Ten or so proverbs for today
Proverbs 10 is more what we would naturally expect from the Book of Proverbs. 32 proverbs. You know, the kind that say the positive, followed by the negative.
Either….or….
This……but…..
Good……evil…….
Wise ….foolish…
Thought I would just pick out my top ten.
Wise son, glad father;
stupid son, sad mother. v1
Yes, parents can probably all relate to this. Especially parents of teenagers. There’s a profound relief that comes from seeing your kids making good, life-giving choices. And there’s the agony and fear and anxiety that come with watching them make poor life choices.
Ill-gotten gain gets you nowhere;
an honest life is immortal. v2
Getting what you want by less than honest means takes the shine off the purchase. Getting to where you want to be by cutting some corners leaves a sour taste in the mouth. Integrity matters.
Make hay while the sun shines—that’s smart;
go fishing during harvest—that’s stupid. v5
Make hay while the sun shines – that’s the most famous proverb in this chapter, one I’m sure you’ll have heard before. It’s about making the most of the opportunities before you. Work hard when it’s the optimum time to work. Work out the right time of day to get the best work done. Work with the external factors to be the most productive.
Blessings accrue on a good and honest life,
but the mouth of the wicked is a dark cave of abuse. v6
I’m finding the more I concentrate on creating a life worth living (in terms of health and happiness), the more rewarding and fulfilling life becomes. It’s not rocket science, I guess. Surrounding yourself with people on the same path towards living life to the full will energise and encourage you. And of course, the opposite is true too. Spending too much time with the negative individuals (the Vinegar Veras, my boss used to call them!) will drag you down.
Honesty lives confident and carefree,
but Shifty is sure to be exposed. v9
If you’ve got nothing to hide, then you can be confident and carefree. If your life is integrated – the same on the outside as the inside – then you don’t have to fear being exposed.
An evasive eye is a sign of trouble ahead,
but an open, face-to-face meeting results in peace. v10
That’s how you know if your child is telling you the truth or not, right? – if they can look you in the eye.
The mouth of a good person is a deep, life-giving well,
but the mouth of the wicked is a dark cave of abuse. v11
What we say matters. Really matters. It can change a life. For good or for bad. We need to choose our words carefully.
Hatred starts fights,
but love pulls a quilt over the bickering. v12
I like this. Not condoning covering up issues that really need dealing with. But we all know those who deliberately pick a fight…and then there are those who know how to walk away, how not to throw fuel on the fire, who are good at diffusing the situation, who choose to love even if someone is trying to provoke them into lashing out in retaliation.
The wise accumulate knowledge—a true treasure;
know-it-alls talk too much—a sheer waste. v14
We all talk far too much. The wise know how to listen. Really listen. That is how they became wise in the first place.
The road to life is a disciplined life;
ignore correction and you’re lost for good. v17
Discipline and correction matter. We’ve got to learn how to take constructive criticism. How else will we learn? How else will we ever grow? How else will we ever improve?
The speech of a good person is worth waiting for;
the blabber of the wicked is worthless. v20
Yup.
Good people last—they can’t be moved;
the wicked are here today, gone tomorrow. v30
That’s the difference, you see. Some people burn bright for a season – they look impressive today, but come back in a week or a month or a year – where are they then? If what they have built is not based on deep, firm foundations, then it won’t take a lot to knock it down. Think of all the fads that have come and gone over the years. Where are they now? How long will it take for the latest fad to fizzle out? I’m committed to creating a sustainable, rewarding life that is built on the solid foundation of God’s truths.
OK, so that may have been more than ten. Twelve, maybe. You probably wouldn’t have noticed if I hadn’t pointed it out. But integrity matters. Unlike this paragraph. So I’ll stop talking now and go and sit in the sun with a cup of coffee!
