shattered beyond recovery

Posted on December 1, 2024 by Jefferson Vann

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shattered beyond recovery

Proverbs 29:1-27 (JDV).

Proverbs 29:1 One who becomes stiff-necked, after many reprimands will be shattered instantly — beyond recovery.
Proverbs 29:2 When the righteous flourish, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, people groan.
Proverbs 29:3 A man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father, but one who consorts with prostitutes destroys his wealth.
Proverbs 29:4 By justice a king brings stability to a land, but a person who demands “contributions” demolishes it.
Proverbs 29:5 A person who flatters his neighbor spreads a net for his feet.
Proverbs 29:6 An evil person is caught by sin, but the righteous one sings and rejoices.
Proverbs 29:7 The righteous person knows the rights of the poor, but the wicked one does not understand these concerns.
Proverbs 29:8 Mockers inflame a city, but the wise turn away anger.
Proverbs 29:9 If a wise person goes to court with a fool, there will be ranting and raving but no resolution.
Proverbs 29:10 Bloodthirsty men hate an honest person, but the upright care about his throat.
Proverbs 29:11 A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise person holds it in check.
Proverbs 29:12 If a ruler listens to lies, all his officials will be wicked.
Proverbs 29:13 The poor and the oppressor have this in common: Yahveh gives light to the eyes of both.
Proverbs 29:14 A king who judges the poor with fairness– his throne will be established forever.
Proverbs 29:15 A rod of correction imparts wisdom, but a youth left to himself is a disgrace to his mother.
Proverbs 29:16 When the wicked increase, rebellion increases, but the righteous will see their downfall.
Proverbs 29:17 Correct your child, and it will bring you peace of mind and give your throat delight.
Proverbs 29:18 Without revelation people run wild, but one who follows divine instruction will be fortunate.
Proverbs 29:19 A servant cannot be corrected by words; though he understands, he doesn’t respond.
Proverbs 29:20 Do you see someone who speaks too soon? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
Proverbs 29:21 A servant pampered from his youth will become arrogant later.
Proverbs 29:22 An angry person stirs up conflict, and a hot-tempered one increases rebellion.
Proverbs 29:23 A person’s pride will humble him, but a humble spirit will gain honor.
Proverbs 29:24 To be a thief’s partner is to hate one’s own throat; he hears the curse but will not testify.
Proverbs 29:25 The fear of mankind is a snare, but the one who trusts in Yahveh is protected.
Proverbs 29:26 Many desire a ruler’s favor, but a person receives justice from Yahveh.
Proverbs 29:27 An unjust person is repulsive to the righteous, and one whose road is upright is repulsive to the wicked.

shattered beyond recovery

A stiff neck is one that refuses to move, even when there is cause for it. This is how the sages described a person who was rebuked many times for engaging in destructive behavior, yet never changed. Perhaps some of your friends have been pointing out a need in your own life for a change. Perhaps you are hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit prompting you to do so. Listen! Turn before it is too late. A neck shattered beyond recovery is death.

LORD, forgive us for our stubbornness. Help us o change.

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misrule

Posted on November 30, 2024 by Jefferson Vann

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misrule

Proverbs 28:1-28 (JDV).

