Finishing Last

"A gracious woman gets honor, and violent men get riches" (Proverbs 11:16).

We are entering a section of Proverbs which describes the benefits of righteous and kind behavior. In other words, those who live and love well do not always finish last. Today's passage contrasts the life of the kindhearted woman and the ruthless man. This is not a contrast of gender but rather a contrast of character.

A person whose character is commendable is in view here. The woman here is known to be gracious. She is honored for her loving and gentle spirit. People recognize and give tribute to the depth of her grace. They are blessed by it and thus she is honored.

However, the man who is violent (ruthless) receives something totally different. He receives only wealth. Do you find yourself asking, "What's wrong with that?" While there is nothing evil about money in and of itself, there is something really wrong with obtaining money in an evil way.  Not only that, there are several Proverbs that remind us that wealth is inferior to the really good things in life, such as honor. Read Proverbs 1:19, 10:2, and 11:4 and you will see that riches can, at best, only give us surface satisfaction in life.  It is a waste of our energy to ruthlessly go after riches when a respectable life is so much better.

Therefore, it is decision time! Are we going to be gracious people or violent (ruthless) people? Are we going to live lives that are honored by those we impact for good or resented by those we hurt as we chase after money? To be gracious is to live out of the depths of a soul truly changed by God, while being ruthless gains us only the surface satisfaction offered by the world's riches. Talk about finishing last!

Won't You Be My Neighbor?

"With his mouth the godless man would destroy his neighbor, but by knowledge the righteous are delivered. When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices, and when the wicked perish there are shouts of gladness. By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, but by the mouth of the wicked it is overthrown. Whoever belittles his neighbor lacks sense, but a man of understanding remains silent. Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets, but he who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a thing covered. Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety. Whoever puts up security for a stranger will surely suffer harm, but he who hates striking hands in pledge is secure" (Proverbs 11:9-15).


These six verses describe what it takes to live well in community. We are taught what it takes to be a great neighbor. To really make a difference in our cities and neighborhoods, we must live life according to God's spiritual design. If not, the whole community suffers.

Today's passage shows a connectedness between neighbors, cities, government advisors,  gossips, and even cosigners. Brokenness in community begins with a slanderous neighbor. Community is instantly destroyed by hateful and deceitful words. In contrast, those who love the Lord love His people and so no such words are uttered.

When the righteous live well, the city does well. Good people make the city a good place to live while the godless ruin it with their godless actions. People shed very few tears, if any, when those folks are gone.

We are taught here that when government officials have wise counsel, great decisions are made for the community. When great decisions are made for the community, there is safety. Our government leaders are always in need of great counsel. It is important that we not only pray for our leaders but also for those who advise them.

When it comes to financial matters, good neighbors never cosign a loan for someone. They may be well intentioned and they may want to help, but it is never a good idea to "put up security for a stranger." If you want to help someone financially, it is better to just give them the money than it is to loan it to them. No one should ever regret doing good by giving freely to those in need. That's what good neighbors do.

God has designed us to be in community. God said himself that it is not good for man to be alone. He Himself lives in community as our trinitarian God; three in one. He calls you and me to live in community as well. And so let me ask you this: Won't you be my neighbor?

Sure, I knew you would.

Guided and Protected

"The integrity of the upright guides them, but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them. Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death. The righteousness of the blameless keeps his way straight, but the wicked falls by his own wickedness. The righteousness of the upright delivers them, but the treacherous are taken captive by their lust. When the wicked dies, his hope will perish, and the expectation of wealth perishes too. The righteous is delivered from trouble, and the wicked walks into it instead" (Proverbs 11:3-8)

These six verses are strung together for us so that we can learn the wonderful value of a godly life when it comes to guidance and protection from the hardships of life. Just as a lighthouse offers guidance and protection for ships on a stormy night, integrity guides us down a path with far fewer obstacles. Not so with  a life of treachery, especially when it comes to the day we die.

Our money cannot buy us a long life. When the "day of wrath" (death) hits, our money is no good anymore. The righteousness we have, because of our faith in God, is what protects us from His wrath on that day that awaits us all. Until that day arrives, it is our righteous living that guides us down a path that has fewer pitfalls, problems, and roadblocks. The wicked are the ones who ultimately fall due to their misguided lives.

When death hits the wicked, all their hope is gone. Their hope of amassing enough wealth to bring them life is evaporated by the reality of their spiritual poverty. Their money can neither guide them toward real life nor protect them from a broken life.

