Proverbs 15:14 "The heart of him that hath understanding seeketh knowledge: but the mouth of fools feedeth on foolishness."

The language of this proverb is both familiar and unique.  Knowledge and foolishness are not uncommon topics in Solomon's proverbs nor are fools and those with understanding uncommon characters.  What makes this proverb unique is the language used to describe a fool in that he "feedeth on foolishness."  This language creates quite the mental image.  A fool feeds on foolishness the way a cow feeds on grain or a cat on that same dry bagged pet food.  A fool's breakfast, lunch and dinner are found in box or can of foolishness.  Foolishness is what a fool consumes each and every day of his life.  He wakes up hungry for foolishness.  It's what sustains and fuels him.

The great contrast of this proverb is what makes the fool's feeding frenzy so foolish.  In the proverb, a person with understanding isn't found feeding on anything.  The mouth of the understanding soul isn't full of anything in this visual lesson.  There isn't a bowl of "the usual" in front of him.  There isn't a plate of the "the same old, same old" on the table.  He isn't feeding on anything.  Instead, we're drawn beyond his mouth down into his heart.  There we learn that he's looking for something of value to consume.  There in his heart, we see a yearning for something of real substance - knowledge.  Because he has understanding, he realizes the harm foolishness does to his soul.  Because he has understanding, he recognizes the lack of spiritual nutrition in much of the information available on the buffet of this world's information stream.  He doesn't just feed on anything; he seeks that which will be good and wholesome for him.

This proverb highlights the danger of foolishness while emphasizing the benefit of understanding.  Without understanding in the heart, we remain foolish because foolishness is sustained by a steady diet of foolishness.  Foolishness in the soul creates an appetite for foolishness.  A fool wakes up in the morning and instinctively doom scrolls with an appetite for something that offers no spiritually-meaningful information to consume.  A fool goes throughout the day starving to consume meaningless posts, videos and photos.  A fool goes to bed snacking on books, articles and television shows that entertain his foolish mind.  A fool lacks the understanding necessary to see that what he's eating all day every day is ruining him.  The foolish man who constantly combs the internet for ways to get rich quick doesn't realize that it keeps him greedy and lazy.  The foolish woman who constantly scrolls social media to see what everyone is up to doesn't recognize that it keeps her covetous and ungrateful.

A fool consumes anything that appeals to the senses.  If it sounds interesting, he'll watch it.  If it looks appealing, she'll read it.  A fool lacks the sense to read the spiritual nutrition label before eating.  He'll eat anything and everything on the buffet of this world's information as long as it smells, sounds or looks good to him.  He sees no value in truth or in godly knowledge.  It only matters that he'll enjoy the taste of it.  Fools never ask what their food is made of, where it comes from or what it will do to their soul.  They eat what they like and because they're foolish, they like foolishness.  They just don't have the sense to see what foolish podcasts, reels, articles, shows or even unbiblical sermons do to their souls.  Whatever they're drawn to, they consume.  Whatever they're used to feeding on, they consume.  Whatever appeals to their senses and spirit, they consume.  They don't think before they eat.

The person who possesses understanding thinks before they eat.  A wise man looks for spiritually-nutritious information to read or watch.  A wise woman considers any source of information before she drinks of its water.  A man of understanding manages what goes in his spiritual mouth.  A woman of understanding doesn't waste spiritual calories on that which tastes good but doesn't do any good.  Simply put, without understanding, we'll consume information in our world out of habit or to appease our intellectual taste buds.  If we get understanding, our hearts will bridle our intellectual and carnal taste buds and only consume that which brings spiritual benefit to our soul.  In a world dominated by an online buffet of never-ending information, much of which is wildly foolish, think before you eat.

Proverbs 15:13 "A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken."

I, for one, am glad that the wisest man in history didn't waste our time with blatantly obvious truths that toddlers likely know.  Even a child knows that a smiley face reveals a happy heart.  Even a toddler knows that tears reveal sorrow, which is why he asks his crying mother, "why are you sad mommy?"  Surely, Solomon is not simply telling us that cheer in the heart makes a person look happy while sorrow in the heart makes a person look empty.  Fortunately, for us, there is much more to this proverb and much more than a toddler can handle since Solomon is primarily writing to his young adult son and a mature audience.

As is often the case, Solomon is not contrasting two very different things with the same consequence.  He is contrasting the countenance of the cheerful with the bones of the sorrowful.  He is showing us what we can see in the person with a merry heart while exposing what we can't see in the person with a sorrowful heart.  While both happiness and sorrow have a profound impact on us, the one sorrow has on us is far more substantial.  A broken spirit is far more influential to a person's life than a cheerful countenance.  Both matter but a broken spirit is far more serious.  A cheerful countenance is especially good for one's reputation, communication and influence.  After all, who wants to talk to someone who looks miserable?  Who wants to hear about Jesus Christ from someone who looks miserable?  Who wants to share their feelings or recap their day with someone who looks wildly unhappy?  Who wants to take a picture with someone who looks bitterly cold?  Who wants the input of a person whose countenance looks dark and gloomy?

 A cheerful countenance adds great value to a life for a variety of reasons.  That being said, the value of a cheerful countenance does not outweigh the danger of a broken spirit.  A broken spirit bleeds life out of a person.  A broken spirit is as dangerous to a soul as is a collapsed lung to a body or a cracked engine block to a vehicle.  It is unsustainable.  Over time, it will lead to colossal emotional, spiritual, psychological and even physical failure.  A broken spirit is so much more than a frowning mouth and tearful eyes.  It is so much deeper than that.  Without a stable and secure spirit, the challenges of life are impossible to sustain.  Proverbs 18:14, "The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?"  Proverbs 17:22, "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones."  The spirit of man is the life of a person.  Our spirit is where our will comes from and if our spirit breaks, we lose the will to live or fight.  That makes the consequences of sorrow in our hearts more serious than merriness in our hearts.

It is important to acknowledge the particular wording of this proverb when it comes to sorrow.  It reads, "by sorrow of the heart," which is different than the wording used to describe a "merry heart."  A heart is not naturally happy - it needs something for which to find happiness in.  On the contrary, the human heart is naturally sorrowful.  Living in a cursed world comes with sorrow already embedded in the heart.  This is why Solomon wrote in Proverbs 14:13, "Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful; and the end of that mirth is heaviness."  Sorrow isn't evil or bad.  It is, however, unavoidable and inevitable.  In a world of loss and in a life of sin, it's inescapable.  The problem is not the presence of sorrow - it's the surrender to it.  We can never rid our hearts of sorrow, but we can manage the sorrow in our hearts.  We have to keep a steady dose of happiness and hope within our hearts OR "by sorrow of the heart," the spirit will be broken.  Again, sorrow is not to be viewed as evil, but it is to be viewed as heavy.  It can only be carried so far for so long before it breaks the human spirit.  It can only be entertained without the presence of joy and hope for so long before it breaks the human spirit.  This is why Paul didn't discourage the Thessalonians from sorrowing but instead, he directed them to sorrow WITH HOPE.  1 Thessalonians 4:13, "But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope."

This proverb is not for the Sunday School class of 1st Graders; it is for the mature who are conscious of the "sorrow of the heart."  It is for the man or woman who doesn't see the need to be comforted by God and by others.  It is for those who have faced great loss and like Jacob when he was told Joseph died, "refuse to be comforted" (Gen. 37:35).  It is for those who don't see the need to welcome joy, peace or hope into the heart.  It is for the person who has decided to let sorrow take them to the grave.  This proverb is for the soul who has decided to let sorrow rule their life and relationships.  Don't let the deceit in your heart (Jer. 17:9) trick you into thinking you can sustain sorrow forever.  At some point, your spirit will crack beneath the heavy weight of sustained sorrow.  Sorrow without hope, peace or joy breaks every man and woman at some point.  It's not a matter of "IF," it's a matter of "WHEN."  And "WHEN" it breaks, the spirit will not be able to handle any adversity, infirmity of tragedy.

Welcome merriness into your heart and onto your face.  Without it, the ever-present sorrow of the heart will eventually do irreparable damage to the spirit.

Proverbs 15:12 "A scorner loveth not one that reproveth him: neither will he go unto the wise."

Solomon had a lot to say about scorners.  No other Biblical author addressed scorners nearly as much as Solomon.  We don’t know of any particular experience he had with scorners but we trust that his emphasis on the matter was by Divine Design.  It was Solomon's objective for his son and God's desire for His children that scorners be identified and understood.  Scorners make a lot of noise and for that reason, they have a lot of influence.  Scorners are haters; extreme haters.  A scorner is someone who has an extreme amount of disdain for something or someone.  A scorner is known for his hatred by his or her words, with what is calling scorning.  Extreme hatred can't stay cooped up in the heart.  It can't remain silent.  A scorner is exposed as a hateful person by his or her hateful speech.  

The hatred of the scorner is derived from pride.  By Webster's definition, scorn is extreme contempt; that disdain which springs from a person's opinion of the unworthiness of an object, and a belief of his own superiority.  Scorn is born out of and sustained by pride.  A scorner spews out hatred for something or someone that he thinks is beneath him or that is despicable.  This is why Solomon wrote that a scorner “will not go unto the wise.”  He already has all of the answers and anyone who disagrees with him will be met with extreme contempt.

Solomon repeated warnings about scorners as well as expounded on their personality so much in his proverbs because ambitious people who mean well often lack the sense to leave them be.  He wanted his audience to know that you can't have a meaningful conversation with a scorner.  For that reason, it’s incredibly difficult to have a meaningful relationship with a scorner.  Proud people who entertain deep disdain in their hearts for people and ideas that they deem despicable are nearly impossible to get along with.  This level of hatred makes them intolerable and insufferable.  They have so much hatred for someone or something that there is no room for discussion or reconsideration.  According to the rest of the proverbs, the only thing you can do with a scorner is punish them or remove them.  Generally-speaking, there is little hope for a scorner.

While this proverb seems so depressing, it is meant to bring light to the person living around or even living with a scorner.  Solomon wanted his readers to better know their audience.  Any public speaker knows that he or she needs to read the room and accurately know their audience if they're going to make an impact on them.  If you're talking to a class of kindergarteners, you have to know that your audience has a very short attention span and an even shorter vocabulary bank.  If you're speaking to a room full of widows and widowers, you need to know that your audience has a sensitive perspective shaped by grief.  If you're talking to a church full of committed Christians, you should know that your audience will not tolerate or respond well to dirty jokes.  This proverb is meant to help us know our audience if it includes a scorner or two.

Sadly, some husbands find themselves years into marriage in a predicament when waking up to a scorner. Unfortunately, some wives eventually come to the conclusion that they're sharing life with a man who hates someone, something or even her as a result of thinking too highly of himself.  Tragically, there are parents who realize at some devastating point in their child's later adolescent or early young adult years that they raised a scorner.  Most of us have worked with a scorner.  Others of us have had friends or extended family members who became scorners.  In all of these situations, scorners make life miserable, especially if there is any attempt on anyone's part to address their hate-based behavior.  This proverb was written to help make the wise wiser; to help the wise know their audience.

Without this and other proverbs dealing with the scorner, we would otherwise feel guilty for not trying to correct the behavior of the scorner we care about.  Without the wise words of this proverb, we would otherwise feel bad letting a scorner scorn.  Ambition in the relational spouse, parent or friend can prompt a love-based reproof for the scorner that they care about.  It seems like the appropriate thing to do.  In some cases, it seems like the responsible thing to do.  Yet, this Scripture teaches with clarity that any efforts to correct or repair the hateful scorner will never produce the love we long for.  If it's love you want from a scorner, you'll never get it by confronting them.  If it's a better relationship you seek with a scorner, you'll never cultivate it by reproving them. We don't have to like this truth but if we want to keep the peace with a scorner, we have to know our audience and accept the fact that they'll never respond well to reproof.

You might be asking, why would I want to keep the peace with a person who entertains such disdain in their heart for things or people?  Why would I want a relationship with a person who thinks so highly of themselves that they would think so hatefully of others?  Why would I want anything to work with them now or down the road?  Usually, you wouldn't.  Scorners are the most unattractive people in the world.  They're an “abomination to men” according to Proverbs 24:9.  So, who cares about being loved by a scorner and who would want anything to do with one?  A man or woman married to one.  A father or mother who has one for a child.  A son or daughter who was raised by one.  A brother or sister who grew up in the same home with one.  A Christian who goes to church with one.  A friend who has decades of memories invested in one.  Scorners aren't born as such.  Scorners aren't born in the womb - they're born by some hurt or by some gradually learned false ideology.  An insecure person becomes a scorner after feeling disregarded.  A proud person becomes a scorner after getting rejected.  A selfish person becomes a scorner after being ignored.  An angry person becomes a scorner after being embarrassed by someone.  

We don't birth scorners, but we do find ourselves parenting scorners.  We don't typically marry scorners, but we do find ourselves sleeping next to scorners.  We don't befriend scorners, but we do find ourselves trying maintain a friendship with scorners.  We don't choose a church based on the absence of scorners, but we do find ourselves sharing the lobby with scorners.  In these cases, how are we to manage these fragile and complicated relationships?  In these delicate and sad cases, we are to take proverbs like this into constant consideration.  If our intent is to live peaceably with scorners we love, as is the counsel of Romans 12:18, we must know that reproving them will never be received well and that it will never produce any kind of love.  Even though a scorner needs serious correction and even though you feel obligated to confront them, you must know your audience.  For scorners of age and in relationship with you, let them be and let them be wrong, as hard as that may be to do.  When that close to a scorner, you must know that nothing you can say will help them and anything confrontational that you do say will hurt your already-strained relationship with them.

We don't have to like that or think that fair but we do have to accept that.  It is God's word on the matter and that makes it truth.  God is not condoning a scorner’s behavior at all – He is just informing us of their behavior so we know how to deal with them.  We have to know our audience, especially when it is a scorner.  If your spouse, child, sibling, parent, friend, co-worker or fellow church member is a scorner, we have to approach any conversation with them as wisely we would a tree or a cat or a football game on tv.  We can and do talk to our pets but we do so knowing that particular audience.  We KNOW that our pet is NEVER going to respond well to screaming at them.  We KNOW that our maple tree is NEVER going to answer any of our questions.  We KNOW that suggesting the professional football team go for it on 4th & 1 is USELESS since they can't and wouldn't hear us.  We need to KNOW our scorning spouse or child or friend just as well.  We need to KNOW that our scorning co-worker or scorning sibling will NEVER respond with love for ANY reproof or correction we offer, no matter our pure our motive or gentle our approach.  It is written, "A scorner loveth not one that reproveth him."

If you're not looking for love from a scorner, then feel free to reprove him.  If you're not holding out for a restored relationship with a scorner, then go ahead and rebuke her.  If you have no interest in any peace with a scorner, have at it with reproofs.  There are cases where scorners should be confronted.  There are scenarios where scorners should be punished for the sake of those watching and impacted by them, as taught in Proverbs 19:25 and 21:11. That being said, if you're locked into a relationship with a scorner, you'll need the wisdom of Solomon and this proverb helps you have it.  If you ever find yourself in love with a scorner because of a past or present relationship, leave the reproving to the Lord and desperately pray for the mercy of God in their life on a daily basis.  If you're in a relationship with a scorner, they won't be the exception to this Biblical truth - know your audience.

Proverbs 15:11 "Hell and destruction are before the LORD: how much more then the hearts of the children of men?"

In its most basic definition, a proverb is a one-sentence moral principle.  Within the Book of Proverbs, there is an occasional short story or string of sentences that provides a moral principle but generally-speaking, a proverb is a short statement that can be easily rehearsed, repeated and remembered.  In Scripture, the proverbs are unique in that they don't rely on anything around them to help better explain them.  Unlike any other book in the Bible, context is relatively insignificant in this book.  The proverbs are designed to provoke immediate thought that opens the eye to spiritual realities.  They don't require years of Bible Study or a degree in theology to understand them.  You don't have to set aside hours and hours to further study or investigate them.  They are uniquely powerful in that one sentence can instantly get you thinking about something that is both spiritually profound and personally practical.  This proverb is one of the best examples of that fact.

Any time we read or hear the word, "hell," we perk up.  That’s why people use the word when cursing or cussing – it’s something that usually gets our attention.  Anytime we are confronted with something so grave and intensely sobering, our brain goes on high alert.  Even without any context or backstory, this simple statement grabs our attention and gets us thinking.  Our mortal minds think about the underworld and the devastation within it.  Our limited minds immediately but unhappily think about the flames of hell and the misery connected to them.  We go to a place in our minds that we tend to avoid at all costs.  Hell is a thought we try not to think about.  It's a place we try not to consider.  We wish it didn't exist.  We hope it doesn't really exist.

For most of us, destruction is similar.  Except for the deeply-dark and twisted souls among us, humanity generally doesn't want to think about the tragedies and atrocities of life.  Most of us don't want to be confronted with the destruction our world entertains.  People don't want to be reminded that there are always millions of people suffering in our world and that over 100 people die each minute of every day.  Here in America, we almost never talk about the destruction hunger causes around the globe each day.  Approximately 9 million people die each year to hunger-related causes.  We don't want to see, think or talk about the fact that a child dies to hunger-related causes every 15 seconds.  The average person doesn't want to be confronted with the destruction abortion causes unborn children.  Our stomachs turn and our eyes close when pictures or videos are presented of such destruction.  Talk to someone about the evil and inhumane things done during the Holocaust and they will ask you to stop.  Bring up a serial murderer and the details of his crimes and people will walk away.

We just don't like looking at horrible crimes or tragic losses of life.  We don't like thinking about mass graves throughout Europe, Africa, Asia and the Middle East.  We don't like looking at images of body parts scattered over a beach from some heinous crime.  We don't like seeing bloody crime scenes.  We get real uncomfortable looking at the consequences of fire on the human body.  We don't like looking at towns wiped out by tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, forest fires or flash floods.  Destruction is hard for us to process.  We tend to avoid it as much as we can.

