Proverbs 18:1-24
Loners who care only for themselves spit on the common good.
No man is an island, as the saying goes. Community – koinonia – is important for a body to be able to function. Each of us have gifts and talents given to us from God, and those strength are what helps the body of Christ function as a cohesive unit! When we are selfish and withdraw ourselves from community and service, we ultimately hurt the body, as well as ourselves.
Fools care nothing for thoughtful discourse; all they do is run off at the mouth.
We all know people like this. Heck, we have probably all done this a time or two. Know it all – foot in mouth syndrome. Solomon also talks about how a fool will speak without thinking. They just run their mouths. “It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one’s mouth and remove all doubt.” (Lincoln or Twain)
When wickedness arrives, shame’s not far behind; contempt for life is contemptible.
Sin bring self condemnation, doesn’t it. Shame brings contempt!
Many words rush along like rivers in flood, but deep wisdom flows up from artesian springs.
Sometimes I hear someone talking and talking and that’s what it reminds me of… a long rush of words like a swiftly flowing river — well-intentioned, but meaningless. Wisdom comes from the depths. Like a deep well, hundreds of feet into the ground, or a spring that comes from a vein of water deep in the strata of the rocks below the ground, cold and fresh. This is something you hear and drink deeply from, because you know it will quench your thirst.
It’s not right to go easy on the guilty, or come down hard on the innocent.
This is the sense of justice that is built into us – we want the guilty to be punished and the innocent to be set free.
The words of a fool start fights; do him a favor and gag him.
I love how straightforward that is. Did you ever want to do that to someone that is just being belligerent and unreasonable, shooting off at the mouth and causing an issue because they are impatient, annoyed, triggered? Grab a gag and tie is around their mouth and say, “There. Now chew on that for a while.”
Fools are undone by their big mouths; their souls are crushed by their words.
This goes along with the last verse. See ultimately when we shoot off at the mouth, our words come back to bite us. And running our mouth usually is not life speech, but speech that is demeaning, condescending, or boastful. Out of the heart the mouth speaks! What’s in our hearts?
Listening to gossip is like eating cheap candy; do you really want junk like that in your belly?
Too much candy is not good for you, is it? We love candy though… and as kids, its easy to remember Easter baskets full of candy and eating way too much of it all at once and the feeling of, “ohhhh I’m sick.” Well, imagine that those juicy morsels of gossip that we love to latch on to are like eating too much candy. After a little bit, it’s like a big lead ball down there – makes you feel like crap pretty quick. Gossip is one of those things that Jesus talks about – as does James. Life and death are in the tongue. The tongue can be a dangerous thing! Or it can be used for life speech!
Slack habits and sloppy work are as bad as vandalism.
Paul says, whatever you do, do it as unto The Lord. When we do something, we need to do it with excellence. I could write a huge post on just this verse alone. I don’t want to be known for doing things with mediocrity or shoddily. I want my work to be a testimony of the ability and talents that God has given me… and do the best I can with what I have for His glory. Vandalism is destroying something that someone else has put time and energy into doing with complete disregard and disrespect. So Solomon is saying, you do something sloppy, it’s the same thing. The same goes with slack habits. That’s the hard one. If we are lazy (see the entire book of Proverbs for this topic!) then he says, that’s like being a vandal. Yikes!
God’s name is a place of protection—good people can run there and be safe.
The name of The Lord is a strong tower, the righteous run in and they are saved. That’s another translation I grew up quoting. His name bring healing, hope, peace and strength. God is like a mother hen, who covers her chicks in a storm with her wings. Paul says he holds you in the palm of his hand and nothing will be able to pluck you out of it! You are safe in his hands. Always. It’s a promise.
The rich think their wealth protects them; they imagine themselves safe behind it.
How quickly wealth fades. I see celebrities from ten years ago who made millions and millions who are now broke and bankrupt. There is no safety in money. Store up treasure in heaven, where moth and dust can not corrupt, where thieves can not break in and steal. For where you treasure is, there you heart is also. You heart follows your treasure.
