Proverbs 20

If you carefully watch the crowds in a shopping mall, you’ll discover that there are all kinds of people in this world; no doubt the crowds are coming to the same conclusion as they look at you. Playwright George Bernard Shaw said, “If the other planets are inhabited, they’re using the earth for their insane asylum.” No wonder Charles M. Schulz had his comic strip character Linus exclaim, “I love mankind. It’s people I can’t stand!”

The book of Proverbs is basically about different kinds of people, what they believe and do, and how they interact with one another. People create circumstances that are good and bad, and you and I have to deal with people and circumstances as we go through life. Solomon’s aim in writing this book is to help us become skillful in relating to both people and circumstances so that we can make a success out of life to the glory of God.

During our survey of Proverbs 1—9, we casually met five different kinds of people: the wise, the wicked, the fool, the simple, and the scorner. Now it’s time to get better acquainted with these people and learn what it really means to be wise.

1. The Wise The entire book of Proverbs is a guide to attaining wisdom, but here and there Solomon points out several important characteristics of the wise man and woman. Of course, the first step toward wisdom is saving faith in Jesus Christ. Wise people are “wise unto salvation” (2 Tim. 3:15) before they gain wisdom about anything else, because Jesus Christ is the Wisdom of God (Col. 2:3; 1 Cor. 1:30). Educated and trained people who ignore or reject Christ can succeed in making a good living, but without Him they can never succeed in making a good life—one that glorifies God. The wisest thing a person can do is to trust Christ and live in obedience to Him.

Let’s consider some of the important characteristics of wise people.

Wise people listen to wise instruction, especially the Word of God. “A wise man will hear, and will increase learning” (1:5). Wise people pay attention to spoken instruction as well as to the written Word of God (22:17–21). Jesus warns us to take heed what we hear (Mark 4:24) and how we hear (Luke 8:18). “Stop listening to instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge” (Prov. 19: niv). “Buy the truth, and do not sell it, also wisdom and instruction and understanding” (23: nkjv). It costs to acquire wisdom, but it’s worth it!

This means that we must diligently spend time reading and studying the Word of God, appropriating its truths into our hearts, and obeying what God commands (2:1–9). It isn’t enough to own a study Bible and read books about the Bible, helpful as they are. It’s one thing to know about the Bible and quite something else to hear God speak through His Word and teach us His wisdom so that we become more like Jesus Christ. During my many years of ministry, I’ve met a few people whose knowledge of Scripture was phenomenal, but who failed to manifest the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22–23). “Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up” (1 Cor. 8: niv).

But there’s a negative side to this as well: Wise people don’t waste their time listening to foolishness and lies. Wise people are careful about what they read, what they hear and see, and what they talk about in daily conversation. They’re diligent to keep trash out of their minds and hearts, because “garbage in” ultimately means “garbage out” (see Prov. 4:23). For this reason, they carefully control the radio and television, and they are selective in their reading.

Those who are wise profit from rebuke (9:8–9; 10:17; 17:10) and from advice (13:10; 12:15; 19:20). They don’t think so highly of themselves that they can’t learn from others (3:7; 26:12). If we’re “wise in our own eyes,” we certainly won’t be wise in God’s eyes!

Wise people fear the Lord. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (1:7). “Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and depart from evil” (3:7). We’ve already learned that “fearing the Lord” means respecting Him so that we obey His will and seek to honor His name. Fearing the Lord is the opposite of tempting the Lord by deliberately disobeying Him and then daring Him to intervene. “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Phil. 2:12). “Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling” (Ps. 2:11).

The fear of the Lord is “a fountain of life” (Prov. 14:27) and leads to life (19:23). It gives security (14:26), hope (23:17–18), and the promise of long life (10:27). When you fear the Lord, you keep your priorities straight. “Better is a little with the fear of the Lord, than great treasure with trouble” (15: nkjv). You also steer clear of evil (8:13; 16:6; see also 14:2).

Wise people associate with wise people. “He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed” (13: nkjv). As we read and study Scripture, we associate with the wise men and women of Bible history and learn from them. By spending time with godly friends, we can learn wisdom and grow in our knowledge of Christ. As I look back over my Christian pilgrimage, I thank God for the many people the Lord has brought into my life to help me better understand the wisdom and ways of the Lord. “A righteous man is cautious in friendship, but the way of the wicked leads them astray” (12: niv).

One of the best ways to “walk with the wise” is to read church history and Christian biography. I have hundreds of volumes of biography and autobiography in my library, some of which I have read many times, and these books have greatly enriched my life. I didn’t have the privilege of knowing personally J. Hudson Taylor, Amy Carmichael, St. Augustine, Dwight L. Moody, Billy Sunday, G. Campbell Morgan, Fanny Crosby, or Robert Murray M’Cheyne, but by reading their biographies and autobiographies, sermons and letters, I’ve benefited from their walk with the Lord.

Wise people preserve what they’ve gained and they use it. “Wise people store up knowledge, but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction” (10: nkjv). If wisdom is stored in the heart, then we’ll say the right thing at the right time, and people will be helped. But fools lose whatever wisdom they may have picked up, and their words only bring destruction.

A parallel text is 12:27: “The lazy man does not roast his game, but the diligent man prizes his possessions” (niv). The Scottish preacher George Morrison has a powerful sermon on this text titled “Wasted Gains.” (The very title is a sermon!) What a tragedy it is when people waste their gains by failing to use their education, the sermons and Bible lessons they’ve heard, or the books they’ve read. Truly wise people treasure the knowledge and skills they’ve worked hard to acquire and use this treasure to the glory of God.

I recall hearing some of my student friends say at seminary graduation, “Thank the Lord, no more Greek and Hebrew!” They had spent several years learning to use the Bible languages, and now they were selling their valuable language tools and thereby wasting their gains.

Over the years, I have made good use of wide-margin Bibles in which I’ve written the things God’s taught me and that I’ve learned from others. Many times while preparing a sermon or writing a book, I have turned to these notes and “invested” my gains. When I read a good book, I underline important sentences, write notes in the margins, and compile my own index of ideas at the back of the book. My copier gets plenty of use because I copy material from books and put it into file folders for future use. This way I’m not wasting my gains.

Wise people flee from sin. “A wise man fears and departs from evil, but a fool rages and is self-confident” (14: nkjv). If we fear the Lord, we will hate evil (8:13; see Ps. 97:10; Rom. 12:9). The self-confident person isn’t wise. Joshua was self-confident and lost a battle (Josh. 7); Samson was self-confident and became a prisoner (Judg. 16:20ff.); Peter was self-confident and betrayed the Lord three times (Luke 22:33–34). “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall”(1 Cor. 10: nkjv).

Wise people don’t take unnecessary chances and experiment to see how close they can get to the precipice without falling off. When Joseph was confronted with evil, he fled (Gen. 39:7ff.). I heard about a handsome assistant pastor who was being pursued by several young ladies in the church, and the senior minister warned him to be careful.

“Oh, there’s safety in numbers,” the young man replied rather flippantly, defending himself. To which the senior minister wisely replied, “Yes, there’s safety in numbers; but sometimes there’s more safety in exodus.” Paul would have agreed with the older pastor, for he wrote to Timothy, “Flee youthful lusts” (2 Tim. 2:22).

Wise people discipline their speech. “A wise man’s heart guides his mouth, and his lips promote instruction” (Prov. 16: niv). “In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, but he who restrains his lips is wise” (10: nkjv). Proverbs has so much to say about the dynamics and dangers of human speech that we’ll devote an entire chapter to this topic. Suffice it to say now that the wise person realizes the power of the tongue and keeps it under God’s control. “The fruit of the Spirit is … self-control” (Gal. 5:22–23; see James 3). The speech of wise people will instruct and inspire, and you’re nourished as you listen; the talk of fools only tears down and leaves you empty and discouraged (note Eph. 5:1–7).

Wise people are diligent in their work. “Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth. He who gathers crops in summer is a wise son, but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son” (Prov. 10: niv). Diligence and laziness are key topics in Proverbs, and we’ll study them later in greater detail. Solomon makes it clear that God has nothing good to say about careless, lazy people. Wise people are working people, people who make the most of their opportunities and who carry their share of the load. My friend Dr. Bob Cook used to say that hard work is a thrill and a joy when you’re doing the will of God; Scottish novelist George MacDonald said, “It’s our best work that He wants, not the dregs of our exhaustion.”

Wise people seek to influence others to trust the Lord. “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise” (11: nkjv). The word translated “wins” means “to capture,” as a hunter captures his prey. Wise people seek to capture the ignorant and disobedient by sharing God’s wisdom with them. Jesus told His fishermen disciples that they would be “catching men” instead of catching fish (Luke 5:10). Wisdom leads to righteousness, and righteousness produces fruit (“a tree of life”), and this fruit “entices” those who are hungry for what is real and eternal. By both their lives and their words, wise people seek to lead others to the Lord.

As we continue our study of Proverbs, we’ll discover other personal characteristics of those who are wise; I trust we’ll seek to imitate them. After all, God promises that the wise will inherit glory (3:35), bring joy to others (10:1; 15:20), bring help from God (12:18), never be in want (21:10), and have strength to wage war (24:5–6). The way of wisdom is the way of true life.

2. The Wicked The wicked and their wickedness are mentioned at least one hundred times in Proverbs, usually in contrast to the good and the righteous. Proverbs 6:12–19 is somewhat of a summary statement that describes the evil person and the hateful sins that he commits.

The wicked are “naughty,” that is, worth nothing (naught), without profit. It’s the Hebrew word belial (beli, without; yaal, profit), used to describe worthless people (Deut. 13:13; Judg. 19:22; 1 Sam. 25:25; 1 Kings 21:10, 13). Sin is not only destructive, it’s also unproductive.

Every part of the wicked person’s anatomy is devoted to evil and his “body language” communicates evil (see Rom. 3:10–18). His mouth is perverse (“froward,” kjv) a word that means “crooked, twisted.” He can’t be trusted. When he wants to signal his confederates that it’s time to do evil, he winks his eye, shuffles his feet, and motions with his fingers; they get the message. The cause of all this evil is the perversity of his inner person, for it is out of the heart that evil comes (Mark 7:14–23; Jer. 17:9). He’s skillful at plotting evil and the result is dissension. He’s a troublemaker who sows discord, but judgment is certain and will come when he least expects it. How much better it is when the whole body is yielded to God (Rom. 12:12) and controlled by His Word (Prov. 4:20–27)!

You see these sinful characteristics manifested in the specific sins described in Proverbs 6:16–19, sins that God hates.

First on the list is pride, because pride is usually the basic motivation for all other sins. It was pride that turned Lucifer into Satan (Isa. 14:12–14) and that led Eve to disobey God and eat the forbidden fruit (Gen. 3:1–6; note “you shall be as God”). “The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverse mouth I hate” (Prov. 8:13).

God also hates a lying tongue, for God is a God of truth (Deut. 32:4; John 14:6; 1 John 5:6), and His law says, “Thou shalt not bear false witness” (Ex. 20:16). God sees a lie, not as an act of speech but as a deadly force that goes to work in society and divides and destroys. When we lie, we open the door for Satan to work, for he is a liar (John 8:44); when we speak truth, we give opportunity for the Spirit to work (Eph. 4:14–25). There is a place reserved in hell for liars (Rev. 21:8, 27; see 2 Thess. 2:10).

The third sin God hates is murder, “hands that shed innocent blood.” His commandment is, “Thou shalt not kill [murder]” (Ex. 20:13). God permits the government to exercise capital punishment and strengthen justice in the land (Gen. 9:5–6; Rom. 13:1–7), but the shedding of innocent blood pollutes the land (Num. 35:30–34). Murderers have their part in the lake of fire (Rev. 21:8; 22:15).

A heart that devises wicked schemes (niv) is hateful to God because it’s a misuse of the great gift of imagination that He has given us. (See Gen. 6:5; 8:21; Jer. 23:17; Rom. 1:21.) The imagination is the “womb” out of which either evil or good is born. People who can plan evil things that hurt others can also plan good things that will help others. The imagination needs to be cleansed and kept pure before God so He can use it in His service. Only God can change the sinful heart (Jer. 31:33–34; Heb. 10:14–18; Ps. 51:10), and God’s people must take care to guard their hearts against evil (Prov. 4:23).

Sinners have feet that are swift in running to mischief [evil] because they want to fulfill their schemes quickly and enjoy their pleasures immediately. God’s people should have cleansed feet (John 13:1–17; 1 John 1:9), beautiful feet (Rom. 10:14–15), prepared feet (Eph. 6:15), and obedient feet (Gen. 13:17; Josh. 1:3; 3:15). If we do, we’ll bring blessing. But the wicked use their feet to get involved in sin: meddling as busybodies (2 Thess. 3:11; 1 Tim. 5:13), tempting others into sin (Prov. 5:5; 7:11), and breaking God’s laws (1:10–16). If the saints were “on their feet” and as eager to obey the Lord as sinners are to disobey, the lost world would soon be evangelized!

God has called His people to be witnesses to the truth (Acts 1:8), but the wicked person is a false witness who speaks lies. Bearing false witness is a violation of the ninth commandment (Ex. 20:16). Without truth, things start to fall apart; when people “lie officially,” the foundations of society begin to crumble. Whether it’s a statement from a government official, a clause in a contract, a deposition in court, or a promise at the marriage altar, truth cannot be violated without society ultimately suffering. The British poet John Dryden wrote, “Truth is the foundation of all knowledge and the cement of all societies.”

The last of the seven sins that God hates is sowing discord among brethren. “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity” (Ps. 133:1). The wicked person destroys that unity by sowing “seeds” that produce a bitter and divisive harvest. Some of these seeds are: pride (Prov. 13:10; see 3 John 9–10), gossip (Prov. 16:28; 17:9; 18:8; 26:20), anger and hatred (10:12; 15:18; 29:22), a quarrelsome spirit (17:14, 19; 25:8; 26:21), and foolish questions (1 Tim. 6:3–5; 2 Tim. 2:14, 23).

The truly godly person sows seeds of unity and peace, not seeds of division (James 3:17–18). Discord and division in the church are terrible sins because they are contrary to the spiritual unity that Jesus prayed for (John 17:21) and that the Spirit was given to produce in the body (Eph. 4:1–6). How can lost sinners ever believe that God loves them when God’s children don’t even love one another?

All it takes is one stubborn troublemaker to wreck the unity in a family, a Bible study group, or a church. “Drive out the mocker, and out goes strife; quarrels and insults are ended” (Prov. 22: niv). In one of the churches I pastored, we had such a man. When the Lord finally removed him, the new atmosphere in the fellowship was exhilarating. Official meetings that used to consume hours were considerably shortened, and there was a new freedom in discussion and decision.

It is enlightening to contrast this description of the wicked person with Christ’s description of the godly person in Matthew 5:1–16. Jesus begins with humility, “the poor in spirit” (Matt. 5:3), while Solomon starts with “a proud look” (Prov. 6:17). “When pride comes, then comes shame; but with the humble is wisdom” (11:2). The seventh characteristic of the wicked is sowing discord among brethren, while the seventh beatitude is “Blessed are the peacemakers” (Matt. 5:9).

There is a wisdom from above that brings peace and purity to God’s people, and there is a wisdom from beneath that brings strife and shame (James 3:13–18). There is a wisdom of this world that destroys the church and a wisdom from God that builds the church (1 Cor. 3:16–23).

“To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them” (Isa. 8: nkjv).

If you carefully watch the crowds in a shopping mall, you’ll discover that there are all kinds of people in this world; no doubt the crowds are coming to the same conclusion as they look at you. Playwright George Bernard Shaw said, “If the other planets are inhabited, they’re using the earth for their insane asylum.” No wonder Charles M. Schulz had his comic strip character Linus exclaim, “I love mankind. It’s people I can’t stand!”

The book of Proverbs is basically about different kinds of people, what they believe and do, and how they interact with one another. People create circumstances that are good and bad, and you and I have to deal with people and circumstances as we go through life. Solomon’s aim in writing this book is to help us become skillful in relating to both people and circumstances so that we can make a success out of life to the glory of God.

During our survey of Proverbs 1—9, we casually met five different kinds of people: the wise, the wicked, the fool, the simple, and the scorner. Now it’s time to get better acquainted with these people and learn what it really means to be wise.

1. The Wise The entire book of Proverbs is a guide to attaining wisdom, but here and there Solomon points out several important characteristics of the wise man and woman. Of course, the first step toward wisdom is saving faith in Jesus Christ. Wise people are “wise unto salvation” (2 Tim. 3:15) before they gain wisdom about anything else, because Jesus Christ is the Wisdom of God (Col. 2:3; 1 Cor. 1:30). Educated and trained people who ignore or reject Christ can succeed in making a good living, but without Him they can never succeed in making a good life—one that glorifies God. The wisest thing a person can do is to trust Christ and live in obedience to Him.

Let’s consider some of the important characteristics of wise people.

Wise people listen to wise instruction, especially the Word of God. “A wise man will hear, and will increase learning” (1:5). Wise people pay attention to spoken instruction as well as to the written Word of God (22:17–21). Jesus warns us to take heed what we hear (Mark 4:24) and how we hear (Luke 8:18). “Stop listening to instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge” (Prov. 19: niv). “Buy the truth, and do not sell it, also wisdom and instruction and understanding” (23: nkjv). It costs to acquire wisdom, but it’s worth it!

This means that we must diligently spend time reading and studying the Word of God, appropriating its truths into our hearts, and obeying what God commands (2:1–9). It isn’t enough to own a study Bible and read books about the Bible, helpful as they are. It’s one thing to know about the Bible and quite something else to hear God speak through His Word and teach us His wisdom so that we become more like Jesus Christ. During my many years of ministry, I’ve met a few people whose knowledge of Scripture was phenomenal, but who failed to manifest the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22–23). “Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up” (1 Cor. 8: niv).

But there’s a negative side to this as well: Wise people don’t waste their time listening to foolishness and lies. Wise people are careful about what they read, what they hear and see, and what they talk about in daily conversation. They’re diligent to keep trash out of their minds and hearts, because “garbage in” ultimately means “garbage out” (see Prov. 4:23). For this reason, they carefully control the radio and television, and they are selective in their reading.

Those who are wise profit from rebuke (9:8–9; 10:17; 17:10) and from advice (13:10; 12:15; 19:20). They don’t think so highly of themselves that they can’t learn from others (3:7; 26:12). If we’re “wise in our own eyes,” we certainly won’t be wise in God’s eyes!

Wise people fear the Lord. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (1:7). “Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and depart from evil” (3:7). We’ve already learned that “fearing the Lord” means respecting Him so that we obey His will and seek to honor His name. Fearing the Lord is the opposite of tempting the Lord by deliberately disobeying Him and then daring Him to intervene. “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Phil. 2:12). “Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling” (Ps. 2:11).

The fear of the Lord is “a fountain of life” (Prov. 14:27) and leads to life (19:23). It gives security (14:26), hope (23:17–18), and the promise of long life (10:27). When you fear the Lord, you keep your priorities straight. “Better is a little with the fear of the Lord, than great treasure with trouble” (15: nkjv). You also steer clear of evil (8:13; 16:6; see also 14:2).

Wise people associate with wise people. “He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed” (13: nkjv). As we read and study Scripture, we associate with the wise men and women of Bible history and learn from them. By spending time with godly friends, we can learn wisdom and grow in our knowledge of Christ. As I look back over my Christian pilgrimage, I thank God for the many people the Lord has brought into my life to help me better understand the wisdom and ways of the Lord. “A righteous man is cautious in friendship, but the way of the wicked leads them astray” (12: niv).

One of the best ways to “walk with the wise” is to read church history and Christian biography. I have hundreds of volumes of biography and autobiography in my library, some of which I have read many times, and these books have greatly enriched my life. I didn’t have the privilege of knowing personally J. Hudson Taylor, Amy Carmichael, St. Augustine, Dwight L. Moody, Billy Sunday, G. Campbell Morgan, Fanny Crosby, or Robert Murray M’Cheyne, but by reading their biographies and autobiographies, sermons and letters, I’ve benefited from their walk with the Lord.

Wise people preserve what they’ve gained and they use it. “Wise people store up knowledge, but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction” (10: nkjv). If wisdom is stored in the heart, then we’ll say the right thing at the right time, and people will be helped. But fools lose whatever wisdom they may have picked up, and their words only bring destruction.

A parallel text is 12:27: “The lazy man does not roast his game, but the diligent man prizes his possessions” (niv). The Scottish preacher George Morrison has a powerful sermon on this text titled “Wasted Gains.” (The very title is a sermon!) What a tragedy it is when people waste their gains by failing to use their education, the sermons and Bible lessons they’ve heard, or the books they’ve read. Truly wise people treasure the knowledge and skills they’ve worked hard to acquire and use this treasure to the glory of God.

I recall hearing some of my student friends say at seminary graduation, “Thank the Lord, no more Greek and Hebrew!” They had spent several years learning to use the Bible languages, and now they were selling their valuable language tools and thereby wasting their gains.

Over the years, I have made good use of wide-margin Bibles in which I’ve written the things God’s taught me and that I’ve learned from others. Many times while preparing a sermon or writing a book, I have turned to these notes and “invested” my gains. When I read a good book, I underline important sentences, write notes in the margins, and compile my own index of ideas at the back of the book. My copier gets plenty of use because I copy material from books and put it into file folders for future use. This way I’m not wasting my gains.

Wise people flee from sin. “A wise man fears and departs from evil, but a fool rages and is self-confident” (14: nkjv). If we fear the Lord, we will hate evil (8:13; see Ps. 97:10; Rom. 12:9). The self-confident person isn’t wise. Joshua was self-confident and lost a battle (Josh. 7); Samson was self-confident and became a prisoner (Judg. 16:20ff.); Peter was self-confident and betrayed the Lord three times (Luke 22:33–34). “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall”(1 Cor. 10: nkjv).

Wise people don’t take unnecessary chances and experiment to see how close they can get to the precipice without falling off. When Joseph was confronted with evil, he fled (Gen. 39:7ff.). I heard about a handsome assistant pastor who was being pursued by several young ladies in the church, and the senior minister warned him to be careful.

“Oh, there’s safety in numbers,” the young man replied rather flippantly, defending himself. To which the senior minister wisely replied, “Yes, there’s safety in numbers; but sometimes there’s more safety in exodus.” Paul would have agreed with the older pastor, for he wrote to Timothy, “Flee youthful lusts” (2 Tim. 2:22).

Wise people discipline their speech. “A wise man’s heart guides his mouth, and his lips promote instruction” (Prov. 16: niv). “In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, but he who restrains his lips is wise” (10: nkjv). Proverbs has so much to say about the dynamics and dangers of human speech that we’ll devote an entire chapter to this topic. Suffice it to say now that the wise person realizes the power of the tongue and keeps it under God’s control. “The fruit of the Spirit is … self-control” (Gal. 5:22–23; see James 3). The speech of wise people will instruct and inspire, and you’re nourished as you listen; the talk of fools only tears down and leaves you empty and discouraged (note Eph. 5:1–7).

Wise people are diligent in their work. “Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth. He who gathers crops in summer is a wise son, but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son” (Prov. 10: niv). Diligence and laziness are key topics in Proverbs, and we’ll study them later in greater detail. Solomon makes it clear that God has nothing good to say about careless, lazy people. Wise people are working people, people who make the most of their opportunities and who carry their share of the load. My friend Dr. Bob Cook used to say that hard work is a thrill and a joy when you’re doing the will of God; Scottish novelist George MacDonald said, “It’s our best work that He wants, not the dregs of our exhaustion.”

Wise people seek to influence others to trust the Lord. “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise” (11: nkjv). The word translated “wins” means “to capture,” as a hunter captures his prey. Wise people seek to capture the ignorant and disobedient by sharing God’s wisdom with them. Jesus told His fishermen disciples that they would be “catching men” instead of catching fish (Luke 5:10). Wisdom leads to righteousness, and righteousness produces fruit (“a tree of life”), and this fruit “entices” those who are hungry for what is real and eternal. By both their lives and their words, wise people seek to lead others to the Lord.

As we continue our study of Proverbs, we’ll discover other personal characteristics of those who are wise; I trust we’ll seek to imitate them. After all, God promises that the wise will inherit glory (3:35), bring joy to others (10:1; 15:20), bring help from God (12:18), never be in want (21:10), and have strength to wage war (24:5–6). The way of wisdom is the way of true life.

2. The Wicked The wicked and their wickedness are mentioned at least one hundred times in Proverbs, usually in contrast to the good and the righteous. Proverbs 6:12–19 is somewhat of a summary statement that describes the evil person and the hateful sins that he commits.

The wicked are “naughty,” that is, worth nothing (naught), without profit. It’s the Hebrew word belial (beli, without; yaal, profit), used to describe worthless people (Deut. 13:13; Judg. 19:22; 1 Sam. 25:25; 1 Kings 21:10, 13). Sin is not only destructive, it’s also unproductive.

Every part of the wicked person’s anatomy is devoted to evil and his “body language” communicates evil (see Rom. 3:10–18). His mouth is perverse (“froward,” kjv) a word that means “crooked, twisted.” He can’t be trusted. When he wants to signal his confederates that it’s time to do evil, he winks his eye, shuffles his feet, and motions with his fingers; they get the message. The cause of all this evil is the perversity of his inner person, for it is out of the heart that evil comes (Mark 7:14–23; Jer. 17:9). He’s skillful at plotting evil and the result is dissension. He’s a troublemaker who sows discord, but judgment is certain and will come when he least expects it. How much better it is when the whole body is yielded to God (Rom. 12:12) and controlled by His Word (Prov. 4:20–27)!

You see these sinful characteristics manifested in the specific sins described in Proverbs 6:16–19, sins that God hates.

First on the list is pride, because pride is usually the basic motivation for all other sins. It was pride that turned Lucifer into Satan (Isa. 14:12–14) and that led Eve to disobey God and eat the forbidden fruit (Gen. 3:1–6; note “you shall be as God”). “The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverse mouth I hate” (Prov. 8:13).

God also hates a lying tongue, for God is a God of truth (Deut. 32:4; John 14:6; 1 John 5:6), and His law says, “Thou shalt not bear false witness” (Ex. 20:16). God sees a lie, not as an act of speech but as a deadly force that goes to work in society and divides and destroys. When we lie, we open the door for Satan to work, for he is a liar (John 8:44); when we speak truth, we give opportunity for the Spirit to work (Eph. 4:14–25). There is a place reserved in hell for liars (Rev. 21:8, 27; see 2 Thess. 2:10).

The third sin God hates is murder, “hands that shed innocent blood.” His commandment is, “Thou shalt not kill [murder]” (Ex. 20:13). God permits the government to exercise capital punishment and strengthen justice in the land (Gen. 9:5–6; Rom. 13:1–7), but the shedding of innocent blood pollutes the land (Num. 35:30–34). Murderers have their part in the lake of fire (Rev. 21:8; 22:15).

A heart that devises wicked schemes (niv) is hateful to God because it’s a misuse of the great gift of imagination that He has given us. (See Gen. 6:5; 8:21; Jer. 23:17; Rom. 1:21.) The imagination is the “womb” out of which either evil or good is born. People who can plan evil things that hurt others can also plan good things that will help others. The imagination needs to be cleansed and kept pure before God so He can use it in His service. Only God can change the sinful heart (Jer. 31:33–34; Heb. 10:14–18; Ps. 51:10), and God’s people must take care to guard their hearts against evil (Prov. 4:23).

Sinners have feet that are swift in running to mischief [evil] because they want to fulfill their schemes quickly and enjoy their pleasures immediately. God’s people should have cleansed feet (John 13:1–17; 1 John 1:9), beautiful feet (Rom. 10:14–15), prepared feet (Eph. 6:15), and obedient feet (Gen. 13:17; Josh. 1:3; 3:15). If we do, we’ll bring blessing. But the wicked use their feet to get involved in sin: meddling as busybodies (2 Thess. 3:11; 1 Tim. 5:13), tempting others into sin (Prov. 5:5; 7:11), and breaking God’s laws (1:10–16). If the saints were “on their feet” and as eager to obey the Lord as sinners are to disobey, the lost world would soon be evangelized!

God has called His people to be witnesses to the truth (Acts 1:8), but the wicked person is a false witness who speaks lies. Bearing false witness is a violation of the ninth commandment (Ex. 20:16). Without truth, things start to fall apart; when people “lie officially,” the foundations of society begin to crumble. Whether it’s a statement from a government official, a clause in a contract, a deposition in court, or a promise at the marriage altar, truth cannot be violated without society ultimately suffering. The British poet John Dryden wrote, “Truth is the foundation of all knowledge and the cement of all societies.”

The last of the seven sins that God hates is sowing discord among brethren. “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity” (Ps. 133:1). The wicked person destroys that unity by sowing “seeds” that produce a bitter and divisive harvest. Some of these seeds are: pride (Prov. 13:10; see 3 John 9–10), gossip (Prov. 16:28; 17:9; 18:8; 26:20), anger and hatred (10:12; 15:18; 29:22), a quarrelsome spirit (17:14, 19; 25:8; 26:21), and foolish questions (1 Tim. 6:3–5; 2 Tim. 2:14, 23).

The truly godly person sows seeds of unity and peace, not seeds of division (James 3:17–18). Discord and division in the church are terrible sins because they are contrary to the spiritual unity that Jesus prayed for (John 17:21) and that the Spirit was given to produce in the body (Eph. 4:1–6). How can lost sinners ever believe that God loves them when God’s children don’t even love one another?

All it takes is one stubborn troublemaker to wreck the unity in a family, a Bible study group, or a church. “Drive out the mocker, and out goes strife; quarrels and insults are ended” (Prov. 22: niv). In one of the churches I pastored, we had such a man. When the Lord finally removed him, the new atmosphere in the fellowship was exhilarating. Official meetings that used to consume hours were considerably shortened, and there was a new freedom in discussion and decision.

It is enlightening to contrast this description of the wicked person with Christ’s description of the godly person in Matthew 5:1–16. Jesus begins with humility, “the poor in spirit” (Matt. 5:3), while Solomon starts with “a proud look” (Prov. 6:17). “When pride comes, then comes shame; but with the humble is wisdom” (11:2). The seventh characteristic of the wicked is sowing discord among brethren, while the seventh beatitude is “Blessed are the peacemakers” (Matt. 5:9).

There is a wisdom from above that brings peace and purity to God’s people, and there is a wisdom from beneath that brings strife and shame (James 3:13–18). There is a wisdom of this world that destroys the church and a wisdom from God that builds the church (1 Cor. 3:16–23).

“To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them” (Isa. 8: nkjv).

While much more could be said about both the wise and the wicked, we need to move on and get better acquainted with “the terrible trio”— the simple, the scorners, and the fools. You will meet these three frequently as you read the book of Proverbs.

You’ll recall that in her first invitation, Wisdom called to all three of them (Prov. 1:22), but in her second invitation, she called only to the simple and the fools (8:5). The scorner wasn’t even interested in listening; he had dropped out of the picture. Then, in her third invitation, Wisdom called only to the simple (9:4), because the fools had turned away and joined the scorners. It’s a dangerous thing to reject God’s invitation to walk the path of wisdom and of life. You may never get another opportunity.

1. The Simple The simple are the naive people who believe everything, because they don’t have convictions about anything. What they think is sophisticated “tolerance” is only spiritual ignorance, because they lack the ability to discriminate between truth and error. “A simple man believes anything, but a prudent man gives thought to his steps” (14: niv). Charles R. Bridges writes, “To believe every word of God is faith. To believe every word of man is credulity.”

We’re living at a time when people who have convictions are considered bigots if not ignoramuses. It’s popular and politically correct to be open-minded and uncritical of what other people think or believe. Except when it comes to cashing a check when they’re broke, getting a prescription filled when they’re sick, or asking directions when they’re lost, most people don’t believe in absolutes. They insist that there’s no such thing as objective truth. According to them, whatever “feels good” down inside is truth for you; nobody has the right to criticize you for what you believe. Apply that philosophy to money, medicine, mechanics, or maps and see how successful you will be!

In his comments on Groundhog’s Day, Brooks Atkinson writes: “People everywhere enjoy believing things they know are not true. It spares them the ordeal of thinking for themselves and taking responsibility for what they know.” The old saying, “What you don’t know won’t hurt you,” is false, as any physician or auto mechanic can tell you. What you don’t know could kill you! “For the turning away [waywardness] of the simple shall slay them” (1:32).

The simple are simple because they reject the truth of God’s Word that gives “prudence [common sense] to the simple” (v. 4 niv). The tragedy is that simple people actually love their simplicity (v. 22) and have no desire to change. Because they don’t take a stand for anything, they fall for everything; this saves them the trouble of thinking, studying, praying, and asking God for wisdom. Instead of working hard to dig into the mines of God’s wisdom (2:1–9), the simple prefer to take it easy and pick up whatever cheap trinkets they can find on the surface.

It was a simple young man who listened to the prostitute and ended up an animal led to the slaughter (7:7ff.). “The simple inherit folly, but the prudent are crowned with knowledge” (14:18). Sometimes the simple will learn when they see others punished for their sins (19:25; 21:11). The wise person learns from instruction, but the simpleton has to see a living example before he or she will learn. Wise people see danger coming and avoid it, but the simple ones walk right into it (22:3; 27:12). Some people have to learn the hard way.

All of us are ignorant in many things, but simpletons are ignorant of their ignorance and are unwilling to learn. They follow the philosophy, “Where ignorance is bliss, ’tis folly to be wise.” But when there’s a Bible to read, a life to build, and an eternity to prepare for, it is folly to be ignorant.

2. The Scorner Scorners think they know everything, and anybody who tries to teach them is only wasting time. “Proud and haughty scorner [scoffer] is his name” (21:24). Scorners can’t find wisdom even if they seek for it (14:6), because learning God’s truth demands a humble mind and an obedient will. What scorners lack in knowledge they make up for in arrogance. Instead of sensibly discussing a matter with those who could teach them, they only sneer at truth and deny it. My Hebrew lexicons describe them as “frivolous and impudent.” Having no intellectual or spiritual ammunition, the scorner depends on ridicule and contempt to fight his enemies.

Scorners show how ignorant they are by the way they respond to advice and reproof. “He who reproves a scoffer gets shame for himself…. Do not reprove a scoffer, lest he hate you; rebuke a wise man, and he will love you” (9:7–8 nkjv). “A wise son heeds his father’s instruction, but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke” (13: nkjv). “A scoffer does not love one who corrects him, nor will he go to the wise” (15: nkjv). When you try to teach a scorner, you’re just casting pearls before swine. The scorner knows everything! The tragedy is that scorners cause all kinds of trouble wherever they go. Whether in the neighborhood, on the job, or in the church, the scorner is toxic and spreads infection. “Cast out the scorner, and contention shall go out; yea, strife and reproach shall cease” (22:10). Scorners can even create problems for a whole city. “Mockers [scorners] stir up a city, but wise men turn away anger” (29: niv). The Hebrew verb translated “stir up” conveys the image of somebody stirring up a fire or blowing on a flame to make it burn more vigorously. By their contemptible words and attitudes, they add fuel to a fire that ought to be allowed to die out.

The pages of both religious and political history are stained by the records of the deeds of proud mockers who wouldn’t listen to wise counsel but impulsively rushed into matters too high for them (Ps. 131). Their tongues were “set on fire of hell” (James 3:6); they defiled and damaged families, churches, cities, and entire nations. Churches can be quickly divided and destroyed by arrogant people who laugh at biblical truth and seek to have their own way. All spiritual leaders need to read and heed Acts 20:28–31 and James 3:13–18.

Scoffers are “an abomination to men” (Prov. 24:9) and to God. In fact, the Lord “scorns the scornful, but gives grace to the humble” (3: nkjv). This verse is quoted both by James (4:6) and Peter (1 Peter 5:5). “Judgments are prepared for scoffers” (Prov. 19:29), and because scorners mock God, God mocks the scorners. Consider what the Lord did to the builders at Babel (Gen. 11), to Pharaoh at the Red Sea (Ex. 14), to Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon (Dan. 4), to Herod Agrippa in Judea (Acts 12:20–25), and a host of others who defied His will.

3. The Fool The English words fool and folly come from the Latin follis, which means “bellows.” It also describes a person’s puffed-up cheeks. Follis indicates that a fool is a windbag, somebody full of air but lacking in substance. Fools may look like giants, but when the wind is taken out of them, they shrink dramatically and reveal what they really are—pygmies.

