Proverbs 5:8

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 avoiding temptation:

Proverbs 5:8 (ESV)

Keep your way far from her,

and do not go near the door of her house,

In the first chapters of Proverbs the "adulterous" is a picture of folly and foolishness. However, it is also a a real warning about the sin and dangers of adultery. The warning we have here is to stay away from any thing that may attempt to compromise your values. It is a warning to stay away from something that will take you away from Wisdom (Christ). We don't really think in the way this verse speaks. In our society, today, most believers, and certainly unbelievers, try to get as close as they can to sin. We actually try to play with it and we try to mix with it. But Solomon's warning is to stay away from sin. Sin is to be avoided. We are to not even go near its door. Keep away from her and her house. So, we are to stay away from the person and the passage (the thing that carries or stores the sin or portrays sin.). The above proverb is Solomon’s directive in the midst of the adulterous temptation.   Notice that he leaves no room for compromise. He does not want us to explore it.  He does not want us to investigate it.   He does not want us ignore it.  He wants us to keep “far from her.”  We are not even supposed to go “near” her door.   Staying away from her house is the only way to avoid sin’s charms ... personified by the picture of adultery.   Staying close to sin will hurt you.  Being far from sin will keep your way safe.  That is Solomon’s message.  One way to do this is to “guard” the “entrances” for sin.  Sin likes to enter via our eye-gate, our ear-gate, our mind-gate.   Jesus told the disciples that if their “eye” offended them to “pluck it out:”

Matthew 5:29 (ESV)

If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell.

We are not to play close to sin.  We are to stand guard over the entrances of our lives and make sure sin cannot sneak into our lives and bring certain destruction.  

Proverbs 4:4

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 remembering what we learned:

Proverbs 4:3 (ESV)

When I was a son with my father,

tender, the only one in the sight of my mother,

Children ought to be tender in our sight. In this proverb Solomon is going back to his youth. He remembers the time when his father, David, king of Israel, would sit him on his lap and give him instructions. He is recalling how precious he was to his mother, Bathsheba. It must've been a great memory to him, and it must've been the basis for the teaching and studies he is providing us. Yet, if you look at his history you will note that not everything in his past was what it should've been. His mother, Bathsheba, is the one who had an affair with King David.  To be honest toward Bathsheba, it was probably David that forced her into the relationship. But nevertheless, many in Israel, at the time, may not have seen Bathsheba and therefore Solomon, in the same light as we do today. Solomon was a child born after David had Bathsheba’s husband killed and after the child born out of that affair had died in infancy.  Solomon's mother may have had some real issues in her life as a result of her past with King David. She had baggage. Yet Solomon only recalls the tenderness of his youth. He only recalls how special he was to his mother and to his father. All of us have baggage, or, so the saying goes. It is so important that we don't transfer that baggage to our children. The memories that our children have, as they grow up, ought to be like that of Solomon.  Solomon knew just enough about his mother and father's past to weave it carefully and comfortably into his teaching. (We should note that throughout the book of Proverbs, Solomon uses adultery as a metaphor for folly vs wisdom.  Ironic he would do that, have come about from the adultery of David and Bathsheba.) 

Solomon didn't grow up having to live their past: To be burdened with it. Let's make sure that our children grow up with a tender past and not anchored by those events that we regret and must bare as a burden. Our past should not complicate our children's present lives. It should propel them like it did Solomon; to become great teachers of the lessons we can give them through the past pain and suffering. We should not ignore the past!  But we can pass on to our children the things that we have learned and experienced so that those truths might be the bedrock of their own future.  King David and Queen Bathsheba learned valuable lessons during those times. They made sure that Solomon learned them in a tender way that he might pass them onto us in an inspiring way.

Proverbs 3:5

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 trusting our own ideas and thoughts about things:

Proverbs 3:5 (ESV)

Trust in the LORD with all your heart,

and do not lean on your own understanding.

