Proverbs 26

Proverbs 26:1-28

Like snow in summer or rain in harvest,

so honor is not fitting for a fool.

• I talk to my boys about being a man of honor and integrity all the time.  A man without honor is like watching a clown.  
• Synonyms for “honorable” include, honest, moral, ethical, principled, righteous, right-minded.
• And a fool, lacking the wisdom and knowledge that God gives us through His Word, is as ridiculous as snow in the summer.

Like a sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying,

a curse that is causeless does not alight.

• We all have created enemies, either intentionally or otherwise. And people vent their hatred in various ways.
• Sometimes we’re “cursed” at for doing the right thing … especially when it’s unpopular.  Example:  The guy who says he isn’t going to cheat on the test when everyone else is.  
• Sometimes we’re “cursed” at because we state (even gently and with love in our intent) God’s Truth.  We see that today with the abortion issue and the issue of homosexuality.
• A curse that comes without cause – undeserved – is as harmless as the flying around of a bird.  It’s not going to hit the recipient.   In fact, it will likely fly back home from where it came.

A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,

and a rod for the back of fools.

• You can’t speak reason to a horse or a donkey and make it do what you need it to do, can you?  Of course not.  You need to direct it, to guide it. 
• Fools are no different.  It’s like they don’t speak English.  So they need to be treated as dumb animals to keep them in line.  
• Fools can be any color, any gender … any background.  But they are all the same in one way:  They don’t get it.  And if you don’t use the “rod” (control them physically), they will cause havoc.

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.

• "No you are!  No you are!  No you are!”
• "Oh yeah?  If he did that to me, I’m doing it back to him!”
• One of the challenges of parenting is teaching your kids that this goes nowhere.  In fact, it makes the original fool feel justified in his or her initial action.  
• God feels the same.  He looks at us fighting fire with fire.  Doing foolish things because, “She did it first!”  What children we still are.
• What God prescribes is to realize you’re dealing with a fool and fight back the urge to return the foolishness.  

Whoever sends a message by the hand of a fool

cuts off his own feet and drinks violence.

• Send a fool to deliver the message you want conveyed and you might as well cut off your own foot or drink some poison.  It’s not going to end well.

Like a lame man's legs, which hang useless,

is a proverb in the mouth of fools.

• Words can be powerful.  They are strongly dependent, though, on the source of those words.  
• Wise words coming from the mouth of a fool can’t be taken seriously.  They’re worthless.

Like one who binds the stone in the sling

is one who gives honor to a fool.

• Lifting up a fool in honor and respect (cough-Obama!) is as silly, worthless and harmful as tying a stone to a sling shot.  

Like a thorn that goes up into the hand of a drunkard

is a proverb in the mouth of fools.

• Put simply, a wise word (a Proverb) coming from a fool just doesn’t fit.  
• It doesn’t belong there as much as a splinter doesn’t belong in your skin.

Like an archer who wounds everyone

is one who hires a passing fool or drunkard.

• It’s irresponsible to have a fool or a drunk represent you in any way.  
• If you think they’ll do the job well and not cause a lot of harm along the way, you may be as foolish as they are.

Like a dog that returns to his vomit

is a fool who repeats his folly.

• I think this says it all.  Not getting that visual out of my head.
• Foolishness becomes insanity after a while.  Doing the same foolish thing over and over is like how a dog, well, you know.  Ick.

Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes?

There is more hope for a fool than for him.

• Wisdom only based on personal experience is like saying you know what a seven-layer dip tastes like by skimming the very corner of the first layer where it’s burned.  
• Our perspectives and subsequent feelings that are attached are skewed … flawed.  Only God’s wisdom takes all into account.  
• Too many base their world on a small subset of the data.  We see this in polls.  Any worldview can be substantiated by skimming just the first layer of data, over in the corner where it’s burned.
• When we take all the data into account we get closer, even though we will never have all the data in this earthly lifetime.  

The sluggard says, “There is a lion in the road!

There is a lion in the streets!”

• We hear excuses all the time. "I can’t find a job because of the economy or because someone did me wrong or [whatever].”
• Sluggards (lazy, entitlement-generation people) will always find excuses not to take responsibility to tough through it.  
• Saw “A Home of Our Own” with Kathy Bates yesterday.  Want to see a family who made no excuses?  Wow.  Everyone needs to see that one.  

As a door turns on its hinges,

so does a sluggard on his bed.

• Instead of getting up and getting to the day’s work, a sluggard just rolls over and succumbs to sloth.  

The sluggard buries his hand in the dish;

it wears him out to bring it back to his mouth.

• “Yo mama so lazy, she stick her hand in a bowl of food and don’t even pull it back to eat it."  Urban Standard Translation
• Some of us are so lazy, that we won’t even lift a hand to help ourselves.  We expect someone else to do it, making excuses why we can't.