In Proverbs, three different Hebrew words are translated “fool”: kesyl, the dull, stupid fool who is stubborn; ewiyl, the corrupt fool who is morally perverted and unreasonable; and nabal, the fool who is like a stubborn animal, the brutish fool. (See 1 Sam. 25.) In this summary of the characteristics of the fool, we’ll combine the verses and not distinguish the three different types. After all, fools are fools, no matter what name we give them!

Fools won’t learn from God’s Word. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning [controlling principle] of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction” (1:7). The problem with fools isn’t low IQ or deficient education. Their big problem is their heart: They won’t acknowledge the Lord and submit to Him. “There is no fear of God before their eyes” (Rom. 3:18).

A fool’s own father can’t instruct him (Prov. 15:5), and if you try to debate with him, it will only lead to trouble (29:9). Why? Because fools actually enjoy their folly and think they’re really living! “Folly is a joy to him who is destitute of discernment” (15: nkjv; see 1:22; 12:15; 18:2). Warn them about sin and they laugh at you (14:9).

One reason fools don’t learn wisdom is because they can’t keep their eyes focused on what’s important. “A discerning man keeps wisdom in view, but a fool’s eyes wander to the ends of the earth” (17: niv). Instead of dealing with reality, the fool lives in a faraway fantasy world. God’s Word helps people keep their feet on the ground and make wise decisions in this difficult world in which we live.

Fools can’t control their speech. “The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly, but the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness” (15: nkjv; see 13:16). The fool’s speech is proud and know-it-all (14:3), and fools have a tendency to speak before they know what they’re saying or what’s being discussed (18:13). “Do you see a man hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him” (29: nkjv). “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but he who heeds counsel is wise” (12: nkjv). You can’t warn fools or tell them anything they need to know because they already know everything!

Fools do a lot of talking, but they never accomplish what they’ve talked about. “The wise in heart will receive commandments: but a prating fool shall fall” (10:8; see v. 10). The word translated “prating” means “to babble and talk excessively” and is related to the word “prattle.” It’s much easier to talk about things than to hear God’s Word and obey it.

Lies and slander are what fools specialize in (10:18), and the wise person won’t stay around to listen (14:7–8). “The lips of the wise disperse knowledge, but the heart of the fool does not do so” (15: nkjv). “Excellent speech is not becoming to a fool” (17: nkjv). All of us must be careful what kind of conversation we listen to, because Jesus said, “Take heed what you hear” (Mark 4:24). Furthermore, when fools are speaking, what they say could start a fight! (18:6–7)

Fools can’t control their temper. “A fool’s wrath is known at once, but a prudent man covers shame” (12: nkjv). “He who is slow to wrath has great understanding, but he who is impulsive exalts folly” (14: nkjv). “Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace; when he shuts his lips, he is considered perceptive” (17: nkjv). “A fool vents all his feelings, but a wise man holds them back” (29: nkjv).

When business is being transacted in the city gate (Ruth 4), fools should keep quiet if they want to appear wise (Prov. 24:7)! It’s unfortunate that some people think they must always speak at meetings, even when they have nothing to say.

Don’t incur the wrath of a fool unless you want to carry a terrible burden. “A stone is heavy, and the sand weighty, but a fool’s wrath is heavier than them both” (27:3). Once a fool is angry with you, he or she will carry on the war to the bitter end and do a great deal of damage. That’s why we must exercise discernment when we disagree with fools or try to counsel them. “Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you will be like him yourself. Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes” (26:4–5 niv). Sometimes fools deserve only a deaf ear; other times they must be rebuked and their folly answered from the Word. It takes wisdom to know which response is correct, lest we end up casting pearls before swine.

Fools are proud and self-confident. “He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, but whoever walks wisely will be delivered” (28: nkjv). “Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him” (26:12). We hear people saying, “Well, if I know my own heart …” but God warns us that we don’t know our own hearts and we can’t always trust what our hearts say to us. “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?” (Jer. 17:9).

Many people today believe what Emerson wrote: “Trust thyself: every heart vibrates to that iron string.” Or they may follow William Ernest Henley’s philosophy as expressed in his famous poem, “Invictus”: “I am the master of my fate / I am the captain of my soul.” These expressions of proud human achievement sound very much like Satan’s offer in Eden: “You will be like God” (Gen. 3: nkjv), which is the basis of the New Age movement. Whatever exalts man will ultimately fail; whatever glorifies God will last forever.

Because of their proud self-confidence, fools like to meddle, especially when there’s something to argue about: “It is an honor for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling” (Prov. 20:3). Anybody can start a quarrel, but it takes a wise person to be able to stop one or, better yet, to avoid one (30:32–33). Fools think that fighting over minor disagreements will bring them honor, but it only makes them greater fools.

While waiting for a Sunday morning worship service to begin at a church where I was to be the guest preacher, I sat in an adult Sunday school class that met in the church sanctuary. One man in that class questioned almost everything the teacher said and really made a nuisance of himself quibbling about minor things. He wanted to appear wise, but he only convinced us that he was a fool. As I sat there listening, I thought of 1 Timothy 6:4–5: “He is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, useless wranglings” (nkjv).

Fools create problems and bring sorrow, especially to their parents. “A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish son is the grief of his mother” (Prov. 10: nkjv; see 15:20; 17:21, 25). Every godly father says to his son, “Be wise, my son, and bring joy to my heart” (27: niv), but the pages of the Bible record the sorrow that foolish sons brought to their parents.

Cain grieved his parents when he killed his brother Abel (Gen. 4). Esau deliberately married heathen women just to provoke his father Isaac (Gen. 28:6–9). Jacob’s sons lied to him about their brother Joseph and broke his heart (Gen. 37). Samson grieved his parents by living with pagan women and fraternizing with the enemies of Israel (Judg. 13—16). David’s sons broke his heart with their evil ways. Amnon violated his halfsister Tamar, and Absalom killed him for doing it (2 Sam. 13). Then Absalom rebelled against David and seized the kingdom (2 Sam. 15—18).

Can anything be done to change foolish children into wise men and women? “Though you grind a fool in a mortar, grinding him like grain with a pestle, you will not remove his folly from him” (Prov. 27: niv). Women in the ancient world ground grain in a bowl (mortar) using a hard tool (pestle) with which they could crack and pulverize the kernels. The image is clear: no amount of pressure or pain will change a fool and make anything useful out of him. Wise parents should discipline foolish children to give them hope (22:15), but a foolish adult can be changed only by the grace of God. Unless fools repent and turn to the Lord, they will live as slaves (11:29) and “die without instruction” (5:23).

Fools don’t know how to use wealth properly. “In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil, but a foolish man devours all he has” (21: niv). Fools may know the price of everything, but they know the value of nothing; they waste their wealth on things stupid and sinful. “Whoever loves wisdom makes his father rejoice, but a companion of harlots wastes his wealth” (29: nkjv). This verse reminds us of our Lord’s Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11–24). “The crown of the wise is their riches, but the foolishness of fools is [yields] folly” (Prov. 14:24). The wise have something to leave to their children, but fools waste both their wealth and their opportunities to increase it. “Luxury is not fitting for a fool” (19:10).

Fools can’t be trusted with responsibility. “As snow in summer and rain in harvest, so honor is not fitting for a fool” (26: nkjv). The word honor in the Hebrew (kabod) means “heavy, weighty,” and can refer to the glory of God and the special respect given to people. A fool doesn’t have what it takes to handle responsibility successfully and win the respect of others. Giving honor to a fool is about as fitting as snow in summer or as helpful as rain during harvest! Both mean disaster.

In 26:3–12, Solomon elaborates on this theme by presenting a number of vivid pictures of the fool and what happens when you give him a job to do. For one thing, you’ll have to treat him like a dumb animal and use a whip to motivate him (v. 3; see Ps. 32:9). Try to give him orders and explain what he’s to do and you’re in danger of becoming like him (Prov. 26:4–5). Send him on an important mission and you might as well cripple yourself, and be prepared for trouble (v. 6). As a lame person’s legs are useless to take him anywhere, so a fool can’t “get anywhere” with a proverb (v. 7). He not only confuses others, but he harms himself, like a drunk punctured by a thorn (v. 9). Don’t ask a fool to teach the Bible, because he won’t know what he’s talking about and it’s painful to listen to him. And don’t ask a fool to wage war because he ties the stone in the sling (v. 8)!

The original text of verse 10 is very difficult and there are many varied translations. “Like an archer who wounds everyone, so is he who hires a fool or who hires those who pass by” (). “Like an archer who wounds at random is he who hires a fool or any passerby” (niv). “Like an archer who wounds everybody is he who hires a passing fool or drunkard” (). Note that the emphasis is on the one doing the hiring and not on the fool. If you hire a fool (or just anybody who passes by) and give him or her responsibility, you might just as well start shooting at random, because the fool will do a lot of damage. Of course, nobody in his right mind would start shooting at random, so, nobody in his right mind would hire a fool.

Fools don’t learn from their mistakes but go right back to the same old mess, like a dog returning to eat his vomit (v. 11). Experience is a good teacher for the wise, but not for fools. This verse is quoted in 2 Peter 2: as a description of counterfeit believers who follow false teachers. Like a sow that’s been washed, they look better on the outside; and like a dog that’s vomited, they feel better on the inside; but they’re still not sheep! They don’t have the divine new nature; consequently, they go right back to the old life. Obedience and perseverance in the things of the Lord are proof of conversion.

What will happen to the fool? “A man’s own folly ruins his life, yet his heart rages against the Lord” (Prov. 19: niv). This reminds us of Pharaoh in Exodus 5— 15, who saw his country ruined by God’s plagues and yet wouldn’t give in to the Lord. He raged against Jehovah and Moses and even pursued the Jews to take them back, only to see his best soldiers drowned in the Red Sea. God’s discipline helps a wise person obey the Word, but punishment only makes a foolish person more wicked. The same sun that melts the ice hardens the clay.

Because they “feed on foolishness” (Prov. 15:14), fools have no moral strength. “The lips [words] of the righteous feed many, but fools die for lack of wisdom” (10:21). They not only lack spiritual and intellectual nourishment, but they also lack refreshing water: “Understanding is a fountain of life to those who have it, but folly brings punishment to fools” (16: niv). The image of words and God’s law as “a fountain of life” is also found in 10:11; 13:14; 14:27; and 18:4. Follow Wisdom and you live on a fruitful oasis; follow Folly and your home is an arid desert.

The fool will “die without instruction” (5:23). “The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools” (3:35). They will hear God’s voice say, “Fool! This night your soul will be required of you” (Luke 12: nkjv), but then it will be too late.

The only fools who are “wise fools” are Christians, because they’re “fools for Christ’s sake” (1 Cor. 4:10). The world calls them fools, but in trusting Jesus Christ and committing their lives to Him, they’ve made the wisest decision anybody can make.

I read about a man who bore witness to his faith in a busy shopping area by wearing a sandwich board which read: I’M A FOOL FOR JESUS CHRIST. WHOSE FOOL ARE YOU?

A wise question! Be sure you can give a wise answer.

While much more could be said about both the wise and the wicked, we need to move on and get better acquainted with “the terrible trio”— the simple, the scorners, and the fools. You will meet these three frequently as you read the book of Proverbs.

You’ll recall that in her first invitation, Wisdom called to all three of them (Prov. 1:22), but in her second invitation, she called only to the simple and the fools (8:5). The scorner wasn’t even interested in listening; he had dropped out of the picture. Then, in her third invitation, Wisdom called only to the simple (9:4), because the fools had turned away and joined the scorners. It’s a dangerous thing to reject God’s invitation to walk the path of wisdom and of life. You may never get another opportunity.

1. The Simple The simple are the naive people who believe everything, because they don’t have convictions about anything. What they think is sophisticated “tolerance” is only spiritual ignorance, because they lack the ability to discriminate between truth and error. “A simple man believes anything, but a prudent man gives thought to his steps” (14: niv). Charles R. Bridges writes, “To believe every word of God is faith. To believe every word of man is credulity.”

We’re living at a time when people who have convictions are considered bigots if not ignoramuses. It’s popular and politically correct to be open-minded and uncritical of what other people think or believe. Except when it comes to cashing a check when they’re broke, getting a prescription filled when they’re sick, or asking directions when they’re lost, most people don’t believe in absolutes. They insist that there’s no such thing as objective truth. According to them, whatever “feels good” down inside is truth for you; nobody has the right to criticize you for what you believe. Apply that philosophy to money, medicine, mechanics, or maps and see how successful you will be!

In his comments on Groundhog’s Day, Brooks Atkinson writes: “People everywhere enjoy believing things they know are not true. It spares them the ordeal of thinking for themselves and taking responsibility for what they know.” The old saying, “What you don’t know won’t hurt you,” is false, as any physician or auto mechanic can tell you. What you don’t know could kill you! “For the turning away [waywardness] of the simple shall slay them” (1:32).

The simple are simple because they reject the truth of God’s Word that gives “prudence [common sense] to the simple” (v. 4 niv). The tragedy is that simple people actually love their simplicity (v. 22) and have no desire to change. Because they don’t take a stand for anything, they fall for everything; this saves them the trouble of thinking, studying, praying, and asking God for wisdom. Instead of working hard to dig into the mines of God’s wisdom (2:1–9), the simple prefer to take it easy and pick up whatever cheap trinkets they can find on the surface.

It was a simple young man who listened to the prostitute and ended up an animal led to the slaughter (7:7ff.). “The simple inherit folly, but the prudent are crowned with knowledge” (14:18). Sometimes the simple will learn when they see others punished for their sins (19:25; 21:11). The wise person learns from instruction, but the simpleton has to see a living example before he or she will learn. Wise people see danger coming and avoid it, but the simple ones walk right into it (22:3; 27:12). Some people have to learn the hard way.

All of us are ignorant in many things, but simpletons are ignorant of their ignorance and are unwilling to learn. They follow the philosophy, “Where ignorance is bliss, ’tis folly to be wise.” But when there’s a Bible to read, a life to build, and an eternity to prepare for, it is folly to be ignorant.

2. The Scorner Scorners think they know everything, and anybody who tries to teach them is only wasting time. “Proud and haughty scorner [scoffer] is his name” (21:24). Scorners can’t find wisdom even if they seek for it (14:6), because learning God’s truth demands a humble mind and an obedient will. What scorners lack in knowledge they make up for in arrogance. Instead of sensibly discussing a matter with those who could teach them, they only sneer at truth and deny it. My Hebrew lexicons describe them as “frivolous and impudent.” Having no intellectual or spiritual ammunition, the scorner depends on ridicule and contempt to fight his enemies.

Scorners show how ignorant they are by the way they respond to advice and reproof. “He who reproves a scoffer gets shame for himself…. Do not reprove a scoffer, lest he hate you; rebuke a wise man, and he will love you” (9:7–8 nkjv). “A wise son heeds his father’s instruction, but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke” (13: nkjv). “A scoffer does not love one who corrects him, nor will he go to the wise” (15: nkjv). When you try to teach a scorner, you’re just casting pearls before swine. The scorner knows everything! The tragedy is that scorners cause all kinds of trouble wherever they go. Whether in the neighborhood, on the job, or in the church, the scorner is toxic and spreads infection. “Cast out the scorner, and contention shall go out; yea, strife and reproach shall cease” (22:10). Scorners can even create problems for a whole city. “Mockers [scorners] stir up a city, but wise men turn away anger” (29: niv). The Hebrew verb translated “stir up” conveys the image of somebody stirring up a fire or blowing on a flame to make it burn more vigorously. By their contemptible words and attitudes, they add fuel to a fire that ought to be allowed to die out.

The pages of both religious and political history are stained by the records of the deeds of proud mockers who wouldn’t listen to wise counsel but impulsively rushed into matters too high for them (Ps. 131). Their tongues were “set on fire of hell” (James 3:6); they defiled and damaged families, churches, cities, and entire nations. Churches can be quickly divided and destroyed by arrogant people who laugh at biblical truth and seek to have their own way. All spiritual leaders need to read and heed Acts 20:28–31 and James 3:13–18.

Scoffers are “an abomination to men” (Prov. 24:9) and to God. In fact, the Lord “scorns the scornful, but gives grace to the humble” (3: nkjv). This verse is quoted both by James (4:6) and Peter (1 Peter 5:5). “Judgments are prepared for scoffers” (Prov. 19:29), and because scorners mock God, God mocks the scorners. Consider what the Lord did to the builders at Babel (Gen. 11), to Pharaoh at the Red Sea (Ex. 14), to Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon (Dan. 4), to Herod Agrippa in Judea (Acts 12:20–25), and a host of others who defied His will.

3. The Fool The English words fool and folly come from the Latin follis, which means “bellows.” It also describes a person’s puffed-up cheeks. Follis indicates that a fool is a windbag, somebody full of air but lacking in substance. Fools may look like giants, but when the wind is taken out of them, they shrink dramatically and reveal what they really are—pygmies.

In Proverbs, three different Hebrew words are translated “fool”: kesyl, the dull, stupid fool who is stubborn; ewiyl, the corrupt fool who is morally perverted and unreasonable; and nabal, the fool who is like a stubborn animal, the brutish fool. (See 1 Sam. 25.) In this summary of the characteristics of the fool, we’ll combine the verses and not distinguish the three different types. After all, fools are fools, no matter what name we give them!

Fools won’t learn from God’s Word. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning [controlling principle] of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction” (1:7). The problem with fools isn’t low IQ or deficient education. Their big problem is their heart: They won’t acknowledge the Lord and submit to Him. “There is no fear of God before their eyes” (Rom. 3:18).

A fool’s own father can’t instruct him (Prov. 15:5), and if you try to debate with him, it will only lead to trouble (29:9). Why? Because fools actually enjoy their folly and think they’re really living! “Folly is a joy to him who is destitute of discernment” (15: nkjv; see 1:22; 12:15; 18:2). Warn them about sin and they laugh at you (14:9).

One reason fools don’t learn wisdom is because they can’t keep their eyes focused on what’s important. “A discerning man keeps wisdom in view, but a fool’s eyes wander to the ends of the earth” (17: niv). Instead of dealing with reality, the fool lives in a faraway fantasy world. God’s Word helps people keep their feet on the ground and make wise decisions in this difficult world in which we live.

Fools can’t control their speech. “The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly, but the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness” (15: nkjv; see 13:16). The fool’s speech is proud and know-it-all (14:3), and fools have a tendency to speak before they know what they’re saying or what’s being discussed (18:13). “Do you see a man hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him” (29: nkjv). “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but he who heeds counsel is wise” (12: nkjv). You can’t warn fools or tell them anything they need to know because they already know everything!

Fools do a lot of talking, but they never accomplish what they’ve talked about. “The wise in heart will receive commandments: but a prating fool shall fall” (10:8; see v. 10). The word translated “prating” means “to babble and talk excessively” and is related to the word “prattle.” It’s much easier to talk about things than to hear God’s Word and obey it.

Lies and slander are what fools specialize in (10:18), and the wise person won’t stay around to listen (14:7–8). “The lips of the wise disperse knowledge, but the heart of the fool does not do so” (15: nkjv). “Excellent speech is not becoming to a fool” (17: nkjv). All of us must be careful what kind of conversation we listen to, because Jesus said, “Take heed what you hear” (Mark 4:24). Furthermore, when fools are speaking, what they say could start a fight! (18:6–7)

Fools can’t control their temper. “A fool’s wrath is known at once, but a prudent man covers shame” (12: nkjv). “He who is slow to wrath has great understanding, but he who is impulsive exalts folly” (14: nkjv). “Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace; when he shuts his lips, he is considered perceptive” (17: nkjv). “A fool vents all his feelings, but a wise man holds them back” (29: nkjv).

When business is being transacted in the city gate (Ruth 4), fools should keep quiet if they want to appear wise (Prov. 24:7)! It’s unfortunate that some people think they must always speak at meetings, even when they have nothing to say.

Don’t incur the wrath of a fool unless you want to carry a terrible burden. “A stone is heavy, and the sand weighty, but a fool’s wrath is heavier than them both” (27:3). Once a fool is angry with you, he or she will carry on the war to the bitter end and do a great deal of damage. That’s why we must exercise discernment when we disagree with fools or try to counsel them. “Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you will be like him yourself. Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes” (26:4–5 niv). Sometimes fools deserve only a deaf ear; other times they must be rebuked and their folly answered from the Word. It takes wisdom to know which response is correct, lest we end up casting pearls before swine.

Fools are proud and self-confident. “He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, but whoever walks wisely will be delivered” (28: nkjv). “Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him” (26:12). We hear people saying, “Well, if I know my own heart …” but God warns us that we don’t know our own hearts and we can’t always trust what our hearts say to us. “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?” (Jer. 17:9).

Many people today believe what Emerson wrote: “Trust thyself: every heart vibrates to that iron string.” Or they may follow William Ernest Henley’s philosophy as expressed in his famous poem, “Invictus”: “I am the master of my fate / I am the captain of my soul.” These expressions of proud human achievement sound very much like Satan’s offer in Eden: “You will be like God” (Gen. 3: nkjv), which is the basis of the New Age movement. Whatever exalts man will ultimately fail; whatever glorifies God will last forever.

Because of their proud self-confidence, fools like to meddle, especially when there’s something to argue about: “It is an honor for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling” (Prov. 20:3). Anybody can start a quarrel, but it takes a wise person to be able to stop one or, better yet, to avoid one (30:32–33). Fools think that fighting over minor disagreements will bring them honor, but it only makes them greater fools.

While waiting for a Sunday morning worship service to begin at a church where I was to be the guest preacher, I sat in an adult Sunday school class that met in the church sanctuary. One man in that class questioned almost everything the teacher said and really made a nuisance of himself quibbling about minor things. He wanted to appear wise, but he only convinced us that he was a fool. As I sat there listening, I thought of 1 Timothy 6:4–5: “He is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, useless wranglings” (nkjv).

Fools create problems and bring sorrow, especially to their parents. “A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish son is the grief of his mother” (Prov. 10: nkjv; see 15:20; 17:21, 25). Every godly father says to his son, “Be wise, my son, and bring joy to my heart” (27: niv), but the pages of the Bible record the sorrow that foolish sons brought to their parents.

Cain grieved his parents when he killed his brother Abel (Gen. 4). Esau deliberately married heathen women just to provoke his father Isaac (Gen. 28:6–9). Jacob’s sons lied to him about their brother Joseph and broke his heart (Gen. 37). Samson grieved his parents by living with pagan women and fraternizing with the enemies of Israel (Judg. 13—16). David’s sons broke his heart with their evil ways. Amnon violated his halfsister Tamar, and Absalom killed him for doing it (2 Sam. 13). Then Absalom rebelled against David and seized the kingdom (2 Sam. 15—18).

Can anything be done to change foolish children into wise men and women? “Though you grind a fool in a mortar, grinding him like grain with a pestle, you will not remove his folly from him” (Prov. 27: niv). Women in the ancient world ground grain in a bowl (mortar) using a hard tool (pestle) with which they could crack and pulverize the kernels. The image is clear: no amount of pressure or pain will change a fool and make anything useful out of him. Wise parents should discipline foolish children to give them hope (22:15), but a foolish adult can be changed only by the grace of God. Unless fools repent and turn to the Lord, they will live as slaves (11:29) and “die without instruction” (5:23).

Fools don’t know how to use wealth properly. “In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil, but a foolish man devours all he has” (21: niv). Fools may know the price of everything, but they know the value of nothing; they waste their wealth on things stupid and sinful. “Whoever loves wisdom makes his father rejoice, but a companion of harlots wastes his wealth” (29: nkjv). This verse reminds us of our Lord’s Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11–24). “The crown of the wise is their riches, but the foolishness of fools is [yields] folly” (Prov. 14:24). The wise have something to leave to their children, but fools waste both their wealth and their opportunities to increase it. “Luxury is not fitting for a fool” (19:10).

Fools can’t be trusted with responsibility. “As snow in summer and rain in harvest, so honor is not fitting for a fool” (26: nkjv). The word honor in the Hebrew (kabod) means “heavy, weighty,” and can refer to the glory of God and the special respect given to people. A fool doesn’t have what it takes to handle responsibility successfully and win the respect of others. Giving honor to a fool is about as fitting as snow in summer or as helpful as rain during harvest! Both mean disaster.

In 26:3–12, Solomon elaborates on this theme by presenting a number of vivid pictures of the fool and what happens when you give him a job to do. For one thing, you’ll have to treat him like a dumb animal and use a whip to motivate him (v. 3; see Ps. 32:9). Try to give him orders and explain what he’s to do and you’re in danger of becoming like him (Prov. 26:4–5). Send him on an important mission and you might as well cripple yourself, and be prepared for trouble (v. 6). As a lame person’s legs are useless to take him anywhere, so a fool can’t “get anywhere” with a proverb (v. 7). He not only confuses others, but he harms himself, like a drunk punctured by a thorn (v. 9). Don’t ask a fool to teach the Bible, because he won’t know what he’s talking about and it’s painful to listen to him. And don’t ask a fool to wage war because he ties the stone in the sling (v. 8)!

The original text of verse 10 is very difficult and there are many varied translations. “Like an archer who wounds everyone, so is he who hires a fool or who hires those who pass by” (). “Like an archer who wounds at random is he who hires a fool or any passerby” (niv). “Like an archer who wounds everybody is he who hires a passing fool or drunkard” (). Note that the emphasis is on the one doing the hiring and not on the fool. If you hire a fool (or just anybody who passes by) and give him or her responsibility, you might just as well start shooting at random, because the fool will do a lot of damage. Of course, nobody in his right mind would start shooting at random, so, nobody in his right mind would hire a fool.

Fools don’t learn from their mistakes but go right back to the same old mess, like a dog returning to eat his vomit (v. 11). Experience is a good teacher for the wise, but not for fools. This verse is quoted in 2 Peter 2: as a description of counterfeit believers who follow false teachers. Like a sow that’s been washed, they look better on the outside; and like a dog that’s vomited, they feel better on the inside; but they’re still not sheep! They don’t have the divine new nature; consequently, they go right back to the old life. Obedience and perseverance in the things of the Lord are proof of conversion.

What will happen to the fool? “A man’s own folly ruins his life, yet his heart rages against the Lord” (Prov. 19: niv). This reminds us of Pharaoh in Exodus 5— 15, who saw his country ruined by God’s plagues and yet wouldn’t give in to the Lord. He raged against Jehovah and Moses and even pursued the Jews to take them back, only to see his best soldiers drowned in the Red Sea. God’s discipline helps a wise person obey the Word, but punishment only makes a foolish person more wicked. The same sun that melts the ice hardens the clay.

Because they “feed on foolishness” (Prov. 15:14), fools have no moral strength. “The lips [words] of the righteous feed many, but fools die for lack of wisdom” (10:21). They not only lack spiritual and intellectual nourishment, but they also lack refreshing water: “Understanding is a fountain of life to those who have it, but folly brings punishment to fools” (16: niv). The image of words and God’s law as “a fountain of life” is also found in 10:11; 13:14; 14:27; and 18:4. Follow Wisdom and you live on a fruitful oasis; follow Folly and your home is an arid desert.

The fool will “die without instruction” (5:23). “The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools” (3:35). They will hear God’s voice say, “Fool! This night your soul will be required of you” (Luke 12: nkjv), but then it will be too late.

The only fools who are “wise fools” are Christians, because they’re “fools for Christ’s sake” (1 Cor. 4:10). The world calls them fools, but in trusting Jesus Christ and committing their lives to Him, they’ve made the wisest decision anybody can make.

I read about a man who bore witness to his faith in a busy shopping area by wearing a sandwich board which read: I’M A FOOL FOR JESUS CHRIST. WHOSE FOOL ARE YOU?

A wise question! Be sure you can give a wise answer.

1. The Thieves The book of Proverbs opens with a stern warning against participating in get-rich-quick schemes that involve breaking the law (Prov. 1:10–19). These schemes are self-destructive and lead to bondage and possibly the grave. Beware of people who promise to make you wealthy without asking you to work or take any risks. “Wealth obtained by fraud dwindles, but the one who gathers by labor increases it” (13: nasb). “A man with an evil eye hastens after riches, and does not consider that poverty will come upon him” (28: nkjv). “Ill gotten treasures are of no value, but righteousness delivers from death” (10: niv).

Proverbs 21:5–7 points out three ways not to get wealth: following hasty schemes (v. 5), lying to people (v. 6), and robbing (v. 7). Most if not all get-rich-quick schemes involve some kind of deception and are nothing but scams. Unfortunately, even God’s people have been duped by scam artists, and more than one trusting soul has lost his or her life savings in a “sure thing” that turned out to be a sure loser. However, scams wouldn’t succeed if there weren’t people eager to get rich as quickly and easily as possible. But, as the old adage puts it, “There are no free lunches.” You take what you want from life, but eventually you pay for it.

God demands that we be honest in all our business dealings. Dishonesty is robbery. “Dishonest scales are an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is His delight” (11: nkjv; see 16:11; 20:10, 23). Moses commanded in the law that the people use honest weights and measures (Lev 19:35–36; Deut. 25:13–16); since Israel didn’t have an official Department of Standards to check on these things, the law wasn’t always obeyed. Amos accused the merchants in his day of “skimping the measure, boosting the price and cheating with dishonest scales” (Amos 8: niv); Micah asked, “Shall I count them pure with the wicked balances, and with the bag of deceitful weights?” (Mic. 6:11).

Another dishonest way to get wealth is to use your resources selfishly and disregard the needs of others. “A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed. People curse the man who hoards grain, but blessing crowns him who is willing to sell” (Prov. 11:25–26 niv). In times of drought and famine, a prosperous farmer could corner the grain market and become rich at the expense of his needy neighbors (see Neh. 5). We need to realize that everything we have comes from God (1 Cor. 4.7; John 3:27) and that we are but stewards of His wealth. While everyone expects that a businessman will make a profit, nobody wants him to “make a killing” and hurt others.

The biggest thieves of all are the lazy people who could work but won’t, the people who consume what others produce but produce nothing for others to use. The “sluggard” and the “slothful man” are mentioned at least seventeen times in Proverbs, and nothing good is said about them.

We need to recognize the fact that work is not a curse. God gave Adam work to do in the Garden even before sin entered the scene (Gen. 2:15). Before He began His public ministry, Jesus worked as a carpenter (Mark 6:3); the apostle Paul was a tentmaker (Acts 18:1–3). In that day, rabbis had vocations and supported themselves but didn’t accept payment from their students. When we engage in honorable employment we’re cooperating with God in caring for and using His creation, we’re helping to provide for others, and we’re growing in character. The work God has called us to do ought to nourish us (John 4:34), not tear us down; “the laborer is worthy of his hire” (Luke 10:7; 1 Tim. 5:18).

What are some of the marks of sluggards? For one thing, they love to sleep. “How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep?” (Prov. 6: niv). “As a door turns on its hinges, so does the lazy man on his bed” (26:14). Lots of motion—but no progress!

Sleep is a necessary element for a healthy life, but too much sleep is destructive. Wise people enjoy sleep that’s “sweet” (3:24) because they know they’re in God’s will, and the laborer’s sleep is “sweet” because he or she has worked hard (Eccl. 5:12), but the sleep of the sluggard is a mark of selfishness and laziness. “Laziness could run a competitive race for the most underrated sin,” write Ronald Sailler and David Wyrtzen in The Practice of Wisdom (Chicago: Moody, 1992). “Quietly it anesthetizes its victim into a lifeless stupor that ends in hunger, bondage and death” (82).

Put the sluggard to work and he’s more of a nuisance than a help. “As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to them that send him” (Prov. 10:26). Vinegar on the teeth and smoke in the eyes aren’t necessarily lethal, but they do irritate you; so does a sluggard who won’t get the job done. All he does is dream about the things he wants to enjoy, but he won’t work hard enough to earn them. “The sluggard’s craving will be the death of him, because his hands refuse to work” (21: niv). Dreams become nightmares if you don’t discipline yourself to work.

Another mark of the sluggard is a know-it-all attitude. “The lazy man is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who can answer sensibly” (26: nkjv). He lives in a fantasy world that prevents him from being a useful part of the real world (13:4; 21:25–26), but he can tell everybody else what to do. He’s never succeeded at anything in his own life, but he can tell others how to succeed.

Sluggards are good at making excuses. Either the weather is too cold for plowing (20:4), or it’s too dangerous to go out of the house (22:13; 26:13). “The way of the sluggard is blocked with thorns, but the path of the upright is a highway” (15: niv). The diligent man or woman can always find a reason to work, but the sluggard always has an excuse for not working. Evangelist Billy Sunday defined an excuse as “the skin of a reason stuffed with a lie,” and he was right. People who are good at making excuses are rarely good at doing anything else.

What finally happens to the sluggard? For one thing, unless others care for them, sluggards live in poverty and hunger. “Laziness casts one into a deep sleep, and an idle person will suffer hunger” (19: nkjv; see 10:4; 13:4). “If any would not work, neither should he eat” was the standard for the New Testament church (see 2 Thess. 3:6–15). The saints were happy to care for those who needed help and couldn’t care for themselves, but they had no time for freeloaders who lived by the sacrifices of others (Acts 2:44–47; 1 Tim. 5:3–16). The sluggard gets so lazy, he won’t feed himself even when the food is brought right to him (Prov. 19:24; 26:15)!

The sluggard loses his freedom and is enslaved to others. “The hand of the diligent will rule, but the lazy man will be put to forced labor” (12: nkjv). His debts accumulate to the point where he has to become a slave and work off what he owes (see Lev. 25:39–55; Deut. 15:12–18). The “easy life” of leisure turns out to be very costly as the sluggard exchanges his pillow for a plow and has to work off his debts the hard way.

The sluggard wastes God-given resources. “He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster” (Prov. 18:9). The lazy person may be “working” but not doing a very good job. Consequently, what’s done will either have to be thrown out or done over; this means it will cost twice as much.

The sluggard also wastes God-given opportunities. “He who gathers in summer is a wise son; he who sleeps in harvest is a son who causes shame” (10: nkjv). When the fields are ready for harvest, the reapers have to go to work, because the opportunity won’t be there forever (John 4:27–38). Diligent people are alert to their God-given opportunities and seek to make the most of them.

2. The Poor and Needy Had the nation of Israel obeyed God’s laws, their land would have remained fruitful and there would have been very little poverty or oppression of the poor. Every seventh day was a Sabbath, when the people rested and gave their land and farm animals rest. Every seventh year was a sabbatical year, when the land and workers were allowed to rest for the entire year. Every fiftieth year was a Year of Jubilee, when the land not only lay fallow but was returned to its original owners (Lev. 25:1–34). By this means, the Lord sought to restore the fertility of the land regularly and also prevent wealthy people from amassing huge farms and thus controlling the economy. According to 2 Chronicles 36:20–21, the nation didn’t obey these special laws for the land; God had to send the people to Babylon to give the land a rest.

What are the causes of poverty and need? Some people are poor simply because they won’t work. Work is available, but they prefer not to know about it. “Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth” (Prov. 10: niv). “Do not love sleep, lest you come to poverty” (20: nkjv). Or perhaps the enemy is pleasure: “He who loves pleasure will be a poor man; he who loves wine and oil will not be rich” (21: nkjv). Of course, the drunkard and the glutton are usually among the poor (23:21). Time, energy, money, and opportunity are wasted when leisure and pleasure control a person’s life.

Unfortunately, some people weren’t disciplined when young and taught the importance of work. “He who ignores discipline comes to poverty and shame, but whoever heeds correction is honored” (13: niv). Listening to orders and obeying them, paying attention to correction and reproof and not repeating mistakes, and respecting supervision are essential to success in any job. It’s worth noting that the prodigal’s first request was, “Father, give me!” But when he returned home, his desire was, “Make me one of your servants” (Luke 15:12, 19). He’d learned the value of his father’s discipline and the joy of hard work.

Some people are needy because they like to talk but never act. “In all labor there is profit, but idle chatter leads only to poverty” (Prov. 14: nkjv). This reminds us of our Lord’s parable about the two sons (Matt. 21:28–32).

