Proverbs 8:33

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 what words we worth-ship:

Proverbs 8:33 (ESV)

Hear instruction and be wise,

and do not neglect it.

In chapter eight of Proverbs we see wisdom, personified, declaring her virtues, availability, and benefits.   She is making herself available to all who will listen.  The key to listening to her will be stated more fully in Proverbs 9:10 (the Fear of The Lord is the beginning of Wisdom).  Here, however, she simply gives a commanding statement to all who have just heard her remarkable benefits and virtues     We are more than eager to "heed" the counsel of our peers.  Peer pressure is nothing more than hearing what my peers say and giving in to their counsel.   It is putting “weight” on their words and doing what they say because we honor their words.  When Satan tempted Eve in the garden and she yielded, she did nothing more than "heed" his wicked words.  She put a lot of weight on his words. She worth-shipped his words.  When Aaron was asked by the nation of Israel to make a molten calf while Moses was in the mountain receiving the Ten Commandments, he did nothing more than "heed" their request.  He worth-shipped their words. David "heeded" the voice that said sleep with Bathsheba.   Saul "heeded" the pressure to sacrifice rather than obey.  Jonah heeded the inner voice to flee rather than go to Nineveh. They worth-shipped these wicked words  It is not hard to know the concept of "heeding" a voice.   Wisdom says, "heed" what you just heard me say.  Give full “weight” to the words of Wisdom.   Fear The Lord and embrace Wisdom's benefits.   Failure to heed is to see the result of these mentioned.   Eve ate the fruit and gave it to Adam and sin was forever in the world.   Aaron made the calf out of gold and the nation disobeyed before the ink was dry on the Commandments.   David committed adultery.   Jonah was swallowed by a whale. Saul lost the kingship.   Those who pursue wisdom don't see these failures and flaws. Those who "heed" instruction will "be wise."   Those who don't "neglect" God's Wisdom will be corrected and find the blessings of God rather than the pain of "neglect."

Proverbs 7:14

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 7:14 (ESV)

“I had to offer sacrifices,

and today I have paid my vows;

In chapter seven of Proverbs we actually have a synopsis of the entire book of Proverbs. The story in Proverbs is about Wisdom vs. Folly. In this chapter you have Folly personified as a harlot on the street calling out to the simple one (you or I, or any believer or unbeliever who refuses wisdom). The word wisdom is not found in the chapter but inferred at the end. This chapter is a demonstration of what Folly can do to us and how Folly works us over. In this chapter we see Folly telling the simple one that she is not so evil at all.  In fact, she claims to have had a religious experience: She has offered a peace offering and paid vows. Folly is like that. Folly looks pure. She paints herself up to look good. To smell good. To appeal good. Folly will always make you think that it is pure and it is righteous. But, it is not. It is evil and it makes its way into our lives to do evil and to do sinful behavior. God warns us in Proverbs 7 to watch out for cunning nature of Folly.  We like to think that Satan walks down the street with horns on his head and a pitch fork in his hand.   But, Paul, like Solomon, states that is not true.  Evil can look good and even make you think it is righteous:

2 Corinthians 11:14 (ESV Strong's)

14 And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.

Beware of Folly’s lightness ... in the end it is death:

Proverbs 7:25-27 (ESV Strong's)

25 Let not your heart turn aside to her ways;

do not stray into her paths,

26 for many a victim has she laid low,

and all her slain are a mighty throng.

27 Her house is the way to Sheol,

going down to the chambers of death.

Proverbs 6:12-15

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 a worthless person:

Proverbs 6:12-15 (ESV)

12 A worthless person, a wicked man,

goes about with crooked speech,

13 winks with his eyes, signals with his feet,

points with his finger,

14 with perverted heart devises evil,

continually sowing discord;

15 therefore calamity will come upon him suddenly;

in a moment he will be broken beyond healing.

The word “worthless” in the above verse (A worthless person ...) is defined by one commentators as follows:

The אד֨ בליעל, "man of Belial," is given a full description. He is a scoundrel; the phrase means more than "worthless," and less than "devilish." He is described as evil in 16:27, where he is certainly in bad company (16:27-30), and in 19:28 he is associated with unjust and false witness.

