(Proverbs 10:1-32) The proverbs of Solomon.
1 A wise son makes a father glad,
But a foolish son is a grief to his mother.
2 Ill-gotten gains do not benefit,
But righteousness rescues from death.
3 The Lord will not allow the righteous to hunger,
But He will reject the craving of the wicked.
4 Poor is one who works with a lazy hand,
But the hand of the diligent makes rich.
5 He who gathers in summer is a son who acts wisely,
But he who sleeps in harvest is a son who acts shamefully.
6 Blessings are on the head of the righteous,
But the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
7 The mentioning of the righteous is a blessing,
But the name of the wicked will rot.
8 The wise of heart will receive commands,
But a babbling fool will come to ruin.
9 One who walks in integrity walks securely,
But one who perverts his ways will be found out.
10 He who winks the eye causes trouble,
And a babbling fool will come to ruin.
11 The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,
But the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
12 Hatred stirs up strife,
But love covers all offenses.
13 On the lips of the discerning, wisdom is found,
But a rod is for the back of him who has no sense.
14 Wise people store up knowledge,
But with the mouth of the foolish, ruin is at hand.
15 The rich person’s wealth is his fortress,
The ruin of the poor is their poverty.
16 The wages of the righteous is life,
The income of the wicked, punishment.
17 One who is on the path of life follows instruction,
But one who ignores a rebuke goes astray.
18 One who conceals hatred has lying lips,
And one who spreads slander is a fool.
19 When there are many words, wrongdoing is unavoidable,
But one who restrains his lips is wise.
20 The tongue of the righteous is like choice silver,
The heart of the wicked is worth little.
21 The lips of the righteous feed many,
But fools die for lack of understanding.
22 It is the blessing of the Lord that makes rich,
And He adds no sorrow to it.
23 Doing wickedness is like sport to a fool,
And so is wisdom to a person of understanding.
24 What the wicked fears will come upon him,
But the desire of the righteous will be granted.
25 When the whirlwind passes, the wicked is no more,
But the righteous has an everlasting foundation.
26 Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes,
So is the lazy one to those who send him.
27 The fear of the Lord prolongs life,
But the years of the wicked will be shortened.
28 The hope of the righteous is gladness,
But the expectation of the wicked perishes.
29 The way of the Lord is a stronghold for the upright,
But ruin to the workers of injustice.
30 The righteous will never be shaken,
But the wicked will not live in the land.
31 The mouth of the righteous flows with wisdom,
But the perverted tongue will be cut out.
32 The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable,
But the mouth of the wicked, what is perverted.
TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:
But a foolish son is a grief to his mother.
2 Ill-gotten gains do not benefit,
But righteousness rescues from death.
3 The Lord will not allow the righteous to hunger,
But He will reject the craving of the wicked.
4 Poor is one who works with a lazy hand,
But the hand of the diligent makes rich.
5 He who gathers in summer is a son who acts wisely,
But he who sleeps in harvest is a son who acts shamefully.
6 Blessings are on the head of the righteous,
But the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
7 The mentioning of the righteous is a blessing,
But the name of the wicked will rot.
8 The wise of heart will receive commands,
But a babbling fool will come to ruin.
9 One who walks in integrity walks securely,
But one who perverts his ways will be found out.
10 He who winks the eye causes trouble,
And a babbling fool will come to ruin.
11 The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,
But the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
12 Hatred stirs up strife,
But love covers all offenses.
13 On the lips of the discerning, wisdom is found,
But a rod is for the back of him who has no sense.
14 Wise people store up knowledge,
But with the mouth of the foolish, ruin is at hand.
15 The rich person’s wealth is his fortress,
The ruin of the poor is their poverty.
16 The wages of the righteous is life,
The income of the wicked, punishment.
17 One who is on the path of life follows instruction,
But one who ignores a rebuke goes astray.
18 One who conceals hatred has lying lips,
And one who spreads slander is a fool.
19 When there are many words, wrongdoing is unavoidable,
But one who restrains his lips is wise.
20 The tongue of the righteous is like choice silver,
The heart of the wicked is worth little.
21 The lips of the righteous feed many,
But fools die for lack of understanding.
22 It is the blessing of the Lord that makes rich,
And He adds no sorrow to it.
23 Doing wickedness is like sport to a fool,
And so is wisdom to a person of understanding.
24 What the wicked fears will come upon him,
But the desire of the righteous will be granted.
25 When the whirlwind passes, the wicked is no more,
But the righteous has an everlasting foundation.
26 Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes,
So is the lazy one to those who send him.
27 The fear of the Lord prolongs life,
But the years of the wicked will be shortened.
28 The hope of the righteous is gladness,
But the expectation of the wicked perishes.
29 The way of the Lord is a stronghold for the upright,
But ruin to the workers of injustice.
30 The righteous will never be shaken,
But the wicked will not live in the land.
31 The mouth of the righteous flows with wisdom,
But the perverted tongue will be cut out.
32 The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable,
But the mouth of the wicked, what is perverted.
TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:
Mothers (parents) will be grieved when their children live and act foolishly, because, as Christian parents, we want to see our children live secure lives of purpose and satisfaction, which are founded in God and His will. But if one only lives to be entertained and experience a life of leisure, one will run into trouble and find shame. And if one only lives to be wealthy, there will be more temptation to cheat, lie and steal. A heart of lust leads to perversions. A heart of hate leads to contentious behavior and violence. A heart that tries to control and self-persevere leads to manipulating, lying and falsely accusing others.
All these kinds of behavior will never bring satisfaction. And all will be exposed, bringing ruin, punishment and death. Just the threat of these things will foster fear. And as verse 24 points out... what a person fears is what will happen to them. The reason is because everything is about relationships and purpose.
If one is only living for themselves, which is to live according to one's own preferences and thinking, somewhere and somehow, someone else will be offended. Especially when one is living among others who are also only living for themselves, the threat of danger is even more prevalent. But, if one decides to humbly seek the Lord and His salvation which comes with forgiveness, and as we continue to walk closely with the Lord to live in His will and purpose, and in His desires and wisdom, we will find comfort, peace, joy and security in a loving, personal relationship with the Lord.
(1 John 4:18) There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.In this, fathers (parents) will be pleased as their children seek wisdom and use discretion, because they are looking to and relying on the Lord. As we draw nearer, we become more Christ-like, because He changes us from the inside-out, and He then blesses us! It is only in our relationship with the Lord that we will find and experience fulfillment and satisfaction. Wisdom, understanding and knowing the Lord is our true treasure and wealth, as we will then realize our biggest blessings are the love, joy, strength and hope we have in Christ!
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