Proverbs 20:18

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 important it is to seek wise counsel: 

Proverbs 20:18 (NASBStr)

Prepare plans by consultation,

And make war by wise guidance.

Proverbs 20:18 (ESV)

Plans are established by counsel;

by wise guidance wage war.

As with Proverbs 24:6 this proverb is a complimentary proverb that gives us insight on how to plan our lives out for God. A wise person separates himself from a foolish man by seeking the advice from those around him or her. A fool simply wonders into things, and doesn’t know the dangers or perils of it (Proverbs 7:21-23; 12:15). But, wisdom is found in getting counsel and insight from those around us—whether it is friend or foe. True wisdom is sought out and even our darkest combatant can give us insights for our lives. If you want to be sure that you are moving forward in the right direction you should seek Godly and wise counsel. That wisdom may not be what you want to hear but it may be what you need to wage a proper war and to obtain great guidance.  A believer needs to seek out to those around them to find the wisdom available.  God brings people into our lives to give us wisdom to enable us to make Godly decisions.   By wise consultations seek wise guidance.  By wise counsel seek insight on what to put on your plate and what to take off your plate.  Having others speak into your life about your plans may cause you to reevaluate your plans and give you reason to change your plans.  It might be emotionally difficult to have others change your course of action, but it is better to have many voices in the plan, than less.  

Proverbs 19:20

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 correction:

Proverbs 19:20 (ESV)

Listen to advice and accept instruction,

that you may gain wisdom in the future.

If you were to ask the average guy on the street on how he obtains wisdom it would be the majority who said through years of experience and study. If you ask them to relate what they meant by "years of experience" you might, however, get a variety of answers.   In this proverb we see that wisdom comes from, at least, two sources:  Listening to others and allowing discipline to correct you (... perhaps, the discipline of life).   We seldom think of a season of "discipline" as a way to gain wisdom.   However, later in  this same chapter Solomon tells us: "Cease listening, my son, to discipline, and you will stray from the words of knowledge" (19:27).   Perhaps what Solomon is saying to us in the above proverb is not two things that provide wisdom, but one.  When we listen to the counsel of others as they give us discipline, we will have wisdom the rest of our days. You are never too old to receive this type of counsel from others. They can, and will, provide corrective reproof that can gain wisdom for us. We don't gain wisdom simply from living and experiencing life.   We do so by being corrected and repenting in the light of that correction and humbling coming to Christ who provides that correction through friends and strangers.   God uses others in our lives to humble us with counsel. As we heed their words we heed His discipline and gain His wisdom.

Proverbs 18:24

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 friends:

Proverbs 18:24 (NASBStr)

A man of too many friends comes to ruin,

But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Proverbs 18:24 (ESV)

A man of many companions may come to ruin,

but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Having friends can be a very blessed life.    Proverbs has much to say about the subject of friends.  The Hebrew word for friend in this proverb is used 30 times in the book of Proverbs and is often translated "neighbor" rather than "friend."   Solomon tells us how to treat friends (neighbors) and how to handle how they treat us.   Such is the verse above.   Solomon was wealthy, so there is no doubt he had many friends.   He is telling us that having many friends can bring us to ruin.   There are some friends that can be destructive to us, Solomon warns.   Perhaps by pulling at us to help them.   Perhaps they want more from us than we can give.  Maybe they are pretending to provide something in the friendship but instead take something, or want to take something.  The second line, however, contrasts the first.   Yes, there might be many friends who attempt to hurt us or take from us.   They can bring us to ruin.  But, according to Solomon, there is a friend who is so close, he/she transcends even the relationship of a brother; a family member.   Solomon is giving us the two extremes.   On the one hand we have too many friends, many attempting to destroy us or harm us.  On the other hand, we can have one friend that is so close, they are better than a family member.    Solomon is giving us an admonishment to enjoy friends and be leery of a friend(s) at the same time.   We must be on our guard when it comes to friends.  They are not always what they seem.   Or, they are more than what they seem.   Either version is always possible.