The word is used three times in Proverbs.  The term, in context of Proverbs, is speaking about a person who has rejected God’s Wisdom and becomes a “fool.”   A “foolish” man is one who rejects God and His Wisdom (see Psalm 14:1).   The context of the above verses shows us that what is in the belief structure of a person will come out in the behavior of the person.   You can’s separate behavior from belief.  This “scoundrel” rejects truth and, therefore lives a life that injures and harms truth.   Notice the area’s where this person’s life demonstrates his/her rejection of truth:

1. Crooked speech - no matter what they say you can’t trust their words.

2.  Winks with eyes - they use  non-verbal deception to get what they want.

3. Signals with his feet - this is a metaphor for more deception.  They take “steps” as though they are changing course or going in a great course, but they return to their old ways, sooner than later. 

4. Points with finger - they never go wrong.  They “point fingers” at everyone else and never take responsibility. 

5.  Heart devises evil - they are always (ALWAYS) possessed with evil and planning evil things (see Proverbs 1). 

6.  Continually sowing discord - they always try to have and make discord.  They never want harmony. They might step toward harmony.  They may wink at harmony.   They might point fingers that others are destroying harmony and not them.  But, it is them.  

But, they will get their fruit at the end of sowing all this discord.   Calamity will overtake them ... suddenly.  They will end up “broken, beyond repair.”   People who reject God’s truth all end up the same.  No matter who they are or what they see.  Their behavior, over time, will demonstrate who they are.  We are to not listen to them.  We are not to give them power in our lives.   

In this section Solomon is giving us the "qualities" of a useless or "worthless" man. Solomon wants us to beware of such men and wants us to know how to recognize them. In verse twelve we see that worthliness is first revealed by the tongue ... out of the heart the mouth speaks (Proverbs 4:23). If you hang out with people long enough and listen to their words it doesn't take long for their lips to convey the soils of the heart. What's in the well comes up in the bucket. So, it is important to listen to the mouth if you want to recognize the quaility fo the person you are with. Solomon lists other identifiers in the next few verses but the first he lists is the tongue. He wants us to listen. This is in stark contrast to the Words of Truth that are found in God's Word and in the life of those who seek wisdom. Those who pursue wisdom have different language than those who pursue their own selfish ends. God revelas the character of the heart though the conduit of the tongue. Just listen.

Proverbs 5:2

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 keeping discreation:

Proverbs 5:2 (NASV)

That you may observe discretion

And your lips may reserve knowledge.

Proverbs 5:2 (ESV)

that you may keep discretion,

and your lips may guard knowledge.

Solomon has just told the his son to pay attention to his words and to listen to him.   Most of us could relate to that in regard to our "speeches" to our children.    In this proverb he is telling his son what the advantages are should he indeed listen.    The words his father is giving him (in this case God's Word) will help him "observe" discretion and "reserve" knowledge.   The Hebrew words "observe" and "reserve" here in the text are words that mean to "watch over" or "stand guard" over their object: discretion and knowledge.   Solomon is telling us that if we listen to God's Word we will be able to "stand guard" and "watch over" discretion and knowledge.    For too many, discretion and knowledge come and go.  They only see them briefly and then they are gone.    But, for the man of God who by faith listens to God's Word, we will have a permanent view of these two choice life guide rails.  Having knowledge and discretion we will act wisely and Godly. The negative example of this would be King David when he saw Bathsheba bathing on the roof top.  He lost his “discretion” and that started an entire series of bad events.  Had he listened to God’s Word, David would have avoided death, disappointment and despair.   A positive example of this proverb is found in the story of Joseph. He made sure to obey God’s word and was blessed with “discretion.”   The same can be said of Daniel.  Daniel wanted so much to obey God’s word that he was able to convince his handlers to let him eat different foods and prepare in different ways.  God overflowed him with knowledge.

Proverbs 4:21

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 how we should respond to God’s Word: 

Proverbs 4:21 (NASBStr)

Do not let them depart from your sight;

 Keep them in the midst of your heart.