People can become poor because of unwise financial dealings. Rush impulsively into a “good deal” and you may lose everything (Prov. 21:5), and beware of signing notes and assuming other people’s debts (6:1–5), especially strangers (11:15). “A man devoid of understanding shakes hands in a pledge, and becomes surety for his friend” (17: nkjv; see 22:26–27). The Jews were permitted to loan money to other Jews, but they were not to charge interest (Lev. 25:35–38; Ex. 22:25). They were permitted to charge interest to Gentiles (Deut. 23:20). However, they were warned against “going surety” and assuming debts larger than they could pay (Prov. 22:7).

There are also times when people become poor because of people and events over which they have no control. “A poor man’s field may produce abundant food, but injustice sweeps it away” (13: niv; see 18:23; 28:8). The prophets condemned wicked rulers and businessmen who crushed the poor and seized what little they had (Isa. 3:13–15; 10:1–4; Amos 2:6–7; 4:1; 5:11–12; 8:4–10). When there’s justice in the land and people fear the Lord, then the poor have a voice and protection from oppression.

Oppressing the poor is condemned by God. “He who oppresses the poor reproaches his Maker, but he who honors Him has mercy on the needy” (Prov. 14: nkjv). God doesn’t respect the rich more than He respects the poor. “The rich and the poor have this in common, the Lord is the maker of them all” (22: nkjv). The poor are made in the image of God, so the way we treat the poor is the way we treat God. Churches that show deference to the rich and ignore the poor have forgotten the royal law, “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself” (James 2:1–8).

How do we help the poor? To begin with, we ought not to look down on the poor because of their troubles, thinking we are better than they. “He who despises his neighbor sins; but he who has mercy on the poor, happy is he” (Prov. 14: niv). God has a special concern for the poor and needy, and in exploiting them we will find ourselves fighting the Lord. “Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate: for the Lord will plead their cause, and spoil [plunder] the soul of those that spoiled them” (22:22–23; see Deut. 15:7; 24:12).

Christian citizens ought to see to it that laws are written fairly and enforced justly. “The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern” (Prov. 29: niv). “A ruler who oppresses the poor is like a driving rain that leaves no crops” (28: niv). “Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy” (31: niv). “The king who judges the poor with truth, his throne will be established forever” (29:14). These are solemn statements indeed!

When we assist the poor, we are investing with the Lord, and He will see to it that we get our dividends at the right time. “He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord, and he will pay back what he has given” (19:17; see 11:24; 22:9). Before the church helps, however, the family has an obligation to assist their own needy (1 Tim. 5:4, 8). This leaves the church free to help those who have no one to share their burdens. If we shut our ears to the cries of the poor, God will shut His ears to our prayers (Prov. 21:13).

Having pastored three churches, I know some of the problems congregations can have with “con artists” who pose as “believers passing through town who need help.” In over forty years of ministry, I recall very few instances when strangers we helped wrote and thanked us when they got home or even repaid the gift. Certainly pastors and deacons must exercise caution and wisdom lest they do more harm than good, but we must also remember that we’re helping truly needy people for Jesus’ sake (Matt. 25:34–40). Bernard of Clairvaux, composer of “Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee,” gave wise counsel when he said, “Justice seeks out the merits of the case, but pity only regards the need.” If our Lord dealt with us today only on the basis of justice, where would we be?

3. The Diligent Diligent hands are directed by a diligent heart, and this means the discipline of the inner person. “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it springs the issues of life” (Prov. 4: nkjv). When we cultivate the inner person through prayer, meditation on the Word, and submission to the Lord, then we can experience the joys of a disciplined and diligent life. “The fruit of the Spirit is … self-control” (Gal. 5:22–23).

The reward for faithful hard work is—more work! “Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things” (Matt. 25: nkjv; see Luke 19:16–19). “Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before unknown men” (Prov. 22: nkjv).

One of the blessings of diligent labor is the joy of developing the kind of ability and character that others can trust, thereby fitting ourselves for the next responsibility God has prepared for us. Joseph was faithful in suffering and service, and this prepared him to rule Egypt. David faithfully cared for a few sheep, and God gave him an entire nation to shepherd (Ps. 78:70–72). Joshua was faithful as Moses’ helper and became Moses’ successor. “Wisdom is the principal thing.… Exalt her, and she will promote you” (Prov. 4:7–8 nkjv). “The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools” (3:35).

There’s no substitute for hard work. “Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth” (10: niv). “All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty” (14: niv). A new college graduate was asked if he was looking for work. He thought for a minute and then replied, “No, but I would like to have a job.” That seems to be the attitude of too many people today. Poet Robert Frost said, “The world is full of willing people: some willing to work and the rest willing to let them.”

Diligent people plan their work and work their plan. “The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty, but those of everyone who is hasty, surely to poverty” (21: nkjv). “Commit your works to the Lord, and your thoughts will be established” (16: nkjv; see 24:27). Thomas Edison said, “I never did anything worth doing by accident, nor did any of my inventions come by accident; they came by work.” More than one scientific breakthrough seemed to be discovered by accident, but there was still a great deal of hard work put into the project before the breakthrough came. Benjamin Franklin wrote in his Poor Richard’s Almanack, “Diligence is the mother of good luck, and God gives all things to industry.”

God blesses the labors of people who are honest. “Wealth gained by dishonesty will be diminished, but he who gathers by labor will increase” (13: nkjv). God expects “a just weight and a just balance” (16:11; see 20:10, 23). He also expects us to be honest in our words as we deal with people in our work. “Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who deal truthfully are His delight” (12: nkjv).

God blesses diligent people for their generosity. “There is one who scatters, yet increases more; and there is one who withholds more than is right, but it leads to poverty. The generous soul will be made rich, and he who waters will also be watered himself” (11:24–25 nkjv). “He who has a generous eye will be blessed, for he gives of his bread to the poor” (22: nkjv). Mark the difference between the diligent worker and the slothful person: “The desire of the lazy man kills him, for his hands refuse to labor. He covets greedily all day long, but the righteous gives and does not spare” (21:25–26 nkjv).

Diligent people are careful not to incur debts they can’t handle. “The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender” (22: nkjv). While a certain amount of honest debt is expected in today’s world, and everybody wants to achieve a good credit rating, we must be careful not to mistake presumption for faith. As the familiar adage puts it, “When your outgo exceeds your income, then your upkeep is your downfall.”

It’s a dangerous thing for people to become greedy for more and more money and to overextend themselves to acquire it. Each of us must discover at what financial level God wants us to live and be content with it. “Two things I ask of you, O Lord; do not refuse me before I die: Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ’Who is the Lord?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God” (30:7–9 niv).

I was a “depression baby” and the text my sister and two brothers and I learned to live by was “Use it up, wear it out; make it do, or do without.” Our parents taught us the difference between luxuries and necessities, and they didn’t try to impress the neighbors by purchasing things they didn’t need with money they couldn’t afford to spend. But that philosophy of life seems to have almost disappeared. Today if you talk about hard work, wise stewardship, the dangers of debt, and the importance of accountability before God, somebody is bound to smile (or laugh out loud) and tell you that times have changed.

Our heavenly Father knows that His children have needs that must be met (Matt. 6:32); in our modern society, this means we must have money to procure them. But our most important task isn’t to earn money; our most important task is to be the kind of people God can trust with money, people who are faithful in the way we use what God gives us. “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matt. 6: nkjv).

“The real measure of our wealth,” said John Henry Jowett, “is how much we’d be worth if we lost all our money.” Character is more important than position, and wisdom than possessions. God doesn’t glorify poverty, but neither does He magnify affluence. “There is one who makes himself rich, yet has nothing; and one who makes himself poor, yet has great riches” (Prov. 13: nkjv).

We must not think that the way of the wealthy is always easy, because there are also perils that accompany wealth and success in life. Wealthy people face problems that people of ordinary means don’t face, for an increase in wealth usually means an increase in decision-making, risk-taking, and possibly physical danger. “A man’s riches may ransom his life, but a poor man hears no threat” (13: niv). Kenneth Taylor aptly paraphrased this verse, “Being kidnapped and held for ransom never worries the poor man!” (). Thieves will break into a mansion but not a hovel.

One of the subtle dangers of wealth is a false sense of security. “He who trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like foliage” (11:28). After all, riches won’t save the sinner on the day of judgment (11:4); they can’t buy peace (15:16–17) or a good name (22:1). Riches have a tendency to fly away when we least expect it (23:4–5; 27:23–24).

If God blesses our diligent work with success, we must be careful not to become proud. “The wealth of the rich is their fortified city; they imagine it an unscalable wall” (18: niv). This reminds us of the rich farmer in our Lord’s parable (Luke 12:13–21). If successful people aren’t careful, they’ll start mistreating people (Prov. 14:21; 18:23) and becoming a law to themselves (28:11). “By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, and honor, and life” (22:4). Rich people have many friends (14:20; 19:4, 6), but will those friends remain faithful if the rich become poor (19:7)? Wealth is a wonderful servant for humble people but a terrible master for the proud.

The wrong attitude toward money can wreck friendships and even destroy a home. “He who is greedy for gain troubles his own house, but he who hates bribes will live” (15: nkjv). The man or woman who thinks only of getting rich will put money ahead of people and principles, and soon they start to neglect the family in their frantic pursuit of wealth. Expensive gifts to the children become substitutes for the gift of themselves; before long, values become twisted and the family falls apart. How many families have been destroyed because of the distribution of an estate! As a lawyer friend of mine used to say, ”Where there’s a will, there’s relatives.”

In connection with that problem, wealthy people have to worry about what their children will do with their wealth. “For riches are not forever, nor does a crown endure to all generations” (27: nkjv). Solomon discussed this problem in Ecclesiastes 2:18–26 and came to the conclusion that the best thing rich people can do is enjoy their wealth while they’re able and not worry about their heirs. Perhaps their will should read, “Being of sound mind and body, I spent it all!”

“Rich man, poor man, beggar man, thief.” God has a word for all of them. Are they willing to receive it?

1. The Thieves The book of Proverbs opens with a stern warning against participating in get-rich-quick schemes that involve breaking the law (Prov. 1:10–19). These schemes are self-destructive and lead to bondage and possibly the grave. Beware of people who promise to make you wealthy without asking you to work or take any risks. “Wealth obtained by fraud dwindles, but the one who gathers by labor increases it” (13: nasb). “A man with an evil eye hastens after riches, and does not consider that poverty will come upon him” (28: nkjv). “Ill gotten treasures are of no value, but righteousness delivers from death” (10: niv).

Proverbs 21:5–7 points out three ways not to get wealth: following hasty schemes (v. 5), lying to people (v. 6), and robbing (v. 7). Most if not all get-rich-quick schemes involve some kind of deception and are nothing but scams. Unfortunately, even God’s people have been duped by scam artists, and more than one trusting soul has lost his or her life savings in a “sure thing” that turned out to be a sure loser. However, scams wouldn’t succeed if there weren’t people eager to get rich as quickly and easily as possible. But, as the old adage puts it, “There are no free lunches.” You take what you want from life, but eventually you pay for it.

God demands that we be honest in all our business dealings. Dishonesty is robbery. “Dishonest scales are an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is His delight” (11: nkjv; see 16:11; 20:10, 23). Moses commanded in the law that the people use honest weights and measures (Lev 19:35–36; Deut. 25:13–16); since Israel didn’t have an official Department of Standards to check on these things, the law wasn’t always obeyed. Amos accused the merchants in his day of “skimping the measure, boosting the price and cheating with dishonest scales” (Amos 8: niv); Micah asked, “Shall I count them pure with the wicked balances, and with the bag of deceitful weights?” (Mic. 6:11).

Another dishonest way to get wealth is to use your resources selfishly and disregard the needs of others. “A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed. People curse the man who hoards grain, but blessing crowns him who is willing to sell” (Prov. 11:25–26 niv). In times of drought and famine, a prosperous farmer could corner the grain market and become rich at the expense of his needy neighbors (see Neh. 5). We need to realize that everything we have comes from God (1 Cor. 4.7; John 3:27) and that we are but stewards of His wealth. While everyone expects that a businessman will make a profit, nobody wants him to “make a killing” and hurt others.

The biggest thieves of all are the lazy people who could work but won’t, the people who consume what others produce but produce nothing for others to use. The “sluggard” and the “slothful man” are mentioned at least seventeen times in Proverbs, and nothing good is said about them.

We need to recognize the fact that work is not a curse. God gave Adam work to do in the Garden even before sin entered the scene (Gen. 2:15). Before He began His public ministry, Jesus worked as a carpenter (Mark 6:3); the apostle Paul was a tentmaker (Acts 18:1–3). In that day, rabbis had vocations and supported themselves but didn’t accept payment from their students. When we engage in honorable employment we’re cooperating with God in caring for and using His creation, we’re helping to provide for others, and we’re growing in character. The work God has called us to do ought to nourish us (John 4:34), not tear us down; “the laborer is worthy of his hire” (Luke 10:7; 1 Tim. 5:18).

What are some of the marks of sluggards? For one thing, they love to sleep. “How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep?” (Prov. 6: niv). “As a door turns on its hinges, so does the lazy man on his bed” (26:14). Lots of motion—but no progress!

Sleep is a necessary element for a healthy life, but too much sleep is destructive. Wise people enjoy sleep that’s “sweet” (3:24) because they know they’re in God’s will, and the laborer’s sleep is “sweet” because he or she has worked hard (Eccl. 5:12), but the sleep of the sluggard is a mark of selfishness and laziness. “Laziness could run a competitive race for the most underrated sin,” write Ronald Sailler and David Wyrtzen in The Practice of Wisdom (Chicago: Moody, 1992). “Quietly it anesthetizes its victim into a lifeless stupor that ends in hunger, bondage and death” (82).

Put the sluggard to work and he’s more of a nuisance than a help. “As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to them that send him” (Prov. 10:26). Vinegar on the teeth and smoke in the eyes aren’t necessarily lethal, but they do irritate you; so does a sluggard who won’t get the job done. All he does is dream about the things he wants to enjoy, but he won’t work hard enough to earn them. “The sluggard’s craving will be the death of him, because his hands refuse to work” (21: niv). Dreams become nightmares if you don’t discipline yourself to work.

Another mark of the sluggard is a know-it-all attitude. “The lazy man is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who can answer sensibly” (26: nkjv). He lives in a fantasy world that prevents him from being a useful part of the real world (13:4; 21:25–26), but he can tell everybody else what to do. He’s never succeeded at anything in his own life, but he can tell others how to succeed.

Sluggards are good at making excuses. Either the weather is too cold for plowing (20:4), or it’s too dangerous to go out of the house (22:13; 26:13). “The way of the sluggard is blocked with thorns, but the path of the upright is a highway” (15: niv). The diligent man or woman can always find a reason to work, but the sluggard always has an excuse for not working. Evangelist Billy Sunday defined an excuse as “the skin of a reason stuffed with a lie,” and he was right. People who are good at making excuses are rarely good at doing anything else.

What finally happens to the sluggard? For one thing, unless others care for them, sluggards live in poverty and hunger. “Laziness casts one into a deep sleep, and an idle person will suffer hunger” (19: nkjv; see 10:4; 13:4). “If any would not work, neither should he eat” was the standard for the New Testament church (see 2 Thess. 3:6–15). The saints were happy to care for those who needed help and couldn’t care for themselves, but they had no time for freeloaders who lived by the sacrifices of others (Acts 2:44–47; 1 Tim. 5:3–16). The sluggard gets so lazy, he won’t feed himself even when the food is brought right to him (Prov. 19:24; 26:15)!

The sluggard loses his freedom and is enslaved to others. “The hand of the diligent will rule, but the lazy man will be put to forced labor” (12: nkjv). His debts accumulate to the point where he has to become a slave and work off what he owes (see Lev. 25:39–55; Deut. 15:12–18). The “easy life” of leisure turns out to be very costly as the sluggard exchanges his pillow for a plow and has to work off his debts the hard way.

The sluggard wastes God-given resources. “He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster” (Prov. 18:9). The lazy person may be “working” but not doing a very good job. Consequently, what’s done will either have to be thrown out or done over; this means it will cost twice as much.

The sluggard also wastes God-given opportunities. “He who gathers in summer is a wise son; he who sleeps in harvest is a son who causes shame” (10: nkjv). When the fields are ready for harvest, the reapers have to go to work, because the opportunity won’t be there forever (John 4:27–38). Diligent people are alert to their God-given opportunities and seek to make the most of them.

2. The Poor and Needy Had the nation of Israel obeyed God’s laws, their land would have remained fruitful and there would have been very little poverty or oppression of the poor. Every seventh day was a Sabbath, when the people rested and gave their land and farm animals rest. Every seventh year was a sabbatical year, when the land and workers were allowed to rest for the entire year. Every fiftieth year was a Year of Jubilee, when the land not only lay fallow but was returned to its original owners (Lev. 25:1–34). By this means, the Lord sought to restore the fertility of the land regularly and also prevent wealthy people from amassing huge farms and thus controlling the economy. According to 2 Chronicles 36:20–21, the nation didn’t obey these special laws for the land; God had to send the people to Babylon to give the land a rest.

What are the causes of poverty and need? Some people are poor simply because they won’t work. Work is available, but they prefer not to know about it. “Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth” (Prov. 10: niv). “Do not love sleep, lest you come to poverty” (20: nkjv). Or perhaps the enemy is pleasure: “He who loves pleasure will be a poor man; he who loves wine and oil will not be rich” (21: nkjv). Of course, the drunkard and the glutton are usually among the poor (23:21). Time, energy, money, and opportunity are wasted when leisure and pleasure control a person’s life.

Unfortunately, some people weren’t disciplined when young and taught the importance of work. “He who ignores discipline comes to poverty and shame, but whoever heeds correction is honored” (13: niv). Listening to orders and obeying them, paying attention to correction and reproof and not repeating mistakes, and respecting supervision are essential to success in any job. It’s worth noting that the prodigal’s first request was, “Father, give me!” But when he returned home, his desire was, “Make me one of your servants” (Luke 15:12, 19). He’d learned the value of his father’s discipline and the joy of hard work.

Some people are needy because they like to talk but never act. “In all labor there is profit, but idle chatter leads only to poverty” (Prov. 14: nkjv). This reminds us of our Lord’s parable about the two sons (Matt. 21:28–32).

People can become poor because of unwise financial dealings. Rush impulsively into a “good deal” and you may lose everything (Prov. 21:5), and beware of signing notes and assuming other people’s debts (6:1–5), especially strangers (11:15). “A man devoid of understanding shakes hands in a pledge, and becomes surety for his friend” (17: nkjv; see 22:26–27). The Jews were permitted to loan money to other Jews, but they were not to charge interest (Lev. 25:35–38; Ex. 22:25). They were permitted to charge interest to Gentiles (Deut. 23:20). However, they were warned against “going surety” and assuming debts larger than they could pay (Prov. 22:7).

There are also times when people become poor because of people and events over which they have no control. “A poor man’s field may produce abundant food, but injustice sweeps it away” (13: niv; see 18:23; 28:8). The prophets condemned wicked rulers and businessmen who crushed the poor and seized what little they had (Isa. 3:13–15; 10:1–4; Amos 2:6–7; 4:1; 5:11–12; 8:4–10). When there’s justice in the land and people fear the Lord, then the poor have a voice and protection from oppression.

Oppressing the poor is condemned by God. “He who oppresses the poor reproaches his Maker, but he who honors Him has mercy on the needy” (Prov. 14: nkjv). God doesn’t respect the rich more than He respects the poor. “The rich and the poor have this in common, the Lord is the maker of them all” (22: nkjv). The poor are made in the image of God, so the way we treat the poor is the way we treat God. Churches that show deference to the rich and ignore the poor have forgotten the royal law, “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself” (James 2:1–8).

How do we help the poor? To begin with, we ought not to look down on the poor because of their troubles, thinking we are better than they. “He who despises his neighbor sins; but he who has mercy on the poor, happy is he” (Prov. 14: niv). God has a special concern for the poor and needy, and in exploiting them we will find ourselves fighting the Lord. “Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate: for the Lord will plead their cause, and spoil [plunder] the soul of those that spoiled them” (22:22–23; see Deut. 15:7; 24:12).

Christian citizens ought to see to it that laws are written fairly and enforced justly. “The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern” (Prov. 29: niv). “A ruler who oppresses the poor is like a driving rain that leaves no crops” (28: niv). “Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy” (31: niv). “The king who judges the poor with truth, his throne will be established forever” (29:14). These are solemn statements indeed!

When we assist the poor, we are investing with the Lord, and He will see to it that we get our dividends at the right time. “He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord, and he will pay back what he has given” (19:17; see 11:24; 22:9). Before the church helps, however, the family has an obligation to assist their own needy (1 Tim. 5:4, 8). This leaves the church free to help those who have no one to share their burdens. If we shut our ears to the cries of the poor, God will shut His ears to our prayers (Prov. 21:13).

Having pastored three churches, I know some of the problems congregations can have with “con artists” who pose as “believers passing through town who need help.” In over forty years of ministry, I recall very few instances when strangers we helped wrote and thanked us when they got home or even repaid the gift. Certainly pastors and deacons must exercise caution and wisdom lest they do more harm than good, but we must also remember that we’re helping truly needy people for Jesus’ sake (Matt. 25:34–40). Bernard of Clairvaux, composer of “Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee,” gave wise counsel when he said, “Justice seeks out the merits of the case, but pity only regards the need.” If our Lord dealt with us today only on the basis of justice, where would we be?

3. The Diligent Diligent hands are directed by a diligent heart, and this means the discipline of the inner person. “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it springs the issues of life” (Prov. 4: nkjv). When we cultivate the inner person through prayer, meditation on the Word, and submission to the Lord, then we can experience the joys of a disciplined and diligent life. “The fruit of the Spirit is … self-control” (Gal. 5:22–23).

The reward for faithful hard work is—more work! “Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things” (Matt. 25: nkjv; see Luke 19:16–19). “Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before unknown men” (Prov. 22: nkjv).

One of the blessings of diligent labor is the joy of developing the kind of ability and character that others can trust, thereby fitting ourselves for the next responsibility God has prepared for us. Joseph was faithful in suffering and service, and this prepared him to rule Egypt. David faithfully cared for a few sheep, and God gave him an entire nation to shepherd (Ps. 78:70–72). Joshua was faithful as Moses’ helper and became Moses’ successor. “Wisdom is the principal thing.… Exalt her, and she will promote you” (Prov. 4:7–8 nkjv). “The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools” (3:35).

There’s no substitute for hard work. “Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth” (10: niv). “All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty” (14: niv). A new college graduate was asked if he was looking for work. He thought for a minute and then replied, “No, but I would like to have a job.” That seems to be the attitude of too many people today. Poet Robert Frost said, “The world is full of willing people: some willing to work and the rest willing to let them.”

Diligent people plan their work and work their plan. “The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty, but those of everyone who is hasty, surely to poverty” (21: nkjv). “Commit your works to the Lord, and your thoughts will be established” (16: nkjv; see 24:27). Thomas Edison said, “I never did anything worth doing by accident, nor did any of my inventions come by accident; they came by work.” More than one scientific breakthrough seemed to be discovered by accident, but there was still a great deal of hard work put into the project before the breakthrough came. Benjamin Franklin wrote in his Poor Richard’s Almanack, “Diligence is the mother of good luck, and God gives all things to industry.”

God blesses the labors of people who are honest. “Wealth gained by dishonesty will be diminished, but he who gathers by labor will increase” (13: nkjv). God expects “a just weight and a just balance” (16:11; see 20:10, 23). He also expects us to be honest in our words as we deal with people in our work. “Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who deal truthfully are His delight” (12: nkjv).

God blesses diligent people for their generosity. “There is one who scatters, yet increases more; and there is one who withholds more than is right, but it leads to poverty. The generous soul will be made rich, and he who waters will also be watered himself” (11:24–25 nkjv). “He who has a generous eye will be blessed, for he gives of his bread to the poor” (22: nkjv). Mark the difference between the diligent worker and the slothful person: “The desire of the lazy man kills him, for his hands refuse to labor. He covets greedily all day long, but the righteous gives and does not spare” (21:25–26 nkjv).

Diligent people are careful not to incur debts they can’t handle. “The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender” (22: nkjv). While a certain amount of honest debt is expected in today’s world, and everybody wants to achieve a good credit rating, we must be careful not to mistake presumption for faith. As the familiar adage puts it, “When your outgo exceeds your income, then your upkeep is your downfall.”

It’s a dangerous thing for people to become greedy for more and more money and to overextend themselves to acquire it. Each of us must discover at what financial level God wants us to live and be content with it. “Two things I ask of you, O Lord; do not refuse me before I die: Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ’Who is the Lord?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God” (30:7–9 niv).

I was a “depression baby” and the text my sister and two brothers and I learned to live by was “Use it up, wear it out; make it do, or do without.” Our parents taught us the difference between luxuries and necessities, and they didn’t try to impress the neighbors by purchasing things they didn’t need with money they couldn’t afford to spend. But that philosophy of life seems to have almost disappeared. Today if you talk about hard work, wise stewardship, the dangers of debt, and the importance of accountability before God, somebody is bound to smile (or laugh out loud) and tell you that times have changed.

Our heavenly Father knows that His children have needs that must be met (Matt. 6:32); in our modern society, this means we must have money to procure them. But our most important task isn’t to earn money; our most important task is to be the kind of people God can trust with money, people who are faithful in the way we use what God gives us. “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matt. 6: nkjv).

“The real measure of our wealth,” said John Henry Jowett, “is how much we’d be worth if we lost all our money.” Character is more important than position, and wisdom than possessions. God doesn’t glorify poverty, but neither does He magnify affluence. “There is one who makes himself rich, yet has nothing; and one who makes himself poor, yet has great riches” (Prov. 13: nkjv).

We must not think that the way of the wealthy is always easy, because there are also perils that accompany wealth and success in life. Wealthy people face problems that people of ordinary means don’t face, for an increase in wealth usually means an increase in decision-making, risk-taking, and possibly physical danger. “A man’s riches may ransom his life, but a poor man hears no threat” (13: niv). Kenneth Taylor aptly paraphrased this verse, “Being kidnapped and held for ransom never worries the poor man!” (). Thieves will break into a mansion but not a hovel.

One of the subtle dangers of wealth is a false sense of security. “He who trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like foliage” (11:28). After all, riches won’t save the sinner on the day of judgment (11:4); they can’t buy peace (15:16–17) or a good name (22:1). Riches have a tendency to fly away when we least expect it (23:4–5; 27:23–24).

If God blesses our diligent work with success, we must be careful not to become proud. “The wealth of the rich is their fortified city; they imagine it an unscalable wall” (18: niv). This reminds us of the rich farmer in our Lord’s parable (Luke 12:13–21). If successful people aren’t careful, they’ll start mistreating people (Prov. 14:21; 18:23) and becoming a law to themselves (28:11). “By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, and honor, and life” (22:4). Rich people have many friends (14:20; 19:4, 6), but will those friends remain faithful if the rich become poor (19:7)? Wealth is a wonderful servant for humble people but a terrible master for the proud.

The wrong attitude toward money can wreck friendships and even destroy a home. “He who is greedy for gain troubles his own house, but he who hates bribes will live” (15: nkjv). The man or woman who thinks only of getting rich will put money ahead of people and principles, and soon they start to neglect the family in their frantic pursuit of wealth. Expensive gifts to the children become substitutes for the gift of themselves; before long, values become twisted and the family falls apart. How many families have been destroyed because of the distribution of an estate! As a lawyer friend of mine used to say, ”Where there’s a will, there’s relatives.”

In connection with that problem, wealthy people have to worry about what their children will do with their wealth. “For riches are not forever, nor does a crown endure to all generations” (27: nkjv). Solomon discussed this problem in Ecclesiastes 2:18–26 and came to the conclusion that the best thing rich people can do is enjoy their wealth while they’re able and not worry about their heirs. Perhaps their will should read, “Being of sound mind and body, I spent it all!”

“Rich man, poor man, beggar man, thief.” God has a word for all of them. Are they willing to receive it?

1. Husbands and Wives According to Scripture, God established three human institutions in the world: marriage and the home (Gen. 2:18–25), human government (Gen. 9:1–6; Rom. 13), and the local church (Acts 2); of the three, the basic institution is the home. As goes the home, so go the church and the nation. The biblical views of marriage and the family have been so attacked and ridiculed in modern society that it does us good to review what the Creator of the home has to say about His wonderful gift of marriage.

Marriage. King Solomon had seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines (1 Kings 11:3), and in so doing he disobeyed God’s law—by multiplying wives (Deut. 17:17), and by taking these wives from pagan nations that didn’t worship Jehovah, the true and Living God (Ex. 34:16; Deut. 7:1–3). Eventually, these women won Solomon over to their gods, and the Lord had to discipline Solomon for his sins (1 Kings 11:4ff.).

In contrast to this, the book of Proverbs magnifies the kind of marriage that God first established in Eden: one man married to one woman for one lifetime (Gen. 2:18–25; Matt. 19:19). The husband is to love his wife and be faithful to her (Prov. 5). The wife is not to forsake her husband and seek her love elsewhere (2:17). They are to enjoy one another and grow in their love for each other and for the Lord.

In ancient days, marriages were arranged by the parents. Our modern “system” of two people falling in love and getting married would be foreign to their thinking and their culture. In that day, a man and woman got married and then learned to love each other; they expected to stay together for life. Today, a man and woman learn to love each other, then they get married, and everybody hopes they’ll stay together long enough to raise the children.

The husband. A man can inherit houses and lands, but “a prudent wife is from the Lord” (19: niv). “He who finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor from the Lord” (18: nkjv). Blessed is that marriage in which the husband acknowledges God’s goodness to him in giving him his wife! When a husband takes her for granted, he grieves both her and the Lord. He should love her and be loyal to her all the days of his life.

The book of Proverbs places on the husband the responsibility of guiding the home according to the wisdom of God, but as we shall see in chapter 31, the wife also plays an important part. Where two people love the Lord and love each other, God can guide and bless them. It’s not a “fifty-fifty” arrangement, because “two become one.” Rather, it’s a 100-percent devotion to each other and to the Lord.

The wife. Every wife will either build the home or tear it down (14:1). If she walks with the Lord, she will be a builder; if she disobeys God’s wisdom, she will be a destroyer. She must be faithful to her husband, for “A wife of noble character is her husband’s crown, but a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones” (12: niv). A crown or a cancer: What a choice! And beauty isn’t the only thing he should look for; it’s also important that a wife have wisdom and discretion (11:22).

Husbands occasionally create problems for their wives, but Solomon doesn’t mention any of them. However, he does name some of the problems a wife might create for her husband. “The contentions of a wife are a continual dripping” (19:13). A wife who quarrels constantly creates the kind of atmosphere in a home that would tempt her husband to look for attention elsewhere. “Better to live on the corner of a roof than share a house with a quarrelsome wife” (21: niv; see 21:19; 25:24; 27:15–16). But let’s be fair and admit that the situation might be reversed and the husband be the culprit. God hates family discord (6:19), and we should do everything we can to practice in the home the kind of love that produces unity and harmony.

The finest description of the ideal wife is found in 31:10–31. This poem is an acrostic with the initial words of the twenty-two verses all beginning with successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet (see Ps. 119). This acrostic form was a device to help people commit the passage to memory. Perhaps Jewish parents instructed their sons and daughters to memorize this poem and use it as a guide for their lives and in their homes. What kind of wife is described here?

First of all, she is a woman of character (Prov. 31:10–12). Just as wisdom is more important than wealth (3:15), so character is more important than jewels. Peter gave this same counsel to Christian wives in his day (1 Peter 3:1–6). Marriage doesn’t change a person’s character. If there are character weaknesses in either the husband or the wife, marriage will only reveal and accentuate them. A husband or wife who hopes to change his or her spouse after the honeymoon is destined for disappointment.

If the husband and wife trust each other, there will be harmony in the home. Her husband has no fears or suspicions as she is busy about her work, because he knows she has character and will do nothing but good for him and their children. If brides and grooms take seriously the vows of love and loyalty they repeat to each other and to God at the altar, they will have a wall of confidence around their marriage that will keep out every enemy.

She’s a woman who isn’t afraid to work (Prov. 31:13–22, 24). Whether it’s going to the market for food (vv. 14–15), buying real estate (v. 16a), or planting a vineyard (v. 16b), she’s up early and busy with her chores. You get the impression that the night before she makes a list of “things to do” and doesn’t waste a minute in idleness. “She sets about her work vigorously” (v. 17 niv), whether spinning thread, helping the poor, or providing a wardrobe for her children. She prepares the very best for her family, and they have no reason to be ashamed.

She is a generous person (v. 20). As she ministers to her family, she keeps her eyes open for people who have needs, and she does what she can to help them. Happiness comes to those who have mercy on the poor (14:21), and nothing given to the Lord for them will ever be lost (19:17).

This wife makes it easy for her husband to do his work (v. 23). The city gate was the place where civic business was transacted, so her husband was one of the elders in the community (Ruth 4). While no such restrictions exist today, it would have been unthinkable in that day for a woman to sit on the “city council.” But this loyal wife didn’t want to take his place; she just did her work and made it easier for him to do his.

A husband and wife should complement each other as they each seek to fulfill their roles in the will of God. Wise is that husband who recognizes his wife’s strengths and lets her compensate for his weaknesses. Doing this isn’t a sign of personal failure, nor is it rebellion against the divine order (1 Cor. 11:3). Both leadership and submission in a home are evidences of love and obedience, and the one doesn’t nullify the other.

She is confident as she faces the future (Prov. 31:25). In the Bible, to be “clothed” with something means that it is a part of your life and reveals itself in your character and conduct. (See 1 Tim. 2:9–10; Col. 3:8–14.) This wife can laugh at future problems and troubles because she has strength of character and she’s prepared for emergencies. She is a woman of faith who knows that God is with her and her family.

This wife is a capable teacher of wisdom (Prov. 31:26). She certainly teaches her children the wisdom of God, especially the daughters, preparing them for the time when they will have homes of their own. But it’s likely that she also shares her insights with her husband, and he’s wise enough to listen. Remember that earlier in the book, Solomon used a beautiful woman to personify wisdom; this godly wife does the same.

She is an attentive overseer of the household (v. 27). She isn’t idle, and nothing in the household escapes her notice, whether it’s food, finances, clothing, or school lessons. Managing the household is an exacting job, and she does her work faithfully day and night. Any husband and father who thinks that his wife “has it easy” should take her responsibilities for a week or two and discover how wrong he is!

She’s a woman worthy of praise (vv. 28–29). It’s a wonderful thing when husband and children can praise wife and mother for her faithful ministry in the home. The suggestion here is that this praise was expressed regularly and spontaneously and not just on special occasions. (They didn’t have Mother’s Day in Israel. Every day should be Mother’s Day and Father’s Day!) It’s tragic when the members of a family take each other for granted and fail to show sincere appreciation. The father ought to set the example for the children and always thank his wife for what she does for the family. He should see in her the woman who surpasses them all!

The secret of her life is that she fears the Lord (v. 30). It’s wonderful if a wife has charm and beauty; the possession of these qualities is not a sin. But the woman who walks with the Lord and seeks to please Him has a beauty that never fades (1 Peter 3:1–6). The man who has a wife who daily reads the Word, meditates, prays, and seeks to obey God’s will has a treasure that is indeed beyond the price of rubies.

Finally, her life is a testimony to others (Prov. 31:31). Her husband and children acknowledge her value and praise her, but so do the other people in the community. Even the leaders in the city gate recognize her good works and honor her. “A kindhearted woman gains respect” (11: niv). God sees to it that the woman who faithfully serves Him and her family is properly honored, and certainly she will have even greater honor when she stands before her Lord.

This beautiful tribute to the godly wife and mother tells every Christian woman what she can become if she follows the Lord. It also describes for every Christian man the kind of wife for whom he ought to be looking and praying. But it also reminds the prospective husband that he’d better be walking with the Lord and growing in his spiritual life so that he will be worthy of such a wife if and when God brings her to him.

2. Parents and Children In ancient Israel, a Jewish husband and wife would no more consider aborting a child than they would consider killing each other. Their philosophy was “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward” (Ps. 127:3). To them, marriage was a “bank” into which God dropped precious children who were His investment for the future, and it was up to the father and mother to raise those children in the fear of God. Children were rewards not punishments, opportunities not obstacles. They aren’t burdens; they’re investments that produce dividends.

