good leaders we must find a way to connect our leading with our following God.   We can’t expect to lead men if we aren’t following hard after God.  

However, when sin is allowed to reign in the land (organization, country, family) factions develop! Sin, unchecked, causes splits in leadership. On the other hand, when someone is ruling with justice and mercy through, Bibilical knowledge and Godly understanding, the land endures - the orgainization is stable, the country is prosperous and the family sound. When sin is ignored you will see a split and lack of harmony. When justice is part of leadership than stability in the leadership is demonstrated. It is quite easy to identify poor practices of organizations or governments when there is divisions among the people; especially in leadership.  If you are part of leadership and you have divisions this proverb would challenge your resolve and commitment to deal with "transgressions" (sins). When we deal with sin we have harmony and only then.

After reading all these proverbs written by Solomon you would have to come to the conclusion that Solomon understood leadership.   What you would also read is that the thing that really sets one leader apart from another leader is righteousness.  Whether the proverb is telling us to be righteous or to act in a righteous manner in our dealings with those around us.  We wouldn’t read that in most leadership books.   If we want to lead and connect with others we must first follow and connect with God and His righteousness.  

Proverbs 27:10

The book of Proverbs gives us insights into so many different areas of life. The book gives us instruction on how to live our lives for God. Here is a proverb that gives us insight about friendships:

Proverbs 27:10 (ESV)

Do not forsake your friend and your father's friend,

and do not go to your brother's house in the day of your calamity.

Better is a neighbor who is near

than a brother who is far away.

Having a friend is an important aspect of our lives.   So much so that Solomon stresses that we not only make sure we keep our "personal" friends but that we also don't forsake the a friend that has been part of your family.   Having a personal friend you can trust and who knows you, allows you to navigate through life's journey.    Imagine having someone who was also an established friend of your father.   One who knows both the family secrets but also the family potential.  He knows you because he knew dad.     But, when we do need help we should be careful who we ask.   Solomon tells us that it is better to go to our neighbor than to a brother.  Family is not always better than a friend.    Sometimes a friend who is close is better than a brother who is far away.   Solomon is expressing to us the value of true friendship.   Solomon’s wisdom in this proverb: 1) Don't forsake your one friend.  2) Don't forsake long established friends.  3) Don't always burden your family in times of calamity.  4) A friend near is better than family far.

Proverbs 26:21

The book of Proverbs gives us insights into so many different areas of life. The book gives us instruction on how to live our lives for God. Here is a proverb that gives us insight about people who wallow in conflict:

Proverbs 26:21 (ESV)

As charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire,

so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.

Some people are natural at starting fires.  They are simply contentious individuals who, like wood to fire, keep things stirring.  Our modern-day phrase might be "pot-stirers". In the previous proverb Solomon tells us what to do about these type of people:

Proverbs 26:20

For lack of wood the fire goes out,

And where there is no whisperer, contention quiets down.

You can't correct a contentious person. At least not readily or easily. The best thing to stop a fire is remove, or at least, separate wood from other wood.  That is why Solomon tells us to go up in a roof if we are with a contentious women (21:9).  Separation from the contentious person can allow the fire to cool. We all want to "convince" the contentious but we should focus on allowing them to "cool" before we engage.  If not we will might get burnt by hot coals.  Note this earlier proverb from Solomon on the same subject:

Proverbs 15:18

A hot-tempered man stirs up strife,

but he who is slow to anger quiets contention.

If you want the fire to go out you have to pull the logs from the fire.  If you want peace you have to pull the contentious man from the strife.   If you try to appease him you allow him to stay in the fire and to keep the heat going.  Pull the logs away by separation and the fire goes down, if not out.

Proverbs 25:1

The book of Proverbs gives us insights into so many different areas of life. The book gives us instruction on how to live our lives for God. Here is a proverb that gives us insight about the Proverbs:

Proverbs 25:1 (ESV)

These also are proverbs of Solomon which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied.

