The Proverbs 31 Project: Commenting July 10th on Proverbs 10:15-19

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 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.


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


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


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


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

15) I sometimes fear for the rich.  Even in my simple life, I have recognized the tendency to rely on what I have: the furnace, electric power, batteries, gas stations, grocery stores, insurance.  These basic elements of life are so important, but so tenuous.  Things go wrong, and seem more likely to go wrong in recent years than in previous times.  But the rich get used to so much more going so much better that when it all falls in, how will they cope?  Poverty ruins the poor, but when it hits the rich, it will hurt all the more.  As a back-slidden Christian is so much more badly injured than a steady unbeliever, because he knows what he has forsaken.

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

16) Why do the righteous get one thing (life) but the wicked get two (sin and death)?  Because the wicked include sin in an otherwise pure gift of life, and it is the sin that cancels life, leading to death.  We are all born into sin (as a fallen race) but if we do not repent and forsake the sin, it stays intact and does its deathifying work.  

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

17) It is interesting that accepting discipline shows promise and benefit in a passive manner, but declining correction has an active, corrupting result in the lives of others.  Might one say then that God the Holy Spirit is a gentleman, and that the Devil is a bully?


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

18)  It must be better then, to reveal and even declare one's hatred as an exercise in truth telling.  At least then the air is clear and the hatred can only go as far as the subject of the hate.  But if it is hidden, hatred morphs into other perversities like gossip, slander, blackmail or murder.  It's import is lost and its potential justification is never tested.  Valid, but concealed hatred will be ineffectual in righting wrongs, and wrongful, undeclared hatred will go unchecked. 

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

19) Another proverbial indicator that speaking too much is a bad sign.  If not of plain foolishness, then perhaps of deceitfulness or some other sin.

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.
[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 May 23rd on Proverbs 23:10-14

[If you have been here before, in May, then you might want to skip down below the green for today's post.]

"Thirty days hath September, 

April, June and November

All the rest have 31

Except February which has 28

Except during leap year when it has 29"

NO I DID NOT WRITE THIS "POEM"!  (Talk about free verse!)

Why didn't somebody just point out that the four months that do NOT have 31 days (except February, and everyone knows all about February The Exceptional) come every other month except that there is no 30 day month between July and August?  The silly poem above mixes up the order just to hide the fact that the real 30 day months come in two orderly pairs: April/June and September/November.  Can somebody please write a non-silly poem for us that will make this clear, and stick in our minds, but without gooping them up with exceptions (and please just leave February out of it!)?

And to make matters (far) worse, MILLERWRITES has created a Proverbs Pull-A-Part Plan that decimates that fine collection of wisdom in the book of Proverbs, by spreading commentary on each chapter out over 7 months (the good 31 day months)!  Oh don't ask me to explain his system.  You can try to decipher what he said about it at the top of any P31P posts from January or March if you like, or just follow along this month and figure it out.

All Bible passages are from the NIV, and are copied here from Biblegateway.com

REMEMBER: My ideas may be oh so mesmerizing, but you will get more benefit from simply reading the chapter itself!

So here I offer my amateur comments on verses 10-14.  Today's inspired verses are in red, and my comments are neither       (neither inspired, nor red).

PROVERBS 23
Saying 7

1 When you sit to dine with a ruler,
note well what is before you,
2 and put a knife to your throat
if you are given to gluttony.
3 Do not crave his delicacies,
for that food is deceptive.
Saying 8


4 Do not wear yourself out to get rich;
do not trust your own cleverness.
5 Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone,
for they will surely sprout wings
and fly off to the sky like an eagle.
Saying 9


6 Do not eat the food of a begrudging host,
do not crave his delicacies;
7 for he is the kind of person
who is always thinking about the cost.
“Eat and drink,” he says to you,
but his heart is not with you.
8 You will vomit up the little you have eaten
and will have wasted your compliments.
Saying 10


9 Do not speak to fools,
for they will scorn your prudent words.

OK, so we find ourselves in the middle of "30 Sayings of the Wise".  My "Proverbs Pull-A-Part" system wreaks havoc here.  For example; if you want to know what I think about the first wise saying, you have to wait until July 22nd, and number 6 doesn't come up until December 22nd!  In January of this year, I wrote about sayings 7 and 8.  My best advice?  Read the whole chapter that goes with each day of the month and you will read all of Proverbs in all of its correct order.  My comments don't matter that much, and they just come along when they do!

