The Proverbs 31 Project: Commenting May 29th on Proverbs 29:9-12

[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 9-12.  Today's inspired verses are in red, and my comments are neither       (neither inspired, nor red).

PROVERBS 29

1 Whoever remains stiff-necked after many rebukes
will suddenly be destroyed —without remedy.


2 When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice;
when the wicked rule, the people groan.


3 A man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father,
but a companion of prostitutes squanders his wealth.


4 By justice a king gives a country stability,
but those who are greedy for[a] bribes tear it down.


5 Those who flatter their neighbors
are spreading nets for their feet.


6 Evildoers are snared by their own sin,
but the righteous shout for joy and are glad.


7 The righteous care about justice for the poor,
but the wicked have no such concern.


8 Mockers stir up a city,
but the wise turn away anger.


9 If a wise person goes to court with a fool,
the fool rages and scoffs, and there is no peace.

9) Fools never know when to quit do they?  Have you seen the videos of forlorn defendants who decide that their best last hope is to jump over the table and simply escape out the door?  Someone usually gets hurt, but never away.


10 The bloodthirsty hate a person of integrity
and seek to kill the upright.

10) I used to think I could talk someone out of their evil intent, but this type of hatred speaks only its own language.  So if I am ever "upright" enough, or so full of integrity as to be the target of such a bloodthirsty hate, will someone make sure to tell my wife I love her, and my kids that I'm sorry I never made a list of who gets which of my tools, so they'll have to just fight over them.


11 Fools give full vent to their rage,
but the wise bring calm in the end.

11) I heard this proverb mentioned on the radio recently, and thought "uh-oh".  You see, I have another blog called MILLERVENTS!  Though I do not necessarily give "full vent" to any "rage" exactly, perhaps I should be extra careful to make an attempt to "bring calm in the end" of those posts, lest the "fool" label fit.

12 If a ruler listens to lies,
all his officials become wicked.

12) Indeed.

13 The poor and the oppressor have this in common:
The Lord gives sight to the eyes of both.


14 If a king judges the poor with fairness,
his throne will be established forever.


15 A rod and a reprimand impart wisdom,
but a child left undisciplined disgraces its mother.


16 When the wicked thrive, so does sin,
but the righteous will see their downfall.


17 Discipline your children, and they will give you peace;
they will bring you the delights you desire.


18 Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint;
but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom’s instruction.


19 Servants cannot be corrected by mere words;
though they understand, they will not respond.


20 Do you see someone who speaks in haste?
There is more hope for a fool than for them.


21 A servant pampered from youth
will turn out to be insolent.


22 An angry person stirs up conflict,
and a hot-tempered person commits many sins.


23 Pride brings a person low,
but the lowly in spirit gain honor.


24 The accomplices of thieves are their own enemies;
they are put under oath and dare not testify.


25 Fear of man will prove to be a snare,
but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.


26 Many seek an audience with a ruler,
but it is from the Lord that one gets justice.


27 The righteous detest the dishonest;
the wicked detest the upright.




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

The Proverbs 31 Project: Commenting May 26th on Proverbs 26:9-12

[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 9-12.  Today's inspired verses are in red, and my comments are neither       (neither inspired, nor red).

PROVERBS 26

1 Like snow in summer or rain in harvest,
honor is not fitting for a fool.
2 Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow,
an undeserved curse does not come to rest.
3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,
and a rod for the backs of fools!
4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly,
or you yourself will be just like him.
5 Answer a fool according to his folly,
or he will be wise in his own eyes.
6 Sending a message by the hands of a fool
is like cutting off one’s feet or drinking poison.
7 Like the useless legs of one who is lame
is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
8 Like tying a stone in a sling
is the giving of honor to a fool.

9 Like a thornbush in a drunkard’s hand
is a proverb in the mouth of a fool. 

9) Isn't good imagery a fantastic thing?  This word picture, of a  "thornbush in a drunkard’s hand", is very scary.  And then to compare THAT to what seems so simple, "a proverb in the mouth of a fool" is very telling.  We begin to imagine how hurtful it is to use a proverb carelessly.