Proverbs 28:1 The wicked flee when no one is pursuing them, but the righteous are as bold as a lion.
Proverbs 28:2 When a land is in rebellion, it has many rulers, but with a discerning and knowledgeable person, it endures.
Proverbs 28:3 A needy strong ruler who oppresses the poor is like a driving rain that leaves no food.
Proverbs 28:4 Those who reject the law praise the wicked, but those who keep it pit themselves against them.
Proverbs 28:5 The evil do not understand justice, but those who seek Yahveh understand everything.
Proverbs 28:6 Better the poor person who walks with integrity than the rich one who has crooked roads.
Proverbs 28:7 A discerning son keeps the law, but a companion of gluttons humiliates his father.
Proverbs 28:8 Whoever increases his wealth through excessive interest collects it for one who is kind to the poor.
Proverbs 28:9 Anyone who turns his ear away from hearing the law — even his prayer is repulsive.
Proverbs 28:10 The one who leads the upright into an evil road will fall into his own pit, but the blameless will inherit what is good.
Proverbs 28:11 A rich person is wise in his own eyes, but a poor one with discernment sees through him.
Proverbs 28:12 When the righteous triumph, there is great rejoicing, but when the wicked come to power, people hide.
Proverbs 28:13 The one who conceals his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them will find mercy.
Proverbs 28:14 Fortunate is the one who is always reverent, but one who hardens his heart falls into trouble.
Proverbs 28:15 A wicked ruler over a helpless people is like a roaring lion or a charging bear.
Proverbs 28:16 A leader who lacks understanding is very oppressive, but one who hates dishonest profit prolongs his life.
Proverbs 28:17 Someone burdened by a bloody throat will be a fugitive until death. Let no one help him.
Proverbs 28:18 The one who lives with integrity will be helped, but one who has crooked roads will suddenly fall.
Proverbs 28:19 The one who works his land will have plenty of food, but whoever chases fantasies will have his fill of poverty.
Proverbs 28:20 A faithful person will have many blessings, but one in a hurry to get rich will not go unpunished.
Proverbs 28:21 It is not good to show partiality — yet even a brave person may sin for a piece of bread.
Proverbs 28:22 A greedy one is in a hurry for wealth; he doesn’t know that poverty will come to him.
Proverbs 28:23 One who rebukes a person will later find more favor than one who flatters with his tongue.
Proverbs 28:24 The one who robs his father or mother and says, “That’s no sin,” is a companion to a person who destroys.
Proverbs 28:25 A greedy person stirs up conflict, but whoever trusts in Yahveh will prosper.
Proverbs 28:26 The one who trusts in himself is a fool, but one who walks in wisdom will be safe.
Proverbs 28:27 The one who gives to the poor will not be in need, but one who turns his eyes away will receive many curses.
Proverbs 28:28 When the wicked come to power, people hide, but when they are destroyed, the righteous flourish.

misrule

Many of these sayings mention the damage that can be done by a ruler who misrules a nation. We need to pray for godly rulers, vote them into office, and throw the rascals who misrule out. No land can survive the damage of misrule.

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wounds of a friend

Posted on November 29, 2024 by Jefferson Vann

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wounds of a friend

Proverbs 27:1-27 (JDV).

Proverbs 27:1 Don’t boast about tomorrow, because you don’t know what a day might bring.
Proverbs 27:2 Let another praise you, and not your own mouth — a stranger, and not your own lips.
Proverbs 27:3 A stone is heavy and sand, a burden, but aggravation from a fool outweighs them both.
Proverbs 27:4 Fury is cruel, and anger a flood, but who can withstand jealousy?
Proverbs 27:5 Better an open rebuke than concealed love.
Proverbs 27:6 The wounds of a friend are trustworthy, but the kisses of an enemy are too much.
Proverbs 27:7 A throat which is full tramples on a honeycomb, but to a hungry throat, any bitter thing is sweet.
Proverbs 27:8 Anyone wandering from his home is like a bird wandering from its nest.
Proverbs 27:9 Perfume and incense make the heart glad, but the throat is torn by trouble.
Proverbs 27:10 Don’t abandon your friend or your father’s friend, and don’t go to your brother’s house in your time of calamity; better a neighbor nearby than a brother far away.
Proverbs 27:11 Be wise, my son, and bring my heart joy, so that I can answer anyone who taunts me.
Proverbs 27:12 A sensible person sees danger and takes cover; the morally naive keep going and are punished.
Proverbs 27:13 Take his garment, for he has put up security for a stranger; get collateral if it is for foreigners.
Proverbs 27:14 If one blesses his neighbor with a loud voice early in the morning, it will be counted as a curse to him.
Proverbs 27:15 An endless dripping on a rainy day and an arguing wife are alike;
Proverbs 27:16 the one who controls her controls the wind and grasps oil with his right hand.
Proverbs 27:17 Iron sharpens iron, and one person sharpens another.
Proverbs 27:18 Whoever tends a fig tree will eat its fruit, and whoever looks after his master will be honored.
Proverbs 27:19 As water reflects the face, so the heart reflects the person.
Proverbs 27:20 Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied, and people’s eyes are never satisfied.
Proverbs 27:21 A crucible refines silver, a smelter refines gold, and a person refines his praise.
Proverbs 27:22 Even if you could grind a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with grain, you would not separate his foolishness from him.
Proverbs 27:23 Know well the condition of your flock, and pay attention to your herds,
Proverbs 27:24 because wealth is not permanent; not even a crown lasts for all time.
Proverbs 27:25 When hay is removed and new growth appears and the grain from the hills is gathered in,
Proverbs 27:26 lambs will provide your clothing, and goats, the price of a field;
Proverbs 27:27 there will be enough goat’s milk for your food — food for your household and nourishment for your female servants.