It is not the quantity of friends that make for a good life but the quality that matters. There are some different interpretations of Proverbs 18:24. But, when you look at the Hebrew structure and understand Hebrew poetry the NASV has it correct, “A man of too many friends comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” The point of the verse is simple; a lot of friends (spreading yourself too thin) will cause you to come to ruin. But, selecting individuals for friends who stick by you like a brother is wiser than selecting multiple friends. In our society today (with social media tools) it is not who signs on to your friendships but how many sign on. Solomon is telling us that it is not how many who attend my party but the quality of those individuals who attend. Don't count the number of noses in your life but rather measure the shape of their hearts.

Proverbs 17:20

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 our mindset:

Proverbs 17:20

He who has a crooked mind finds no good, And he who is perverted in his language falls into evil.

Proverbs 17:20 (ESV)

A man of crooked heart does not discover good,

and one with a dishonest tongue falls into calamity. 

A crooked mind and perverted language go together! This proverb is a way for Solomon to tells us about the human experience and how we are controlled from the inside out. When we have corruption in the mind we will express it with the tongue. Another way to say that is, "What's in the well, comes up in the buket." So, what we think in our minds (well) comes up in the bucket (the tongue). If we are no good in our thought process we will be the same in our speech process. We can tell when someone is corrupt in the inside as we listen to their speech. Let's not kid ourselves, bad language is simply an expression of an evil heart. WE don't clean up our tongue without first having God control our hearts and minds. What is in the well come ups in the bucket. Which means we have to clean the heart and mind before we hear pure things on the lips.

Proverbs 16:19

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 about winning and humility: 

Proverbs 16:19 (NASBStr)

It is better to be humble in spirit with the lowly

Than to divide the spoil with the proud.

Proverbs 16:19 (ESV)

It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor

than to divide the spoil with the proud.

Here is a proverb certainly lost on the world.   We are hard pressed to live this proverb out in front of a world where success is measured not so much by the character of the man but the possession and/or positions of the man.   Men love to win and then divide the spoils.  In fact, they actually prefer to win and not divide the spoils, but to keep them for themselves and boast of their accomplishments.   Winning can be a humble and Godly experience.  Solomon is not forbidding winning or securing the spoil.   God often gave His people the spoil after battle (see the entire book of Joshua).   What God is condemning here is that the pride that comes with winning is evil and it is better, if you can't avoid the pride in winning, to live with the humble ... who often did not win.   Solomon is telling us the better place to be:  With the lowly, not the proud.   In James 4:6 we are told that God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.   In Matthew 5:3 are told that the poor in spirit have the kingdom of heaven as their inheritance.  God rewards humility.   He condemns the proud.  Solomon started off this book in Proverbs 1:13-14 showing us that the proud want us to join them and we can all have "one purse."   Yet, it is by humility that we secure God's grace and blessing.   If you can't win with grace and humility you should not be allowed to win.   Winning with humility is the best way to divide the spoils.

Proverbs 15:13

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 a cheerful heart:

Proverbs 15:13 (ESV)

A glad heart makes a cheerful face,

but by sorrow of heart the spirit is crushed.

This is contrasting Hebrew poetry: The first line is contrasted by the second. You can’t really understand the first line (a glad heart makes the face cheerful) without considering the second line (a sorrowful heart crushes the spirit). So, we can easily conclude that whatever is in our hearts will affect what we look like and what we feel like. If we want to have a great spirit to show to the world we have to have contentment in our heart. Believers who trust God will have that trust showing on their faces. When we worry, we wear that, as well. So, we can show what we wear in our hearts by what we wear on our faces. People who trust God and don’t worry show a cheerful heart. What do you show others about what you are wearing in your heart? Solomon would later say:

Proverbs 17:22

A joyful heart is good medicine,

but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

Our emotions are connected to our disposition.  God is working on our hearts and as we allow Him and yield to Him we can expect a change in emotions.  Emotions are outward and visible while God's work is done inwardly and in secret, between God and us.