Proverbs 4:21 (ESV)

Let them not escape from your sight;

keep them within your heart.

This proverb is the middle proverb of a three-stanza prose of Solomon regarding wisdom.  In each of the three there is a reference to an organ of the body being involved in the retention of the instruction Solomon is providing.  In the previous proverb Solomon referred to the ears.  Here he refers to the eyes and the heart.  In the next proverb he will tell us the positive affect all this has on the body as a whole.   When our organs are absorbed with God's Word our life is complete and our body's whole.   In the above proverb we are instructed to keep Wisdom in our sight at all times.   This may be the most difficult function in our life as Satan keeps flashing shinny objects in front of us to titillate the senses.  Remember, it was the pleasantness of the eye in Eve's experience that caused her to want to the fruit.   When David "saw" Bathsheba he wanted her and fell into adultery.    John warns us in his epistle to be careful of the lust of the eyes (1 John 2:16).   But the eyes are simply a portal to the heart.   Solomon doesn't want us to simply look on the Word, but he wants us to internalize it to the heart.  Solomon doesn't want us to just merely touch the heart, but he wants it in the "tawak" (the midst) of the heart.  The Hebrew word Tawak means anything that is NOT on the outside edge or end.   It is in the center or middle.   We need to take God's Word and allow the Spirit of God to internalize it within us.   That is the only way we can see the results of live mentioned in the next proverb.

Proverbs 3:34

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 God mocking the proud: 

Proverbs 3:34

He (God) mocks proud mockers, But gives grace to the humble.

Proverbs 3:34 (ESV)

Toward the scorners he is scornful,

but to the humble he gives favor.

 This proverb gives us insight how God’s grace is given out to man. Its message is rather simply but implications amazing. The second line contrasts the first line. It is called “contrasting parallelism” in Hebrew poetry. The first line states that God actually mocks those who mock others or Him. Mockers are men who are proud and think they are above others. They might think they are more superior in any number of areas, but the most extreme are those who think they are more spiritual than others. The second line shows the opposite. Although God mocks the mocker, He gives grace to those who show themselves as humble. When you are in trials and don’t think it is fair, that is when God resists giving His grace. Humility doesn’t say, “I don’t deserve this.” Humility says, “Show me your grace, for a I am a lowly man.” The next time you feel yourself proud in spirit note that God’s grace is no longer flowing.  The Apostle James uses this proverb to make his point about God’s grace:

James 4:6 (ESV) 

But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

James, like Solomon, gives us the key to God’s grace giving.   God gives grace to the humble.  Humility is recognizing what little you have or are and how great those around you are, such as God.   The proud resists the knowledge of God.   That is why God resists the proud.   They resists Him, first.   It takes humility to admit you are a sinner.   God gives grace to those who humbling admit they are full of sin.  

Proverbs 2:20

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 walk:

Proverbs 2:20 (ESV)

So you will walk in the way of the good

and keep to the paths of the righteous.

You are the company you keep!  Or, so the saying goes.  Another popular colloquial saying is, "You can judge a man by the company he keeps."   Or, "You can judge a man by his enemies."   Any of these modern day sayings are based on the truth Solomon establishes in the above proverb.   To understand this proverb you really have to know what Solomon has said in the previous 19 verses of this chapter.   He has just told us that if we hold fast to God's Word and put it into our hearts that we will be given the gift of Wisdom (Christ) that gift will give us several benefits.  One of the blessings wisdom gives us is the clear understanding and discernment of where we should walk and who we should walk with as we travel through this life.  Solomon tells us that when we have the wisdom and understanding of God (through fearing The Lord and obeying His Word) we will end up on a "walk" with "good men."   We will end up traveling on "paths of the righteous."    The logistics of this is quite easy to understand.  As we listen to God's Word and compare it to the words of those around us we will inevitably start to hear others who speak the same language as His Word and flock to them.  We don't have to fret and worry if we are on the right road and with the right people IF we simply listen to God's Word.  He will enable us to walk on the narrow path of righteousness.   There will be few with us, but we can be assured we are where God wants us to be.