Saying 11

10 Do not move an ancient boundary stone
or encroach on the fields of the fatherless,
11 for their Defender is strong;
he will take up their case against you.

10,11) Guess who "their Defender" is.  Throughout the scriptures we see many attributes of God highlighted.  His care for widows and orphans ranks near the top of His priorities.  If you want to get in trouble quick; pick on a "fatherless"!  This concern, I think, also reflects God supreme interest in welcoming home each and every one of us who have left His home for the promises of being a prodigal, and would find loving redemption back under His care.

Saying 12

12 Apply your heart to instruction
and your ears to words of knowledge.

12) Back to basics.  I know one young lady in particular (who used to be a Miller) who seemed to think she should not go in to a class until she already knew what they were going to teach her (?).  Silly girl!  Your heart was always "applied to instruction" and your ears to "words of knowledge":  These are the only prerequisites for any class, and serve you well for a good life of many years.  Being so teachable is vital, and I am proud to be your Daddy (ooops)!

Saying 13

13 Do not withhold discipline from a child;
if you punish them with the rod, they will not die.
14 Punish them with the rod
and save them from death.

13,14) I love Solomon's understatement; "they will not die."  And I see from his need to say it, that there were folks in his day decrying, probably, the "abuse" of the rod!  It's good to know that this fear is not some kind of pinnacle of the ages, but just another repetition of the cycle's namby-pamby phase.

Remember though, that while some "wise guy" is the author of this saying, we count the whole Bible as God's inspired Word.  So it is God who has connected punishment with "the rod" and the saving "from death"!

Saying 14


15 My son, if your heart is wise,
then my heart will be glad indeed;
16 my inmost being will rejoice
when your lips speak what is right.
Saying 15


17 Do not let your heart envy sinners,
but always be zealous for the fear of the Lord.
18 There is surely a future hope for you,
and your hope will not be cut off.
Saying 16


19 Listen, my son, and be wise,
and set your heart on the right path:
20 Do not join those who drink too much wine
or gorge themselves on meat,
21 for drunkards and gluttons become poor,
and drowsiness clothes them in rags.
Saying 17


22 Listen to your father, who gave you life,
and do not despise your mother when she is old.
23 Buy the truth and do not sell it—
wisdom, instruction and insight as well.
24 The father of a righteous child has great joy;
a man who fathers a wise son rejoices in him.
25 May your father and mother rejoice;
may she who gave you birth be joyful!
Saying 18


26 My son, give me your heart
and let your eyes delight in my ways,
27 for an adulterous woman is a deep pit,
and a wayward wife is a narrow well.
28 Like a bandit she lies in wait
and multiplies the unfaithful among men.
Saying 19


29 Who has woe? Who has sorrow?
Who has strife? Who has complaints?
Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?
30 Those who linger over wine,
who go to sample bowls of mixed wine.
31 Do not gaze at wine when it is red,
when it sparkles in the cup,
when it goes down smoothly!
32 In the end it bites like a snake
and poisons like a viper.
33 Your eyes will see strange sights,
and your mind will imagine confusing things.
34 You will be like one sleeping on the high seas,
lying on top of the rigging.
35 “They hit me,” you will say, “but I’m not hurt!
They beat me, but I don’t feel it!
When will I wake up
so I can find another drink?”












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

The Proverbs 31 Project: Commenting May 22nd on Proverbs 22:11-16

[If you have been here before, in May, then you might want to skip down below the green for today's post.]

"Thirty days hath September, 

April, June and November

All the rest have 31

Except February which has 28

Except during leap year when it has 29"

NO I DID NOT WRITE THIS "POEM"!  (Talk about free verse!)

Why didn't somebody just point out that the four months that do NOT have 31 days (except February, and everyone knows all about February The Exceptional) come every other month except that there is no 30 day month between July and August?  The silly poem above mixes up the order just to hide the fact that the real 30 day months come in two orderly pairs: April/June and September/November.  Can somebody please write a non-silly poem for us that will make this clear, and stick in our minds, but without gooping them up with exceptions (and please just leave February out of it!)?

