Tuesday, July 19, 2022
8 Grow a wise heart—you’ll do yourself a favor;
keep a clear head—you’ll find a good life.
9 The person who tells lies gets caught;
the person who spreads rumors is ruined.
10 Blockheads shouldn’t live on easy street
any more than workers should give orders to their boss.
11 Smart people know how to hold their tongue;
their grandeur is to forgive and forget.
12 Mean-tempered leaders are like mad dogs;
the good-natured are like fresh morning dew.
13 A parent is worn to a frazzle by an irresponsible child;
a nagging spouse is a leaky faucet.
14 House and land are handed down from parents,
but a congenial spouse comes straight from God.
15 Life collapses on loafers;
lazybones go hungry.
-Proverbs 19:8-15 The Message
8 Whoever gets sense loves his own soul;
he who keeps understanding will discover good.
9 A false witness will not go unpunished,
and he who breathes out lies will perish.
10 It is not fitting for a fool to live in luxury,
much less for a slave to rule over princes.
11 Good sense makes one slow to anger,
and it is his glory to overlook an offense.
12 A king’s wrath is like the growling of a lion,
but his favor is like dew on the grass.
13 A foolish son is ruin to his father,
and a wife’s quarreling is a continual dripping of rain.
14 House and wealth are inherited from fathers,
but a prudent wife is from the Lord.
15 Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep,
and an idle person will suffer hunger.
-Proverbs 19:8-15 ESV
Verse 8 study: It’s good to love yourself when your soul is at stake. These proverbs don’t condone self-centered people who love and protect themselves and their selfish interests. They’ll do anything to serve themselves. This is supposed to encourage people that care about themselves to seek wisdom. Wisdom promotes relationships that are essential for the good life.
Verse 10 study: Fools and luxury don’t mix. A fool can’t handle the responsibility of riches. The verse refers to a fool in a position of administrative power than wealth. This happens when a governed society is not prepared to be social and intellectual. It’s unfitting because new oppressors are unpredictable and don’t know how to handle situations. Read 2 Samuel 7: 8-16 for a comparison.
8-11 "So here is what you are to tell my servant David: The God-of-the-Angel-Armies has this word for you: I took you from the pasture, tagging along after sheep, and made you prince over my people Israel. I was with you everywhere you went and mowed your enemies down before you. Now I'm making you famous, to be ranked with the great names on earth. And I'm going to set aside a place for my people in Israel and plant them there so they'll have their own home and not be knocked around anymore. Nor will evil men afflict you as they always have, even during the days I set judges over my people Israel. Finally, I'm going to give you peace from all your enemies. 11-16 "Furthermore, God has this message for you: God himself will build you a house! When your life is complete and you're buried with your ancestors, then I'll raise up your child, your own flesh and blood, to succeed you, and I'll firmly establish his rule. He will build a house to honor me, and I will guarantee his kingdom's rule permanently. I'll be a father to him, and he'll be a son to me. When he does wrong, I'll discipline him in the usual ways, the pitfalls and obstacles of this mortal life. But I'll never remove my gracious love from him, as I removed it from Saul, who preceded you and whom I most certainly did remove. Your family and your kingdom are permanently secured. I'm keeping my eye on them! And your royal throne will always be there, rock solid." -2 Samuel 7:8-16 The Message
Verse 11 study: Be slow to anger. Your discipline will show how wise you are. In addition, the proper evaluation will help prevent you from taking offense to every little insult.
Verse 13 study: Nagging has the potential for destruction. For example, a leaking roof makes a house uninhabitable during a rainstorm.
Verse 14 study: This proverb does not imply that the Lord is not in control of the inheritance of wealth. It shows that the outcome of one’s choice of a spouse is not so easy to predict or control. A happy marriage is because of God.
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