10 Like an archer who wounds at random
is one who hires a fool or any passer-by.

10) Some kids in Wisconsin did this recently.  One shot an arrow and hit a 10 year old girl in the back, and then they ran away pretending nothing happened.  Fortunately, their sin did find them out.  But the point of the proverb is that people are not all the same.  All are equally made, and have the same rights, but not all are equally qualified to perform a specific task.  Discernment (egad, even JUDGEMENT) is necessary before hiring, before honoring, before celebrating, before marrying; indeed before making any personal commitments.

11 As a dog returns to its vomit,
so fools repeat their folly. 

11) I object strongly (read: scream) when I see my dog do this gross thing!  But to her it's some kind of natural instinct (I guess).  Would that she would interfere (read: bark savagely) when I am about to repeat one of my natural follies!

12 Do you see a person wise in their own eyes?
There is more hope for a fool than for them.

12) I just heard a message this week about self-confidence.  It is oft promoted, but Mary Whelchel suggests that it is greatly overrated.  We are better off living our lives with "God-confidence" because the self will certainly fail us.

13 A sluggard says, “There’s a lion in the road,
a fierce lion roaming the streets!”
14 As a door turns on its hinges,
so a sluggard turns on his bed.
15 A sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.
16 A sluggard is wiser in his own eyes
than seven people who answer discreetly.


17 Like one who grabs a stray dog by the ears
is someone who rushes into a quarrel not their own.


18 Like a maniac shooting
flaming arrows of death
19 is one who deceives their neighbor
and says, “I was only joking!”


20 Without wood a fire goes out;
without a gossip a quarrel dies down.
21 As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire,
so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.
22 The words of a gossip are like choice morsels;
they go down to the inmost parts.


23 Like a coating of silver dross on earthenware
are fervent[a] lips with an evil heart.
24 Enemies disguise themselves with their lips,
but in their hearts they harbor deceit.
25 Though their speech is charming, do not believe them,
for seven abominations fill their hearts.
26 Their malice may be concealed by deception,
but their wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
27 Whoever digs a pit will fall into it;
if someone rolls a stone, it will roll back on them.
28 A lying tongue hates those it hurts,
and a flattering mouth works ruin.




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

The Proverbs 31 Project: Commenting March 24th on Proverbs 24:5-9

                                      March 24th?     Read Proverbs 24!

[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, as most months have 31 days, so 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, 5-9, are highlighted in red

                                                (and my questionable comments are in blue).

Proverbs 24

Saying 20

1 Do not envy the wicked,
do not desire their company;
2 for their hearts plot violence,
and their lips talk about making trouble.

Saying 21

3 By wisdom a house is built,
and through understanding it is established;
4 through knowledge its rooms are filled
with rare and beautiful treasures.

So yesterday we looked at Sayings 9 and 10 and today we are at 22-24.  Are we having fun yet?  I hope you are reading the whole chapter each day.  After all; don't you watch the WHOLE of even the dumbest TV shows?  I know I do.  I hate to miss any aspect of whatever I'm doing.

Saying 22

5 The wise prevail through great power,
and those who have knowledge muster their strength.

5) Is he saying that wisdom itself IS a great power?  That gaining knowledge is gaining strength?  Sounds like a public service announcement from the '70s;  Knowledge is Power--Don't drop out Knucklehead!

Or is he saying that a wise people are careful to have a strong national defense?  That they will study war and develop scientifically advanced weapons?

I don't know, but both ideas are true, so we'll go with the all inclusive answer: Both.

6 Surely you need guidance to wage war,
and victory is won through many advisers.

6) I was right!  Both suggestions are supported here.

Saying 23

7 Wisdom is too high for fools;
in the assembly at the gate they must not open their mouths.

7) Mark Twain turned this bit of sober counsel into a fun idiom:  It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.-- Mark Twain

Saying 24

8 Whoever plots evil
will be known as a schemer.

8)  Pity the poor victim who had to suffer while the reputation of the schemer was being established!  