And to make matters (far) worse, MILLERWRITES has created a Proverbs Pull-A-Part Plan that decimates that fine collection of wisdom in the book of Proverbs, by spreading commentary on each chapter out over 7 months (the good 31 day months)!  Oh don't ask me to explain his system.  You can try to decipher what he said about it at the top of any P31P posts from January or March if you like, or just follow along this month and figure it out.

All Bible passages are from the NIV, and are copied here from Biblegateway.com

REMEMBER: My ideas may be oh so mesmerizing, but you will get more benefit from simply reading the chapter itself!

So here I offer my amateur comments on verses 11-16.  Today's inspired verses are in red, and my comments are neither       (neither inspired, nor red).

PROVERBS 22

1 A good name is more desirable than great riches;
to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.


2 Rich and poor have this in common:
The Lord is the Maker of them all.


3 The prudent see danger and take refuge,
but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.


4 Humility is the fear of the Lord;
its wages are riches and honor and life.


5 In the paths of the wicked are snares and pitfalls,
but those who would preserve their life stay far from them.


6 Start children off on the way they should go,
and even when they are old they will not turn from it.


7 The rich rule over the poor,
and the borrower is slave to the lender.


8 Whoever sows injustice reaps calamity,
and the rod they wield in fury will be broken.


9 The generous will themselves be blessed,
for they share their food with the poor.


10 Drive out the mocker, and out goes strife;
quarrels and insults are ended.


11 One who loves a pure heart and who speaks with grace
will have the king for a friend.

11)  I worked with a guy years ago who could talk a Packer fan into rooting for the Bears!  We used to call such a guy a "schmoozer."  But I think the person described here is much more than that.  He is genuine.  He actually does "love a pure heart" and his speaking "with grace" is not calculated to charm.  The trick is for the King to discern the authentic loyal friend, from the schmoozer.

12 The eyes of the Lord keep watch over knowledge,
but he frustrates the words of the unfaithful.

12) In this campaign season I hear so many "words of the unfaithful" thrown out there.  This is how I see so many ads and talking points that deliberately veer away from taking a real stand on a real issue.  When a candidate is afraid that his worldview position is untenable or unpopular, he avoids "knowledge" and ends up only frustrating himself with "unfaithful (to the truth) words."


13 The sluggard says, “There’s a lion outside!
I’ll be killed in the public square!”

13) Solomon leaves us on our own here, to finish the typical second half of the proverb.  It is usually either an emphasis of the preliminary statement, or a contrasting revelation.  This one seems to call for a contrast.  Something like... 

The sluggard says, “There’s a lion outside! 
I’ll be killed in the public square!”

"But the courageous runs out to protect his friends!"


14 The mouth of an adulterous woman is a deep pit;
a man who is under the Lord’s wrath falls into it.

14) Does the Lord actually SEND the adulterous woman to punish someone?  I don't think so.  But "a man who is under the Lord's wrath" is there for a reason.  He has previously demonstrated his rebellion against God and because he is in such a state, God predicts that adultery is just one more of the bad choices he is likely to succumb to.  Since the man avoids God's truth, he will probably fall for the lie of the seductress.

15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a child,
but the rod of discipline will drive it far away.

15) What a shame that so many generations (perhaps every third or fourth?) are "protected" from the rod of discipline by societies ever oscillating moral outrages.  Right now, America is in the mood for choosing "hearts full of folly" in lieu of the "rod of discipline".  When the deeds of such folly again overwhelm us all, the pendulum (hopefully) will swing back, and a new generation will grow up delivered from such ruin.

16 One who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth
and one who gives gifts to the rich—both come to poverty.

16) The first "one" is represented well in so many books and movies.  The factory owner who doesn't care, or the corrupt politician driving through the big deal to "make a killing" make us all sick.  And then there is the other "one" with the brown nose and the "schmoozing" compliments that weedle into good graces:  More sick.

