Day 13 of Proverbs

This is an old one that missed getting posted here, but still relevant, I think….

Day 13 of Proverbs, Feb 23, 2014

I have not written anything from Proverbs for a while, but here goes again 🙂 My thoughts and gleanings from this reading of Proverbs 13.

The comparison between good and evil, the righteous and the unrighteous individual continues to be the theme throughout this chapter. It is made very clear that the way of wisdom and diligence in doing right leads to satisfaction and wholeness, whereas the way of foolishness and carelessness leads to failure and destruction.

Verses 1-3 speak to me about the good fruit of an obedient and disciplined life in comparison to the ruin of the wayward life because of foolish choices.

Verses 5, 6, 7, 8 and 11 speak of the value of truth, integrity and hard work as opposed to worthless outcome of deceit, guilt, shame and ill gotten gain.

Riches and poverty are clearly not always what they appear to be and certainly not how the world generally views them.

I find much comfort in verse 12 when it tells us that hope, though it might be deferred and cause us pain, brings life and completion in its fulfillment. I believe our hope as believers is steadily satisfied in finding and placing our faith in God. Without faith, we become heart sick. Only trust in the goodness of God can heal this condition and bring us to a place of right desire.

The importance of the word, the counsel of God and faithfulness to the commands of God are found in verses 14-19. We can find healing and wholeness in the diligent pursuit of these and find folly, trouble and death in disdain of them. Knowing and following His desires for us, instead of our own, will help us not to succumb to the strong and stubborn desires of the flesh which will likely become our ruin. In order to do that effectively we need to be able to trust that God is indeed good…..and what He asks of us is undoubtedly for our own well being.

Verses 20 and 21 tell me that the company we keep and the fellowship we have with others will determine our direction toward wisdom or destruction, so we must be thoughtful and intentional in our choices, especially if we are not strong in character. Each will get his just reward in the end.

The good life of an individual is an inheritance (of moral stability and goodness) that will be the legacy of the grandchildren. These inherited traits are of more lasting value than all the ill gotten gain in the world that could end up in the right hands (v.22).

The poor can gain much by solid hard work but banks, creditors and lawyers have little regard for this. Unfortunately, they can and will readily relieve the poor of their homes and possessions (v.23).

Loving correction and diligent discipline need to be given early in life by parents and guardians (v.24).

Those with sensuous appetites always crave more or something other than what they have but the balanced individual gains much satisfaction from what he currently enjoys in terms of food, possessions or life in general (v.25)

That’s all I have for now…

AJ