Proverbs 21

Proverbs 21:1-31

The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord;

he turns it wherever he will.

• God guides the hands and thoughts and rulings of leaders.  They were put in that position by Him, they should surrender their thoughts for God’s thoughts and direction.
• A farmer directs streams to the areas of land where it is most wanted.  In the same way, God directs the thoughts of the true king.  His favor/blessings fall, not at random, but in harmony with a divine order.

Every way of a man is right in his own eyes,

but the Lord weighs the heart.

• A person may say they have good intentions.  Others may perceive that someone has a good heart and means well.  But only God knows your true intentions.  Is it for you, for revenge, to elevate yourself, to get something you believe you deserve?  Or is it for God’s glory that you do all things?  
• What starts with the heart, leads to good fruits.  

To do righteousness and justice

is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.

• Self-sacrifice is good.  It’s not required, but it’s good in God’s eyes.  You are saved by grace alone, through Jesus.  
• But even better is having integrity, being honest … doing as Jesus would do.  You’re going to fail, so embrace that.  But keep trying.  It’s all about your heart – we all “start” from different points, heading toward Christlikeness.  

Haughty eyes and a proud heart,

the lamp of the wicked, are sin.

• Pride.  It’s ugly.  Not pride in your work, or pride in your kids’ achievements, but pride that says, “I’m better.  Look how awesome I am.”  It is the opposite of Christlikeness, and is just plain ugly to see.
• Let your lamp be lit by God, humbling yourself in acknowledgement that all things are from God, and you are only saved by His grace.  With THAT light … shine.

The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance,

but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.

• What do you want to achieve?  Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm, persistence, and a good plan.
• Measure twice, cut once.  Ready, aim, fire.  History has shown this truth over and over.  
• Take the time to plan, then execute.  

The getting of treasures by a lying tongue

is a fleeting vapor and a snare of death.

• You won’t get away with it.  No matter what you think is unseen will b found out.  Know this.
• You may get away with it for a time, but not for long.

The violence of the wicked will sweep them away,

because they refuse to do what is just.

• In effect, you destroy yourself by being cruel and violent and refusing to live right.  
• Wickedness has the biggest negative impact on the person being wicked.

The way of the guilty is crooked,

but the conduct of the pure is upright.

• Guilty people live dishonest and dishonorable lives.
• Honest people do good.  

It is better to live in a corner of the housetop

than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife.

• Don’t I know it, brother!  Up top!  Just kidding, Monkey.
• But it’s true … a wife always fighting to be in control, or questioning her husband for selfish (not constructive) reasons, is like sandpaper to the face.  
• It’s better to be away from your wife completely, than to sit and tolerate it.

The soul of the wicked desires evil;

his neighbor finds no mercy in his eyes.

• Amazing, but evil doers are always itching to do evil, even to those they call their “friends”.

When a scoffer is punished, the simple becomes wise;

when a wise man is instructed, he gains knowledge.

• An ignorant fool learns by seeing others punished.
• But a sensible person learns by being instructed.

The Righteous One observes the house of the wicked;

he throws the wicked down to ruin.

• God sees it all.  You think your sin is hidden, but it’s simply not.  
• Those who are wicked and sinful, but not repentant (trying to turn their perspective, understanding and ways) are gonna get it.  Luckily, for those who have accepted Jesus with there HEART, those continued sins are forgiven.  We will stumble and sin, but Jesus paid that debt before hand, so we will not receive God’s wrath.  Those who sin, but have refused to accept Jesus and His free gift will unfortunately get exactly what they desire.

Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor

will himself call out and not be answered.

• Just like in the Lord’s Prayer, “… Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us …”, as we hear and respond to the needs of those less fortunate, so will God hear and respond to us.  
• Everyone on this email distribution is blessed beyond comprehension … especially compared to the other 99% of this world’s population.  If we – who have so much – do not do all we can in God’s name and for His glory, who will?

A gift in secret averts anger,

and a concealed bribe, strong wrath.