Don't get me wrong, people are attracted to news and drama.  Our curious brains are attracted to anything and everything that is new but that doesn't mean we want to follow on-going tragedy or keep processing destruction.  In fact, most people who follow criminal cases or who watch true crime shows are not watching it because of a fascination with destruction and death.  Those who follow criminal cases or watch true crime do so primarily for a natural thirst for justice.  If criminals weren't being caught or if murderers weren't being punished, there would be no market for true crime.  Destruction is a big part of our entertainment industry but only because most of the time, a hero prevents further destruction or because some ultimate good comes out of destruction.  If all of our shows, movies, games, books and documentaries were all about destruction without any justice, solutions or lessons learned, people would stop buying, watching, reading and playing them.  We'll take a look at destruction but only if we feel on some level that good can come from it somewhere somehow.

Destruction makes it on the news each night but never without some course of action working to address it.  When there is a tragedy of epic proportion, we want to forget all about it.  We don't want to remember it.  We don't want to relive it.  We don't want to think about it.  This is why individuals affected by certain tragedies create memorials so that the instincts of others don't cause those tragedies to be forgotten and, in the process, forget their loved ones.  Thoughts of destruction ruin our day.  Destruction too big for us to process.  It's too complicated for us to remedy.  How can we enjoy our strip steak when children out there are starving?  How can we watch our football game when women out there are being trafficked?  How can we laugh with our families when so many other families have been torn apart by war on other continents?  How can we embrace that precious moment with our spouse watching the sun set over the Pacific Ocean knowing thousands of other spouses are going to bed without their spouse because of cancer?

We don't want to contemplate destruction.  We prefer it to stay as distant and as hidden as hell.  We prefer to be ignorant about them both.  It's too hard to be happy when being informed about the realities of hell and destruction.  That is what makes us so different from God.  We can choose to be ignorant.  God can't.  He is omniscient, meaning He knows all things.  He can choose to forget something but at no point can God say that He doesn't know something.  Otherwise, He wouldn't be omniscient and that would be a Biblical contradiction since Scripture states He "knoweth all things" in 1 John 3:20.  We can cover our eyes and ears to the destruction taking place in Ukraine, in Gaza and in Mexico but God can't.  We can convince our minds to stop considering and contemplating a place called Hell but God can't.  As the all-knowing, all-hearing and all-seeing God, He can't hide from the realities and tragedies of our world.  He gladly accepts worship while sadly processing rebellion.  He gladly accepts our love while sadly enduring our hatred.  He enjoys holy fellowship with His people while watching extreme violence among all people.  He listens intently to our precious prayers while hearing the screams of the victims of war.  He celebrates souls that turn to Christ while mourning the lives lost to natural disasters.  Nothing is hidden from God.  Job said it best when he said, "Hell is naked before him, and destruction hath no covering" (26:6).  We can put a lid on hell and destruction but God can't.

What does this have to do with us?  Outside of making us very uncomfortable, how does this proverb apply to us?  It's meant to reinforce the sobering truth that we can't hide our hearts from God.  If Hell and destruction can't hide from His omniscient mind, we can be sure that our hearts can't evade it either.  If God can't be ignorant about the most uncomfortable things in life, then He surely won't be ignorant of the conditions of our hearts.  If God won't avoid seeing the souls in Hell, despite the heartbreak, then He won't avoid seeing the evil imaginations of our hearts, despite the heartbreak.  If God won't avoid looking at the destruction caused by human trafficking, despite the anger, then He won't avoid looking at the deceit and self-righteousness in our hearts, despite the anger.  If God won't avoid considering the microscopic cancer cells in a person's body, despite the discomfort, then He won't avoid considering the deeply hidden feelings of bitterness and resentment in our hearts, despite the discomfort.

Early in this chapter (15:3), Solomon put in plainly when he wrote, "The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good."  This particular proverb says the same thing but much more intensely and much more personally.  Not only does God see everything but He sees the worst of everything.  This ultimately teaches us that He's not afraid or intimidated by anything in our hearts.  If we ever feel like we can hide something in our hearts from God, this proverb is meant to immediately correct us.  If we ever deceive ourselves into thinking that there are things in our heart that God may not detect or things that He wouldn't want to detect, this proverb is meant to wake us up to the spiritual reality that nothing is hid from God.  We may be able to hide feelings from our spouse, family or friend but never from God.  Some children and some spouses play off of the inability of their parent or spouse to accept evil.  Because some people can't handle "Hell and destruction," they convince themselves that all is well; they create a new reality for themselves (despite being fantasy) where everyone is good and everything is wonderful.  These people can be easy to hide evil from.  God is not at all that way.  God sees things exactly and precisely as they are – even the hard things like "Hell and Destruction."  For that reason, God will always see our hearts exactly and precisely as they are. That is meant to be the spiritual motivation we need to get and keep our hearts clean.

Proverbs 15:10 "Correction is grievous unto him that forsaketh the way: and he that hateth reproof shall die."

Let's be honest - no one longs let alone likes to be corrected.  No one wakes up in the morning with excitement when they know they have a meeting with the boss to address a mistake they made on the job.  No child runs to his parent with glee when being summoned for some bad behavior.  It's just not fun to be told we're wrong.  That being said, the wise understand that correction is necessary for success.  The wise realize that no one is always correct and for that obvious reason, correction is necessary to get and be right.  Even then, however, it's not an enjoyable experience to be told you're wrong.

No one loves correction and that's okay.  The Bible doesn't command us to "love" correction.  In Proverbs 9:8, Solomon informs us that a wise man will love the person who rebukes him but he didn't tell us that the wise man will love the rebuke itself.  It seems unreasonable to expect a person to love correction or reproof, which is why Scripture doesn't require such a love.  It only teaches us to love instruction in Proverbs 12:1.  When it comes to correction, Scripture only advises us to "be not weary" of God's correction in Proverbs 3:11.  Correction is like a surgical procedure - painful but profitable.  It needs to be seen as necessary for us to get better and to get right.  We don't have to love the process but if we're wise, we'll see its value and embrace the discomfort.  A wise man doesn't love the discomfort a surgeon brings to his body but if that discomfort results in a better body, he loves that surgeon for performing the surgery.

While we don't have to love correction, we can't afford to hate correction.  While we'll never get excited about reproof, we can't afford to hate reproof.  A hatred for correction will lock us in a perpetual state of incorrection.  If we can't stand being corrected, we'll refuse to even entertain correction.  If we loathe reproof, we'll avoid hearing any reproof from anyone for any reason for any length of time.  That determined avoidance will eventually be our demise, which is why Solomon in this proverb declares imminent death for any person who hates reproof.

By pairing the two halves of this proverb, Solomon is doing more than telling us we can't afford to hate correction.  This proverb documents the road to certain failure and where it all starts is the most important detail.  According to Solomon, this particular road ends in death and no one gets off of it because everyone who travels it hates being told that they need to get off of it.  The question we should ask ourselves then is, "How does someone get on this particular road in the first place?"  That is the question we need to answer because that is the key to avoiding the failure that this roads ends in.  The answer to that question is found in the first part of the proverb - "he that forsaketh the way."  There is a right "way" and there is a wrong "way."  If we turn from the right "way," we will be getting on the road that has very few U-turns and off-ramps.

When we forsake God's way, we don't just dislike correction, we grieve it.  When we walk away from God, the preaching and teaching of God's word grieves us.  When we forsake the truth of Scripture, hearing anyone tell us where or why we're wrong sits in our soul in a deeply bothersome way.  Correction to the wise man is uncomfortable but it is embraced as a means to get right and be better.  Correction to the rebellious man is more than temporary discomfort for a few days - it is chronic pain deep in the soul.  It is likened unto grief which is arguably, the deepest emotional pain a human soul can entertain.  Grief strips the world of color.  Grief takes the taste from food.  It consumes a person's mind.  It robs a person of energy, ambition and in many cases, happiness.  Grief is overwhelming and overcoming.

This is why when Christians walk away from Christ, they're often miserable.  They're grieving the echoes of correction from their Christian childhood or their previous pastor's preaching.  They're grieving the echoes of reproof from the inner voice of the Holy Spirit or from the pages of Scripture.  Christians who abandon their faith almost always become full of hatred towards their Christian parents, church and anything remotely related to any Biblical correction.  Rarely does a Christian walk away from God quietly and cordially. 

Clearly, there is tremendous danger in hating correction since such a person "shall die."  As dangerous as that is, the greater danger is forsaking the right way.  We CAN avoid spiritual failure, emotional destruction and physical death by embracing correction.  But according to this proverb, we WON'T embrace correction when we "forsake the way."  Please get this - if we walk away from God, we will have a skewed perspective of God that will lead us to hate any spiritual correction.  That hatred for correction in itself will keep us on the wrong path since we'll refuse to correct our direction.

This is the Path - Perspective - Path Principle.  The path that we choose determines the perspective that we have.  That perspective will then determine the path or paths that we take in the future.  If we want to follow God, we'll be where He is and as a result, we'll see the world how He sees the world.  If we don't want to follow God, we'll be where His opponents are and as a result, we'll see Him and the world as His opponents see Him.  Our path determines our perspective.  That perspective then will be influential in whatever decisions we make from thereon, including where we go in life.  If I choose to abandon God, I will see Him as the world sees Him - unfair, unkind and unreasonable.  I will see His people as the world see them - hypocritical, judgmental and hateful.  I will see His word as the world sees it - contradictory, offensive and confusing.  That perspective, which was created by my choice of spiritual direction, will naturally cause me to vehemently reject and resist any efforts to get me back on the right track.  Because of the perspective my path created, I will likely remain on the wrong path for the rest of my life.  Because correction grieves me and because reproof infuriates me, I will need an act of God to help get me back on the right track.

It's very hard to help someone who is grieving and it's even harder to correct someone who hates correction.  This is why the emphasis of this proverb is on NOT "forsaking the way."  Believers need to see the danger of walking away from God.  Christians need to recognize that the danger of walking away from God is less about losing the blessings of God and more about losing the perspective of God.  It's hard to turn around when we don't see the need to turn around.  It's hard to come back to God when we hate being told we need to come back to God.  Forsaking God is accompanied by spiritual grief and a chronic disdain for the correction of God's Spirit, word and people.  That not only sounds miserable but it also sounds like a spiritual death sentence.

Earlier in the book of Proverbs, Solomon advised his son to "Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established" (4:26).  Solomon didn't give his son counsel on how to turn back to God nor does he advise those who have forsaken God on how to return to God.  He put all of his effort into those who haven't yet abandoned God for that's where the real battle takes place.  We too should "ponder the path of our feet" each and every day to avoid "forsaking the way" and losing a godly perspective.  There will be always be mercy available from a loving Father should we "forsake the way" and there always be room for repentance but God knows how hard it is to turn around when we forsake Him.  Our Heavenly Father is active in correcting us so that we don't forsake Him altogether because He knows on that path, we’ll get a destructive perspective that hates His correction.  Let us focus on staying on “His way” and in His will so as to avoid hating correction and remaining hostage to that hatred.

What path are you on today?  That path is forming your perspective and you can be sure that that perspective will form the path you will travel for the rest of your life.  This is the Path - Perspective - Path Principle.

Proverbs 15:9 "The way of the wicked is an abomination unto the LORD: but he loveth him that followeth after righteousness."

On its own, this proverb is plenty insightful but when paired with the previous proverb, it contains even more insight.  On its own, this proverb defines for us what the "way" of a person is.  When paired with the previous proverb, the two combine to better help us understand how God views the direction of our lives.

First, let us define a person's "way" in life by the contrast Solomon provided between the wicked and by the soul who "followeth after righteousness."  The way of the wicked is not perpetually wicked.  The way of the wicked is not constant crookedness or steady sin.  It is not evil at every turn and perversion with every step.  Given the two opposite sides of this proverb, we can accurately define the "way" of the wicked as "following unrighteousness." The way of the wicked is a life leaning towards wickedness.  It is a life following that which is unrighteousness.  A life dedicated to fulfilling the lust of the flesh through pleasure is the way of the wicked.  A person motivated by the greed of being wealthy is also the “way” Solomon is referring to.  A life driven by an appetite for power and fame is another way of wickedness.  The person obsessed with getting what they want at any cost is on the way of wickedness.
 
At first glance, this definition doesn't seem bad enough to be considered a "wicked way" but take a closer look and you'll see that this self-centered desire is what leads a person to make wicked decisions.  Our heart's desire determines our way in life.  For example, if we're consumed with a strong desire for wealth, we will eventually choose wealth over righteousness.  Such a greedy desire will lead to stealing from God, from the government, from merchants, from employers or even from strangers.  An unbridled pursuit of riches will lead to placing the value of money over the value of people and relationships.  Great evil awaits the man or woman who has a "love" for money since the Bible tells us that that burning desire is the "root of all evil" (1 Timothy 6:10).  It is no different if our primary pursuits in life are to be acknowledged and appreciated by people or to get power over people or to have sexual pleasure or even to have something that isn't ours.  The "way" of the wicked is any path in life that isn't the pursuit of righteousness.

This is why, when pairing this proverb with its preceding proverb, we see the "sacrifice" of the wicked.  On this path pursuing something wicked, a man or woman can still attend religious ceremonies, contribute religious sacrifices and even incorporate religious activities.  The way of the wickedness is less about what is being done on the way and more about what direction that way is leading to.  If a man is pursuing wealth as his highest goal in life, that pursuit is inherently evil and for that simple but obvious reason, God hates it.  It doesn't matter if the man on that path goes to church three times a week and drops ten percent of his income in the offering plate, God still hates that way and for that reason, He loathes the so-called "sacrifice" of that man.  If a woman is pursuing attention and appreciation as her highest aim in life, she is on a road that God hates.  She can post Bible verses and spiritual songs on her social media page every day but because she ultimately wants attention, her so-called "sacrifice" of time is despised by God.
 
The direction of our lives is far more important to God than the activity of our lives.  God knows that an hour every Sunday is far less influential to the rest of our week than the desires of our heart.  He knows that a few good deeds don't change a person's outcome if they're pursuing some evil ambition.  A person can obey every traffic law on "the way" to robbing a bank or murdering a person but those moments of compliance are insignificant and contradictory given the wicked intention to break a far greater law.  What we do "on the way" to fulfilling some ungodly and self-centered desire is an abomination to God because it is "on the way" that in itself is an abomination to God.

Our intentions are far more important to God than we think.  This proverb teaches us that God loves the man or woman who makes righteousness their pursuit.  Following after righteousness is living a life with the desire and intention to live, feel, think, speak and behave righteously.  Following after righteousness isn't living sinlessly but it is living with the ambition to live sinlessly.  God loves that desire and ambition.  He takes a special interest in the person with that pursuit.  He has a special place in His heart for the person who has that ambition in their heart.  David comes to mind as such a person.  It was truly his heart's desire to "follow after righteousness."  Many of his statements in the psalms stand out as proof of that, as in Psalm 27 when he wrote, "One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life."  In Psalm 63, he wrote, "O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land."  It was David's lifelong ambition to walk with God and to live righteously.  God loved David for that, describing him as a "man after mine own heart, which SHALL fulfil all my will" (Acts 13:22).  As God made sure that we knew, David was far from righteous all the time.  On the path leading to righteousness, he lost his focus at times and gave in to lustful and proud temptations.  He committed some heinous sins in his life that cost him and others but those sins didn't define his ambition any more than good deeds define a wicked man's ambitions.  Our sin matters to God, no matter when, where or how we commit them.  That being said, He loves the man or woman who maintains their overall intentions to pursue righteousness, which is why God forgave David when the unrighteous man fell to his knees and repented with renewed intentions to be righteous.  In Psalm 51, David repents of his terrible sin and reveals his original and lifelong desire to do right, writing, "Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee."

This proverb was crafted to confront our ambitions.  What are we pursuing?  What is the primary desire in our heart that is determining our decisions?  Are we following the dollar or the stock market?  Is financial security what drives us?  Is a desire for attention, acceptance and affirmation behind all of our choices?  Is a desire for marriage or parenthood stronger than a desire for the will of God?  Is an appetite for revenge consuming us and dictating the direction of our thoughts, words, friends and choices? What is the rabbit that we are instinctively and incessantly chasing?  What is its name?  Where does it come from?  More importantly, where does it lead to? If its name is righteousness, God loves you for chasing it.  If its name is anything remotely self-serving, it's wicked and as such, it's an abomination to the Lord.

To God, “the way” our hearts are leading us is more important than anything we do or don't do "on the way."

Proverbs 15:8 "The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD: but the prayer of the upright is his delight."

Over the course of the Book of Proverbs, Solomon paints a lot of pictures illustrating the beauty of virtue as well as the ugliness of wickedness.  Some of those pictures are elegant and complicated.  Some of those pictures require a lot of thought and concentration to see the hidden meaning in them.  Other pictures are painted with broad brushes and bold colors.  These pictures present obvious truths that are designed to be blunt.  They are painted and written this way for the sake of the young or newly converted mind.  These are the proverbs that no one can afford to miss or misunderstand.  This proverb is one of those paintings with clear contrasts and loud themes.

First, let us notice the two different types of people and how one defines the other.  On one side of the canvas are the wicked and on the other side are the upright.  Solomon could have put the righteous, the holy or the obedient in contrast to the wicked but he didn't.  He chose the upright and with Divinely-inspired intention for that word best defines the wicked within the context of sacrifices.  Because the wicked are contrasted with the upright, God would have us to see that wickedness is not defined by great sin or extreme evil like murder or rape.  Wickedness can be and is anything that isn't upright.  Wickedness is anything that isn't totally compliant and obedient to God's law.  A person can be mostly compliant but still be wicked because of a little disobedience.  Paying 75% of our taxes is mostly compliant but because it is not fully compliant, the IRS still considers it illegal and ultimately, criminal.  Showing up to work 80% of the time is mostly compliant but because it is not fully compliant, your employer still considers it a violation of company policy and grounds for termination.  Staying sexually faithful to your spouse for 364 days a year is mostly compliant to your vows but because it is not fully compliant, your spouse considers that one day of infidelity as unfaithful and grounds for divorce.  A child who slouches in their seat at dinner is where he is supposed to be but he is not sitting as he is supposed to sit.  A wise parent will command that child to sit up straight, or "upright."  That child may sit up straighter when being reproved but unless he is sitting up as straight as his parents wants him to, he is still disappointing and ultimately, disobeying his parent.  Doing what we think is right does not make us right.  Being what we deem moral does not make us moral.  Only being and doing precisely what God commands makes us upright.  Anything else than pure obedience to God, regardless of how we feel, renders us wicked.