wounds of a friend

One of the tests of real friendship is the courage to rebuke when your friend needs it. We are all fallible, and the LORD sometimes calls on us to point out the rough spots in the lives of those closest to us. If we have built a relationship that ensures our friends of our faithfulness both to the LORD and to them, they will understand where our criticism comes from. But we have to risk it, even if they do not understand.

LORD, give us the love for our friends to sharpen them when they need it. Also, give us the wisdom to accept sharpening when our friends need to rebuke us.

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not fit for wisdom

Posted on November 28, 2024 by Jefferson Vann

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not fit for wisdom

Proverbs 26:1-28 (JDV).

Proverbs 26:1 Like snow in summer and rain at harvest, honor is inappropriate for a fool.
Proverbs 26:2 Like a flitting sparrow or a fluttering swallow, an undeserved curse goes nowhere.
Proverbs 26:3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the backs of fools.
Proverbs 26:4 Don’t answer a fool according to his foolishness or you’ll be like him yourself.
Proverbs 26:5 Answer a fool according to his foolishness, or he’ll become wise in his own eyes.
Proverbs 26:6 The one who sends a message by a fool’s hand cuts off his feet and drinks violence.
Proverbs 26:7 A proverb in the mouth of a fool is like lame legs that hang limp.
Proverbs 26:8 Giving honor to a fool is like binding a stone in a sling.
Proverbs 26:9 A proverb in the mouth of a fool is like a stick with thorns, brandished by the hand of a drunkard.
Proverbs 26:10 The one who hires a fool or who hires those passing by is like an archer who wounds everyone.
Proverbs 26:11 As a dog returns to its vomit, a fool repeats his foolishness.
Proverbs 26:12 Do you see a wise person in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
Proverbs 26:13 The idler says, “There’s a lion in the road — a lion in the public square!”
Proverbs 26:14 A door turns on its hinges, and an idler, on his bed.
Proverbs 26:15 The idler buries his hand in the bowl; he is too weary to bring it to his mouth!
Proverbs 26:16 In his eyes, an idler is wiser than seven who can answer sensibly.
Proverbs 26:17 A person passing by and meddles in a quarrel that’s not his is like one who grabs a dog by the ears.
Proverbs 26:18 Like a madman who throws flaming darts and deadly arrows,
Proverbs 26:19, so is the person who deceives his neighbor and says, “I was only joking!”
Proverbs 26:20 Without wood, fire goes out; without gossip, conflict dies down.
Proverbs 26:21 As charcoal for embers and wood for a fire, so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.
Proverbs 26:22 A gossip’s words are like choice food that goes down to one’s innermost being.
Proverbs 26:23 Smooth lips with an evil heart are like glaze on an earthen vessel.
Proverbs 26:24 A hateful person disguises himself with his speech and harbors deceit.
Proverbs 26:25 When he speaks graciously, don’t believe him, for there are seven detestable things in his heart.
Proverbs 26:26 Though his hatred is concealed by deception, his evil will be revealed in the assembly.
Proverbs 26:27 The one who digs a pit will fall into it, and whoever rolls a stone — it will come back on him.
Proverbs 26:28 A lying tongue hates those it crushes, and a flattering mouth causes ruin.

