You Are Not the Only One

#wisdom #relationships #understanding

This weekend I am breaking up the proverbs into generalized categories. It is hopeful that these categories will help us to read them within the context of our own lives. I will continue to make bold the righteous actions. It helps me focus on who I am and what I should be striving for each day – by the very grace of God!

RELATIONSHIPS

• 1 Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands. [A woman who has no respect and or fear of God will not value her marriage, and or family. She will go through relationships like water through a sieve!
• 2 He that walketh in his uprightness feareth the LORD: but he that is perverse in his ways despiseth him.[Because we are truly living under the grace of God we fear Him. But the ungodly who have not accepted Christ as their personal Savior will live as they choose.]
• 6 A scorner seeketh wisdom, and findeth it not: but knowledge is easy unto him that understandeth. [A wise person will seek after knowledge and understanding. They will want to learn how to “love all people better!”
• 9 Fools make a mock at sin: but among the righteous there is a favour.
• 10 The heart knoweth his own bitterness; and a stranger doth not intermeddle with his joy. [This is why the Bible speaks about welcoming the stranger into our gates. Israel knew what it was like to be strangers in the land. They remember how badly they were treated in Egypt!” “the book of Deuteronomy sets out the requirement that a portion of produce be set aside by farmers every third year for strangers, widows, and orphans. In the “temple sermon” attributed to the prophet Jeremiah, the Jewish people are exhorted to “not oppress the sojourner.”( Mathew Schmalz: Associate Professor of Religion, College of the Holy Cross}
•  11 The house of the wicked shall be overthrown: but the tabernacle of the upright shall flourish. [It pays to live a godly life and have solid family relationships.]
• 13 Even in laughter, the heart is sorrowful; and the end of that mirth is heaviness. [Have you ever been to a person house after the funeral, or even during a funeral when people talk about the deceased, sometimes they make jokes about the person and how funny they were. So they could laugh, but they were still sorrowful because their loved one was no longer with them.
• 17 He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly: and a man of wicked devices is hated. [I don’t know about you but a person who blows their stack very easily always looks foolish while they are blowing it. Have you had that experience? That is why we need to think before we speak. Words can lift a person up or they can tear them down! A person who seeks revenge instead of seeking to heal the breach in their relationships with others that may have been broken is not demonstration godly grace. They have taken on a role that belongs to God “Vengence is mine says the Lord!”
• 20 The poor is hated even of his own neighbour: but the rich hath many friends. [If someone is only your friend because of what you can give them, or because they believe it is good to be associated with you because of your social standing, then that relationship is self-serving. They are not your friend simply because they care about you. That is how God’s relationship is with us. We can give Him absolutely nothing!]
• 21 He that despiseth his neighbour sinneth: but he that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he. [We should never judge a person because of their appearance, or because they are NOT a Christian. We should always be aware of the needy and be cognizant that God looked down on us in our sin and shame and still loved us!]
• 22 Do they not err that devise evil? but mercy and truth shall be to them that devise good. [This is really interesting. Can you imagine a person who plans to be merciful, truthful, and does good to others at all cost and all the time? Just think about our current world climate? We are becoming more self-centered. Personally, collectively and nationally-all over the world!]
• 24 The crown of the wise is their riches: but the foolishness of fools is folly. [When one chooses to be foolish and do foolish things even when they have been told that they are harmful to them and their family members that is considered ‘folly.’
• 26 In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: [Our relationship with the Lord gives us confidence in our final resting place and…]and his children shall have a place of refuge [He is our refuge. What does that mean? When people are panicking all around us about the state of the community, state, nation, world, we can be sure that God IS OUR PROTECTOR-we do not have to live in fear!]
• 27 The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, [it gives us everlasting life and we do not have to worry about ..] to depart from the snares of death.
• 28 In the multitude of people is the king’s honour: [As people who know Christ we should be sharing that knowledge with others so that the Kingdom of God may increase.] but in the want of people is the destruction of the prince.
• 29 He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly.
• 35The king’s favour is toward a wise servant: but his wrath is against him that causeth shame.

WORK ETHIC

• 4 Where no oxen are, the crib is clean: but much increase is by the strength of the ox. [It takes effort and the right tool to produce!]
• 23 In all labour there is profit: [“Talk without with is cheap!] but the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury.

INTEGRITY

• 3 In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride: but the lips of the wise shall preserve them.
• 5 A faithful witness will not lie: but a false witness will utter lies.
• 7 Go from the presence of a foolish man, when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge.
• 8 The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way: but the folly of fools is deceit.
• 12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
• 14 The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: [Those who turn their backs on God think of nothing but doing what they want to do. In the end, they are fearful but..] and a good man shall be satisfied from himself.
• 15 The simple believeth every word: but the prudent man looketh well to his going.
• 16 A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil: but the fool rageth, and is confident.
• 18 The simple inherit folly: but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
• 19 The evil [will] bow before the good; and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
• 25 A true witness delivereth souls: but a deceitful witness speaketh lies.
• 30 A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones.
• 31 He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker [does a shameful thing against God!]: but he that honoureth him hath mercy on the poor.
• 32 The wicked is driven away in his wickedness: but the righteous hath hope in his death.
• 33 Wisdom resteth in the heart of him that hath understanding: but that which is in the midst of fools is made known.
• 34 Righteousness exalteth a nation: [A nation that has righteous laws for it citizens and treats people fairly is exalted among and by all nations.] but [a] sin[ful] is a reproach [or scorned/hated] to any people.

Finally, our relationships with others are impacted by our words, actions, our integrity [whether we are truthful or not], reliable, and impartial. Just send us a message if you want to chat about this devotional or IM us on Facebook.