Proverbs 14:10

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 empathy:

Proverbs 14:10 (ESV)

The heart knows its own bitterness,

and no stranger shares its joy.

When we see a person's face we can often discern their heart.   Those going through great difficulty often don't have a way to hide the connection between the heart and the muscles of the head.  Frowns on the lips are often caused by wrinkles in the heart.  Yet, although we may "see" the conflict in the heart we cannot really know the depth of the bitterness that resides there.   We may have our own experience, which although similar to the one we see, is never the same.   To say, "I know how you feel," is a polite phrase; one often uttered as a replacement for unknown words of assurance.   When we can't help others we at least want them to know that we can relate.  But, Solomon says we can't.  Only the person who carries the heart can know the pain and the joy of it.  We might often see a lingering glow of self-confidence beaming from the face.  But, we lack the depth of knowledge to know the real excitement and joy that precipitates the bursting forth of the springs of splendor.   Only the heart knows the heart.   We can emphasize, sympathize and over analyze, but we can never truly realize what the heart is feeling.   A stranger doesn't know its pain or share its joy.  The believer  knows not the pain in the heart masked by the unbelievers false smirk.   The unbeliever knows nothing of the unending peace within the heart of the believer despite the confused and contrite look on their cancer informed face.  But Christ, while on this earth, felt all the pains, frustrations, disappointments, etc. that we feel.  We can go to Him because He CAN relate to us. He has felt the rejection in the heart (read what happened to Him in Matthews 27).  He has felt the fear (in the garden He prayed that the cross would be removed from His path).  Yet, He felt all that without sin so that He might represent us and that He might be able to relate to us. We don't know what is in the heart of others but Jesus does.

Proverbs 13:15

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 what God favors: 

Proverbs 13:15 (ESV Strong's)

Good sense wins favor,

but the way of the treacherous is their ruin.

This is a difficult proverb to understand only from the standpoint of the comparison between the first line and the second line. We have here a contrast between the first line and the second. A good understanding is what you get when you "fear the Lord" - Understanding comes from the Fear of the Lord. Those who fear the Lord are provided insight into the events of life.   See Daniel or Joseph or note what Solomon states in an earlier proverb:

Proverbs 3:3-4

Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you;

bind them around your neck;

write them on the tablet of your heart.

So you will find favor and good success

in the sight of God and man.

When we seek to “bind” God’s Word around our necks, we make wise choices that can put us in “favor” with God AND man.   

As a contrast, however, those who are treacherous and therefore do not fear the LORD, lack understanding and will have a hard life ... a hard way of life. We might not see their hard life (see Psalm 71).  But, that does not mean that what we see is the story of their life, now or in the future.  The fear of the Lord produces favor as you adjust to life, according to God’s Word and God’s guidance. The way of the treacherous is hard. Those who fear the Lord can avoid the hard things of life. Job would beg to differ ... but, if you read the end of Job you see that God, did restore favor to Job.   Making right choices, based upon God’s Word, does not mean that we will be free from suffering.   But, if we want favor with God and man, we have to, by faith, make decisions based upon God’s Word.  Fear the Lord and you will have a favorable life as compared to the way of treacherousness.

Proverbs 12:19

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 about truth and lies:

Proverbs 12:19 (ESV)

Truthful lips endure forever,

but a lying tongue is but for a moment.

When my children were little this is a proverb we taught them around the dinner table.   We wanted them to know that God knows when we speak the truth and when we lie.   He establishes truth and He blows away the liar in a "moment."   Christ spoke the truth and declared to be the TRUTH.   The Scriptures tell us that Satan is the Father of the Lies.  He lied to Eve in the Garden.    He lies to us each day.   We can follow his lies but we can resist them, as well.   Peter told us to have our minds guarded with the truth.   Paul told us to put on the armor of God and the “belt of truth” was the first piece he mentioned.   He told us to think about the right things and we would have peace in our lives and, again, thinking of truthful things was the last one he outlines.   Falsehood may get someone by for a while, but only for a moment.   Truth lasts forever. And, even though the truth may hurt at times, it sustains us.   Paul told us to "speak the truth in love," to other believers.   He was telling us to be sure to speak in love because sometimes the truth does hurt.  But it does last forever.   Falsehood may be easier at the time but it will not satisfy.   It is but for a moment and only offers temporary relief and momentary ease.  David lied about Bathsheba and it only lasted awhile.  A young couple in the early church lied for a moment and then died (Acts 5).   The truth last forever, no matter what rough storms in may go through during its life time.  

