Proverbs 12:1-3; 6-7; 9; 14-23; 25-26; 28
V1: "To learn, you must love discipline; it is stupid to hate correction."
Correction and discipline are both gifts that we need to accept in order to learn. If we hate correction, that is foolishness. At the end of the day, we can do nothing in our strength, and wisdom encourages us to live disciplined.
V2: "The Lord approves of those who are good, but he condemns those who plan wickedness."
As people, we always strive and seek approval. The harsh reality is that acceptance from man can never and will never satisfy us. The only thing that brings complete satisfaction to our souls is Jesus! The Bible tells us that He approves of those who are good and live for Him and condemns those who live lives of wickedness. This is why we must live righteously and follow the path the Lord has laid out for us instead of the paths of sin.
V3: "Wickedness never brings stability, but the godly have deep roots."
Because the Lord is our firm foundation, anything from Him is solid and firm. When we are rooted in Christ, we are firm in Him. Being rooted in the ways of wickedness will fail us simply because it is not stable. The only things that can last the storms of life are the things from the Lord, making it even more important when we pick what we root ourselves in.
V6: "The words of the wicked are like a murderous ambush, but the words of the godly save lives."
We already know that our words hold great power: the power of life and death is found in our tongue (Proverbs 18:21). This verse says that the words of the wicked are as dangerous as a murderous ambush (or death), but the words of the Godly save lives (or bring life). What we say matters! We have this powerful gift that can either use in a way that is flesh pleasing or honoring to the Lord. It is important to monitor what we say and make sure that our words bring life to the world, not death.
V7: "The wicked die and disappear, but the family of the godly stands firm."
When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we have been promised eternal life with Him instead of eternity away from Him in utter destruction and darkness. The wicked who choose not to follow and accept Jesus are the ones who will die off and disappear, and so will their lineage. The Godly will stand firm and live forever!
V9: "Better to be an ordinary person with a servant than to be self-important but have no food."
When the righteous enter the gates of Heaven, the first thing they will hear is "Well done good and faithful servant." It is so much better for us to be selfless and humble servants than to be self-centered and self-righteous. We are here on this Earth to look like Jesus, tell others about Him, and live and love as He did. That means being servants and living by putting others above you.
V14: "Wise words bring many benefits, and hard work brings rewards."
Words of wisdom reap many benefits for the wise, and so does hard work. Speaking words rooted in the Lord shows that our hearts are in the right place. The same thing goes for the way we work: having integrity with the tasks we have to accomplish brings rewards too!
V15: "Fools think their way is right, but the wise listen to others."
Foolishness starts when we begin to think that we know what is right and do everything in our strength. At the end of the day, we know nothing. Aside from the guidance and wisdom God gives us, we can't do anything in our strength, and to even think that we can is foolishness. Wisdom encourages us to listen to others and be open. We do not know it all, making it all the more important that we don't rely on ourselves, but on the Lord.
V16: "A fool is quick-tempered, but a wise person stays calm when insulted."
As people who have been made new in Christ, there are fruits that we bear that make us different than the world. One of those fruits is self-control. A fool lacks self-control and has a quick temper, but a wise person knows how to stay calm in those intense moments.
V17: "An honest witness tells the truth; a false witness tells lies."
Those who are honest and filled with integrity tell the truth. They do not need to hide or cover up what they've done and live honest lives.
V18: "Some people make cutting remarks, but the words of the wise bring healing."
When you speak words of life, you heal the wounded, damaged, and broken souls. Harsh, coarse, and perverse words do not heal. The things we say carry a heavy weight, and I don't know about you, but I want to be a person who brings life with what I say.
V19: "Truthful words stand the test of time, but lies are soon exposed."
Aside from trying to cover up a wrong someone has done, lies are often told to avoid trouble. Oftentimes, it can seem like those who are evil get away with the wrong they've done, leaving the good and Godly to fall by the wayside. As children of God, we have the hope that the lies from the enemy will be uncovered. God will bring justice. The truth will stand firm in testing times, but all lies will be exposed sooner than later.
V20: "Deceit fills hearts that are plotting evil; joy fills hearts that are planning peace!"
We already know that whatever our hearts are rooted in is what they will produce. A heart rooted in deceit will reap evil. A heart rooted in joy reaps peace from the Lord! When we stay faithful to the path the Lord has laid out for us, our hearts are filled with the things of Him, and no scheme of the enemy can make us stumble into the ways of wickedness.
V21: "No harm comes to the godly, but the wicked have their fill of trouble."
The Godly are covered and shielded by the righteous covering of God. No harm can come to us. No plan or scheme of the enemy can destroy us. No trouble can cause us to stumble for we are rooted in Him. The wicked choose to stand firm in the things that are detestable to the Lord, and because of the path they choose to follow, they will have their fill of trouble coming their way. We have nothing to fear when we are in Christ!
V22: "The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in those who tell the truth."
Lying lips stem from a heart of deceit and dishonesty, and the Lord detests that. He delights in those of us who tell the truth because it shows who we are rooted in.
V23: "The wise don’t make a show of their knowledge, but fools broadcast their foolishness."
Wisdom isn't about putting your name on blast and boasting about how wise you are, because that's what foolishness is. Wisdom keeps you pure, humble, and meek. It is meant to be shared in a manner of love and grace, not out of pride. That's how foolishness spreads: someone will boast about how "great" their works are, and it spreads like a disease. Wisdom boasts of the greatness of God, not ourselves.
V25: "Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up."
What does worry add to your life? Nothing, am I right? I know for me, I would oftentimes struggle with crippling fear and anxiety to the point where I was scared of being scared. What changed things for me was when I intentionally made the choice to focus on the things that would add joy and righteousness to my life, and believe me, anxiety is not one of those things. All worry does is weigh us down. What lifts us back up, are words of life and encouragement. Sometimes, those life-giving words are what bring us back to life.
V26: "The godly give good advice to their friends; the wicked lead them astray."
The people we call our friends have a great influence on us. Godly friends lead us closer and closer to Jesus and help build us up to look like Him. They also know how to give good advice: advice rooted in the things of God. On the other hand, we have the wicked and bad friends. These are the people who tear us down and pull us away from the things of God. They also lead us away from the paths of righteousness.
V28: "The way of the godly leads to life; that path does not lead to death."
As we walk through life, there are 2 different paths we can choose to follow after: there's the wide path, and there's the narrow one. The wide path is easy to follow, and it's much more carefree, as there really is no consequence for your actions. You get to live your life, and it even seems fun as you do whatever you want! Sure there's sin, but it looks good to you on this path. Then, there's the narrow path. The narrow path is hard to follow. It is filled with all sorts of twists and turns, and trials and tribulations. It's a road that is hard to follow, but at the end of the day, it pays off. The narrow road leads to an eternity with God and everlasting life with Him! The other road leads to death and destruction. Which path are you going to pick?
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