While the righteous experience deliverance, the wicked remain trapped by their own lusts and wounded by their own trouble. Haman, the treacherous man we meet in the book of Esther, found this out first hand. It seems the trouble he planned for Mordecai backfired onto him instead. It was his own ship that hit the rocks he planted for another.

The righteous are guided and protected in life while "the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them." Seems we all have a choice to make as we face the day of wrath.

Don't Stand Up In The Canoe

"When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom" (Proverbs 11:2).

This Proverb is very similar to Proverbs 16:18 which says, "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." We have all heard that "pride cometh before the fall" but I am not sure we all knew that saying is straight from the Bible.

It is interesting that pride leads to its opposite, disgrace. The very thing most of us try to avoid, at all cost, is failure. And yet, as we succeed at doing well, we can let it go to our heads (pride) and then we fall. Our winning can lead to losing in the blink of an eye.

We are told, however, that humility leads to wisdom. The Hebrew word used here for "humility" means to "walk humbly." The picture we are given is of a person who has a modest spirit before God and man. That modest spirit is not the spirit of a loser, however. It is the spirit of a person who knows his place in the presence of his Creator. It is the spirit of a person who wins at life, yet refuses to take all the credit. Humility allows for credit to be given to those whom it is due. We are told in Scripture that humility leads to wisdom and wisdom leads to a full and significant life with God. It is the wise person among us who handles winning and losing really well.

I experienced, first hand, what it means for pride to come before the fall. It happened years ago when I was canoeing with friends on a river in the Texas Hill Country. We were having a great time racing our canoes. Splashing one another as we sped down the river was intended to gain some advantage. I eventually won the impromptu race and was full of pride... then I did something stupid. I stood up in the canoe to celebrate. Within seconds, I was underwater looking up at the canoe. I learned a great biblical lesson that day and I didn't even have my Bible with me. Don't stand up in the canoe.

For me, "standing up in the canoe" is now synonymous for "pride comes before the fall." Whether it has to do with my parenting skills, responsibilities at the church, friendships, speaking engagements, spiritual counseling, or just a simple conversation about life... I am very careful not to let  success go to my head. I have seen the bottom of too many canoes while lying on the bottom of too many rivers.

Honesty Is The Best Policy

"A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is his delight" (Proverbs 11:1).


We know that commercial matters are a spiritual issue because honesty in business is something in which the Lord delights. Today's passage tells us that God hates all dishonesty, especially in our business transactions.

At the time this proverb was penned, there was an absence of coinage. Instead, scales were used in almost all daily commerce. Dishonest merchants, in order to increase profits, had a scam that involved different sets of stones when weighing merchandise. Lighter stones were used when selling while heavier stones were used when buying. The lighter stones allowed for a lesser quantity for the stated price while the heavier stones were used to acquire more for the stated price. This was blatant dishonesty and the Lord hated it. He still does.

It is important to the Lord that you and I live honestly in all areas of our lives. It does not honor Him when we cheat people out of money. That seems obvious but there are plenty of people who live in fear of not having enough. Not believing the Lord will take care of them, they start grabbing. Not being content with what the Lord provides, they start stealing.

Let's show the world that we absolutely trust our Heavenly Father to care for us. Let's show our children and their friends that living honestly is for sure the best policy. We have been promised by God that all our needs will be met. There's no need to lie, cheat, and steal in order to have what we need. We don't need a "false balance" to get through the day. We simply need to trust the Lord while working hard and working honestly.

Fruitful Words

"The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom, but the perverse tongue will be cut off. The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable, but the mouth of the wicked, what is perverse" (Proverbs 10:31-32).

Talking is a big part of our lives. We use our words to communicate throughout the day and night. Sociologists tell us that women use more words each day than men do. Seems men are not as communicative as women. Whether male and female, we all use words.

Today's passage affirms the fact that those who walk closely with the Lord use their words to bring forth wisdom. The Hebrew word for "bring forth" means to bear fruit. The picture we are given is of a righteous person who naturally says good things because of the condition of his heart, just as a fruit tree naturally brings forth it's particular fruit. Just as lemon trees naturally produce lemons and apple trees produce apples, the righteous person brings forth wisdom with his words.

It is actually the opposite for the wicked. The word "perverse" means to turn away from what is natural. The person who turns away from the Lord will not be able to use his words for what is right and natural. The wicked use their words to twist truth, tell lies, tear down, and avoid being known. Deception and destruction are not God's desire for us as we interact with Him and others. He desires truth from us. He wants us to know one another and to be known. That cannot happen if we use our words as weapons.

