In The Word
Read Proverbs 11:14—12:28
14 Where there is no guidance the people fall,
But in abundance of counselors there is victory.
15 He who is guarantor for a stranger will surely suffer for it,
But he who hates being a guarantor is secure.
16 A gracious woman attains honor,
And ruthless men attain riches.
17 The merciful man does himself good,
But the cruel man does himself harm.
18 The wicked earns deceptive wages,
But he who sows righteousness gets a true reward.
19 He who is steadfast in righteousness will attain to life,
And he who pursues evil will bring about his own death.
20 The perverse in heart are an abomination to the Lord,
But the blameless in their walk are His delight.
21 Assuredly, the evil man will not go unpunished,
But the descendants of the righteous will be delivered.
22 As a ring of gold in a swine’s snout
So is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion.
23 The desire of the righteous is only good,
But the expectation of the wicked is wrath.
24 There is one who scatters, and yet increases all the more,
And there is one who withholds what is justly due, and yet it results only in want.
25 The generous man will be prosperous,
And he who waters will himself be watered.
26 He who withholds grain, the people will curse him,
But blessing will be on the head of him who sells it.
27 He who diligently seeks good seeks favor,
But he who seeks evil, evil will come to him.
28 He who trusts in his riches will fall,
But the righteous will flourish like the green leaf.
29 He who troubles his own house will inherit wind,
And the foolish will be servant to the wise hearted.
30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,
And he who is wise wins souls.
31 If the righteous will be rewarded in the earth,
How much more the wicked and the sinner!
Contrast the Upright and the Wicked
12 Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,
But he who hates reproof is stupid.
2 A good man will obtain favor from the Lord,
But He will condemn a man who devises evil.
3 A man will not be established by wickedness,
But the root of the righteous will not be moved.
4 An excellent wife is the crown of her husband,
But she who shames him is like rottenness in his bones.
5 The thoughts of the righteous are just,
But the counsels of the wicked are deceitful.
6 The words of the wicked lie in wait for blood,
But the mouth of the upright will deliver them.
7 The wicked are overthrown and are no more,
But the house of the righteous will stand.
8 A man will be praised according to his insight,
But one of perverse mind will be despised.
9 Better is he who is lightly esteemed and has a servant
Than he who honors himself and lacks bread.
10 A righteous man has regard for the life of his animal,
But even the compassion of the wicked is cruel.
11 He who tills his land will have plenty of bread,
But he who pursues worthless things lacks sense.
12 The wicked man desires the booty of evil men,
But the root of the righteous yields fruit.
13 An evil man is ensnared by the transgression of his lips,
But the righteous will escape from trouble.
14 A man will be satisfied with good by the fruit of his words,
And the deeds of a man’s hands will return to him.
15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes,
But a wise man is he who listens to counsel.
16 A fool’s anger is known at once,
But a prudent man conceals dishonor.
17 He who speaks truth tells what is right,
But a false witness, deceit.
18 There is one who speaks rashly like the thrusts of a sword,
But the tongue of the wise brings healing.
19 Truthful lips will be established forever,
But a lying tongue is only for a moment.
20 Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil,
But counselors of peace have joy.
21 No harm befalls the righteous,
But the wicked are filled with trouble.
22 Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord,
But those who deal faithfully are His delight.
23 A prudent man conceals knowledge,
But the heart of fools proclaims folly.
24 The hand of the diligent will rule,
But the slack hand will be put to forced labor.
25 Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down,
But a good word makes it glad.
26 The righteous is a guide to his neighbor,
But the way of the wicked leads them astray.
27 A lazy man does not roast his prey,
But the precious possession of a man is diligence.
28 In the way of righteousness is life,
And in its pathway there is no death.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Walking In The Word
Many people today don’t consider the consequences of their choices. Most make choices for immediate gratification without considering the long term loss in their lives. Many verses in our reading today give us examples of the choices we can make each day, good or evil, and their effects on our lives.
Proverbs 11:17-19 gives us wisdom on a few of these choices. Will I be merciful which will bring “good” to my life, or cruel which will bring harm? Will my wicked ways bring deceptive return, a sham of a life, or will my righteousness bring true reward? Will I choose to live righteously, which will give me abundant life, or an evil life that will bring death?
All through our readings in Proverbs, we see the differences in choices leading to life and death. For many years I’ve chosen to read Proverbs every day. Because it has thirty-one chapters, Proverbs makes a good monthly read, one chapter a day. I cannot begin to tell you how many times the wisdom in this book has helped me make wise choices concerning life, relationships, and business. It will contrast the knowledge you receive from this world. Sometimes the worldly “wisdom” we receive directly contradicts what we see in the book of Proverbs, but time and time again it has helped me make good choices that led to great consequences! If you find yourself lacking wisdom for this life, do as I’ve done and begin to study this wisdom book we call Proverbs. I promise it brings new life!