Wickedness is not measured by the presence of great sin; it is measured by the presence of any sin.  All are sinners but not all are wicked because not all protect and preserve their sin.  The upright aren't upright all the time but when they bend over in sin, they quickly stand upright through the repentance of that sin.  The wicked hang on to their sin and refuse to give it up.  Hanging onto a lie makes a person wicked.  Refusing to give up some evil vise or unholy habit renders a person wicked.  Living with sin without any intention to give it up deems a person wicked.  A person choosing to live bitter towards another person is a wicked person.  A man or woman who will not forgive another man or woman is in God's eyes disobedient and wicked.  We almost always think "the wicked" is someone else.  When we read about "the wicked" in Scripture, we almost always think about the criminal in jail, the drug dealer on the streets, the mobster in the room above the bar or the creep running the Ponzi scheme.  Not standing straight, morally-speaking, when God instructs us to, is the definition of wicked.

 The choice of wording is far from random or insignificant.  The context of the proverb, or the subject of the painting, is religious in nature.  One person is sacrificing while another is praying.  If "the wicked" are extremely bad people, we should find it odd to see them offering sacrifices in this painting.  If "the wicked" are the worst of the worst, we should be surprised to see them offering an animal sacrifice or a sacrifice of fruit, grain or wine to God.  Therein is the reason for contrasting "wicked" with "upright."  Wickedness is easy to obtain for it only requires an unwillingness to be totally and fully compliant to God.  To go from upright to wicked only requires a refusal to sit up totally straight; it only needs the unwillingness to give up some sin whether big or small.  For that reason, the Temple Mount in Solomon's Day and the Houses of God in our day are full of religious but wicked people.

In Solomon's Day, mostly but not totally compliant people offered sacrifices all the time.  In our day, mostly but not totally compliant people offer sacrifices all the time as well.  In his day, men held on to sin but still made sacrifices to God.  In our day, men hold onto sin but still serve in ministry.  This is something that Solomon chose to boldly confront and he did so by calling it an ABOMINATION to God.  According to this wise king, sacrificing our time or our money for the work of God is an abomination to Him if we're holding on to sin when God tells us to give it up.  Sacrificing our talent and resources to God in ministry is an abomination to Him if we're intentionally harboring bitterness or unforgiveness in our hearts.  He hates it when we think we're honoring Him with our substance or presence while hanging onto something He loathes.  By the way, we're no different.  What wife wants flowers from a husband who refuses to get rid of his mistress?  What husband wants a nice dinner from a wife who refuses to stop getting drunk?  What employer accepts a Christmas gift from an employee he knows is stealing from his company?  When we refuse to give up some evil in our life in obedience to God and "stand upright," any level of sacrifice is offensive to Him.

On the contrary, the mere conversation of the upright is a great delight to God.  Solomon doesn't contrast the sacrifice of the wicked with the sacrifice of the upright.  He doesn't compare the ministry of the wicked with the ministry of upright.  Instead, he paints the picture of the person harboring hatred in his heart but involved in some ministry next to the person who is right with God simply talking to God.  God has no respect for the time, money or talent spent by the hateful person but He has nothing but delight in the compliant person.  God is not impressed with what we give TO Him if we won't give up sin FOR Him.  God would rather just hear the simple and spontaneous words of a person who obeys Him than receive great treasure and time from a person who won't obey Him.  Sacrifice does not mean nearly as much to God as obedience.  Letting go of stuff or even of time doesn't mean nearly as much to God as letting go of sin.

Saul learned this truth the hard way and he remains the Bible's best example of this proverb.  Early in his reign as king of Israel, he received the clear command to execute justice on the Amalekites.  Centuries earlier, the Amalekites slaughtered the weak and faint Israelites while wandering in the wilderness in a brutal and unprovoked fashion.  God gave them enough time to repent of that heinous sin but because they didn't, justice was to be served.  The king went to battle with the direct order to wipe Amalek off the map, from human to animal.  Despite knowing what God ordered him to do, King Saul won the war but kept the best of the people and of the animals.  When confronted by the prophet Samuel, he claimed to have saved the best of the animals to offer sacrifices to God.  Saul sincerely thought he obeyed God as he said, "I have performed the commandment of the LORD" (1 Samuel 15:13).  Samuel's response has echoed throughout history in the pages of Scripture when he said to Saul, "Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king" (1 Samuel 15:22-23).  Saul was 75-80%, maybe even 90% compliant to God.  He was sitting up but because he wasn't sitting straight up, God rightly viewed him as wicked.  It grieved God and it cost Saul his job.

 This proverb is a bold one confronting our level of compliance and obedience to God.  It is meant to pull the blanket off of our lives to see if we're hiding anything from God.  It is meant to help us see the heart of God so that we don't fool ourselves into thinking that religious activity can somehow overcompensate for our disobedience.  God cares more about our compliance than our service.  God cares more about our obedience than our offerings.  He cares more about us giving up our sin for Him than giving up our silver for Him.  He would rather just hear the voice of an obedient person than see the sacrifice of a disobedient person.

Proverbs 15:7 "The lips of the wise disperse knowledge: but the heart of the foolish doeth not so."

To fully appreciate Solomon's proverbs and frankly, all of Scripture, one must know that the Bible focuses on the heart more than on the head.  While not ignoring the mind at all, Scripture views the heart of the soul as the center of spiritual activity - good and bad.  We tend to think of the heart as the seat of emotional activity and the mind as the seat of intellectual activity.  We tend to associate the heart with feelings and the head with thoughts.  Though the Bible doesn't disagree with our natural thought process, it credits the heart with more than feelings.  It places our feelings as well as our intents and thoughts within the heart.  It views the heart as the most active and influential aspect of our being.  The condition of the heart makes us who we are.  The state of the heart is what determines what we are.  The heart is the place where feelings, intents and thoughts collide and where decisions are made.  This is why David prayed in Psalm 139:23, "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts."  This is why Matthew recorded what he did about Jesus' encounter with the scribes in Matthew 9:4, which reads "And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?"  In Matthew 15:19, Jesus again said, "For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts."

Solomon is assuming the same position as his father and as the Messiah.  By contrasting the lips of the wise with the heart of the foolish, in particular as it pertains to knowledge, he had already concluded that it is the heart of man that is either knowledgeable or ignorant.  What we think about is not a matter of intellectual interest or ambition.  What we pursue by means of learning is not a matter of mere education.  What information we consume is less cerebral and more spiritual.  What we learn is a matter of spiritual choice.  What information we put in our heart is determined by the ambition and condition of our heart.  What gets into our heart is what eventually comes of our mouth.

Jesus taught this truth in Matthew 12 when He said, "O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things."  Be sure to note that we only put into our hearts what we "treasure," or cherish.  Our heads are filled with necessary information to function and survive but our hearts are filled with the information we want and love.  Our heads have the information necessary to drive to work, fulfill our duties, pay the bills, make dinner, file our taxes and fix the house.  Our hearts however, pursue information about our favorite professional sport or hobby.  Our hearts consume and keep information that we find particularly interesting or addictive online.  Our hearts contain information that interests and excites us.  That information is what we talk about.  That content is what gets dispersed from our hearts into our mouths and from there, our lips disperse that content into the ears of others.

What we say is not the focus of this proverb.  What we disperse is not the emphasis of the proverb.  What we consume is the emphasis of this truthful statement.  What we say reveals what we know but more importantly, what we want to know.  What our lips speak reveals what our hearts possess and much more importantly, what we want to possess.  The wise disperse knowledge because they have knowledge to disperse. The wise have knowledge in their heart to disperse because they put it there.  The foolish don't disperse knowledge with their lips because they don't have any knowledge in their heart to disperse to their lips.  They don't have any knowledge in their hearts because they don't care about knowledge.  They have knowledge in their heads because they have to know how to drive, work, function and interact in society.  That knowledge is necessary and so it remains in the head.  Because they're foolish however, they have no interest in spiritually meaningful knowledge.  Instead, they fill their heart with pleasures, imaginations and meaningless facts about actors, athletes, games, toys, politics, entertainment and about everyone on their social media feed.

To some degree, this proverb does give us a gage to discern whether a person is wise or not.  It does teach us that we can know a wise person by the knowledge coming from their lips. But because it only tells us about a fool's heart and because we can't see a person's heart, this proverb is much more about gaging our own heart to discern if we're foolish or wise.  Is there any spiritually-meaningful knowledge in our hearts to disperse?  Have we filled our heart, not our head, with Biblically-sound knowledge because we truly desire it?  What type of information have we memorized?  What type of information do we consume on a daily basis?  What type of information do we think about when at rest?  The answer to these questions will determine who we are or who we are to become.  We think about what we want to think about.  We learn what we want to learn.  We put in our hearts what we want in our hearts and that fact is the heart of the matter.

A.W. Tozer said it so well when he said this: "What we think about when we are free to think about what we will - that is what we are or will soon become...Anyone who wishes to check on his true spiritual condition may do so by noting what his voluntary thoughts have been over the last hours or days. What has he thought about when free to think of what he pleased?  Toward what has his inner heart turned when it was free to turn where it would?  When the bird of thought was let go, did it fly out like the raven to settle upon floating carcasses or did it like the dove, circle and return again to the ark of God?  Such a test is easy to run, and if we are honest with ourselves, we can discover not only what we are but what we are going to become. We’ll soon be the sum of our voluntary thoughts."

Friend, what have you placed in your heart that you naturally and passionately think about?  If you're not sure what the answer to that question is, know that it's what you talk about.

Proverbs 15:6 "In the house of the righteous is much treasure: but in the revenues of the wicked is trouble."

There is something in the natural mind of man that connects morality to prosperity and immorality to poverty. The human soul instinctively feels like it will be blessed by the Divine if it does right and it assumes that the blessing will be materialistic in some way.  Scripture itself does provide some credibility to this natural belief.  On many occasions throughout the Old Testament in particular, God promises physical blessing to the Jewish people if they obey Him while warning of physical ramifications if they disobey Him.  These Biblical references have led many to believe in a so-called, "Prosperity Gospel," that falsely promises wealth to those who devoutly follow God.  Indeed, God does on many occasions bless materialistically those who follow Him with but that doesn't mean that wealth is the automatic result of righteousness.  Poverty has stricken many righteous throughout the pages of human history and throughout the pages of Scripture.  Wealth has found its way to plenty of wicked souls throughout that same time and same Book.

While Solomon did teach material blessings come from fearing God, getting wisdom and living righteously, he did not teach that wealth was reserved for the righteous.  In Proverbs 10, he referenced "treasures of wickedness" and in Proverbs 21, he addressed "the getting of treasures by a lying tongue."  For these reasons, this particular proverb is not suggesting that it's trouble OR treasure for us in this world.  This particular Scripture is not teaching that the righteous will be wealthy and healthy while the unrighteous will be poor and sickly.  This wise and inspired statement compares the house of the righteous with the revenues of the wicked.  It does not compare the same things of two different types of people.  It isn't showing us the absence of treasure in the house of the wicked but it is highlighting treasure in the house of the righteous.

Because we see the wicked pursuing and accruing riches all throughout the Bible, we can draw the proper conclusion that Solomon isn't teaching us that righteousness leads to prosperity and that unrighteousness leads to poverty.  Furthermore, because Solomon is contrasting the treasure in the home of the righteous with the trouble in the revenue of the wicked, we should appropriately conclude that he is contrasting how the righteous live with how the wicked gain.  He wants us to see the godly person in their home with material blessings and then contrast that with the image of an ungodly person obtaining money in some troublesome way.  Both people may have the same treasure in their homes.  They may both possess the same size home with the same number of cars.  They may be neighbors who both own large lots with big barns full of equipment and treasure.  Only one, however, possesses trouble.

The emphasis of this proverb is not possessing treasure or else Solomon would've pit the contents of both houses against each other.  The emphasis of this proverb is the process of possessing treasure since the revenue of the wicked is troublesome and the revenue of the righteous is not even worth noting.  Because the righteous don't lie to gain riches, there is nothing scandalous to talk about.  Because the righteous don't cheat the customer, employer or the government, there is nothing dramatic to share.  Because the righteous don't gamble or steal, there is no trouble in the revenue of the righteous – no unmarked bills, no stolen funds, no unreported income or tips, no blood soaked paper.  For the righteous, whatever treasure they possess, it's without controversy or contention.  Treasure in the house of the righteous doesn't need to be hid because it wasn’t stolen nor does it need to be protected from repossession.  Treasure in the house of righteous was secured ethically and justly.  For that reason, it is enjoyed without anxiety, fear or trouble.

Whatever treasure the wicked accrue, it is forever accompanied by trouble.  Lifelong disputes with prior owners or costly cases with the IRS is the type of trouble that makes its way into the house of the wicked because of the type of revenue they entertain.  Embezzlement can make a person wealthy but it is a wealth that forever troubles the soul and often imprisons the body.  Gambling can bring a person treasure but that treasure will bring trouble to that home for it distorts the value of working hard.  Treasure with trouble is no treasure.  Wealth that comes with a guilty conscious is no wealth at all.  You can't put a price on a clear conscious!  No amount of money can make living in fear of getting caught enjoyable.  No amount of treasure can sooth the neck pain of constantly looking over your shoulder.  Peace is priceless and according to the prophet Isaiah, "there is no peace, saith the Lord, to the wicked" (Is. 48:22).

Let this proverb be a reminder that how we earn our income matters more than how much income we earn.  Everyone wants treasure but may we be the people that recognize we should only want treasure without trouble. More specifically, let "the children of the light" wisely learn that income earned unjustly will bring trouble into our lives, no matter how little or how much the income is.  Stealing a lot of money or skimming a few dollars brings trouble and is never worth the payout.  Let us not be fooled into thinking we can convert wicked revenue into harmless possessions.  Let us not be fooled into believing that withholding God's gold or Caesar's silver can be converted into worry-free currency.  Robbing your neighbor, your family, your employer, your king or your God in any way for any amount will bring trouble into your life that no possession can compensate for.  Treasure is only truly treasure when it is earned and enjoyed with a clear conscience.  This is why the proverb shows us much treasure in the house of the righteous.

Proverbs 15:5 "A fool despiseth his father's instruction: but he that regardeth reproof is prudent."

Solomon's proverbs are more than bold statements stemming from basic observations in life.  They're thought-provoking sentences that rely on two very different statements to take the mind to deep thought.  Solomon designed his proverbs to move the eyes of his reader back and forth between two different statements in order to draw personally convicting conclusions.  He knew that a person benefits from truth the most when that person comes to some conclusion on their own.  If someone does all the thinking for us, we lack conviction.  If someone does all the thinking for us, we lack a personal investment in that truth.  The best teachers do more than spit out facts - they lay down mental bread crumbs for their students to get invested and come to their own conclusions but with the right conclusion.  The different statements within the proverbs are like paint swatches for our eyes to go back and forth over and over until we come to some personal conclusion of truth.  They're like a woman holding up two different dresses in the mirror over and over so she can come to some solid decision on what looks good and what doesn't look good.  The proverbs are not meant to just be memorized and repeated.  They're meant to be considered with eyes going back and forth in order to produce deep thought and a personal conclusion about what really is being said.

In the case of this proverb, it's not enough to know what is said.  Simply reciting this proverb isn't personal enough.  Discovering what is not said by deep thought and prayerful consideration becomes very personal and that is what has the most impact on our lives.  Let us always ask ourselves when reading the proverbs, “what does this really mean and how does it really apply to me?”

On the front end of the proverb, we see a fool loathing his father's instruction while on the back end, we see a prudent man considering reproof from someone.  As usual, this proverb has two different types of people responding differently to two different scenarios.  Our eyes are supposed to go back and forth to these two different images, swatches and outfits.  From fool to prudent and back to fool.  From despising to regarding and back to despising.  From instruction to reproof and back to instruction.  Solomon isn't telling us what to do or what not to do - he's just sharing two observations about two different people in two different scenarios.  The Bible isn't commanding or demanding anything in this proverb - it is just defining and describing two different types of people in two different scenarios.  How does this apply to us and what are we to learn from this proverb?

By going back and forth between the two observations, we can see that a fool can't even handle instruction let alone reproof.  We can also see that, if a prudent person can handle reproof, he must be able to accept instruction.  Instruction isn't nearly as hard for the human spirit to accept as reproof.  Instruction is being told how we can do something right whereas reproof is being told how we did something wrong.  A fool hates being told how to do something right.  He can't stand anyone, including his own father telling him anything.  He wants to figure everything out on his own.  He doesn't like anyone acting like an authority in his life, whether that's a parent, teacher, coach, pastor, supervisor or even an expert at some task he has to do.  A fool can't stand anyone telling him anything from how to be good spouse to what to wear to how to treat an illness.  He likes to be in total control of his life.  He doesn't like anyone thinking or suggesting he doesn't know how to do something.  The sad irony is that a fool, which by definition is someone who lacks wisdom, thinks he's smarter than everyone else.  For a fool, instruction is a waste of time and worse, an attack on his intellect.  For a fool, instruction implies a lack of intelligence and he believes he can figure anything and everything out on his own.
 
Nothing is mentioned about a prudent man's feelings about instruction but because we see him dealing with reproof, we should properly conclude that he embraces instruction if he's accepting reproof.  As already stated, instruction is a lot easier to stomach than reproof.  Prudence is the virtue of looking down the road and preparing for danger.  Prudence values instruction because it is precisely what helps a person avoid unnecessary danger and risk in the future.  Solomon doesn't tell us that the prudent love reproof.  He doesn't tell us that the prudent cherish being told why or how they did something wrong.  He only tells us that the prudent "regard" reproof, meaning they don't dismiss it.  To regard something is to REpeatedly GUARD or keep something.  This is why the psalmist said, "If I REGARD iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me" (Ps. 66:18).  A prudent soul is more concerned about their safety than their self-esteem.  A prudent man is more concerned about being spiritually-successful than being seriously respected.  A prudent woman is more concerned about God thinking highly of her than others thinking highly of her.  A prudent person is more concerned about doing good than looking or feeling good.  No one likes being reproved but only the prudent can look past the temporary discomfort in order to permanently benefit.  No one likes being told that they're wrong but only the prudent can look beyond the momentary shame in order to permanently gain.