You and I will use a lot of words today. The ladies will use more than the men but that is perfectly okay. The amount of words doesn't matter, but rather the quality of the words. Will we use our words in the proper way or in a perverse way? Will we deliver fruitful words or hurtful words today? Either way, the quality of our words will reveal the condition of our hearts. Hopefully, the condition of our hearts reveal a God given righteousness rather than a wickedness that stems from rebellion against the Lord.

The Joy Of Longevity

"The fear of the Lord prolongs life, but the years of the wicked will be short. The hope of the righteous brings joy, but the expectation of the wicked will perish. The way of the Lord is a stronghold to the blameless, but destruction to evildoers. The righteous will never be removed, but the wicked will not dwell in the land" (Proverbs 10:27-30).


Today's passage describes the benefits and blessings that come to those who live life intimately connected to the Lord. Those who live a life of faith experience certain things the wicked usually don't. A regular and recurring theme in Proverbs teaches us that long life, joy, safety, and security are the benefits of living closely with the Lord.

When looking at life from the perspective of eternity, the wicked do not experience these things the way the righteous do. The wicked may desire joy but they will not experience it. Joy is something much deeper and spiritual than that which the flesh can deliver. Most anyone can experience happiness because happiness is tied to circumstances. Happiness is a word that comes from the root word for "happenstance." While the wicked can be temporarily happy due to the happenstance of life, they can never really experience joy. Joy is a much deeper experience reserved for those who walk intimately with the Lord.

For the most part, when life is lived well, it is lived long. We are constantly reminded by Scripture that the Lord's protection is on His children and that this naturally prolongs their lives here on earth. Not so with the wicked. By choosing not to live their lives in intimacy with God, they are choosing to live outside His protective care. Oftentimes, their life is cut short simply because of the poor and dangerous choices they make in life.

To experience the benefits of joy, safety, security, and longevity of life, we are encouraged to live wisely and intimately with God. To choose to do otherwise is certainly an option. But to do so means you and I will pass up some wonderful benefits offered to us by God Himself. Our choices may bring us temporary happiness but they will fail to deliver us true joy and longevity of life. They will, in fact, fail to protect us from ourselves.

Good Help Wanted

"Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to those who send him" (Proverbs 10:26).

Those who hire a lazy person eventually regret it because the job is constantly left undone. Today's passage is a warning to employers, or anyone else who depends on others to get a job done, to be mindful of the irritation involved in hiring a sluggard.

The irritation is similar to the sour taste of vinegar and the burning sensation of smoke in your eyes. Just as people are bothered by both, they will be bothered by the sluggard. It is very important that those who hire workers are certain they are hiring the right kind of person. Employers are needing workers who are responsible, capable, energetic, and trust worthy. They need the kind of worker who will carry out his or her responsibilities; workers who complete the job.

This passage has a great lesson for employees as well. It is the kind of passage that casts a vision for what kind of employee a person can be. We can be responsible, capable, and energetic workers. When we are sent on a errand, the boss rests assured the job will get done.

If you do not want to be an irritated employer, do not hire a lazy person. If you do not want to leave a sour taste in the bosses mouth or be as irritating as smoke in her eyes, be a trust worthy, hard working, and energetic employee. Good help is always wanted.

Dreading The Tempest?

"What the wicked dreads will come upon him, but the desire of the righteous will be granted. When the tempest passes, the wicked is no more, but the righteous is established forever" (Proverbs 10:24-25).


We are constantly reminded in Proverbs that it never ends well for the wicked while the righteous have a marvelous future in store. Solomon is trying to convince those who are ignorant of this reality so that they have a chance to experience the best the Lord has to offer.

People who live their lives for the pleasure of themselves and others, rather than for the pleasure of the Lord, tend to dread calamity. This is because when someone is living for the pleasures of the material world, they are devastated when storms wipe out their possessions. The wicked tend to only care about their own comfort and they dread the calamity that disrupts their comfortable world.

Not so with the righteous. The righteous live for the pleasure of the Lord knowing that life is not about them. They are content with little as well as plenty. For them, the storms can come and go, taking what they will, but life is still good. Uncomfortable? Yes! Inconvenient? Absolutely! But the righteous do not dread calamity.  The desire of the righteous is that the Lord is honored in good times as well as bad. The desire of the righteous is for the life they have to continue on forever.

Do you dread calamity? Do you have a paralyzing fear that your material goods will one day be ruined thus ruining your life? If so, consider turning the eyes of your heart away from yourself and onto the Lord. Become a person who desires what the Lord desires. Let's become people who are content whether the sun is shining brightly or the tempest winds are blowing wildly. Let's be people who are known for the good things they desire rather than the terrible things they dread. For that which the righteous desire will be granted forever.