Along with the basic necessities of physical life, what should the godly home provide for the children?

Example. “The righteous man leads a blameless life; blessed are his children after him” (Prov. 20: niv), and we’ve already considered the influence of the godly mother’s example (31:28). British statesman Edmund Burke called example “the school of mankind,” and its first lessons are learned in the home even before the children can speak. Benjamin Franklin said that example was “the best sermon,” which suggests that the way parents act in the home teaches their children more about God than what the children hear in Sunday school and church.

When parents walk with God, they give their children a heritage that will enrich them throughout their lives. Godliness puts beauty within the home and protection around the home. “He who fears the Lord has a secure fortress, and for his children it will be a refuge” (14: niv). The world wants to penetrate that fortress and kidnap our children and grandchildren, but godly parents keep the walls strong and the spiritual weapons ready.

Instruction. “My son, hear the instruction of your father, and do not forsake the law of your mother” (1: nkjv; 6:20). The book of Proverbs is primarily the record of a father’s instructions to his children, instructions that they were to hear and heed all their lives. “Cease listening to instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge” (19: nkjv). “My son, keep my words, and treasure my commands within you” (7: nkjv).

The man who deliberately walked into the trap of the adulteress did so because he ignored what his parents had taught him. “How I have hated instruction, and my heart despised correction! I have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined my ear to those who instructed me!” (5:12–13). As we get older, it’s remarkable how much more intelligent our parents and teachers become!

The Bible is the basic textbook in the home. It was once the basic textbook in the educational system, but even if that were still true, the Bible in the school can’t replace the Bible in the home. I note that many modern parents sacrifice time and money to help their children excel in music, sports, and social activities; I trust they’re even more concerned that their children excel in knowing and obeying the Word of God.

Every parent should pray and work so that their children will have spiritual wisdom when the time comes for them to leave the home. “A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish son is the grief of his mother” (10: nkjv; see 15:20; 23:15–16, 24–25; 27:11; 29:3). “A wise son heeds his father’s instruction, but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke” (13: nkjv). In my pastoral ministry, I have often had to share the grief of parents and grandparents whose children and grandchildren turned their backs on the Word of God and the godly example given in the home. In some instances, the children, like the Prodigal Son, “came to themselves” and returned to the Lord, but they brought with them memories and scars that would torture them for the rest of their lives.

Loving discipline. Many modern educators and parents revolt against the biblical teaching about discipline. They tell us that “Spare the rod and spoil the child” is nothing but brutal prehistoric pedagogy that cripples the child for life. But nowhere does the Bible teach blind brutality when it comes to disciplining children. The emphasis is on love, because this is the way God disciplines His own children. “My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor detest His correction; for whom the Lord loves He corrects, just as a father the son in whom he delights” (3:11–12 nkjv; 13:24). Do we know more about raising children than God does?

Discipline has to do with correcting character faults in a child while there is still time to do it (22:15). Better the child is corrected by a parent than by a law enforcement officer in a correctional institution. “Chasten your son while there is hope, and do not set your heart on his destruction” (19: nkjv). I prefer the New International Version translation of the second clause: “do not be a willing party to his death.” A vote against discipline is a vote in favor of premature death. (See 23:13–14.)

What a tragedy when children are left to themselves, not knowing where or what the boundaries are and what the consequences of rebellion will be! I may be wrong, but I have a suspicion that many people who can’t discipline their children have a hard time disciplining themselves. If you want to enjoy your children all your life, start by lovingly disciplining them early. “The rod and rebuke give wisdom, but a child left to himself brings shame to his mother” (29: nkjv). “Correct your son, and he will give you rest; yes, he will give delight to your soul” (29: nkjv).

Proverbs 22: is a religious “rabbit’s foot” that many sorrowing parents and grandparents desperately resort to when children stray from the Lord: “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” They interpret this to mean, “they will stray away for a time but then come back,” but that isn’t what it says. It says that if they’re raised in the wisdom and way of the Lord, they won’t stray away at all. Even in old age, they will follow the wisdom of God.

Certainly it’s true that children raised in the nurture and admonition of the Lord can stray from God, but they can never get away from the prayers of their parents or the seed that’s been planted in their hearts. Parents should never despair but keep on praying and trusting God to bring wayward children to their senses. But that isn’t what Proverbs 22: is speaking about. Like the other proverbs, it’s not making an ironclad guarantee but is laying down a general principle.

In the autumn of 1993, we replaced a pin oak that a tornado had ripped out of our front yard, and the nursery people attached three guy-wires to the trunk of the new tree to make sure it would grow straight. They also taped metal rods to two limbs that were growing down instead of straight out. If you don’t do these things while the tree is young and pliable, you’ll never be able to do it at all. “As the twig is bent, so is the tree inclined,” says an old proverb, a paraphrase of Proverbs 22:6.

God has ordained that parents are older and more experienced than their children and should therefore lovingly guide their children and prepare them for adult life. If any of their children end up sluggards (10:5), gluttons (28:7), fornicators (29:3), rebels (19:26; 20:20; 30:11–12, 17; see Deut. 21:18–21), and robbers (28:24), it should be in spite of the parents’ training and not because of it.

3. Friends and Neighbors G. K. Chesterton said that God commanded us to love both our enemies and our neighbors because usually they were the same people. My wife and I have always been blessed with wonderful neighbors whom we consider friends; that seems to be the biblical ideal, for the Hebrew word (ra’a) can mean “friend” or “neighbor.” In this survey, we’ll include both meanings; for what’s true of friends ought to be true of neighbors.

The basis for friendship. Proverbs makes it clear that true friendship is based on love, because only love will endure the tests that friends experience as they go through life together. “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity” (17: nkjv). It’s possible to have many companions and no real friends. “A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother” (18: niv). Friendship is something that has to be cultivated, and its roots must go deep.

God’s people must be especially careful in choosing their friends. “The righteous should choose his friends carefully, for the way of the wicked leads them astray” (12: nkjv). “He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed” (13:20). Friendships that are based on money (6:1–5; 14:20; 19:4, 6–7) or sin (16:29–30; 1:10–19) are destined to be disappointing. So are friendships with people who have bad tempers (22:24–25), who speak foolishly (14:7), who rebel against authority (24:21–22 niv), or who are dishonest (29:27). Believers need to heed Psalm 1:1–2 and 2 Corinthians 6:14–18.

The qualities of true friendship. I’ve already mentioned love, and true love will produce loyalty. “A friend loves at all times” (Prov. 17: niv) and “there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother” (18: niv). Sometimes our friends do more for us in an emergency than our relatives do! By the way, this loyalty ought to extend to our parents’ friends. “Do not forsake your friend and the friend of your father” (27: niv). Long-time family friends can be a blessing from one generation to the next.

True friends know how to keep a confidence. “If you argue your case with a neighbor, do not betray another man’s confidence, or he who hears it may shame you and you will never lose your bad reputation” (25:9–10 niv). If you have a disagreement with somebody, don’t bring another person into the discussion by betraying confidence, because you’ll end up losing both your reputation (“You can’t trust him with anything confidential!”) and your friend who trusted you with his private thoughts. “A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a secret” (11: niv; see 20:19). If we aren’t careful, gossip can ruin a friendship (16:28), so the wise thing to do is to cover offenses with love (17:9; 1 Peter 4:8).

This leads to the next important quality for true friends and good neighbors: the ability to control the tongue. “With his mouth the godless destroys his neighbor, but through knowledge the righteous escape” (Prov. 11: niv). Don’t believe the first thing you hear about a matter, because it may be wrong (18:17); remember that “a man of understanding holds his tongue” (11: niv). If your neighbor or friend speaks falsely of you, talk to him about it privately, but don’t seek to avenge yourself by lying about him (24:28–29; 25:18). And beware of people who cause trouble and then say, “I was only joking” (26:18–19).

Friends and neighbors must be lovingly honest with one another. “Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful” (27:6). True friendship in the Lord can’t be built on deception; even if “the truth hurts,” it can never harm if it’s given in love. Better that we “speak the truth in love” (Eph. 4:15), because the Spirit can use truth and love to build character, while the devil uses lies and flattery to tear things down (Prov. 29:5). “He who rebukes a man will find more favor afterward than he who flatters with the tongue” (28:23). It has well been said that flattery is manipulation, not communication; what honest person would want to manipulate a friend?

We must never take our friends for granted and think that they will immediately forgive our offenses, even though forgiveness is the right thing for Christians. “A brother offended is harder to win than a strong city, and contentions are like the bars of a castle” (18:19). It’s strange but true that some of God’s people will forgive offenses from unbelievers that they would never forgive if a Christian friend committed them. It takes a diamond to cut a diamond, and some Christians have a way of putting up defenses that even the church can’t break through. Matthew 18:15–35 gives us the steps to take when such things happen, and our Lord warns us that an unforgiving spirit only puts us into prison!

Faithful friends and neighbors counsel and encourage each other. “Ointment and perfume delight the heart, and the sweetness of a man’s friend gives delight by hearty counsel” (Prov. 27: nkjv). The images of oil and perfume are fine when the discussion is pleasant, but what’s it like when friends disagree? “As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend” (27:17). If we’re not disagreeable, we usually learn more by disagreeing than by giving in and refusing to say what we really think, “speaking the truth in love” (Eph. 4:15).

Friends and neighbors must exercise tact and be sensitive to each other’s feelings. If we spend too much time together, we may wear out our welcome. “Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house, lest he become weary of you and hate you” (Prov. 25: nkjv). I’ve known people who spent so much time with each other that they eventually destroyed their friendship. If we’re going to grow, we need space; space comes from privacy and solitude. Even husbands and wives must respect each other’s privacy and not be constantly together if their love is to mature.

“He who blesses his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it will be counted a curse to him” (27: nkjv). Beware the “friend” who loudly and frequently praises you and tells you what a good friend you are, because true friendship doesn’t depend on such antics—especially if he wakes you up to do it! Love is sensitive to other people’s feelings and needs, and true friends try to say the right thing at the right time in the right way (25:20).

A happy family, encouraging friends, and good neighbors: What blessings these are from the Lord! Let’s be sure we do our part to make these blessings a reality in our lives and the lives of others.

1. Husbands and Wives According to Scripture, God established three human institutions in the world: marriage and the home (Gen. 2:18–25), human government (Gen. 9:1–6; Rom. 13), and the local church (Acts 2); of the three, the basic institution is the home. As goes the home, so go the church and the nation. The biblical views of marriage and the family have been so attacked and ridiculed in modern society that it does us good to review what the Creator of the home has to say about His wonderful gift of marriage.

Marriage. King Solomon had seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines (1 Kings 11:3), and in so doing he disobeyed God’s law—by multiplying wives (Deut. 17:17), and by taking these wives from pagan nations that didn’t worship Jehovah, the true and Living God (Ex. 34:16; Deut. 7:1–3). Eventually, these women won Solomon over to their gods, and the Lord had to discipline Solomon for his sins (1 Kings 11:4ff.).

In contrast to this, the book of Proverbs magnifies the kind of marriage that God first established in Eden: one man married to one woman for one lifetime (Gen. 2:18–25; Matt. 19:19). The husband is to love his wife and be faithful to her (Prov. 5). The wife is not to forsake her husband and seek her love elsewhere (2:17). They are to enjoy one another and grow in their love for each other and for the Lord.

In ancient days, marriages were arranged by the parents. Our modern “system” of two people falling in love and getting married would be foreign to their thinking and their culture. In that day, a man and woman got married and then learned to love each other; they expected to stay together for life. Today, a man and woman learn to love each other, then they get married, and everybody hopes they’ll stay together long enough to raise the children.

The husband. A man can inherit houses and lands, but “a prudent wife is from the Lord” (19: niv). “He who finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor from the Lord” (18: nkjv). Blessed is that marriage in which the husband acknowledges God’s goodness to him in giving him his wife! When a husband takes her for granted, he grieves both her and the Lord. He should love her and be loyal to her all the days of his life.

The book of Proverbs places on the husband the responsibility of guiding the home according to the wisdom of God, but as we shall see in chapter 31, the wife also plays an important part. Where two people love the Lord and love each other, God can guide and bless them. It’s not a “fifty-fifty” arrangement, because “two become one.” Rather, it’s a 100-percent devotion to each other and to the Lord.

The wife. Every wife will either build the home or tear it down (14:1). If she walks with the Lord, she will be a builder; if she disobeys God’s wisdom, she will be a destroyer. She must be faithful to her husband, for “A wife of noble character is her husband’s crown, but a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones” (12: niv). A crown or a cancer: What a choice! And beauty isn’t the only thing he should look for; it’s also important that a wife have wisdom and discretion (11:22).

Husbands occasionally create problems for their wives, but Solomon doesn’t mention any of them. However, he does name some of the problems a wife might create for her husband. “The contentions of a wife are a continual dripping” (19:13). A wife who quarrels constantly creates the kind of atmosphere in a home that would tempt her husband to look for attention elsewhere. “Better to live on the corner of a roof than share a house with a quarrelsome wife” (21: niv; see 21:19; 25:24; 27:15–16). But let’s be fair and admit that the situation might be reversed and the husband be the culprit. God hates family discord (6:19), and we should do everything we can to practice in the home the kind of love that produces unity and harmony.

The finest description of the ideal wife is found in 31:10–31. This poem is an acrostic with the initial words of the twenty-two verses all beginning with successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet (see Ps. 119). This acrostic form was a device to help people commit the passage to memory. Perhaps Jewish parents instructed their sons and daughters to memorize this poem and use it as a guide for their lives and in their homes. What kind of wife is described here?

First of all, she is a woman of character (Prov. 31:10–12). Just as wisdom is more important than wealth (3:15), so character is more important than jewels. Peter gave this same counsel to Christian wives in his day (1 Peter 3:1–6). Marriage doesn’t change a person’s character. If there are character weaknesses in either the husband or the wife, marriage will only reveal and accentuate them. A husband or wife who hopes to change his or her spouse after the honeymoon is destined for disappointment.

If the husband and wife trust each other, there will be harmony in the home. Her husband has no fears or suspicions as she is busy about her work, because he knows she has character and will do nothing but good for him and their children. If brides and grooms take seriously the vows of love and loyalty they repeat to each other and to God at the altar, they will have a wall of confidence around their marriage that will keep out every enemy.

She’s a woman who isn’t afraid to work (Prov. 31:13–22, 24). Whether it’s going to the market for food (vv. 14–15), buying real estate (v. 16a), or planting a vineyard (v. 16b), she’s up early and busy with her chores. You get the impression that the night before she makes a list of “things to do” and doesn’t waste a minute in idleness. “She sets about her work vigorously” (v. 17 niv), whether spinning thread, helping the poor, or providing a wardrobe for her children. She prepares the very best for her family, and they have no reason to be ashamed.

She is a generous person (v. 20). As she ministers to her family, she keeps her eyes open for people who have needs, and she does what she can to help them. Happiness comes to those who have mercy on the poor (14:21), and nothing given to the Lord for them will ever be lost (19:17).

This wife makes it easy for her husband to do his work (v. 23). The city gate was the place where civic business was transacted, so her husband was one of the elders in the community (Ruth 4). While no such restrictions exist today, it would have been unthinkable in that day for a woman to sit on the “city council.” But this loyal wife didn’t want to take his place; she just did her work and made it easier for him to do his.

A husband and wife should complement each other as they each seek to fulfill their roles in the will of God. Wise is that husband who recognizes his wife’s strengths and lets her compensate for his weaknesses. Doing this isn’t a sign of personal failure, nor is it rebellion against the divine order (1 Cor. 11:3). Both leadership and submission in a home are evidences of love and obedience, and the one doesn’t nullify the other.

She is confident as she faces the future (Prov. 31:25). In the Bible, to be “clothed” with something means that it is a part of your life and reveals itself in your character and conduct. (See 1 Tim. 2:9–10; Col. 3:8–14.) This wife can laugh at future problems and troubles because she has strength of character and she’s prepared for emergencies. She is a woman of faith who knows that God is with her and her family.

This wife is a capable teacher of wisdom (Prov. 31:26). She certainly teaches her children the wisdom of God, especially the daughters, preparing them for the time when they will have homes of their own. But it’s likely that she also shares her insights with her husband, and he’s wise enough to listen. Remember that earlier in the book, Solomon used a beautiful woman to personify wisdom; this godly wife does the same.

She is an attentive overseer of the household (v. 27). She isn’t idle, and nothing in the household escapes her notice, whether it’s food, finances, clothing, or school lessons. Managing the household is an exacting job, and she does her work faithfully day and night. Any husband and father who thinks that his wife “has it easy” should take her responsibilities for a week or two and discover how wrong he is!

She’s a woman worthy of praise (vv. 28–29). It’s a wonderful thing when husband and children can praise wife and mother for her faithful ministry in the home. The suggestion here is that this praise was expressed regularly and spontaneously and not just on special occasions. (They didn’t have Mother’s Day in Israel. Every day should be Mother’s Day and Father’s Day!) It’s tragic when the members of a family take each other for granted and fail to show sincere appreciation. The father ought to set the example for the children and always thank his wife for what she does for the family. He should see in her the woman who surpasses them all!

The secret of her life is that she fears the Lord (v. 30). It’s wonderful if a wife has charm and beauty; the possession of these qualities is not a sin. But the woman who walks with the Lord and seeks to please Him has a beauty that never fades (1 Peter 3:1–6). The man who has a wife who daily reads the Word, meditates, prays, and seeks to obey God’s will has a treasure that is indeed beyond the price of rubies.

Finally, her life is a testimony to others (Prov. 31:31). Her husband and children acknowledge her value and praise her, but so do the other people in the community. Even the leaders in the city gate recognize her good works and honor her. “A kindhearted woman gains respect” (11: niv). God sees to it that the woman who faithfully serves Him and her family is properly honored, and certainly she will have even greater honor when she stands before her Lord.

This beautiful tribute to the godly wife and mother tells every Christian woman what she can become if she follows the Lord. It also describes for every Christian man the kind of wife for whom he ought to be looking and praying. But it also reminds the prospective husband that he’d better be walking with the Lord and growing in his spiritual life so that he will be worthy of such a wife if and when God brings her to him.

2. Parents and Children In ancient Israel, a Jewish husband and wife would no more consider aborting a child than they would consider killing each other. Their philosophy was “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward” (Ps. 127:3). To them, marriage was a “bank” into which God dropped precious children who were His investment for the future, and it was up to the father and mother to raise those children in the fear of God. Children were rewards not punishments, opportunities not obstacles. They aren’t burdens; they’re investments that produce dividends.

Along with the basic necessities of physical life, what should the godly home provide for the children?

Example. “The righteous man leads a blameless life; blessed are his children after him” (Prov. 20: niv), and we’ve already considered the influence of the godly mother’s example (31:28). British statesman Edmund Burke called example “the school of mankind,” and its first lessons are learned in the home even before the children can speak. Benjamin Franklin said that example was “the best sermon,” which suggests that the way parents act in the home teaches their children more about God than what the children hear in Sunday school and church.

When parents walk with God, they give their children a heritage that will enrich them throughout their lives. Godliness puts beauty within the home and protection around the home. “He who fears the Lord has a secure fortress, and for his children it will be a refuge” (14: niv). The world wants to penetrate that fortress and kidnap our children and grandchildren, but godly parents keep the walls strong and the spiritual weapons ready.

Instruction. “My son, hear the instruction of your father, and do not forsake the law of your mother” (1: nkjv; 6:20). The book of Proverbs is primarily the record of a father’s instructions to his children, instructions that they were to hear and heed all their lives. “Cease listening to instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge” (19: nkjv). “My son, keep my words, and treasure my commands within you” (7: nkjv).

The man who deliberately walked into the trap of the adulteress did so because he ignored what his parents had taught him. “How I have hated instruction, and my heart despised correction! I have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined my ear to those who instructed me!” (5:12–13). As we get older, it’s remarkable how much more intelligent our parents and teachers become!

The Bible is the basic textbook in the home. It was once the basic textbook in the educational system, but even if that were still true, the Bible in the school can’t replace the Bible in the home. I note that many modern parents sacrifice time and money to help their children excel in music, sports, and social activities; I trust they’re even more concerned that their children excel in knowing and obeying the Word of God.

Every parent should pray and work so that their children will have spiritual wisdom when the time comes for them to leave the home. “A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish son is the grief of his mother” (10: nkjv; see 15:20; 23:15–16, 24–25; 27:11; 29:3). “A wise son heeds his father’s instruction, but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke” (13: nkjv). In my pastoral ministry, I have often had to share the grief of parents and grandparents whose children and grandchildren turned their backs on the Word of God and the godly example given in the home. In some instances, the children, like the Prodigal Son, “came to themselves” and returned to the Lord, but they brought with them memories and scars that would torture them for the rest of their lives.

Loving discipline. Many modern educators and parents revolt against the biblical teaching about discipline. They tell us that “Spare the rod and spoil the child” is nothing but brutal prehistoric pedagogy that cripples the child for life. But nowhere does the Bible teach blind brutality when it comes to disciplining children. The emphasis is on love, because this is the way God disciplines His own children. “My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor detest His correction; for whom the Lord loves He corrects, just as a father the son in whom he delights” (3:11–12 nkjv; 13:24). Do we know more about raising children than God does?

Discipline has to do with correcting character faults in a child while there is still time to do it (22:15). Better the child is corrected by a parent than by a law enforcement officer in a correctional institution. “Chasten your son while there is hope, and do not set your heart on his destruction” (19: nkjv). I prefer the New International Version translation of the second clause: “do not be a willing party to his death.” A vote against discipline is a vote in favor of premature death. (See 23:13–14.)

What a tragedy when children are left to themselves, not knowing where or what the boundaries are and what the consequences of rebellion will be! I may be wrong, but I have a suspicion that many people who can’t discipline their children have a hard time disciplining themselves. If you want to enjoy your children all your life, start by lovingly disciplining them early. “The rod and rebuke give wisdom, but a child left to himself brings shame to his mother” (29: nkjv). “Correct your son, and he will give you rest; yes, he will give delight to your soul” (29: nkjv).

Proverbs 22: is a religious “rabbit’s foot” that many sorrowing parents and grandparents desperately resort to when children stray from the Lord: “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” They interpret this to mean, “they will stray away for a time but then come back,” but that isn’t what it says. It says that if they’re raised in the wisdom and way of the Lord, they won’t stray away at all. Even in old age, they will follow the wisdom of God.

Certainly it’s true that children raised in the nurture and admonition of the Lord can stray from God, but they can never get away from the prayers of their parents or the seed that’s been planted in their hearts. Parents should never despair but keep on praying and trusting God to bring wayward children to their senses. But that isn’t what Proverbs 22: is speaking about. Like the other proverbs, it’s not making an ironclad guarantee but is laying down a general principle.

In the autumn of 1993, we replaced a pin oak that a tornado had ripped out of our front yard, and the nursery people attached three guy-wires to the trunk of the new tree to make sure it would grow straight. They also taped metal rods to two limbs that were growing down instead of straight out. If you don’t do these things while the tree is young and pliable, you’ll never be able to do it at all. “As the twig is bent, so is the tree inclined,” says an old proverb, a paraphrase of Proverbs 22:6.

God has ordained that parents are older and more experienced than their children and should therefore lovingly guide their children and prepare them for adult life. If any of their children end up sluggards (10:5), gluttons (28:7), fornicators (29:3), rebels (19:26; 20:20; 30:11–12, 17; see Deut. 21:18–21), and robbers (28:24), it should be in spite of the parents’ training and not because of it.

3. Friends and Neighbors G. K. Chesterton said that God commanded us to love both our enemies and our neighbors because usually they were the same people. My wife and I have always been blessed with wonderful neighbors whom we consider friends; that seems to be the biblical ideal, for the Hebrew word (ra’a) can mean “friend” or “neighbor.” In this survey, we’ll include both meanings; for what’s true of friends ought to be true of neighbors.

The basis for friendship. Proverbs makes it clear that true friendship is based on love, because only love will endure the tests that friends experience as they go through life together. “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity” (17: nkjv). It’s possible to have many companions and no real friends. “A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother” (18: niv). Friendship is something that has to be cultivated, and its roots must go deep.

God’s people must be especially careful in choosing their friends. “The righteous should choose his friends carefully, for the way of the wicked leads them astray” (12: nkjv). “He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed” (13:20). Friendships that are based on money (6:1–5; 14:20; 19:4, 6–7) or sin (16:29–30; 1:10–19) are destined to be disappointing. So are friendships with people who have bad tempers (22:24–25), who speak foolishly (14:7), who rebel against authority (24:21–22 niv), or who are dishonest (29:27). Believers need to heed Psalm 1:1–2 and 2 Corinthians 6:14–18.

The qualities of true friendship. I’ve already mentioned love, and true love will produce loyalty. “A friend loves at all times” (Prov. 17: niv) and “there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother” (18: niv). Sometimes our friends do more for us in an emergency than our relatives do! By the way, this loyalty ought to extend to our parents’ friends. “Do not forsake your friend and the friend of your father” (27: niv). Long-time family friends can be a blessing from one generation to the next.

True friends know how to keep a confidence. “If you argue your case with a neighbor, do not betray another man’s confidence, or he who hears it may shame you and you will never lose your bad reputation” (25:9–10 niv). If you have a disagreement with somebody, don’t bring another person into the discussion by betraying confidence, because you’ll end up losing both your reputation (“You can’t trust him with anything confidential!”) and your friend who trusted you with his private thoughts. “A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a secret” (11: niv; see 20:19). If we aren’t careful, gossip can ruin a friendship (16:28), so the wise thing to do is to cover offenses with love (17:9; 1 Peter 4:8).

This leads to the next important quality for true friends and good neighbors: the ability to control the tongue. “With his mouth the godless destroys his neighbor, but through knowledge the righteous escape” (Prov. 11: niv). Don’t believe the first thing you hear about a matter, because it may be wrong (18:17); remember that “a man of understanding holds his tongue” (11: niv). If your neighbor or friend speaks falsely of you, talk to him about it privately, but don’t seek to avenge yourself by lying about him (24:28–29; 25:18). And beware of people who cause trouble and then say, “I was only joking” (26:18–19).

Friends and neighbors must be lovingly honest with one another. “Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful” (27:6). True friendship in the Lord can’t be built on deception; even if “the truth hurts,” it can never harm if it’s given in love. Better that we “speak the truth in love” (Eph. 4:15), because the Spirit can use truth and love to build character, while the devil uses lies and flattery to tear things down (Prov. 29:5). “He who rebukes a man will find more favor afterward than he who flatters with the tongue” (28:23). It has well been said that flattery is manipulation, not communication; what honest person would want to manipulate a friend?

We must never take our friends for granted and think that they will immediately forgive our offenses, even though forgiveness is the right thing for Christians. “A brother offended is harder to win than a strong city, and contentions are like the bars of a castle” (18:19). It’s strange but true that some of God’s people will forgive offenses from unbelievers that they would never forgive if a Christian friend committed them. It takes a diamond to cut a diamond, and some Christians have a way of putting up defenses that even the church can’t break through. Matthew 18:15–35 gives us the steps to take when such things happen, and our Lord warns us that an unforgiving spirit only puts us into prison!

Faithful friends and neighbors counsel and encourage each other. “Ointment and perfume delight the heart, and the sweetness of a man’s friend gives delight by hearty counsel” (Prov. 27: nkjv). The images of oil and perfume are fine when the discussion is pleasant, but what’s it like when friends disagree? “As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend” (27:17). If we’re not disagreeable, we usually learn more by disagreeing than by giving in and refusing to say what we really think, “speaking the truth in love” (Eph. 4:15).

Friends and neighbors must exercise tact and be sensitive to each other’s feelings. If we spend too much time together, we may wear out our welcome. “Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house, lest he become weary of you and hate you” (Prov. 25: nkjv). I’ve known people who spent so much time with each other that they eventually destroyed their friendship. If we’re going to grow, we need space; space comes from privacy and solitude. Even husbands and wives must respect each other’s privacy and not be constantly together if their love is to mature.

“He who blesses his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it will be counted a curse to him” (27: nkjv). Beware the “friend” who loudly and frequently praises you and tells you what a good friend you are, because true friendship doesn’t depend on such antics—especially if he wakes you up to do it! Love is sensitive to other people’s feelings and needs, and true friends try to say the right thing at the right time in the right way (25:20).

A happy family, encouraging friends, and good neighbors: What blessings these are from the Lord! Let’s be sure we do our part to make these blessings a reality in our lives and the lives of others.

Ajudge speaks some words and a guilty prisoner is taken to a cell on death row. A gossip makes a phone call and a reputation is blemished or perhaps ruined. A cynical professor makes a snide remark in a lecture and a student’s faith is destroyed.

Never underestimate the power of words. For every word in Hitler’s book Mein Kampf, 125 people died in World War II. Solomon was right: “Death and life are in the power of the tongue” (Prov. 18:21). No wonder James compared the tongue to a destroying fire, a dangerous beast, and a deadly poison (James 3:5–8). Speech is a matter of life or death.

When you summarize what Proverbs teaches about human speech, you end up with four important propositions: (1) speech is an awesome gift from God; (2) speech can be used to do good; (3) speech can be used to do evil; and (4) only God can help us use speech to do good.

1. Speech Is an Awesome Gift from God Our older daughter’s first complete sentence was, “Where Daddy go?” Considering how full my schedule was in those days, it was an appropriate question for her to ask. But, who taught Carolyn how to understand and speak those words? And who explained to her how to put together a sentence that asked a question?

“The ability [to speak] comes so naturally that we are apt to forget what a miracle it is,” writes Professor Steven Pinker. “Language is not a cultural artifact that we learn the way we learn to tell time or how the federal government works. Instead, it is a distinct piece of the biological makeup of our brains.” Christian believers would say that when God created our first parents, He gave them the ability to speak and understand words. Made in the image of a God who communicates, human beings have the wonderful gift of speech. “The answer of the tongue is from the Lord” (16:1).

God spoke to Adam and gave him instructions about life in the garden, which he later shared with Eve; they both understood what God told them (Gen. 2:15–17; 3:2–3). Adam was able to name the animals (2:18–20) and to give a descriptive name to his bride (vv. 22–24). Satan used words to deceive Adam and Eve (3:1–5), and Eve must have used words to persuade her husband to eat (v. 6). The Garden of Eden was a place of communication because God gave Adam and Eve the ability to understand and use words.

The images used in Proverbs for human speech indicate the value of this divine gift that we not only take for granted but too often waste and abuse. Wise words are compared to gold and silver. “The tongue of the just is like choice silver: the heart of the wicked is little worth” (Prov. 10:20). “A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver. Like an earring of gold or an ornament of fine gold is a wise man’s rebuke to a listening ear” (25:11–12 niv). Our words ought to be as balanced, beautiful, and valuable as the most precious jewelry; we ought to work as hard as the craftsman to make them that way. (See Eccl. 12:9–11.)

Words are also like refreshing water. “The mouth of a righteous man is a well [fountain] of life” (Prov. 10:11). “The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters; the wellspring of wisdom is a flowing brook” (18: nkjv). When we listen to and appropriate the words of a godly person, it’s like taking a drink of refreshing water. “The law of the wise is a fountain of life” (13:14), and “the fear of the Lord is a fountain of life” (14:27). But it isn’t enough for the wise to speak to us; we must be prepared to listen. “Understanding is a wellspring of life to him who has it” (16: nkjv). The soil of the heart must be prepared and the seed of the Word planted, or the water won’t do us much good.

Right words are like nourishing, health-giving food. “The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit” (15: niv). What a wonderful thing it is to say the right words and help to heal a broken spirit! The phrase “tree of life” means “source of life” and goes back to Genesis 2:9. “The lips of the righteous feed many” (Prov. 10:21; see 18:20). “Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the bones” (16: nkjv; see Ps. 119:103). “Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing” (Prov. 12: niv; see 12:14; 13:2).

The apostle Paul considered biblical doctrine to be “healthy doctrine” (“sound doctrine,” kjv) that nourishes the believer’s spiritual life. He warned Timothy to beware of anything that was “contrary to sound [healthy] doctrine” (1 Tim. 1:10), and he reminded him that the time would come when professed Christians wouldn’t “endure sound [healthy] doctrine” (2 Tim. 4:3). Spiritual leaders are to use sound doctrine to exhort the careless and rebuke the deceivers (Titus 1:9–10; 2:1). The words of Jesus are “wholesome [healthy] words,” but the words of false teachers are “sick” (1 Tim. 6:3–4, see niv). “Their teaching will spread like gangrene” (2 Tim. 2: niv), but God’s words are “life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh” (Prov. 4: nkjv).

The Christian who recognizes how awesome is the gift of speech will not abuse that gift but will dedicate it to the glory of God. The New Testament scholar Bishop B. F. Westcott wrote, “Every year makes me tremble at the daring with which people speak of spiritual things.” We all need to heed the words of Solomon: “Do not be rash with your mouth, and let not your heart utter anything hastily before God. For God is in heaven, and you on earth; therefore let your words be few” (Eccl. 5: nkjv).

2. Speech Can Be Used to Do Good No matter what may be wrong with us physically, when the doctor examines us, he or she often says, “Stick out your tongue!” This principle applies to the Christian life, for what the tongue does reveals what the heart contains. Inconsistent speech bears witness to a divided heart, for it is “out of the abundance of the heart” that the mouth speaks (Matt. 12:34). “Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing,” wrote James. “My brethren, these things ought not so to be” (James 3:10).

What we say can help or hurt other people. When we reviewed some of the images of speech found in Proverbs, we learned that our words can bring beauty and value, nourishment, refreshment, and healing to the inner person. But the awesome power of words reveals itself in other positive ways.

Our words can bring peace instead of war. “A soft [gentle] answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” (Prov. 15: nkjv). “A hot-tempered man stirs up dissension, but a patient man calms a quarrel” (v. 18 niv). Solomon isn’t advising us to compromise the truth and say that what’s wrong is really right. Rather, he’s counseling us to have a gentle spirit and a conciliatory attitude when we disagree with others. This can defuse the situation and make it easier for us to settle the matter peacefully.

Once again, the key issue is the condition of the heart. If there’s war in the heart, then our words will be destructive missiles instead of healing medicines. “But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth” (James 3: nkjv). Earthly wisdom advises us to fight for our rights and make every disagreement a win/lose situation, but heavenly wisdom seeks for a win/win situation that strengthens the “unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Eph. 4:3). “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy” (James 3: nkjv). Applying this wisdom means taking the attitude that’s described in Philippians 2:1–12, the attitude that was practiced by Jesus Christ.

Our words can help restore those who have sinned. “As an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover upon an obedient [listening] ear” (Prov. 25:12). It isn’t easy to reprove those who are wrong, and we need to do it in a meek and loving spirit (Gal. 6:1); yet it must be done. To flatter those who are disobeying God’s Word will only confirm them in their sin and make us their accomplices. “He who rebukes a man will find more favor afterward than he who flatters with the tongue” (28: nkjv). “He who keeps instruction is in the way of life, but he who refuses reproof goes astray” (10: nkjv).

In Matthew 18:15–20 Jesus explains the procedure for helping restore a sinning brother or sister. First, we must talk to the offender personally and confidentially, trusting God to change the heart. If that fails, we must try again, this time taking witnesses with us. If even that fails, then what was confidential must become public as we share the matter with the church. If the offender fails to hear the church, then he or she must be excluded from the church as though the person were not a believer at all. Of course, during this whole procedure, we must be much in prayer, seeking the Lord’s help for ourselves and for those we’re trying to help.

Our words can instruct the ignorant. “The lips of the wise disperse knowledge” (Prov. 15:7). “The wise in heart are called discerning, and pleasant words promote instruction” (16: niv). While there are many good and helpful things to learn in this brief life that we have on earth, the most important is the wisdom of God found in the Word of God (8:6–8). “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding” (4: nkjv). After we acquire wisdom, we must share it with others, for “wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning” (10: niv).

Whether it’s parents teaching their children (Deut. 6:1–13), older women teaching the younger women (Titus 2:3–5), or spiritual leaders in the church teaching the next generation of believers (2 Tim. 2:2), accurate instruction is important to the ongoing of the work of God. Every local church is but one generation short of extinction; if we don’t teach the next generation the truth of God, they may not have a church.