9 The schemes of folly are sin,
and people detest a mocker.

9) I am invariably impressed, when I read the Bible, with the fact that people have always been, and will always be, the same.  Easy truisms like vs 9 are so easily recognized by us, even here in 21st century America, and they ring equally true in every culture everywhere.  Skin colors vary, ethnic habits differ crazily, and even where widely oriented religions exist...people detest a mocker!


Saying 25

10 If you falter in a time of trouble,
how small is your strength!
11 Rescue those being led away to death;
hold back those staggering toward slaughter.
12 If you say, “But we knew nothing about this,”
does not he who weighs the heart perceive it?
Does not he who guards your life know it?
Will he not repay everyone according to what they have done?

Saying 26

13 Eat honey, my son, for it is good;
honey from the comb is sweet to your taste.
14 Know also that wisdom is like honey for you:
If you find it, there is a future hope for you,
and your hope will not be cut off.

Saying 27

15 Do not lurk like a thief near the house of the righteous,
do not plunder their dwelling place;
16 for though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again,
but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes.

Saying 28

17 Do not gloat when your enemy falls;
when they stumble, do not let your heart rejoice,
18 or the LORD will see and disapprove
and turn his wrath away from them.

Saying 29

19 Do not fret because of evildoers
or be envious of the wicked,
20 for the evildoer has no future hope,
and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out.

Saying 30

21 Fear the LORD and the king, my son,
and do not join with rebellious officials,
22 for those two will send sudden destruction on them,
and who knows what calamities they can bring?
Further Sayings of the Wise 23 These also are sayings of the wise:

To show partiality in judging is not good:
24 Whoever says to the guilty, “You are innocent,”
will be cursed by peoples and denounced by nations.
25 But it will go well with those who convict the guilty,
and rich blessing will come on them.

26 An honest answer
is like a kiss on the lips.

27 Put your outdoor work in order
and get your fields ready;
after that, build your house.

28 Do not testify against your neighbor without cause—
would you use your lips to mislead?
29 Do not say, “I’ll do to them as they have done to me;
I’ll pay them back for what they did.”

30 I went past the field of a sluggard,
past the vineyard of someone who has no sense;
31 thorns had come up everywhere,
the ground was covered with weeds,
and the stone wall was in ruins.
32 I applied my heart to what I observed
and learned a lesson from what I saw:
33 A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest—
34 and poverty will come on you like a thief
and scarcity like an armed man.

The Proverbs 31 Project: Commenting March 23rd on Proverbs 23:6-9

                                       March 23rd?     Read Proverbs 23!

[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, as most months have 31 days, so 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, 6-9, are highlighted in red

                                                (and my questionable comments are in blue).



Proverbs 23

Saying 7

1 When you sit to dine with a ruler,
note well what[a] 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;


6)  We are back to the "30 sayings of the wise" that began in chapter 22.  With my odd system (there, I admit it!) of proverbial review we won't get to the first wise saying until July 22!  We will just have to gain our wisdom out of order.  And no, there is not a colon or a hyphen after wisdom in that sentence.


Are you surprised at what kind of thing ranks as a 'wise saying'?  It seems that I would come up with something more universally relevant than this, if I were called upon, though I see that it is indeed a valuable truth.  Who wants to eat the food of a grouch?  We don't even want a meal to be sullied by a tired waitress, let alone an unwelcoming host!


7 for he is the kind of person
who is always thinking about the cost.[b]
“Eat and drink,” he says to you,
but his heart is not with you.


7) I think about cost a lot, but the last thing I would want is for my guests to know that.  Better to withhold an invitation than to send one with a note of regret attached!


8 You will vomit up the little you have eaten
and will have wasted your compliments.


8) Is this proverb rated PG?  Yuck!  "Wasted Compliments".  There's a book title for you.  But I got dibs!


Saying 10


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


9) If this guy were writing now, do you think he might say "Do not comment, like, post, tag, poke or friend fools, for they will scorn your prudent status updates."?  I think so too.

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.

Saying 12

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

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.