The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes

than seven men who can answer sensibly.

• Logic doesn’t even play in the lazy man’s excuses.  He is right and there’s no convincing him otherwise.  
• He’s been done wrong, so he has no chance … so why try?  This attitude will be his end.

Whoever meddles in a quarrel not his own

is like one who takes a passing dog by the ears.

• Jumping into someone else’s argument is just asking for trouble.  
• And a tip, don’t grab a stray dog by the ears.  Unless, of course, scars will improve your appearance ;)

Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death

is the man who deceives his neighbor

and says, “I am only joking!”

• "You know this person.  He will say something that is insulting or hurtful to you.  He will trick you, leading you astray.  But, when you confront him, he will tell you that he was only joking.”  — paraphrased from "I Was Only Kidding" by Travis Peterson
• “… a person who hides his insults behind his supposed humor, that man is like a person who hurls flaming arrows.  This person is dangerous, destructive, and deadly.  Watch out for him.  Do not listen to him.  Do not tolerate his falsehood.”  — from "I Was Only Kidding" by Travis Peterson

For lack of wood the fire goes out,

and where there is no whisperer, quarreling ceases.

As charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire,

so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.

• Stop stoking the fire with gossip.  If you leave it alone, it will be forgotten.  
• We are asked to forgive.  Many times, though, we say we’ve forgiven, but then we carry on complaining about it.  Either it’s forgiven or not, though.  There is no middle ground.

The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels;

they go down into the inner parts of the body.

• Let’s face it.  It feels good to gossip … to talk about others unfavorably.  It’s also evil.  
• God tells us not to gossip.  Period.  He commands us because he knows it is a temptation no different than lust or greed.
• If you don’t have something uplifting to say, probably best to keep it to yourself.

Like the glaze covering an earthen vessel

are fervent lips with an evil heart.

Whoever hates disguises himself with his lips

and harbors deceit in his heart;

when he speaks graciously, believe him not,

for there are seven abominations in his heart;

though his hatred be covered with deception,

his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.

• Deception is evil.  Those who intend to deceive will do it with sweet words.  They will say what you want to hear, but their actions will be otherwise.  
• I want to pick on certain politicians, but we’ve all been guilty of this at times.  
• God knows our heart.  And even if the truth is not exposed to the public here on earth, it will be exposed on Judgement Day.

Whoever digs a pit will fall into it,

and a stone will come back on him who starts it rolling.

• You've made your bed.  Now you have to lie in it.  
• Start something with evil intentions and it will come back to bight you.  
• Indians refer to this as Karma.  What comes around goes around.  

A lying tongue hates its victims,

and a flattering mouth works ruin.

• Lying, in its very essence, is hate.  You obviously do not respect the person to whom you’re telling the lie enough to tell the truth.  Hateful.
• Flattering others to get your own way may get you some short-term gain, but it will end badly.
• Better to tell the truth and skip the deceptive flattery.

Proverbs 25

Proverbs 25:1-28

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

It is the glory of God to conceal things,

but the glory of kings is to search things out.

As the heavens for height, and the earth for depth,

so the heart of kings is unsearchable.

• "secret things belong unto the Lord our God.” — Deuteronomy 29:28
• There are many things that are hidden and are known only to God.  This fact forces us to acknowledge our limitations … and His greatness.  
• There is a reason why He makes only certain things knowable to us.  Why?  No idea, but it’s Truth.  This started in the Garden of Eden with the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.
• Do we simply trust Him?  Or do we need proof (to touch the wounds in His sides, so to speak) before we believe?  Blessed are those who believe without seeing.

Take away the dross from the silver,

and the smith has material for a vessel;

take away the wicked from the presence of the king,

and his throne will be established in righteousness.

• Dross = Something regarded as worthless, rubbish, junk.
• I’ve read no less than three studies lately about removing distractions from your life – especially evil or worthless distractions that take us away from God.  
• We are flooded with such distractions.  “Satan does not need to temp or deceive us to win.  All he needs to do is keep us busy.”
• But if we can simplify (something my sister did a while back), we can start to focus on what matters:  God, family, those in need … well, that’s about it.
• The more the silversmith can cook out the impurities … the more a king can eradicate wicked and distracting influences … the more righteousness, the more holiness, the more of God’s plan for us can shine like a star in this dark world.  
• So, don’t do more.  Do less.  But make that less all about God.

Do not put yourself forward in the king's presence

or stand in the place of the great,

for it is better to be told, “Come up here,”

than to be put lower in the presence of a noble.