not fit for wisdom

Several of these proverbs explain that wise sayings are useless to an unwise person. It is as if these are warnings and instructions for those who might stumble upon some truth and attempt to utilize it without establishing a relationship with God first. Don’t try it. Go to the LORD and ask him to make you wise. Then, you will be equipped to act wisely.

LORD, transform us so that your instruction may be helpful to us.

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balance

Posted on November 27, 2024 by Jefferson Vann

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balance

Proverbs 25:1-28 (JDV).

Proverbs 25:1 These are also proverbs of Solomon, which the men of King Hezekiah of Judah copied.
Proverbs 25:2 It is the glory of God to conceal a matter and the glory of kings to investigate a matter.
Proverbs 25:3 As the heavens are high and the land is deep, so the hearts of kings cannot be investigated.
Proverbs 25:4 Remove impurities from silver, and material will be produced for a silversmith.
Proverbs 25:5 Remove the wicked from the king’s presence, and his throne will be established in righteousness.
Proverbs 25:6 Don’t boast about yourself before the king, and don’t stand in the place of the great;
Proverbs 25:7 because he should say to you, “Come up here!” than to demote you in plain view of a noble.
Proverbs 25:8 Don’t take a matter to court hastily. Otherwise, what will you do afterward if your opponent humiliates you?
Proverbs 25:9 Make your case with your opponent without revealing another’s secret;
Proverbs 25:10 otherwise, the one who hears will disgrace you, and you’ll never live it down.
Proverbs 25:11 A word spoken at the right time is like gold apples in silver settings.
Proverbs 25:12 A wise correction to a receptive ear is like a gold ring or an ornament of gold.
Proverbs 25:13 To those who send him, a trustworthy envoy is like the coolness of snow on a harvest day; he refreshes the throat of his masters.
Proverbs 25:14 The one who boasts about a gift that does not exist is like clouds and wind without rain.
Proverbs 25:15 A ruler can be persuaded through patience, and a gentle tongue can break a bone.
Proverbs 25:16 If you find honey, eat only what you need; otherwise, you’ll vomit from it.
Proverbs 25:17 Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house; otherwise, he’ll get sick of you and hate you.
Proverbs 25:18 A person giving false testimony against his neighbor is like a club, a sword, or a sharp arrow.
Proverbs 25:19 Trusting an unreliable person in a difficult time is like a rotten tooth or a faltering foot.
Proverbs 25:20 Singing songs to a troubled heart is like taking off clothing on a cold day or pouring vinegar on soda.
Proverbs 25:21 If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink;
Proverbs 25:22 Because you will heap burning coals on his head, Yahveh will reward you.
Proverbs 25:23 The north wind produces rain, a backbiting tongue, and angry looks.
Proverbs 25:24 Better to live on the corner of a roof than to share a house with an arguing wife.
Proverbs 25:25 Good news from a distant land is like cold water to a parched throat.
Proverbs 25:26 A righteous person who yields to the wicked is like a muddied spring or a polluted well.
Proverbs 25:27 It is not good to overeat honey or to seek glory after glory.
Proverbs 25:28 A person who does not control his temper is like a city whose wall is broken down.

balance

The balance of self-control is a theme that runs through this section of the text. A wise person knows how much is needed to obtain his goals and when to relent. Overdoing can do as much harm as doing nothing. Too much of even a good thing can become a bad thing.

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idler’s field

Posted on November 26, 2024 by Jefferson Vann

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idler’s field

Proverbs 24:23-34 (JDV).