Proverbs 11:17

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 being kind:

Proverbs 11:17 (ESV)

A man who is kind benefits himself,

but a cruel man hurts himself.

It is not every day that we come across a piece of literture so simply but so pregant with truth that benefits in such a great way. When we show mercy to others we see something good happen to us. When we are cruel to others that cruel behavior will harm us. Now, all this does not necessarily take place in an instance. We don't see and immediate reward, just because we show someone mercy. And, being cruel to someone today doens't affect us on the same day. But, God promises to return to us the good we do to others. He also promises to give to us the injustice we give to others.  Showing mercy to others will always provide mercy for us. We might get some immediate safety and feedback. Showing others mercy while driving might provide us with safety. Showing mercy to someone who harms us might end a possible war before it begins. We should not expect an immediate result but we should be able to see that mercy shown is mercy erned. Our lives can be so much more enjoyed when we treat others with mercy and grace.   When we don't we should not expect a life of mercy and grace. 

Proverbs 10:15

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 riches and poverty:

Proverbs 10:15 (NASBStr)

The rich man’s wealth is his fortress,

The ruin of the poor is their poverty.

Proverbs 10:15 (ESV)

A rich man’s wealth is his strong city;

the poverty of the poor is their ruin.

The above proverb gives us the results of what happens when men focus on the outward criteria of wealth, money or possessions.   The wealthy think that riches will keep them secure.  They believe the more money they have, the more security they have.   They think wealth builds walls, like a fortress.   On the other hand, the poor think if they have no money they are lost and destitute.   They believe they have no security, no fortress because they don't have dollar bills sticking up.   The poor think they are ruined without money, while the rich think they are renowned.  What both fail to realize is that either state is just the opposite.  The wealthy, those who trust in their wealth, have no security.  God will someday remove their wealth and their false security.   The poor, on the other hand, are precious in the eyes of God.  They are not in ruin, but protected and loved by God.   God sees their poor estate.  He even commanded in the law for the Israelites to care for the poor by leaving the corners of their crops for the poor.    When we put on emphasis on the outside and not the inside, this proverb shows us the problem.   Only when we trust God for either will we be content with riches or poverty.  We may find ourselves in both states at one time or another.   But, trusting God in either will help us to survive both.

Proverbs 9:13-18

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 woman Folly:

Proverbs 9:13-18 (ESV Strong's)

The woman Folly is loud;

she is seductive and knows nothing.

She sits at the door of her house;

she takes a seat on the highest places of the town,

calling to those who pass by,

who are going straight on their way,

“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”

And to him who lacks sense she says,

“Stolen water is sweet,

and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”

But he does not know that the dead are there,

that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.

To sum up this proverb we could say:   Folly Calls As Loud As Wisdom - But with Different Results

The theme of chapters eight and nine of Proverbs is that Wisdom is calling out to all who want to lay hold over her.  Wisdom is personified as a woman who is calling to the simply and naive, asking them to turn into her.  She (wisdom) has laid out her instruction and understanding for all who, by faith, seek her.  But, this section closes with Folly (also personified as a woman ... a harlot) who is calling to all who pass by.    She, too, is making herself available.   Folly however, seeks different results.  Folly wishes to trap us.   Folly’s end is destruction and death.   This fits the New Testament message of Paul who states:

Romans 6:23 (ESV Strong's)

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The way of folly is known to all, but her seductive speech brings many a naive into her trap.   That is because she makes sin taste so sweet.   It is not, but she makes it sound sweet.   We have to beware of Folly’s allure.  It starts out sweet and desirable but ends in sadness and death.  