• Ever hear someone tooting their own horn?  Feels awkward and wrong, doesn’t it?  Ever see a pro athlete do something incredible, then ruin it by acting boastful, demanding adoration from the fans?  Ick.  
• Now compare that to someone who shines, but doesn’t gloat about it.  No matter what they do, they still act in humility.  Wow.  Now that is something that just looks right and good, doesn’t it?
• Showing that you expect to be glorified only results in the opposite reaction.  And God’s reaction is no different.  He calls us to be humble.  To excel with the blessings He’s given us, but to give it all up to Him, the One who made us that way.  
• What are we, if not what God made us to be?  So act accordingly, in acknowledgement of “from whom all blessings flow”.

What your eyes have seen

do not hastily bring into court,

for what will you do in the end,

when your neighbor puts you to shame?

• Hasty = Acting with excessive speed or insufficient consideration.  
• “I know what I saw!”  Did you?  Have you thought it through?  If it’s absolutely clear after solid, thorough personal deliberation, then okay.  But don’t be hasty when bringing a claim against your neighbor.
• We are quick to react as a species, aren’t we?  Especially when we feel we’ve been wronged.  But keep in mind the word I just used … feel.  Feelings can’t be trusted in seeing things clearly.  Take a breath.  Count to 10.  Think about it, consider it, look at it from all perspectives (even from your aggressor’s perspective), and compare your intended response to God’s word on the matter.  Then act accordingly.

Argue your case with your neighbor himself,

and do not reveal another's secret,

lest he who hears you bring shame upon you,

and your ill repute have no end.

• Don’t fly off the handle, running to the courts for blood, screaming “I demand justice!”  If we start with the idea that intentions were good, but maybe execution was poor, we can save a lot of grief.
• Address the issue with the one who allegedly wronged you.  Talk it through.  If that neighbor’s intentions were pure, you will likely resolve the matter to your satisfaction, and maybe even strengthen your relationship with that neighbor.  
• Seemingly unrelated … keep a secret.  Don’t be that guy who no one can trust to keep your confidence.  

A word fitly spoken

is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.

Like a gold ring or an ornament of gold

is a wise reprover to a listening ear.

• "Lord please teach me to speak the right words at the right time with the right tone, that I may live peaceable with my neighbors.  Amen."
• That WORD comes from Him, either through memorization of scripture, so it pops out at the right time and in the right situation … or it comes from the Holy Spirit within a believer.  Either way, it’s from God.

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.

• Putting this verse in context of the time, snow from mountains was used to cool drinks.  Refreshing.
• “… so refreshing is a faithful messenger.”  Proverbs 13:17
• Delivery of the word of God by a faithful messenger is refreshing to our souls.  Bring it and bring it often!

Like clouds and wind without rain

is a man who boasts of a gift he does not give.

• People who promise gifts that they never ultimately give, or just generally promise anything upon which they don’t follow through, are like clouds without rain (in a time when rain is desperately needed).

With patience a ruler may be persuaded,

and a soft tongue will break a bone.

• Patient persistence pierces through indifference.
• A judge, seeing someone who has patiently put up with injustice without complaint, will look more favorably upon that person.
• Gentle speech breaks down rigid defenses.
• A calm, reasonable delivery of your case will more likely convince someone.   Forcing it down their throat does not work.  

If you have found honey, eat only enough for you,

lest you have your fill of it and vomit it.

• There is such a concept as "too much of a good thing”.
• Moderation in all things.

Let your foot be seldom in your neighbor's house,

lest he have his fill of you and hate you.

• Same as above, to an extent.  Too much of a good thing … assuming your presence was considered a "good thing" in the first place ;)
• Don’t wear out your welcome by dropping by too often.  If you are wanted more often, you will be invited.

A man who bears false witness against his neighbor

is like a war club, or a sword, or a sharp arrow.

• Lies (false witness) are as destructive to a reputation as a club, a sword or an arrow are to the body.  

Trusting in a treacherous man in time of trouble

is like a bad tooth or a foot that slips.

• Why did my mind go directly to our current President?  So many trust in him, despite what seems so obvious to me.  Perhaps it’s not so obvious, or people are just that easily fooled.
• Treachery annoys as well as deceives.  — From “Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible"
• Confidence in an unfaithful man is painful … — From "Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible"

Whoever sings songs to a heavy heart

is like one who takes off a garment on a cold day,

and like vinegar on soda.

• “Come on!  Cheer up!”  Ever hear that when you are feeling low?  It doesn’t help – it hurts.  It’s like being squirted in the face with cold water on a cold day.  
• Instead, try sympathy.  Stop trying to cheer up the heavy hearted and just love them, be with them.  

If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat,

and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink,

for you will heap burning coals on his head,

and the Lord will reward you.