Proverbs 24:23 These sayings also belong to the wise: It is not good to show partiality in judgment.
Proverbs 24:24 Whoever says to the guilty, “You are innocent” — peoples will curse him, and nations will denounce him;
Proverbs 24:25 but it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and a generous blessing will come to them.
Proverbs 24:26 He who gives an honest answer gives a kiss on the lips.
Proverbs 24:27 Complete your outdoor work, and prepare your field; afterward, build your house.
Proverbs 24:28 Don’t testify against your neighbor without cause. Don’t deceive with your lips.
Proverbs 24:29 Don’t say, “I’ll do to him what he did to me; I’ll repay the man for what he has done.”
Proverbs 24:30 I went by the field of an idler and by the vineyard of one lacking sense.
Proverbs 24:31 Thistles had come up everywhere, weeds covered the ground, and the stone wall was broken down.
Proverbs 24:32 I saw, and took it to heart; I looked, and received instruction:
Proverbs 24:33 a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the arms to rest,
Proverbs 24:34 and your poverty will come like a robber, and your need, like a mugger.

Idler’s field

A trip to the idler’s field showed how destructive laziness can be. Those pesky weeds and thorns had destroyed the crops. The wall of protection was broken down, so it protected nothing. A life was ruined because of a lack of diligence. Forget building your house; focus on your field. Invest first, then you will have something to enjoy in that house.

Laziness comes in many forms. The worst kind of laziness is spiritual sloth. It destroys the field while people focus on worldly pursuits. A life lived as a spiritual idler produces a fruitless field.

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furnishing our houses

Posted on November 25, 2024 by Jefferson Vann

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furnishing our houses

Proverbs 24:1-22 (JDV).

Proverbs 24:1 Don’t envy the evil or wish to be with them,
Proverbs 24:2 because their hearts plan violence, and their words stir up trouble.
Proverbs 24:3 A house is built by Wisdom, and it is established by understanding;
Proverbs 24:4 by knowledge, the rooms are filled with every precious and beautiful treasure.
Proverbs 24:5 A wise warrior is better than a strong one, and a man of knowledge than one of strength;
Proverbs 24:6 because you should wage war with sound guidance — victory comes with many counselors.
Proverbs 24:7 Wisdom is inaccessible to a fool; he does not open his mouth at the city gate.
Proverbs 24:8 The one who plots evil will be called a schemer.
Proverbs 24:9 A foolish scheme is a sin, and a mocker is detestable to people.
Proverbs 24:10 If you do nothing in a difficult time, your strength is limited.
Proverbs 24:11 Rescue those being taken off to death and save those stumbling toward slaughter.
Proverbs 24:12 If you say, “But we didn’t know about this,” won’t he who weighs hearts consider it? Won’t he who protects your throat know? Won’t he repay a person according to his work?
Proverbs 24:13 Eat honey, my son, because it is good, and the honeycomb is sweet to your palate;
Proverbs 24:14 realize that Wisdom is the same for your throat. If you find it, you will have a future, and your hope will never fade.
Proverbs 24:15 Don’t set an ambush, you wicked one, at the camp of the righteous man; don’t destroy his dwelling.
Proverbs 24:16 Though a righteous person falls seven times, he will get up, but the wicked will stumble into ruin.
Proverbs 24:17 Don’t gloat when your enemy falls, and don’t let your heart rejoice when he stumbles,
Proverbs 24:18 or Yahveh will see, be displeased, and turn his wrath away from him.
Proverbs 24:19 Don’t be agitated by evildoers, and don’t envy the wicked.
Proverbs 24:20 Because the evil have no future; the lamp of the wicked will be put out.
Proverbs 24:21 My son, fear Yahveh, as well as the king, and don’t associate with rebels,
Proverbs 24:22 because destruction will come suddenly from them; who knows what distress these two can bring?

furnishing our houses

Eleanor Chew writes, “Wisdom, understanding, and knowledge will build a house. A secure house, a house that will not be shaken or destroyed by the storms and trials around us. A house that cannot be challenged as it is on the solid Word of God. This house will be established and built on the proper foundation. Think of the illustration in the New Testament about the two houses, built on rock and sand.” (Maranatha Devotional, September 21, 2022).