In spite of all the books and periodicals that are published and all the Christian programs that are broadcast, we’re facing today a famine of God’s Word (Amos 8:11). People attend church services and special meetings of all kinds, purchase Bibles and books, and listen to Christian radio and TV. But there seems to be little evidence that all this “learning” is making a significant difference in families, churches, and society as a whole. Many professed believers are “spiritually illiterate” when it comes to the basics of the Christian life. We desperately need men who will obey 2 Timothy 2: and women who will obey Titus 2:3–5, or we will end up with an uninstructed church.

Our words can rescue the perishing. “A true witness delivers souls, but a deceitful witness speaks lies” (Prov. 14: nkjv). While this verse can be applied to our own personal witness for Christ in rescuing the lost (Acts 1:8), the context is that of a court of law. An accused criminal in Israel could be condemned on the testimony of two or three witnesses; if the case involved a capital crime, the witnesses had to be the first to cast the stones (Deut. 17:6–7). The law forbade the bearing of false witness (Ex. 20:16; 23:2; Deut. 5:20), and anyone found guilty of perjury was given the punishment that the accused would have received (Deut. 19:16–18).

If my testimony could save an innocent person from death, and I refused to speak, then my silence would be a terrible sin. “Deliver those who are drawn toward death, and hold back those stumbling to the slaughter. If you say, ‘Surely we did not know this,’ does not He who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, does He not know it? And will He not render to each man according to his deeds?” (Prov. 24:11–12 nkjv). Whether it’s rescuing prisoners from execution or lost sinners from eternal judgment, we can’t plead ignorance if we do nothing.

Our words can encourage those who are burdened. “Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, but a good word makes it glad” (12: nkjv). “A man finds joy in giving an apt reply—and how good is a timely word!” (15: niv). When we’re walking in the Spirit daily and being taught by the Lord, we’ll know how “to speak a word in season to him who is weary” (Isa. 50:4). “Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones” (Prov. 16: niv).

The Royal British Navy has a regulation that reads, “No officer shall speak discouragingly to another officer in the discharge of his duties.” We need to practice that regulation in our homes and churches! Each of us needs to be a Barnabas, a “son of encouragement” (Acts 4:36–37). Near the close of his ministry, a famous British preacher of the Victorian age said, “If I had my ministry to do over, I would preach more to broken hearts.” Jesus came “to heal the brokenhearted” (Luke 4:18), and we can continue that ministry today with words of encouragement and hope.

3. Speech Can Be Used to Do Evil From Satan’s speech to Eve in Genesis 3 to the propaganda of the false prophet in the book of Revelation, the Bible warns us that words can be used to deceive, control, and destroy. It is estimated that the average American is exposed to over fifteen hundred “promotion bites” in the course of a day, some of them subliminal and undetected, but all of them powerful. Whether it’s political “double-speak,” seductive advertising, or religious propaganda, today’s “spin doctors” know how to manipulate people with words.

But it isn’t only some of the professional promoters who are guilty. There are many ways that you and I can turn words into weapons and damage others.

We hurt others by lying. “Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue lasts only a moment” (Prov. 12: niv). “Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but they that deal truly are his delight” (12:22; and see 6:16–17). Solomon warns us against bearing false witness and violating the ninth commandment (Ex. 20:16). (See Prov. 14:5, 25; 19:5, 9, 28; 21:28; 24:28.) When words can’t be trusted, then society starts to fall apart. Contracts are useless, promises are vain, the judicial system becomes a farce, and all personal relationships are suspect. “Like a club or a sword or a sharp arrow is the man who gives false testimony against his neighbor” (25: niv).

One of the marks of liars is that they enjoy listening to lies. “A wicked man listens to evil lips; a liar pays attention to a malicious tongue” (17: niv). It’s a basic rule of life that the ears hear what the heart loves, so beware of people who have an appetite for gossip and lies.

“An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips” (24: niv; see 27:6). A kiss is a sign of affection and trust, and God wants His people to “[speak] the truth in love” (Eph. 4:15). It has well been said that love without truth is hypocrisy and truth without love is brutality, and we don’t want to be guilty of either sin. The world affirms, “Honesty is the best policy,” but as the British prelate Richard Whateley said, “He who acts on that principle is not an honest man.” We should be honest because we’re honest people in our hearts, walking in the fear of the Lord, and not because we’re shrewd bargainers who follow a successful policy.

We hurt others by gossiping. “You shall not go about as a talebearer among your people” (Lev. 19: nkjv). “Talebearer” is the translation of a Hebrew word that means “to go about,” and is probably derived from a word meaning “merchant.” The talebearer goes about peddling gossip! “A talebearer reveals secrets, but he who is of a faithful spirit conceals a matter” (Prov. 11: nkjv). Gossips flatter people by sharing secrets with them, but to be one of their “customers” is dangerous. “He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets; therefore do not associate with one who flatters with his lips” (20: nkjv).

The gossip “eats” and enjoys his secrets like you and I eat and enjoy food. “The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man’s inmost parts” (18: niv; see 26:22). People who feed on gossip only crave more, and the only remedy is for them to develop an appetite for God’s truth (2:10). We must beware of gossips because they do a great deal of damage. “An ungodly man digs up evil, and it is on his lips like a burning fire. A perverse man sows strife, and a whisperer separates the best of friends” (16:27–28 nkjv; see 17:9). “Where there is no wood, the fire goes out; and where there is no talebearer, strife ceases” (26: nkjv).

We hurt others by flattery. The English word flatter comes from a French word that means “to stroke or caress with the flat of the hand.” Flatterers compliment you profusely, appealing to your ego, but their praise is far from sincere. They pat you on the back only to locate a soft spot in which to stick a knife! “A man who flatters his neighbor spreads a net for his feet” (29: nkjv).

“A lying tongue hates those who are crushed by it, and a flattering mouth works ruin” (26: nkjv). Satan flattered Eve when he said, “You shall be as God” (Gen. 3:5). In Proverbs, the prostitute seduces her prey by using flattery (Prov. 5:3; 7:5, 21). Some people flatter the rich because they hope to get something from them (14:20; 19:4, 6).

Most of us secretly enjoy flattery and dislike rebuke, yet rebuke does us more good (27:6; 28:23). There is certainly a place for honest appreciation and praise, to the glory of God (1 Thess. 5:12–13), but we must beware of people who give us insincere praise with selfish motives, especially if they begin their flattery first thing in the morning (Prov. 26:24–25). If it weren’t for our pride, flattery wouldn’t affect us. We privately enjoy hearing somebody agree with what we think of ourselves!

We hurt others by speaking in anger. “An angry man stirs up dissension, and a hot-tempered one commits many sins” (29: niv). Angry people keep adding fuel to the fire (26:21) instead of trying to find ways to put the fire out. Many people carry anger in their hearts while they outwardly pretend to be at peace with their friends, and they cover their anger with hypocritical words. “Fervent lips with a wicked heart are like earthenware covered with silver dross” (26: nkjv). If we’re inwardly angry at people, all our profuse professions of friendship are but a thin veneer over common clay. “Speak when you are angry,” wrote Ambrose Bierce, “and you will make the best speech you will ever regret.”

Instead of covering our anger with cheap dross, we should cover others’ sins with sincere love. “Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all sins” (10: nkjv; 1 Peter 4:8). Love doesn’t condone sin or encourage sinners to try to hide their sins from the Lord (Prov. 28:13; 1 John 1:9), but love doesn’t tell the sin to others. (See Gen. 9:18–29.) If I’m angry with someone and he sins, I’ll be tempted to spread the news as a way of getting even.

We hurt others by impetuous speech. “Do you see a man hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him” (Prov. 29: nkjv). “He who answers a matter before he hears it, it is folly and shame to him” (18: nkjv; note v. 17). “The heart of the righteous studies how to answer, but the mouth of the wicked pours forth evil” (15: nkjv; see 10:19). “Reckless words pierce like a sword” (12: niv). But reckless words not only hurt others, they can also hurt us because we utter them. “Whoever guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from troubles” (21: nkjv; see 13:3). This is especially true when we make rash promises to the Lord or to others (20:25; 22:26–27; see Eccl. 5:1–5).

We hurt others by talking too much. “In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, but he who restrains his lips is wise” (Prov. 10: nkjv). “The mouth of fools pours forth foolishness” (15:2). People who discipline their tongue can control their whole body (James 3:1–2). There is “a time to keep silence, and a time to speak” (Eccl. 3:7), and the wise know how to hold their peace (Prov. 11:12–13; 17:28).

We hurt others by talking instead of working. “All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty” (14: niv). Mankind seems to be divided into three classes: dreamers who have great ideas but never accomplish much, talkers who exercise their jaw muscles and vocal cords but not their hands and feet, and doers who talk little but with God’s help turn their dreams into realities.

4. Only God Can Help Us Use the Gift of Speech for Good When David prayed, “Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips” (Ps. 141:3), he was doing a wise thing and setting a good example. All of God’s people need to surrender their bodies to the Lord (Rom. 12:1), and this includes the lips and the tongue. We must also yield our hearts to the Lord, because what comes out of the mouth originates in the heart.

Proverbs 16: has been a great help to me, especially when I’ve been called upon to give counsel: “To man belong the plans of the hearts, but from the Lord comes the reply of the tongue” (niv). When you couple this with 19:21, it gives you great encouragement: “Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails” (niv). On many occasions, I’ve had to make decisions about complex matters, and the Lord has given me just the words to speak. However, if my heart had not been in touch with His Word and yielded to His will, the Spirit might not have been able to direct me. If we make our plans the best we can and commit them to the Lord, He’ll guide us in what we say and do.

God also gives us “spiritual radar” so that we can assess a situation and make the right reply. “The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable” (10:32). “A man has joy by the answer of his mouth, and a word spoken in due season, how good it is” (15: nkjv; see Isa. 50:4–6). “The heart of the righteous studies how to answer, but the mouth of the wicked pours forth evil” (Prov. 15: nkjv). There is beauty and value in the “word fitly spoken” (25:11–12).

People who speak wisely, saying the right thing at the right time in the right way, are people who store God’s truth in their hearts. “Wisdom is found on the lips of him who has understanding” (10: nkjv), and that understanding comes from the Word of God. “Wise people store up knowledge” (10: nkjv); they are “filled richly” with the Word of God (Col. 3:16). “The heart of the wise teaches his mouth, and adds learning to his lips” (Prov. 16: nkjv). If we devote our hearts to serious study of the Word, even while we’re sharing the truth with others, God will teach us more of His truth. I have had this happen while ministering the Word, and it’s a wonderful experience of God’s goodness.

One of my schoolteachers used to say, “Empty barrels make the most noise,” and she was right. Too often in church board meetings and business meetings, those who talk the most have the least to say. People who don’t prepare their hearts for such meetings are making themselves available to become the devil’s tools for hindering God’s work. If we’re filled with the Word and led by the Spirit, we’ll be a part of the answer and not a part of the problem.

Have you heard the fable of the king and the menu? A king once asked his cook to prepare for him the best dish in the world, and he was served a dish of tongue. The king then asked for the worst dish in the world, and again was served tongue.

“Why do you serve me the same food as both the best and the worst?” the perplexed monarch asked.

“Because, your majesty,” the cook replied, “the tongue is the best of things when used wisely and lovingly, but it is the worst of things when used carelessly and unkindly.”

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue” (18: nkjv).

“The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life” (10: niv).

Choose life!

Ajudge speaks some words and a guilty prisoner is taken to a cell on death row. A gossip makes a phone call and a reputation is blemished or perhaps ruined. A cynical professor makes a snide remark in a lecture and a student’s faith is destroyed.

Never underestimate the power of words. For every word in Hitler’s book Mein Kampf, 125 people died in World War II. Solomon was right: “Death and life are in the power of the tongue” (Prov. 18:21). No wonder James compared the tongue to a destroying fire, a dangerous beast, and a deadly poison (James 3:5–8). Speech is a matter of life or death.

When you summarize what Proverbs teaches about human speech, you end up with four important propositions: (1) speech is an awesome gift from God; (2) speech can be used to do good; (3) speech can be used to do evil; and (4) only God can help us use speech to do good.

1. Speech Is an Awesome Gift from God Our older daughter’s first complete sentence was, “Where Daddy go?” Considering how full my schedule was in those days, it was an appropriate question for her to ask. But, who taught Carolyn how to understand and speak those words? And who explained to her how to put together a sentence that asked a question?

“The ability [to speak] comes so naturally that we are apt to forget what a miracle it is,” writes Professor Steven Pinker. “Language is not a cultural artifact that we learn the way we learn to tell time or how the federal government works. Instead, it is a distinct piece of the biological makeup of our brains.” Christian believers would say that when God created our first parents, He gave them the ability to speak and understand words. Made in the image of a God who communicates, human beings have the wonderful gift of speech. “The answer of the tongue is from the Lord” (16:1).

God spoke to Adam and gave him instructions about life in the garden, which he later shared with Eve; they both understood what God told them (Gen. 2:15–17; 3:2–3). Adam was able to name the animals (2:18–20) and to give a descriptive name to his bride (vv. 22–24). Satan used words to deceive Adam and Eve (3:1–5), and Eve must have used words to persuade her husband to eat (v. 6). The Garden of Eden was a place of communication because God gave Adam and Eve the ability to understand and use words.

The images used in Proverbs for human speech indicate the value of this divine gift that we not only take for granted but too often waste and abuse. Wise words are compared to gold and silver. “The tongue of the just is like choice silver: the heart of the wicked is little worth” (Prov. 10:20). “A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver. Like an earring of gold or an ornament of fine gold is a wise man’s rebuke to a listening ear” (25:11–12 niv). Our words ought to be as balanced, beautiful, and valuable as the most precious jewelry; we ought to work as hard as the craftsman to make them that way. (See Eccl. 12:9–11.)

Words are also like refreshing water. “The mouth of a righteous man is a well [fountain] of life” (Prov. 10:11). “The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters; the wellspring of wisdom is a flowing brook” (18: nkjv). When we listen to and appropriate the words of a godly person, it’s like taking a drink of refreshing water. “The law of the wise is a fountain of life” (13:14), and “the fear of the Lord is a fountain of life” (14:27). But it isn’t enough for the wise to speak to us; we must be prepared to listen. “Understanding is a wellspring of life to him who has it” (16: nkjv). The soil of the heart must be prepared and the seed of the Word planted, or the water won’t do us much good.

Right words are like nourishing, health-giving food. “The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit” (15: niv). What a wonderful thing it is to say the right words and help to heal a broken spirit! The phrase “tree of life” means “source of life” and goes back to Genesis 2:9. “The lips of the righteous feed many” (Prov. 10:21; see 18:20). “Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the bones” (16: nkjv; see Ps. 119:103). “Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing” (Prov. 12: niv; see 12:14; 13:2).

The apostle Paul considered biblical doctrine to be “healthy doctrine” (“sound doctrine,” kjv) that nourishes the believer’s spiritual life. He warned Timothy to beware of anything that was “contrary to sound [healthy] doctrine” (1 Tim. 1:10), and he reminded him that the time would come when professed Christians wouldn’t “endure sound [healthy] doctrine” (2 Tim. 4:3). Spiritual leaders are to use sound doctrine to exhort the careless and rebuke the deceivers (Titus 1:9–10; 2:1). The words of Jesus are “wholesome [healthy] words,” but the words of false teachers are “sick” (1 Tim. 6:3–4, see niv). “Their teaching will spread like gangrene” (2 Tim. 2: niv), but God’s words are “life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh” (Prov. 4: nkjv).

The Christian who recognizes how awesome is the gift of speech will not abuse that gift but will dedicate it to the glory of God. The New Testament scholar Bishop B. F. Westcott wrote, “Every year makes me tremble at the daring with which people speak of spiritual things.” We all need to heed the words of Solomon: “Do not be rash with your mouth, and let not your heart utter anything hastily before God. For God is in heaven, and you on earth; therefore let your words be few” (Eccl. 5: nkjv).

2. Speech Can Be Used to Do Good No matter what may be wrong with us physically, when the doctor examines us, he or she often says, “Stick out your tongue!” This principle applies to the Christian life, for what the tongue does reveals what the heart contains. Inconsistent speech bears witness to a divided heart, for it is “out of the abundance of the heart” that the mouth speaks (Matt. 12:34). “Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing,” wrote James. “My brethren, these things ought not so to be” (James 3:10).

What we say can help or hurt other people. When we reviewed some of the images of speech found in Proverbs, we learned that our words can bring beauty and value, nourishment, refreshment, and healing to the inner person. But the awesome power of words reveals itself in other positive ways.

Our words can bring peace instead of war. “A soft [gentle] answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” (Prov. 15: nkjv). “A hot-tempered man stirs up dissension, but a patient man calms a quarrel” (v. 18 niv). Solomon isn’t advising us to compromise the truth and say that what’s wrong is really right. Rather, he’s counseling us to have a gentle spirit and a conciliatory attitude when we disagree with others. This can defuse the situation and make it easier for us to settle the matter peacefully.

Once again, the key issue is the condition of the heart. If there’s war in the heart, then our words will be destructive missiles instead of healing medicines. “But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth” (James 3: nkjv). Earthly wisdom advises us to fight for our rights and make every disagreement a win/lose situation, but heavenly wisdom seeks for a win/win situation that strengthens the “unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Eph. 4:3). “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy” (James 3: nkjv). Applying this wisdom means taking the attitude that’s described in Philippians 2:1–12, the attitude that was practiced by Jesus Christ.

Our words can help restore those who have sinned. “As an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover upon an obedient [listening] ear” (Prov. 25:12). It isn’t easy to reprove those who are wrong, and we need to do it in a meek and loving spirit (Gal. 6:1); yet it must be done. To flatter those who are disobeying God’s Word will only confirm them in their sin and make us their accomplices. “He who rebukes a man will find more favor afterward than he who flatters with the tongue” (28: nkjv). “He who keeps instruction is in the way of life, but he who refuses reproof goes astray” (10: nkjv).

In Matthew 18:15–20 Jesus explains the procedure for helping restore a sinning brother or sister. First, we must talk to the offender personally and confidentially, trusting God to change the heart. If that fails, we must try again, this time taking witnesses with us. If even that fails, then what was confidential must become public as we share the matter with the church. If the offender fails to hear the church, then he or she must be excluded from the church as though the person were not a believer at all. Of course, during this whole procedure, we must be much in prayer, seeking the Lord’s help for ourselves and for those we’re trying to help.

Our words can instruct the ignorant. “The lips of the wise disperse knowledge” (Prov. 15:7). “The wise in heart are called discerning, and pleasant words promote instruction” (16: niv). While there are many good and helpful things to learn in this brief life that we have on earth, the most important is the wisdom of God found in the Word of God (8:6–8). “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding” (4: nkjv). After we acquire wisdom, we must share it with others, for “wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning” (10: niv).

Whether it’s parents teaching their children (Deut. 6:1–13), older women teaching the younger women (Titus 2:3–5), or spiritual leaders in the church teaching the next generation of believers (2 Tim. 2:2), accurate instruction is important to the ongoing of the work of God. Every local church is but one generation short of extinction; if we don’t teach the next generation the truth of God, they may not have a church.

In spite of all the books and periodicals that are published and all the Christian programs that are broadcast, we’re facing today a famine of God’s Word (Amos 8:11). People attend church services and special meetings of all kinds, purchase Bibles and books, and listen to Christian radio and TV. But there seems to be little evidence that all this “learning” is making a significant difference in families, churches, and society as a whole. Many professed believers are “spiritually illiterate” when it comes to the basics of the Christian life. We desperately need men who will obey 2 Timothy 2: and women who will obey Titus 2:3–5, or we will end up with an uninstructed church.

Our words can rescue the perishing. “A true witness delivers souls, but a deceitful witness speaks lies” (Prov. 14: nkjv). While this verse can be applied to our own personal witness for Christ in rescuing the lost (Acts 1:8), the context is that of a court of law. An accused criminal in Israel could be condemned on the testimony of two or three witnesses; if the case involved a capital crime, the witnesses had to be the first to cast the stones (Deut. 17:6–7). The law forbade the bearing of false witness (Ex. 20:16; 23:2; Deut. 5:20), and anyone found guilty of perjury was given the punishment that the accused would have received (Deut. 19:16–18).

If my testimony could save an innocent person from death, and I refused to speak, then my silence would be a terrible sin. “Deliver those who are drawn toward death, and hold back those stumbling to the slaughter. If you say, ‘Surely we did not know this,’ does not He who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, does He not know it? And will He not render to each man according to his deeds?” (Prov. 24:11–12 nkjv). Whether it’s rescuing prisoners from execution or lost sinners from eternal judgment, we can’t plead ignorance if we do nothing.

Our words can encourage those who are burdened. “Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, but a good word makes it glad” (12: nkjv). “A man finds joy in giving an apt reply—and how good is a timely word!” (15: niv). When we’re walking in the Spirit daily and being taught by the Lord, we’ll know how “to speak a word in season to him who is weary” (Isa. 50:4). “Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones” (Prov. 16: niv).

The Royal British Navy has a regulation that reads, “No officer shall speak discouragingly to another officer in the discharge of his duties.” We need to practice that regulation in our homes and churches! Each of us needs to be a Barnabas, a “son of encouragement” (Acts 4:36–37). Near the close of his ministry, a famous British preacher of the Victorian age said, “If I had my ministry to do over, I would preach more to broken hearts.” Jesus came “to heal the brokenhearted” (Luke 4:18), and we can continue that ministry today with words of encouragement and hope.

3. Speech Can Be Used to Do Evil From Satan’s speech to Eve in Genesis 3 to the propaganda of the false prophet in the book of Revelation, the Bible warns us that words can be used to deceive, control, and destroy. It is estimated that the average American is exposed to over fifteen hundred “promotion bites” in the course of a day, some of them subliminal and undetected, but all of them powerful. Whether it’s political “double-speak,” seductive advertising, or religious propaganda, today’s “spin doctors” know how to manipulate people with words.

But it isn’t only some of the professional promoters who are guilty. There are many ways that you and I can turn words into weapons and damage others.

We hurt others by lying. “Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue lasts only a moment” (Prov. 12: niv). “Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but they that deal truly are his delight” (12:22; and see 6:16–17). Solomon warns us against bearing false witness and violating the ninth commandment (Ex. 20:16). (See Prov. 14:5, 25; 19:5, 9, 28; 21:28; 24:28.) When words can’t be trusted, then society starts to fall apart. Contracts are useless, promises are vain, the judicial system becomes a farce, and all personal relationships are suspect. “Like a club or a sword or a sharp arrow is the man who gives false testimony against his neighbor” (25: niv).

One of the marks of liars is that they enjoy listening to lies. “A wicked man listens to evil lips; a liar pays attention to a malicious tongue” (17: niv). It’s a basic rule of life that the ears hear what the heart loves, so beware of people who have an appetite for gossip and lies.

“An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips” (24: niv; see 27:6). A kiss is a sign of affection and trust, and God wants His people to “[speak] the truth in love” (Eph. 4:15). It has well been said that love without truth is hypocrisy and truth without love is brutality, and we don’t want to be guilty of either sin. The world affirms, “Honesty is the best policy,” but as the British prelate Richard Whateley said, “He who acts on that principle is not an honest man.” We should be honest because we’re honest people in our hearts, walking in the fear of the Lord, and not because we’re shrewd bargainers who follow a successful policy.

We hurt others by gossiping. “You shall not go about as a talebearer among your people” (Lev. 19: nkjv). “Talebearer” is the translation of a Hebrew word that means “to go about,” and is probably derived from a word meaning “merchant.” The talebearer goes about peddling gossip! “A talebearer reveals secrets, but he who is of a faithful spirit conceals a matter” (Prov. 11: nkjv). Gossips flatter people by sharing secrets with them, but to be one of their “customers” is dangerous. “He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets; therefore do not associate with one who flatters with his lips” (20: nkjv).

The gossip “eats” and enjoys his secrets like you and I eat and enjoy food. “The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man’s inmost parts” (18: niv; see 26:22). People who feed on gossip only crave more, and the only remedy is for them to develop an appetite for God’s truth (2:10). We must beware of gossips because they do a great deal of damage. “An ungodly man digs up evil, and it is on his lips like a burning fire. A perverse man sows strife, and a whisperer separates the best of friends” (16:27–28 nkjv; see 17:9). “Where there is no wood, the fire goes out; and where there is no talebearer, strife ceases” (26: nkjv).

We hurt others by flattery. The English word flatter comes from a French word that means “to stroke or caress with the flat of the hand.” Flatterers compliment you profusely, appealing to your ego, but their praise is far from sincere. They pat you on the back only to locate a soft spot in which to stick a knife! “A man who flatters his neighbor spreads a net for his feet” (29: nkjv).

“A lying tongue hates those who are crushed by it, and a flattering mouth works ruin” (26: nkjv). Satan flattered Eve when he said, “You shall be as God” (Gen. 3:5). In Proverbs, the prostitute seduces her prey by using flattery (Prov. 5:3; 7:5, 21). Some people flatter the rich because they hope to get something from them (14:20; 19:4, 6).

Most of us secretly enjoy flattery and dislike rebuke, yet rebuke does us more good (27:6; 28:23). There is certainly a place for honest appreciation and praise, to the glory of God (1 Thess. 5:12–13), but we must beware of people who give us insincere praise with selfish motives, especially if they begin their flattery first thing in the morning (Prov. 26:24–25). If it weren’t for our pride, flattery wouldn’t affect us. We privately enjoy hearing somebody agree with what we think of ourselves!

We hurt others by speaking in anger. “An angry man stirs up dissension, and a hot-tempered one commits many sins” (29: niv). Angry people keep adding fuel to the fire (26:21) instead of trying to find ways to put the fire out. Many people carry anger in their hearts while they outwardly pretend to be at peace with their friends, and they cover their anger with hypocritical words. “Fervent lips with a wicked heart are like earthenware covered with silver dross” (26: nkjv). If we’re inwardly angry at people, all our profuse professions of friendship are but a thin veneer over common clay. “Speak when you are angry,” wrote Ambrose Bierce, “and you will make the best speech you will ever regret.”

Instead of covering our anger with cheap dross, we should cover others’ sins with sincere love. “Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all sins” (10: nkjv; 1 Peter 4:8). Love doesn’t condone sin or encourage sinners to try to hide their sins from the Lord (Prov. 28:13; 1 John 1:9), but love doesn’t tell the sin to others. (See Gen. 9:18–29.) If I’m angry with someone and he sins, I’ll be tempted to spread the news as a way of getting even.

We hurt others by impetuous speech. “Do you see a man hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him” (Prov. 29: nkjv). “He who answers a matter before he hears it, it is folly and shame to him” (18: nkjv; note v. 17). “The heart of the righteous studies how to answer, but the mouth of the wicked pours forth evil” (15: nkjv; see 10:19). “Reckless words pierce like a sword” (12: niv). But reckless words not only hurt others, they can also hurt us because we utter them. “Whoever guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from troubles” (21: nkjv; see 13:3). This is especially true when we make rash promises to the Lord or to others (20:25; 22:26–27; see Eccl. 5:1–5).

We hurt others by talking too much. “In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, but he who restrains his lips is wise” (Prov. 10: nkjv). “The mouth of fools pours forth foolishness” (15:2). People who discipline their tongue can control their whole body (James 3:1–2). There is “a time to keep silence, and a time to speak” (Eccl. 3:7), and the wise know how to hold their peace (Prov. 11:12–13; 17:28).

We hurt others by talking instead of working. “All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty” (14: niv). Mankind seems to be divided into three classes: dreamers who have great ideas but never accomplish much, talkers who exercise their jaw muscles and vocal cords but not their hands and feet, and doers who talk little but with God’s help turn their dreams into realities.

4. Only God Can Help Us Use the Gift of Speech for Good When David prayed, “Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips” (Ps. 141:3), he was doing a wise thing and setting a good example. All of God’s people need to surrender their bodies to the Lord (Rom. 12:1), and this includes the lips and the tongue. We must also yield our hearts to the Lord, because what comes out of the mouth originates in the heart.

Proverbs 16: has been a great help to me, especially when I’ve been called upon to give counsel: “To man belong the plans of the hearts, but from the Lord comes the reply of the tongue” (niv). When you couple this with 19:21, it gives you great encouragement: “Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails” (niv). On many occasions, I’ve had to make decisions about complex matters, and the Lord has given me just the words to speak. However, if my heart had not been in touch with His Word and yielded to His will, the Spirit might not have been able to direct me. If we make our plans the best we can and commit them to the Lord, He’ll guide us in what we say and do.

God also gives us “spiritual radar” so that we can assess a situation and make the right reply. “The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable” (10:32). “A man has joy by the answer of his mouth, and a word spoken in due season, how good it is” (15: nkjv; see Isa. 50:4–6). “The heart of the righteous studies how to answer, but the mouth of the wicked pours forth evil” (Prov. 15: nkjv). There is beauty and value in the “word fitly spoken” (25:11–12).

People who speak wisely, saying the right thing at the right time in the right way, are people who store God’s truth in their hearts. “Wisdom is found on the lips of him who has understanding” (10: nkjv), and that understanding comes from the Word of God. “Wise people store up knowledge” (10: nkjv); they are “filled richly” with the Word of God (Col. 3:16). “The heart of the wise teaches his mouth, and adds learning to his lips” (Prov. 16: nkjv). If we devote our hearts to serious study of the Word, even while we’re sharing the truth with others, God will teach us more of His truth. I have had this happen while ministering the Word, and it’s a wonderful experience of God’s goodness.

One of my schoolteachers used to say, “Empty barrels make the most noise,” and she was right. Too often in church board meetings and business meetings, those who talk the most have the least to say. People who don’t prepare their hearts for such meetings are making themselves available to become the devil’s tools for hindering God’s work. If we’re filled with the Word and led by the Spirit, we’ll be a part of the answer and not a part of the problem.

Have you heard the fable of the king and the menu? A king once asked his cook to prepare for him the best dish in the world, and he was served a dish of tongue. The king then asked for the worst dish in the world, and again was served tongue.

“Why do you serve me the same food as both the best and the worst?” the perplexed monarch asked.

“Because, your majesty,” the cook replied, “the tongue is the best of things when used wisely and lovingly, but it is the worst of things when used carelessly and unkindly.”

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue” (18: nkjv).

“The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life” (10: niv).

Choose life!

1. The God of Righteousness The Hebrew words in Proverbs that are translated “righteous,” “righteousness,” “upright,” and “uprightness” describe ethical conduct that conforms to God’s standards and moral character that comes from a right relationship to the Lord and His Word. True righteousness isn’t just toeing the line and obeying the rules. As Jesus teaches in the Sermon on the Mount, it is possible for us to obey the law outwardly while cultivating sin inwardly. It isn’t enough for us not to kill or not to commit adultery; we must also not harbor hatred and lust in our hearts (Matt. 5:21–48).

Our God is a righteous God. His character is holy and without sin (1 John 1:5), and all that He says and does is right and just. “He is the Rock, His work is perfect; for all His ways are justice, a God of truth and without injustice; righteous and upright is He” (Deut. 32: nkjv). “For the Lord is righteous, He loves righteousness; His countenance beholds the upright” (Ps. 11: nkjv).

God’s Word is righteous. “I open my lips to speak what is right. … All the words of my mouth are just; none of them is crooked or perverse. To the discerning all of them are right; they are faultless to those who have knowledge” (Prov. 8:6, 8–9 niv; see Ps. 119:138). The Word of God reveals the God of the Word; His Word, like His character, can be trusted.

Other nations had their gods, temples, priests, and sacrifices, but only the people of Israel worshipped the living God who spoke to them and gave them His Word. “Did any people ever hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as you have heard, and live? … Out of heaven He let you hear His voice, that He might instruct you; on earth He showed you His great fire, and you heard His words out of the midst of the fire” (Deut. 4:33, 36 nkjv).

However, the privilege of hearing God’s Word brings with it the responsibility of obeying what He commands. “You shall therefore keep His statutes and His commandments which I command you today, that it may go well with you and with your children after you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which the Lord your God is giving you for all time” (Deut. 4: nkjv). “See that you do not refuse Him who speaks” (Heb. 12: nkjv).

God’s acts are righteous. “I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight” (Jer. 9: niv). “The Lord our God is righteous in everything He does” (Dan. 9: niv). We may question God’s plans and even accuse Him of being unfair, but nobody can succeed in proving that God has ever done anything wrong. “The Lord is righteous in her midst, He will do no unrighteousness. Every morning He brings His justice to light; He never fails” (Zeph. 3: nkjv).

God wants His people to be righteous. It is unthinkable that a righteous God would violate His own nature and disobey His own Word by asking His people to be less than righteous. Before He gave Israel His law, God said, “Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people. … and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Ex. 19:5–6 nkjv). Jesus echoed this divine desire when He said, “Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect” (Matt. 5: nkjv).

The problem, of course, is that people are—people. And that means that they’re sinners. “Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the hearts” (Prov. 21: nkjv). “There is not a righteous man on earth who does what is right and never sins” (Eccl. 7: niv). “There is none righteous, no, not one” (Rom. 3:10; see Ps. 14:1–3). How can sinners ever be righteous before a righteous God?

When you read Proverbs, you discover that God mentions many different sins that people committed in ancient Israel and still commit in our communities today, sins like anger, deception, thievery, murder, slander, gossip, drunkenness, adultery, bribery, jealousy, rebellion against parents, and a host of other things that all of us would recognize. Proverbs makes it very clear that people are sinners.

God provides righteousness for those who will accept it. How can a guilty sinner ever become righteous enough to please a holy God? If God is going to be just, all He can do is condemn the wicked and accept the righteous, but there are no righteous people for Him to accept! We certainly don’t become righteous by being religious. “To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice” (Prov. 21:3). Disobedient King Saul learned that lesson from Samuel (1 Sam. 15:22), and this important principle was repeated by several other prophets (Isa. 1:11–17; Jer. 7:22–23; Mic. 6:68). In fact, Isaiah said that our righteousnesses were “as filthy rags” in God’s sight (Isa. 64:6)—so what must our sins look like to Him?

“He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the just, both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord” (Prov. 17: nkjv). But that’s exactly what the Lord God did! His Son, Jesus Christ, died for the sins of the world, “the just for the unjust” (1 Peter 3:18); the judgment that should have been ours was laid on Him (2:24). God justifies (declares righteous) the ungodly, not when they do good works but when they put their faith in Christ. “But to him who does not work [for righteousness] but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness” (Rom. 4: nkjv).

“The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous,” wrote Solomon, “and the transgressor for the upright” (Prov. 21:18), but that wasn’t true at Calvary. There the Righteous One became a ransom for the wicked when Jesus was numbered with the transgressors and died for our sins (Isa. 53:4–6, 12). The only way to be righteous before God is to trust Jesus Christ and receive His righteousness as God’s free gift (Rom. 5:17; 2 Cor. 5:21). Then we can begin to walk “the path of righteousness” and enjoy the blessings of the Lord.

Not everybody who claims to be among the righteous is truly a child of God. God’s people understand righteousness (Prov. 2:9) because they meditate on His Word and seek to obey it. They do righteousness (1:3; 25:26) because true faith always leads to works (James 2:14–26). They speak righteousness (Prov. 10:11; 12:6, 17; 13:5; 15:28; 16:13) and their words can be trusted, and they pursue righteousness and make it the passion of their hearts. “The Lord detests the way of the wicked, but he loves those who pursue righteousness” (15: niv). “Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness; for they shall be filled” (Matt. 5:6).

When people are right with God, He leads them in “right paths” (Prov. 4:11), and teaches them “right things” (8:6). Their minds and hearts are filled with right thoughts (12:5), and their lips speak right words (23:16). Their work is right (21:8), because God works in them and through them to accomplish His will (Phil. 2:12–13).

2. The Path of Righteousness In our study of Proverbs 2—4, we learned that following the way of wisdom is compared to a pilgrim walking a path. As we follow His wisdom, God protects, directs, and perfects our path. God’s desire for us is that we “walk in the way of goodness, and keep to the paths of righteousness” (2:20). We’re warned not to listen to evil men “who leave the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness” (v. 13 nkjv); nor should we heed the seductive words of the evil woman whose “house leads down to death, and her paths to the dead” (v. 18 nkjv).