• We are terrified of ISIS and want to eradicate them.  Why not – instead – love them?  Radical thinking, I know.  Crazy to some, I know.  But we must not lean on our own understanding, but on His.
• How about, instead of dropping bombs on ISIS camps, we drop food and medicine?  Like heaping coals on metal will soften/melt the metal, kindness softens/melts the heart.
• Suffocating them with kindness.  What would this seemingly crazy approach result in?  A hardening or a softening of their resolve to kill the infidels?  Food for thought.
• God says that he will reward us for loving our enemies.  I – for one – believe Him.

The north wind brings forth rain,

and a backbiting tongue, angry looks.

• Slanders would not be so readily spoken, if they were not readily heard. — From “Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible"
• Gossiping causes anger.  Why start?  What do you expect to gain?  Control yourself and do not gossip.

It is better to live in a corner of the housetop

than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife.

• Contentious, quarrelsome, nagging, biting … this is not just about wives, but about dealing with anyone that is difficult and always picking fights.
• It’s better to just stay away … to not take part or response to biting, quarrelsome comments.  
• “It is better to live in a desert land than with a quarrelsome and fretful woman.” Proverbs 21:19

Like cold water to a thirsty soul,

so is good news from a far country.

• This speaks right to my newly found drive to deliver the Good News to far away countries who don’t know His name or about His free Gift.
• We have to remember, we are tainted here in America.  People tend to respond with scoffing or annoyance at the good news here.  Over there, they are thirsty for it.  When they hear it, they drink it up because they have extremely thirsty souls.

Like a muddied spring or a polluted fountain

is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked.

• I’ve been guilty of this before.  My desire to be seen as “reasonable” turns into a muddying of the water of Truth when confronted strongly by unbelievers.  
• We try to compromise on God’s truth when nothing but the whole, unadulterated, unaltered Truth will do.
• I say this to myself:  Stand firm in the Truth, Greg.  Do not falter.  Do not muddy or pollute the waters in the name of “tolerance”.  People need the Truth, the whole Truth and nothing but the Truth.

It is not good to eat much honey,

nor is it glorious to seek one's own glory.

• We are to seek God’s glory, not our own.  
• Pair this with “If you have found honey, eat only enough for you, lest you have your fill of it and vomit it.”
• Seeking your own glory, like eating too much honey, will leave you feeling nauseous eventually.  It is not fulfilling, and it’s not good for you.

A man without self-control

is like a city broken into and left without walls.

• "Ancient cities like Babylon or Jerusalem were protected from their enemies by fortified walls. One whose walls were broken down was a city inviting attack and plunder. In the same way, human beings without self-control are in danger of being ruined and humiliated by the blind pursuit of egocentric, self-indulgent, and forbidden desires.” — From Self-control and City Walls by Rubel Shelly
• I couldn’t have said it better.  This is an area of improvement for us all … until the end.

Proverbs 24

Proverbs 24:1-34

Be not envious of evil men,

nor desire to be with them,

for their hearts devise violence,

and their lips talk of trouble.

• This is a tough one.  Our society is absolutely drawn to evil people.  We see it in the news all the time.  In fact, when we see someone so far out there, away from Truth, we are envious of their sheer “rebellion”.  Why?  That’s the enemy saying, “Eat the apple.  You know better than God.  Come on, what are you chicken?”
• The desire to do evil things explodes exponentially when we choose to be with evil people.  The pressure to do as they do is immense.  So, we must avoid.
• Does this mean we should never be around evil people?  No.  They need US.  They need our influence.  This is why we are called to live in this world, but to live as “aliens”.  We are called to live, speak, act out Truth so that others may see God through us. 

By wisdom a house is built,

and by understanding it is established;

by knowledge the rooms are filled

with all precious and pleasant riches.

• This is God’s pattern for His beautiful design for marriage:  wisdom, understanding and knowledge.
• Wisdom = seeing with discernment.  We must see clearly the big picture and not just the pretty details.  
• Establish = setting something upright that has fallen, or putting in order something that is cluttered.  You must respond to what you see with insight, with understanding.  Bad things will happen.  There will be low points.  But understanding it from God’s perspective means you understand that it’s all part of the plan (even if you don’t understand at the time).
• Knowledge = perception.  As we grow in knowledge of our spouse, we grow in sympathy that comes with learning.  
• We don’t need things.  We need God’s riches filling our rooms.  
• “By wisdom it can be restored.  By understanding it can be set right.  By knowledge those rooms can have those qualities that will never burn up or rot or be eaten away by moths.  

A wise man is full of strength,

and a man of knowledge enhances his might,

for by wise guidance you can wage your war,

and in abundance of counselors there is victory.