Proverbs 8:15-16

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 the need for leaders to have God’s wisdom:

Proverbs 8:15-16 (ESV Strong's)

By me kings reign,

and rulers decree what is just;

by me princes rule,

and nobles, all who govern justly.

You can go to any book store and find hundreds of books on leadership.   Each book will outline or emphasize skill-sets leaders should possess, operate by, and/or develop.   After reading a number of these manuscripts it would become apparent that few, if any, outline what Solomon just told us in the above proverb.    There is no doubt that most leadership gurus would tell you that wisdom is a vital part of leadership.  However, few write about it and tell us what Solomon has told us.   Solomon is a king and is in the best position to tell us about this aspect of leadership.  He was given a leadership position at an early age.   When asked by God what he wanted to be able to lead, Solomon didn't ask for any skill-set written by most leadership authors.   Instead, he asked for wisdom.   That is why in this chapter of Proverbs, where Wisdom is personified as someone calling out to the passer-by of life, wisdom is the principle thing every leader needs.   Wisdom comes from the fear of the Lord.   Every leader is established by God and should live in the fear of the Lord.  Those that do, have success in their leadership.  Those that don't, don't!

Leadership begs for wisdom.   Leadership wants wisdom more than anything else.   Yet, they don't always know they want it, need it or can seek it.   Solomon tells us in these two verses that God provides wisdom to those who lead.  It gives them the power to "reign"; to decree "justice"; to "rule"; and to "judge."   "Kings;" "rulers;" "princes;" and "nobles" are all titles for those in authority and in much need of leadership wisdom.  True, Biblical leadership, can't do without Godly wisdom.   We rule and reign with wisdom.   Seeking it gives us the capacity to rule and lead.   We can try to rule in other ways but only through Godly wisdom can we rule justly and in righteousness.   The last line gives us the key to the two verses: "All who judge rightly."   That phrase shows us what we do with Wisdom.  It shows us that Wisdom is the key component of leadership.   Again, wisdom is the "fear of the Lord."  So, the key ingredient to true wisdom and great leadership is acknowledgement that God is who He says He is.  We are to fear the Lord and that is the avenue to wisdom.   Wisdom is the avenue to great leadership.   Pursue God and get what you need for leadership.

Proverbs 7:22

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 temptation:

Proverbs 7:22 (ESV)

All at once he follows her,

as an ox goes to the slaughter,

or as a stag is caught fast.

Keep the God's Word as the apple of your eye and you won't become the ox at the slaughter. This chapter of Proverbs is one of my favorites. It captures both the contrast between wisdom (God's Word; Law) and folly (an adulterous women) and it shows us how sexual temptations work and what their results may be. The young man is us and the adulterous women is the world, the flesh and/or the devil. The enticement is what we have every day. Solomon tells us in verses 1-5 that if we keep God's Word as the apple of our eye we won't fall into the trap set describe in verses 7-20 and we will avoid the punishment outlined in verses 21-27. Many strong and great men have fallen victim to folly. None of us are exempt. Unless we keep the law as the apple of our eye.  This proverbs is classified as an “emblematic proverb.”   Solomon uses a word picture to convey his thoughts.   When we forsake the truth of God’s Word we are unwise.   Solomon is telling us that, in this unwise state, we become like a dumb ox.  When an ox goes to the slaughter it is not conscious about what is about to happen.   It is dumb.   It is unwise.   When a fool goes to the correction of the stocks he acts like ... a fool.   A fool does not consider the pain and suffering he is about to undergo.   Those who have no wisdom will be like the ox and the fool.  They don’t realize the havoc they about to have released on them.  When we pursue the evilness of this world and not the truth in the Wisdom of Christ, we are like the dumb ox and unconscious fool.  Keep God’s Word as the apple of your eye and you won’t be taken and slaughtered like an ox.