I read about a dirt-road intersection in the prairies of Canada where somebody had posted this sign: “Be careful what rut you take—you’ll be on it a long time!” Each of us must choose to travel one of two paths, and the path we choose determines the destination we’ll reach (Matt. 7:13–14). It also determines the quality of life we’ll experience along the way. Solomon points out some of the blessings that come to those who walk the path of life and wisdom.

To begin with, God’s people experience His direction. “The righteousness of the blameless will direct his way aright, but the wicked will fall by his own wickedness” (Prov. 11: nkjv). The Lord directs the paths of those who trust and obey (3:5–6), because God wants His children to know His will (Acts 22:14) and enjoy doing it (Eph. 6:6). The Lord reveals His will only to those who are willing to obey it (John 7:17).

On the path of the righteous, God’s people also experience deliverance. “The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them, but transgressors shall be taken in their own naughtiness” (Prov. 11:6). Godly people certainly have their share of trials and testings, but the Lord promises to help them and make these experiences turn out for good (Rom. 8:28). “The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles” (Ps. 34:17). Obedience to the Lord keeps us from many of the troubles that sinners experience, but when the Lord permits us to suffer, He promises to bring us through. “The wicked is snared by the transgression of his lips, but the just shall come out of trouble” (Prov. 12:13).

We have God’s provision for all we need if we’re walking in His wisdom. “I walk in the way of righteousness, along the paths of justice, bestowing wealth on those who love me and making their treasuries full” (8:20–21 niv). This isn’t an encouragement for us to jump on the “health-wealth-and-success” bandwagon. Proverbs was originally written for Jews under the old covenant; under that covenant, material blessing was a part of God’s promise to Israel (Deut. 28:1–14). Believers today can be sure of God’s provision for their every need as they obey His will (Phil. 4:19; Matt. 6:24–34). It sometimes looks to us as though the righteous are suffering and the wicked prospering, but faith sees beyond today and considers where the godless end up (Ps. 73). “Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right [with injustice]” (Prov. 16:8). Our real prosperity isn’t here on earth but in glory when we see the Lord. “Misfortune pursues the sinners, but prosperity is the reward of the righteous” (13: niv).

3. The Influence of Righteousness The life of righteousness must not become a solitary and selfish experience. When God blesses the righteous, He does it so they can share the blessing with others. “I will bless you,” God promised Abraham, “and you shall be a blessing” (Gen. 12: nkjv). The “blessed man” of Psalm 1 is “like a tree” that produces fruit for others to enjoy (Ps. 1:3). “The righteous will thrive like a green leaf…. The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life” (Prov. 11:28, 30 niv).

Let’s trace the circles of influence that radiate from the lives of men and women of God who walk on His paths.

They are blessed in their character. The eminent American preacher Phillips Brooks said that the purpose of life was the building of character through truth. Christian character is one thing we’ll take to heaven with us. We’ll all have glorified bodies like that of our Lord (Phil. 3:20–21; 1 John 3:1–3), and we’ll all be happy in His presence, but we will not all immediately have the same capacity for appreciating spiritual things. Every vessel will be filled, but not all vessels will be the same size. Those who have walked closely with their Lord will be delighted to see Him (2 Tim. 4:8), but others will be “ashamed before him at his coming” (1 John 2:28).

The righteous desire the very best from the Lord, and He grants it to them (Prov. 10:24; 11:23). When we delight ourselves in the Lord, we will want the things that delight Him (Ps. 37:4). The developing of spiritual perception, a godly appetite, and the ability to choose the best (Phil. 1:9–11), is one of the blessed by-products of a holy walk with God. The more we become like Christ, the less we enjoy the “entertainment” of this world and long for the enrichment of the world to come.

Of course, godly character comes from feeding on the Word and taking time to be holy. “Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser; teach a just man, and he will increase in learning” (Prov. 9:9). Even reproof helps the godly person to mature. “Do not correct a scoffer, lest he hate you; rebuke a wise man, and he will love you” (v. 8 nkjv).

The righteous are kind and generous (21:26) and show their kindness not only in the way they treat people (29:7) but also in the way they treat animals. “A righteous man regards the life of his animal, but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel” (12: nkjv).

They are blessed in their home. “The Lord’s curse is on the house of the wicked, but He blesses the home of the righteous” (3: niv). “The house of the wicked will be overthrown, but the tent of the upright will flourish” (14: nkjv). The wicked may live in houses, and the righteous have only tents, but with the blessing of the Lord, the righteous person’s tent will be a palace! “The wicked are overthrown, and are not: but the house of the righteous shall stand” (12:7).

In the Hebrew culture, “house” refers to the family as well as the structure in which the family dwells (2 Sam. 7:16, 25, 27), which means that the children of the godly are included in the blessing. “The righteous man walks in his integrity; his children are blessed after him” (20: nkjv). “Through wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches” (24:3–4; see 14:1).

One of the greatest rewards in life is to be a blessing to your children and grandchildren. “I have been young, and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread” (Ps. 37: nkjv). This blessing includes material things (Prov. 13:22), but it applies even more to spiritual treasures.

When I was born, a doctor told my parents that I wouldn’t live beyond the age of two; yet the Lord enabled them to raise me, even though I wasn’t a robust child. Why did I survive? Partly because of a greatgrandfather who had prayed years before that there would be a preacher of the gospel in every generation of our family—and there has been! “The memory of the just is blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot” (10:7).

“Like a bird that strays from its nest is a man who strays from his home” (27: niv). In our contemporary American society, about 17 percent of the population relocates each year, but in ancient Israel, people stayed close to home. The extended family was the norm, with children and grandchildren learning to revere their ancestors and respectfully learning from them. The person who strayed from home was either up to no good or had to leave because of family problems.

But the verse applies spiritually as well as geographically: We must not stray from the example of our godly ancestors or the spiritual treasures they left us. How tragic it is when children and grandchildren ridicule and reject the spiritual heritage of their family and turn instead to the ways of the world.

They are blessed as citizens and leaders. “When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices; and when the wicked perish, there is jubilation. By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted, but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked” (11:10–11 nkjv). “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; but when a wicked man rules, the people groan” (29: nkjv).

Israel was a monarchy and the king was expected to rule in the fear of the Lord (20:8, 26). “It is an abomination to kings to commit wickedness: for the throne is established by righteousness” (16:12). “Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness” (25:5). God cast out the Canaanite nations because their sins were abominable to Him (Deut. 12:29–32), and He chastened Israel when they imitated the sins of those nations (Judg. 2). God would not tolerate the sin of idolatry.

By turning away from God’s law, wicked rulers led the way for the nation to become evil. Whenever the nation had a godly king, such as David, Josiah, or Hezekiah, God blessed His people. But when an ungodly king ascended the throne, the Lord withdrew His blessing and left them to their own devices. Eventually, the northern kingdom of Israel was taken over by Assyria, the Southern Kingdom of Judah was exiled in Babylon, and Jerusalem and the temple destroyed.

During times of spiritual decay, it was the godly remnant of righteous people who maintained the flickering flame of spiritual life in the nation. When false prophets, greedy priests, and ruthless kings joined together to lead the nation away from the true God, it was the faithful remnant that served as salt and light in the land. “Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name” (Mal. 3:16).

Israel is the only nation that has a special covenant relationship with God, but the principle of Proverbs 14: still stands: “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people” (niv). Deuteronomy 12, Amos 1—2, and Romans 1:18–32 make it clear that God judges the Gentile nations for their sins even though He didn’t give them the same law that He gave to Israel (Ps. 147:19–20). National leaders can’t escape the judgment of God when they lead the people away from God’s holy standards. Legalizing sin doesn’t make it right. No wonder Thomas Jefferson wrote, “Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just.”

Godly parents can raise godly children, and godly children can provide godly influence in their communities and in the nation. In a democracy, where leadership is elected and not inherited, the Lord’s remnant must exert as much influence for righteousness as possible; certainly every believer ought to pray for those in authority (1 Tim. 2:1–8). I have ministered the Word in hundreds of churches and conferences in the United States, and I confess that rarely have I heard government leaders mentioned in the pulpit prayers. If the church obeyed the Word and prayed, national leaders would have to take God into account in their deliberations. “The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord; He directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases” (Prov. 21: niv).

I occasionally hear people lamenting the state of the nation, but most of them fail to point out the main cause: The church collectively and believers individually aren’t doing their job in spreading righteousness. If the righteous remnant were spreading more salt and light, there would be less decay and darkness (Matt. 5:13–16). Christians have a job to do: praying for all in authority, winning the lost, living godly lives, and raising godly children.

And it would help if we humbled ourselves and sought God’s face (2 Chron. 7:14); for apart from the deep working of God’s Spirit in hearts, there is no hope for any nation.

“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he chose for his inheritance” (Ps. 33: niv).

1. The God of Righteousness The Hebrew words in Proverbs that are translated “righteous,” “righteousness,” “upright,” and “uprightness” describe ethical conduct that conforms to God’s standards and moral character that comes from a right relationship to the Lord and His Word. True righteousness isn’t just toeing the line and obeying the rules. As Jesus teaches in the Sermon on the Mount, it is possible for us to obey the law outwardly while cultivating sin inwardly. It isn’t enough for us not to kill or not to commit adultery; we must also not harbor hatred and lust in our hearts (Matt. 5:21–48).

Our God is a righteous God. His character is holy and without sin (1 John 1:5), and all that He says and does is right and just. “He is the Rock, His work is perfect; for all His ways are justice, a God of truth and without injustice; righteous and upright is He” (Deut. 32: nkjv). “For the Lord is righteous, He loves righteousness; His countenance beholds the upright” (Ps. 11: nkjv).

God’s Word is righteous. “I open my lips to speak what is right. … All the words of my mouth are just; none of them is crooked or perverse. To the discerning all of them are right; they are faultless to those who have knowledge” (Prov. 8:6, 8–9 niv; see Ps. 119:138). The Word of God reveals the God of the Word; His Word, like His character, can be trusted.

Other nations had their gods, temples, priests, and sacrifices, but only the people of Israel worshipped the living God who spoke to them and gave them His Word. “Did any people ever hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as you have heard, and live? … Out of heaven He let you hear His voice, that He might instruct you; on earth He showed you His great fire, and you heard His words out of the midst of the fire” (Deut. 4:33, 36 nkjv).

However, the privilege of hearing God’s Word brings with it the responsibility of obeying what He commands. “You shall therefore keep His statutes and His commandments which I command you today, that it may go well with you and with your children after you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which the Lord your God is giving you for all time” (Deut. 4: nkjv). “See that you do not refuse Him who speaks” (Heb. 12: nkjv).

God’s acts are righteous. “I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight” (Jer. 9: niv). “The Lord our God is righteous in everything He does” (Dan. 9: niv). We may question God’s plans and even accuse Him of being unfair, but nobody can succeed in proving that God has ever done anything wrong. “The Lord is righteous in her midst, He will do no unrighteousness. Every morning He brings His justice to light; He never fails” (Zeph. 3: nkjv).

God wants His people to be righteous. It is unthinkable that a righteous God would violate His own nature and disobey His own Word by asking His people to be less than righteous. Before He gave Israel His law, God said, “Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people. … and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Ex. 19:5–6 nkjv). Jesus echoed this divine desire when He said, “Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect” (Matt. 5: nkjv).

The problem, of course, is that people are—people. And that means that they’re sinners. “Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the hearts” (Prov. 21: nkjv). “There is not a righteous man on earth who does what is right and never sins” (Eccl. 7: niv). “There is none righteous, no, not one” (Rom. 3:10; see Ps. 14:1–3). How can sinners ever be righteous before a righteous God?

When you read Proverbs, you discover that God mentions many different sins that people committed in ancient Israel and still commit in our communities today, sins like anger, deception, thievery, murder, slander, gossip, drunkenness, adultery, bribery, jealousy, rebellion against parents, and a host of other things that all of us would recognize. Proverbs makes it very clear that people are sinners.

God provides righteousness for those who will accept it. How can a guilty sinner ever become righteous enough to please a holy God? If God is going to be just, all He can do is condemn the wicked and accept the righteous, but there are no righteous people for Him to accept! We certainly don’t become righteous by being religious. “To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice” (Prov. 21:3). Disobedient King Saul learned that lesson from Samuel (1 Sam. 15:22), and this important principle was repeated by several other prophets (Isa. 1:11–17; Jer. 7:22–23; Mic. 6:68). In fact, Isaiah said that our righteousnesses were “as filthy rags” in God’s sight (Isa. 64:6)—so what must our sins look like to Him?

“He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the just, both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord” (Prov. 17: nkjv). But that’s exactly what the Lord God did! His Son, Jesus Christ, died for the sins of the world, “the just for the unjust” (1 Peter 3:18); the judgment that should have been ours was laid on Him (2:24). God justifies (declares righteous) the ungodly, not when they do good works but when they put their faith in Christ. “But to him who does not work [for righteousness] but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness” (Rom. 4: nkjv).

“The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous,” wrote Solomon, “and the transgressor for the upright” (Prov. 21:18), but that wasn’t true at Calvary. There the Righteous One became a ransom for the wicked when Jesus was numbered with the transgressors and died for our sins (Isa. 53:4–6, 12). The only way to be righteous before God is to trust Jesus Christ and receive His righteousness as God’s free gift (Rom. 5:17; 2 Cor. 5:21). Then we can begin to walk “the path of righteousness” and enjoy the blessings of the Lord.

Not everybody who claims to be among the righteous is truly a child of God. God’s people understand righteousness (Prov. 2:9) because they meditate on His Word and seek to obey it. They do righteousness (1:3; 25:26) because true faith always leads to works (James 2:14–26). They speak righteousness (Prov. 10:11; 12:6, 17; 13:5; 15:28; 16:13) and their words can be trusted, and they pursue righteousness and make it the passion of their hearts. “The Lord detests the way of the wicked, but he loves those who pursue righteousness” (15: niv). “Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness; for they shall be filled” (Matt. 5:6).

When people are right with God, He leads them in “right paths” (Prov. 4:11), and teaches them “right things” (8:6). Their minds and hearts are filled with right thoughts (12:5), and their lips speak right words (23:16). Their work is right (21:8), because God works in them and through them to accomplish His will (Phil. 2:12–13).

2. The Path of Righteousness In our study of Proverbs 2—4, we learned that following the way of wisdom is compared to a pilgrim walking a path. As we follow His wisdom, God protects, directs, and perfects our path. God’s desire for us is that we “walk in the way of goodness, and keep to the paths of righteousness” (2:20). We’re warned not to listen to evil men “who leave the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness” (v. 13 nkjv); nor should we heed the seductive words of the evil woman whose “house leads down to death, and her paths to the dead” (v. 18 nkjv).

I read about a dirt-road intersection in the prairies of Canada where somebody had posted this sign: “Be careful what rut you take—you’ll be on it a long time!” Each of us must choose to travel one of two paths, and the path we choose determines the destination we’ll reach (Matt. 7:13–14). It also determines the quality of life we’ll experience along the way. Solomon points out some of the blessings that come to those who walk the path of life and wisdom.

To begin with, God’s people experience His direction. “The righteousness of the blameless will direct his way aright, but the wicked will fall by his own wickedness” (Prov. 11: nkjv). The Lord directs the paths of those who trust and obey (3:5–6), because God wants His children to know His will (Acts 22:14) and enjoy doing it (Eph. 6:6). The Lord reveals His will only to those who are willing to obey it (John 7:17).

On the path of the righteous, God’s people also experience deliverance. “The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them, but transgressors shall be taken in their own naughtiness” (Prov. 11:6). Godly people certainly have their share of trials and testings, but the Lord promises to help them and make these experiences turn out for good (Rom. 8:28). “The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles” (Ps. 34:17). Obedience to the Lord keeps us from many of the troubles that sinners experience, but when the Lord permits us to suffer, He promises to bring us through. “The wicked is snared by the transgression of his lips, but the just shall come out of trouble” (Prov. 12:13).

We have God’s provision for all we need if we’re walking in His wisdom. “I walk in the way of righteousness, along the paths of justice, bestowing wealth on those who love me and making their treasuries full” (8:20–21 niv). This isn’t an encouragement for us to jump on the “health-wealth-and-success” bandwagon. Proverbs was originally written for Jews under the old covenant; under that covenant, material blessing was a part of God’s promise to Israel (Deut. 28:1–14). Believers today can be sure of God’s provision for their every need as they obey His will (Phil. 4:19; Matt. 6:24–34). It sometimes looks to us as though the righteous are suffering and the wicked prospering, but faith sees beyond today and considers where the godless end up (Ps. 73). “Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right [with injustice]” (Prov. 16:8). Our real prosperity isn’t here on earth but in glory when we see the Lord. “Misfortune pursues the sinners, but prosperity is the reward of the righteous” (13: niv).

3. The Influence of Righteousness The life of righteousness must not become a solitary and selfish experience. When God blesses the righteous, He does it so they can share the blessing with others. “I will bless you,” God promised Abraham, “and you shall be a blessing” (Gen. 12: nkjv). The “blessed man” of Psalm 1 is “like a tree” that produces fruit for others to enjoy (Ps. 1:3). “The righteous will thrive like a green leaf…. The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life” (Prov. 11:28, 30 niv).

Let’s trace the circles of influence that radiate from the lives of men and women of God who walk on His paths.

They are blessed in their character. The eminent American preacher Phillips Brooks said that the purpose of life was the building of character through truth. Christian character is one thing we’ll take to heaven with us. We’ll all have glorified bodies like that of our Lord (Phil. 3:20–21; 1 John 3:1–3), and we’ll all be happy in His presence, but we will not all immediately have the same capacity for appreciating spiritual things. Every vessel will be filled, but not all vessels will be the same size. Those who have walked closely with their Lord will be delighted to see Him (2 Tim. 4:8), but others will be “ashamed before him at his coming” (1 John 2:28).

The righteous desire the very best from the Lord, and He grants it to them (Prov. 10:24; 11:23). When we delight ourselves in the Lord, we will want the things that delight Him (Ps. 37:4). The developing of spiritual perception, a godly appetite, and the ability to choose the best (Phil. 1:9–11), is one of the blessed by-products of a holy walk with God. The more we become like Christ, the less we enjoy the “entertainment” of this world and long for the enrichment of the world to come.

Of course, godly character comes from feeding on the Word and taking time to be holy. “Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser; teach a just man, and he will increase in learning” (Prov. 9:9). Even reproof helps the godly person to mature. “Do not correct a scoffer, lest he hate you; rebuke a wise man, and he will love you” (v. 8 nkjv).

The righteous are kind and generous (21:26) and show their kindness not only in the way they treat people (29:7) but also in the way they treat animals. “A righteous man regards the life of his animal, but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel” (12: nkjv).

They are blessed in their home. “The Lord’s curse is on the house of the wicked, but He blesses the home of the righteous” (3: niv). “The house of the wicked will be overthrown, but the tent of the upright will flourish” (14: nkjv). The wicked may live in houses, and the righteous have only tents, but with the blessing of the Lord, the righteous person’s tent will be a palace! “The wicked are overthrown, and are not: but the house of the righteous shall stand” (12:7).

In the Hebrew culture, “house” refers to the family as well as the structure in which the family dwells (2 Sam. 7:16, 25, 27), which means that the children of the godly are included in the blessing. “The righteous man walks in his integrity; his children are blessed after him” (20: nkjv). “Through wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches” (24:3–4; see 14:1).

One of the greatest rewards in life is to be a blessing to your children and grandchildren. “I have been young, and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread” (Ps. 37: nkjv). This blessing includes material things (Prov. 13:22), but it applies even more to spiritual treasures.

When I was born, a doctor told my parents that I wouldn’t live beyond the age of two; yet the Lord enabled them to raise me, even though I wasn’t a robust child. Why did I survive? Partly because of a greatgrandfather who had prayed years before that there would be a preacher of the gospel in every generation of our family—and there has been! “The memory of the just is blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot” (10:7).

“Like a bird that strays from its nest is a man who strays from his home” (27: niv). In our contemporary American society, about 17 percent of the population relocates each year, but in ancient Israel, people stayed close to home. The extended family was the norm, with children and grandchildren learning to revere their ancestors and respectfully learning from them. The person who strayed from home was either up to no good or had to leave because of family problems.

But the verse applies spiritually as well as geographically: We must not stray from the example of our godly ancestors or the spiritual treasures they left us. How tragic it is when children and grandchildren ridicule and reject the spiritual heritage of their family and turn instead to the ways of the world.

They are blessed as citizens and leaders. “When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices; and when the wicked perish, there is jubilation. By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted, but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked” (11:10–11 nkjv). “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; but when a wicked man rules, the people groan” (29: nkjv).

Israel was a monarchy and the king was expected to rule in the fear of the Lord (20:8, 26). “It is an abomination to kings to commit wickedness: for the throne is established by righteousness” (16:12). “Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness” (25:5). God cast out the Canaanite nations because their sins were abominable to Him (Deut. 12:29–32), and He chastened Israel when they imitated the sins of those nations (Judg. 2). God would not tolerate the sin of idolatry.

By turning away from God’s law, wicked rulers led the way for the nation to become evil. Whenever the nation had a godly king, such as David, Josiah, or Hezekiah, God blessed His people. But when an ungodly king ascended the throne, the Lord withdrew His blessing and left them to their own devices. Eventually, the northern kingdom of Israel was taken over by Assyria, the Southern Kingdom of Judah was exiled in Babylon, and Jerusalem and the temple destroyed.

During times of spiritual decay, it was the godly remnant of righteous people who maintained the flickering flame of spiritual life in the nation. When false prophets, greedy priests, and ruthless kings joined together to lead the nation away from the true God, it was the faithful remnant that served as salt and light in the land. “Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name” (Mal. 3:16).

Israel is the only nation that has a special covenant relationship with God, but the principle of Proverbs 14: still stands: “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people” (niv). Deuteronomy 12, Amos 1—2, and Romans 1:18–32 make it clear that God judges the Gentile nations for their sins even though He didn’t give them the same law that He gave to Israel (Ps. 147:19–20). National leaders can’t escape the judgment of God when they lead the people away from God’s holy standards. Legalizing sin doesn’t make it right. No wonder Thomas Jefferson wrote, “Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just.”

Godly parents can raise godly children, and godly children can provide godly influence in their communities and in the nation. In a democracy, where leadership is elected and not inherited, the Lord’s remnant must exert as much influence for righteousness as possible; certainly every believer ought to pray for those in authority (1 Tim. 2:1–8). I have ministered the Word in hundreds of churches and conferences in the United States, and I confess that rarely have I heard government leaders mentioned in the pulpit prayers. If the church obeyed the Word and prayed, national leaders would have to take God into account in their deliberations. “The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord; He directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases” (Prov. 21: niv).

I occasionally hear people lamenting the state of the nation, but most of them fail to point out the main cause: The church collectively and believers individually aren’t doing their job in spreading righteousness. If the righteous remnant were spreading more salt and light, there would be less decay and darkness (Matt. 5:13–16). Christians have a job to do: praying for all in authority, winning the lost, living godly lives, and raising godly children.

And it would help if we humbled ourselves and sought God’s face (2 Chron. 7:14); for apart from the deep working of God’s Spirit in hearts, there is no hope for any nation.

“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he chose for his inheritance” (Ps. 33: niv).

1. Faith “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths” (Prov. 3:5–6 nkjv). These two verses have encouraged believers everywhere in their quest for God’s guidance, and for those who have sincerely met the conditions, the promise has never failed. But when we say, “I’m trusting in the Lord,” what are we really affirming?

That we belong to God. No unbeliever could honestly rest on the words of Proverbs 3:5–6. While a sovereign God can rule and overrule in the life of any person, saved or lost, it is clear that the life of the unsaved person is motivated and energized by the world, the flesh, and the devil (Eph. 2:1–3). Only a believer can have the guidance of the indwelling Holy Spirit or understand the teachings of the Scriptures, and only a believer would really want to understand and obey the will of God.

That God has a plan for our lives. “Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails” (Prov. 19: niv). It is inconceivable that our loving heavenly Father would give His Son to die for us, and then abandon us to our own ways! We are not our own because we have been purchased by God (1 Cor. 6:19–20), so it’s reasonable that our Master should have a perfect plan for us to fulfill for His glory. Ephesians 2: assures us that the good works God wants us to accomplish have already been determined; in Philippians 2:12–13, God assures us that He works in us to accomplish His good pleasure. The talents we were born with (Ps. 139:13–18) and the gifts we received at conversion (1 Cor. 12:1–11) are brought together by the Holy Spirit so that we can do what God has called us to do.

That this plan is the best thing for us. How could a holy God will for His children anything less than His best, and how could a loving God plan anything that would harm us? We have no reason to fear the will of God, because His plans come from His heart. “The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations” (Ps. 33: nkjv). Unless we see the will of God as the expression of the love of God, we’ll resist it stubbornly, or do it grudgingly, instead of enjoying it. Faith in God’s love and wisdom will transform our attitude and make the will of God nourishment instead of punishment (John 4:34).

That the Father will reveal His will in His time. It’s through “faith and patience” that we receive what God promises (Heb. 6:12, 15), and it’s as dangerous to run ahead of the Lord as it is to stubbornly lag behind. “It is not good to have zeal without knowledge, nor to be hasty and miss the way” (Prov. 19: niv). “Be not like the horse or like the mule” (Ps. 32:9). The horse rushes ahead and the mule won’t budge, and both attitudes are wrong. Even the great apostle Paul didn’t always know exactly the way God was guiding, and he had to pause in his work and wait for divine direction (Acts 16:6–10). Our times are in His hand (Ps. 31:15), and the Father is always on schedule (John 11:6–10).

2. Commitment Knowing and obeying the will of God can’t be a halfhearted endeavor on our part, a hobby we indulge in when there’s an emergency or when we “feel like it.” God wants us to trust Him with all our heart and acknowledge Him in all our ways. Knowing and doing the will of God isn’t a “spiritual technique” that we use occasionally; it’s a committed lifestyle that involves everything we do.

Successful athletes make winning their full-time pursuit, and this shows up in the way they eat, sleep, exercise, and relate to their coaches and teammates. The word for this is commitment, and commitment involves obedience. “He who scorns instruction will pay for it, but he who respects a command is rewarded” (Prov. 13: niv).

In the book of Proverbs, the wise father repeatedly gives his son loving calls to obedience. “My son, do not forget my law, but let your heart keep my commands” (3: nkjv). “My son, keep your father’s command, and do not forsake the law of your mother” (6: nkjv). “My son, keep my words, and treasure my commands within you” (7: nkjv). The will of God isn’t a curiosity for us to study, it’s a command for us to obey; God isn’t obligated to reveal His will unless we’re willing to do it. “If anyone wants to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority” (John 7: nkjv). As F. W. Robertson said, “Obedience is the organ of spiritual knowledge.”

This commitment is spelled out in Romans 12:1–2, another familiar passage about the will of God. Before I can “prove by experience” what God’s will is, and discover that His will is “good, pleasing and perfect” (niv), I must give Him my body, my mind, and my will, a total commitment of my total being. This is a once-for-all presentation, but it needs to be renewed daily as we meet with the Lord in worship and prayer.

A pastor friend of mine once said to me, “There are too many ‘cafeteria Christians’ in our congregation. Instead of letting God plan the whole meal and accepting it, they pick and choose what they want, and they miss the best dishes He fixes for them!” God wants all of our heart, and He expects us to obey all of His will in all of our ways. If Jesus Christ gave His all for us, how can we do less than give our all to Him?

The Hebrew word translated “acknowledge” in Proverbs 3: carries with it the idea of intimate communion and is used to describe the marriage relationship (Gen. 4:1; 19:8). Whenever I find myself distant from my Father, then I know that I’ve allowed something to enter my life that is not in the sphere of His will. Since the will of God comes from the heart of God, it ought to draw my heart closer to Him.

3. Instruction “A wise son heeds his father’s instruction” (Prov. 13: niv). “Take firm hold of instruction, do not let go; keep her, for she is your life” (4: nkjv). “Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning” (9:9).

In order to “trust in the Lord,” we must have His Word to instruct us, because “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom. 10: nkjv). Scripture is “the word of faith” (Rom. 10:8) that generates and nourishes faith in our hearts, and we can depend on His Word. “Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him” (Prov. 30: nkjv; see 22:17–21).

To deliberately act apart from the instruction of the Scriptures is to rebel against the revealed will of God. “He who despises the word will be destroyed, but he who fears the commandment will be rewarded” (13: nkjv; see 19:16). To ignore the Word of God is to deprive ourselves of the guidance we need for making the decisions of life. “Stop listening to instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge” (19: niv).

Most of the situations, opportunities, and decisions the average person encounters in life are already dealt with in the Word of God. Consult a topical index to the Bible, or even to the book of Proverbs, and you’ll see how thoroughly Scripture deals with the practical affairs of life. Of course, we can’t expect the Bible to specifically tell us the name of the person we should marry, which job we should accept, what car we should buy, or where to spend our vacation, but if we’re saturated with God’s wisdom and sincerely seeking His will, we’ll be ready for Him to guide us by His Spirit and the providential circumstances of life.

“A man’s steps are of the Lord; how then can a man understand his own way?” (20: nkjv) God overruled Joseph’s brothers’ envy and used their evil deeds to build Joseph’s faith and save Jacob’s family (Gen. 50:20). At the time, nobody could understand what the Lord was doing, but He was working out His perfect plan. In the school of faith, sometimes we don’t know what the lesson is until we’ve passed—or failed— the examination!

When we studied Proverbs 1—4, we learned that it is necessary for us to apply ourselves to God’s Word if we hope to receive His instruction. According to Proverbs 2:1–4, our responsibility is to receive the Word, treasure it, listen to it, apply our heart to it, cry out for it, and search for it the way a miner searches for treasure; then we will “understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God” (2: nkjv).

Reading and meditating on God’s Word ought to be a daily habit with us. “Blessed is the man who listens to me,” says Wisdom, “watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors” (8: nkjv). If you want your faith and spiritual discernment to mature, there’s no substitute for the disciplined, systematic reading of the whole Word of God. “Wise people store up knowledge” (10: nkjv), because you never know when you’ll need some truth from the Bible to help you overcome a temptation or make a decision.

But there’s another factor involved, and that’s prayer, because the Word of God and prayer go together (John 15:7; Acts 6:4; Eph. 6:17–18). “If anyone turns a deaf ear to the law, even his prayers are detestable” (Prov. 28: niv; see 15:8). The word translated “law” in this verse is torah, which means “instruction.” If I won’t listen to God’s instruction, why should God listen to my petition?

4. Counsel “Plans are established by counsel; by wise counsel wage war” (20: nkjv). If experienced generals seek counsel as they wage war, shouldn’t we seek counsel for the battles of life? It’s dangerous to rely on our own wisdom and experience and to ignore the wisdom and experience of other believers who have successfully walked with the Lord. “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but he who heeds counsel is wise” (12: nkjv).

The first source of wise counsel is Christian parents. “Listen to your father who begot you, and do not despise your mother when she is old” (23: nkjv; see 6:20–23). “A wise son heeds his father’s instruction” (13: nkjv). Not everybody has the privilege of being raised in a godly home, but even then, the Lord often provides “substitute parents” who can share the wisdom of the Lord.

Christian friends can also listen, counsel, and pray. “Ointment and perfume delight the heart, and the sweetness of a man’s friend gives delight by hearty counsel” (27: nkjv). The Living Bible paraphrases the verse, “Friendly suggestions are as pleasant as perfume,” but sometimes a friend’s counsel may not be perfume! It may be acid! Even then, we have nothing to lose; for “as iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend” (27: nkjv). The sparks may fly, but God will give us the light that we need. “Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful” (27:6).

How we accept and apply rebuke is a test of how devoted we are to truth and wisdom and how sincere we are in wanting to know God’s will. “He who listens to a life-giving rebuke will be at home among the wise” (15: niv). “He who disdains instruction despises his own soul, but he who heeds rebuke gets understanding” (v. 32 nkjv). Friends who flatter us and avoid telling us the truth are only doing us harm. “He who rebukes a man will in the end gain more favor than he who has a flattering tongue” (28: niv; see 29:5).

Not every friend is a good counselor, so we must choose wisely. “The purposes of a man’s heart are deep waters, but a man of understanding draws them out” (20: niv). We don’t know our own hearts (Jer. 17:9), and only God’s Word can honestly reveal “the thoughts and intents [motives] of the heart” (Heb. 4:12). It takes a counselor with loving patience and a discerning spirit to help us see what lies deep within our hearts.

While it’s usually true that “a multitude of counselors” assures a wise decision (Prov. 11:14; 15:22; 24:6; see Ex. 23:2), at the same time, we must avoid running from friend to friend asking for advice. This may indicate that we’re trying to find somebody who will tell us what we want to hear! “A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother” (Prov. 18: niv). It isn’t enough to have friends; we must have a friend who will “speak the truth in love” (Eph. 4:15).

Often in my conference ministry, people will approach me with personal problems and ask for advice. I try to avoid giving counsel for several reasons: I don’t know the people; I’m not going to be there long enough to continue a counseling relationship; a quick chat after a meeting isn’t counseling; and I don’t want to take the place of a faithful local pastor.

“Have you discussed this matter with your pastor?” I ask, and I carefully listen to the reply. No matter what the words are, the reply often indicates, “I talked to him, but it didn’t do any good” (meaning possibly, “I didn’t get my way”) or, “I’ve talked to him and a dozen other ministers and guest speakers!” Then I know that anything I say will probably do little good.

In seeking counsel, we must be sincere, because a loving and wise friend can often see dangers and detours that are hidden from us. It’s best to be accountable to another believer and submit to the authority of the spiritual leaders in our church. During more than forty years of ministry, I’ve witnessed the painful downfalls of several “Lone Ranger” Christians who thought they didn’t need anybody’s counsel. “A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire; he rages against all wise judgment” (Prov. 18: nkjv). Christians are God’s sheep, and we need to flock together. As members of Christ’s spiritual body (1 Cor. 12), we belong to each other, and we need each other.

5. Plans We must never think that in determining the will of God, the believer is passive and only the Lord is active. “Let go and let God” is a clever motto, but I’m not sure it applies to every area of the Christian life. If all we do is exercise faith, commit our way to the Lord, read the Bible, and counsel with our friends, we may never get much done for the Lord. You can’t steer a car when it’s in neutral, and “faith without works is dead” (James 2:26).

But doesn’t Proverbs 3: warn us against leaning on our own understanding? Yes, it does, but the word lean means “to rely on,” and our faith must be in God’s Word and not in our own wisdom. It’s the same word used of a king who leans on the arm of an officer (2 Kings 5:18; 7:2, 17) or a person who leans on a staff (18:21).

As we seek to know God’s will, we must gather all the facts we can and assess them, because our decision must be based on knowledge and not hearsay. “Every prudent man acts out of knowledge, but a fool exposes his folly” (Prov. 13: niv). “He who answers a matter before he hears it, it is folly and shame to him” (18: nkjv). This applies whether we’re answering somebody else or answering the Lord. “The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways, but the folly of fools is deception” (14: niv). We must take time for an honest look at facts.

God expects us to use our brains and make plans, but He also expects us to submit those plans to Him and let Him make the final decision. “To man belong the plans of the heart, but from the Lord comes the reply of the tongue” (16: niv). “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed” (v. 3 niv). If we’re yielded to the Lord and our plans are not His plans, He will show us what’s right and steer us away from what’s wrong. “And if on some point you think differently, that, too, God will make clear to you” (Phil. 3: niv). “In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps” (Prov. 16: niv).

It is when we rebel against the Lord and want to go our own way that we get into trouble. “There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the Lord” (21:30). That’s why we must begin our search for God’s will by reading His Word and obeying it, because the Scriptures reveal the character and the purposes of God. The will of God will never contradict either the purposes of God or the character of God, so we must wait before the Lord, because “the plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty” (21: niv). If we’re walking by faith, we won’t rush ahead, for, “whoever believes will not act hastily” (Isa. 28: nkjv).

So, when we have a decision to make, we gather all the facts and seek wise counsel, we make our plans, we commit ourselves and our plans to the Lord, we listen to His Word, and we wait before Him for His leading. Sometimes God leads us through a Bible promise or warning; sometimes while we’re at worship with God’s people, He speaks through a song or Scripture reading; or He may direct us through providential circumstances. More than once in my own life, His disciplines have turned out to be His directions (Prov. 3:11–12; Heb. 12:1–11).