• What “war” is this talking about?  Any war against what is wrong, or fight for what is right.  It’s the battle of our tendency toward sin.  
• We must increase our strength – our spiritual strength.  
• “Love the Lord your God with all of your heart, all of your soul, and all of your mind …”  How do you do this?  By continually working out your heart, your soul and your mind.  By constantly learning, absorbing and exercising your spiritual life.  
• This is wise … and a wise person knows that they battle is intense, and the Devil WILL NOT stop.  In fact, he will increase the heat.  We MUST prepare for the battles ahead, because they ARE coming, and we must be ready. 
• You must seek guidance from God mostly, but also from those who know God’s Word and Truth.  You must surround yourself with those who will sharpen you (as iron sharpens iron) and strengthen you and challenge you.  

Wisdom is too high for a fool;

in the gate he does not open his mouth.

• A fool is incapable of wisdom.  It goes right over his head.  It’s out of his reach.
• Because of this, no one trusts him to be wise in the public arena.
• Fools hate instruction based on wisdom.  "The way of a fool is right in his own eyes.”  He likes the way he thinks and doesn’t want to hear it.
• The fool must fear God (understand that what He says trumps all else, even our own opinions), he must then listen to God, and he must humble himself and take the advise.  But he won’t because he thinks he “knows better”.
• This fool will never become a leader in the community due to his foolishness.  
• This can also mean that when the fool stands in the “gate” to be judged, he will have nothing to say in his defense.  He may say something, but it will have no weight.  He has no defense for his foolishness.

Whoever plans to do evil

will be called a schemer.

The devising of folly is sin,

and the scoffer is an abomination to mankind.

• A “Schemer”.  Someone cooking up evil, misleading plans to get what he wants.  Think: politician.  Our president is a master at it, but he’s not alone.  There are schemers on the other side of the isle, too.
• Even thinking of evil plans is sin.  We must control our minds, blocking thoughts of how we can make things better for ourselves just because we can.  God gave us free will, but hopes will all hope that we will choose his way, not the way of evil.
• And the scoffer … I meet these guys daily.  “You believe that?” and “Why are you wasting your time helping these dregs of society?”  They scoff because they can’t grasp living a life focused on others and not on themselves, giving up control to God.  They think we’re crazy.
• They have chosen the other way – the way God hopes we don’t go.  But we must choose Him.  We can’t be forced – that wouldn’t be a relationship with Him.  They are an abomination.

If you faint in the day of adversity,

your strength is small.

Rescue those who are being taken away to death;

hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter.

• Are you standing strong in your faith?  Do you flinch at the tiniest of pushback, or do you hold tight?  If you can’t stand firm when someone challenges your faith, how will you fair when you face REAL adversity?
• I pray often for God’s strength to stand firm … that I will not faint in the day of adversity.  And His strength sustains.  I can not do it alone, but I don’t have to.  I have His strength.
• What are we to do with those who don’t have God as a basis of their lives?  Be “tolerant” and avoid ruffling feathers, while they walk further and further toward the cliff’s edge?
• THAT is unloving.  That is apathetic.  We are called to love our neighbors as ourselves.  If someone knew truth that could save you from death but they didn’t bother to tell us, even though they KNEW we didn’t know, how cruel would that be.  So why do WE hesitate?  
• Do not hold back.  Even if they initially react adversely.  They will eventually appreciate the love they are showing for them once they see the Light.

If you say, “Behold, we did not know this,”

does not he who weighs the heart perceive it?

• God understands the difference between someone who sins (think: doesn’t do God’s will) but didn’t know better and someone who knows better and sins the same.  And He weighs that – He takes note.  Those who know better and do it anyway are far more guilty than a person who doesn’t know better yet.

Does not he who keeps watch over your soul know it,

and will he not repay man according to his work?

• While we will undoubtedly be saved by faith in Christ alone, we will receive our rewards in heaven according to our works.  
• I REPEAT, you can not and will not lose your salvation.  Once you’ve accepted Christ, you’ve accepted Christ.  That’s it – end of story.
• BUT, God instructs us to live the life HE has planned for us.  To make disciples, to help those who cross our path who we have the power to help, to glorify Him in all things.  
• And depending on how we execute on His instructions will drive our rewards IN heaven (once we’re there).   

My son, eat honey, for it is good,

and the drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to your taste.

Know that wisdom is such to your soul;

if you find it, there will be a future,

and your hope will not be cut off.

• Put simply, wisdom is like honey for the soul.  It brings joy, comfort, peace.  It’s nurishing and sweet to the taste.
• And God’s wisdom brings hope that will not disappoint.  It will not come up empty.  He WILL deliver.

Lie not in wait as a wicked man against the dwelling of the righteous;

do no violence to his home;

for the righteous falls seven times and rises again,

but the wicked stumble in times of calamity.

• A man who attacks a righteous man finds that he is opposing God Himself.  Don’t mess with a man after God’s own heart.  BE a man (or woman) after God’s own heart.
• "The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling but in rising every time we fall.” — Nelson Mandela
• If we rest on our own power, especially during times of hardship, we will fail.  What reason do we have to get back up?  Where is our hope without God and His promise?