It's Not Funny

"Doing wrong is like a joke to a fool, but wisdom is pleasure to a man of understanding" (Proverbs 10:23).

We are about to study a string of verse (10:23-32) which contrast those who live wicked lives and those who live righteous lives. Because there is a contrast between wisdom and evil conduct, we know that wisdom, as spoken of in the Bible, is a moral issue.

Therefore, we see that it is the fool who enjoys committing sin. It's a joke to him. The fool loves sinning and you can tell by the expression on his face. On the other hand,  the person who understands the benefits of clean living finds enjoyment and pleasure in a life lived wisely. The expression on their face gives it away.

When someone has wisdom and understanding, it truly grieves them to sin against God and people. It hurts their heart to offend the Lord. Those who have understanding hate what God hates and loves what God loves. Sin is not a joke to them. Instead of laughing when they sin, they cry. The person of understanding is the person who comprehends the damage sin does to relationships. They don't laugh when people are hurt by someone else's selfishness, hate, greed, lust, or anger. They find no pleasure in such things.

What brings a smile to your face these days? Is it seeing someone live well or live poorly? Do you laugh or grieve when you hear that someone has been wounded by someone's sin? If you and I are people of understanding, then we will find pleasure in what is wise, not in what is wrong. We will not think that sin is funny.

Being Blessed

"The blessing of the Lord makes rich, and he adds no sorrow with it" (Proverbs 10:21).


Wow! Now this is a Bible verse I like to read. A verse that speaks of being rich and happy. Who doesn't want to have wealth with no sorrow? I can't think of a soul who would turn down that situation. Is this one of those things that is too good to be true? I would normally say it is except it's straight from Scripture. So what does this Proverb mean? How can this be?

One of the things we come to learn about the Lord, as we read and interact with Scripture, is that all good things come from God. He sovereignly assigns or withholds blessings according to an unseen plan. Our faith in Him is exercised in the midst of that unseen plan. God gives good things to His children as He often blesses them throughout their life. One of the many blessings His children receive is in the realm of finances. He allows some of His children to become materially rich. Not all His children experience this blessing, but many do.

Again, while the Scriptures repeatedly warn against trusting in wealth, the fact of the matter remains that the children of God do experience the blessings that accompany a life lived well. This means the righteous and diligent worker has no reason to feel badly about the gains he receives as a result of his work that is blessed by God.

There are no laws against making money. There are, however, laws against making money illegally. Those who prosper illegally are subject to the "sorrows" that accompany the consequences of such activity. Not so with those who prosper legally. There is no "sorrow" associated with riches gained righteously because they know they are being blessed by God.

This verse is assuring us that all good things come from God. It's reminding us that the righteous and diligent worker has no reason to feel guilty when God blesses his work. The sorrow that accompanies ill-gotten gain will not touch the one who walks and works in the righteousness of God. In other words, there is no sorrow attached to the gains made righteously.

Words Of Value

"The tongue of the righteous is choice silver, the heart of the wicked is of little worth. The lips of the righteous feed many, but fools die for lack of sense" (Proverbs 10:20-21).

There is a huge difference between the words of the wicked and the words of the righteous. What comes out of our mouths really does indicate that which is in our hearts. In contrast with the lying, slandering, and babbling words of the wicked, the words of the righteous are encouraging and uplifting. Such words are compared to choice silver.

It is amazing, as well as scary, that my words can either add value to the life of others or be absolutely worthless.  My words can either be nourishing to the souls of others or add to their spiritual starvation. This is why I want to be very careful about the condition of my heart and the quality of my speech. 

I can see how the Lord would be pleased with us as we contribute to the spiritual well being of those we encounter everyday by way of our valuable words. It is not hard to realize that adding to the spiritual starvation of others with our lying, slandering, and babbling words is offensive to God. Why would it not be offensive? It is very clear that those kinds of words do not reflect His gracious and loving character in any way whatsoever. 

Will our words today be worthless words or words of value? Let's be uplifting and encouraging to those who are spiritually starving. Let's feed them with nourishing words that are gracious and loving.

Less Talk Is Better

"When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent" (Proverbs 10:19).

If you give me enough time, I'll eventually put my foot in my mouth. It is not an issue of if but when. I have gotten myself in trouble with my "many" words so many times, I have lost count. I did not need to read about this in the Bible to know it is true.

People like me, who sometimes talk too much, realize that sin eventually follows their constant babbling. Proverbs 10:8 refers to the ruin that is experienced by the babbling fool.

