In The Word
Read: Proverbs 19:1-20:13
On Life and Conduct
19 Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity
Than he who is perverse in speech and is a fool.
2 Also it is not good for a person to be without knowledge,
And he who hurries his footsteps errs.
3 The foolishness of man ruins his way,
And his heart rages against the Lord.
4 Wealth adds many friends,
But a poor man is separated from his friend.
5 A false witness will not go unpunished,
And he who tells lies will not escape.
6 Many will seek the favor of a generous man,
And every man is a friend to him who gives gifts.
7 All the brothers of a poor man hate him;
How much more do his friends abandon him!
He pursues them with words, but they are gone.
8 He who gets wisdom loves his own soul;
He who keeps understanding will find good.
9 A false witness will not go unpunished,
And he who tells lies will perish.
10 Luxury is not fitting for a fool;
Much less for a slave to rule over princes.
11 A man’s discretion makes him slow to anger,
And it is his glory to overlook a transgression.
12 The king’s wrath is like the roaring of a lion,
But his favor is like dew on the grass.
13 A foolish son is destruction to his father,
And the contentions of a wife are a constant dripping.
14 House and wealth are an inheritance from fathers,
But a prudent wife is from the Lord.
15 Laziness casts into a deep sleep,
And an idle man will suffer hunger.
16 He who keeps the commandment keeps his soul,
But he who is careless of conduct will die.
17 One who is gracious to a poor man lends to the Lord,
And He will repay him for his good deed.
18 Discipline your son while there is hope,
And do not desire his death.
19 A man of great anger will bear the penalty,
For if you rescue him, you will only have to do it again.
20 Listen to counsel and accept discipline,
That you may be wise the rest of your days.
21 Many plans are in a man’s heart,
But the counsel of the Lord will stand.
22 What is desirable in a man is his kindness,
And it is better to be a poor man than a liar.
23 The fear of the Lord leads to life,
So that one may sleep satisfied, untouched by evil.
24 The sluggard buries his hand in the dish,
But will not even bring it back to his mouth.
25 Strike a scoffer and the naive may become shrewd,
But reprove one who has understanding and he will gain knowledge.
26 He who assaults his father and drives his mother away
Is a shameful and disgraceful son.
27 Cease listening, my son, to discipline,
And you will stray from the words of knowledge.
28 A rascally witness makes a mockery of justice,
And the mouth of the wicked spreads iniquity.
29 Judgments are prepared for scoffers,
And blows for the back of fools.
On Life and Conduct
20 Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler,
And whoever is intoxicated by it is not wise.
2 The terror of a king is like the growling of a lion;
He who provokes him to anger forfeits his own life.
3 Keeping away from strife is an honor for a man,
But any fool will quarrel.
4 The sluggard does not plow after the autumn,
So he begs during the harvest and has nothing.
5 A plan in the heart of a man is like deep water,
But a man of understanding draws it out.
6 Many a man proclaims his own loyalty,
But who can find a trustworthy man?
7 A righteous man who walks in his integrity—
How blessed are his sons after him.
8 A king who sits on the throne of justice
Disperses all evil with his eyes.
9 Who can say, “I have cleansed my heart,
I am pure from my sin”?
10 Differing weights and differing measures,
Both of them are abominable to the Lord.
11 It is by his deeds that a lad distinguishes himself
If his conduct is pure and right.
12 The hearing ear and the seeing eye,
The Lord has made both of them.
13 Do not love sleep, or you will become poor;
Open your eyes, and you will be satisfied with food.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Walking In The Word
Our reading today addresses the character of an individual. I’ll never forget the time I decided I would run for public office. I was young and had this idea that I could make a difference; but with no prior experience, money, or name-recognition, no one gave me much of a chance to win. To everyone’s surprise though, I made the run-off and with that came money and help. I remember the party I was affiliated with was so excited they sent a campaign manager who could help me since I couldn’t afford one in the beginning. At our first meeting we got to know one another; he asked about my past and then asked a question I had never thought of, or considered, something I had taken for granted all my life. He asked, “I notice you are not Senior, or Junior, but the Third. Is there anything in your family history that would be an embarrassment? You have the same name.” At that moment I understood how important a good name is, and what type of name I wanted to leave my children.
Proverbs 20:7 says, “A righteous man who walks in his integrity, How blessed are his sons after him.” Have you ever considered the decisions you make and how they will effect generations to come? Sometimes we make choices for short-term gain not realizing the impact they could have on our children’s futures. Life is hard enough without our children bearing the identity of someone who gave away their integrity. Though I didn’t win that election, at least I was able to run! My family had left a legacy to be proud of! Will you?