6. Obedience “In all your ways acknowledge Him” (Prov. 3:6) means, “Do God’s will in every area of life. Seek to honor Him in everything.” Note verse 7: “Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and depart from evil” (nkjv). Pride and disobedience in any area of life can get us on dangerous detours, so we must stay humble before Him. “When pride comes, then comes shame; but with the humble is wisdom. The integrity of the upright will guide them, but the perversity of the unfaithful will destroy them” (11:2–3 nkjv).

The assurance is, “and He shall direct your paths.” Dr. G. Campbell Morgan said: “Not always in easy or pleasant paths, but always in right paths. Not always in those I would have chosen, but always in paths which lead to success…. The paths that He directs lead always through mist and mystery, through battle and through bruising, to the fulfillment of the meaning of life.”

Some people live only for entertainment and try to escape the burdens of life. Others live for enjoyment and try to make the most of life. God’s dedicated people live for enrichment and discover fulfillment in life as they do the will of God from the heart.

Which one are you?

1. Faith “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths” (Prov. 3:5–6 nkjv). These two verses have encouraged believers everywhere in their quest for God’s guidance, and for those who have sincerely met the conditions, the promise has never failed. But when we say, “I’m trusting in the Lord,” what are we really affirming?

That we belong to God. No unbeliever could honestly rest on the words of Proverbs 3:5–6. While a sovereign God can rule and overrule in the life of any person, saved or lost, it is clear that the life of the unsaved person is motivated and energized by the world, the flesh, and the devil (Eph. 2:1–3). Only a believer can have the guidance of the indwelling Holy Spirit or understand the teachings of the Scriptures, and only a believer would really want to understand and obey the will of God.

That God has a plan for our lives. “Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails” (Prov. 19: niv). It is inconceivable that our loving heavenly Father would give His Son to die for us, and then abandon us to our own ways! We are not our own because we have been purchased by God (1 Cor. 6:19–20), so it’s reasonable that our Master should have a perfect plan for us to fulfill for His glory. Ephesians 2: assures us that the good works God wants us to accomplish have already been determined; in Philippians 2:12–13, God assures us that He works in us to accomplish His good pleasure. The talents we were born with (Ps. 139:13–18) and the gifts we received at conversion (1 Cor. 12:1–11) are brought together by the Holy Spirit so that we can do what God has called us to do.

That this plan is the best thing for us. How could a holy God will for His children anything less than His best, and how could a loving God plan anything that would harm us? We have no reason to fear the will of God, because His plans come from His heart. “The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations” (Ps. 33: nkjv). Unless we see the will of God as the expression of the love of God, we’ll resist it stubbornly, or do it grudgingly, instead of enjoying it. Faith in God’s love and wisdom will transform our attitude and make the will of God nourishment instead of punishment (John 4:34).

That the Father will reveal His will in His time. It’s through “faith and patience” that we receive what God promises (Heb. 6:12, 15), and it’s as dangerous to run ahead of the Lord as it is to stubbornly lag behind. “It is not good to have zeal without knowledge, nor to be hasty and miss the way” (Prov. 19: niv). “Be not like the horse or like the mule” (Ps. 32:9). The horse rushes ahead and the mule won’t budge, and both attitudes are wrong. Even the great apostle Paul didn’t always know exactly the way God was guiding, and he had to pause in his work and wait for divine direction (Acts 16:6–10). Our times are in His hand (Ps. 31:15), and the Father is always on schedule (John 11:6–10).

2. Commitment Knowing and obeying the will of God can’t be a halfhearted endeavor on our part, a hobby we indulge in when there’s an emergency or when we “feel like it.” God wants us to trust Him with all our heart and acknowledge Him in all our ways. Knowing and doing the will of God isn’t a “spiritual technique” that we use occasionally; it’s a committed lifestyle that involves everything we do.

Successful athletes make winning their full-time pursuit, and this shows up in the way they eat, sleep, exercise, and relate to their coaches and teammates. The word for this is commitment, and commitment involves obedience. “He who scorns instruction will pay for it, but he who respects a command is rewarded” (Prov. 13: niv).

In the book of Proverbs, the wise father repeatedly gives his son loving calls to obedience. “My son, do not forget my law, but let your heart keep my commands” (3: nkjv). “My son, keep your father’s command, and do not forsake the law of your mother” (6: nkjv). “My son, keep my words, and treasure my commands within you” (7: nkjv). The will of God isn’t a curiosity for us to study, it’s a command for us to obey; God isn’t obligated to reveal His will unless we’re willing to do it. “If anyone wants to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority” (John 7: nkjv). As F. W. Robertson said, “Obedience is the organ of spiritual knowledge.”

This commitment is spelled out in Romans 12:1–2, another familiar passage about the will of God. Before I can “prove by experience” what God’s will is, and discover that His will is “good, pleasing and perfect” (niv), I must give Him my body, my mind, and my will, a total commitment of my total being. This is a once-for-all presentation, but it needs to be renewed daily as we meet with the Lord in worship and prayer.

A pastor friend of mine once said to me, “There are too many ‘cafeteria Christians’ in our congregation. Instead of letting God plan the whole meal and accepting it, they pick and choose what they want, and they miss the best dishes He fixes for them!” God wants all of our heart, and He expects us to obey all of His will in all of our ways. If Jesus Christ gave His all for us, how can we do less than give our all to Him?

The Hebrew word translated “acknowledge” in Proverbs 3: carries with it the idea of intimate communion and is used to describe the marriage relationship (Gen. 4:1; 19:8). Whenever I find myself distant from my Father, then I know that I’ve allowed something to enter my life that is not in the sphere of His will. Since the will of God comes from the heart of God, it ought to draw my heart closer to Him.

3. Instruction “A wise son heeds his father’s instruction” (Prov. 13: niv). “Take firm hold of instruction, do not let go; keep her, for she is your life” (4: nkjv). “Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning” (9:9).

In order to “trust in the Lord,” we must have His Word to instruct us, because “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom. 10: nkjv). Scripture is “the word of faith” (Rom. 10:8) that generates and nourishes faith in our hearts, and we can depend on His Word. “Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him” (Prov. 30: nkjv; see 22:17–21).

To deliberately act apart from the instruction of the Scriptures is to rebel against the revealed will of God. “He who despises the word will be destroyed, but he who fears the commandment will be rewarded” (13: nkjv; see 19:16). To ignore the Word of God is to deprive ourselves of the guidance we need for making the decisions of life. “Stop listening to instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge” (19: niv).

Most of the situations, opportunities, and decisions the average person encounters in life are already dealt with in the Word of God. Consult a topical index to the Bible, or even to the book of Proverbs, and you’ll see how thoroughly Scripture deals with the practical affairs of life. Of course, we can’t expect the Bible to specifically tell us the name of the person we should marry, which job we should accept, what car we should buy, or where to spend our vacation, but if we’re saturated with God’s wisdom and sincerely seeking His will, we’ll be ready for Him to guide us by His Spirit and the providential circumstances of life.

“A man’s steps are of the Lord; how then can a man understand his own way?” (20: nkjv) God overruled Joseph’s brothers’ envy and used their evil deeds to build Joseph’s faith and save Jacob’s family (Gen. 50:20). At the time, nobody could understand what the Lord was doing, but He was working out His perfect plan. In the school of faith, sometimes we don’t know what the lesson is until we’ve passed—or failed— the examination!

When we studied Proverbs 1—4, we learned that it is necessary for us to apply ourselves to God’s Word if we hope to receive His instruction. According to Proverbs 2:1–4, our responsibility is to receive the Word, treasure it, listen to it, apply our heart to it, cry out for it, and search for it the way a miner searches for treasure; then we will “understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God” (2: nkjv).

Reading and meditating on God’s Word ought to be a daily habit with us. “Blessed is the man who listens to me,” says Wisdom, “watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors” (8: nkjv). If you want your faith and spiritual discernment to mature, there’s no substitute for the disciplined, systematic reading of the whole Word of God. “Wise people store up knowledge” (10: nkjv), because you never know when you’ll need some truth from the Bible to help you overcome a temptation or make a decision.

But there’s another factor involved, and that’s prayer, because the Word of God and prayer go together (John 15:7; Acts 6:4; Eph. 6:17–18). “If anyone turns a deaf ear to the law, even his prayers are detestable” (Prov. 28: niv; see 15:8). The word translated “law” in this verse is torah, which means “instruction.” If I won’t listen to God’s instruction, why should God listen to my petition?

4. Counsel “Plans are established by counsel; by wise counsel wage war” (20: nkjv). If experienced generals seek counsel as they wage war, shouldn’t we seek counsel for the battles of life? It’s dangerous to rely on our own wisdom and experience and to ignore the wisdom and experience of other believers who have successfully walked with the Lord. “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but he who heeds counsel is wise” (12: nkjv).

The first source of wise counsel is Christian parents. “Listen to your father who begot you, and do not despise your mother when she is old” (23: nkjv; see 6:20–23). “A wise son heeds his father’s instruction” (13: nkjv). Not everybody has the privilege of being raised in a godly home, but even then, the Lord often provides “substitute parents” who can share the wisdom of the Lord.

Christian friends can also listen, counsel, and pray. “Ointment and perfume delight the heart, and the sweetness of a man’s friend gives delight by hearty counsel” (27: nkjv). The Living Bible paraphrases the verse, “Friendly suggestions are as pleasant as perfume,” but sometimes a friend’s counsel may not be perfume! It may be acid! Even then, we have nothing to lose; for “as iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend” (27: nkjv). The sparks may fly, but God will give us the light that we need. “Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful” (27:6).

How we accept and apply rebuke is a test of how devoted we are to truth and wisdom and how sincere we are in wanting to know God’s will. “He who listens to a life-giving rebuke will be at home among the wise” (15: niv). “He who disdains instruction despises his own soul, but he who heeds rebuke gets understanding” (v. 32 nkjv). Friends who flatter us and avoid telling us the truth are only doing us harm. “He who rebukes a man will in the end gain more favor than he who has a flattering tongue” (28: niv; see 29:5).

Not every friend is a good counselor, so we must choose wisely. “The purposes of a man’s heart are deep waters, but a man of understanding draws them out” (20: niv). We don’t know our own hearts (Jer. 17:9), and only God’s Word can honestly reveal “the thoughts and intents [motives] of the heart” (Heb. 4:12). It takes a counselor with loving patience and a discerning spirit to help us see what lies deep within our hearts.

While it’s usually true that “a multitude of counselors” assures a wise decision (Prov. 11:14; 15:22; 24:6; see Ex. 23:2), at the same time, we must avoid running from friend to friend asking for advice. This may indicate that we’re trying to find somebody who will tell us what we want to hear! “A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother” (Prov. 18: niv). It isn’t enough to have friends; we must have a friend who will “speak the truth in love” (Eph. 4:15).

Often in my conference ministry, people will approach me with personal problems and ask for advice. I try to avoid giving counsel for several reasons: I don’t know the people; I’m not going to be there long enough to continue a counseling relationship; a quick chat after a meeting isn’t counseling; and I don’t want to take the place of a faithful local pastor.

“Have you discussed this matter with your pastor?” I ask, and I carefully listen to the reply. No matter what the words are, the reply often indicates, “I talked to him, but it didn’t do any good” (meaning possibly, “I didn’t get my way”) or, “I’ve talked to him and a dozen other ministers and guest speakers!” Then I know that anything I say will probably do little good.

In seeking counsel, we must be sincere, because a loving and wise friend can often see dangers and detours that are hidden from us. It’s best to be accountable to another believer and submit to the authority of the spiritual leaders in our church. During more than forty years of ministry, I’ve witnessed the painful downfalls of several “Lone Ranger” Christians who thought they didn’t need anybody’s counsel. “A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire; he rages against all wise judgment” (Prov. 18: nkjv). Christians are God’s sheep, and we need to flock together. As members of Christ’s spiritual body (1 Cor. 12), we belong to each other, and we need each other.

5. Plans We must never think that in determining the will of God, the believer is passive and only the Lord is active. “Let go and let God” is a clever motto, but I’m not sure it applies to every area of the Christian life. If all we do is exercise faith, commit our way to the Lord, read the Bible, and counsel with our friends, we may never get much done for the Lord. You can’t steer a car when it’s in neutral, and “faith without works is dead” (James 2:26).

But doesn’t Proverbs 3: warn us against leaning on our own understanding? Yes, it does, but the word lean means “to rely on,” and our faith must be in God’s Word and not in our own wisdom. It’s the same word used of a king who leans on the arm of an officer (2 Kings 5:18; 7:2, 17) or a person who leans on a staff (18:21).

As we seek to know God’s will, we must gather all the facts we can and assess them, because our decision must be based on knowledge and not hearsay. “Every prudent man acts out of knowledge, but a fool exposes his folly” (Prov. 13: niv). “He who answers a matter before he hears it, it is folly and shame to him” (18: nkjv). This applies whether we’re answering somebody else or answering the Lord. “The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways, but the folly of fools is deception” (14: niv). We must take time for an honest look at facts.

God expects us to use our brains and make plans, but He also expects us to submit those plans to Him and let Him make the final decision. “To man belong the plans of the heart, but from the Lord comes the reply of the tongue” (16: niv). “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed” (v. 3 niv). If we’re yielded to the Lord and our plans are not His plans, He will show us what’s right and steer us away from what’s wrong. “And if on some point you think differently, that, too, God will make clear to you” (Phil. 3: niv). “In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps” (Prov. 16: niv).

It is when we rebel against the Lord and want to go our own way that we get into trouble. “There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the Lord” (21:30). That’s why we must begin our search for God’s will by reading His Word and obeying it, because the Scriptures reveal the character and the purposes of God. The will of God will never contradict either the purposes of God or the character of God, so we must wait before the Lord, because “the plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty” (21: niv). If we’re walking by faith, we won’t rush ahead, for, “whoever believes will not act hastily” (Isa. 28: nkjv).

So, when we have a decision to make, we gather all the facts and seek wise counsel, we make our plans, we commit ourselves and our plans to the Lord, we listen to His Word, and we wait before Him for His leading. Sometimes God leads us through a Bible promise or warning; sometimes while we’re at worship with God’s people, He speaks through a song or Scripture reading; or He may direct us through providential circumstances. More than once in my own life, His disciplines have turned out to be His directions (Prov. 3:11–12; Heb. 12:1–11).

6. Obedience “In all your ways acknowledge Him” (Prov. 3:6) means, “Do God’s will in every area of life. Seek to honor Him in everything.” Note verse 7: “Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and depart from evil” (nkjv). Pride and disobedience in any area of life can get us on dangerous detours, so we must stay humble before Him. “When pride comes, then comes shame; but with the humble is wisdom. The integrity of the upright will guide them, but the perversity of the unfaithful will destroy them” (11:2–3 nkjv).

The assurance is, “and He shall direct your paths.” Dr. G. Campbell Morgan said: “Not always in easy or pleasant paths, but always in right paths. Not always in those I would have chosen, but always in paths which lead to success…. The paths that He directs lead always through mist and mystery, through battle and through bruising, to the fulfillment of the meaning of life.”

Some people live only for entertainment and try to escape the burdens of life. Others live for enjoyment and try to make the most of life. God’s dedicated people live for enrichment and discover fulfillment in life as they do the will of God from the heart.

Which one are you?

1. Drunkenness Alcohol is a narcotic, not a food; Proverbs warns us about alcohol abuse. We need to heed that warning today. Paying for the tragic consequences of drug and alcohol abuse in the United States drains $200 billion annually out of the economy, which averages out to approximately $800 per citizen per year. About 50,000 people a year are killed by drunk drivers, and millions of work hours are lost because of alcohol-related absences and work accidents. The United States consumes 60 percent of the world’s illicit drugs (alcohol is a legal drug), and drug users spend $150 billion in the United States just on cocaine!

Wine and Israel. Wine is mentioned nearly 150 times in the Old Testament. The people of Israel considered it a gift from God, along with oil and bread (Ps. 104:15). When Isaac blessed Jacob, he asked God to give him “the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn [grain] and wine” (Gen. 27:28; see also Deut. 7:13). However, milk and water, not wine, were the usual daily drinks at Jewish tables; like meat, wine was usually kept for special festive occasions. The Jews also had “strong drink,” which was brewed from fermented grain or fruit.

While drunkenness is condemned by the law and the prophets, the use of wine was not forbidden, except to priests serving in the holy precincts (Lev. 10:8–10) and to people under a Nazarite vow (Num. 6:1–12). Wine was used as a drink offering to the Lord (Ex. 29:38–41; Num. 15:1–15), and could be brought as part of the Jews’ tithes (Neh. 10:36–39), so wine itself wasn’t considered sinful. The problem was what wine did to people. The Old Testament doesn’t demand total abstinence, although certainly it recommends it.

Wine and wisdom. “Wine is a mocker, intoxicating drink arouses brawling, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise” (Prov. 20: nkjv). This is the first of several passages in Proverbs that warn against what today we call “alcohol abuse.” Alcohol mocks people by creating in them a thirst for more while not satisfying that thirst. The more people drink, the less they enjoy it. The drinker becomes a drunk and then a brawler. In spite of what the slick advertising says about the charm of drink, it just isn’t a smart thing to do. As a Japanese proverb puts it, “First the man takes a drink; then the drink takes a drink; then the drink takes the man.”

Alcohol also mocks people by giving them a false sense of happiness and strength, and this is what often leads to fights. The weakling thinks he’s a superman so he challenges anybody who gets in his way. The gradeschool dropout thinks he’s the wisest person in town and argues with anybody who disagrees with him.

As I was writing this chapter, I read an item in the newspaper that illustrates my point. According to the Associated Press, a British charter plane had to make an emergency landing in Munich because a drunken passenger slugged his girlfriend and started brawling with other passengers. German police had to handcuff the man and drag him off the plane. After sobering up in an airport security cell, the man discovered that the airport had charged him $3,000 for the emergency landing and extra jet fuel. Those were expensive drinks!

Addiction to alcohol can lead to poverty (21:17), so it’s wise to stay away from the people who encourage you to drink (23:20–21). Proverbs 23:29–35 is the most vivid description of the tragic consequences of drunkenness you will find anywhere in Scripture, including delirium, sorrow, strife, bruises, and bloodshot eyes; “and in the end it bites like a snake and poisons like a viper” (23: niv). You’d think that after having this frightening experience, the drinker would want to become a total abstainer for life, but alas, he’s a slave! “When will I wake up so I can find another drink?” (v. 35 niv).

Alcohol and civic responsibilities don’t mix, according to Proverbs 31:1–9; yet the alcohol flows freely under capitol domes and at embassies. A resident of Washington, D.C., said to me, “There are three parties in this city: the Republican Party, the Democratic Party, and the cocktail party.”

King Lemuel’s mother warned him to stay away from wine so that he would be capable of serving others. “Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child, and your princes feast in the morning! Blessed are you, O land, when your king is the son of nobles, and your princes feast at the proper time—for strength and not for drunkenness” (Eccl. 10:16–17 nkjv; see Hos. 7:5). “Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine and champions at mixing drinks, who acquit the guilty for a bribe, but deny justice to the innocent” (Isa. 5: niv). That’s what the queen mother was warning her son to avoid.

Proverbs 31:6–7 seems to suggest that there are times when wine should be used to help people, such as encouraging the dying or comforting the suffering so they can forget their troubles. I think verses 6–7 are spoken in irony and not as a commandment, because nobody’s problems are solved by forgetting them, and who wants to spend his or her last minutes of life on earth drunk? When Jesus faced death on the cross, He refused to accept the wine sedative that was offered Him (Matt. 27:33–34). If it’s wrong for the king to drink wine because it prevents him from helping people, then it’s wrong for needy people to drink wine because it prevents them from helping themselves! The dying person needs help in preparing to meet God, and the suffering person needs help in solving life’s problems; drinking alcohol will accomplish neither one.

We help people, not by deadening them to their problems and pains, but by encouraging them to trust the Lord and lean on His Word. We certainly must stand up for the oppressed (Prov. 31:8–9), but they also need to be in shape to stand up for themselves, something alcohol won’t supply.

Wine and today’s believer. The New Testament clearly warns today’s Christians about the sin of drunkenness. “Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy” (Rom. 13: nkjv; see 1 Thess. 5:7; Luke 21:34). Galatians 5: names drunkenness as one of the works of the flesh, and 1 Peter 2: admonishes us to “abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul.”

Passages like Romans 14:1—15: and 1 Corinthians 8–10 instruct us to (1) receive other Christians and not make differences about diets and special days a test of fellowship or spirituality; (2) avoid being a stumbling block to others; (3) seek to build one another up in Christian maturity; and (4) avoid being obstinate and defensive about our own personal convictions so that they become a cause of disunity in the church. Christians with a weak conscience stumble easily and need to be built up, but stronger Christians are sometimes quick to criticize and look down on others. Both groups need love, patience, and the help of the Spirit.

My wife and I have traveled enough to know that there’s such a thing among God’s people as “cultural Christianity.” Practices that are acceptable in one place may be classified as sins in another place, and this includes the use of alcohol as a beverage. Christians everywhere should deplore drunkenness, but not all of us agree on total abstinence or even on what “moderation” is.

Our conviction is total abstinence, but we haven’t made it a test of fellowship or spirituality. As far as I know, we’ve never created problems ministering in different cultures, even in the homes of people who disagreed with our views. Other Christians have respected us because we’ve respected them and tried to manifest Christian love. But by not using alcoholic beverages, my wife and I have not been tempted to get drunk; we’ve also been examples to believers who might stumble if we did drink. These two blessings are worth more to us than whatever pleasure there may be in drinking alcoholic beverages.

2. Disrespect “The eye that mocks his father, and scorns obedience to his mother, the ravens of the valley will pick it out, and the young eagles will eat it” (Prov. 30: nkjv). The child who looks at his or her parents with contempt and disrespect will one day be treated like an unburied corpse, and to be left unburied was a great reproach in Israel. As I read the newspapers and news magazines, I become more and more convinced that we’re living in the generation described in Proverbs 30:11–14 with its pride, greed, violence, and lack of appreciation for parents.

Disrespect for parents usually begins with disrespect for the Word of God that parents seek to teach to their children. “A fool despises his father’s instruction” (15:5). “He who despises the word will be destroyed, but he who fears the commandment will be rewarded” (13:13). Sometimes children go off to college or a university and get poisoned by ideas that are contrary to Scripture, and then they come home to tell everybody how stupid and old-fashioned their parents are. If children maintain this haughty attitude, they’ll eventually rob their parents (28:24), curse their parents (20:20), and bring shame to their parents (19:26).

Under the old covenant, children who disobeyed their parents and broke the law were in danger of losing their lives. I’m not advocating that disrespect for parents be made a capital crime today, but passages like Deuteronomy 21:18–21 and Leviticus 20: show how seriously God takes the fifth commandment: “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you” (Ex. 20: nkjv; see Eph. 6:1–4). Children who don’t respect godly, loving parents aren’t likely to respect teachers, policemen, or any other authority symbol in society.

3. Illusion We live in a world of illusion, with people trying to impress each other. “One man pretends to be rich, yet has nothing; another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth” (Prov. 13:7). Worth is measured by wealth, not by character and conduct; as long as people have money and fame, they’re considered important. To be “rich and famous” is the ambition of millions of people; until they reach that goal, they enjoy riches and fame vicariously as they follow the career of their favorite celebrity.

Wise people believe God’s truth and live for reality and not for illusion. “The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways, but the folly of fools is deception” (14: niv). Some of the deceptive illusions people are foolishly clinging to today are

“There are no consequences, so do as you please.”

“If it feels good, it is good.”

“The important thing in life is to have fun.”

“There are no absolutes.” (What about this statement?)

“The older generation can’t teach you anything.”

“Commitment is enslavement. Stay free.”

Those of us who have had to counsel disillusioned people, some of whom were contemplating suicide, know how damaging these lies can be in the human life. A life that’s built on lies is bound to be disappointing and will eventually fall apart. It’s only when we build on God’s truth that we can withstand the storms of life (Matt. 7:24–29).

To trust Jesus Christ is to know reality, because He is the truth (John 14:6). To know and obey God’s Word is to know the truth (17:17), and to be empowered by the Holy Spirit is to experience truth (1 John 5:6). God is a God of truth, and those who know Him by faith have no desire to frolic in the senseless illusions of the world system (2:15–17).

4. Greed “He who is greedy for gain troubles his own house” (Prov. 15: nkjv). “Hell and Destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied” (27: nkjv).

A 1994 Money magazine survey indicates that Americans are a greedy lot and will even cheat to “make money.” Twenty-four percent said they wouldn’t correct a waiter who undercharged them, up from 15 percent in 1987; 9 percent said they’d keep money found in a wallet, up from 4 percent in their 1987 survey. Here’s the saddest of all: Twenty-three percent said they’d be willing to commit a crime to “get $10 million” if they knew they wouldn’t get caught! The love of money is still a root of all kinds of evil (1 Tim. 6:10).

God calls covetousness idolatry (Eph. 5:5; Col. 3:5) because a covetous heart puts something else in the place that God rightfully should occupy in our lives. But the modern business society applauds covetousness and calls it “ambition” and “the first step to success.” Business magazines praise the “pyramid climbers” who get to the top, no matter how they got there. Unfortunately, this contemporary view of success has invaded the church, and some Christian workers have thrown ethics and godliness aside in their quest to become important and successful.

An Arabian proverb says, “Covetousness has for its mother unlawful desire, for its daughter injustice, and for its friend violence.” Is it any wonder that our modern covetous society witnesses so much injustice and violence? The only cure is to change the heart and replace desire for things with devotion to God, and only Jesus Christ can perform that miracle.

If believers today would read John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress, they’d meet Mr. Hold-the-World, Mr. Save-All, and Mr. Money-Love; they’d discover what Bunyan thought about Demas, the one-time associate of Paul who fell in love with “this present world” (Col. 4:14; Philem. 24; 2 Tim. 4:10). While it isn’t a sin to be wealthy—Abraham and David were both wealthy men and yet godly men—it is a sin to want more than we really need and to keep what we ought to give. Covetousness is like cancer: It grows secretly and robs us of spiritual health, and the only remedy is to cut it out.

In chapter 7 of this study, we studied what Proverbs says about wealth, and there’s no need to repeat it. The emphasis in Proverbs is on seeing material possessions as the gift of God, thanking Him for them, and using them for the glory of God and the good of others. John Wesley, founder of the Methodist Church, taught his people: Do all the good you can, By all the means you can, In all the ways you can, In all the places you can, At all the times you can, To all the people you can, As long as you ever can.

If ever there was a prescription for curing greed, that’s it!

5. Pride Many theologians believe that pride is the “sin of all sins,” for it was pride that changed an angel into the devil (Isa. 14:12–15). Lucifer’s, “I will be like the Most High” (v. 14) challenged the very throne of God; in the Garden of Eden, it became, “You will be like God” (Gen. 3:5). Eve believed it, and you know the rest of the story. “Glory to man in the highest” is the rallying cry of proud, godless humanity that’s still defying God and trying to build heaven on earth (11:1–9; Rev. 18).

“The proud and arrogant man—‘Mocker’ is his name; he behaves with overweening pride” (Prov. 21: niv). “Before his downfall a man’s heart is proud, but humility comes before honor” (18: niv; see 29:23). God hates “a proud look” (6:16–17) and promises to destroy the house of the proud (15:25). Just about every Christian can quote Proverbs 16:18, but not all of us heed it: “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall” (nkjv).

The saintly Scottish preacher James Denney said, “No man can bear witness to Christ and to himself at the same time. No man can give the impression that he himself is clever and that Christ is mighty to save.” That quotation should be printed in large letters and displayed in every church sanctuary and conference auditorium where God’s people gather. It might humble some of the preachers and musicians who call so much attention to themselves that the hungry sheep can’t see Jesus. If the greatest sin is the corruption of the highest good, then people who use the Christian religion to promote themselves are guilty of great transgression.

Solomon illustrated our desire for recognition and praise by writing about honey. “It is not good to eat much honey; so to seek one’s own glory is not glory” (25: nkjv). Balance this with 25:16: “Have you found honey? Eat only as much as you need, lest you be filled with it and vomit” (25:16). If honey represents praise, then beware of trying to digest too much of it! More than one celebrity has admitted being “sick of it all” and wishing he or she could just enjoy life as a normal average citizen. I think it was the late radio comedian Fred Allen who defined celebrities as “people who work hard to be famous so they have to wear dark glasses so as not to be recognized.”

“The pride of life” is one of the commodities that the world system offers (1 John 2:15–17), and most people will pay anything to acquire it. Bible commentator William Barclay said, “Pride is the ground in which all the other sins grow, and the parent from which all the other sins come.” If we’re going to get rid of the poisonous fruit, we have to attack the dangerous root; that’s a painful thing to do. For the believer, the answer is found in obeying the Christ described in John 13:1–17 and Philippians 2:1–18.

The five “popular sins” I’ve discussed—drunkenness, disrespect, illusion, greed, and pride—have been with mankind since the days of the flood, but for some reason, they seem to be even more prevalent today. Perhaps it’s because the news coverage is better. Or maybe it’s because we’re in the last days. We expect to find these sins prevalent among lost people, but we don’t expect to find them in the church. If the church ever hopes to witness to the lost world, it must be different from the lost world.

Paul learned that believers at Corinth were getting drunk at their church meetings (1 Cor. 11:21), and he warned them that drunkards would not inherit the kingdom of God (6:10; see 5:11).

Some children in the Ephesian church were not respecting and obeying their parents, and Paul reminded them that the fifth commandment still applied (Eph. 6:1–3).

The apostle John warned the saints to whom he sent his first epistle that the world was passing away, with all of its illusions, and that they had better keep themselves from idols (1 John 2:15–17; 5:21).

Jesus warned His disciples, “Take heed, and beware of covetousness” (Luke 12:15); Paul wrote to the Colossian believers that covetousness was idolatry (Col. 3:5).

Paul cautioned the churches not to appoint young Christians to places of spiritual leadership, “lest being lifted up with pride [they] fall into the condemnation of the devil” (1 Tim. 3:6). And John had to deal with proud Diotrephes, who was running the church and wouldn’t submit to the authority of God’s apostle (3 John 9–11).

Alas, these sins are found in the church!

James was right: “My brethren [and sisters], these things ought not to be so” (James 3:10).

1. Drunkenness Alcohol is a narcotic, not a food; Proverbs warns us about alcohol abuse. We need to heed that warning today. Paying for the tragic consequences of drug and alcohol abuse in the United States drains $200 billion annually out of the economy, which averages out to approximately $800 per citizen per year. About 50,000 people a year are killed by drunk drivers, and millions of work hours are lost because of alcohol-related absences and work accidents. The United States consumes 60 percent of the world’s illicit drugs (alcohol is a legal drug), and drug users spend $150 billion in the United States just on cocaine!

Wine and Israel. Wine is mentioned nearly 150 times in the Old Testament. The people of Israel considered it a gift from God, along with oil and bread (Ps. 104:15). When Isaac blessed Jacob, he asked God to give him “the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn [grain] and wine” (Gen. 27:28; see also Deut. 7:13). However, milk and water, not wine, were the usual daily drinks at Jewish tables; like meat, wine was usually kept for special festive occasions. The Jews also had “strong drink,” which was brewed from fermented grain or fruit.

While drunkenness is condemned by the law and the prophets, the use of wine was not forbidden, except to priests serving in the holy precincts (Lev. 10:8–10) and to people under a Nazarite vow (Num. 6:1–12). Wine was used as a drink offering to the Lord (Ex. 29:38–41; Num. 15:1–15), and could be brought as part of the Jews’ tithes (Neh. 10:36–39), so wine itself wasn’t considered sinful. The problem was what wine did to people. The Old Testament doesn’t demand total abstinence, although certainly it recommends it.

Wine and wisdom. “Wine is a mocker, intoxicating drink arouses brawling, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise” (Prov. 20: nkjv). This is the first of several passages in Proverbs that warn against what today we call “alcohol abuse.” Alcohol mocks people by creating in them a thirst for more while not satisfying that thirst. The more people drink, the less they enjoy it. The drinker becomes a drunk and then a brawler. In spite of what the slick advertising says about the charm of drink, it just isn’t a smart thing to do. As a Japanese proverb puts it, “First the man takes a drink; then the drink takes a drink; then the drink takes the man.”

Alcohol also mocks people by giving them a false sense of happiness and strength, and this is what often leads to fights. The weakling thinks he’s a superman so he challenges anybody who gets in his way. The gradeschool dropout thinks he’s the wisest person in town and argues with anybody who disagrees with him.

As I was writing this chapter, I read an item in the newspaper that illustrates my point. According to the Associated Press, a British charter plane had to make an emergency landing in Munich because a drunken passenger slugged his girlfriend and started brawling with other passengers. German police had to handcuff the man and drag him off the plane. After sobering up in an airport security cell, the man discovered that the airport had charged him $3,000 for the emergency landing and extra jet fuel. Those were expensive drinks!

Addiction to alcohol can lead to poverty (21:17), so it’s wise to stay away from the people who encourage you to drink (23:20–21). Proverbs 23:29–35 is the most vivid description of the tragic consequences of drunkenness you will find anywhere in Scripture, including delirium, sorrow, strife, bruises, and bloodshot eyes; “and in the end it bites like a snake and poisons like a viper” (23: niv). You’d think that after having this frightening experience, the drinker would want to become a total abstainer for life, but alas, he’s a slave! “When will I wake up so I can find another drink?” (v. 35 niv).

Alcohol and civic responsibilities don’t mix, according to Proverbs 31:1–9; yet the alcohol flows freely under capitol domes and at embassies. A resident of Washington, D.C., said to me, “There are three parties in this city: the Republican Party, the Democratic Party, and the cocktail party.”

King Lemuel’s mother warned him to stay away from wine so that he would be capable of serving others. “Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child, and your princes feast in the morning! Blessed are you, O land, when your king is the son of nobles, and your princes feast at the proper time—for strength and not for drunkenness” (Eccl. 10:16–17 nkjv; see Hos. 7:5). “Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine and champions at mixing drinks, who acquit the guilty for a bribe, but deny justice to the innocent” (Isa. 5: niv). That’s what the queen mother was warning her son to avoid.

Proverbs 31:6–7 seems to suggest that there are times when wine should be used to help people, such as encouraging the dying or comforting the suffering so they can forget their troubles. I think verses 6–7 are spoken in irony and not as a commandment, because nobody’s problems are solved by forgetting them, and who wants to spend his or her last minutes of life on earth drunk? When Jesus faced death on the cross, He refused to accept the wine sedative that was offered Him (Matt. 27:33–34). If it’s wrong for the king to drink wine because it prevents him from helping people, then it’s wrong for needy people to drink wine because it prevents them from helping themselves! The dying person needs help in preparing to meet God, and the suffering person needs help in solving life’s problems; drinking alcohol will accomplish neither one.

We help people, not by deadening them to their problems and pains, but by encouraging them to trust the Lord and lean on His Word. We certainly must stand up for the oppressed (Prov. 31:8–9), but they also need to be in shape to stand up for themselves, something alcohol won’t supply.

Wine and today’s believer. The New Testament clearly warns today’s Christians about the sin of drunkenness. “Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy” (Rom. 13: nkjv; see 1 Thess. 5:7; Luke 21:34). Galatians 5: names drunkenness as one of the works of the flesh, and 1 Peter 2: admonishes us to “abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul.”

Passages like Romans 14:1—15: and 1 Corinthians 8–10 instruct us to (1) receive other Christians and not make differences about diets and special days a test of fellowship or spirituality; (2) avoid being a stumbling block to others; (3) seek to build one another up in Christian maturity; and (4) avoid being obstinate and defensive about our own personal convictions so that they become a cause of disunity in the church. Christians with a weak conscience stumble easily and need to be built up, but stronger Christians are sometimes quick to criticize and look down on others. Both groups need love, patience, and the help of the Spirit.

My wife and I have traveled enough to know that there’s such a thing among God’s people as “cultural Christianity.” Practices that are acceptable in one place may be classified as sins in another place, and this includes the use of alcohol as a beverage. Christians everywhere should deplore drunkenness, but not all of us agree on total abstinence or even on what “moderation” is.