Thirty Sayings of the Wise
Saying 1

17 Pay attention and turn your ear to the sayings of the wise;
apply your heart to what I teach,
18 for it is pleasing when you keep them in your heart
and have all of them ready on your lips.
19 So that your trust may be in the Lord,
I teach you today, even you.
20 Have I not written thirty sayings for you,
sayings of counsel and knowledge,
21 teaching you to be honest and to speak the truth,
so that you bring back truthful reports
to those you serve?
Saying 2


22 Do not exploit the poor because they are poor
and do not crush the needy in court,
23 for the Lord will take up their case
and will exact life for life.
Saying 3


24 Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person,
do not associate with one easily angered,
25 or you may learn their ways
and get yourself ensnared.
Saying 4


26 Do not be one who shakes hands in pledge
or puts up security for debts;
27 if you lack the means to pay,
your very bed will be snatched from under you.
Saying 5


28 Do not move an ancient boundary stone
set up by your ancestors.
Saying 6


29 Do you see someone skilled in their work?
They will serve before kings;
they will not serve before officials of low rank.










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

The Proverbs 31 Project: Commenting May 3rd on Proverbs 3: 11-15

[If you have been here before, in May, then you might want to skip down below the green for today's post.]

"Thirty days hath September, 

April, June and November

All the rest have 31

Except February which has 28

Except during leap year when it has 29"

NO I DID NOT WRITE THIS "POEM"!  (Talk about free verse!)

Why didn't somebody just point out that the four months that do NOT have 31 days (except February, and everyone knows all about February The Exceptional) come every other month except that there is no 30 day month between July and August?  The silly poem above mixes up the order just to hide the fact that the real 30 day months come in two orderly pairs: April/June and September/November.  Can somebody please write a non-silly poem for us that will make this clear, and stick in our minds, but without gooping them up with exceptions (and please just leave February out of it!)?

And to make matters (far) worse, MILLERWRITES has created a Proverbs Pull-A-Part Plan that decimates that fine collection of wisdom in the book of Proverbs, by spreading commentary on each chapter out over 7 months (the good 31 day months)!  Oh don't ask me to explain his system.  You can try to decipher what he said about it at the top of any P31P posts from January or March if you like, or just follow along this month and figure it out.

All Bible passages are from the NIV, and are copied here from Biblegateway.com

REMEMBER: My ideas may be oh so mesmerizing, but you will get more benefit from simply reading the chapter itself!

So here I will offer my amateur comments on verses 11-15.  Today's inspired verses are in red, and my comments are....neither (neither inspired, nor red).

PROVERBS 3

Wisdom Bestows Well-Being

1 My son, do not forget my teaching,
but keep my commands in your heart,
2 for they will prolong your life many years
and bring you peace and prosperity.
3 Let love and faithfulness never leave you;
bind them around your neck,
write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Then you will win favor and a good name
in the sight of God and man.
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.
7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the Lord and shun evil.
8 This will bring health to your body
and nourishment to your bones.
9 Honor the Lord with your wealth,
with the firstfruits of all your crops;
10 then your barns will be filled to overflowing,
and your vats will brim over with new wine.
11 My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline,
and do not resent his rebuke,

11) "Thank you Lord, for your discipline and rebuke!"  How far off the 'proverbial' deep end would we be without God's interference?  Deep enough.  I remember realizing that water doesn't have to be 100 feet deep to drown in; if it's over your head, that's enough.  So much of this life is 'over my head', and I need God's help.  ALL of His helps.

12 because the Lord disciplines those he loves,
as a father the son he delights in.

12) How God honors us by His love!  Remember Psalm 8?  "What is man, that you think of Him?"  And here He goes on to say that He 'delights' in us!  I know that joyous feeling I get when I think of any one of my three adult kids.  No matter what is/was going on, I get a dreamy eyed, smiley, DELIGHT in the back of my mind.  God gets something like that when He remembers ME  (and YOU)!

13 Blessed are those who find wisdom,
those who gain understanding,

13) Back to the subject: Being subject to the 'Lord's discipline' is the same thing as 'finding wisdom' and 'gaining understanding'.  Let Him do His work in the way He deems fit, and all will be well.  Embrace it all.  (Rewards mentioned below.)

14 for she is more profitable than silver
and yields better returns than gold. 

14) God knows how to speak our language doesn't He?  'Yields better returns than gold.' He says.  Sounds like a midnight infomercial, but with credibility, and without shipping and handling fees.  I'm in.  "Lord, help me to be ALL in."