Proverbs 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 learning more and more:

Proverbs 1:5 (ESV)

Let the wise hear and increase in learning,

and the one who understands obtain guidance,

There is an archetype that men and women live out in their lives identified as the Sage.  The Sage is someone who knows things.  They are often asked, "What do you think?"  In fact, they love being asked that question.  The Sage will be asked that question most of their lives.  Especially if they are a good Sage and actually have some great knowledge, wisdom and understanding.   However, there are men and women who do not have the character of a good Sage.   The reason for this is that they might be asked, "What do you think?" but they never, in return, ask anyone, "What do you think?"   The reason for this is they believe they have reached the end of the line; they are at the end of the food chain when it comes to accumulating knowledge.  This is what Solomon is addressing in the above proverb.   A true Sage, someone who is knowledgable and has wisdom by fearing the Lord, will be someone who is "increasing" in learning.   They continue to acquire knowledge and understanding.   When we think we have reached the end of the learning line and we think we are only left here to deliver that accumulated knowledge, we become fools.   God's Word tells us that a wise person is someone who is increasing in knowledge.   The word for increasing in the above proverb means to "add to it."    As we grow in The Lord we are to "add to it."   We are to increase our “fear of The Lord.”   The older and more wiser we get, the more we are to seek deeper understanding and acquire wise counsel.  If we find ourselves seeking less and delivering more we become that poor Sage that simply thinks they know stuff and in reality are no longer significant in the seeking of Wisdom.   A wise man is "increasing."

However, instead of “increasing,” we find many who think they already have accumulated what they need.  Have you ever meet someone who has been around a long time and seems to know everything? They are usually older and think that just because of their “longevity” they have it all together. But we know that time on the earth isn’t a very good measurement for the amount of wisdom in the heart and mind. The above proverb tells us that in order to add to what we know we should be ever learning and Solomon’s Proverbs are a way to do that. Those who wish to be “wise” should seek guidance from others. You can always identify those who think their age and experience are enough—they are the ones who don’t ask for others opinions and won’t listen to the ideas and thoughts of others. If you want to be truly wise, don’t let longevity be the measurement of your wisdom, but let your learning and listening heart be the indicator.

Proverbs 31:10

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 a great woman:

Proverbs 31:10 (ESV)

An excellent wife who can find?

She is far more precious than jewels.

A good women is not hard to fine if you look to God to provide her! God gives great women their greatness. The good qualities of a Godly women can only come from God. When you want to measure the greatness of a women it is those God given qualities that measure the longest and the highest. Today's world has its own measuring scale for great women. But Solomon (who knew women) knew that the greatest measurement is the qualities only God can provide. It takes faith to know and trust God's sovereign will when it comes to finding a rare jewel.  The value of a women is far above what we tend to value in life.   God's gifts are special.  They have no value on this earth.  They have eternal value.  God is not only able to provide a Godly wife, but is able to enable her to live Godly.  The key is that you must desire Godliness before you desire other things from a spouse.   If you desire other things more than a Godly wife, it won’t matter what she does.  You will never be pleased with her.  Although, God will be.

Proverbs 30:18-19

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 things to wonder about:

Proverbs 30:18-19 (ESV)

Three things are too wonderful for me;

four I do not understand:

the way of an eagle in the sky,

the way of a serpent on a rock,

the way of a ship on the high seas,

and the way of a man with a virgin.