In this proverb, the house analogy is carried a bit further. The house is not just established on a good foundation. Its rooms are filled with treasures because of the knowledge its owner possesses. It is safe from the storm but also exciting and attractive. A safe house can be empty and boring. A splendid house makes you appreciate its owner.

As believers, our job is to attract others to our Savior. How we build and furnish our lives matters.

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cravings

Posted on November 24, 2024 by Jefferson Vann

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cravings

Proverbs 23:1-35 (JDV).

Proverbs 23:1 When you sit down to dine with a ruler, consider carefully what is before you,
Proverbs 23:2 and put a knife to your neck if you have a hungry throat;
Proverbs 23:3 don’t desire his choice food, because that food is deceptive.
Proverbs 23:4 Don’t wear yourself out to get rich; since you know better, stop doing that.
Proverbs 23:5 As soon as your eyes fly to it, it disappears, for it makes wings for itself and flies like an eagle to the sky.
Proverbs 23:6 Don’t eat a stingy person’s bread, and don’t desire his choice food,
Proverbs 23:7 because like a hair in his throat, so is he. “Eat and drink!” he says to you; but his heart is not with you.
Proverbs 23:8 You will vomit the little you’ve eaten and waste your pleasant words.
Proverbs 23:9 Don’t speak to a fool, for he will despise the insight of your words.
Proverbs 23:10 Don’t move an ancient boundary marker, and don’t encroach on the fields of the fatherless,
Proverbs 23:11 for their Redeemer is strong, and he will champion their cause against you.
Proverbs 23:12 Apply yourself to correction and listen to words of knowledge.
Proverbs 23:13 Don’t withhold correction from a youth; if you punish him with a rod, he will not die.
Proverbs 23:14 Punish him with a rod, and you will rescue his throat from Sheol.
Proverbs 23:15 My son, if your heart is wise, my heart will indeed rejoice.
Proverbs 23:16 My kidney will celebrate when your lips say what is right.
Proverbs 23:17 Don’t let your heart envy sinners; instead, always fear Yahveh.
Proverbs 23:18 For then you will have a future, and your hope will not be dashed.
Proverbs 23:19 Listen, my son, and be wise; keep your heart straight on the right road.
Proverbs 23:20 Don’t associate with those who drink too much wine or with those who gorge themselves on meat.
Proverbs 23:21 For the drunkard and the glutton will become poor, and grogginess will clothe them in rags.
Proverbs 23:22 Listen to your father who gave you life, and don’t despise your mother when she is old.
Proverbs 23:23 Buy — and do not sell — truth, wisdom, instruction, and understanding.
Proverbs 23:24 The father of a righteous son will rejoice greatly, and one who fathers a wise son will delight in him.
Proverbs 23:25 Make your father and mother have joy and let her who gave birth to you rejoice.
Proverbs 23:26 My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my roads.
Proverbs 23:27 Because a prostitute is a deep pit, and a wayward woman is a narrow well;
Proverbs 23:28 indeed, she sets an ambush like a robber and increases the number of unfaithful people.
Proverbs 23:29 Who has tragedy? Who has sorrow? Who has conflicts? Who has complaints? Who has wounds for no reason? Who has red eyes?
Proverbs 23:30 Those who linger over wine; those who go looking for mixed wine.
Proverbs 23:31 Don’t gaze at wine because it is red, because it gleams in the cup and goes down smoothly.
Proverbs 23:32 In the end it bites like a snake and stings like a viper.
Proverbs 23:33 Your eyes will see strange things, and you will say turned-around things.
Proverbs 23:34 You’ll be like someone sleeping out at sea or lying down on the top of a ship’s mast.
Proverbs 23:35 “They hit me, but I feel no pain! They beat me, but I didn’t know it! When will I wake up? I’ll look for another drink.”

cravings

These proverbs highlight a number of cravings: desires that might become all-consuming. The message is to seek wisdom so that your desires do not destroy you. Be passionate about doing the right thing, and let the LORD take care of you.