This proverb shows us a fool hating simple instruction on the left side and a prudent person hanging on to uncomfortable reproof on the right side.  After looking back and forth at the two pictures, it is our job to do more than memorize and recite them.  After looking back and forth at the two images, it is our job to draw conclusions that will then settle more deeply in our minds.  We should draw the conclusion that if we hate being told what to do, we'll never accept and remember being told what we did wrong.  We should draw the conclusion that if we can't handle another man or woman telling us how to do something, we'll never handle another man or woman telling us how to fix what we did wrong.  Reproof is hard to stomach but given its memorable discomfort, it can save us a lot of future pain and sorrow if we can accept it.  If we have a hard time with instruction, reproof will never help us because we'll do everything in our might to resist and forget it.  Rather than hang on to reproof, we'll do everything possible to discredit and destroy reproof.  We'll drown out the reproof with accusations and attacks.  We'll dismiss the reproof with self-justification and self-righteousness.  We'll destroy the reproof by destroying the relationship from which it came.  

This proverb is much more than the descriptions of the fool being instructed and the prudent being reproved.  This offers us more than the ability to discern the difference between some distant fool and some distant prudent soul.  This is meant to get us thinking about how we handle instruction and reproof.  If we don't value and appreciate instruction, we'll never value reproof on any level.  If we hate people telling us what to do, we're in deep trouble because that reveals foolishness in us.  If we want to avoid repeating the same mistakes in life, we need the prudence necessary to hang on to those hard words of reproof that come from various people in our life.  If we want to spiritually-succeed in the long-run, we need the character and virtue necessary to keep the echo of reproof in our heart.  If we work hard to dismiss reproof, we'll likely repeat the same mistakes.
 
The prudent are too concerned about their long-term success to cater to their short-term satisfaction.  They understand that the reproofs of men may not be fair or entirely accurate but they don't disregard any of them.  They don't like any reproof from any man or woman but they know that only a fool would entirely disregard them.  A prudent person has a mental filing cabinet of criticism, reproof, rebuke, complaint and unsolicited assessment from others that he goes back to throughout his life to see if there is any validity or application in those things for which he can learn from in order to spiritually-succeed.  On the other hand, a fool burns and shreds any potential outside insight that reproof offers because he hates even the most basic instruction.  He has no such filing cabinet in his mind; he only has pictures of himself honoring the great and intelligent person he thinks he is.  Certain failure and spiritual doom await such a fool.

Let this proverb be about us, not just some unnamed fool and his unidentified prudent counterpart.  Let this and all proverbs be a matter of personal conviction as a result of drawing an appropriate unwritten conclusion.

Proverbs 15:4 "A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit."

For the ancient Hebrew who knew his Scripture, this proverb would get his attention because of how Solomon described a wholesome tongue.  Anyone who knew anything about Moses' account of the Garden of Eden knew about the Tree of Life, which grew within its organic walls.  Once man sinned, God banned Adam and Eve from the garden so as to prevent them from eating of the Tree of Life and living forever in a state of sin.  The Tree of Life offered mankind eternal life and that made it forever fascinating.  The Old Testament Hebrew never knew what had become of the Tree of Life, or the Garden of Eden for that matter.  The Tree of Life isn't resurrected in Scripture until the end of the New Testament in the Book of Revelation where we see it standing in the New Earth.  Because the Old Testament saint didn't know anything about the relocation of the Tree of Life, any comment or reference to it would create instant curiosity.  Hence, Solomon's wise usage of language in connection to such a tree.  In fact, this wholesome tongue is one of four different things Solomon refers to as "a tree of life" in his book of Proverbs.

That being said, the wise author of this proverb didn't use this memorable language just to create curiosity.  He used this language to emphasize mass importance of the man's mouth.  What we say and how we talk is more important than we realize.  Both sides of this proverb carry a lot of weight and together, pack quite the informational punch.  On one side, wholesome speech is likened unto a tree of life while on the other side, perverse speech is likened unto a breach in the spirit, or a break or opening in the spirit.  When contrasting the two truths, the differences in speech produce extreme differences in impact.  A tree of life keeps someone alive, potentially forever if considered within the context of Eden.  On the very serious contrary, a breach in the spirit would allow for something deadly to enter INTO the spirit.  This proverb is addressing an often-overlooked spiritual fact that the mouth gate is an extremely important gate to our spiritual well-being.

We so easily fail to see that the mouth is as much a gate to the spirit as are the eye and ear gates.  We all know that what we let into our eyes severely impacts what we think.  We all know that what we let into our ears severely impacts how we feel.  We all know that we have to be careful with what movies, shows, images and video games we let into our minds through our eyes.  We all know that we have to be selective with what music, language, teaching and counsel we allow into our hearts through our ears.  We know that those are gates to the spirit within us.  We understand that evil images and wicked words entering through our eyes and ears do great harm to the spiritual being within us.  What we often fail to understand is that the mouth is a gate to the spirit of man as well.  We don't realize it because the mouth is different than the eyes and the ears.  The eyes and the ears only consume - they don't distribute.  They only take in - they don't give out.  The mouth is unique in that it both consumes and distributes.  In the physical realm, it both takes in substance and gives out communication.  As a physical feature of the body, the mouth is the gate through which food and beverage go into the body as well as the gate out of which words and song go from the body.  In the spiritual realm, the mouth doesn't just distribute - it consumes.  

As it pertains to the spirit of man, the mouth is the Gate of gates because it's a two-way street.  Our speech doesn't just impact the people we're speaking to.  Our words don't just impact the lives around us.  What we say has a massive impact on our own spirit and being.  If we can control our tongue from saying something hurtful to a loved one, it protects them from harm but it also and arguably more importantly, protects us from digressing in our view of that loved one.  If we can control our tongue from lashing out hastily at a stranger, it strengthens our spirit in general and like a tree of life, brings spiritual life to our being.  On the contrary, if we allow perversion into our speech for any reason at any time, we're unknowingly opening the door for greater spiritual harm in our spirits.  Allowing a curse word to reside on our tongue opens the door for another curse word.  Saying something cruel to your spouse opens the door to saying something even more cruel to your spouse in the future.  The hurtful words we say to others do more hurt than we think because they hurt us by opening the door to increase our hurtful vocabulary.  Saying off-color comments or telling dirty jokes does something to our spirit.  As those perverse words go out, something comes in.  It's a breach in the spirit!  As perverse words go out, an appetite for new or more perverse words comes in.  This is why someone who starts speaking lies tends to get worse and worse at speaking lies.  This is why someone who starts using profanity tends to get worse and worse at speaking profanities.  This is why couples who start to say nasty things tend to get worse and worse at offending each other.  The mouth is a gate with two-way traffic and that makes it the Gate of gates.

Because the mouth gate possesses such power, the man or woman who rules their tongue with godly wisdom does their soul as much good as a tree of life does to the body.  A wholesome, or healthy tongue, doesn't open the door to learning new ways to say evil things.  A wholesome tongue doesn't open the door to saying funnier but more perverse things.  A wholesome tongue keeps the door shut to newly introduced unkind and untrue words about someone or something.  It keeps the vocabulary of wickedness and unloving words small.  A perverse tongue however, grows that vocabulary with each and every word it speaks.  A perverse tongue builds its vocabulary with creative and destructive ways to keep speaking perversely.  It is a breach in the spirit through which outside evil forces enter.  A wholesome tongue offers no breach for those destructive words to enter but instead, only offers the soul spiritual health.

James put it best when he wrote, "if any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the WHOLE BODY."  He understood the gate of the mouth in that its condition impacts more than its audience.  In James 3:6, he concluded this way, "so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the WHOLE BODY."  While the tongue can certainly help or hurt others by what it says, this proverb informs us that it can help or hurt its own person by what it says.

Proverbs 15:3 "The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good."

Most of Solomon's proverbs are like coins offering the reader two different sides on any given issue or topic.  In his book of Proverbs, contrast is Solomon's preferred teaching style.  We understand light better when it is placed next to darkness.  We grasp wisdom better when it is compared to foolishness.  We value love more when contrasted with hatred.  At first glance, this proverb lacks that contrast.  There is no "but" separating each side of a coin.  We aren't offered the chance to contrast the all-seeing eyes of God with the limitations of man's eyes or even the restrictions of Satan's eyes.  This proverb appears to be a simple statement without the usual alternative thought but, in its simplicity, it still possesses a contrast.  That contrast is not found in characters or in morality but in the content of what the Character of the proverb is beholding.  Solomon wants us to see the great contrast in what God is observing and watching in our world as He is beholding both the good AND the bad.

Too often, especially in our modern day and society, we view surveillance by any authority as intrusive and at our expense.  Thanks to George Orwell's 1984 "Big Brother" coupled with our society's rebellious nature, we view surveillance as evil and oppressive.  In our minds, live observers or video surveillance strips us of our freedom and robs us of our privacy.  We're all totally convinced that no one has the right to watch us and most of us assume anyone watching us or peering into our "private" lives is trying to control us or worse, harm us.  To be fair, that assumption is not unfounded at all as there are countless examples of cruel and creepy people doing exactly that.  That being said, we only really like surveillance if we're in control of it.  We don't like companies putting up cameras on their property but we like putting up cameras on our property.  We don't like businesses recording us shopping or eating but we're fine with recording any business representative knocking on our door or working on our property.  We don't like the authorities putting up cameras on street corners and at intersections but we're quick to pull out our mobile phones and start recording when the authorities approach us.

Human nature, because it is bent towards evil, doesn't like being watched without its consent.  Even within a church where people are typically on their best behavior and where they put on their best moral show, people don't like cameras.  Over the years, high-quality Christians have opposed being watched or heard by either surveillance cameras or live-streaming cameras.  With seemingly nothing to hide in a church while on their best behavior, people still hate the idea of potentially being seen or heard at any time.  This natural discomfort with being watched is fear-based, some of which is healthy and some of which is unhealthy.  We primarily don't like being watched because we fear getting caught doing something we shouldn't do.  That is a very healthy fear and in the case of this proverb, Solomon makes it clear that God can see all of our evil.  This fear of getting caught eating the forbidden fruit or hurting an innocent soul or saying some evil thing is a healthy and holy fear that can make us holy.  

The unhealthy fear of being watched is the result of lacking an appreciation for the "good" being watched.  If we are doing good, there is then nothing to fear and everything to appreciate in being watched.  If we are going the speed limit and obeying traffic signals, surveillance shouldn't concern it - it should comfort us.  If we're not stealing or shoplifting, surveillance shouldn't bother us - it should assure us.  If we're not doing anything wrong, being watched online or even in church shouldn't unsettle us - it should actually settle us.  Knowing someone is watching both the evil AND the good protects us from false accusation or false conviction.  Watching both the evil AND the good ensures that justice will be done in the lives of both the evil AND the good.  Without surveillance of the good, the righteous lacks evidence to defend themselves in the event of unjust accusations.  Without surveillance of the good, a law-abiding citizen would be subject to injustice if accused and tried by unjust men.  In the Old Testament, three "WITNESSES" were required to convict a man or woman of capital murder.  God made this a requirement to protect the innocent from unjust men falsely accusing a man in order to have the authorities kill him.  Just witnesses are those who see both the evil AND the good and because they see both, justice is done for both the evil AND the good.

This proverb does have two sides of a spiritual coin.  On both sides, we benefit.  On one side, we need to recognize that God's eyes see EVERY EVIL thing we do, say or think.  That should motivate us NOT TO do, say or think evil.  On the other side, we need to recognize that God's eyes see EVERY GOOD thing we do, say or think.  That should motivate us TO do, say or think good.  His constant surveillance of our lives is meant to motivate us to resist evil AND choose good.  Knowing we can't hide any evil from His holy eyes is supposed to help us avoid evil while knowing His holy eyes won't miss any good is supposed to comfort us.  God will never judge us unjustly because He sees the evil AND the good.  Regardless of what people think of us or what they accuse us of, we can rest assured knowing God's eyes have seen the evil AND the good.  This proverb is not designed to only instill a healthy FEAR of God - it is also designed to instill a healthy TRUST in God.  

The all-seeing and ever-seeing eyes of God unsettle us when contemplating evil while settling us when choosing good.  Whether people see us choose good or not is irrelevant when we know God sees the good.  Whether people see us desire and intend good or not is irrelevant when we know God sees the good.  When we know God has seen our every deed, word and intent, it matters less what people see or think.  We may hide our evil from the eyes of men but we can't hide anything from the eyes of God - that should produce serious and healthy fear.  Our good may be hidden from the eyes of man but our good can never be hidden from the eyes of God - that should produce serious and healthy comfort.  On one side of the coin, what we'll call the Omnipresence of God, is the fear of getting caught doing evil while on the other side is the confidence of being rewarded for doing good.

Unlike man's eyes, God's are always present.  Unlike man's eyes, God's are always just.  God is not blind to anything.  He is not inclined to see the bad while overlooking the good nor is He inclined to see the good while overlooking the bad.  God’s eyes are everywhere seeing everything without respect of persons, places and moral preferences.  God's eyes are in the basement as well as in the attic and in both places, they behold the evil AND the good.  God's eyes are in the living room, the bedroom, the dining room, the schoolroom, the courtroom, the dorm room as well as in the hotel room and in all places, they behold the evil AND the good.  God's eyes are in every public place as well as in every private place and in all places, they behold the evil AND the good.  Wherever you go for the entirety of your life, God's eyes are already there and they're not just beholding the good or just the evil - they're beholding the evil AND the good. 

If we could grasp the ever-present and all-seeing eyes of God, we wouldn't care at all about Big Brother or any level of human surveillance.  Who cares what man sees or doesn't see when God sees everything all the time?

Proverbs 15:2 "The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness."

Solomon was a student of life and that made him a student of humanity.  When God gave him wisdom, He gave him understanding about the human mind, will, heart and mouth.  He understood what makes mankind tick.  He realized why people did what they did.  He knew why people said what they said.  This is a proverb that addresses the spiritual science behind speech.  Some people can just talk while others rarely talk.  Some people seem to always have something to say while others seem to have so little to say.  He surely asked the question, “What makes some people talkers and other people listeners?”  This proverb doesn't address the genetically-based verbal tendencies of people but it does address the spiritually-based verbal tendencies of people.  Just as women tend to talk more than men because of their unique gender makeup (generally-speaking), the foolish tend to talk more than the wise because of their unique spiritual makeup (generally-speaking).

The foolish don't talk more than the wise necessarily because they can't control their tongues.  According to this particular proverb, a foolish man talks more than a wise man not because he can't bridle his tongue.  This proverb is not addressing wisdom to mean silence or foolishness to mean excessive talking.  It is addressing more than that and while it is painting a picture of two very different people speaking two very different ways, its emphasis is not on words but on the reason for the words.  The primary contrast of the proverb is not NUMBER of words - it's the TYPE of words.  The foolish pour out "FOOLISHNESS," but when the wise speak, they speak "KNOWLEDGE."  What Solomon is pointing out is so important!  What is inside us is far more influential in determining what comes out of us than we think.

To better understand what this proverb is emphasizing, think of knowledge as a healthy piece of cooked chicken and foolishness as a healthy piece of uncooked chicken.  If you eat that piece of cooked chicken in any culinary form, your body would absorb it and "use it aright."  If you eat that piece of uncooked chicken cloaked in marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese as chicken parmigiana, your body would eventually reject it and violently and "pour it out of your mouth."  The chicken plays a direct role in whether it stays in the body or not; in whether it comes back out of the mouth it entered or not.  In the case of the chicken, will-power of the consumer has nothing to do with whether it stays in the belly or not.  Some things are just designed by nature to come back out of the mouth it entered.  It is true in the spiritual realm.  If a man or woman consumes foolishness, it will come back out of the mouth.  Foolishness isn't designed to stay inside the heart.  Knowledge, on the other hand, can reside in the heart of man and be used at the right time and in the right way.

The foolish feast on foolishness while the wise consume knowledge.  The foolish spend their time scrolling through social media looking for something to tickle their curiosity while the wise spend their time observing life looking for something to inform and educate.  The foolish spend their time listening to podcasts full of opinion and speculation while the wise spend their time listening to teachers and counselors full of wisdom and knowledge.  The foolish consume thoughts and ideas that make them feel smarter than everyone else while the wise consume instruction and direction that make them feel smaller than everyone else.  For this exact reason, the wise speak knowledge sparingly and appropriately while the foolish pour out their foolishness.  Foolishness, by definition, thinks it’s wise when it's not.  Foolish people then speak what they think everyone needs to hear when in truth, no one needs to hear it.  The more foolish a person, the more they think what they foolishly think is wise.  The more foolish a person, the more they think they have all of the answers.  The more foolish a person, the more they think they know more than everyone else.  The more foolish a person, the more they think everyone will be impressed with what they have to say.
 
The proverb's emphasis on knowledge over foolishness rather than on speaking sparingly over speaking excessive is important because it exposes the foolishness of "just sayin'" something that we felt needed to get off our chest.  If we ever feel, as we often do, that we just have to say something, we're likely dealing with foolishness.  If we ever feel like we have to say something to feel settled or at ease in a situation, we're likely entertaining foolishness in our soul.  A wife that texts some foolishness to her husband with the hashtag, "just sayin'," likely needed to say that in order to feel better just as person who ate raw chicken needs to vomit in order to feel better.  Husbands who entertain foolish feelings about their marriage can't keep in their complaints or their expectations in marriage.  People who can't refrain from saying what they're thinking or how they're feeling has less of a control problem and more of a content problem.  If you JUST have to SAY something to get it off your chest, that something is foolishness.  Knowledge doesn't have to be shared.  Knowledge doesn't have to be said.  Knowledge is very content within the human heart waiting for the right moment to be revealed.  The wise don't have to say anything to feel better.  The wise don't ever just have to get it off their chest.  The wise use what they know for a purpose and it's never to feel better or to be at ease.  Foolishness needs to be said while Knowledge needs to be used.

