The Motives You Save Maybe Your Own III

Saturday, July 30, 2022

11 Simpletons only learn the hard way,

    but the wise learn by listening.

12 A God-loyal person will see right through the wicked

    and undo the evil they’ve planned.

13 If you stop your ears to the cries of the poor,

    your cries will go unheard, unanswered.

14 A quietly given gift soothes an irritable person;

    a heartfelt present cools a hot temper.

15 Good people celebrate when justice triumphs,

    but for the workers of evil, it’s a bad day.

16 Whoever wanders off the straight and narrow

    ends up in a congregation of ghosts.

-Proverbs 21:11-16 The Message

11 When a scoffer is punished, the simple becomes wise;

    when a wise man is instructed, he gains knowledge.

12 The Righteous One observes the house of the wicked;

    he throws the wicked down to ruin.

13 Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor

    will himself call out and not be answered.

14 A gift in secret averts anger,

    and a concealed bribe, strong wrath.

15 When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous

    but terror to evildoers.

16 One who wanders from the way of good sense

    will rest in the assembly of the dead.

-Proverbs 21:11-16 ESV

Verses 11-12 studies: It is better to learn from other people’s mistakes than your own. One way for me is that you are not biased, making excuses when you make a mistake. By learning from others, you can listen to their advice. You can counsel yourself from others instead of going ahead of yourself and learning the hard way.

Verse 12 study: The Hebrew can translate “The Righteous One” to “righteous person.” So it makes more sense as a reference to God. the divine retribution is affirmed based on divine righteousness than human observation.

Verse 13 study: We should always work to meet the needs of the poor and protect their rights; you never know when you will need those same services.

Verse 15 study: Maintaining justice shows the well-being of those who live by it. Those who don’t go along with it will be undone. The wise discern this divine, providential under which is degraded by sin, is to some degree maintained in the world. Our job is to perceive His order and live in harmony with it. The center is God’s Word and our faithful obedience to it. Such obedience is meant by “the fear of the Lord.”