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?”
Footnotes:
Proverbs 23:1 Or who
Proverbs 23:7 Or for as he thinks within himself, / so he is; or for as he puts on a feast, / so he is

The Proverbs 31 Project: Commenting March 18th on Proverbs 18:5-8

                                    March 18th?     Read Proverbs 18!

[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, 5-8, are highlighted in red

                                          (and my questionable comments are in blue).

Proverbs 18

1 An unfriendly person pursues selfish ends
and against all sound judgment starts quarrels.

2 Fools find no pleasure in understanding
but delight in airing their own opinions.

3 When wickedness comes, so does contempt,
and with shame comes reproach.

4 The words of the mouth are deep waters,
but the fountain of wisdom is a rushing stream.

5 It is not good to be partial to the wicked
and so deprive the innocent of justice.


5) I just heard of a recent case in Pennsylvania where a Muslim man assaulted an atheist guy who was dressed up as a zombie Mohammed in a parade.  No, I did not make this up!  Anyway, the judge announced from the bench that he was Muslim and went on to defend the assaulter as a man properly defending Islam, and then dropped the charges.  No matter what the circumstances, the innocent must be protected.

6 The lips of fools bring them strife,
and their mouths invite a beating.


6) "Oh YEAH?" or "Come over HERE and say that!" come quickly to mind.


7 The mouths of fools are their undoing,
and their lips are a snare to their very lives.


7) Didn't he just say that?  Although I guess a 'life snare' is worse than a beating.  I love how the Old and New Testaments continually verify each other's message.  For example, James 3:5 says:
Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark.


8 The words of a gossip are like choice morsels;
they go down to the inmost parts.


8) Mmmmmmm!  Juicy gossip is delicious!  But the indigestion can be terrible and enduring!


9 One who is slack in his work
is brother to one who destroys.

10 The name of the LORD is a fortified tower;
the righteous run to it and are safe.

11 The wealth of the rich is their fortified city;
they imagine it a wall too high to scale.

12 Before a downfall the heart is haughty,
but humility comes before honor.

13 To answer before listening—
that is folly and shame.

14 The human spirit can endure in sickness,
but a crushed spirit who can bear?

15 The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge,
for the ears of the wise seek it out.

16 A gift opens the way
and ushers the giver into the presence of the great.

17 In a lawsuit the first to speak seems right,
until someone comes forward and cross-examines.

18 Casting the lot settles disputes
and keeps strong opponents apart.

19 A brother wronged is more unyielding than a fortified city;
disputes are like the barred gates of a citadel.

20 From the fruit of their mouth a person’s stomach is filled;
with the harvest of their lips they are satisfied.

21 The tongue has the power of life and death,
and those who love it will eat its fruit.

22 He who finds a wife finds what is good
and receives favor from the LORD.

23 The poor plead for mercy,
but the rich answer harshly.

24 One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin,
but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

The Proverbs 31 Project: Commenting March 14th on Proverbs 14:6-10

               March 14th?     Read Proverbs 14!

[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, 6-10, are highlighted in red

                                          (and my questionable comments are in blue).

Proverbs 14

1 The wise woman builds her house,
but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down.

2 Whoever fears the LORD walks uprightly,
but those who despise him are devious in their ways.

3 A fool’s mouth lashes out with pride,
but the lips of the wise protect them.

4 Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty,
but from the strength of an ox come abundant harvests.

5 An honest witness does not deceive,
but a false witness pours out lies.

6 The mocker seeks wisdom and finds none,
but knowledge comes easily to the discerning.


6) Uh-oh.  I don't know if I was really a mocker per se, but when I was in high school earth science class, the teacher did one day, happen to say "Miller, if you ain't the class ass, I don't know who is!"  That was terrible!  A priest, using such language in the middle of his lecture, AND audaciously interrupting my sound effects too!  OK, so I wasn't very discerning.  There may be a good time for such shenanigans, but goofing off in class makes the knowledge come a little harder than it needs to.