We all think we know so much about so much. That "knowledge" causes us to attempt to "figure" things out on our own. We think we know the best path to take for careers. We believe we know the best person to marry. We consult "specialist" when it comes to investments. We simply believe we know the best way to the right thing ... for us. Yet, in the above proverb Solomon gives us some sound truth we are to follow. When he says to trust the Lord with all our our heart he doesn't mean with just the "spiritual" aspects of our heart. Solomon is telling us that true wisdom is the type that seeks God's will and God's ways in "all" things. The second line in this proverb stands in stark contrast to the first. We either lean on God for discernment about life or we lean on our own thoughts. There is no middle ground. There is no middle area. We are to trust God fully and lean on Him for discernment and for seeking direction. God knows all things. He knows the way we are to go. He knows who is best to marry. He knows what to invest in. He knows, we don't. Would we seek a surgeon to operate on us who never went to medical school? Then why would seek our own mind on things when God has the knowledge and truth. Seek His understanding and truth ... not our own.

Proverbs 2:3

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 seeking insight and understanding: 

Proverbs 2:3 (ESV)

yes, if you call out for insight

and raise your voice for understanding,

It is interesting that Solomon gives us the formula for wisdom and understanding and includes an attitude of desire. In this proverb he tells us we can have wisdom, but we do have to desire it. He wants us to "cry for" insight and "lift our voice" for understanding. This indicates an active rather than passive approach. James tells us we can have wisdom if we ask for it (James 1).  Daniel asked for wisdom from God, received it and was seen as having much more wisdom than any of his counterparts in the world (Daniel 1). Perhaps the most interesting thing in Scripture about this concept, however, is that, without God's movement in our lives, no one would cry out for God's wisdom, discernment or understanding. God must be the initiator. Only believers, indwelled with the Spirit can "cry out" for insight. That is what Paul writes repeatedly in Romans and 1 Corinthians. God has provided the Wisdom of God through the indwelling Christ through the ministry of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 1). Because of that, believers have their desires changed and can cry out for the fullness of Christ ... which is synonymous with having insight and understanding. God fills us with the mind of Christ which is discernment and understanding. What do we cry out for? Do we cry for material things? Do we cry of safety and security? Do we cry for the fullness of Christ which manifests itself as wisdom, discernment and understanding? Cry out today!!

Proverbs 1:11

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 protecting the weak;

Proverbs 1:11 (NASV)

If they say, “Come with us,

Let us lie in wait for blood,

Let us ambush the innocent without cause;

Proverbs 1:11 (NIV)

If they say, “Come along with us;

let’s lie in wait for someone’s blood,

let’s waylay some harmless soul;

Proverbs 1:11 (ESV)

If they say, “Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood;

let us ambush the innocent without reason;

The bully in life is always looking for ways to hurt the innocent or weak.   It is amazing how much God's Word tells us about the weak and our treatment of them.   What we have in this proverb is Solomon's summary of the evilness of man as they view the weaker men around them.   God tells us to protect those who are innocent and weak.   The world's view is to take advantage of the weak.  You say, "No way!"   Just look at standard business practice.  If a business is weak the competition jumps in to take advantage.   It happens in sports, in families, in churches, as well.   Solomon warns us not to get caught up in that type of attitude.   You may think that this proverb seems more harsh than that, but the spirit of those who are about to attack the "innocent" is the same.   The person has done nothing to you and you are simply gong to lie in wait to hurt them for no reason, other than your advantage.  The world wants us to accept and practice their view.  They cry out to us to join them in their view.   They want us to develop the same philosophy of domination over the weak.   We need to realize the importance God puts on the protecting and helping the weak.   When we respond by faith in the way we treat others we have a way for God to bless us.   God wants us to follow His world view and not man's world view.   When they shout, "Come with us ...", don't respond.  Rather, act in faith to His Word.

Proverbs 31:13

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 about an industrious woman:

Proverbs 31:13 (ESV)

She seeks wool and flax,

and works with willing hands.