Pride first, then the crash, but humility is precursor to honor.
Pride goes before a fall. That axiom has been repeated so often, in so many ways. It’s been made into movies, books and stories. Humble yourself in the sight of The Lord, says Peter, and you will be exalted when the time is right. That’s another story that has been repeated and retold time and time again. Humility is honor.
Answering before listening is both stupid and rude.
Yup.
A healthy spirit conquers adversity, but what can you do when the spirit is crushed?
It’s so true that when you are feeling low, discouraged, depressed, or defeated, it is pretty difficult to pull yourself up to fight against the stuff that comes against you. When your spirit is crushed or when you are living in defeat is when you are more apt to compromise or allow the enemy to have a foothold in areas that if you were walking in strength and power, would not even be an issue! When we are walking confidently in the power of God, adversity doesn’t have a chance!
Wise men and women are always learning, always listening for fresh insights.
Yes and amen! I don’t even want to fall into the trap of thinking I have it all figured out and being too closed minded to accept new idea. Truth is, I have only just begun to learn, and so much is constantly changing and evolving, and I have to be flexible and adapt! The Lord is always revealing new insights and concepts as I study the word – it’s always fresh – living and active!
A gift gets attention; it buys the attention of eminent people.
This is why Jesus says in the Sermon on the Mount, let your giving be done in secret – so your left hand doesn’t even know what your right hand is doing. Your reward is in heaven’s eyes, not the eyes of men.
The first speech in a court case is always convincing—until the cross-examination starts!
So true. You hear the first opening speech and think, “Oh boy, I don’t think anything is going to top that.” Then the next guy gets up and blows the argument out of the water!
You may have to draw straws when faced with a tough decision.
Sometimes you are faced with a decision and there is not a clear answer. Draw straws, flip a coin… The Lord determines the outcome anyway!
Do a favor and win a friend forever; nothing can untie that bond.
How many times has that happened to you? You do a favor for someone – sometimes even a small favor, and they always remember it. Not only is it a great act of service and makes you feel good about being able to do it, but it does bond the two of you together by that shared experience!
Words satisfy the mind as much as fruit does the stomach; good talk is as gratifying as a good harvest.
Gosh, this one is so true. I love a good conversation that stimulates my spirit. Recently I have had several conversations with my friends Dave, Collin and Chad. From end-times to how we shall live as Christians, these moments cause me to think, rethink and push me on to greater depths in my walk with Christ. So often you come away from those conversations – full, excited, and encouraged. A good harvest. a ripe strawberry, bursting with flavor! I love it.
Words kill, words give life; they’re either poison or fruit—you choose.
And to continue on that thought… how do I use my speech? Am I an edifier or one who tears down? I love being around people who encourage me, who build me up. Guys like Joel Osteen, who has a gift of edification, are so used to giving hope to people who are struggling, to help people see light when they are in darkness. James speaks a lot about the tongue and the damage it can do when it is not kept under control. Did you even have an encounter with someone that just left you feeling slimed? Those moments are difficult because you can see the damage that words can inflict. But, like Solomon says… we choose whether we will be fruit or poison with our mouth. And what comes out of our mouth reveals what is in our hearts. If our hearts are grateful and full of the goodness of God, our mouths will testify of His goodness and blessing, and in the process bless those around us.
Find a good spouse, you find a good life—and even more: the favor of God!
So I hear! I can’t speak with any authority on this subject, but if I look at a couple like Jerry and Ethel Reeder, or my grandparents, I see this to be true!
The poor speak in soft supplications; the rich bark out answers.
Request vs. commanding? Because of social status perhaps? I need to study this one more.
Friends come and friends go, but a true friend sticks by you like family.
And there is a friend who stick closer than family – Jesus Christ. The one who promised never to leave us … the one who loves us because that is who He is — no matter what we do He will never love us less. How amazing is that!