Our conviction is total abstinence, but we haven’t made it a test of fellowship or spirituality. As far as I know, we’ve never created problems ministering in different cultures, even in the homes of people who disagreed with our views. Other Christians have respected us because we’ve respected them and tried to manifest Christian love. But by not using alcoholic beverages, my wife and I have not been tempted to get drunk; we’ve also been examples to believers who might stumble if we did drink. These two blessings are worth more to us than whatever pleasure there may be in drinking alcoholic beverages.

2. Disrespect “The eye that mocks his father, and scorns obedience to his mother, the ravens of the valley will pick it out, and the young eagles will eat it” (Prov. 30: nkjv). The child who looks at his or her parents with contempt and disrespect will one day be treated like an unburied corpse, and to be left unburied was a great reproach in Israel. As I read the newspapers and news magazines, I become more and more convinced that we’re living in the generation described in Proverbs 30:11–14 with its pride, greed, violence, and lack of appreciation for parents.

Disrespect for parents usually begins with disrespect for the Word of God that parents seek to teach to their children. “A fool despises his father’s instruction” (15:5). “He who despises the word will be destroyed, but he who fears the commandment will be rewarded” (13:13). Sometimes children go off to college or a university and get poisoned by ideas that are contrary to Scripture, and then they come home to tell everybody how stupid and old-fashioned their parents are. If children maintain this haughty attitude, they’ll eventually rob their parents (28:24), curse their parents (20:20), and bring shame to their parents (19:26).

Under the old covenant, children who disobeyed their parents and broke the law were in danger of losing their lives. I’m not advocating that disrespect for parents be made a capital crime today, but passages like Deuteronomy 21:18–21 and Leviticus 20: show how seriously God takes the fifth commandment: “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you” (Ex. 20: nkjv; see Eph. 6:1–4). Children who don’t respect godly, loving parents aren’t likely to respect teachers, policemen, or any other authority symbol in society.

3. Illusion We live in a world of illusion, with people trying to impress each other. “One man pretends to be rich, yet has nothing; another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth” (Prov. 13:7). Worth is measured by wealth, not by character and conduct; as long as people have money and fame, they’re considered important. To be “rich and famous” is the ambition of millions of people; until they reach that goal, they enjoy riches and fame vicariously as they follow the career of their favorite celebrity.

Wise people believe God’s truth and live for reality and not for illusion. “The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways, but the folly of fools is deception” (14: niv). Some of the deceptive illusions people are foolishly clinging to today are

“There are no consequences, so do as you please.”

“If it feels good, it is good.”

“The important thing in life is to have fun.”

“There are no absolutes.” (What about this statement?)

“The older generation can’t teach you anything.”

“Commitment is enslavement. Stay free.”

Those of us who have had to counsel disillusioned people, some of whom were contemplating suicide, know how damaging these lies can be in the human life. A life that’s built on lies is bound to be disappointing and will eventually fall apart. It’s only when we build on God’s truth that we can withstand the storms of life (Matt. 7:24–29).

To trust Jesus Christ is to know reality, because He is the truth (John 14:6). To know and obey God’s Word is to know the truth (17:17), and to be empowered by the Holy Spirit is to experience truth (1 John 5:6). God is a God of truth, and those who know Him by faith have no desire to frolic in the senseless illusions of the world system (2:15–17).

4. Greed “He who is greedy for gain troubles his own house” (Prov. 15: nkjv). “Hell and Destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied” (27: nkjv).

A 1994 Money magazine survey indicates that Americans are a greedy lot and will even cheat to “make money.” Twenty-four percent said they wouldn’t correct a waiter who undercharged them, up from 15 percent in 1987; 9 percent said they’d keep money found in a wallet, up from 4 percent in their 1987 survey. Here’s the saddest of all: Twenty-three percent said they’d be willing to commit a crime to “get $10 million” if they knew they wouldn’t get caught! The love of money is still a root of all kinds of evil (1 Tim. 6:10).

God calls covetousness idolatry (Eph. 5:5; Col. 3:5) because a covetous heart puts something else in the place that God rightfully should occupy in our lives. But the modern business society applauds covetousness and calls it “ambition” and “the first step to success.” Business magazines praise the “pyramid climbers” who get to the top, no matter how they got there. Unfortunately, this contemporary view of success has invaded the church, and some Christian workers have thrown ethics and godliness aside in their quest to become important and successful.

An Arabian proverb says, “Covetousness has for its mother unlawful desire, for its daughter injustice, and for its friend violence.” Is it any wonder that our modern covetous society witnesses so much injustice and violence? The only cure is to change the heart and replace desire for things with devotion to God, and only Jesus Christ can perform that miracle.

If believers today would read John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress, they’d meet Mr. Hold-the-World, Mr. Save-All, and Mr. Money-Love; they’d discover what Bunyan thought about Demas, the one-time associate of Paul who fell in love with “this present world” (Col. 4:14; Philem. 24; 2 Tim. 4:10). While it isn’t a sin to be wealthy—Abraham and David were both wealthy men and yet godly men—it is a sin to want more than we really need and to keep what we ought to give. Covetousness is like cancer: It grows secretly and robs us of spiritual health, and the only remedy is to cut it out.

In chapter 7 of this study, we studied what Proverbs says about wealth, and there’s no need to repeat it. The emphasis in Proverbs is on seeing material possessions as the gift of God, thanking Him for them, and using them for the glory of God and the good of others. John Wesley, founder of the Methodist Church, taught his people: Do all the good you can, By all the means you can, In all the ways you can, In all the places you can, At all the times you can, To all the people you can, As long as you ever can.

If ever there was a prescription for curing greed, that’s it!

5. Pride Many theologians believe that pride is the “sin of all sins,” for it was pride that changed an angel into the devil (Isa. 14:12–15). Lucifer’s, “I will be like the Most High” (v. 14) challenged the very throne of God; in the Garden of Eden, it became, “You will be like God” (Gen. 3:5). Eve believed it, and you know the rest of the story. “Glory to man in the highest” is the rallying cry of proud, godless humanity that’s still defying God and trying to build heaven on earth (11:1–9; Rev. 18).

“The proud and arrogant man—‘Mocker’ is his name; he behaves with overweening pride” (Prov. 21: niv). “Before his downfall a man’s heart is proud, but humility comes before honor” (18: niv; see 29:23). God hates “a proud look” (6:16–17) and promises to destroy the house of the proud (15:25). Just about every Christian can quote Proverbs 16:18, but not all of us heed it: “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall” (nkjv).

The saintly Scottish preacher James Denney said, “No man can bear witness to Christ and to himself at the same time. No man can give the impression that he himself is clever and that Christ is mighty to save.” That quotation should be printed in large letters and displayed in every church sanctuary and conference auditorium where God’s people gather. It might humble some of the preachers and musicians who call so much attention to themselves that the hungry sheep can’t see Jesus. If the greatest sin is the corruption of the highest good, then people who use the Christian religion to promote themselves are guilty of great transgression.

Solomon illustrated our desire for recognition and praise by writing about honey. “It is not good to eat much honey; so to seek one’s own glory is not glory” (25: nkjv). Balance this with 25:16: “Have you found honey? Eat only as much as you need, lest you be filled with it and vomit” (25:16). If honey represents praise, then beware of trying to digest too much of it! More than one celebrity has admitted being “sick of it all” and wishing he or she could just enjoy life as a normal average citizen. I think it was the late radio comedian Fred Allen who defined celebrities as “people who work hard to be famous so they have to wear dark glasses so as not to be recognized.”

“The pride of life” is one of the commodities that the world system offers (1 John 2:15–17), and most people will pay anything to acquire it. Bible commentator William Barclay said, “Pride is the ground in which all the other sins grow, and the parent from which all the other sins come.” If we’re going to get rid of the poisonous fruit, we have to attack the dangerous root; that’s a painful thing to do. For the believer, the answer is found in obeying the Christ described in John 13:1–17 and Philippians 2:1–18.

The five “popular sins” I’ve discussed—drunkenness, disrespect, illusion, greed, and pride—have been with mankind since the days of the flood, but for some reason, they seem to be even more prevalent today. Perhaps it’s because the news coverage is better. Or maybe it’s because we’re in the last days. We expect to find these sins prevalent among lost people, but we don’t expect to find them in the church. If the church ever hopes to witness to the lost world, it must be different from the lost world.

Paul learned that believers at Corinth were getting drunk at their church meetings (1 Cor. 11:21), and he warned them that drunkards would not inherit the kingdom of God (6:10; see 5:11).

Some children in the Ephesian church were not respecting and obeying their parents, and Paul reminded them that the fifth commandment still applied (Eph. 6:1–3).

The apostle John warned the saints to whom he sent his first epistle that the world was passing away, with all of its illusions, and that they had better keep themselves from idols (1 John 2:15–17; 5:21).

Jesus warned His disciples, “Take heed, and beware of covetousness” (Luke 12:15); Paul wrote to the Colossian believers that covetousness was idolatry (Col. 3:5).

Paul cautioned the churches not to appoint young Christians to places of spiritual leadership, “lest being lifted up with pride [they] fall into the condemnation of the devil” (1 Tim. 3:6). And John had to deal with proud Diotrephes, who was running the church and wouldn’t submit to the authority of God’s apostle (3 John 9–11).

Alas, these sins are found in the church!

James was right: “My brethren [and sisters], these things ought not to be so” (James 3:10).

1. A Holy God According to Proverbs 9: and 30:3, God is “the Holy One”; the word translated “holy” means “utterly different, wholly other.” God’s very nature is holy: “You shall be holy, for I am holy” (Lev. 11:44–45; 19:2; 20:7, 26; 21:8, 15; 22:9, 16, 32; 1 Peter 1:16). “God is light and in him is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5).

But we must not think of God’s holiness simply as the absence of defilement, like a sterilized surgical instrument. Nor is God’s holiness an inert, negative attribute. It’s something positive and active, His perfect nature accomplishing His perfect will. It’s like the “sea of glass mingled with fire” that John saw before the throne of God in heaven (Rev. 15:2). “For our God is a consuming fire” (Heb. 12:29; see Deut. 4:24).

Because He is holy, God hates sin (Prov. 6:17–19). Evangelists remind us that “God hates sin but He loves sinners,” and certainly nobody will question God’s love for a lost world (John 3:16; Rom. 5:8). But people can willfully sin so much that they become abominable to God. The perverse man is an abomination to God (Prov. 3:32; 11:20), and so are the proud (16:5), liars (12:22), cheats (11:1; 20:10, 23), hypocrites (15:8; 21:27; 28:9), and the unjust (17:15). Sin becomes so identified with the sinner that the very person becomes reprehensible to the Lord. This doesn’t negate His love, but we must keep in mind that God’s love is a holy love as well as a sacrificing love. It’s a dangerous thing to play with sin and defy the living God. “He who is often rebuked, and hardens his neck, will suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy” (29: nkjv).

Proverbs 21: calls God “the Righteous One” (niv) or “the righteous God” (nkjv) and states that He judges the wicked for their wickedness. A holy God must be righteous in all His ways and just in all His dealings (24:11–12). “The curse of the Lord is on the house of the wicked, but He blesses the home of the just” (3: nkjv). Sometimes God sends immediate judgment on the wicked (2:22), but sometimes He merely takes away His restraining hand and allows the sinners’ sins to judge them. “The evil deeds of a wicked man ensnare him; the cords of his sin hold him fast” (5: niv; see Rom. 1:18ff.).

2. A Sovereign God The fact that God is holy and just assures us that there are righteous principles that govern the universe and His dealings with us. As Dr. A. T. Pierson put it, “History is His story.” “The Lord works out everything for his own ends—even the wicked for a day of disaster” (Prov. 16: niv). “Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails” (19: niv). The Christian believer remembers Colossians 1:16: “All things were created by him [Christ], and for him.” Jesus Christ is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end of all things.

The proud mind of sinful man rebels against the very thought of the sovereignty of God and affirms, “I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul.” Charles Spurgeon said, “No doctrine in the whole Word of God has more excited the hatred of mankind than the truth of the absolute sovereignty of God. The fact that ‘the Lord reigneth’ is indisputable, and it is this fact that arouses the utmost opposition of the unrenewed human heart.”

Divine sovereignty doesn’t destroy human responsibility and turn humans into robots. “To man belong the plans of the heart, but from the Lord comes the reply of the tongue” (16: niv). “The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord” (v. 33 nkjv). “A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps” (v. 9 nkjv). God expects us to study, think, weigh possibilities, and make decisions, but we dare not “lean on [our] own understanding” (3:5). God promises to give wisdom to those who ask (James 1:5) and to direct those who are willing to obey (Prov. 3:5–6).

Because He is the Creator of all things, God is sovereign in nature (3:19–20; 8:22–31; 30:4). He’s also sovereign in history and geography, controlling the rise and fall of rulers and nations (Acts 17:22–28; Dan. 4:17, 34–35). “By me kings reign, and rulers decree justice” (Prov. 8:15). “The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes” (21: nkjv). “There is no wisdom or understanding or counsel against the Lord” (v. 30 nkjv).

Keep in mind that the God who decrees the end— His purposes—also decrees the means to the end. If He determines to overthrow Pharaoh and deliver Israel from Egypt, He also decrees that Moses and Aaron go to Egypt to confront Pharaoh. If He purposes to bring Israel into the Promised Land, He also decrees that Joshua shall be trained to lead them. If He purposes to win lost souls, He also decrees that a witness will share the gospel. “And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent?” (Rom. 10:14–15 nkjv).

The sovereignty of God is one of the greatest motivations for Christian life and service, because we know that God is on the throne and controls all things. His commandments are His enablements, and “we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Rom. 8: nkjv). Instead of being a deterrent to evangelism, an understanding of divine sovereignty is a stimulus to biblical evangelism; for we are sure that God is “taking out” a “people for His name” (Acts 15: nkjv; see 18:1–11) and that His Word will not return void (Isa. 55:10–11). God is “not willing that any should perish” (2 Peter 3:9) but desires all people to be saved (1 Tim. 2:4), and Jesus commanded us to go into all the world with the message of salvation (Matt. 28:18–20). Our task is to obey and share the message; His responsibility is to save those who believe.

As sovereign Ruler over all things, the Lord sees and knows what’s happening, the thoughts, actions, words, and motives of all people. “For a man’s ways are in full view of the Lord, and he examines all his paths” (Prov. 5: niv). “The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good” (15: niv). “The Lord weighs the hearts” (21: nkjv; see 17:3; 24:12). When God judges, He judges justly, whether He’s punishing the wicked or rewarding the righteous.

It’s encouraging to know that “the Lord reigns” (Ps. 93:1) and that His righteous purposes will be fulfilled. Let’s be sure that we’re walking with Him on the path of life, surrendered to His will and seeking to honor His name.

3. A Compassionate God God’s tender compassion and concern are seen in His care of the poor and needy. Widows and orphans in Israel were especially vulnerable to exploitation and abuse, and God warned His people in His law to beware of mistreating them (Ex. 22:22; Deut. 10:18; 14:29; 26:12; 27:19).

“He who oppresses the poor reproaches his Maker, but he who honors Him has mercy on the needy” (Prov. 14: nkjv; see 17:5). “The rich and the poor have this in common, the Lord is the maker of them all” (22: nkjv). When the Savior came to earth, He identified with the poor and the outcasts (Luke 4:16–21; 2 Cor. 8:9), and God wants to show His compassion for them through His people. To harm the needy is to give pain to the heart of God.

“Do not rob the poor because he is poor, nor oppress the afflicted at the gate; for the Lord will plead their cause, and plunder the soul of those who plunder them” (Prov. 22:22–23 nkjv). “The gate” was ancient Israel’s equivalent of our modern courtroom, for there the elders met to settle village disputes. The poor might not be able to afford a lawyer, but God would come to their defense (23:10–11).

Stealing the property of the poor was one way to get rich quick, even though the law commanded that the ancient landmarks not be moved (22:28; Deut. 19:14; 27:17; Isa. 1:23; Hos. 5:10). God owned the land (Lev. 25:23) and loaned it to His people, and they were to keep their property within the tribes and clans. Family farms were marked off by stones, not fences; these ancient landmarks were to be honored and protected. “The Lord will destroy the house of the proud: but he will establish the border of the widow” (Prov. 15:25). The Lord keeps an eye on the property lines.

We can sin against the poor by neglect as well as by oppression. “Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor will also cry himself and not be heard” (21: nkjv). “He who gives to the poor will not lack, but he who hides his eyes will have many curses” (28: nkjv). If we shut our ears and close our eyes, pretending to be ignorant of their plight, God will take note of it and shut His eyes to our needs and His ears to our prayers—and so will other people. We will reap what we sow. (See Deut. 15:7–11.)

“He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord, and He will pay back what he has given” (Prov. 19: nkjv). When we give to help others, we’re actually giving to the Lord; He puts it on account and pays rich dividends (Phil. 4:15–17). “Inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me” (Matt. 25: nkjv). By the way, this principle also applies to the way we treat our enemies (Prov. 20:22; 25:21–22; Rom. 12:18–21).

God is a shield to those who trust Him (Prov. 30:5) and a strong tower for those who run to Him for help (18:10). “The name of the Lord” in verse 10 signifies all the glorious attributes of the Lord. Because of who He is and what He is, those who trust Him don’t have to worry—because He is always their refuge and strength (Ps. 46:1).

One of God’s compassionate ministries to us is that of divine guidance. Proverbs 3:5–6 is a promise God’s people have been claiming for centuries, and it has never failed. As I said earlier in this book, God expects us to assess a situation and get all the facts we can, but we must never lean on our own understanding. We must humble ourselves before Him and seek His direction in all things, and we must be sure that our motives are right.

But what if we make a mistake, as we’re all prone to do, and start to move in the wrong direction? “In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps” (16: niv). “Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails” (19: niv; see 16:33). If we sincerely want to know and obey God’s plan, the Lord will direct us and providentially guide our steps in ways that we may not understand. “A man’s steps are of the Lord; how then can a man understand his own way?” (20: nkjv).

The Danish philosopher Sören Kierkegaard said, “Life can only be understood backward, but it must be lived forward.” One day we shall look back and say with David, “Surely [only] goodness and mercy [have followed] me all the days of my life” (Ps. 23:6). Knowing that God lovingly guides our steps as we seek to follow Him is a great encouragement when we don’t know which way to go. “Who is the man that fears the Lord? Him shall He teach in the way He chooses” (25: nkjv). Even the great apostle Paul wasn’t always sure of the next step, but the Lord guided him (Acts 16:6–10).

4. A Wise God Theologians tell us that God’s wisdom refers to His ability to devise perfect means to attain perfect ends. Nobody has to teach God anything. “For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has become His counselor?” (Rom. 11: nkjv; Isa. 40:13; Jer. 23:18). And nobody can ever say that God made a mistake, because in His wisdom, He does all things well (Rom. 8:28; 9:20–21). No wonder Paul called Him “God only wise” (16:27).

God has revealed His wisdom in creation. “By wisdom the Lord laid the earth’s foundations, by understanding He set the heavens in place; by His knowledge the deeps were divided, and the clouds let drop the dew” (Prov. 3:19–20 niv). The astronomer watching a comet through a telescope and the biologist peering at a cell through a microscope are both discovering God’s wisdom, for scientific study is but the act of thinking God’s thoughts after Him.

While seeking to witness to a university student whose religion was science, I noticed that he kept using the word “universe.”

“Why do you say ‘universe’ and not ‘multiverse’?” I asked.

Puzzled, the student said, “I don’t understand what you mean.”

“Well,” I replied, “the word ‘universe’ implies that everything around us is one, a unity. If that’s the case, where did this unity come from? What instituted the laws that you’re studying in your science classes? Why do all these things work together and produce a ‘universe’ instead of a ‘multiverse’?”

He saw which way the conversation was going and quickly changed the subject!

But my question is a valid one. If there weren’t wisdom and order built into the universe (what most people call “scientific laws”), the farmer couldn’t expect a harvest, the astronomer couldn’t predict an eclipse, the scientist couldn’t safely conduct an experiment, the pilot wouldn’t be able to fly his plane, and nobody on earth would know from one moment to another what the stars and planets would do next! Isaac Watts said it perfectly: I sing the wisdom that ordained The sun to rule the day; The moon shines full at His command, And all the stars obey.

God’s wisdom is also seen in His providential ordering of events, not only for nations but also for individuals. “There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord” (21: niv). “To God belong wisdom and power; counsel and understanding are his” (Job 12: niv). The English word providence comes from the two Latin words video, “to see,” and pro, “before.” God in His wisdom “sees before,” that is, plans in advance and “sees to it” that His will is accomplished.

Providence doesn’t mean that God simply “foresees” what lies ahead and “adjusts” Himself accordingly. God alone knows and controls future events. The Baptist theologian Augustus Hopkins Strong calls providence “that continuous agency of God by which he makes all the events of the physical and moral universe fulfill the original design with which he created it.” Without violating man’s ability to choose, God “works all things according to the counsel of His will” (Eph. 1: nkjv) and rules and overrules in all things. “The Lord does whatever pleases him, in the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and all their depths” (Ps. 135: niv).

God wants to share His wisdom with us, which, of course, is the emphasis of the book of Proverbs. “For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; he stores up sound wisdom for the upright” (2:6–7). The first step in receiving God’s wisdom is trusting Jesus Christ and becoming a child of God. The world is frantically seeking the wisdom to know what to do and the power to be able to do it, and these are found only in Jesus Christ, “the power of God, and the wisdom of God” (1 Cor. 1:24).

The gospel of salvation sounds like a foolish message to the lost world, for it seems foolish to commit your life to somebody who died on a cross in weakness and shame. But the preaching of that cross releases the power of God to change lives (Rom. 1:16)! “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Cor. 1: nkjv).

After you trust Christ and become a child of God (John 1:11–13), the next step is to ask God to give you His wisdom in the ordering of your life (James 1:5). “The fear of the Lord teaches a man wisdom, and humility comes before honor” (Prov. 15: niv). As you read His Word, meditate and pray, and seek to glorify Him, He will direct your steps (3:5–6). The way may not always be easy, but it will be the best way (Rom. 8:28). Remember that the will of God comes from the heart of God (Ps. 33:11), so you don’t have to worry.

When you have decisions to make, take time to pray and meditate on the Word. Ask God to direct you and, if necessary, seek wise counsel from friends who are mature in the faith. At the start of each day, ask God to guide you in every decision you must make, big or small; a wrong “small” decision could lead to disturbing “big” decisions. As you grow in the wisdom and knowledge of God, and as you walk by faith, seeking to honor the Lord, you will increase in spiritual discernment and live skillfully.

“The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day. But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble” (Prov. 4:18–19 niv).

E C C L E S I A S T E STo quote A.W. Tozer again, “With the goodness of God to desire our highest welfare, the wisdom of God to plan it, and the power of God to achieve it, what do we lack? Surely we are the most favored of all creatures.”

1. A Holy God According to Proverbs 9: and 30:3, God is “the Holy One”; the word translated “holy” means “utterly different, wholly other.” God’s very nature is holy: “You shall be holy, for I am holy” (Lev. 11:44–45; 19:2; 20:7, 26; 21:8, 15; 22:9, 16, 32; 1 Peter 1:16). “God is light and in him is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5).

But we must not think of God’s holiness simply as the absence of defilement, like a sterilized surgical instrument. Nor is God’s holiness an inert, negative attribute. It’s something positive and active, His perfect nature accomplishing His perfect will. It’s like the “sea of glass mingled with fire” that John saw before the throne of God in heaven (Rev. 15:2). “For our God is a consuming fire” (Heb. 12:29; see Deut. 4:24).

Because He is holy, God hates sin (Prov. 6:17–19). Evangelists remind us that “God hates sin but He loves sinners,” and certainly nobody will question God’s love for a lost world (John 3:16; Rom. 5:8). But people can willfully sin so much that they become abominable to God. The perverse man is an abomination to God (Prov. 3:32; 11:20), and so are the proud (16:5), liars (12:22), cheats (11:1; 20:10, 23), hypocrites (15:8; 21:27; 28:9), and the unjust (17:15). Sin becomes so identified with the sinner that the very person becomes reprehensible to the Lord. This doesn’t negate His love, but we must keep in mind that God’s love is a holy love as well as a sacrificing love. It’s a dangerous thing to play with sin and defy the living God. “He who is often rebuked, and hardens his neck, will suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy” (29: nkjv).

Proverbs 21: calls God “the Righteous One” (niv) or “the righteous God” (nkjv) and states that He judges the wicked for their wickedness. A holy God must be righteous in all His ways and just in all His dealings (24:11–12). “The curse of the Lord is on the house of the wicked, but He blesses the home of the just” (3: nkjv). Sometimes God sends immediate judgment on the wicked (2:22), but sometimes He merely takes away His restraining hand and allows the sinners’ sins to judge them. “The evil deeds of a wicked man ensnare him; the cords of his sin hold him fast” (5: niv; see Rom. 1:18ff.).

2. A Sovereign God The fact that God is holy and just assures us that there are righteous principles that govern the universe and His dealings with us. As Dr. A. T. Pierson put it, “History is His story.” “The Lord works out everything for his own ends—even the wicked for a day of disaster” (Prov. 16: niv). “Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails” (19: niv). The Christian believer remembers Colossians 1:16: “All things were created by him [Christ], and for him.” Jesus Christ is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end of all things.

The proud mind of sinful man rebels against the very thought of the sovereignty of God and affirms, “I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul.” Charles Spurgeon said, “No doctrine in the whole Word of God has more excited the hatred of mankind than the truth of the absolute sovereignty of God. The fact that ‘the Lord reigneth’ is indisputable, and it is this fact that arouses the utmost opposition of the unrenewed human heart.”

Divine sovereignty doesn’t destroy human responsibility and turn humans into robots. “To man belong the plans of the heart, but from the Lord comes the reply of the tongue” (16: niv). “The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord” (v. 33 nkjv). “A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps” (v. 9 nkjv). God expects us to study, think, weigh possibilities, and make decisions, but we dare not “lean on [our] own understanding” (3:5). God promises to give wisdom to those who ask (James 1:5) and to direct those who are willing to obey (Prov. 3:5–6).

Because He is the Creator of all things, God is sovereign in nature (3:19–20; 8:22–31; 30:4). He’s also sovereign in history and geography, controlling the rise and fall of rulers and nations (Acts 17:22–28; Dan. 4:17, 34–35). “By me kings reign, and rulers decree justice” (Prov. 8:15). “The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes” (21: nkjv). “There is no wisdom or understanding or counsel against the Lord” (v. 30 nkjv).

Keep in mind that the God who decrees the end— His purposes—also decrees the means to the end. If He determines to overthrow Pharaoh and deliver Israel from Egypt, He also decrees that Moses and Aaron go to Egypt to confront Pharaoh. If He purposes to bring Israel into the Promised Land, He also decrees that Joshua shall be trained to lead them. If He purposes to win lost souls, He also decrees that a witness will share the gospel. “And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent?” (Rom. 10:14–15 nkjv).

The sovereignty of God is one of the greatest motivations for Christian life and service, because we know that God is on the throne and controls all things. His commandments are His enablements, and “we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Rom. 8: nkjv). Instead of being a deterrent to evangelism, an understanding of divine sovereignty is a stimulus to biblical evangelism; for we are sure that God is “taking out” a “people for His name” (Acts 15: nkjv; see 18:1–11) and that His Word will not return void (Isa. 55:10–11). God is “not willing that any should perish” (2 Peter 3:9) but desires all people to be saved (1 Tim. 2:4), and Jesus commanded us to go into all the world with the message of salvation (Matt. 28:18–20). Our task is to obey and share the message; His responsibility is to save those who believe.

As sovereign Ruler over all things, the Lord sees and knows what’s happening, the thoughts, actions, words, and motives of all people. “For a man’s ways are in full view of the Lord, and he examines all his paths” (Prov. 5: niv). “The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good” (15: niv). “The Lord weighs the hearts” (21: nkjv; see 17:3; 24:12). When God judges, He judges justly, whether He’s punishing the wicked or rewarding the righteous.

It’s encouraging to know that “the Lord reigns” (Ps. 93:1) and that His righteous purposes will be fulfilled. Let’s be sure that we’re walking with Him on the path of life, surrendered to His will and seeking to honor His name.

3. A Compassionate God God’s tender compassion and concern are seen in His care of the poor and needy. Widows and orphans in Israel were especially vulnerable to exploitation and abuse, and God warned His people in His law to beware of mistreating them (Ex. 22:22; Deut. 10:18; 14:29; 26:12; 27:19).

“He who oppresses the poor reproaches his Maker, but he who honors Him has mercy on the needy” (Prov. 14: nkjv; see 17:5). “The rich and the poor have this in common, the Lord is the maker of them all” (22: nkjv). When the Savior came to earth, He identified with the poor and the outcasts (Luke 4:16–21; 2 Cor. 8:9), and God wants to show His compassion for them through His people. To harm the needy is to give pain to the heart of God.

“Do not rob the poor because he is poor, nor oppress the afflicted at the gate; for the Lord will plead their cause, and plunder the soul of those who plunder them” (Prov. 22:22–23 nkjv). “The gate” was ancient Israel’s equivalent of our modern courtroom, for there the elders met to settle village disputes. The poor might not be able to afford a lawyer, but God would come to their defense (23:10–11).

Stealing the property of the poor was one way to get rich quick, even though the law commanded that the ancient landmarks not be moved (22:28; Deut. 19:14; 27:17; Isa. 1:23; Hos. 5:10). God owned the land (Lev. 25:23) and loaned it to His people, and they were to keep their property within the tribes and clans. Family farms were marked off by stones, not fences; these ancient landmarks were to be honored and protected. “The Lord will destroy the house of the proud: but he will establish the border of the widow” (Prov. 15:25). The Lord keeps an eye on the property lines.

We can sin against the poor by neglect as well as by oppression. “Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor will also cry himself and not be heard” (21: nkjv). “He who gives to the poor will not lack, but he who hides his eyes will have many curses” (28: nkjv). If we shut our ears and close our eyes, pretending to be ignorant of their plight, God will take note of it and shut His eyes to our needs and His ears to our prayers—and so will other people. We will reap what we sow. (See Deut. 15:7–11.)

“He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord, and He will pay back what he has given” (Prov. 19: nkjv). When we give to help others, we’re actually giving to the Lord; He puts it on account and pays rich dividends (Phil. 4:15–17). “Inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me” (Matt. 25: nkjv). By the way, this principle also applies to the way we treat our enemies (Prov. 20:22; 25:21–22; Rom. 12:18–21).

God is a shield to those who trust Him (Prov. 30:5) and a strong tower for those who run to Him for help (18:10). “The name of the Lord” in verse 10 signifies all the glorious attributes of the Lord. Because of who He is and what He is, those who trust Him don’t have to worry—because He is always their refuge and strength (Ps. 46:1).

One of God’s compassionate ministries to us is that of divine guidance. Proverbs 3:5–6 is a promise God’s people have been claiming for centuries, and it has never failed. As I said earlier in this book, God expects us to assess a situation and get all the facts we can, but we must never lean on our own understanding. We must humble ourselves before Him and seek His direction in all things, and we must be sure that our motives are right.

But what if we make a mistake, as we’re all prone to do, and start to move in the wrong direction? “In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps” (16: niv). “Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails” (19: niv; see 16:33). If we sincerely want to know and obey God’s plan, the Lord will direct us and providentially guide our steps in ways that we may not understand. “A man’s steps are of the Lord; how then can a man understand his own way?” (20: nkjv).

The Danish philosopher Sören Kierkegaard said, “Life can only be understood backward, but it must be lived forward.” One day we shall look back and say with David, “Surely [only] goodness and mercy [have followed] me all the days of my life” (Ps. 23:6). Knowing that God lovingly guides our steps as we seek to follow Him is a great encouragement when we don’t know which way to go. “Who is the man that fears the Lord? Him shall He teach in the way He chooses” (25: nkjv). Even the great apostle Paul wasn’t always sure of the next step, but the Lord guided him (Acts 16:6–10).

4. A Wise God Theologians tell us that God’s wisdom refers to His ability to devise perfect means to attain perfect ends. Nobody has to teach God anything. “For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has become His counselor?” (Rom. 11: nkjv; Isa. 40:13; Jer. 23:18). And nobody can ever say that God made a mistake, because in His wisdom, He does all things well (Rom. 8:28; 9:20–21). No wonder Paul called Him “God only wise” (16:27).

God has revealed His wisdom in creation. “By wisdom the Lord laid the earth’s foundations, by understanding He set the heavens in place; by His knowledge the deeps were divided, and the clouds let drop the dew” (Prov. 3:19–20 niv). The astronomer watching a comet through a telescope and the biologist peering at a cell through a microscope are both discovering God’s wisdom, for scientific study is but the act of thinking God’s thoughts after Him.

While seeking to witness to a university student whose religion was science, I noticed that he kept using the word “universe.”

“Why do you say ‘universe’ and not ‘multiverse’?” I asked.

Puzzled, the student said, “I don’t understand what you mean.”

“Well,” I replied, “the word ‘universe’ implies that everything around us is one, a unity. If that’s the case, where did this unity come from? What instituted the laws that you’re studying in your science classes? Why do all these things work together and produce a ‘universe’ instead of a ‘multiverse’?”

He saw which way the conversation was going and quickly changed the subject!

But my question is a valid one. If there weren’t wisdom and order built into the universe (what most people call “scientific laws”), the farmer couldn’t expect a harvest, the astronomer couldn’t predict an eclipse, the scientist couldn’t safely conduct an experiment, the pilot wouldn’t be able to fly his plane, and nobody on earth would know from one moment to another what the stars and planets would do next! Isaac Watts said it perfectly: I sing the wisdom that ordained The sun to rule the day; The moon shines full at His command, And all the stars obey.

God’s wisdom is also seen in His providential ordering of events, not only for nations but also for individuals. “There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord” (21: niv). “To God belong wisdom and power; counsel and understanding are his” (Job 12: niv). The English word providence comes from the two Latin words video, “to see,” and pro, “before.” God in His wisdom “sees before,” that is, plans in advance and “sees to it” that His will is accomplished.

Providence doesn’t mean that God simply “foresees” what lies ahead and “adjusts” Himself accordingly. God alone knows and controls future events. The Baptist theologian Augustus Hopkins Strong calls providence “that continuous agency of God by which he makes all the events of the physical and moral universe fulfill the original design with which he created it.” Without violating man’s ability to choose, God “works all things according to the counsel of His will” (Eph. 1: nkjv) and rules and overrules in all things. “The Lord does whatever pleases him, in the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and all their depths” (Ps. 135: niv).

God wants to share His wisdom with us, which, of course, is the emphasis of the book of Proverbs. “For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; he stores up sound wisdom for the upright” (2:6–7). The first step in receiving God’s wisdom is trusting Jesus Christ and becoming a child of God. The world is frantically seeking the wisdom to know what to do and the power to be able to do it, and these are found only in Jesus Christ, “the power of God, and the wisdom of God” (1 Cor. 1:24).

The gospel of salvation sounds like a foolish message to the lost world, for it seems foolish to commit your life to somebody who died on a cross in weakness and shame. But the preaching of that cross releases the power of God to change lives (Rom. 1:16)! “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Cor. 1: nkjv).

After you trust Christ and become a child of God (John 1:11–13), the next step is to ask God to give you His wisdom in the ordering of your life (James 1:5). “The fear of the Lord teaches a man wisdom, and humility comes before honor” (Prov. 15: niv). As you read His Word, meditate and pray, and seek to glorify Him, He will direct your steps (3:5–6). The way may not always be easy, but it will be the best way (Rom. 8:28). Remember that the will of God comes from the heart of God (Ps. 33:11), so you don’t have to worry.

When you have decisions to make, take time to pray and meditate on the Word. Ask God to direct you and, if necessary, seek wise counsel from friends who are mature in the faith. At the start of each day, ask God to guide you in every decision you must make, big or small; a wrong “small” decision could lead to disturbing “big” decisions. As you grow in the wisdom and knowledge of God, and as you walk by faith, seeking to honor the Lord, you will increase in spiritual discernment and live skillfully.

“The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day. But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble” (Prov. 4:18–19 niv).

E C C L E S I A S T E STo quote A.W. Tozer again, “With the goodness of God to desire our highest welfare, the wisdom of God to plan it, and the power of God to achieve it, what do we lack? Surely we are the most favored of all creatures.”