Proverbs

This Proverb says, “Good understanding produces favor, but the way of the treacherous is hard. Every prudent man acts with knowledge, but a fool displays folly.” What is knowledge? What is understanding? Knowledge is what we gain through observation and experience. Knowledge is assimilating the facts of the world around us. Understanding is accurately interpreting the knowledge we receive. This Proverb indicates that a prudent person acts according to their observations. For example, they learn that uncontrolled…

These passages say, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but desire fulfilled is a tree of life. The one who despises the Word will be in debt to it, but the one who fears the commandment will be rewarded. The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, to turn aside from the snares of death.” There are three Proverbs in these passages. The first Proverb speaks of unfulfilled and fulfilled desires during a person’s…

This Proverb says, “Wealth obtained by fraud dwindles, but the one who gathers by labor increases it.” The person who gathers his wealth by labor gathers slowly. As a result, they learn how to use it, manage it and protect it. Such knowledge doesn't come instantly. It must be learned over time. Once a person has gained this knowledge and experience, they will better understand how to grow their wealth and make wise financial decisions. On the…

These passages say, “The light of the righteous rejoices, but the lamp of the wicked goes out. Through presumption comes nothing but strife, but with those who receive counsel is wisdom.” The Bible characterizes a righteous person as one who has the light of God's presence within them. A righteous person regularly reads God's Word, the Bible. As a result they fill themselves with God's Truths. As they live their lives, their light will grow brighter…

These passages contain two Proverbs. The first Proverb says, “There is one who pretends to be rich, but has nothing; another pretends to be poor but has great wealth.” The second Proverb says, “The ransom of a man's life is his riches, but the poor hears no rebuke.” The first Proverb indicates that there are some people who want to be held in high esteem or honor for their apparent wealth, when they are not really…

These passages say, “A righteous man hates falsehood, but a wicked man acts disgustingly and shamefully. Righteousness guards the one whose way is blameless, but wickedness subverts the sinner.” A righteous person hates lying and falsehood. Their life is characterized by always being truthful and honest. Such a person will tell the truth, even when the truth will place them at a disadvantage in the near term. However, always telling the truth will serve them well…

This Proverb says, “The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the soul of the diligent is made fat.” A sluggard or very lazy person desires the good things in life but is unwilling to work for them. This person wants a good place to live, good food, wealth, and possessions. However, they do not have these things. A lazy person cannot get them because they will not exert any effort. They want it…

This Proverb says, “From the fruit of a man's mouth he enjoys good, but the desire of the treacherous is violence. The one who guards his mouth preserves his life; the one who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.” Our speech or what we say to others is very important regarding the outcome of events in our life. If our speech is gracious and pleasant to others, they will likely say pleasant things to…

This Proverb says, “A wise son accepts his father's discipline, but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.” What is a scoffer? A scoffer is a person who is likely to mock his father's advice as being foolish nonsense. A scoffer is also arrogant and prideful, trusting their own sinful nature. So, when a father of a scoffer offers sound advice a scoffing son rejects or mocks it. Such good advice falls on deaf ears. On…

This Proverb says, “In the way of righteousness is life, and in its pathway there is no death.” The Bible indicates that there are two kinds of life, and there are two kinds of death. There is physical life and death. There is also spiritual life and death. During our tenure on this Earth we are physically alive. This means that our soul is united with our body. When we physically die, our soul is separated…