According to James, the tongue is a problem for everyone.  James 3:8, "But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison."  Controlling the tongue is difficult for both the wise and the foolish but it is far more difficult for the foolish because they're entertaining spiritually-raw-meat.  You can only keep your mouth shut for so long if your bowels are entertaining raw meat.  If you're consuming foolishness on social media, in books, in podcasts, on YouTube or on television networks, you can only keep your mouth shut for so long.  Foolishness is designed to be poured out of the human mouth.  Be wise and consume Biblical and Spirit-led knowledge about God, life and people.  That wisely-obtained knowledge will reside peacefully and quietly in your soul until wisdom chooses when, where, how and with whom to share it.

Proverbs 15:1 "A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger."

This proverb is one of the most understood and most memorable proverbs in Solomon’s collection.  The connection between our words and our relationships is most obvious.  This proverb draws a thick line connecting what we say to how others feel.  Our words possess such power.  Without lifting a finger, we can provoke quite the response from people.  Without ever moving a single limb, we can calm people down or work people up.  Scientists and doctors spend decades trying to produce a pill that will manipulate a person’s mood and yet, we all possess the power within our tongues to easily steer a person’s mood.  The emphasis of this proverb is not as much about what we speak as it is about how we speak.  Without question, the particular words we speak are incredibly important but, in this proverb, it’s the particular manner in which we speak words that has such impact.

In the first part of the proverb, a particular type of response calms a person down while in the second part of the proverb, a particular type of word works a person up.  We can stop anger in another person by speaking in a certain way and we can stir up anger in another person by speaking in a certain manner.  We know that this proverb is emphasizing how we speak over what we speak because of the words, “soft” and “grievous.”  These are powerfully descriptive words that were chosen very carefully by a man inspired by God’s Spirit and gifted with God’s Wisdom.  A soft answer isn’t a compromised answer.  A soft answer isn’t a shedding of truth or a denial of facts.  A soft answer isn’t changing the topic to something more comfortable nor is it saying something false for the sake of making someone happy.  Solomon is not suggesting that a parent tell an angry toddler that he doesn’t have to eat his vegetables in order to calm him down.  He is not suggesting that a wife changes her story and denies the affair she just admitted to when her husband angrily responds.  A soft answer is more than choosing carefully what to say; it’s choosing carefully how to say what is best to say.  

By starting with a “soft answer” in the first part of the proverb, we’re given the information necessary to understand what “grievous words” are.  They are the opposite of soft.  They are hard but more specifically, sharp.  Something that is “grievous” is unforgettable because it is painful.  Grieving widows and widowers understand the piercing pain of instant loss.  Grieving parents who have lost a child understand the piercing pain of the cruelty of life.  When we grieve the loss of something or someone dear to us, we experience a pain that goes beyond the skin and the ego and into the depths of our souls.  Grief isn’t a hammer that smashes our thumb.  It’s not a rock that falls on our foot.  It’s a long and sharp needle that sticks in the center of our soul impacting every part of our life.  Something that is grievous is intensely painful.  Something that is grievous impacts every bit of us, not just a part of us.  When Sarah saw Ishmael mocking her son Isaac, she demanded of Abraham that he cast out Hagar and Ishmael.  The Bible tells us that that was very “grievous” to Abraham, the father of Ishmael.  When Moses described the plagues in Egypt, he described the swarms of flies, the disease in cattle, the hail and the locusts as all being “grievous.”  He used that word because these plagues were intensely impactful.  They didn’t just impact a little part of Egyptian life – they were overwhelming and all-consuming.  The flies, the locusts, the hail and the disease each came in intensely and painfully.  So too, grievous words come into the ears and hearts of people intensely, quickly and painfully.

Grievous words are not hurtful because they’re truthful nor are they painful because they’re untruthful.  Grievous words can be either true or false words.  They provoke anger in people because they’re the opposite of soft – they’re sharp and pointy.  Grievous words are those words that are said intentionally to pierce the soul quickly and deeply.  They stir up anger because they’re cold and cruel.  They’re rough and harsh.  No matter how true or sincere they may be, they’re hurtful.  The way to calm an angry person is the same way to keep a calm person calm and that is to shape our words in soft and smooth fonts.  The way to further agitate an angry person is the same way to make a calm person angry and that is to shape our words in bold and bitter fonts.  Anyone who has any experience in graphic design knows the power of fonts, or the style of the letters and words used in that graphic design.  Fonts communicate tone.  They communicate as much as the actual words themselves.  A word can become scary when you give it a creepy font.  A word can become authoritative and loud when you give it a bold font.  A word can become unthreatening when you give it a gentle font.  A word can become elegant and historic when you give it a classy font.  How we design our words matters as much as what words we choose.
 
Solomon, in his wisdom, is teaching us all that how we speak is as important as what we say.   People respond more to the shape of our speech than to the choice of words.  Responding to an accusation by saying, “That’s not true” can calm an angry person down entirely based on the font and punctuation.  If, “That’s not true” is said with lower case letters, a simple unthreatening font and a period, it will calm an angry person down.  On the contrary, if, “That’s not true” is said with upper case letters, a big bold font and fourteen exclamation points, it will stir up that much more anger in a person.  Words absolutely matter but the font matters just as much.  Our choice of words is important but our choice of font and punctuation is equally as important.  Some choice of words are “grievous words” but some choice of words are only grievous because of HOW they were spoken.
  
People who disregard the power of font and punctuation often blame truth or insecurities in other people for their grievous words.  Whether on paper, in text, on the phone or in person, sharp words hurt and that hurt provokes anger.  Whether on paper, in text, on the phone or in person, soft words never hurt and that lack of pain often turns anger away.  We don’t always remember comfortable things and comfortable times in our lives but we never forget painful things and painful times in our lives.  We don’t forget painful surgeries, incidents or losses. Grief is so hard because we’ll never forget the pain of that intense loss.  Grievous words are the ones we hear that we never forget, which is why they stir up such anger.  Whatever you speak, whenever you speak, to whomever you speak, speak softly.  We speak softly when we speak lovingly.  Ephesians 4:15, “But speaking the truth in love…”

Proverbs 14:35 "The king's favour is toward a wise servant: but his wrath is against him that causeth shame."

Words always matter, but especially in the Holy Scriptures.  When the Bible talks about a king, it isn't talking about just anyone.  When the Bible speaks about a king, it isn't referring to the average person.  When a king is mentioned in Scripture, a very particular type of person is being discussed and that needs to be taken into consideration, otherwise incorrect conclusions will be drawn.  For example, when Solomon writes, "The KING'S heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will" (Proverbs 21:1), he is talking about the heart of a national leader; he is not talking about the heart of the ordinary citizen.  God takes liberties with the heart of a king that He doesn't with an average person.  When a man obtains power with the crown, he loses some power before God.  When a man becomes a national leader, God takes liberties with him that He doesn't take with ordinary men and women.  When the Bible speaks about a king, it is very literally speaking about someone in power.  This must be factored into Bible study if we are to interpret it correctly.

This final proverb of the fourteenth chapter doesn't address the liberties God takes with people in power; instead, it addresses the responsibilities men and women have toward people in power.  King Solomon tells us that a king loves a wise servant but gets very angry with one that causes shame.  Based on those two scenarios, we can and must properly conclude that an UNWISE servant causes shame for a person in power.  It is critical, however, that we recognize that the shame caused by the unwise servant is not the result of mere mistake.  The shame of this servant is not the product of simply being human and being perpetually flawed.  The shame of this servant is very specifically the result of foolishness.  The shame that this servant brings to the kingdom is the direct result of not being wise, meaning he doesn’t have the sense to realize that what he did became a reflection on the king.  He didn't have the sense to realize that his actions were a direct reflection on the king's kingdom.  It was foolish of him to think what he did was only a reflection of his little world.  Because he lacked wisdom, he just couldn't figure out why the king was so angry with him for performing so poorly as his servant in the public eye.

This proverb reveals the wisdom necessary when finding yourself a servant in another man’s kingdom.  All of us will spend our lives in someone else's kingdom, meaning we will be under someone else's authority.  We all start our lives as children in the kingdom of our parent’s home.  As students, we are in the kingdom of our teacher's classroom.  As athletes, we are in the kingdom of our coach's team.  As musicians, we are in the kingdom of a conductor's band, orchestra or choir.  As employees, we are in the kingdom of our employer's business.  As citizens, we are in the kingdom of our politician's jurisdiction.  If without wisdom in these kingdoms, we will see ourselves as independent contractors responsible for only ourselves.  If we lack wisdom in these kingdoms, we'll see ourselves independent from the kingdom and it's king.  We'll do what we think is best, not what our king thinks is best.  We'll choose our actions, behavior, pace and mood based on how we want people to view us.  We'll be widely unconcerned about how people view our king.  How our performance reflects on our king never enters our foolish mind.  Without wisdom, we'll be totally and only concerned with ourselves within the kingdom of another person.  We'll perform our duties without anyone else in mind but not necessarily because we're selfish, but instead because we're FOOLISH and ignorant.

Foolish children don't understand why their father seems unhappy with them for being so wild at the restaurant.  Foolish students don’t understand why their teacher gets so upset when the class is performing so poorly.  Foolish athletes don't understand why their coach get so angry at halftime after a horrific first half.  Foolish employees don't understand why their employers react so passionately when the company is underperforming.  Fools don't realize that a king's success is hinged to the behavior of his servants.  Fools don't have enough sense to realize that a leader's performance is directly connected to the performance of the people beneath him.  A father's job is to raise good children and if those children are not good, that father is seen as a failure.  It is the teacher's responsibility to teach students and if those students are failing, that teacher is seen as a failure. If a football team isn't winning, the coach is the one who gets fired; not the players.  Only a foolish athlete would ask, "why is coach so upset?"  Only a foolish employee would ask, "why is the boss so aggravated with me?"
 
Wisdom very clearly teaches the king’s servants that, who they are and what they do is a direct reflection on the king.  A wise student realizes why the teacher is upset when the class is failing.  A wise athlete understands why the coach is worked up when the team is losing.  A wise employee gets it when his employer isn't happy with him for dropping the ball.  A wise child eventually connects the big dots between his misbehavior and his father's displeasure as being less about the father's inconvenience and more about the father's responsibility.  When a servant fails to take their reflection on their king's reputation seriously, he not only provokes the king's wrath - he also reveals his own foolishness.  A foolish employee thinks his boss is vain for caring about his reputation.  A foolish son thinks his parent is selfish to care about their reputation.  A foolish student thinks a teacher is egotistical to care about his class's performance and success.  A king's success hinges on national perception.  For anyone in power, perception is power.  No employer is seen as successful if his employees are incompetent.  No coach is seen as successful if his athletes are undisciplined.  No father is seen as successful if his children are unruly.

Shame brought by a servant speaks volumes about a king.  That shame only needs to be brought by one of many servants for it to be a bold reflection on the king.  A father knows that he may raise several children successfully but if one of those children chooses to be unruly, that children alone can bring shame and ultimately, destroy his reputation.  An employer knows that he could lead countless employees successfully but if one employee chooses to embezzle funds, it could ruin his reputation and destroy his success.  This is why a foolish servant, child or employee underestimates the wrath of the person in power.  People in power know the power of perception, which is why public relations is so important to businesses and governments.  Those not in power see it as a matter of vanity and insincerity but people in power understand its substantial influence and those who wisely manage it will wisely maintain power.  God Himself knows this better than anyone and has instructed His Church to appreciate the power of perception.  In Philippians 2:15, He commands us to be "BLAMELESS and harmless, the sons of God, WITHOUT REBUKE, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world."  It is a requirement for pastors, the leaders of the Church, to "have a GOOD REPORT of them which are without; lest he fall into REPROACH and the snare of the devil" (1 Timothy 3:7).  Poor perception alone can undermine and undo all of the good of any kingdom, including God's.  Any wise leader knows that and for that reason, takes any shame brought by any employee or minister very seriously.
 
Wisdom tells a servant that what he does and how he acts will be a reflection on the king.  Wisdom tells that servant that the king understands and values the power of perception because it can make or break his kingdom.  Knowing that, a wise servant embraces the opportunity he possesses to help his king succeed simply by what he projects to the public.  A wise servant understands perception as much as his king.  A wise servant understands the power he possesses in what he is communicating about the king.  He realizes that, as a reflection of the king, he possesses great power.  He is not ignorant of the influence he possesses.  He is not ignorant of the value he has.  If he is truly wise, he will use that influence and power to facilitate success for the kingdom because the success of the kingdom in which he is living and serving means more success for him.  If his king succeeds, that will only translate to more success for him.  Only a foolish employee wouldn't want his employer to succeed.  Only a foolish athlete wouldn't want his coach to succeed.  Losing doesn't help the athlete any more than the coach.

Solomon was a successful king and his success was directly connected to perception, specifically, the sincere appearance, behavior and performance of his servants.  The Queen of Sheba heard about Solomon's great kingdom but remained skeptical until she visited him and heard his wisdom firsthand.  What the Bible says about her conclusion is critical to the understanding of this proverb.  In 1 Kings 10, it reads, "when the queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon's wisdom, and the house that he had built, And the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel, and his cupbearers, and his ascent by which he went up unto the house of the LORD; there was no more spirit in her. And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom. Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard. Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom."  She gaged his success by the appearance, manners and behavior of his servants.  Had any of them looked miserable or disinterested in the kingdom, that would've been a poor reflection on him.  Perception was crucial in her assessment of him and ultimately, in her conclusion of his success as a king.  Since they listened to their king, those servants were wise and as a result, sincerely happy.  Being wise, they knew that their king's success was connected to their duties.  None of them were going to bring any shame to his kingdom for they knew that would provoke his wrath but also jeopardize the success of the kingdom.  Only a foolish servant of the king wouldn't want him to succeed and only a foolish citizen of the kingdom wouldn't want the kingdom to succeed.

Young person, if you get upset when your father gets upset at you for bringing any shame to your family, wisdom is needed.  Older person, if you get upset when your employer gets upset at you for making the company look bad, wisdom is needed.  Christian, if you get upset when the Holy Spirit seems angry with you for bringing reproach to the Church, wisdom is missing.  The boss loves workers who wisely protect the reputation of the company.  Parents appreciates the child who wisely avoids bringing shame to a home.  Most importantly, our King favors those who wisely recognize the need to protect the perception of the Kingdom by not contradicting the Scriptures with unholy living.  This proverb isn't just telling us that a king in a distant land likes wise servants; it is teaching us that wise people understand the heavy-duty responsibilities of leadership and that they wisely protect the public perception of that organization or institution.

Proverbs 14:34 "Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people."

While it’s always critical that all Scripture is viewed with God’s Authorship in mind, it is very important that we always ask ourselves when reading a Biblical passage what person is speaking, to whom is he speaking and when is he speaking.  This literary and historical context is essential in understanding any given Scripture.  The book of Proverbs is one of the easiest books of the Bible to answer those questions since we know that Solomon is speaking, or writing, in the overwhelming majority of it during his reign as king of Israel and that he is often writing to his son in line for the crown. These obvious details matter to even a straightforward proverb like this.

Assuming this proverb was especially intended for Rehoboam but generally intended for the people of Israel during Solomon’s reign, the king was declaring the real reason for the nation of Israel’s success.  1 Kings 10 details the prosperity, fame and power of Israel during Solomon’s reign.  It was so great that it took the breath away from the distinguished Queen of Sheba.  1 Kings 10 records the exceptional amounts of gold, silver, ivory, spices, lumber and exotic animals that were accrued during the reign.  It speaks of Israel’s fleet of ships and horse-powered chariots.  It said it best when it concluded this way, “So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and for wisdom” (verse 23).  In such a prosperous and powerful kingdom such as that, it would be very tempting to see themselves as invincible and unstoppable.  With milk and honey flowing and buildings going up everywhere, it would be tempting to conclude that their nation could only get stronger.  With a strong military protecting its wealth, it would be tempting to see their land as impenetrable and unbeatable.  A nation like Israel’s at the time of Solomon could easily assume that they were the world’s superpower when in reality, they were not.  

The world’s true superpower in Solomon’s day wasn’t a physical nation.  The world’s true superpower in any day isn’t a nation of men.  In fact, it’s not even a nation or a people.  It is something far more powerful than mere mortals.  To be the superpower of our world, you have to possess more power than any military.  To be the superpower of our world, you have to have more of an impact than any economy.  To be the superpower of our world, you have to have more influence than any politician.  To be the superpower of our world, you have to possess more power to control the masses than any technology.  Besides God Himself, or even Lucifer, what could possibly possess that much power?  What could exalt nations among the nations of our world?  What could demote and diminish nations among the nation of our world?  What made Israel the greatest of nations in Solomon’s day?  What could make Israel the least of nations in his day?  The answer is SPIRITUALITY.  
Solomon wanted his son and all of his people to know that they were the greatest of nations because of their righteousness - not because of their strong economy.  He wanted them to know that they were exalted above all of their neighbors because they were a righteous nation - not because they were a militarily-strong nation.  He wanted them to know that they were prospering as a people because they were prospering within their religion and relationship to God.  Their economy was strong because their worship was sincere.  Their neighbors feared them because they, as a nation, feared God.  Their buildings were going up because the smoke of their sacrifices were going up.  The world looked up to them because they were a peaceful and just people.  It was righteousness that exalted them – not physical strength, superior intelligence or sheer willpower.

The Israelites needed to know that they weren’t above the Power of Spirituality.  Spirituality is more powerful than any amount of muscle power, fire power or willpower.  No one is strong enough to overcome the consequences of spirituality.  No nation is powerful enough to conquer the natural effects of spirituality.  No military can defeat its power.  No economy can overcompensate for it.  Righteousness exalts a nation no matter how the other nations feel about it.  Sin is a reproach to “ANY” people, no matter how they feel about it.  There are no federations of nations that have the authority to remove the reproach of sin.  There are no allies of nations that have the authority to veto the promotion of a nation that righteousness brings.  When righteousness makes a decision, it is final.  When sin declares something, it is final.  Any objections aren’t considered.  Any motions aren’t acknowledged.  Spirituality is the highest authority in our world and the greatest power in our world.  Every superpower in human history has had to answer to it.