Apparently Solomon had some proverbs that he composed that weren't originally put into "Proverbs."   So, this "proverb" acts as an introduction to these "copied out" writings.   It would be hard pressed to say this verse is a proverb but it does provide some valuable teaching for us.  Obviously the implied teaching in this verse is that there were some proverbs which "Hezekiah, King of Judah, did not copy and add to the book of Proverbs.  Some might suggest that there are additional "inspired" pieces of God's Word floating around someplace.   But true belief in the sovereign acts of God in preserving His Word, would tell us that if those proverbs Solomon wrote were inspired they should be part of the canon of Scripture.    Another implied truth is that Solomon must have written some proverbs that weren't inspired.   It is important to know this distinction.  God has preserved what is His Word and has kept out of the Scriptures what is not His Word.   Everything the writers of Scripture wrote is not inspired.  But, everything the wrote that is inspired we have in our Bible.   Let's rejoice that some men, in this case, men who were appointed by Hezekiah, copied out God's Word.   Let's also rejoice that these men were prevented from copying and transcribing material that wasn't God's Word.

Proverbs 24:30-34

The book of Proverbs gives us insights into so many different areas of life. The book gives us instruction on how to live our lives for God. Here is a proverb that gives us insight about the sluggard: 

Proverbs 24:30-34 (ESV Strong's)

30 I passed by the field of a sluggard,

by the vineyard of a man lacking sense,

31 and behold, it was all overgrown with thorns;

the ground was covered with nettles,

and its stone wall was broken down.

32 Then I saw and considered it;

I looked and received instruction.

33 A little sleep, a little slumber,

a little folding of the hands to rest,

34 and poverty will come upon you like a robber,

and want like an armed man.

A Lazy Man Gets Robbed 

In the above proverb, Solomon is trying to tell the reader that laziness, in the end, will leave you with nothing,   He observes a field that is apparently owned by a sluggard.   This person has in front of them a field that contains a vineyard.  It should be noted that in Biblical days this would be a blessing for anyone.  To have both the land and the opportunity would have made this a wealthy person.  But, this person’s opportunity soon became a witness to their lazy approach to life.   Rather than till the land they decided to take a nap instead.   The result is that this laziness robbed them of the very riches they could have had.   There are a lot of people who have opportunity in front of them.  But, they would rather sit on the couch than avail themselves of riches that comes from hard work and diligence.   God gives us opportunity to harvest what is in front of us.  But, those who are lazy would rather sleep and fold their hands in rest.   Laziness is a thief that steals the riches that are available to us.  Most lazy people would rather have what others own than to go out and work for what they themselves could have.   A lazy man gets robbed by himself. 

Proverbs 23:1-5

The book of Proverbs gives us insights into so many different areas of life. The book gives us instruction on how to live our lives for God. Here is a proverb that gives us insight about leadership and their deception:

Proverbs 23:1-5 (ESV)

When you sit down to eat with a ruler,

observe carefully what is before you,

and put a knife to your throat

if you are given to appetite.

Do not desire his delicacies,

for they are deceptive food.

Do not toil to acquire wealth;

be discerning enough to desist.

When your eyes light on it, it is gone,

for suddenly it sprouts wings,

flying like an eagle toward heaven.

We like to be around wealthy and powerful people.  We like to seat around their table and partake of there food, entertainment, fellowship and, we think, friendship.   Solomon knows our hearts, however.  He knows that when we sit with them it is not for the purpose of giving.  It is for the purpose of receiving.  We don't wish to add to their wealth with our visit, but rather add to ours.    The first five verses of this chapter should be read in unison and hinged together.   You could consider them separately, but in reality Solomon is telling us that our hearts are bing lead astray if we sit with rulers and have an eye for wealth either with them or through their provisions.   Our desire for food and wealth (used here as metaphors for folly) shows the deception of our hearts, the rulers real purpose for allowing you to sit at his table and the deceptive nature of food and wealth.   We only want something from rulers; rulers really only want something from us; and, food and wealth are deceptive by offering satisfaction only to be later useless and temporary.   When we engage with people of means we need to guarded that our members (lust for things) are used as instruments of unrighteousness (Romans 6-7).  Only Christ can guard us against these desires and ultimately satisfy us.