• The effect of bribery is enhanced by secrecy since the briber does not want to make his motives known.  
• We all try to hide our sin by a sort of “bribery” or negotiation around the Truth, and this may help to avert anger and wrath for a time here on planet Earth, but it is known by God.  

When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous

but terror to evildoers.

• But those who are just don’t need bribes (see previous verse).  
• The wicked will get theirs, even if they get away with concealing it for now.

One who wanders from the way of good sense

will rest in the assembly of the dead.

• This one gives me goosebumps.  
• Good sense is to think it through and realize that God is real and Jesus is our Savior.  Anyone who wanders away from that for too long … until death … will spend eternity away from God, in cold darkness, but burning with anguish and regret.  
• "Eternity … now that’s a mighty long time.  But I’m going to tell you …” — The Artist Formerly known as the Artist Formerly Known as Prince (a.k.a. Prince), Poet Laureate (or something)

Whoever loves pleasure will be a poor man;

he who loves wine and oil will not be rich.

• Costly luxuries will make you poor on many levels.
• Is pleasure and wine and oil (?) evil?  No.  They are amoral things.  They are neither good nor bad in themselves.  
• But the love of and worship of these things … the over indulgence in these things at the detriment of a focus on God our Creator … yes, that is evil and sinful and displeasing to God.

The wicked is a ransom for the righteous,

and the traitor for the upright.

• This is just another example of how Jesus’ crucifixion, paying for our sins (we are the wicked), turns everything upside down.
• Jesus – the perfect one – should have been spared and WE should have been HIS ransom.  But that’s not what God made happen.  Jesus came to fulfill the law.  He came not to condemn, but to set us free from what was inevitable.  That the wicked would pay for the righteous.
• What an amazing Truth, eh?

It is better to live in a desert land

than with a quarrelsome and fretful woman.

• A Godly wife is not quarrelsome.  Being quarrelsome (naggy) is actual counter-productive.  The intent is to get the love and attention she needs, but in actuality, she’s just riling the bear, who will respond with either less love or even worse – silence.  
• A Godly woman communicates her needs and perspectives gently and softly, filtering her words (no matter how much she wants to inject venom), showing control and patience.  
• Had to share this.  In researching this verse a bit, some person adds some thoughts in a Comment following a blog on the topic:   “I'd like to be able to live in the woods, women or no. As long as I can bring along my collection of "Misogynist Bible Verses for Dummies.””  Clever, but completely misguided and telling of the sentiment of most non-believers, especially here in America.  This is what the world is teaching us … to state Truth is bad … in this case “misogynistic”.

Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man's dwelling,

but a foolish man devours it.

• Wise people live in comfort because they didn’t act like foolish people, spending more than they have, rapidly consuming everything in site.  
• This speaks to moderation.  You can win the lottery to be “rich”, or you can be wise, prudent, and patient and get there in time.  The latter is God’s way.

Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness

will find life, righteousness, and honor.

• Seek and you will find.  This applies no matter what you are “seeking”.  Seeking money and fame?  Sure, you may get there, but it will be at the cost of things that really matter.  And you won’t see that until you are there.  
• But strive for Christlikeness, knowing God and appreciating Him and His creation more … be kind when it’s easier to be otherwise … that is how you will find the good life.  A life of freedom and joy, despite hardships.  And with this come honor in other’s eyes, but more importantly, in God’s eyes.

A wise man scales the city of the mighty

and brings down the stronghold in which they trust.

• Oh how the mighty shall fall.
• Putting your trust in anything other than Christ is a recipe for disaster.  
• A wise man – a man of God – should not be wise for his own sake, but to help others see that their gods are false.  They must help shine a light on their darkness.  This is the pinnacle of love for our fellow man.

Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue

keeps himself out of trouble.

• Controlling our words is the most challenging thing.  Words, snide comments, gossip, negative talk, insults … they all cause damage.  More damage than you realize.  
• It takes pure will power to not say what you feel you have the “right” to say.  And it’s so easy to blurt something out without thinking.  Will power.  Know that God instructs us to control our words, believe that it’s in our best interest because He is a good father, then zip it.  
• To repeat – unless you have something positive or uplifting to say about someone, keep it to yourself.  In fact, remove it from your mind.

