Proverbs 15:1-33
VS 1-4: "A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare. The tongue of the wise makes knowledge appealing, but the mouth of a fool belches out foolishness. The Lord is watching everywhere, keeping his eye on both the evil and the good. Gentle words are a tree of life; a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit."
We already know the great weight our speech carries. Not only does what we say matter, but also, how we say it. The Bible says here in the first verse that "a gentle tongue deflects anger." This means that speech rooted in gentleness combats any spirit of harsh tempers or anger. Our words truly matter. The things we let roll off our tongues have the chance of either being wise and appealing, or foolish. A deceitful tongue crushes the spirits of others, but it is the words of wisdom that reap life.7
V5: "Only a fool despises a parent’s discipline; whoever learns from correction is wise."
God gave us our parents for a reason. They are there to lead us, guide us, advise us on the right way to live and discipline us. Discipline and correction stem from love. If our parents didn't love us and care about us enough to want to keep us on the right path, we'd never be corrected and end up in trouble. It is those who are foolish that despise discipline. Wisdom allows us to learn from the correctional advice given.
V6: "There is treasure in the house of the godly, but the earnings of the wicked bring trouble."
Wicked people try to cut corners to gain treasure. The hope that we, the Godly have, is that there is treasure in us and our homes. What we gain from being honest and doing things God's way, brings treasure. The wicked who do things the dishonest way bring nothing but trouble.
V7: "The lips of the wise give good advice; the heart of a fool has none to give."
Wise words from wise people with hearts rooted in wisdom bring good advice. Words that come from a foolish heart give us nothing beneficial.
VS 8-9: "The Lord detests the sacrifice of the wicked, but he delights in the prayers of the upright. The Lord detests the way of the wicked, but he loves those who pursue godliness."
Not only does the Lord oppose the wicked and their wicked ways, but He also detests their sacrifices. He knows that their hearts are not in the right place at all. It is the upright that He takes delight in. It is those who pursue Godliness that He loves.
V10: "Whoever abandons the right path will be severely disciplined; whoever hates correction will die."
As people, we have two different paths we can choose to go down and follow: the right path and the wrong path. The right path is the one laid out for us by the Lord, and the wise thing to do is to follow that one. The foolish and unwise thing to do is to abandon that path, as not only does it bring destruction to us, but it also brings severe discipline.
V12: "Mockers hate to be corrected, so they stay away from the wise."
Correction and discipline are something that every person needs in order to grow. Because mockers hate being corrected, they stay away from those who are wise. The only people that affect negatively and hurt are those who choose to distance themselves from what is right.
V13: "A glad heart makes a happy face; a broken heart crushes the spirit."
Joy and happiness stem from what is within. A heart that is glad will produce a disposition of gladness. The same thing goes for sorrow: a heart that is broken produces sadness and brokenness. As long as we fill our hearts with the joy that Jesus gives us, our spirits will reflect that!
V14: "A wise person is hungry for knowledge, while the fool feeds on trash."
A wise person craves and strives for more wisdom and knowledge. They can't help but want more. Fools feed off of foolishness which is no better than trash.
V15: "For the despondent, every day brings trouble; for the happy heart, life is a continual feast."
The despondent, downcast, and discouraged have nothing in their day-to-day to look forward to but trouble. The happy, healed, and holy go about life as if it is a continual feast. There is joy and restoration found in Jesus that can't help but make us happy!
V16: "Better to have little, with fear for the Lord, than to have great treasure and inner turmoil."
Earthly and materialistic treasures cannot compare to the things that the Lord gives us. It is better to lack and have little possessions here on Earth, but have a great fear of the Lord, than it is to have great treasures here, and internally be at unrest.
V18: "A hot-tempered person starts fights; a cool-tempered person stops them."
A hot-tempered person acts out of strong emotions and oftentimes, stirs up unnecessary trouble. A cool-tempered person has the wisdom to know how to avoid strife and keep things under control. The Holy Spirit's guidance helps to make wise decisions in pressing times.
V25: "The Lord tears down the house of the proud, but he protects the property of widows."
People who are proud do everything in their power to elevate themselves in an ungodly and selfish way. As a result of that, the Lord promises to "humble" them by (metaphorically) tearing down their homes. He protects the lowly and the servants. If you are at a low point in your life, are struggling, and dealing with loss, know that the God of Angel Armies promises to be your protection.
V26: "The Lord detests evil plans, but he delights in pure words."
Evil is the complete opposite of anything that the Lord stands for. He detests plans of evil, but He takes delight in pure words.
V27: "Greed brings grief to the whole family, but those who hate bribes will live."
Greed and dishonesty can often present this "get rich quick" illusion for us all, but the truth is that it brings nothing good. The Bible says here in this verse that greed not only brings grief to the greedy and selfish individual but also to their entire family. The wise people who hate and detest these things will live fruitful lives centered on truth and humility.
VS 28-30: "The heart of the godly thinks carefully before speaking; the mouth of the wicked overflows with evil words. The Lord is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayers of the righteous. A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health."
Godly people are careful to think about what they say before they speak. The foolish and wicked people just talk and their words stem from a heart that is rooted in evil.
The Lord is nowhere near anything deceptive or wicked. He detests those things! It is the prayers that come from the righteous that he hears and answers.
The way we carry ourselves matters. If we have a cheerful disposition, we bring joy to the heart of God and to those around us. God in Himself exudes joy, so we, who are made in His image are to reflect that as well.
VS 31-32: "If you listen to constructive criticism, you will be at home among the wise. If you reject discipline, you only harm yourself; but if you listen to correction, you grow in understanding."
Discipline and correction are there to help us, and center us back onto the right path. If we reject it, the only person we are causing harm to is ourselves. If we listen to it and truly make changes in the way that we live, we will grow and become wiser!
V33: "Fear of the Lord teaches wisdom; humility precedes honor."
There is great wisdom that comes from fearing the Lord. When we choose to live our lives completely unabandoned and surrendered to Him, shows that we lead lives of wisdom.
As people living in a self-centered world, one thing we all strive for is honor. Although honor in it of itself isn't a bad thing, there is something that we should pursue first, and it's humility. Humility is putting others above yourself, whereas honor puts you up on a pedestal. Humility is serving your brothers and sisters, but honor is being served by others. Humility should always precede honor in our lives.
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