Do not rejoice when your enemy falls,

and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles,

lest the Lord see it and be displeased,

and turn away his anger from him.

• Ouch.  I am so guilty of this one.  When I hear that the bully who picked on me in middle school is now in prison, or the popular guy in high school is now that high school’s janitor, or the guy I didn’t vote for is failing in his office … I rejoice a little inside.  I find JOY in their PAIN.  Again, ouch.  This is so displeasing to God, and it is so wrong.  
• We are to LOVE our enemies.  It does not say in scripture to simply SHOW love to our enemies, but to actually LOVE them.  This includes putting a governor on our joy when they fail.  
• How would we feel if we new that others were having a little party in their heads when we stumbled and fell? 
• The two greatest commandments, according to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, after “Love the Lord they God …”, we have, “love your neighbor as [just like you love] yourself.”  That includes our enemies.

Fret not yourself because of evildoers,

and be not envious of the wicked,

for the evil man has no future;

the lamp of the wicked will be put out.

• The lamp of the wicked WILL be put out.  That is one heck of a promise.  And it takes a lot of weight off of our shoulders, too.  All those feelings of revenge or envy or hatred can dissolve because God – in the end – will not let wrongdoing pass.  He is a good and righteous judge.
• That is, unless they accept Jesus into their lives and truly repent of their sinful, evil ways.  And – if that happens – we can rejoice, because now we have another brother or sister in Christ.  And we can forgive them for their transgressions just like God forgave us ours.

My son, fear the Lord and the king,

and do not join with those who do otherwise,

for disaster will arise suddenly from them,

and who knows the ruin that will come from them both?

• Fear = have true reverence/respect for.  We are called to love unconditionally AND to respect unconditionally.  The latter is VERY difficult given we live in a world that says, “He has to earn my respect” or “He’s totally lost my respect”.  God thinks differently on this matter, and we have to rest in His wisdom over ours.
• Fearing the Lord – that one is easy.  He created everything (the vastness of space, the microscopic, and everything in between), he sent His son through a virgin, etc.
• Fearing/respecting our leaders – that is a hard one.  Especially who we have now.  But God clearly says to show them respect and reverence.  This doesn’t mean we have to agree with them or vote for them for the next term, but we should show our unconditionally respect and love, as representatives of our God and Savior.

Partiality in judging is not good.

Whoever says to the wicked, “You are in the right,”

will be cursed by peoples, abhorred by nations,

but those who rebuke the wicked will have delight,

and a good blessing will come upon them.

• Put yourself in the situation:  Your best friend and your worst enemy come to you with a disagreement.  What do you do?  The world and your gut will tell you, “Support your friend.”  But what if your enemy is clearly in the right and your friend is clearly in the wrong, especially when discerning based on God’s Word?
• God says partiality is bad, so rest on this truth and do what is right … and not what FEELS right.

Whoever says to the wicked, “You are in the right,”

will be cursed by peoples, abhorred by nations,

but those who rebuke the wicked will have delight,

and a good blessing will come upon them.

• Lifting up something wicked as “right” is so wrong.  But that is what we’re starting to do in our society.  In fact, it started back during the hippie generation, but we thought it was just a fad I guess and did not fully stand up against it.  It has festered and grown and we are now facing the repercussions of not standing up for Truth.  We have some work to do to move the needle back and recalibrate the American engine.  It will not happen quickly, so we must be patient.  In God’s time we will be made right again … one way or another.

Whoever gives an honest answer

kisses the lips.

• An honest answer is a sign of true friendship and is loving (even if it stings the recipient at the time).

Prepare your work outside;

get everything ready for yourself in the field,

and after that build your house.

• We need to focus on necessities before worrying about conveniences.  If we do the opposite, we’ll take on debt, etc. and/or we’ll go hungry (in a manner of speaking).  
• So prioritize from need to want.  
• Side note:  Start with what you owe to God (your tithe) to show acknowledge that all blessings (financial or otherwise) come from God, even if you think, “I don’t have enough to give.”  Once you give to God what is His, start with getting your needs covered.

Be not a witness against your neighbor without cause,

and do not deceive with your lips.

• Many times people simply believe what they’re told.  That is the downfall of our society, in fact.  It starts with an Kant-esc or Niche-esc approach … if you get away with a lie, it’s okay as long as you got what you wanted.  Problem with this is, the lies turn into people truly believing the lies that were told.  So, by deceiving with your lips, you are tipping the first domino.
• You do not get away with lies.  You just don’t.  And they never solve a problem – they simply delay a problem at best.

Do not say, “I will do to him as he has done to me;

I will pay the man back for what he has done.”