15 She is more precious than rubies;
nothing you desire can compare with her. 

15) This claim that 'nothing you desire can compare with [wisdom]' will appear again in Proverbs 8:15 (which we will discover on May 8th).  We used to sing a worship song based on this idea, but after listing various beautiful and precious things (silver, gold, diamonds), the chorus declared that "Nothing I desire compares with YOU" referring of course, to our great God.  I loved that song, and I remember the time the worship leader asked for more down to earth examples of wonderful and rare things we might actually desire, but would gladly exchange for God's presence.  In Ketchikan Alaska (where it is almost always either raining or overcast), we then sang about sunshine!  What lovely thing are you longing for, but would give up in a minute, if you could have more of God Himself?

16 Long life is in her right hand;
in her left hand are riches and honor.
17 Her ways are pleasant ways,
and all her paths are peace.
18 She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her;
those who hold her fast will be blessed.
19 By wisdom the Lord laid the earth’s foundations,
by understanding he set the heavens in place;
20 by his knowledge the watery depths were divided,
and the clouds let drop the dew.
21 My son, do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight,
preserve sound judgment and discretion;
22 they will be life for you,
an ornament to grace your neck.
23 Then you will go on your way in safety,
and your foot will not stumble.
24 When you lie down, you will not be afraid;
when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
25 Have no fear of sudden disaster
or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked,
26 for the Lord will be at your side
and will keep your foot from being snared.
27 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,
when it is in your power to act.
28 Do not say to your neighbor,
“Come back tomorrow and I’ll give it to you”—
when you already have it with you.
29 Do not plot harm against your neighbor,
who lives trustfully near you.
30 Do not accuse anyone for no reason—
when they have done you no harm.
31 Do not envy the violent
or choose any of their ways.
32 For the Lord detests the perverse
but takes the upright into his confidence.
33 The Lord’s curse is on the house of the wicked,
but he blesses the home of the righteous.
34 He mocks proud mockers
but shows favor to the humble and oppressed.
35 The wise inherit honor,
but fools get only shame.




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

The Proverbs 31 Project: Commenting March 15th on Proverbs 15:6-10

               March 15th?     Read Proverbs 15!

[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 its 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 it out every day, and leave a comment once in a while. 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, 6-10, are highlighted in red

                                          (and my questionable comments are in blue).

Proverbs 15


1 A gentle answer turns away wrath,

but a harsh word stirs up anger.


2 The tongue of the wise adorns knowledge,

but the mouth of the fool gushes folly.


3 The eyes of the LORD are everywhere,

keeping watch on the wicked and the good.


4 The soothing tongue is a tree of life,

but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit.


5 A fool spurns a parent’s discipline,

but whoever heeds correction shows prudence.


6 The house of the righteous contains great treasure,

but the income of the wicked brings ruin.

6) What kinds of treasure might the righteous own?  The good stuff!  Some of the goods are listed here in Galatians 5:22,23    But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 

I love the parenthetical understatement at the end of this verse!  Perhaps when the 99% realize there are some people that enjoy these riches, and they don't; some envious protectionist laws will be enacted to prohibit the free exercise of true love, real peace and the obviously corrupt concept of "self-control".

And what kind of ruin do the wicked live with?  Besides a guilty conscious and an eternal destiny away from the God they reject (Do not the wicked thus CHOOSE to go to hell?), they endure the opposite traits growing by the Spirit's care through the lifetime of the righteous:  hate, chaos, impatience, meanness, cruelty, infidelity, harshness and autonomy.

7 The lips of the wise spread knowledge,

but the hearts of fools are not upright.

7) There is something about sharing good news that makes having it even better!  When you find a great pizza place, don't you call your best friends and make sure they know where it is, how to get there, what time they're open how much better it is than the old place?  Spreading the wisdom of God's Word is like that.  I wish everyone could enjoy the same benefits I do, in knowing the God who loves us so.

The second half of this proverb doesn't seem to be a classic opposite that most proverbs use to make the point, as in verse 6 above.  Nor is it one that rephrases the theme for emphasis, as in verse 23 below.  It uses the "but" conjunction, but seems to change the subject.  Is it suggesting that someone finding a great restaurant, but not sharing the news, is not acting uprightly?  Something only a fool would do; partly because nobody will ever be eager to share their good finds with him either, perhaps.  What do you think?

