Solomon’s Sayings III

Sunday, June 5, 2022

21 The talk of a good person is rich fare for many,

    but chatterboxes die of an empty heart.

Fear-of-God Expands Your Life

22 God’s blessing makes life rich;

    nothing we do can improve on God.

23 An empty-head thinks mischief is fun,

    but a mindful person relishes wisdom.

24 The nightmares of the wicked come true;

    what the good people desire, they get.

25 When the storm is over, there’s nothing left of the wicked;

    good people, firm on their rock foundation, aren’t even fazed.

26 A lazy employee will give you nothing but trouble;

    it’s vinegar in the mouth, smoke in the eyes.

27 The Fear-of-God expands your life;

    a wicked life is a puny life.

28 The aspirations of good people end in celebration;

    the ambitions of bad people crash.

29 God is solid backing to a well-lived life,

    but he calls into question a shabby performance.

30 Good people last—they can’t be moved;

    the wicked are here today, gone tomorrow.

31 A good person’s mouth is a clear fountain of wisdom;

    a foul mouth is a stagnant swamp.

32 The speech of a good person clears the air;

    the words of the wicked pollute it.

-Proverbs 10:21-32 The Message

21 The lips of the righteous feed many,

    but fools die for lack of sense.

22 The blessing of the Lord makes rich,

    and he adds no sorrow with it.

23 Doing wrong is like a joke to a fool,

    but wisdom is pleasure to a man of understanding.

24 What the wicked dreads will come upon him,

    but the desire of the righteous will be granted.

25 When the tempest passes, the wicked is no more,

    but the righteous is established forever.

26 Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes,

    so is the sluggard to those who send him.

27 The fear of the Lord prolongs life,

    but the years of the wicked will be short.

28 The hope of the righteous brings joy,

    but the expectation of the wicked will perish.

29 The way of the Lord is a stronghold to the blameless

    but destruction to evildoers.

30 The righteous will never be removed,

    but the wicked will not dwell in the land.

31 The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom,

    but the perverse tongue will be cut off.

32 The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable,

    but the mouth of the wicked, what is perverse.

Verse 22 study: God provides people with personal and financial abilities to respond to the needs of others. When we take the time to realize that God blessed us and use the resources to do God’s will, hunger and poverty will be gone. Wealth is a blessing only if we use it in God’s way.

Verse 24 study: Those who do not believe in God usually fear death and the wicked. In contrast, believers desire eternal life and God’s salvation; their hopes will be rewarded. This verse offers a choice; fears or your desires. The choice you make depends on rejecting God and living your own way or choosing to accept God and follow him.