Please, LORD, give us the wisdom to avoid the cravings that war within us.

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Don’t

Posted on November 23, 2024 by Jefferson Vann

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Don’t

Proverbs 22:17-29 (JDV).

Proverbs 22:17 Listen closely, pay attention to the words of the wise, and apply your mind to my knowledge.
Proverbs 22:18 For it is pleasing if you keep them within you and if they are constantly on your lips.
Proverbs 22:19 I have instructed you today — even you — so that your confidence may be in Yahveh.
Proverbs 22:20 Haven’t I written for you thirty sayings about counsel and knowledge,
Proverbs 22:21 to teach you true and reliable words, so that you may give a dependable report to those who sent you?
Proverbs 22:22 Don’t rob a poor person because he is poor, and don’t crush the oppressed at the city gate,
Proverbs 22:23 for Yahveh will champion their cause and will rob the throat of those who rob them.
Proverbs 22:24 Don’t make friends with an angry person, and don’t be a companion of a hot-tempered one,
Proverbs 22:25 or you will learn his ways and entangle your throat in a snare.
Proverbs 22:26 Don’t be one of those who enter agreements, who put up security for loans.
Proverbs 22:27 If you have nothing with which to pay, even your bed will be taken from under you.
Proverbs 22:28 Don’t move an ancient boundary marker that your fathers set up.
Proverbs 22:29 Do you see a person skilled in his work? He will stand in the presence of kings. He will not stand in the presence of the unknown.

Don’t

There are just some activities that a wise person does not take part in. THey harm others and they bring shame on those who do them. So don’t.

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gracious lips

Posted on November 22, 2024 by Jefferson Vann

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gracious lips

Proverbs 22:1-16 (JDV).

Proverbs 22:1 A good name is to be preferred to great wealth; favor is better than silver and gold.
Proverbs 22:2 Rich and poor have this in common: Yahveh makes them all.
Proverbs 22:3 A sensible person sees danger and takes cover, but the morally naive keep going and are punished.
Proverbs 22:4 Humility, the fear of Yahveh, results in wealth, honor, and life.
Proverbs 22:5 There are thorns and snares on the road of the crooked; the one who guards his throat stays far from them.
Proverbs 22:6 Start a youth out on his road; even when he grows old, he will not depart from it.
Proverbs 22:7 The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is a slave to the lender.
Proverbs 22:8 The one who sows injustice will reap disaster, and the rod of his fury will be destroyed.
Proverbs 22:9 A generous person will be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor.
Proverbs 22:10 Drive out a mocker, and conflict goes too; then quarreling and dishonor will cease.
Proverbs 22:11 The one who loves a pure heart and gracious lips — the king is his friend.
Proverbs 22:12 Yahveh’s eyes keep watch over knowledge, but he overthrows the words of the treacherous.
Proverbs 22:13 The idler says, “There’s a lion outside! I’ll be killed in the public square!”
Proverbs 22:14 The mouth of the forbidden woman is a deep pit; a man cursed by Yahveh will fall into it.
Proverbs 22:15 Foolishness is bound to the heart of a youth; a rod of correction will separate it from him.
Proverbs 22:16 Oppressing the poor to enrich oneself and giving to the rich — both lead only to poverty.

gracious lips

Gracious lips — careful speech — is a quality that brings wise people good company. No matter who he is, a man with gracious lips will have the king as his friend. But ungracious lips (quarreling) is a curse upon those who have to endure it. Solomon urges his sons to stay away from men or women who cannot control their tongues. It is better to have fewer friends, than to have friends who are always tearing you apart by their words.

LORD, give us peaceful hearts and gracious lips.

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