Today is March 21. I read Proverbs 21 this morning before work and several verses stood out to me. I will list them below and then maybe expound on a couple of them, but at the very least, here is a sampling of what you will find in this book. These quotations are taken from the New International Version (a particular English translation of the Bible).
21:5 - "The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty."
This one stood out to me because lately I have been on a quest to free myself from the bonds of idleness. There are a lot of things I want to do with my time but I never do them. Writing this blog is one of those things. Also, I am going through Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University right now. It's all about hard work to get to where you want to be. I'm starting to get the point. While my family is not poverty stricken at the moment, a few diligent plans here and there would definitely be a huge pick me up for us.
21:8 - "The way of the guilty is devious, but the conduct of the innocent is upright."
This one you could easily pass over because of the archaic wording, but it is communicating some very important truths. This verse tells you straight up how to tell if you are being conned. It says that there is a connection between a person's behavior ("way") and their intentions. Intentions we cannot see, but behaviors we can. This is common sense in a way. You don't hire someone who will not look you in the eyes, or who has a shifty or devious look about them. They are connected to guilt in some way by this verse. Guilt for possibly ripping off previous employers or (in my neck of the woods) not being legal to work in the United States. When people become defensive of various things, there is generally guilt involved. However, good standing in the community, a kind of objective "uprightness" is what screams of an innocent and worthy character. An upright business man would not hire a shifty worker, much like a crook would not solicit an upright neighbor to join him on a bank heist, for fear of being turned in. Upright and innocent are irrevocably connected, as are deviousness and guilt.
21:11 - "When a mocker is punished, the simple gain wisdom; when a wise man is instructed, he gets knowledge."
The thought here is that a simple (unwise) man needs to be punished to gain knowledge. A wise man simply listens and acts and bypasses the need for punishment.
21:13 - "If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be answered."
You could call this divine justice, or even karma. This kind of thinking is found all over the world. The picture is of a man who ignores the helpless and then later is humbled into the same state himself and ignored by others.
21:15 - "When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers."
Connected to verse 8. This is another way of telling somebody's character. Watch their reactions to justice and injustice. It tells a lot about who they are.
21:17 - "He who loves pleasure will become poor; whoever loves wine and oil will never be rich."
21:18 - "The wicked become a ransom for the righteous, and the unfaithful for the upright."
21:23 - "He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity."
21:28 - "A false witness will perish, and whoever listens to him will be destroyed forever."
21:31 - "The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the Lord."
This one really struck me. So often Christians pray for God to just take their burden away. This verse makes it clear that there are two things at work here. Although the horse is ready for the day of battle, the victory rests with the Lord. But how can there be victory without a fight? How can there be a fight without weapons, or a ready horse, in this case? It does not say that the Lord fights your battle for you. It says the Lord decides on and helps the one who wins. Although God is powerful enough to fight your battle for you, the Bible makes it plain that He won't do it. He demands involvement of us. At the very least, get your horse ready to fight.
What's this Proverb Of The Day thing anyway?
21:5 - "The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty."
This one stood out to me because lately I have been on a quest to free myself from the bonds of idleness. There are a lot of things I want to do with my time but I never do them. Writing this blog is one of those things. Also, I am going through Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University right now. It's all about hard work to get to where you want to be. I'm starting to get the point. While my family is not poverty stricken at the moment, a few diligent plans here and there would definitely be a huge pick me up for us.
21:8 - "The way of the guilty is devious, but the conduct of the innocent is upright."
This one you could easily pass over because of the archaic wording, but it is communicating some very important truths. This verse tells you straight up how to tell if you are being conned. It says that there is a connection between a person's behavior ("way") and their intentions. Intentions we cannot see, but behaviors we can. This is common sense in a way. You don't hire someone who will not look you in the eyes, or who has a shifty or devious look about them. They are connected to guilt in some way by this verse. Guilt for possibly ripping off previous employers or (in my neck of the woods) not being legal to work in the United States. When people become defensive of various things, there is generally guilt involved. However, good standing in the community, a kind of objective "uprightness" is what screams of an innocent and worthy character. An upright business man would not hire a shifty worker, much like a crook would not solicit an upright neighbor to join him on a bank heist, for fear of being turned in. Upright and innocent are irrevocably connected, as are deviousness and guilt.
21:11 - "When a mocker is punished, the simple gain wisdom; when a wise man is instructed, he gets knowledge."
The thought here is that a simple (unwise) man needs to be punished to gain knowledge. A wise man simply listens and acts and bypasses the need for punishment.
21:13 - "If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be answered."
You could call this divine justice, or even karma. This kind of thinking is found all over the world. The picture is of a man who ignores the helpless and then later is humbled into the same state himself and ignored by others.
21:15 - "When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers."
Connected to verse 8. This is another way of telling somebody's character. Watch their reactions to justice and injustice. It tells a lot about who they are.
21:17 - "He who loves pleasure will become poor; whoever loves wine and oil will never be rich."
21:18 - "The wicked become a ransom for the righteous, and the unfaithful for the upright."
21:23 - "He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity."
21:28 - "A false witness will perish, and whoever listens to him will be destroyed forever."
21:31 - "The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the Lord."
This one really struck me. So often Christians pray for God to just take their burden away. This verse makes it clear that there are two things at work here. Although the horse is ready for the day of battle, the victory rests with the Lord. But how can there be victory without a fight? How can there be a fight without weapons, or a ready horse, in this case? It does not say that the Lord fights your battle for you. It says the Lord decides on and helps the one who wins. Although God is powerful enough to fight your battle for you, the Bible makes it plain that He won't do it. He demands involvement of us. At the very least, get your horse ready to fight.
What's this Proverb Of The Day thing anyway?
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