What causes you to stop to "wonder?"   When you see something of creation, do you ponder it?   I ponder the humming bird.  Marvelous in its splendor!   I don't understand it.   I "wonder" about the tides.  Yes, they have been explained to me, but I still don't get it.   It is simply amazing that they come up and go down and can be predicted in their motion.    I remember as a boy watching in amazement at an ant farm as small ants, in a team, carried large portions of food (supplied mysteriously by me) across the ground.   Like a small army they retrieved and conquered.   These are mere examples of the mystery in creation, giving to us as a gift from God.   Solomon seems to be giving us his top four "wonderments."   He tells us to consider the eagle who soars effortless through the sky only to attack at great speed and with perfect accuracy a prey he, and only he, can see.   Solomon marvels as a snack slithers across the rock.   No feet and no place to get traction, the cast-down replica of Satan's pride moves, again with little effort, across the stone path.  The ship, with no effort, makes it way through the sea, driven by the wind and sometimes, contrary to the wind.   And, finally, Solomon's last example, the most amazing of all, the man with a maid.   The movement of love, when it is true love, is so special and beautiful as it unfold.   Again, with little or no effort by the man.  He simply moves the way he moves while he and the maid dance calmly across life's stage.   These things amazed Solomon because they were not easily explained.  They were the result of God's active hand and creation.  He, God, makes them all happen.  The scientific laws of God's creation and the love He places in the heart all make movement and action otherwise dormant and stagnant.     God is at work and He wants us to pause, like Solomon, to behold His wonder.   We may not understand it but we can explain it by God's care in creation and His sustaining providence.   God is amazing and the things we behold by Him should cause us wonder.

Proverbs 29:24

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 partnering with evil:

Proverbs 29:24 (NASV)

He who is a partner with a thief hates his own life;

He hears the oath but tells nothing.

Proverbs 29:24 (NIV)

The accomplice of a thief is his own enemy;

he is put under oath and dare not testify.

Proverbs 29:24 (ESV Strong's)

24 The partner of a thief hates his own life;

he hears the curse, but discloses nothing.

If you take part in wrong or gain advantage from it you will not be able to speak out and testify against it!   Solomon is teaching us that being party to foul play limits us in our ability to speak truth about it.  If we do it it will simply amount to a confession of guilt.  Our legal system would concur with Solomon and maybe even takes its laws from such proverbs.  It is funny how benefiting from sin can cause us to compromise our voice on sin.  When we have our hands in the cookie jar, we seldom complain about no cookies in the house.  David's sin with Bathsheba and the killing Uriah made it impossible for David to speak out against adultery and murder.  Aaron's sin, with the creation of the golden calf, closed his mouth in regard to telling the people to quit worshiping of idols.  We can't benefit from wrong and speak out about right.

Proverbs 28:6

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 integrity: 

Proverbs 28:6 (ESV)

Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity

than a rich man who is crooked in his ways.

Riches can only help in this life and even then they fail to give us assurance. Solomon was a very rich man. He had so much gold he had to use some of it to cover other gold. But in this chapter of Proverbs we read several warnings about the failing and risk of chasing after riches. In verses 6, 11, 19, 20, 21, 22, 25, & 27 we see several warnings about chasing riches and holding them in higher esteem than the poor, hard work and trusting God.  In the above proverb we read that it is "better" to be poor than to have riches and allow them to be used in the wrong manner or earned in the wrong manner.   Integrity trumps money.   In our society today we don't see that.   In this society having money, even obtained under false pretenses, is acceptable.  Athletes with no integrity are honored.   Entertainment heroes are praised, despite life-styles that are absent truth and integrity.   If we have no possessions to speak of but have a life committed to truth and the doing of right, we are in better shape than if we have boat full of money.   Often when leaders are asked to tell their top values they live by, integrity is at the top of every list.   Yet, in truth, people often sell their integrity for a meager amount.   We often see the urge to get more and more by showing less and less integrity. Notice what Solomon said in these other proverbs on integrity: 

Proverbs 2:7 (ESV)

he stores up sound wisdom for the upright;

he is a shield to those who walk in integrity,

Proverbs 10:9 (ESV)

Whoever walks in integrity walks securely,

but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out.

 Proverbs 12:22 (ESV)

Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD,

but those who act faithfully are his delight.

Proverbs 19:1 (ESV)

Better is a poor person who walks in his integrity

than one who is crooked in speech and is a fool.

Proverbs 20:7 (ESV)

The righteous who walks in his integrity—

blessed are his children after him!

Proverbs 21:3 (ESV)

To do righteousness and justice

is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.

God seems to put a lot of value in walking integrity.   So ought we!