“Scoffer” is the name of the arrogant, haughty man

who acts with arrogant pride.

• Two things to note here:
1. Scoffers are all about themselves.  “I’m smarter and better, hence I scoff.  I am my own god.”  Arrogance and pride are exactly what the Enemy wants.  It does nothing but lift you up above where you really are, and tears others down.  Humility – that’s the ticket.
2. Because we know the Truth does not make us better.  In fact, it should make us realize how pitiful we are.  Important and with purpose in God’s eyes, but weak and in need of His help … His grace.  Acting with arrogance when you know better … when you know you should act with love and humility … negatively impacts His kingdom.  
• Our job is to draw people closer to Christ.  Acting with arrogance and pride repels people … and drives them FROM God.

The desire of the sluggard kills him,

for his hands refuse to labor.

• Lazy people who refuse to work are only killing themselves.  
• They desire nothing but sleep, but this will ultimately give them the opposite of what they really want. 
• When they finally wake up and get to work – if they do – they will have a lot of catching up to do.  
• Unfortunately, they will likely complain that it’s “too hard”, but part of that is perception based on a sheer lack of work prior.  Further, the bed has been made (no pun intended).  They must lie in it.

All day long he craves and craves,

but the righteous gives and does not hold back.

• The sluggard is the “entitled American” that we complain about often.  From an SNL video (undecided voter to Bill Clinton):  “See, it's like, you look all around, and you see all this stuff? And, everybody's got stuff but me! Where's mine?! Where's MY stuff?! I'm a young, man! I should have stuff, too! WHERE'S MY STUFF?!!"  
• The righteous (none are righteous on their own, of course, but those who have repented) give without hesitation and without worry about “will we have enough for us?” because they know that God gave them all they have already.  He didn’t have to do that.  We should discern and not when it’s quite obvious it’s a scam, but if a true need arises, we should give – period.  That’s what God instructs.  No ifs, ands or buts.

The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination;

how much more when he brings it with evil intent.

• Ritual without righteousness is obnoxious to God.  This includes focusing more on dogma and works than His actual Word (which tells us that all of that has “been fulfilled by Christ”) - reading about God’s unending grace, but turning around and not extending grace and forgiveness to others … God sees this and shakes His head.
• Spend your week sinning with a smile, knowing better, then go to church and praise Him?  It’s like a disgusting stench to Him.  
• Read in the Bible about not judging others, not gossiping, not being arrogant, etc. then pray to God or sing to Him?  No matter how sincere the worship from the wicked person, he not only dislikes it – He HATES it.  If your praise of Him contradicts your actual lifestyle, it is revolting to Him.
• Now … sacrifice and worship and praise with a selfish, evil motive?  Wow.  I don’t even want to think about what God thinks of THAT.

A false witness will perish,

but the word of a man who hears will endure.

• People know and remember Truth when they hear it.  
• Someone who lies to get what they want may get away with it temporarily, but not forever.  It will come back to him.  
• The wise words of a good man – a man of integrity and Truth – will be remembered.

A wicked man puts on a bold face,

but the upright gives thought to his ways.

• Guys who are up to no good – evil – will use a stern face to hide it.  Call it their “poker face”.
• But good men use discernment and show their integrity.  They think it through with God’s word in mind.  No need to hide that.

No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel

can avail against the Lord.

• It doesn’t matter how smart we think we are.  No matter how we rationalize it.  Bottom line is, any argument can be made.  I can argue with you until I’m blue in the face that penguins are made of peanut butter (try me), but my “wisdom and understanding” is based on nothing.  
• God’s wisdom, understanding and counsel are perfect, and are not affected by an ability to debate, and are not based on feelings and ideas.  They are firmly cemented in Truth.

The horse is made ready for the the day of battle,

but the victory belongs to the Lord

• Prepare all you’d like.  In fact, that’s good.  But whether you win or lose is up to God.  Everything is.  
• So pray even more than you prepare.  Ask Him for His assistance.  He can move mountains.