Regardless of how strong Israel’s economy was at the time of Solomon, she wasn’t above the consequences of sin.  No matter how strong her military was at the time of Solomon, she wasn’t above the power of sin.  No matter how much Israel’s neighbors didn’t like her exalted position in the region, they were beneath the power and authority of righteousness.  Spirituality can’t be bound or bridled.  Spirituality can’t be fought and defeated.  Spirituality can’t be controlled and changed.  Spirituality always has been and it always will be our world’s superpower.  The nations of our world answer to it and it rules with the LAW of SOWING and REAPING, which in Galatians 6:7, states, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.”  A nation that ignores God and participates in national sin will be marked with reproach.  A nation that obeys God and chooses national righteousness will be put in line for a promotion.  This is the Law of the Superpower of our World.

Israel would learn this lesson the hard way and sadly, within one generation.  While Solomon’s father, David made some terrible moral mistakes, he led the nation righteously, especially as it pertained to worship.  Israel worshipped the one true God, as directed to in the first great commandment of Judaism.  Solomon carried that moral torch when he became king and as a man of peace and wisdom, he built the great Jewish Temple.  The monotheistic and righteous nation of Israel was exalted during both reigns of David and Solomon.  In time however, Solomon’s heart was turned by women away from monotheism to polytheism.  He began to worship other gods and many in the nation followed him down that unrighteous road.  The great Solomon would not be great enough to overcome the power of Spirituality.   The mighty nation of Israel would not be strong enough to overpower the strength of Spirituality.  Shortly after Solomon’s death, his son experienced a rebellion and the great nation would be tragically divided.  Once at the top of the world, Israel came crashing down in a matter of weeks.  The once exalted people of Israel were now seen with reproach.  They may have been the greatest of nations but they were never the world’s superpower – Spirituality was.

America would be wise to take heed to the lessons of Scripture and to the ironic proverb of King Solomon.  America has been widely viewed as the world’s superpower but Scripture plainly tells us that we’re not above the power of spirituality.  Only righteousness exalts a nation and it doesn’t care how big or how bold its military is.  Only righteousness exalts a nation and it doesn’t care how large or how influential its economy is.  National sin will bring reproach to “any” people, no matter how patriotic or courageous a people it is.  National sin will be stain “any” people, no matter how educated or prosperous a people it is. Spirituality is our world’s true superpower and we would be very wise to bow before it.  

Proverbs 14:33 "Wisdom resteth in the heart of him that hath understanding: but that which is in the midst of fools is made known."

All throughout Solomon's proverbs, he links wisdom and understanding as inseparable attributes.  Where one goes, they both go.  If a person gets understanding, wisdom follows and vice versa.  While that is a wonderful spiritual reality, that is not the primary truth of this proverb.  Had Solomon chosen the word, "existeth" or "arriveth," we couldn’t say that.  But because he very intentionally chose the word, "resteth," we can say that.  If a person possesses spiritual understanding, he will almost always assuredly possess wisdom and that wisdom will have the ability to REST in that man's heart.  Spiritual understanding cultivates a calm environment in the heart for wisdom to feel at ease.  Where a heart is occupied by understanding, wisdom enjoys a home where it doesn't feel the need to fix everything and everyone.  Understanding from God puts a heart at ease.  It tells us that not every problem in life is our problem.  It helps us realize that some people don't want help or that some people need someone other than ourselves.  It informs us that most issues take time to resolve.  Perhaps best of all, understanding hangs a beautiful picture on the wall of our heart that says, "Not everyone needs to hear your wisdom."  Beneath that picture is a smaller framed saying that reads, "Just Listen."

Divine understanding helps divine wisdom REST in our hearts. It doesn't put Wisdom in a coma or in a deep sleep.  It doesn't render Wisdom useless nor does it waste her counsel.  It simply puts her at ease so she can be at her best.  True understanding and true wisdom work so well together.  Wisdom is wired to address anything and everything - she's so smart!  Understanding is really good at knowing what to address and what not to address; who to address and who not address - she's so discerning!  Wisdom is gifted at fixing the room whereas Understanding is gifted at reading the room.  Understanding knows that there are many people who don't want to hear from Wisdom.  She knows that many people won't heed her words.  She is especially good at detecting when a person would be open to hearing from Wisdom or when a person is most vulnerable to her counsel.  Wisdom knows this about Understanding so she relaxes in the heart and leans on Understanding's intuition.  With Understanding in the room, Wisdom doesn't start pacing or shouting as soon as she hears someone in need of her insight.  She calmly processes what dilemmas she hears, calculates the solutions and sits tight until Understanding gives her the nod to engage.

What a powerful picture for us to envision when thinking about wisdom in our heart!  If God has given us wisdom and understanding, we should realize that we don't need to share it with everyone.  If we've been blessed with these sister virtues, we shouldn't feel the need to fix everyone and everything.  If we have these spiritual attributes, we should be very comfortable just listening to people complain about their problems without the urge to tell them our perceived solutions.  If we feel the urge to tell everyone what we know, we lack understanding.  If we have to get out of our mouth what we feel in our heart, we lack understanding.  If we have a real hard time listening without thinking about our comeback, instruction or correction, we lack understanding.  If we want everyone we talk with to know that we're wise, we most definitely lack understanding.  With Understanding in our hearts, Wisdom is able to chill and relax without any recognition.  With Understanding in our hearts, Wisdom is very content just being an observer instead of a participant.  She doesn't feel like she is being wasted or that she's being irresponsible.  She doesn't feel like a failure or that she's being lazy because Understanding has helped her see that some people just won't benefit from her getting involved.

Without Understanding, Wisdom is still just as smart and insightful.  Without Understanding, Wisdom is just as accurate with her proposed solutions and counsel.  Without Understanding, Wisdom is still pure in heart and true in motive.  She's never wrong and she's never inappropriate.  But without Understanding, she engages every person she comes in contact with.  Without her sister attribute, she'll offer to fix every problem and every dilemma for everyone.  Without Understanding, she'll be constantly working and talking because there's always something or someone to fix.  Without Understanding, she would feel bad not offering to help when she has the answers to everything.  Understanding helps her save her energy for the right person at the right time.  Understanding helps her justify saving her energy for the people, times and places when she will be most effective.

In the latter part of this proverb, Solomon gives us the picture of a person without this calming and discerning virtue.  By definition, a fool lacks both wisdom and understanding.  Without understanding, a fool doesn't know when to be quiet and when to speak.  Without understanding, a foolish person doesn't differentiate the need to listen from the need to speak.  Without it, a fool thinks everyone wants to, or worse, needs to hear what he's thinking.  He doesn't see the need to keep anything to himself.  He doesn't think he'll do more damage than good by telling someone what he thinks.  He doesn't realize that most people don't want to hear what he thinks.  He doesn't imagine that people don't care about what he has to say.  In fact, he believes that everyone will be thoroughly impressed with his thoughts on the matter.  He's convinced that people will be amazed by how smart he is.  A man or woman without understanding believes that they're thinking something that no one else has thought before.  They can't sit on it.  They can't wait to share it.  They can't keep it in.  They can't just let it be a private thought - it has to go public!  Whatever "it" is (and we know “it” is not wisdom), “it” is quickly and loudly "made known."  It may be utter foolishness that is in the midst of the fool, but it will be "made known."  It may be total insanity or common knowledge that is in the heart of the fool, but it will be "made known."

When praying for wisdom, pray for understanding for it is the virtue that helps wisdom REST.  By helping her rest, Understanding helps Wisdom be that much more effective in those moments where she will be more likely to be heard and needed.  Proverbs 4:7, "Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting GET UNDERSTANDING."

Proverbs 14:32 "The wicked is driven away in his wickedness: but the righteous hath hope in his death."

What a relevant proverb for recent events in our troubled nation!  Because he was wise, Solomon didn't shy away from talking about death.  He wrote about it often throughout his proverbs but he especially addressed it in his book of Ecclesiastes, even concluding that the day of one's death is better than the day of one's birth (7:1).  In the same book, he talked about the certainty of death, the lack of control we have over death, the ramifications of death, the transfer of estates in death and more.  He seemed to think about death often, at least in terms of legacy and impact.  This would make sense given his wealthy and productive reign.  Solomon was ambitious and it appeared that this even applied to his death.

As he pondered death, he surely observed the lives and legacies of men.  At some point, he came to the conclusion that the wicked man is “driven away” in his wickedness.  By "driven away," he meant that they are eventually rendered useless and meaningless.  Given the second half of the proverb dealing with death, we can safely conclude that he meant more specifically, that the wicked are rendered useless and meaningless in death.  Scripture uses that phrase, "driven away" on a number of occasions and when it does, it paints a clear picture of something vanishing.  In Psalm 68:2, it is used within the context of smoke fading and vanishing away into thin air.  In Isaiah 19:7, it is used to describe vegetation being washed away by the water brook and being "no more."  Men or women who live wicked lives leave no meaningful legacy behind.  People who lead unrighteous lives leave nothing for anyone to admire and emulate.  Immoral lives leave no material worth sharing in a eulogy.  In many tragic cases, evil lives strip those souls of a proper burial and of any mourners at their death.  Wicked parents are often intentionally forgotten in death.  The death of adulterous spouses or abusive ex-spouses are often ignored altogether.  Wickedness not only accelerates death but it strips death of any meaning.  Wickedness not only accompanies death but it renders death meaningless.

The more wicked a life, the less meaningful their death.  What criminal on death row will have nearly 200,000 people show up for their funeral and have another 20 million view it online or on television as just happened for Charlie Kirk?  Fame can be achieved by wickedness but a lasting meaningful legacy cannot be achieved by wickedness.  Fame can be found by pulling a trigger but only righteousness brings any hope of making a positive mark in death.  Only righteous lives bring hope of remaining positively relevant after death.  Charlie Kirk was insanely relevant in life but he will remain relevant long after his young life was cut short because of his righteous life.  His life as a faithful husband, loving father and Christian apologist is what has given his death meaning.  Despite being killed, Mr. Kirk seems more relevant today than any of us who are still living.  Despite being dead, Mr. Kirk's life and legacy haven't vanished like smoke.  Righteousness preserves our relevance after death and this is why the righteous have hope in their death.

Adult children don't want to remember bad fathers but they intentionally remember good fathers.  Adult children don't want anyone to stir up the memories of evil mothers but they welcome reminiscing about righteous mothers.  Widows don't want to talk about abusive husbands but they definitely want to talk about gentle husbands.  Widowed men don't want to discuss adulterous wives but they do want to share stories of faithful wives.  Wicked lives make us want to forget those people after their deaths whereas righteous lives make us want to remember people in their absence.  Righteousness leaves a greater legacy than wealth or accomplishment because it comes without bitterness, resentment or hurt.  Righteous parents leave their children an admirable example to follow.  Righteous spouses leave their spouses reasons to remain grateful.  Righteous friends leave their friends all kinds of godly inspiration.

Death is discouraging as it marks the end of a life; the end of influence and contribution to people we love.  In reading the book of Ecclesiastes, I get the impression that death perplexed Solomon for those reasons.  Death rattles the ambitious.  Death steals the opportunity to accomplish more.  For the mighty ancient king of Israel, there could be no more projects, no more wives, no more children, no more grandchildren, no more buildings, no more adventures, no more discoveries, no more books and no more proverbs after death.  At some point however, he realized that he could be relevant long after his death, as his father was, by righteousness.  His father's righteous psalms have remained relevant for thousands of years.  His father's righteous legacy has remained relevant for just as long.  Today, people inspire to have a heart after God's heart, as David did.  For the righteous, there is hope in death!  For the righteous, there is hope that even in death, people can be inspired, encouraged and impacted.  For the righteous, there is hope that they can be a help to their children and their children's children for generations to come.  For the righteous, there is hope that their death will move an unsaved friend to accept Christ as their Savior.
 
Righteousness in life makes the end of that life more meaningful.  By choosing righteousness on a daily basis, we give more meaning to our death.  By treating people right today, we hope that more people will be impacted by the Gospel in our death.  By treating our family members right today, we hope that our death will cause them to appreciate being treated right and in so doing, lead to their own righteousness.  What we do in life determines how much influence we’ll have in death.  If we choose righteousness on a consistent basis, we can have hope that our death will impact people and that our life will have relevance long after our death.  When you look at it that way, death isn't that discouraging - it's actually a little exciting.

Proverbs 14:31 "He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker: but he that honoureth him hath mercy on the poor."

When studying or at least contemplating the proverbs, it has been my pattern to take careful note of which words were used and which words weren't used by their wise writer.  In this proverb, the word, "reproach" stood tall as a unique word.  In its place, we don't read words such as, "offendeth," "disobeyeth" or "angereth."  Surely, anyone who oppresses the weakest of society would offend God.  One would think anyone who oppresses those who are already down on their luck would provoke God's anger.  Without question, taking what little the poor has to enrich ourselves would violate the moral law of God.  This proverb doesn't say those things however.  This proverb tells us that if we oppress the poor, we'll be guilty of "reproaching" our Mighty Maker.  Why "reproach" and not "offend," "anger" or "disobey?"  The answer to that question holds the key to the deeper meaning of this proverb.  There's always more meaning to a proverb than just the immediate subject of the proverb.  In other words, there is more to this proverb than just how we treat the poor.  This proverb teaches a truth that can be applied to our treatment of the poor as well as to the rich.  It contains a truth that can be applied to our treatment of the sick as well as to the healthy.  The poor are the characters to teach an important lesson for the sake of our character.

What does it mean to "reproach" someone?  To reproach is to charge someone with a fault but with severe language.  To reproach someone is to blame them for something with scorn.  As a noun, it is attached to a great fault.  Of an adulterer, Solomon wrote, "A wound and dishonour shall he get; and his REPROACH shall not be wiped away" (Proverbs 6:33).  This is why when someone is blameless and without fault, we say that they are "beyond reproach."  To reproach God is to severely accuse Him of something.  In 2 Kings 19, it is said four times that the king of Assyria "reproached the living God" in a message he sent to the Israelites.  When reading that message in the previous chapter, it is clear that the Assyrian king was accusing God of being too weak to stop him from coming into the land of Israel and taking what he wanted.  The foolish king was blaming the God of Israel for Israel's collapse since, eight years earlier, the Assyrians took the northern portion of the nation.  The king foolishly assumed that God was too weak to save the Israelites from the Assyrians when in reality, God delivered them into the hands of the Assyrians as a form of punishment for their idolatry and sin.  His reproach of God was the irreverent blaming of God for Israel's demise instead of rightly blaming the idolatrous Israel.

Knowing the unique meaning of "reproach" and realizing that it's quite different than "offending," "angering" or "disobeying," we can better appreciate the deeper lesson of the proverb.  Someone who oppresses the poor is blaming God for something to do with the poor.  Anyone who oppresses the poor chooses to oppress the poor for the same reasons the Assyrian king chose to oppress the Israelites in 2 Kings - they believe that God is too weak to save the poor.  The evil act of oppressing the poor is the direct result of the foolish belief that God can't help the poor.  Anyone who chooses to oppress the poor doesn't have a healthy fear of God.  Anyone who chooses to treat the poor poorly doesn't believe God will punish them.  In fact, the poor being poor enables the oppressor.  The poor being poor empowers their oppression.  In their foolish minds, poverty itself is evidence that God is weak, or at the very least, distant.  For foolish minds, poverty in our world is evidence that there isn't a God and if there is, He is doesn't care about people.  For skewed hearts, the homeless prove that God is unable or unwilling to take care of people.  For evil hearts, the poor remaining poor and homeless is proof that God has forsaken them and that belief emboldens their evil oppression of them.  "If God has punished them, He won't mind if I add a little more oppression."  "If there is a God, why do we have so much poverty and tragedy?"  "If God is Who the Bible says He is, then why are there women and children on the streets?"  These are questions or statements that lay irreverent blame at the feet of God.  These are statements and beliefs that accuse God of being weak or careless or even worse, non-existent.  In all of these cases, the reproach of God fuels their wicked ways.

By using the words and subjects it does, this proverb teaches us that our view of God creates forms our morality.  This proverb applies to more than just our treatment of the poor.  It teaches the important truth that our theology determines our morality.  What we believe about God will determine what we will do before God.  What we think of God's character will determine what we do with God's law.  If we have incorrect theology, we will have an impure morality.  If our view of God is twisted, our morality will be twisted.  If we falsely believe God doesn't care about the poor, we'll oppress them foolishly believing that God doesn't care what happens to them.  If we falsely believe that God is too weak to defend the poor because He hasn't fixed their poverty, we'll make the big mistake of oppressing them.  Bad theology brings confidence to bad behavior.  On the flip side, sound theology fuels sound morality.  Those who know the Person and Character of God make educated moral decisions.  Correct theology concludes that God cares about the poor and that He takes special note of those in life who have endured hardships out of their control such as loss of parent, spouse or health.  Sound theology also concludes that God lets sinners remain impoverished if that poverty is the result of their sin, in which it is intended to be the motivation for true repentance.  Such beliefs lead a wise person to have mercy on those who have tasted the bitter taste of misfortune as well as on those who are struggling in their sin.  Knowing God is watching both parties very closely will lead a sane person to behave in such a way that will provoke God's pleasure, not His anger.  A respect for God's character and interests will naturally result in acts of virtue.

This proverb boldly proclaims: Theology, THEN Morality.  How we view God dictates what God will view in us.  If we see God as good, our behavior will reflect that.  If we view God as cruel, our behavior will reflect that as well.  If our theology is sound, our character will reflect that.  If our theology is messed up, our morality will be messed up.  While the Bible is full of examples, consider the example of Judas Iscariot.  At some point in his life and ministry, he let his theology slip.  At some point in his life, he stopped seeing Jesus as the worthy Son of God.  At some point, he stopped seeing Jesus as the Eternal Maker of all things and started seeing Him as just another mortal man no more deserving of worship than anyone else.  At some point, he had a lower view of Christ than he should have had.  His once sound theology became corrupt and his view of the Son of God became diluted.  As a result of that bad theology, he got angry when Mary anointed Jesus with an expensive box of ointment.  He couldn't believe that Jesus allowed it.  He couldn't accept the fact that Jesus tolerated such "waste."  This led to the terrible moral decision to betray Christ that led to His crucifixion.  How Judas viewed Jesus dictated how he treated Jesus.  How we view God dictates how we treat God.