Proverbs 22:8

The book of Proverbs gives us insights into so many different areas of life. The book gives us instruction on how to live our lives for God. Here is a proverb that gives us insight about 

Proverbs 22:8 (ESV)

Whoever sows injustice will reap calamity,

and the rod of his fury will fail.

Solomon's wisdom was given to him by God.   So, when we read something written by Solomon we need to realize the vast depth of his writings.  Though mere words they carry insights deeper than we can imagine. In the above proverb we have a psychological dissection of the inner man and how he works ... in his sin.  Solomon shows a complete correlation between sin (sowing injustice) and anger.    Yes, Paul told us we could be angry "without" sin (Ephesians 4:26), but that is for righteous anger, not human, flesh anger.   Solomon also shows us a correlation between the sowing of sin and producing of anger.   The interchanging of these symptoms (?) or actions or fruits gives us much insight into how to "change" problems.  Anger flows from a life of sin.   People who live in sin and who refuse to repent are destined to produce an empty life and a life that has the fruit of anger.   That anger, will eventually, says Solomon, be quenched by the life of emptiness. If we were to paraphrase this proverb we might say it this way: He who sows sin will reap emptiness and all that anger will soon perish with the one who sows sin.    A reader of Solomon’s words might say it this way: A life of unconfessed sin produces shame ... shame will eventually produce an angry soul ... an angry soul will eventually be evident by a life that seems empty and full of nothing ... because it is.

James 1:20 (ESV)

for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

Proverbs 21:30

The book of Proverbs gives us insights into so many different areas of life. The book gives us instruction on how to live our lives for God. Here is a proverb that gives us insight: 

Proverbs 21:30 (ESV)

No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel

can avail against the LORD.

There are several points and applications that can be drawn from this proverb.   To think that there are some who believe they can outthink God, or outsmart God, or out-know God is humorous, if it were not so sad.   Here are some lessons from the verse:

1.  Wisdom, understanding and counsel are a gift from God (See Proverbs 1:3-5).  Yet, those gifts still are but a shadow of God's wisdom, understanding and counsel.  Even though they are a gift of God they cannot stand against The Lord.   

2.  Men who begin their arguments, thoughts, or presentations based upon God's Word will not be foolish before men and will never be outdone by man's argument (even though men might think them foolish).  You can be assured that when you follow God's Word that the thoughts of man will still be lost before God's messenger.  You can think Daniel, Jeremiah or Paul as an example of this truth. Mankind may say you are foolish. Mankind may believe you are foolish.   But, wisdom and counsel from God’s Word can never be outdone by man’s foolish minds (1 Corinthians 2). 

3. Men, no matter how powerful, how politically correct, or how connected in life, or backed by the world's system will never stand before God and God's people.   Men tend to think they know better and yet, no matter how educated, they fail to realize that God and His Word trump them every time.

Proverbs 20:30

The book of Proverbs gives us insights into so many different areas of life. The book gives us instruction on how to live our lives for God. Here is a proverb that gives us insight about discipline:

Proverbs 20:30 (ESV)

Blows that wound cleanse away evil;

strokes make clean the innermost parts.

It is not fun to be disciplined, but this proverb tells us that outward discipline will correct an inward problem. Hebrews 12:11 tells us that no discipline seems good at the time, as it is affecting the outward parts of our life. 

Hebrews 12:11 (ESV)

For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

But afterward it produces an inward change characterized by righteousness. The above proverb tells us that same thing. Some people need extreme discipline. Some need stronger "blows." This verse isn't telling us to "beat" someone, but that harsh, outward discipline, is sometimes needed to cleanse the inward issues. We are not always aware of how hard discipline can reach the innermost parts.   We only see the emotional bruise it causes.   Sometimes God has to use extreme tools to reach the inner heart.  Yet, we don't like to see the pain of discipline.  We don't want our children, our family, our friends, our nation to experience pain.  We are a "comfort" driven society.   We get upset when we have to wait in traffic (such an inconvenience).   We don't like to wait in line at the coffee shop (how rude that these people are in front of me).   But, above, God warns us through the pen of Solomon.   Don't try to rescue when God is disciplining your children, your family, your friends, or  your nation.   Sometimes the pain they are experiencing is necessary to see the fruit they should be producing.   In the end, the fruit of discipline produces a the fruit of righteousness.