In our society today the value of a woman is measured in some ungodly and unhealthy ways.    There is, of course, an extreme amount of emphasis placed on the female body and the outward beauty of the women.   The dollars spent, alone, on appearance and sexuality are staggering.   Little is placed on the intelligence of women today.  In fact, in most circles, the smarter the female the less influence she can have.  If she demonstrates her depth of knowledge she can enter the pool of influence, but often limited to only the shallow end of the waters.   There is even less emphasis placed on the industrialness of the women.   What she can do with her hands is often relegated to a lesser area of life.   Solomon, on the other end, seems to relish the women of industry.   She is rewarded for the work of her hands AND the work of her mind.   Notice in our proverb, above, that she is said to "look" for the wool and the flax and then looks to work it with her hands.   She uses her mind to find the wool; she uses her industrious skills to work it and she incorporates a great attitude of will and skill to do so with delight.   The example she sets for us in regard to virtue is amazing.   God has given her a mind, a heart and a will to accomplish much for God's kingdom.  It is does not appear to be a spiritual act, but it is for us.   We can see what God values.   God equips her and she uses that equipment to honor and glorify God, because that is what He values.  Whatever He values we should value.

Proverbs 30:32-33

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 self exalting:

Proverbs 30:32-33 (ESV)

If you have been foolish, exalting yourself,

or if you have been devising evil,

put your hand on your mouth.

For pressing milk produces curds,

pressing the nose produces blood,

and pressing anger produces strife.

Pride, arrogance and evil imagination are works of foolishness.  They begin in the heart of evil men and result in difficulty. All men are evil in their hearts. If no work is done in their lives to correct and redeem this evilness, it will burst forth. If, we have exalted ourselves or if we have evil thoughts, we should quickly cover our mouth, as to stop the arrogance before it spreads and to prevent the evilness before it breaks out. Foolishness portrays itself in many different ways. Many of the ways evilness shows itself are compounded by the tongue. The mouth is the gateway for the evil heart. Listen to the mouth and the heart will be made known. Close the mouth and slow the heart from proclaiming and, perhaps, practicing its evil.  For further reading look at Mark 7:14-23

Mark 7:14-23

And he called the people to him again and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand: There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.” And when he had entered the house and left the people, his disciples asked him about the parable. And he said to them, “Then are you also without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him, since it enters not his heart but his stomach, and is expelled?” (Thus he declared all foods clean.) And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”

The mouth reveals the heart. If the mouth hurts others it comes from a heart full of hate.   You only have to be around a person for a short time and their lips will reveal their life.  

Proverbs 29:2

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 in government:

Proverbs 29:2 (ESV)

When the righteous increase, the people rejoice,

but when the wicked rule, the people groan.

 It seems appropriate, in light of what happens in our world in regard to politics and leadership, that we look deeper into this proverb. As much as "politics" reject the "Religious Right,” this proverbs is actually played out time and time again in many organizations and business entities across our nation. When righteous people rule there is prosperity that last and the members of those organization and business ventures "rejoice." However, when a wicked person is ruling there may be "profit" but it is at the cost of people. Their groans are heard from Wall Street to Main Street. Solomon's words here were written well before our countries two-party system. He is not concerned with political affiliations as much as deity relations. He knows that a person who loves God and is ruling to glorify God will produce an environment that people can find many things to rejoice about. I do not believe that every person who claims to be on the religious right is righteous. I don’t believe everyone on the “left” is void of faith.   But, I do believe to be right with God is to be righteous and that will always benefit the followers if that is the leaders creed and governance. It will not matter your party affiliation.   You can be any party you want if you want to lead in righteousness.   

Proverbs 28:11

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 wealthy: 

Proverbs 28:11 (ESV)

A rich man is wise in his own eyes,

but a poor man who has understanding will find him out.