If we're going to blame God for the problems in our world, we're going to contribute to the problems in our world.  If we're going to reproach God, we'll oppress the people He is watching closely.  If we're going to blame Him for the effects of sin in our world, then we'll sin more and create more negative effects in our world.  However, if we properly know Him to be just, pure, and holy, we'll treat people with love, mercy and fairness.  If we respectfully credit Him for being loving, we'll love people.  Theology is far more important than people think.  Our view of God, correct or incorrect, is far more influential than we think.  Our understanding of God is truly what forms and fuels our behavior before God.  How we treat the poor will be determined by how we view God.  How we raise our children is determined by our view of God.  How we behave as spouses is directly decided by how we see God.  How we respond to our enemies will be determined by how we view God.  This proverb is so much more than oppressing or assisting the poor.  It says loud and clear, "Theology, THEN Morality."

Proverbs 14:30 "A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones."

It would be hard to argue that any other Biblical author gets the mind moving more than Solomon.  The writings in each of his three books require concentration, meditation and serious contemplation to fully grasp the meaning of his words.  On the surface, a proverb like this may seem simple and obvious but when significant time is spent studying the exact meaning, it quickly becomes more complex and substantial.  In this proverb's case, one could quickly read its sixteen short words and simply conclude that virtue is good for us while envy is bad for us.  That initial interpretation would be accurate but is that precisely and deeply what Solomon meant?  That initial conclusion would be true on the surface but does that conclusion answer questions that lay beneath the surface?  For example, by declaring a sound heart the life of the flesh, was Solomon suggesting that a healthy moral heart improves the health of the body or was he speaking metaphorically about our being as a whole?  By assigning envy as a cause for the rottenness of bones, was he teaching a literal connection between envy and poor physical health or was he using bones of the body to symbolize some spiritual framework of our being?  What did he really mean when writing this proverb and what is God really teaching us in this Scripture?

Honestly, it would be easiest and frankly, safest to conclude that Solomon was speaking poetically and metaphorically.  If we conclude that, what evidence do we have to do that?  If we conclude that he wasn't connecting the state of the soul to health of the body, what evidence do we possess to do that?  More importantly, if we conclude that this was simply a dramatic and artistic way of emphasizing the importance of morality, could we be missing the true teaching of Scripture and therefore, lose out on a powerful truth?  What if Solomon, in this proverb, was referring to a person's literal flesh, or body?  What if he was referring to a person's literal bones?  Wouldn't that be a substantial teaching?  Wouldn't that be a motivating and enlightening principle?  Indeed, it would be and I think that is exactly what this proverb teaches.

While there are plenty of examples in Scripture where the word, "flesh" is applied to our humanity as a whole or to our natural human nature, it is almost always a word used to describe our literal body.  It is almost always a word used to distinguish the body from the soul; the visible from the invisible; the touchable from the untouchable.  We can be quite sure that it is a direct reference to the literal physical body in this proverb because of the usage of the parallel word, "bones."  The best evidence that Scripture gives us to conclude that Solomon is linking the morality of man to the health of man is the lack of the important words, "like" or "as."  This isn't the first time Solomon used the colorful and memorable picture of "rottenness of bones."  In Proverbs 12:4, he wrote of a non-virtuous woman, that "she that maketh ashamed is AS rottenness in his bones."  He used these important words often throughout the Book of Proverbs; over eighty times to be exact.  These words were and are critical for proper interpretation of Scripture.  Neither of these words are used in this proverb.  It does not read, "a sound heart is LIKE the life of flesh" nor does it say, "but envy is AS the rottenness of the bones."  Had it read that way or similar to that way, then we could conclude with absolute certainty that this proverb teaches us that virtue is AS good AS physical vitality and that envy is AS bad AS some bone disease.  Because it doesn't read that way, we must be fair with the text and embrace its precise meaning.  Whether we instinctively agree or not, this Scripture links morality to vitality.  Whether we like it or not, this proverb connects immorality of heart to rottenness of bone.

Solomon wasn't suggesting that wisdom and holiness alone bring good health nor was he suggesting that envy alone produces illness.  Such a conclusion would be insulting to the wisest man this world has ever seen.  Such a conclusion would be far more insulting to the Maker, Whose Spirit inspired this and all other Biblical authors.  Obviously, the physical body needs physical parents and physical body parts to have life.  Clearly, the physical body needs physical resources to maintain life.  In a cursed world where death is a certainty, the physical body deteriorates over time and is often cut short by disease, accident, crime or irresponsibility.  The end of our flesh is often unpredictable and out of our control.  In Ecclesiastes 9:11-12, Solomon said, "time and chance happeneth to them all. For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them."  This proverb then isn't disregarding genetics, time, chance or criminal activity as the reason for broken bones, illness or death.  Furthermore, this proverb isn't dismissing nutritional food, regular exercise or good genes as the reason for healthy bones, lack of disease or long life.  It is, however, teaching that virtue contributes to the vitality of a person and that envy contributes to the physical decline of a person.

This proverb, among other Scripture, connects the soul to the body.  It may not be a massive connection but it is a connection.  The state of the soul may not be as influential to the body as the genetics of that body but it still possesses influence on the body.  The condition of our spiritual hearts may not impact the physical heart as much as food, cigarettes and drugs impact it but the spiritual heart still has an impact on our physical body.  While hard to measure, there is a clear connection between the spiritual heart and the physical body.  

Modern science is catching on to this ancient truth.  Take anger for example.  Doctors and scientists now know that anger negatively impacts a body by increasing heart rate, blood pressure and stress hormones.  These increases to vital physical attributes can lead to long-term cardiovascular issues like heart attacks and strokes.  Anger in the spiritual heart can also cause or worsen autoimmune conditions, weaken immune systems, disrupt sleep, initiate digestive problems as well as create anxiety and depression.  Anger can even damage brain cells responsible for decision-making and memory.

When the body is under stress, it produces hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline.  These hormones help us manage stress but they're unhealthy if entertained for a long time.  It is universally accepted that chronic stress contributes to untold health problems.  Take one look at the average president after one four-year term and eyes don't lie - chronic stress ages a person quickly and harshly.  Chronic stress deteriorates the physical body by weakening the body and exposing it more quickly to the curse of this world.  Herein is the precise application of the proverb since envy, like all evils, is stressful.  Virtue removes stress while vice invites stress.  Gratitude and contentment bring peace while envy and jealousy bring consternation.  Holiness and honesty bring calm while greed and deceit create anxiety.  Obedience and purity invite tranquility while rebellion and wickedness invite guilt.  Envy in particular is less an act that is committed in a moment of time and more a feeling that is experienced over time.  This sustained evil in the soul brings sustained anger towards others and sustained discontentment towards God.  These sustained evils in the soul will clearly and eventually have a negative impact on the body, one of which could be "rottenness in the bones."  Science has recently discovered people claiming to be full of envy also full of a particular hormone called oxytocin.  Any imbalance in the body's chemical makeup always has negative effects on the body.

Solomon didn't need a lab or a scientific study to know that the spiritual heart impacts the physical body.  Like it or not, who we are in spirit will have an effect on who we are in body.  Envy is more dangerous than Red 40, processed foods, Little Debbie's and pizza.  Envy impacts the spirit and the body.  It angers God and upsets the body.  It puts our lives and our bodies in danger.  It creates spiritual and physical problems.  It causes relational and medical harm.  On the contrary, a sound heart is good for the soul and the body.  Too many today are obsessed with good health and vitality while ignoring goodness itself and virtue.  Even too many Christian today are obsessed with good health and vitality while excusing the role their spirits are having on their health.  Our illnesses may be the result of genetics and unhealthy lifestyles but our illnesses may also be exasperated and sustained by our unholy feelings and thoughts.  Let us all embrace the powerful truth of this short proverb and give more attention to our spiritual hearts than our physical hearts.

Proverbs 14:29 "He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly."

One of the best ways to understand what a proverb is saying is to note what a proverb isn't saying.  In this case, the proverb does not read, "he that avoids wrath is of great understanding."  Wrath isn't the problem in the proverb; the speed at which one may entertain wrath is the problem.

Wrath is one of those emotions that can be both good and bad.  It can be a bad emotion when motivated by selfishness, which is why Paul listed it as a “work of the flesh” in Galatians 5.  For this reason, he told the Colossians to "put off" wrath (3:8) and he told the Ephesians to "put away" wrath (4:31).  But just because it can be the work of the flesh doesn't mean it is always the work of the flesh. Otherwise, Paul wouldn't have written five verses earlier to the Ephesians, "Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath" (4:26).  When founded in holiness and justice, wrath is both acceptable and appropriate.  That being true, Paul made it clear to the Ephesians that it isn't good to entertain wrath for more than a day because wrath always leads to swift action.  The overwhelming majority of references of “wrath" in the Bible pertain to God's wrath.  Because God is always right and just, we know that His wrath is always pure and without evil.  We also know by reading Scripture that God's wrath, while holy, always leads to swift action.  Time and time again, the Israelites provoked Him to wrath by idolatry, discontentment, pride or fornication and it always cost them dearly.

Scripture likens wrath unto fire, often describing someone's wrath being "kindled" like a campfire is first kindled. When we entertain wrath, holy wrath or unholy wrath, something or someone will feel the effects of the emotional fire.  Wrath leads to action, whether in word or deed.  When we entertain wrath, we speak swiftly with the particular type of wrath we're entertaining determining the type of words.  If our wrath is unholy, we'll speak pointedly unholy words whereas if our wrath is holy, we'll speak pointedly holy words.  In both cases, those words will be unforgettable and will likely echo for a lifetime.  When we entertain wrath, we act swiftly with the type of action being determined by the type of wrath we’re entertaining.  If our wrath is unholy, we'll act boldly and cruelly whereas if our wrath is holy, we'll act boldly and justly.  In both cases, those actions will be unforgettable and quite consequential.  In the Book of Job, the young Elihu experienced the kindling of wrath in his soul when hearing Job and his three friends debate one another foolishly.  He heard Job speak self-righteously and he heard his three friends speak condescendingly with no one speaking accurately of God.  As a result of this holy wrath, Elihu spoke with boldness and without respect of persons.  He said things that surely pricked the hearts of four elderly men; things that surely were never forgotten by those four men.  On the contrary, the people of Nazareth were full of unholy wrath when hearing Jesus speak the sacred words of Scripture in their synagogue.  Their wrath, fueled by selfishness and pride, led them to attempt to throw Jesus off a cliff.  Their actions were swift, harsh, cruel and unforgettable.

Wrath, unholy or holy, leads to swift action.  This action, whether in word or in deed, always comes with lasting consequences.  A man of great understanding is fully aware of the flame of wrath.  A woman of great understanding is keenly aware of the impact wrath brings to those around her.  Understanding men don't see wrath as a whole as evil - they just see it as powerful.  Understanding women don't see all forms wrath as unacceptable - they just see all forms as emotions that leave a mark on someone.  An understanding spouse reserves moments of holy wrath for very serious matters.  An understanding parent reserves moments of holy wrath for very important violations.  An understanding neighbor, citizen, employee, employer and friend all see holy wrath as a fire alarm - something reserved to get someone's attention in very serious moments.  When holy wrath is entertained, it will likely be a moment that will be never forgotten because wrath leads to action.  Therefore, a man of great understanding wants to make sure it is a moment that merits such action and one that is worth remembering.

A person without the temperance and restraint necessary to avoid pulling the fire alarm in any situation will exalt folly in their life.  A man who is hasty in spirit gets emotional quickly.  A woman who is hasty in spirit gets worked up at a rapid rate.  People who are hasty in spirit get to emotional places quickly, whether happy, sad or angry places.  These types of people will pull the fire alarm of wrath in their souls over a child spilling their drink or over a driver cutting them off or over a spouse forgetting something.  People who are hasty of spirit get angry over the smallest of things and in no time at all.  They can go from happy to angry in seconds, from laughing to screaming in minutes.  These such souls lack the understanding to know that wrath always burns something or someone.  When a person's wrath socially or relationally burns someone over a minor matter, they welcome folly into their lives.  When a parent's or spouse's wrath emotionally or psychologically burns someone over a petty problem, they invite folly into their reputation.  Whenever we become hasty in our spirit towards wrath, we promote folly from the private shadows of our souls to the public headlines of our lives.  Wrath always leaves a mark and if entertained quickly, it will leave a lot of unnecessary marks on people around us.

If we are holy and just, there will be times where wrath is not only acceptable but necessary.  In a world of sin and evil, wrath is expected.  God would have us entertain it briefly and more importantly, entertain it rarely and slowly.  James said it best in his epistle when he wrote, “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.”

Proverbs 14:28 "In the multitude of people is the king's honour: but in the want of people is the destruction of the prince."

It's easy to forget that much of Solomon's Book of Proverbs was written to his son, who was a young prince.  It's easy to forget that King Solomon wrote much of his paternal advice for the continuation of his father's throne and for his family's royal success.  If we were to take a big step backwards and survey this book of fatherly counsel, we would see Solomon preparing a prince for power.  In thirty-one chapters, the word, "king" is used thirty-one times.  Additionally, the word, "prince" is mentioned twelve times while the word, "crown" appears seven times.  Solomon's heir would naturally perk up when reading these particular words.  The problem today when reading these words is that we have no reason to perk up.  We're not kings, queens, princes or princesses and we're totally unfamiliar with monarchies in our society.  It's easy to do the opposite of perk up when we read these words and downplay the wise sayings they're attached to.  It's easy to read about "kings" and "princes" and categorize their proverbs as inapplicable or irrelevant.  This would however, be a mistake.  This and all proverbs pertaining to royalty possess wisdom for today's believer in any scenario.

This proverb teaches a simple but critical truth for any man or woman who wants to avoid failure, or as this proverb puts it, "destruction."  Anyone who wants to avoid failure in any area or stage of life should consistently and seriously apply the truth of this proverb to their life.  This proverb teaches us that the support of others brings honor but more importantly, the lack of support brings destruction.  Like it or not, we need people in our lives.  Like it or not, no one succeeds, let alone survives on their own.  Solomon knew that the temptation for those in power was to use their power to do whatever they wanted, regardless of what others wanted.  He knew that princes and kings are often tempted to see their money and authority as substitutes for public support.  Rulers so easily make the mistake of setting course without seeing the need to build support for that course.  Rulers makes plans but don't plan to build support for that plan, instead planning only on fulfilling that plan with or without the support of the people.  People in power so easily convince themselves that public support isn't important, assuming that they have enough money and power to accomplish whatever they want without public support.
 
Anyone in positions of authority is susceptible to this costly oversight.  Husbands can be guilty of overlooking the importance of patiently earning the support of their wives.  Parents can be guilty of seeing the benefit of helping their children see the wisdom of parental policies.  It is common for employers, supervisors and managers to disregard the need to drum up support for policies in the workplace.  Whether teachers in the classroom, coaches in the locker room or pastors in the decision room, leaders who fail to see the power of the people await the failure of losing the people.  It's hard to do anything on our own and it's impossible to succeed on our own.  We need people and if we can't get the support of people, failure is imminent.

We need people to support us from the simplest of tasks to the biggest of tasks.  If we treat people like dirt or if we give people the impression that we don't need them, we'll eventually be in a desperate situation with no one to help us.  If by our words and actions, we consistently communicate a message that we don't need anyone's help, we'll eventually find ourselves without any help at a time when our financial or relational or literal life depends on it.  A king is honored and respected when he has a "multitude" of people following him because it is universally believed that he must be doing something right with people for so many to support him.  There is truly strength in numbers.  Mass support sends a powerful message.  A president with high approval ratings and a lot of votes is respected.  A politician, business owner, community leader or pastor who gives people the impression that he doesn't need anyone's support eventually loses relevance.  A man or woman who sends the terrible message that they don't need anyone to like or help them will eventually lose all relationships.
 
There is great power in the people.  Those in authority have the power to do what they want without the support of the people and sometimes have to do tough things without that support.  Sometimes, the head has to get the legs out of bed when they don't want to.  Sometimes, parents have to make their children do right when they don't want to.  Sometimes, the CEO has to change course of the company when the employees or customers don't want him to.  According to this divinely-inspired proverb, people in power will want to reserve using their power without support from those under their authority for rare cases.  If a man in power loses the support of those under his power, he'll eventually lose all his power.  If a woman loses the support of her friend or family, she'll eventually lose her friend and family.  This doesn't mean we do whatever people want us to do.  This doesn't mean we surrender to the whim and will of everyone.  This doesn't mean we replace the God of our lives with the people in our lives.  This does mean, however, that we value the wisdom in taking the time to help people see the reason behind our decisions.  This does mean that we value the wisdom in taking the time to explain ourselves and to sincerely listen to the responses of people.  This does mean that we value the genuine support of people in our lives.  Where we can't please God and man, we please God.  Where we can't get the support of God and man, we get the support of God.  But where we can get the support of God and man, we should do everything possible to get the support of people because we need them.

In this proverb, Solomon told his son and our Heavenly Father tells us to not undervalue people.  Just because God has made us kings and queens (Revelation 1:6) doesn't mean that we don't need people.  Just because we're a "royal" priesthood (1 Peter 2:9) doesn't mean people don't matter for our success.  No one has enough authority, wealth or talent to succeed in life on their own.  Even Jesus chose twelve men and constantly worked at maintaining their support and relationship.  Sadly and tragically, Solomon's powerful son failed in foolishness.  1 Kings 12 tells the story of a young king who overlooked the value in building support.  He and his young friends rejected the request by the people to lighten the work load at a time when the nation was enjoying great peace and prosperity.  As a result of not caring about their weariness and opting to press on with his personal ambition to be great, he lost the support of the people in one day.  Soon thereafter, the nation rebelled against him and he lost ten of the twelve tribes to a rival politician with the nation remaining divided for centuries.  Solomon's wisdom was underappreciated and as a result, his son's success was undermined.