Proverbs 19:2

The book of Proverbs gives us insights into so many different areas of life. The book gives us instruction on how to live our lives for God. Here is a proverb that gives us insight about thinking before you move:

Proverbs 19:2 (ESV)

Desire without knowledge is not good,

and whoever makes haste with his feet misses his way.

It is not difficult to grasp the meaning of this proverb. We live in a society where Satan has convinced us that "thought" is not required for most things and "discernment" is for those who spend too much time in analaysis. We actual say great leaders are able to "think on their feet" and "paralyses by analyses" is bad. Don't get me wrong, there is room in the believers life for quick and diliberate decisions. But taking time to discern and to gather appropriate knowledge is in the wheel house of the wise. God wants us to discern (the entire book of Proverbs is about "discernment" - Proverbs 1). He wants us to avoid quick and rash decisions. Great leaders plan and gather data and make sure they are not making rash and uninformed decisions. When you make quick and uninformed decisions we will make errors in our steps. When we fail to see the end of the things we find ourselves in the same situation as the man in Proverbs 7 ... going astray as an ox goes to the slaughter. In Proverbs 5:6 we learned that when we fail to ponder we fail to know. Fail to ponder, prepare to wander.   In the above proverb we learn that if we fail to know we fail to go ... safely. Take time today to avoid rash decisions and use discernment.

We are in such a hurry in this life.   We want what we want fast.   We seldom see people take the necessary time to develop, learn, train, explore or practice before they want to achieve and succeed.   In the above proverb we see Solomon address this issue.   He tells us that "it is not good" to be without knowledge.   He uses the word "good" in this proverb which is used over 300 times in the Bible.   It means to be pleasant or agreeable.   So, what he is telling us is that when we don't have the knowledge we need for something we will run into a disagreeable path.   In the second line (synonymous with the first) we read, in one version, that to rush into something will err.   The word "err" means to "miss." The Theological definition and Biblical definition of sin is to miss the mark.   So, to hurry your steps is to miss the mark, or, to sin.   Knowledge, in Proverbs is referred to as wisdom, discernment, and/or prudence (See Proverbs 1:5-7 ... these words are used interchangeable in this text).   When we have knowledge we have Christ.   Without Christ we have no knowledge and we rush our steps.    Without knowledge (Christ) we err or sin.

Proverbs 18:13

The book of Proverbs gives us insights into so many different areas of life. The book gives us instruction on how to live our lives for God. Here is a proverb that gives us insight into how to answer someone: 

Proverbs 18:13 (NASBStr)

He who gives an answer before he hears,

It is folly and shame to him.

Proverbs 18:13 (KJV)

He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.

Proverbs 18:13 (ESV)

If one gives an answer before he hears,

it is his folly and shame.

It is very tempting to tell people what you think, or to answer a question before you actually know all the facets.  That is the plight of every extrovert on the earth.   We love to talk before we think.   When someone with "sage-like" qualities speaks profoundly on a subject they have been asked about, the above proverb can often play into his eloquence.   Solomon is warning us about the plight of those who are asked a question and, rather than think it over and investigate it, simply respond, often without fact or historical context.  Solomon must have learned this wisdom from God by his experiences.  People came from all of the world to seek his wisdom.  They would come baring many gifts.  He would be expected to tell them something wise and profound.  Think of the pressure on him.   He had learned, apparently, that these answers weren't wise if he didn't have the information.   That meant he was not wise, but a fool.   It is unwise and shameful to answer something until you hear all the facts.   Note what Solomon has already said:

Proverbs 17:27-28 (NASBStr)

He who restrains his words has knowledge,

And he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.

 Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is considered wise;

When he closes his lips, he is considered prudent.

Silence is often misunderstood in our society.  It shows lack of "depth" or "lacking the ability to think on your feet" or "disinterested or dull."   But, speaking for the sake of speaking and pontificating just to pontificate is not wise.   It is better to be silent until you hear the whole thing than to talk and respond with half knowledge. It shows you have half wise ... but a whole fool.