In contrast, the prudent among us restrain their lips. These are the ones who could say something but choose not to. They know that their many words do nothing to enhance life and relationships. They are the ones who listen to the "little bird" that sits on their shoulder telling them to keep their mouth shut. When they listen, we all are winners.

Consider all that you could possibly say today and then cut that in half. Be the prudent one who restrains the lips so that transgressions are few and far between. If you are like me, people don't really need to hear everything you think you need to say.

A Pretender

"The one who conceals hatred has lying lips, and whoever utters slander is a fool" (Proverbs 10:18).

Proverbs 10:18-21 is all about talking. These four passages each refer to some aspect of our words. Our words can do a lot of good as well as a lot of damage. It takes great wisdom to know how to use our many words.

In today's passage, we learn that hatred can lead to all kinds of trouble. Oftentimes, when there is hatred for someone, a person is forced to lie to them. There are deceptive words used to cover the hatred. To do so makes us a pretender with people. This is different than what our mothers taught us when they said, "If you can't say something nice, say nothing at all." Trying to conceal hatred with lies is a different matter. The best solution to this problem is to not hate anyone. While this proverb doesn't walk us through that particular process, other Scriptures do. Our journey toward love and away from hate is advanced by the truth of Scripture.

What we learn from the second part of this passage is that when we lie to a person who is hated, we also tend to slander them behind their back. This passage connects the two parts with the word "and" which shows that lying and slander both result from hatred. This is why we must rid our hearts of hatred for individuals. If not, we will find ourselves saying things to the person which are either not true (a lie) or mean spirited (slander).

If we find we are lying to someone about our hateful feelings toward them, it is best to allow the Word of God to direct us to the love of God provided by His Holy Spirit. If not, there is a chance we will slander them behind their back.

Lying and slandering, born of hatred, are the characteristics of a fool. May God direct our hearts toward love for all people. If not, we will find ourselves living quite foolishly by way of our hateful and slanderous words. We will find ourselves being a pretender.

Influence

"Whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life, but he who rejects reproof leads others astray" (Proverbs 10:17).

Proverbs mentions "life" quite a bit. It seems the Lord is very interested in us experiencing life to fullest extent possible. Jesus told us that is why He came to earth. He came to give us life to the full (see John 10:10). Heeding instruction puts us on the path to a full life.

One of the things we learn from today's passage is that no one is an island unto himself. We all have influence. We all have impact. The question is whether or not our influence and impact are positive or negative when it comes to others experiencing life to the full.

The person who listens to the instruction given them, regarding life, will find that they are on the path to life. They will, in turn, lead others toward that path. In doing so, there is great reward and satisfaction. The person who rejects reproof will find that they are going astray. It is tragic that they will lead other astray as well.

It does not matter who we are; we all have influence. We need to realize that we will impact people with our lives. Our lives are like a drop of water that causes rippling circles in a glass of water. If we are wise, we will respond well to both instruction and reproof. In doing so, the ripples we make will have a positive influence on others. If not, our ripples will influence others in a negative way.

Knowing you have influence, what kind of influence do you choose to have; positive or negative?

The Real Pay Day

"A rich man's wealth is his strong city; the poverty of the poor is their ruin. The wage of the righteous leads to life, the gain of the wicked to sin" (Proverbs 10:15-16).

If you are like me, you look forward to pay day. For most workers, pay day comes twice a month. Those two days of the month can be pretty awesome when there are a stack of bills sitting on their kitchen desk.

Proverbs repeatedly teaches that money is not to be trusted in. Wealth is so fickle, a person would be foolish to esteem money over honor. The Scripture teaches us that life can be lived well and enjoyed deeply whether or not we have a big bank account.

Today's passage teaches us that a person's wealth, while not to be trusted in, can serve as a strong protection (like ancient city walls) against any number of disasters. This is why the poor are often times vulnerable to disaster. They do not have the resources to deal with life's unfortunate events. Poverty is a world wide problem that continues to suppress the feeble, weak, and helpless among us. This is the main reason God commands us to help the poor.

Having reinforced this truth, our passage takes things to a new level by telling us of a natural wage or "return" that comes as a result of godly living. That "return" is life itself. While we naturally look forward to our two "money" pay days a month, the real pay day comes in the form of life to the full. This was Jesus' claim about Himself when He said, "The thief comes only to steal kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly" (John 10:10). While godly living pays positive dividends in life, sin pays negative dividends. The wicked experience "poverty" of soul.

While you look forward to your "money" pay days that help you deal with life's certain disasters, don't forget that the real pay day comes from godly living. The real gains are experienced in real and abundant life!