7 Stay away from a fool,
for you will not find knowledge on their lips.


7) Uh-oh.  Did I goof off so much that my friends only found me useful for things that did not require knowledge?  Now I find it much more important to share the benefits of the knowledge I have gained over the years.  I (we) must not seriously play the fool.


8 The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways,
but the folly of fools is deception.


8) Uh-oh.  Not really, but I have a pattern going here!  I think quite often of my "ways" these days.  There are indeed good ways and bad ways; to think, to live, to laugh, to love, to earn, to spend.  God's spirit clarifies which are which, to any who are open to His moving.


The distinction given here between the "wisdom of the prudent" and the "folly of fools" is in their relative quest for truth.  Thinking about our ways seriously, with that openness to God's voice, leads us into truth.  Falling for deception, as in simply accepting the spin presented to us, is a great folly we must avoid (simply by thinking things through).


9 Fools mock at making amends for sin,
but goodwill is found among the upright.


9) I know a man who shot a goose out of season.  It was a sudden impulse kind of shot, but he felt so bad for breaking the law he went and turned himself in.  Most guys would mock such a man.  It is too easy to dismiss the trivial nature of the offense, and make excuses.  To rationalize, and justify oneself.  I remember being so impressed with the character and integrity demonstrated that the story, the whole story, was never far from my mind when I was in his presence.  Would that I could honor my Lord so well by honoring the truth so well.


10 Each heart knows its own bitterness,
and no one else can share its joy.


10) This truth rings so true in my heart.  This is one of the most basic concepts of all time...because it is only partially true!  Yes.  Your heart is only fully accessible to you.  Neither your Mom or Dad, your husband or wife, your closest lover, nor your dearest and nearest children will ever grasp what you feel, what you are going through, or where you stand.  A lonely thought?  Maybe.  But also a great comfort!  To those who have tried and tried and tried to share and connect with someone regarding the most personal issues of their nature, the comfort is in the fact that GOD longs to have that kind of intimate relationship with them.  Only He, but yes He, can fully know your heart's "own bitterness", and only He, but yes He, can truly share its joy!!  Perhaps I'll get to elaborate on this idea with another proverb's prompting some day.

11 The house of the wicked will be destroyed,
but the tent of the upright will flourish.

12 There is a way that appears to be right,
but in the end it leads to death.

13 Even in laughter the heart may ache,
and rejoicing may end in grief.

14 The faithless will be fully repaid for their ways,
and the good rewarded for theirs.

15 The simple believe anything,
but the prudent give thought to their steps.

16 The wise fear the LORD and shun evil,
but a fool is hotheaded and yet feels secure.

17 A quick-tempered person does foolish things,
and the one who devises evil schemes is hated.

18 The simple inherit folly,
but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.

19 Evildoers will bow down in the presence of the good,
and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.

20 The poor are shunned even by their neighbors,
but the rich have many friends.

21 It is a sin to despise one’s neighbor,
but blessed is the one who is kind to the needy.

22 Do not those who plot evil go astray?
But those who plan what is good find[a] love and faithfulness.

23 All hard work brings a profit,
but mere talk leads only to poverty.

24 The wealth of the wise is their crown,
but the folly of fools yields folly.

25 A truthful witness saves lives,
but a false witness is deceitful.

26 Whoever fears the LORD has a secure fortress,
and for their children it will be a refuge.

27 The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life,
turning a person from the snares of death.

28 A large population is a king’s glory,
but without subjects a prince is ruined.

29 Whoever is patient has great understanding,
but one who is quick-tempered displays folly.

30 A heart at peace gives life to the body,
but envy rots the bones.

31 Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker,
but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.

32 When calamity comes, the wicked are brought down,
but even in death the righteous seek refuge in God.

33 Wisdom reposes in the heart of the discerning
and even among fools she lets herself be known.[b]

34 Righteousness exalts a nation,
but sin condemns any people.

35 A king delights in a wise servant,
but a shameful servant arouses his fury.
Footnotes:
Proverbs 14:22 Or show
Proverbs 14:33 Hebrew; Septuagint and Syriac discerning / but in the heart of fools she is not known

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?