• This parallels Jesus’ command to turn the other cheek.  My take, what does “paying them back” do except escalate the conflict?  Do you think he/she will leave it alone once you do something to them?  That’s just logic.
• Instead, do as Jesus taught us.  Do not pay them back.  Do not take revenge.  Instead, communicate your hurt, certainly but then forgive the transgression.  Not because they deserve it, but because God forgave us for OUR transgressions.

I passed by the field of a sluggard,

by the vineyard of a man lacking sense,

and behold, it was all overgrown with thorns;

the ground was covered with nettles,

and its stone wall was broken down.

Then I saw and considered it;

I looked and received instruction.

A little sleep, a little slumber,

a little folding of the hands to rest,

and poverty will come upon you like a robber,

and want like an armed man.

• “Lazy people want much, but get little, but those who work hard will prosper.”  Proverbs 13:4  
• We – especially – are greatly blessed.  We live in the right time, in the right country, born to the right family who raised us well, etc.  To be lazy in the midst of all of this blessing?  What an insult to the Blesser.  It’s the parable of the Talents.  What are you doing with your blessings?  Are you “folding your hands and resting”?  Or are you optimizing, maximizing your blessings?  Making the most of it?  
• Forget the repercussions of being lazy.  The bigger shame is to know your talents, your blessings and the opportunity He places in front of you and do less than you could have. 
• “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,” Colossians 3:23
• Work hard to glorify His name.

Proverbs 23

Proverbs 23:1-35

When you sit down to eat with a ruler,

observe carefully what is before you,

and put a knife to your throat

if you are given to appetite.

Do not desire his delicacies,

for they are deceptive food.

Do not toil to acquire wealth;

be discerning enough to desist.

When your eyes light on it, it is gone,

for suddenly it sprouts wings,

flying like an eagle toward heaven.

• “love of money is a root of all kinds of evils,” and it is “through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith” 1 Timothy 6:10
• Gluttony (for anything, including money, food, porn, women, gossip, etc.) leads to greed.
• We have to be diligent in controlling our cravings for money, adoration, and so on, because it will lead to worse and worse things.
• If we can’t control our cravings, this suggests putting a knife to our throats.  Better to control our sinful nature in any way, than to lose our soul.  
• If you can’t control your eyes and what they look at, gouge them out.  If you can’t keep your hands from stealing, cut them off.  
• Is this literal?  Sure, if you simply can’t control yourself.  But really, we should understand from this that toiling to acquire wealth … letting our cravings take over … WILL have horrible effect.  
• Instead, be diligent for God.  Toil for more Jesus in your life.  Toil in His work.
• In other words, lay up your treasure in Heaven, not here on Earth.

Do not eat the bread of a man who is stingy;

do not desire his delicacies,

for he is like one who is inwardly calculating.

“Eat and drink!” he says to you,

but his heart is not with you.

You will vomit up the morsels that you have eaten,

and waste your pleasant words.

• God (via Solomon) is telling us to avoid accepting anything from a miserly person.  And certainly don’t be one of these miserly people.
• Your appreciation is wasted on stingy people.  Your gratitude means nothing to them.
• He likely has an ulterior motive, hoping to get the “morsels” back from you, with interest.

Do not speak in the hearing of a fool,

for he will despise the good sense of your words.

• Don’t waste your breath.  A back and forth with someone who is tied to worldly or otherwise foolish thinking is an exercise in futility.  In fact, they will hear Truth and despise it.

Do not move an ancient landmark

or enter the fields of the fatherless,

for their Redeemer is strong;

he will plead their cause against you.

• I was listening to a sermon on the radio just yesterday on this topic.  Jesus is our “lawyer”.  He will plead our case to God for us.  Cool thing is, we already know He will “win the case”, so we can rest in that.
• Those today who are trying to re-invent what truth is … this is a warning to them.  “Sure, what everyone has known is Truth for thousands of years is wrong, and your new age thinking is right.” (sarcasm intended)  By the way, when I type “new age", autocorrect changes it to “sewage" … so appropriate. 

Apply your heart to instruction

and your ear to words of knowledge.

• Don’t just hear words of knowledge … absorb them into your heart.  You can tell when someone knows something versus KNOWING it.  The latter is acting on that instruction.  
• I know I struggle with this.  The world (and even loved ones) tell us that “you’re doing enough”, but that is a lie.  It’s not an intentional lie … it’s just a lie we’ve been lulled into over time by the Enemy.  
• Works mean nothing by themselves, but action based on a heart filled with knowledge, driven by love and a desire to please a God who loves us whether we do anything or not, shows that we’ve applied instruction to our heart.
• Likewise, strip away (do not listen to) words that contradict good, solid, biblical knowledge.  That is the other guy trying to pull you away.

Do not withhold discipline from a child;

if you strike him with a rod, he will not die.

If you strike him with the rod,

you will save his soul from Sheol.