Brothers and sisters, let us not ignore the wisdom of Scripture.  There is great power in taking the time and putting in the effort to get the support of people around us.  People are necessary for our success and that makes giving them time, effort and attention necessary. No matter how strong or empowered we may feel today, it's not enough to succeed for a lifetime on our own.

Proverbs 14:27 "The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death."

This proverb is the fourth one in the chapter and the twelfth of twenty-one in the book dealing with the fear of God.  Solomon wrote often about the fear of God since it is the "law of the wise."  We know that to be the case because this proverb and Proverbs 13:14 are nearly identical, making the subject of each proverb interchangeable.  It states, "The law of the wise is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death" whereas this proverb reads, "The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death."  The law of the wise is clearly "Fear God."  One cannot be wise without first obeying the law of the wise.  One cannot enjoy the presence of wisdom without first fearing God.

In this particular proverb dealing with the fear of God, Solomon describes it beautifully as a "fountain of life."  He likens the act of fearing God to drinking from a fountain of life-giving water.  However, his divinely-inspired description doesn't stop there with that cheery imagery; he adds that fearing God is how one departs from the snares of death.  This added detail takes an ideal virtue and makes it a necessary virtue.  This inclusion of death's dark devices makes the fear of God something less of an attraction and more of a necessity; something less of a life-extending vitamin and more of a life-saving medication.  In this proverb, death takes life from men while the fear of God gives life to men.  In this proverb, two words must be highlighted and underlined to appreciate the necessity of fearing God.  Those two words are "fear" and "depart."

Solomon does not call the "Honor of God" a fountain of life nor does he describe the "Reverence of God" a fountain of life.  He is very specific in this and in twenty-one other proverbs to use the word, "fear" when describing this necessary virtue.  Solomon knew what the Scriptures recorded about Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Joshua and others when they encountered the presence of God - they feared Him for they saw Him for Who He is as He is Almighty.  All throughout Scripture when men and women encountered God, they fell on their faces in fear, not just in honor or in reverence.  It wasn't a fear of harm as a person might experience in a bank when being robbed.  It wasn't a fear of danger as a person might experience in the wilderness when stumbling upon a grizzly bear.  It wasn’t a fear of evil as a person might experience in a dark alley when being followed by a shadowy figure.  The type of fear that accompanied great characters of Scripture when encountering God was the feeling of being incredibly small and weak in the presence of Someone so incredibly big and strong. To fear God is to stand in awe of the power of God but it is an awe that links the power of God to the holiness of God.  The Biblical fear of God is very specifically linked to the holiness of God, meaning we fear the holy and just consequences of our sin.
 
Unfortunately, our so-called "civilized" society has robbed us of the very healthy side of fearing authority.  Schools don't want their students to fear their teachers.  Families don't want their children to fear their parents.  Communities don't want their citizens to fear their police officers.  Teams don't want their athletes to fear their coaches.  Companies don't want their employees to fear their managers.  As a result, we have a so-called "civilized" society where parents are being laughed at, teachers are being mocked, employers are being ignored, coaches are being defied and police officers are being attacked.  Fear, when applied to just authorities, is critical for a person to be moral and for a society to be stable.  Because God is always just and holy, fearing His power and punishment of evil is crucial for a person to be moral.  The fear of God is not fearing an erratic and irrational superpower.  It is not living in terror of an emotionally-unstable and mentally-unhealthy superpower.  The fear of God is not getting up every morning terrified of what mood God is in.  It isn't living in fear of an omnipotent and omniscient madman bent on creating chaos and wreaking havoc in the lives of men.  The fear of God is standing in awe of an Almighty but Holy God Who always does right, including and especially when we don't.  This is what makes it a fountain of life.

It is possible to "honor" a person without "fearing" that person.  I honor my 96 year-old grandmother but I don't fear her.  I respect her wisdom, position and accomplishments in life but there is nothing about her I fear.  A police officer, however, with weapons and the authority to use them, is a person I both respect and fear.  I respect that officer's position in the community but I also fear that officer's power and that fear motivates adherence to the laws of the land.  Honor and fear are different but they are both necessary for a person to be both moral and wise.  Paul differentiated the two when talking about God-ordained Human Government in Romans 13, explaining that evildoers should be "afraid" of the "Sword-Bearing Minister of God."  Romans 13:7, "Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour."

When we emphasize and appreciate the word, "fear" in this proverb, we'll better appreciate why the fear of God is a fountain of life since it helps us "depart" from the snares of death.  Please notice that the fear of God doesn't help us "escape" the snares of death.  Please make note that the fear of God doesn't cause us to "avoid" the snares of death.  No, the fear of God helps us "depart," or LEAVE the snares of death, meaning we’ve been confronted with the snares of death in a very serious moment of decision.  To "depart from" someone or something clearly infers that you were in the presence of that person or thing.  To "depart from" someone or something means that you were entertaining or contemplating that person or thing.  This is why the fear of God is so serious and so necessary.  Death sets snares all throughout life in the form of enticing temptations of pleasure.  When we are confronted with them, we deliberate and entertain the thought of putting our foot in them because they look so good.  It is in those crucial moments that we need serious motivation to get out of that deliberation and get as far away as possible from those snares.  The serious motivation we need is the awe of God's power that is attached to His holiness.  Anything outside of that doesn't work because our hearts are so deceitful and our wills are so weak.  Every time we fear God in the enticing presence of the disguised snares of death, we'll depart from that which could cause our demise and instead, we take a big drink of the water of life.  

The snares of death are everywhere in life but fortunately for us, this proverb’s virtue offers a fountain that never runs dry.  For as many snares death lays in our path, there is water in the fountain of life when we fear God.  From the beginning of time, sin seeks to kill.  Every time we sin, the snap of death is heard.  It may be the beginning of the death of a marriage or a friendship.  It may be the instant death of a life or an opportunity.  It may be the slow death of a ministry or a relationship.  It me be the loss of health or sanity.  On the contrary, every time we fear God, the sweet sip of life can be heard.  When tempted to start drinking, the fear of God will pull us away from the bottle and all of the pain that comes with it.  When tempted to look at that screen, the fear of God will pull us away from the image and all of the pain that comes with it.  When tempted to say that word or repeat that story, the fear of God will pull us away from error and all of the pain that comes with it.  While death is no respecter of persons and while God lets death eventually take us all, it is true that God-fearing people generally avoid the evil snares of death.  When you're not involved with alcohol, infidelity, schemes, covetousness, lies, gambling and greed, you tend to escape many of the literal snares of death.  

Because we are "but dust," we so easily find ourselves contemplating putting our foot in a snare of death that is disguised as an appealing pleasure of life.  In that moment, it's not our reverence for a Great God that will get us out of that situation; it will be our fear of a Holy God that will get us out of that situation.  Consider the words of this proverb, "BY the fear of the LORD men depart from evil" (Proverbs 16:6).

Proverbs 14:26 "In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge."

This proverb is an extremely rare reference in Solomon's writings to the child of God.  In fact, the Old Testament almost never mentions the child of God because the Holy Ghost tasked New Testament writers to handle that glorious topic.  The New Testament was given the privilege to declare the opportunity for a sinner to divinely become an eternal child of God as first introduced by the only begotten Son of God Himself in John 3 when He said, "ye must be born again."  From there, other New Testament writers such as Paul, Peter and John wrote extensively on the miraculous new birth and glorious adoption of sinners into the family of God.  Frequently in the New Testament, individuals are referred to or addressed as the children of God, which is the amazing work of the Spirit of God after a person believes in the Son of God.  Rarely however, does the Old Testament refer to anyone being the child of God, which makes perfect sense since technically the death, burial and resurrection of Christ necessary for the new birth had yet to take place.

The Old Testament may be quiet in regard to the children of God, referring to angels as the “sons of God” in Genesis as well as Job and the nation of Israel as the “firstborn” of God in Exodus, Jeremiah and Hosea, but it isn't silent in regard to God being portrayed as a Father.  In Malachi 1, God asks, "if then I be a FATHER, where is mine honour?"  In Psalm 103, David describes God in paternal terms writing, "Like as a FATHER pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him."  Solomon himself used similar paternal language to describe God in chapter 3 when he wrote, "For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a FATHER the SON in whom he delighteth."  Before His death, burial and resurrection, Jesus was very pointed in referring to God as a Father to men and women, saying things such as "Be ye therefore perfect, even as YOUR FATHER which is in heaven is perfect" (Matthew 5) and "After this manner therefore pray ye: OUR FATHER which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name" (Matthew 6).

To my knowledge, this particular proverb is Solomon's only direct reference to the child of God and even then, it is only discovered by grammatical investigation since the only possible father figure in the proverb is "the LORD."  These Biblical facts are not irrelevant at all.  In fact, they help us understand the author's intended teaching.  By linking the fear of God to the paternal nature of God, we understand the nature of healthy Biblical fear of God.  By connecting the fear of God to the father-figure of God, we better know what it looks like to properly fear God.  There are great benefits to fearing God properly.  There is immense good in fearing God appropriately.  Solomon is not suggesting that we fear God as some mighty villain bent on destroying anyone who doesn't bow to Him.  He is not teaching that we fear God as an intolerant and insensitive Deity willing to take human life with little concern.  He is not suggesting we fear God as we would a madman on the loose or a merciless hurricane or tornado.  Biblical fear of God is best seen through the child-father relationship.  Biblical fear of God is best understood when seeing God as a Holy and Faithful Father.

 When we see God as a Father, we will fear Him as our Authority; as a more powerful and competent Person as ourselves.  When we see God as a Father, we will fear Him with an appreciation for His responsibility for us, meaning we will appreciate His duty to raise us properly so that we become responsible and proper children.  When we view God as a Father, we will expect a great sense of consistency in His character and rule over us.  When we view Him as a Father, we will anticipate justice without respect of persons.  A good father punishes wrongdoing and disobedience consistently and justly.  He doesn't turn a blind eye to some of his children while more harshly punishing other of his children.  A good father doesn't make empty threats nor does he allow disobedience to go unaddressed, otherwise his children will learn terrible habits.  When we see God as our Father, we will fear Him as a consistent and just Authority under Whom our disobedience will not be occasionally missed or intentionally overlooked.  When we see God as our Father, we will fear Him as a Faithful and Immutable Presence Who will not forget or ignore the disobedience of His other children.  This appreciation for God's fatherly responsibilities and paternal character will bring "STRONG CONFIDENCE."

Knowing evil will always be punished brings a sense of deep confidence.  Knowing the Authority above us will always do right brings confidence.  Knowing the CEO will always do the right thing, even if that means firing you, brings a certain sense of stability.  Knowing the President will always do the right thing, even if that means punishing you, brings a healthy sense of confidence.  Knowing the Pastor will always do the right thing, even if that means addressing your uncomfortable issues, brings a crucial sense of certainty.  Nothing undermines a person's confidence like inconsistent leadership.  Nothing strips confidence from us like inconsistency in the authority above us.  Kids growing up in homes with inconsistent and unjust parents struggle with insecurity.  Wives in marriages with unstable and unfair husbands struggle with insecurity.  People struggle with security in friendships with ever-changing standards and expectations.  When a person consistently and fairly executes their standards for anything, they give everyone around them a sense of confidence.  As holy, righteous, just and immutable, God most certainly offers that confidence to His children.  When we recognize His unchanging and just nature, we should fear disobeying Him and in so doing, behave with a sense of deep confidence in the moral rules of life.

This Biblically-healthy fear of God not only gives us confidence in life but it gives us a refuge from life.  If we know that God loves us too much to not consistently punish our disobedience, then we will know that He loves us too much to not consistently protect us from evil.  When we see Him as a Father, we will not only fear His just oversight but we will see that consistent oversight as proof that He loves us and in so seeing, will turn to Him to protect us from the big bad bullies of life.  A father who demonstrates the character and strength to consistently address evil in the home communicates the character and the strength necessary to deal with evil outside the home.  If for the sake of leading justly, a father appears unmoved by a child's effort to wiggle out of punishment, that man will communicate something very powerful to that child - that he will be unmoved by the threat of evil in the world and as such, will protect that child from the evils of life.  Strength in the face of evil within a child will communicate strength in the face of evil within the world.  When a child fears his father's consistent justice when considering evil, that child will run to his father's loving arms when facing evil in the world.

Parents all too often think strength against disobedience in home will push a child out of the home when in reality, the opposite will happen.  A child that experiences consistent confrontation for evil in the home will find confidence and comfort in that home when living in an evil and unjust world.  The key is consistency and justice.  God brings both to the table and for that reason, brings both confidence and comfort to His children.  When we experience the relentless consistent justice of God in our lives, we find a refuge we can trust in a world we can't.  See God as a Father and you'll understand confidence.  Fear God as a Father and you'll enjoy strong confidence.  Experience God as a Father and you'll find a place of refuge.

Proverbs 14:25 "A true witness delivereth souls: but a deceitful witness speaketh lies."

One of my favorite real crime tv shows is called, See No Evil as it documents catching criminals through the use of video evidence.  The star witnesses in this program are not people but cameras on buildings.  I appreciate the documentaries because the inanimate witnesses are always reliable and never deceitful.  Because the digital witnesses never lie and never change their story, justice is served to both the perpetrator and the victim.  Unfortunately, the criminal justice system of Solomon's day didn't have these sleepless observers but instead relied heavily upon human eyewitnesses.  Human eyewitnesses are much less reliable because they're much more forgetful and sadly, they tend to be evil.

There was an art then and there is an art today in detecting deceit in an eyewitness.  One of the reasons I like watching, See No Evil is to learn how detectives use video evidence to detect subtle lies in witnesses or suspects in order to eventually solve crimes.  Solomon himself was given the ability to divinely detect deceit in suspects or witnesses as evidenced in the tragic rollover case of the deceased infant in 1 Kings 3.  Because witnesses were so crucial to the justice system in Solomon's day and because human witnesses could be so deceitful, Judaism required more than one witness in cases where the death penalty was on the table (Deuteronomy 17:6).  Honesty in court cases was so important within Jewish society that one of the Ten Commandments declared, "Thou shalt not bear false WITNESS against thy neighbor" (Exodus 20:16).  To help witnesses take their moral responsibilities seriously, God required the two or three witnesses in a trial where a person was found guilty of a crime punishable by death to be the first to cast stones at the guilty (Deuteronomy 17:7).  He wanted witnesses to bear the responsibility of their testimony.  If they were going to truthfully testify that a person committed a crime, God wanted those true witnesses to be prepared to justly punish that person for that crime.  If they were going to falsely testify that a person committed a crime, God wanted those false witnesses to be prepared to unjustly punish that person for no crime.  It's one thing to lie about an innocent man; it's another thing to kill an innocent man.  This Old Testament Jewish law didn't prevent lying but it was intended to deter lying in criminal cases. 

Witnesses lied then for the same reasons they lie now - to help themselves in some way or with some person.  The only real reason people lie is to avoid suspicion, guilt or loss.  Witnesses twist the truth, distort the facts or flat-out lie to help themselves.  If they're lying to protect a friend or family member, it's self-serving.  If a witness lies to condemn an innocent soul, it is done to get some advantage over that innocent person either on the job, in a relationship or in a financial dispute.  If a witness lies about what he or she saw, that witness is trying to either save themselves or someone they care about.  A false witness thinks his deceit will save him from some sort of loss.  A deceitful witness believes his lies will save him from some level of pain.  A lying witness is convinced that distorting or denying the truth will save someone from something bad.  According to Solomon, this deceitful witness is only deceiving himself.  Deceit doesn't deliver anyone. 

In this proverb and in this life, only a TRUE witness delivers souls.  Only TRUTH makes people free (John 8:32). Truth may condemn the guilty but it frees the innocent.  Truth may convict the criminal but it frees the victim.  Truth brings justice to the victim, freeing that unfortunate soul from the bondage of injustice.  Truth even brings opportunity for repentance to the perpetrator, freeing that dark soul from the bondage of iniquity.  Whereas lying enslaves the liar to a false narrative that requires more lies to keep it alive, truth liberates everyone from confusion and uncertainty.  Speaking the truth about what we observe always delivers someone.  Speaking truthfully about what we see may not be easy but it always helps someone find freedom.  Telling the truth about an event or an encounter may make someone look bad but if it's truthful, it will help someone else not look bad.

A witness is not a mind-reader or a motive-detector.  A witness is not required to share their feelings or their suspicions.  A witness is not asked to solve problems or to predict the future.  A witness is not expected to determine guilt or innocence.  The witness of this proverb is simply a person who speaks about what they witnessed.  A witness is only asked to share what they saw, not what they think or feel.  This proverb is about facts, not feelings.  This proverb is about being truthful with facts.  Accuracy with the facts brings liberty to someone somehow someway.  When we're tempted to twist the facts, we think we're going to save someone when in reality, we're not going to save anyone.  Just changing the time could put an innocent person in a literal prison while sentencing yourself to a lifetime of internal guilt in a spiritual prison.  Lying about a dollar figure may imprison a just person to erroneous thinking while imprisoning yourself to a lie that will haunt you for a lifetime.  The truth may hurt someone but it will always help someone.  Lies may seem like they help someone but they always hurt everyone in the long run.  Telling the truth may put a friend in jail but it will deliver innocent souls from suspicion, victims from injustice and even your friend from the bondage of living a lie.  Telling the truth about a family member or a coworker may be uncomfortable but it delivers both the innocent and the guilty from living under a cloud of questions, concerns and confusion.  Truth delivers everyone from the bondage of deceit.

In this proverb, one witness helps people in plural form and the other doesn't help a single soul.  In this proverb, one witness brings deliverance while the other brings deceit.  When tempted to lie about the facts, let this proverb be a reminder that deceit never saves anyone.  When tempted to lie about the facts, let this proverb be a reminder that only truth saves people, even if the truth is ugly or painful.  If you want help anyone, let the facts speak for themselves.  Whether in court or in counseling, facts always help someone while lies always hurt everyone.  Whether on the witness stand or at the coffee table, speaking the truth in love always helps someone while twisting the truth never saves anyone.  A true witness without respect of persons, like surveillance cameras, brings light to the darkness and in so doing, brings deliverances to souls.