8 The LORD detests the sacrifice of the wicked,

but the prayer of the upright pleases him.

8) The wicked offering a sacrifice is a matter of hypocrisy.  Not so, the sacrifice of the repentant wicked, which is the only acceptable position for all of us.

9 The LORD detests the way of the wicked,

but he loves those who pursue righteousness.

9) In the same vein, and as a matter of definition, the Lord should detest the ways of the wicked.  Such ways are contrary to His way.  Much as if you teach your daughter to drive according to your ways, but she refuses to be constrained by your vacant traditions and drives her car (or your car) backwards wherever she goes!  You would hate her ways, because she, whom you love, will likely suffer terrible results.

10 Stern discipline awaits anyone who leaves the path;

the one who hates correction will die.

10) Thankfully, we will prefer discipline to death!  We might complain at the "infringement on freedom" imposed by "the path", but it is the path: It, and it alone, will get us where we want to be.  God is not a killjoy, but a good guide we can trust.

11 Death and Destruction[a] lie open before the LORD—

how much more do human hearts!


12 Mockers resent correction,

so they avoid the wise.


13 A happy heart makes the face cheerful,

but heartache crushes the spirit.


14 The discerning heart seeks knowledge,

but the mouth of a fool feeds on folly.


15 All the days of the oppressed are wretched,

but the cheerful heart has a continual feast.


16 Better a little with the fear of the LORD

than great wealth with turmoil.


17 Better a small serving of vegetables with love

than a fattened calf with hatred.


18 A hot-tempered person stirs up conflict,

but the one who is patient calms a quarrel.


19 The way of the sluggard is blocked with thorns,

but the path of the upright is a highway.


20 A wise son brings joy to his father,

but a foolish man despises his mother.


21 Folly brings joy to one who has no sense,

but whoever has understanding keeps a straight course.


22 Plans fail for lack of counsel,

but with many advisers they succeed.


23 A person finds joy in giving an apt reply—

and how good is a timely word!


24 The path of life leads upward for the prudent

to keep them from going down to the realm of the dead.


25 The LORD tears down the house of the proud,

but he sets the widow’s boundary stones in place.


26 The LORD detests the thoughts of the wicked,

but gracious words are pure in his sight.


27 The greedy bring ruin to their households,

but the one who hates bribes will live.


28 The heart of the righteous weighs its answers,

but the mouth of the wicked gushes evil.


29 The LORD is far from the wicked,

but he hears the prayer of the righteous.


30 Light in a messenger’s eyes brings joy to the heart,

and good news gives health to the bones.


31 Whoever heeds life-giving correction

will be at home among the wise.


32 Those who disregard discipline despise themselves,

but the one who heeds correction gains understanding.


33 Wisdom’s instruction is to fear the LORD,

and humility comes before honor.


Footnotes:
Proverbs 15:11 Hebrew Abaddon

The Proverbs 31 Project: Commenting January 26th on Proverbs 26:1-4

January 26;  Proverbs 26  Verses 1-4


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

Christians looking for a simple way to review the Bible regularly, have long been convenienced by the fact that the book of Proverbs has 31 chapters, the same number as most of our months.  Each chapter includes multiple bite-sized verses (uhm, proverbs) and can be read through simply in one sitting, one appropriately numbered chapter per day through the month.  A person might read through the Proverbs a chapter a day during any month, but why mess with your head (reading an extra chapter on one, two, or three days!) like that when there are 7 months every year perfectly suited for the endeavor?

My idea here is to reprint about 1/7 of the verses from each day's chapter throughout this year, every time a 31 day month pops up, and then offer a few comments from The Barking Owl.  So in January, we will get through the first few verses of every chapter and then in March, the next group, and so on, until December comes around and we can finally get to the last set of verses in each chapter and complete the book's reading.  If you are smarter than I am (is there any doubt?), you will read the whole chapter every day, every 31 day month, and then you will have read the whole book 7 times this year!  By then you are guaranteed to at least be wiser than The Barking Owl , though no one will ever match the wisdom of Solomon!


