Proverbs 11-20

People are funny about money. Here is God’s advice about money: Be generous in giving, place people’s needs ahead of profit, be cautious of countersigning for another, don’t accept bribes, help the poor, store up for the future, and be careful about borrowing.

“The truly righteous man attains life, but he who pursues evil goes to his death.”(11:19) Righteous people attain life by living more fully each day. When you live right with proper diet, exercise, balance and rest; you will find that you will lead a more meaningful life. Taking care of ourselves physically is important; our bodies are our temples and we honor God when we honor our bodies. That means being cautious to what we put in our bodies. We must also develop our ability to think; God gave us a mind for a reason and like nourishment to our bodies; our minds require proper nourishment as well. This means avoiding subjecting your thoughts to things that cloud your mind, bring confusion, cause anger, arouse lust, generate greed and so forth. It’s always important to guard our hearts and our minds against evil.

“Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid.”(12:1) A wise person is a model of a meaningful life. Their sense of purpose attracts others who long for the same thing. Years of schooling are a waste of time for someone without desire to learn. If you embrace being taught; there is no end to what you are able to learn. Being willing to accept discipline and correction, learning from people’s mistakes and learning from the wisdom of others will allow you to apply wisdom. A person who declines constructive criticism has issues with pride usually and such a person is likely to learn little. The efforts of the wise stand against the test of time; real success comes to those who do what is right. Knowing how to do what is right comes from wisdom only God can give. “The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice.”(12:15) Taking advice from trusted counsel and those who have God’s work embedded in their hearts are a great way to see the truth in a bed of lies. Reach out and seek such counsel when you notice your life taking a different turn; or a change in your attitude toward negativity. God may send someone in your path to speak His truth and help free you from bondage. Wise learners: quietly accept instruction and criticism, love discipline, listen to advice, accept parents’ discipline, profit from constructive rebuke; while foolish failures ignore instruction, hate correction, think they need no advice, and self-destruct by refusing rebuke.

“He who guards his lips guards his life, but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin.”(13:3) The tongue is one of the smallest appendages in the body and the one that can cause the most damage. Do not take words lightly; words can bring ruin to yourself and everyone around you. You have not mastered self-control if you do not control what you say and how you say it. It is important to stop and think before you react or speak. When you learn to control the tongue, you learn to control the rest of your body. Have you had an argument with someone and said things you later regretted? We all have. Have you considered what you could have done differently to avoid that feeling of regret in the future? Holding your tongue is a good start. Saying nothing far outweighs saying something hurtful that bears no merit. If you must correct someone’s behavior; doing so with love, kindness, compassion and truth is what God calls us to do; not take out our own wrath to satisfy our own egos.

“Pride only breeds quarrels, but wisdom is found in those who take advice.”(13:10) When we make choices for good, those choices breed other opportunities for good; evil choices have the same pattern in the opposite direction. Obedience brings the greatest safety and security; the right choices reflect your integrity and bring you closer to God who will care for you better than you can care for yourself. Admitting we are wrong and seeking help through advice can be difficult for people, especially those immersed in their own egos and pride. Admitting to being wrong requires humility and leads to freedom. Humility heals and pride stirs up conflict. Be willing to admit to your mistakes and ask others to help you when you need it; we were not meant to live our lives alone and living in community requires both these actions to live well. God gives the best advice. The only way to know his advice is to study what he says by reading his word and seeking advice of those who know his word as well. Since God created us; he knows us and loves us better than we can do for ourselves and it only makes sense to listen to his instructions and do what he says since he is our manufacturer. Like operating a car, we will “run right” when we follow the owner’s manual; in this case it is God’s word. Proud people take little account of their weaknesses and do not anticipate road blocks. These people are easily tripped up when things don’t work out according to their plan. Proud people seldom realize that pride is their problem interesting enough; although most people around them would concur pride is the culprit. Ask someone you trust whether self-satisfaction has blinded you to obvious warning signs. That person may help you avoid a fall.

“There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.”(14:12) If someone tells you to take the path of least resistance, or “if it’s right, it will be easy”, or flow down the stream merrily for life is but a dream; beware of taking an easy route that leads to ruin. Not all choices will be hard, but easy choices should prompt us to take a second look; for it may be the greatest trick to trap us. One little easy decision can lead to lifelong consequence as we’ve all experienced and seen in others’ journeys. Is the solution attractive because it allows me to be lazy? Because it doesn’t challenge me to change my life-style? Because it requires no moral restraints? Many times, the right choice often requires hard work and self-sacrifice. Don’t be enticed by false shortcuts that seem right but end in death. This death is not just literal; it could be death of a marriage, friendship, job, joy, etc.

The wise: help others with good advice, enjoy wisdom, seek knowledge, value wisdom above riches, respond to correction, pursue wisdom, trust in wisdom, keep peace, and stay on straight paths. The foolish: lack judgment, are gullible, pursue illusive dreams, are proud and arrogant, repeat their mistakes, trust in themselves, unleash their anger, lash out when discovered in their mistakes, walk a troublesome path, and persist in their foolishness.

“Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed…he who ignores discipline despises himself, but whoever heeds correction gains understanding.”(15:22, 32) People with tunnel vision; those who are so close minded they couldn’t see the truth if it slapped them in the face are likely to miss the right road because they have closed their minds to any new options and insist their way is right. We need the help of those who can broaden our vision and perspective. Seeking out the advice of those who know you and have a wealth of experience is not a weakness but a strength. Building a network of advisors is encouraged. Being open to new ideas and being willing to weigh their suggestions carefully will lead to stronger plans that move toward success.

“Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.”(16:4) The final outcome of all our plans are ultimately in God’s hands. Does that mean we shouldn’t make plans? No. On the contrary, like any relationship, we are involved in equal partnership with a balance between our efforts and God’s control. He gave us minds to use, the humility to seek advice from others and the capability to plan for good reason. Use all the resources you have and entrust the final results to him. People fall short of doing this by giving excuses. People can rationalize anything and create ways for their own version of right and wrong. Before putting ANY plan into action, consider these questions: 1) Is this plan in harmony with God’s truth? 2) Will it work under real life conditions? 3) Is my attitude pleasing to God? Here is a good balance for being in an equal partnership with God in making plans: Trust God as if everything depended on him and work as if everything depending on you. Think of all your plans and then ask yourself; have you committed it to the Lord?

“Better a patient man than a warrior, a man who controls his temper than one who takes a city.”(16:32) Self-control outweighs conquest. Success can be ruined by losing control of your temper. Most people can feel their anger rise toward explosion if it gets that far; in this very moment it is important to realize that if you proceed to losing control, you may forfeit the very thing you want the most. Don’t allow anger to get the best of you because something didn’t go your way. Through trials and hardship, God reveals our character to us and clears out anything that gets in the way of completely trusting him. Through tough times, see God’s desire to refine your faith and purify your heart. Be careful in your arguments with others when you feel anger. It is tempting, especially in an argument, to bring up all the mistakes the other person has ever made. Love, however, keeps its mouth shut. Bringing things into arguments that are unrelated to the topic being discussed are usually said to satisfy your own ego and pride and to prove yourself right. As we grow in our faith in God, we acquire God’s ability to forgive and forget the sins of the past.

“A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”(17:22) Such people who come with words of encouragement, positive thinking and words, and enthusiasm are pain-relieving medicine. Healing of the body is influenced heavily by the weights on our minds and in our hearts. Wallowing in self-pity causes chronic diseases. There is a reason for this. God urges us to trust him, to be his servants and we cannot do these things when we live as victims in self-pity. I believe that is the reason there are physical consequences we suffer when we allow our negative, evil and poisonous thoughts and emotions to consume our thoughts and actions. We are not here on earth simply for ourselves; God wants us to get out of ourselves and help another. He may have allowed a painful circumstance to happen to you so that you may be a witness to warn another, or help heal another who has experienced the same pain. When we get out of ourselves and realize we are not here for us; it will inspire the cheerful heart in you to reach out to others. “A man’s spirit sustains him in sickness, but a crushed spirit who can bear?”(18:14)

“A discerning man keeps wisdom in view, but a fool’s eyes wander to the ends of the earth.”(17:24) Having big dreams comes with a warning; chasing fantasies and having wandering eyes and not having gratitude for the blessings God has already provided to you can lead to destruction and sadness. If you don’t behave that you appreciate what God has already done for you, what if he assumes you don’t want it and takes it away? Who will you have to blame for not cherishing what you had but yourself? It is far better to align your goals with God’s to be the kind of person he wants you to be. Wisdom, honesty, patience and love are great goals to have and they determine your eternal future; your life here on earth is finite. Though we must exercise responsibility and obedience in our time here, ultimately what truly matters is how we prepare to walk with God for all eternity; which is much longer than our lifetime!

“He who answers before listening; that is his folly and his shame.”(18:13) Here are three basic principles for making sound decisions: 1) Get the facts before answering; 2) Be open to new ideas; 3) Make sure you hear both sides of the story before judging. The only alternative to seeking additional information prior to making sound decisions is prejudice; judging before obtaining the facts. Difficult as it may be, and a test to your patience, before jumping into a decision, seeking additional information is always the best choice.

“He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord.”(18:22) Contrary to popular belief that marriage is obsolete and “playing the field” leads to more happiness, this verse states the opposite. God created marriage and stated it was good. Today’s emphasis on individual freedom is misguided. People think that freedom comes from living a life alone and strictly for oneself; but freedom comes from a life of self-sacrifice and living in relationship that provides groundwork to apply what selfless and giving truly mean. Strong individuals are important and so are strong marriages. God pronounced marriage good and created it for our enjoyment as well as his metaphor for the relationship between Christ and his people. Marriage and being single are gifts from God so long as the current state is being used to serve God and not yourself. Loneliness plagues our society. Have you been in a crowd and felt more lonely than if you were physically alone? It is better to have one friend or partner that sticks by your side when the going gets tough, listens and supports you, cares and offers love to you that to be in isolation or surrounded by fair-weathered friends that don’t provide any of these things. Seek to become a true friend or partner instead of wishing you could find it in another person; take on that challenge and see what God does.

“It is not good to have zeal without knowledge, nor to be hasty and miss the way.”(19:2) Have you felt like you were rushing into the unknown? Many people marry without knowing what to expect of their partner or of married life. Don’t rush into the unknown. Be sure you understand what you’re getting into and where you want to go before you take the first step. If it still seems unknown, be sure you are following God. It is good to love yourself in ways that protect yourself; not self-serving ways; but ways that allow you to seek wisdom.