• It’s not going to kill him to get a little discipline.  In fact, it will hurt him FAR more if you don’t.
• So, by withholding discipline, you’re actually doing the opposite of loving them.  You’re showing non-verbally that you don’t care.  God knows this.  Even the child knows this at some level.
• Same with God, our Father.  He must discipline us, correct us, continually put us back on the right path.  His path.  He must because He is a good and loving father.
• Old Sheol … he’s mentioned a lot.  But it’s not a “he” - it’s hell.  The Pit.  Destruction.  
• If you do not discipline, you are showing passivity.  And passivity is lack of love … lack of caring enough to point them back in the right direction.  If needed, use a rod.

My son, if your heart is wise,

my heart too will be glad.

My inmost being will exult

when your lips speak what is right.

• There is nothing like the sound of your son or daughter speaking Truth.  Knowing that they have heard God through you.  
• But, for this to happen, you must speak Truth to them.  Lead them in the ways of wisdom – God’s wisdom.  
• And you must do this repeatedly, without ceasing.  AND – even more importantly – you must SHOW that you believe it by doing what is right.  Otherwise, your words will carry no weight.

Let not your heart envy sinners,

but continue in the fear of the Lord all the day.

Surely there is a future,

and your hope will not be cut off.

Hear, my son, and be wise,

and direct your heart in the way.

• Where are your eyes?  On what do they focus?  On this world and this life?  Or on Him and eternity?
• It comes down to this:  There IS a future.  So, don’t worry about the unbeliever who “gets ahead” in this world.  They will have received their reward here.  Yours is in heaven.
• Faith comes in the promise … in the hope that will not be cut off.  It WILL come.
• Be wise in mind, heart and spirit.  All three.  You must not simply KNOW.  You must BELIEVE.  

Be not among drunkards

or among gluttonous eaters of meat,

for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty,

and slumber will clothe them with rags.

• Should you not be “among” them?  Well, if you are easily tempted, no.  But certainly, do not partake in drunkenness and gluttony (over-eating).  That’s for sure.
• Stay in control.  Lack of self-control is the way to poverty, destruction, ruin.  Keep your wits, don’t overdo.  

Listen to your father who gave you life,

and do not despise your mother when she is old.

• Your father just might know some things you don’t.  He’s likely “been there, done that.”  Maybe you should consider listening.  Either way, listen.  He gave you life.  Show some respect and reverence for that fact.
• And when your Mom is old and in need of you, don’t complain.  She didn’t complain when raising and nurturing you.  We are not our own.  We are owed nothing.  We are to serve, starting with our family.

Buy truth, and do not sell it;

buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding.

• Buy = acquire.  Sell = give up for something else.
• Continue to study and absorb Truth.  Do not exchange it for anything.  

The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice;

he who fathers a wise son will be glad in him.

Let your father and mother be glad;

let her who bore you rejoice.

• I know that it brings my parents joy when they see the man they raised.  There are some areas of disappointment, of course, but seeing that your son or daughter is walking the walk because they trust in what you’ve taught them, it is invigorating to see.
• What they’ve taught me through wisdom gained through trials, successes, years of experience, and from God … I must see as an example of their love for me.  I must trust that they (and God) know best.  
• I know that Meredith will rejoice to see the right-acting, right-thinking kids she and I have raised.

My son, give me your heart,

and let your eyes observe my ways.

For a prostitute is a deep pit;

an adulteress is a narrow well.

She lies in wait like a robber

and increases the traitors among mankind.

• Do what I do, say what I say, live how I live … this is the only way to lead our children.  
• The prostitute and the adulteress represents things we can buy and/or partake in that are not in line with God’s instruction.  These things are displeasing to Him because He knows they are bad for us, even if we don’t see it.
• These things only harm us, break things down, destroy.  And it’s not just an impact on us.  It is an impact on those around us – our family, our community, our country.

Who has woe? Who has sorrow?

Who has strife? Who has complaining?

Who has wounds without cause?

Who has redness of eyes?

Those who tarry long over wine;

those who go to try mixed wine.

Do not look at wine when it is red,

when it sparkles in the cup

and goes down smoothly.

In the end it bites like a serpent

and stings like an adder.

Your eyes will see strange things,

and your heart utter perverse things.

You will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea,

like one who lies on the top of a mast.

“They struck me,” you will say, “but I was not hurt;

they beat me, but I did not feel it.

When shall I awake?

I must have another drink.

• This speaks to the dangers of alcoholism, but also anything on which we make ourselves “drunk” … video games, pornography, lustful thinking, gambling, etc.
• It desensitizes us from what God truly intends.  Again, it displeases Him not so much because we are being defiant, but because He knows the damage it will cause.  He is a loving Dad and wants what is best for us.  He does not want to see us hurt.