[All Bible passages are from the NIV, and are copied from www.Biblegateway.com]

Proverbs 26


1 Like snow in summer or rain in harvest,
   honor is not fitting for a fool.


1) Some things just don't go together properly.  As a culture, we too often do give honor to our fools, but it's just not right.  Let's be more careful about our celebrities.  Should we laud those who are famous just for being ......famous?  Maybe we should honor only those who have actually contributed something of value to our existence.


2 Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow,
  an undeserved curse does not come to rest.


2) Whew!  There is nothing to fear from the curse of someone who is not speaking for God.  Who has power over you, but God?  Unless you grant the errant cursor some authority over your future, his threatening wishes will fall flat, or as Solomon suggests; they will never "land" a punch.


3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,
   and a rod for the backs of fools!


3) Relax.  No one is threatening corporal punishment on the poor fool.  This simply means that such a person, who neglects his real duties will only come through after a dose of reality discipline.  Instead of anticipating problems and correcting his path, he will only learn from suffering through the consequences of his mistakes.


4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly,
  or you yourself will be just like him.

4) Ain't that the trute!  I clearly remember trying to show my little sister how the way she was acting toward me (when we were both little brats), was so unfair, by trying to treat her the same way.  And then being so frustrated that, though she was very upset with the way I was now treating her, she never made the connection!  Two wrongs don't make a right, and two wrongs don't make IT right.




Can you relate to any of today's Proverbs?

The Proverbs 31 Project: Commenting January 12th on Proverbs 12:1-4

January 12;  Proverbs 12, Verses 1-4

[Please note: The first two paragraphs below are repeated each day for new readers.  My amateur comments start below the verses from Proverbs.]

Christians looking for a simple way to review the Bible regularly, have long been convenienced by the fact that the book of Proverbs has 31 chapters, the same number as most of our months.  Each chapter includes multiple bite-sized verses (uhm, proverbs) and can be read through simply in one sitting, one appropriately numbered chapter per day through the month.  My simple mind balks at the idea of trying this pattern in any month with less than 31 days  (It just does, all right?), but there are 7 months every year that are suitable for the effort.

My idea here is to reprint about 1/7 of the verses of each day's chapter throughout this year, every time a 31 day month pops up, and offer a few comments from The Barking Owl.  So in January, we will get through the first few verses of every chapter and then in March, the next group, so that by the time December comes around we can finally get to the last set of verses in each chapter and complete the book's reading.  If you are smarter than I am (is there any doubt?), you will read the whole chapter every day, every 31 day month, and then you will have read the whole book 7 times this year!  By then you are guaranteed to be wiser than The Barking Owl at least, though no one will ever match the wisdom of Solomon!

[All Bible passages are from the NIV, and are copied from www.Biblegateway.com]

Proverbs 12

¹ Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,
   but whoever hates correction is stupid.

 ² Good people obtain favor from the LORD,
   but he condemns those who devise wicked schemes.

 ³ No one can be established through wickedness,
   but the righteous cannot be uprooted.

 ⁴ A wife of noble character is her husband’s crown,
   but a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones.

1) "Loves discipline"??!! I thought Sol was supposed to be a wise guy?  Didn't we all hate spankings?  And don't we hope to get lost if we see that a cop sees that we were speeding?  So we should not only accept the stuff, but we should 'love' it too?  Ok God.  Considering the second half of the verse, I'm not going to say I hate correction!  But I kinda do.

2) Let it be understood that there truly are no 'good people'.  "All have sinned and fall short" (Romans 3:23).  But I take the verse to mean that those who would be good, those who reject their own sinfulness instead of rejecting God's judgement, obtain His favor.  Certainly God will not lend his favor, his blessing, to the wicked.

3) In fact, the wicked can not even be 'established' if they persist in that mode.  As opposed to the righteous, who can be nothing but.

4) Did Solomon have Attention Deficit Disorder?  How did he get to THIS new subject all of a sudden?  Of course he is right (man, that must get boring!).  Most young guys are looking to marry a hottie right?  Little do they know that what they really, really want in a wife is that noble character thing Sol is talking about.  

The wonderful essence of a good proverb is its clever use of the dichotomy. We learn here that the opposite of nobility is not commonality, but disgrace.  And the opposite of wearing a crown is wearing decayed bones!

I might be quick to add that there is nothing wrong with having a 'hot' wife!  Some of us two headed monsters (men) get to wear TWO crowns!