Money can distort a man's vision.   It can make them "think" they are wiser than they really are.   People love to run to rich men to ask them for advice.   The assumption is that if they have money they also must have wisdom.   The contrast is also assumed: If we don't have money we are not successful and, therefore, not worthy to ask for wisdom.    But, God's wisdom is not the same as man's logic.   Man's logic fails in the face of Godly truth.   God states that a poor man with discernment can see right through the rich man's facade.  Like the Wizard of Oz  the poor man sees them standing behind the curtain.   The Fear of The Lord produces wisdom and discernment.   The Fear of Money (respect for it and desire for it) produces a false sense of security both in the one who has it and the one who doesn't have it.  Men will constantly look to the rich for their wisdom.   The poor, who have nothing and have come to the point where they realize it, are given Wisdom and Discernment.   It is better to be poor with discernment than wealthy with false wisdom.

Proverbs 27:19

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 how a heart is seen on the face: 

Proverbs 27:19

As water reflects a face, So a man’s heart reflects the man.

Proverbs 27:19 (ESV)

As in water face reflects face,

so the heart of man reflects the man.

 This is a word picture proverb. It is called emblematic Hebrew parallelism.   The picture is of a man who stops by a pool of water and bends down, perhaps to get a drink. As his face draws closer to the pool he begins to see his reflection. No matter how hard he tries he cannot hide the look on his face. The pool, like a mirror, is always accurate. So, too, do we reflect in our face what is really in our hearts. We can’t hide the real feelings we have in our inner being. Just as the pool of water accurately reflects the expression and character of our face, so too does our life reflect the true character of our hearts. The only way you improve on the reflection of the pool is to change the face. And, the only way to change the life we act out is to change the heart. And, the only way to change the heart is to give it to the Chief Heart Surgeon, Jesus Christ. Only Christ can change a life by changing the heart. Give Him your heart and He can make life changes for you.  You can try to hide, smoother, and/or disguise your heart.  But, eventually, the truth of your heart breaks through on the telling of your face.   In the book of Proverbs Solomon is telling us how to avoid folly and to walk, rather, in wisdom.   This proverb does not tell us as much how to walk in that wisdom, as it tells us more about what that will look like.  Someone who has wisdom in their heart will show it on the character of their lives.  Someone, too, who has folly in the heart shows that foolish character in their lives.  Joy in the heart shows up on the face.  Depression in the heart also shows up on the face.   Jesus stated it this way:

Matthew 6:22-23 (ESV)

“The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!

So, our face and our eyes point out the condition of the heart.    We ought to work on the inner part first because the outer part will show us what condition we are truly experiencing in our lives. 

Proverbs 26:4-5

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 to talk to a fool: 

Proverbs 26:4-5 (ESV)

Answer not a fool according to his folly,

lest you be like him yourself.

Answer a fool according to his folly,

lest he be wise in his own eyes.

These two proverbs cause great difficulty in interpretation.   They are, seemingly, intended to be completely opposite.   In verse four we are told not to answer a fool.  In verse five we are told to give the fool an answer.   The apparent contradiction may not be, however, a contradiction at all.   The purpose of Proverbs is to equip the person pursuing wisdom with wisdom.   Solomon is telling the listener that they should beware that when talking to a fool they should practice discernment.   If you simply address every fool you meet who speaks out loud every time they want, you need to be careful.   But you can't simply ignore them all the time either.  There are times when we need to speak up and there are times when we need to be quiet.   That is one lesson taught in the above proverbs.   

Another lesson is that we ought to make sure when we do speak to them we don't act like them.   We are not to respond "according" to his folly but we are to respond in a way the fool deserves.   One of the great verses in the New Testament tells us that we should be ready to give an answer to those who ask the reason for the hope in us (1 Peter 3:15).   Solomon is telling us if we answer someone who is spouting out folly we ought to be wise in how we confront them.  But there are times we have to confront them.   Don't charge into the battle with a fool, but if you do be wise.

