wanting wisdom

Real Wealth for the Righteous

2012-02-01T08:51:00.002-05:00

6 In the house of the righteous there is much treasure, but trouble befalls the income of the wicked.

Practically speaking, following God's instruction is financially beneficial. This makes sense in a cooperative society that those who follow God's law, will prosper. But it's interesting that the rewards for the righteous are not income, but treasure. Seems to imply non-material gains (family, nation, health, knowledge, wisdom).

The Wise Welcome Instruction

2012-01-30T08:48:00.002-05:00

Proverbs 15:5:

5 A fool despises his father's instruction, but whoever heeds reproof is prudent.

There is a clear role for parental authority in life of God's people. A wise some listens to the instruction, where as the unwise do the opposite. There seems to be a large emphasis on admitting wrongness than being correct. Saying "this is what I believe and I don't care what anyone else says" is a scary place to be.

Sticks and Stones Got Nothing on Words

2012-01-18T22:07:00.000-05:00

Proverbs 15:4:

4 A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.

The mouth is regular used a metaphor for what goes in and out of a person. It can also affect those around us. And as this verse points out, our words can help and they can hurt. I bet if we could given a daily report on how our words impacted those around us we'd talk a lot less.

God and Santa Claus, Part II

2012-01-16T06:00:00.000-05:00

Proverbs 15:3:

3 The eyes of the LORD are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good.

A while back I posted about how God is all seeing, similar to Santa, but yet not all judging. God makes an important distinction between measuring and condemning. He does see everything we do. He does measure whether it is good or evil. But he does not constantly dish out his favor accordingly. He he is righteous and merciful. Something Santa only dreams of being.

In Wisdom There is No Middle Ground

2012-01-10T22:43:00.000-05:00

Proverbs 15:2:

2 The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouths of fools pour out folly.

Over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over again Proverbs has made the comparison of the wise and the foolish. The format goes: fools do one thing, wise people do another. It's not very PC to label people in such blunt categories, but the Bible doesn't seem to care. There seems to be two distinct types of people. The question is, which comes out of our mouth.

Gentleness Diffuses, Harshness Inflames

2012-01-09T06:00:00.000-05:00

Proverbs 15:1:

1 A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

Something we all know, but don't always follow. We care more about ourselves than others, so we give our knee jerk reaction. Kindness can make a situation better for both parties, whereas a biting comment only makes things worse. An important lesson in this: we are responsible for sin, even when the sin is not our own.

Impacting Your Nation

2012-01-05T12:10:00.003-05:00

Proverbs 14:34-35:

34 Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.
35 A servant who deals wisely has the king's favor, but his wrath falls on one who acts shamefully.

Not only do your actions impact your family (for good and bad), but they also influence your country. It's interesting to read this in the context of upcoming primary elections, economic turmoil in Europe, and Arab Spring in the Middle East. These individuals, be they politicians, central bankers, or protesters certainly color how we view the nations they represent.

Difference Between Knowledge and Wisdom

2012-01-02T06:00:00.000-05:00

Proverbs 14:33:

33 Wisdom rests in the heart of a man of understanding, but it makes itself known even in the midst of fools.

Even knowledge is a part of wisdom, they are not the same thing. Notice the emphasis on the heart and not the head. Wisdom is not just about knowing, but applying. Wisdom can be hard to spot, but as the second half of the verse points out, foolishness is easy to spot.

Worst Case is Still Best Case

2011-11-29T17:15:00.001-05:00

Proverbs 14:32:

32 The wicked is overthrown through his evildoing, but the righteous finds refuge in his death.

Proverbs has said over and over again, the wicked (those that are not with God) will lose. They don't lose because God is spiteful. They lose because their actions cause them to. It only those under God's care who have an advocate strong enough to which to have hope in. Hope even in death. So the worst case scenario for God's people (death) is best much better than the best case scenario (a good life on earth) for those outside of his care.

God's Connection to the Poor

2011-11-25T01:43:00.001-05:00

Proverbs 14:31:

31 Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker, but he who is generous to the needy honors him.

Proverbs has been clear here, here, and here that hard work is to be praised. But there is also a contrasting Biblical message to this. Old and New Testament followers of God are called to help the poor (here, here, and here). In fact, we are even to "pretend to be poor". So we should work hard and produce, so that we can spend our wealth on others, not ourselves.

Be Content

2011-11-23T22:43:00.001-05:00

Proverbs 14:30:

30 A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot.

Tranquility, or peacefulness, make a person healthy. The opposite of that, envy, will rot you from the inside out. This is an important lesson for me right now as I go through a lot of personal transitions. Progress has been important to me for a long time, but perhaps I've made contentedness underrated.

Watch That Temper

2011-11-20T20:57:00.001-05:00

Proverbs 14:29:

29 Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly.

After quite a hiatus, Wanting Wisdom is back and with an uncomplicated verse. Those with a quick temper are fools. We've all witnessed it. And sadly, we've all done it.

The Measure of a Leader

2011-06-06T06:00:00.000-04:00

Proverbs 14:28:

28 In a multitude of people is the glory of a king, but without people a prince is ruined.

What's an objective way to measure a good leader? How about his number of followers. Useful to earthly measurements and helps explain why evangelism isn't about church recruitment. It's about God's glory.

God is Watching and Supporting

2011-05-25T23:36:00.000-04:00

Proverbs 14:26-27:

26 In the fear of the LORD one has strong confidence, and his children will have a refuge.
27 The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, that one may turn away from the snares of death.

Proverbs has said before that God gives good advice that can literally give us life. That support gives us the confidence that we cannot find in ourselves and we can pass that confidence down to our children. On my other blog I recently posted about how thinking someone is watching makes us more moral. As a reader points out, an appropriate respect for God can do the same thing (to our own benefit).