Proverbs 17:5

The book of Proverbs gives us insights into so many different areas of life. The book gives us instruction on how to live our lives for God. Here is a proverb that gives us insight about how we treat those in calamity:

Proverbs 17:5 (ESV)

Whoever mocks the poor insults his Maker;

he who is glad at calamity will not go unpunished.

What do you think of someone who is poor, destitute, out of a job and, it is all their own fault?   We have seen them on the corner of the street, holding a sign, asking for money.   We see them on the sidewalk of a large city, trying to stay warm.  We don't want to give them money because we "know" they will simply spend it on booze, drugs, or on gambling.   We may not openly "mock" them, as the above proverb states and we may not "rejoice" at their "calamity," but we do not look at them in mercy and grace.    Solomon, no doubt, had many "beggars" on the streets of Jerusalem.    It would be easy to dismiss all the poor as deserving their station in life.  There are certainly many poor who are poor due their own foolishness.  It is hard to have compassion on them ... even though we were once poor in spirit and God had compassion on us and showered us with blessings.   Solomon is warning us about our attitude toward the poor.   Their calamity has caused them to lose everything.  Yet, we are not to mock them or rejoice in such calamity.  Imagine if you saw a man on the street, full of disease, who had lost everything.   You might think he is an unholy man, deserving the pain and suffering he is experiencing.   What if someone told you his name was, Job?!  Would that change how you felt?   Job was a man who lost everything and was sitting on the side of the road.   Yet, he was there because God allowed him to be put there.   Everything Job had was taken away.   Imagine walking by him on the street ... would you be the one who gave him something, or would you be the one who walked by and laughed?  That is what this proverb is about.

It is so important when reading Hebrew poetry and the aspect of parallelism (see notes of the blog). The first line is quite clear as to meaning but even more pregnant with meaning when you read the second line to bring out that meaning. To make fun of the poor is the same as making fun of God who allows the poor to be poor. God creates wealth. He creates non-wealth. But, the second line adds more meaning. Our mocking of the poor is in parallel with "rejoicing at calamity" and the "taunts his Maker" is in parallel with "not go unpunished." So, the seriousness of the first line and mocking the poor is the same as rejoicing in someone's calamity and taunting your maker is the same as the second line of receiving punishment. God takes seriously the stations of life. He designs where we are. Yes, He uses our own foolishness, or the wisdom He gives us, to allow our stations to develop, but God is in charge. Make no mistake about it. He doesn't expect us to mock those He has put there. When we do we are not seeing rejoicing in His sovereign rule. Don't taunt the poor.

Proverbs 16:31

The book of Proverbs gives us insights into so many different areas of life. The book gives us instruction on how to live our lives for God. Here is a proverb that gives us insight about wisdom and age:

Proverbs 16:31 (ESV)

Gray hair is a crown of glory;

it is gained in a righteous life.

In the above proverb we see Solomon instructing us about who is wise.   In chapter seven of this book we were told what a naive person looks like.   It took the whole chapter to tell us that sordid story.   It only takes one verse for Solomon to describe a wise person.  However, if you only read the first line you would think that wisdom comes with age.   That is a popular belief in the world today.   Even the young counselor to Job, Elihu, thought old age was equated with wisdom (Job 32:6) (Yet, he should have listened to what the other three men were saying).  This is a foolish mistake.   What Solomon tells us, however, if you read both lines, is that the old age has been accompanied and directed by faith in the way of righteousness.   Gray heads MUST be coupled with Godly heads and hearts.   You can't think like the world, simply get old and claim wisdom.  Wisdom begins with the fear of The Lord, at any age.  You can claim great things and knowledge of great things.   But old age can't simply claim wisdom by accumulating days, which produces gray hair but not one ounce of wisdom.   Wisdom comes from the knowing the Fear of The Lord.  That is true at any age.  And will be ever true for ages to come.   If we are, by God's grace, fortunate to grow old, we can only claim wisdom if we do so with the Fear of The Lord.