If you are a tattoo freak this might be the best couple of proverbs to tattoo on your self.   If not your body certainly your mind.  How often do we get into arguments with people, who if they are not fools, are acting like fools?   What this set of proverbs is telling us is to use discernment when engaging in a conversation or conflict discussion with someone who shows foolish tendencies (they reject the truth of Christ and the Fear of the Lord).   As already stated, on the one hand we are to be careful to answer them "according" to his folly lest we be just like him.  The point being, don't be like a fool ... don't be drawn into a foolish and vain conversation with them that is absent truth and void of God's perspective.   But on the other hand, we are to answer a fool, but in a way he/she deserves, so they don't walk away thinking they are a wise and superior.   What a fine balance we are to maintain.   Don't argue like them but make sure they don't leave the conversation thinking they are superior ... how?   We do that by sharing truth and God's perspective on the subject we are talking about.  When God's mind is brought into a conversation fools run.   When truth is brought in to share light on the conversation fools look for the shadow.  Don't argue like a fool.  But share truth and make sure the fool doesn't leave without it.

Proverbs 25:13

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 about the power of good news:

Proverbs 25:13 (ESV)

Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest

is a faithful messenger to those who send him;

he refreshes the soul of his masters.

Who doesn't like good news.   We typically wait eagerly for it.   We get excited at the prospect of good news.   Since most are not farmers we might have trouble with Solomon's analogy, but his point is none-the-less weighty: "In hot work a cool breeze is so refreshing, so too a good word on a bad day."  If you are in sales and you are waiting for word to see if your client says "yes" to the proposal, you know this truth.  If you are in sport and you are waiting to see if you are "in" or not, you know this truth.  If you are grand-parent "to-be", you know this truth.   But, the "message" in this proverb is implied as being "good news."   The real emphasis in this proverb is not necessarily the message, but the messenger.   What Solomon is telling us is that carrier of the message is as important as the message.   In our day of email, voicemail and cyber communication we might fail to miss this truth.   But, Solomon wants us to know that the person who delivers this message, in "faithfulness" is an important and refreshing aspect of the communication system.      Perhaps what Solomon is telling us is that good news needs to be entrusted to faithful messengers.   We ought to take as much care in the delivery of good news as we are the manufacturing of good news.  There is no doubt their is an implication for those who are messengers of the gospel.  We don't want to diminish that truth.  But the principle provides guidelines to all our communication.   As you deliver God's Word (or, truth derived by studying God's Word and in prayer) be a faithful messenger.  That is as refreshing to the hearer as the message.

Proverbs 24:11

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 rescuing others:

Proverbs 24:11 (ESV)

Rescue those who are being taken away to death;

hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter.

I have never had the chance to "save" someone.  A few years back we saw a boating accident in which three people were in the water.   I was the captain of our boat but one of the people on our boat jumped in and probably saved a young girl from bleeding to death.   I would imagine anyone would have had the inclination to save someone from certain peril.  This is probably our biggest issue: We don't calculate that others are in "certain" peril.  This proverb does that.   Solomon is telling us that we are to "deliver those who are taken away to 'death' ".  If they are staggering to "slaughter" we are to "hold them back."  However, we seldom see others as in such peril.  We think there is always time to repent.   We think the situation others may be in will give them time and space to make adjustment.   But, without wisdom (Christ) people are facing death with every breath they take.  Let's not stand by and let them sink in their despair ... let's hold them back and deliver them by given them the gospel message.

Proverbs 23:16

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 rejoicing over the success of a child:

Proverbs 23:16 (ESV)

My inmost being will exult

when your lips speak what is right.

This proverb is on the heels of what Solomon said in verse 15.   He is rewarding and commending his son for taking hold of God's Word and God's promises and demonstrating that in wisdom.  He is telling the son how exciting and wonderful it is to see your son (children) demonstrate wisdom.   It takes him two proverbs to record his excitement.    In this proverb he relays how he is rejoicing on the inside by what he sees from his son.  When he hears his son speak truth it excites him.   Today's parents get so excited to see their children do something good or great.   They love to hear them read their first book.  But they flip over their first goal in a soccer game.   We get excited about too many of the things that are good, but not the best.   If we make a big deal about a child's pursuit of wisdom and truth we will see children have a desire for wisdom.   Let us rejoice within when we see our children speak truth and step up with truth.   There is nothing wrong with being excited about your child's first goal.  But, it pales in comparison to when they speak truth and pursue wisdom. What a parent praised in a child the parent promotes in a child.