Weight of Truth

2011-05-19T06:45:00.000-04:00

Proverbs 14:25:

25 A truthful witness saves lives, but one who breathes out lies is deceitful.

Consider the enormity of such a simple verse. In some ways it is just a restating of an earlier verse on the straight forward distinction between truth and lies, but there is something more here. Truthfulness is important. It saves lives and we, as the witness, are it's vessel. We can save the wrongly accused in a criminal court, but there is also a higher level described more clearly in the King James:

25 A true witness delivereth souls: but a deceitful witness speaketh lies.

Speaking the truth of the gospel saves souls.

Foolishness is Foolish

2011-05-17T23:12:00.001-04:00

Proverbs 14:24:

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

This verse seems just as obvious as the last. There are practical benefits of wisdom and there are real costs to foolishness. So why even mention it? Because all too often we act without thinking, focus too much on material wealth, keep harmful friends, ignore good advice, and other foolish things.

Walk the Walk

2011-05-16T06:00:00.000-04:00

Proverbs 14:23:

23 In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty.

Time after time (after time after time after time after time after time) Proverbs has described how work equal reward. It does not describe how talking about work equal reward. God is a God of action, not mere talk of action.

Plan Good, Feel Good

2011-05-13T12:59:00.000-04:00

Proverbs 14:22:

22 Do they not go astray who devise evil? Those who devise good meet steadfast love and faithfulness.

Yesterday a commenter asked a tough question. If God's people don't get the victory promised to them in the Bible, would living the Christian life of personal sacrifice be worth it? I think this verse describes a worldly truth that even non-believers can get behind. Those who exclusively seek to hurt others do not win. Those who seek to do good are satisfied. Seeking favor with God often finds you favor with man. There would certainly be a great sadness if eternal victory is not won, but the teachings of the Bible do often make for a more livable world.

Our Default Isn't Love Thy Neighbor

2011-05-11T06:00:00.009-04:00

Proverbs 14:20-21:

20 The poor is disliked even by his neighbor, but the rich has many friends.
21 Whoever despises his neighbor is a sinner, but blessed is he who is generous to the poor.

At first verse seems like a warning to the poor not to be too demanding of others. But the second verse gives it some better context. It is more of a condemnation of those who only favor friends can give them something in return. We should care for our neighbor, especially if they are financially needy.

Good Will Win

2011-05-10T06:00:00.007-04:00

Proverbs 14:19:

19 The evil bow down before the good, the wicked at the gates of the righteous.

It's nice to know how the story ends. Sometimes in life the bad guy wins. Even before Jesus, God has planned the final victory for his people.

Slow Down

2011-05-09T06:44:00.003-04:00

Proverbs 14:15-18:

15 The simple believes everything, but the prudent gives thought to his steps.
16 One who is wise is cautious and turns away from evil, but a fool is reckless and careless.
17 A man of quick temper acts foolishly, and a man of evil devices is hated.
18 The simple inherit folly, but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.

In the Bible, often the word slow is tied to being wise and fast tied to foolishness. That is not always true in our daily life, where being a bold decisive leader is valued. Yet Proverbs is clear that a cautious critical eye is invaluable in our ability to choose wisely and regulate our heated emotions. The wisdom of carefulness helps bread more wisdom. This was my original goal in my personal blog (which has been getting more attention than this one lately). The slogan, "slowing down to move forward" was to remind me to take all of the information I gather each day and give it some consideration. It's been a mostly successful way to deal with complex issues worth considering.

Hold on Tightly to God

2011-04-06T06:00:00.000-04:00

Proverbs 14:14:

14 The backslider in heart will be filled with the fruit of his ways, and a good man will be filled with the fruit of his ways.

We are never stagnant. Christians are always growing closer or farther from an understanding of God. I would compare it to the stock market. When you zoom in on each day there is either growth or loss. But when you look back over the years, you can see how God has pursued and grown you. The trend is usually towards sanctification. But that doesn't mean we should be weary because backsliding, that is slipping, because it has consequences.

Security of Tent Cities

2011-04-05T06:00:00.000-04:00

Proverbs 14:11-13:

11 The house of the wicked will be destroyed, but the tent of the upright will flourish.
12 There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.
13 Even in laughter the heart may ache, and the end of joy may be grief.

Those opposed God build large, supposedly safe houses. Yet, God's people are actually safer in their simple tents. Powerful words when there are thousands of people living in tents right now. We should be humbled that it is God who protects or destroys our home. Being aware of which path we are on is extremely important, but remember, worldly happiness is not always correlated with Godly satisfaction.

Limits of Relationships

2011-04-04T06:00:00.000-04:00

Proverbs 14:10:

10 The heart knows its own bitterness, and no stranger shares its joy.

There have been many examples throughout Proverbs of how important interpersonal interactions are. From how we should take advice to how sons effect fathers. But this verse shows that part of human existence is solitary. There are some parts of our life, both good and bad, that others can't fully understand. The apostle Paul puts it like this in 1 Corinthians 2:11:

11 For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.

Our complexity is one of God-like qualities. Knowing that can help us interact with others. Even if you don't fully understand another's bitterness or joy, you can rest assured it is real for them.

Undeserved Acceptance

2011-03-29T22:02:00.000-04:00

Proverbs 14:9:

9 Fools mock at the guilt offering, but the upright enjoy acceptance.

As Proverbs has suggested before, one of the most important pieces of wisdom is the admission of sin. Humility sounds foolish if you don't understand your need of forgiveness. But nothing is better than feeling acceptance when you know you don't deserve it.