The Proverbs 31 Project: Commenting July 4th on Proverbs 4:14-17

Got 31 days in the month?  

God's got 31 chapters in the book of Proverbs! 

What a coincidence!

For each date then, again this month, you will find commentary on a few verses from the corresponding chapter. There are 7 months in the year with 31 days, so I divided each chapter into 7 parts and spread them out so that each verse will be reviewed on the date related to its chapter by the same number name.  No, I am not deliberately trying to make this explanation complicated! (But, if you can explain my system any better than I have tried to do in the past three 31-day months, there is probably a proverb proclaiming your wisdom, and you will be recognized here for your high achievement!).

Below this introduction you will find the whole chapter representing today's date, with this month's verses highlighted in red, and my amateur comments for today low lighted in blue. Enjoy!

PROVERBS 4

Get Wisdom at Any Cost


1 Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction;
pay attention and gain understanding.
2 I give you sound learning,
so do not forsake my teaching.
3 For I too was a son to my father,
still tender, and cherished by my mother.
4 Then he taught me, and he said to me,
“Take hold of my words with all your heart;
keep my commands, and you will live.
5 Get wisdom, get understanding;
do not forget my words or turn away from them.
6 Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you;
love her, and she will watch over you.
7 The beginning of wisdom is this: Get[a] wisdom.
Though it cost all you have,[b] get understanding.
8 Cherish her, and she will exalt you;
embrace her, and she will honor you.
9 She will give you a garland to grace your head
and present you with a glorious crown.”


10 Listen, my son, accept what I say,
and the years of your life will be many.
11 I instruct you in the way of wisdom
and lead you along straight paths.
12 When you walk, your steps will not be hampered;
when you run, you will not stumble.
13 Hold on to instruction, do not let it go;
guard it well, for it is your life.
14 Do not set foot on the path of the wicked
or walk in the way of evildoers.

14) Just a foot on the path is enough to drag us in with the wicked.  Not necessarily "in" with a particular gang of evildoers, but "in" the same status, the same camp, the same destiny.

15 Avoid it, do not travel on it;
turn from it and go on your way.

15) The required self discipline, or true self control, comes only from God as a fruit of the spirit.  

Galatians 5:22,23

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

16 For they cannot rest until they do evil;
they are robbed of sleep till they make someone stumble.

16) Scary.  The streets are full of such men.  God help us.

17 They eat the bread of wickedness
and drink the wine of violence.

17) May the redeeming work of God in Christ deliver us from evil.  Not just from the violent works of the wicked, but from the evil seed born within me, and what it would produce.

18 The path of the righteous is like the morning sun,
shining ever brighter till the full light of day.
19 But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness;
they do not know what makes them stumble.


20 My son, pay attention to what I say;
turn your ear to my words.
21 Do not let them out of your sight,
keep them within your heart;
22 for they are life to those who find them
and health to one’s whole body.
23 Above all else, guard your heart,
for everything you do flows from it.
24 Keep your mouth free of perversity;
keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
25 Let your eyes look straight ahead;
fix your gaze directly before you.
26 Give careful thought to the[c] paths for your feet
and be steadfast in all your ways.
27 Do not turn to the right or the left;
keep your foot from evil.
[Anyone willing to author an explanation of my system, let me know, and if it makes more sense than my attempts (how could it not?) I will use it in October.]



By the way...MILLERWRITES copy is COPYRIGHTED. Why cut and paste when you can simply copy the link?

The Proverbs 31 Project: Commenting March 10th on Proverbs 10:5-9

March 10th?     Read Proverbs 10!

[Please note: The first two paragraphs below are repeated each day for new readers. My amateur comments are offered below each of today's verses from Proverbs.]

Have you ever noticed that, like most months have 31 days, the Book of Proverbs has 31 chapters? Fascinating right? Well, it is at least interesting, and coincidentally beneficial to those who would like to read a portion of thought provoking scripture every day of the month. You might like to read the calendar coordinated chapter from Proverbs every day this month (I've included the whole chapter below!) and then see if my comments on a few of those verses line up with your own observations. My plan is to go through the year, writing my response to about one seventh of each chapter's verses every day, during each of the 7 months that have 31 days.  Clear as mud? That's what I thought.

I hope you check in, and leave a comment. Especially if I say something really off base and need to be corrected, because, as we will learn this month on the 27th, Proverbs 27:5 says

                                "Better is open rebuke than hidden love." 

