Proverbs

This Proverb says, “The desire of the sluggard puts him to death for his hands refuse to work; all day long he is craving while the righteous gives and does not hold back.” One of the characteristics of a righteous person is that they are generous. These people give generously to others in need. In return God provides abundant blessings for them. King David recognized this and wrote in one of his Psalms, “I have been…

This Proverb says, “He who guards his mouth and his tongue, guards his soul from trouble.” What we say to others can have a dramatic effect on their lives. Words we speak can impact others for the rest of their lives, for either good or bad. They can be uplifting and encouraging. They can also be destructive. Therefore we must choose our words carefully. We must be ‘quick to hear but slow to speak.’ The Bible…

This Proverb says, “He who pursues righteousness and loyalty finds life, righteousness, and honor.” The Lord favors those who are righteous. He favors those who live their lives according to the Word of God. God will bless those who do so. They will receive God's righteousness and favor. The Bible says that Jesus is the embodiment of righteousness. The Bible also says that believing in Jesus is the only way to God. Genuine belief is validated…

This Proverb says, “There is precious treasure and oil in the dwelling of the wise, but a foolish man swallows it up.” A foolish person is one who does not or cannot discern things of real value. As a result, a foolish person may unintentionally destroy or swallow up things that are truly precious. This can be applied to a marriage, family, and home. The Bible says, “By wisdom a house is built; through understanding it…

This Proverb says, “He who loves pleasure will become a poor man. He who loves wine and oil will not become rich.” A person who seeks pleasure is seeking personal gratification. Because we all are prone to sin, personal gratification usually involves sinning in one way or another. It usually involves an act of selfishness and will not result in having God's blessing. Taken to extreme, pursuing pleasure will lead to a person spending their money…

This Proverb says, “The execution of justice is joy for the righteous, but terror for the workers of iniquity." Righteous people desire to live in a just society with leaders that promote goodness and order. However, those who are given over to evil do not want a just society. They want a society that does not punish criminals. They want leaders who promote sinful living. Unfortunately, America has changed into a society that is trending…

This Proverb says, “He who shuts his ear to the cry of the poor will also cry himself and not be answered.” There are many poor and needy people in the world. We may encounter some of them in our lives, and our natural instinct may be to avoid them. However, God does not want us to do that. There are some needy people that God places before us that He wants us to help.…

This Proverb says, “When the scoffer is punished, the naive becomes wise; But when the wise is instructed, he receives knowledge.” A scoffer is one who ridicules the Word of God. A scoffer ridicules the Word of God because it doesn't make sense to them. It is foolishness to them. As the Proverb says, God will sometimes punish the scoffer. When this happens, acquaintances of the scoffer who are friends and relatives may take notice and…

This Proverb says, “The way of a guilty man is crooked, but as for the pure, his conduct is upright.” Who we are is reflected in the way we live. It is reflected in our words and the choices we make. The upright person will live their lives according to the Word of God. They will desire to obey God, and their desire will be displayed in the lives they lead. On the other hand, those…

This Proverb says, “The plans of the diligent lead surely to advantage, but everyone who is hasty comes to poverty.” Gaining wealth rapidly may seem like a good thing. However, wealth must also be managed. There are stories of athletes who have become wealthy at a very young age who did not manage their wealth very well. As a result they became poor with nothing to show for their efforts. On the other hand, when one…