                                  Today's inspired verses, Proverbs 10:5-9, are in red

                                          (and my questionable comments are in blue).

Proverbs 10

Proverbs of Solomon

1 The proverbs of Solomon:

A wise son brings joy to his father,
but a foolish son brings grief to his mother.

2 Ill-gotten treasures have no lasting value,
but righteousness delivers from death.

3 The LORD does not let the righteous go hungry,
but he thwarts the craving of the wicked.

4 Lazy hands make for poverty,
but diligent hands bring wealth.

5 He who gathers crops in summer is a prudent son,
but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son.


5) Or... He who endures on those roofing jobs all summer is a good husband,
but he who watches Oprah when it's not even raining is a disgrace!


"Make hay while the sun shines" is a modern equivalent to this ancient idea, but it leaves out the hard indictment of character that Solomon includes.  If we rebuke our sons without building into them just the right amount of shame, over shameful decisions, will they grow and adapt to the truth?  If there is not even enough  pain given to empower a little righteous blushing, then why bother with correction at all?  Motivation for right decision making must ultimately come from within.


6 Blessings crown the head of the righteous,
but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked.[a]


The footnote says that this second part might be translated differently, as it was in verse 11b below (which we will read together on May 10th).  Either way, whether I get a violent punch to the mouth, or if my mouth is shut tight to conceal the gritted teeth of violence, I think I'd rather have my head crowned with blessings!  And you?


7 The name of the righteous is used in blessings,[b]
but the name of the wicked will rot.


What an honor it would be to have one's name used as a blessing!  As in, "Now that you have your Doctorate in basket weaving, may your creativity and design outshine even the great MILLERWEAVES!"


8 The wise in heart accept commands,
but a chattering fool comes to ruin.


It seems old Sol was up too late when he wrote chapter 10; he uses part b of this proverb in verse 10 as well!  Perhaps it was a common refrain used to finish many ideas.  We have those as well.  Tag lines we call them, but most of ours are sophomoric and not fit for real proverbial usage.  


Accepting commands with humility is something God honors.  As Christ came to serve (even washing the disciples feet), we are called to do the same.  But what "chattering fool" will even notice that a command was given?


9 Whoever walks in integrity walks securely,
but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out.


9) If nobody else does, God always knows what's going on.  As Moses said to the Gadites and Reubenites in Numbers 32:23 when warning them about not breaking the promise they made to their brother Israelites: "...you will be sinning against the LORD and you may be sure that your sin will find you out."

10 Whoever winks maliciously causes grief,
and a chattering fool comes to ruin.

11 The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,
but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.

12 Hatred stirs up conflict,
but love covers over all wrongs.

13 Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning,
but a rod is for the back of one who has no sense.

14 The wise store up knowledge,
but the mouth of a fool invites ruin.

15 The wealth of the rich is their fortified city,
but poverty is the ruin of the poor.

16 The wages of the righteous is life,
but the earnings of the wicked are sin and death.

17 Whoever heeds discipline shows the way to life,
but whoever ignores correction leads others astray.

18 Whoever conceals hatred with lying lips
and spreads slander is a fool.

19 Sin is not ended by multiplying words,
but the prudent hold their tongues.

20 The tongue of the righteous is choice silver,
but the heart of the wicked is of little value.

21 The lips of the righteous nourish many,
but fools die for lack of sense.

22 The blessing of the LORD brings wealth,
without painful toil for it.

23 A fool finds pleasure in wicked schemes,
but a person of understanding delights in wisdom.

24 What the wicked dread will overtake them;
what the righteous desire will be granted.

25 When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone,
but the righteous stand firm forever.

26 As vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes,
so are sluggards to those who send them.

27 The fear of the LORD adds length to life,
but the years of the wicked are cut short.

28 The prospect of the righteous is joy,
but the hopes of the wicked come to nothing.

29 The way of the LORD is a refuge for the blameless,
but it is the ruin of those who do evil.

30 The righteous will never be uprooted,
but the wicked will not remain in the land.

31 From the mouth of the righteous comes the fruit of wisdom,
but a perverse tongue will be silenced.

32 The lips of the righteous know what finds favor,
but the mouth of the wicked only what is perverse.
Footnotes:
Proverbs 10:6 Or righteous, / but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence
Proverbs 10:7 See Gen. 48:20.