Good Morning! And best wishes to those who celebrate
Valentine’s Day.
My four-year old great granddaughter,
Cozy, has learned to writer her name … and, with a little help, how to write
other people’s name. Last Sunday she and
her Nana (Heather) went shopping at Walmart … and she bought a bunch of
Valentine’s. So, when I got home Sunday,
there was an envelope with Pop printed on it … and a Valentine with her name on
the inside. This old guy didn’t expect
any valentines this year. What was even
best came Wednesday when she hugged me … something Cozy has never done
before. So … happy Valentine’s day.
I was talking with one of
the other cast members yesterday about the Good Morning posts. We got on the subject when someone quoted “pride
goeth before a fall”. I commented on the
value of the Proverbs … and then how infrequently I use them in the Good Morning
messages. So … guess what … this morning
the message comes from Proverbs.
Did you know that Proverbs
has thirty-one chapters? One of my past pastors told me that he reads through Proverbs
each month by reading one chapter per day.
So… using this logic, I took a look at Proverbs 14:
Proverbs 14 English Standard Version (ESV)
14 The wisest of
women builds her house,
but folly with her own hands tears it down.
2 Whoever walks in uprightness fears the Lord,
but he who is devious in his ways despises him.
3 By the mouth of a fool comes a rod for his back,[a]
but the lips of the wise will preserve them.
4 Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean,
but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox.
5 A faithful witness does not lie,
but a false witness breathes out lies.
6 A scoffer seeks wisdom in vain,
but knowledge is easy for a man of understanding.
7 Leave the presence of a fool,
for there you do not meet words of knowledge.
8 The wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way,
but the folly of fools is deceiving.
9 Fools mock at the guilt offering,
but the upright enjoy acceptance.[b]
10 The heart knows its own bitterness,
and no stranger shares its joy.
11 The house of the wicked will be destroyed,
but the tent of the upright will flourish.
12 There is a way that seems right to a man,
but its end is the way to death.[c]
13 Even in laughter the heart may ache,
and the end of joy may be grief.
14 The backslider in heart will be filled with the fruit of his ways,
and a good man will be filled with the fruit of his ways.
15 The simple believes everything,
but the prudent gives thought to his steps.
16 One who is wise is cautious[d] and turns away from evil,
but a fool is reckless and careless.
17 A man of quick temper acts foolishly,
and a man of evil devices is hated.
18 The simple inherit folly,
but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
19 The evil bow down before the good,
the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
20 The poor is disliked even by his neighbor,
but the rich has many friends.
21 Whoever despises his neighbor is a sinner,
but blessed is he who is generous to the poor.
22 Do they not go astray who devise evil?
Those who devise good meet[e] steadfast love and faithfulness.
23 In all toil there is profit,
but mere talk tends only to poverty.
24 The crown of the wise is their wealth,
but the folly of fools brings folly.
25 A truthful witness saves lives,
but one who breathes out lies is deceitful.
26 In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence,
and his children will have a refuge.
27 The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,
that one may turn away from the snares of death.
28 In a multitude of people is the glory of a king,
but without people a prince is ruined.
29 Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding,
but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly.
30 A tranquil[f] heart gives life to the flesh,
but envy[g] makes the bones rot.
31 Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker,
but he who is generous to the needy honors him.
32 The wicked is overthrown through his evildoing,
but the righteous finds refuge in his death.
33 Wisdom rests in the heart of a man of understanding,
but it makes itself known even in the midst of fools.[h]
34 Righteousness exalts a nation,
but sin is a reproach to any people.
35 A servant who deals wisely has the king's favor,
but his wrath falls on one who acts shamefully.
but folly with her own hands tears it down.
2 Whoever walks in uprightness fears the Lord,
but he who is devious in his ways despises him.
3 By the mouth of a fool comes a rod for his back,[a]
but the lips of the wise will preserve them.
4 Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean,
but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox.
5 A faithful witness does not lie,
but a false witness breathes out lies.
6 A scoffer seeks wisdom in vain,
but knowledge is easy for a man of understanding.
7 Leave the presence of a fool,
for there you do not meet words of knowledge.
8 The wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way,
but the folly of fools is deceiving.
9 Fools mock at the guilt offering,
but the upright enjoy acceptance.[b]
10 The heart knows its own bitterness,
and no stranger shares its joy.
11 The house of the wicked will be destroyed,
but the tent of the upright will flourish.
12 There is a way that seems right to a man,
but its end is the way to death.[c]
13 Even in laughter the heart may ache,
and the end of joy may be grief.
14 The backslider in heart will be filled with the fruit of his ways,
and a good man will be filled with the fruit of his ways.
15 The simple believes everything,
but the prudent gives thought to his steps.
16 One who is wise is cautious[d] and turns away from evil,
but a fool is reckless and careless.
17 A man of quick temper acts foolishly,
and a man of evil devices is hated.
18 The simple inherit folly,
but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
19 The evil bow down before the good,
the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
20 The poor is disliked even by his neighbor,
but the rich has many friends.
21 Whoever despises his neighbor is a sinner,
but blessed is he who is generous to the poor.
22 Do they not go astray who devise evil?
Those who devise good meet[e] steadfast love and faithfulness.
23 In all toil there is profit,
but mere talk tends only to poverty.
24 The crown of the wise is their wealth,
but the folly of fools brings folly.
25 A truthful witness saves lives,
but one who breathes out lies is deceitful.
26 In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence,
and his children will have a refuge.
27 The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,
that one may turn away from the snares of death.
28 In a multitude of people is the glory of a king,
but without people a prince is ruined.
29 Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding,
but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly.
30 A tranquil[f] heart gives life to the flesh,
but envy[g] makes the bones rot.
31 Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker,
but he who is generous to the needy honors him.
32 The wicked is overthrown through his evildoing,
but the righteous finds refuge in his death.
33 Wisdom rests in the heart of a man of understanding,
but it makes itself known even in the midst of fools.[h]
34 Righteousness exalts a nation,
but sin is a reproach to any people.
35 A servant who deals wisely has the king's favor,
but his wrath falls on one who acts shamefully.
Footnotes:
a. Proverbs 14:3 Or In
the mouth of a fool is a rod of pride
b. Proverbs 14:9 Hebrew but
among the upright is acceptance
c. Proverbs 14:12 Hebrew ways
of death
d. Proverbs 14:16 Or fears [the Lord]
e. Proverbs 14:22 Or show
f. Proverbs 14:30 Or healing
g. Proverbs 14:30 Or jealousy
h. Proverbs 14:33 Or Wisdom
rests quietly in the heart of a man of understanding, but makes itself known in
the midst of fools
A proverb is a short saying carrying great
wisdom. It is hard to pick out just one from
the thirty-five in this particular Proverb … but the one I know I have used
pretty frequently is 14:12:
12 There is a way that seems right to a man,
but its end is the way to death.
but its end is the way to death.
Far too often we rely upon human wisdom to solve
problems. Note I did not limit the
problems to the spiritual. The wisdom of
man is foolishness to God (as Paul said in his letter to the church at
Corinth). It is prudent to take all of
our problems to God … and to listen for His advice for resolution.
Now, Mr. Jim has to admit his failure to
follow the admonition of this Proverb.
Perhaps that is why God is speaking to me this good morning … reminding
me to stop relying upon my “wisdom” … of which there isn’t too much … and to spend
more time in prayer (seeking God’s wisdom) and meditation (listening for Him to
speak).
Well, it is Friday … the end of another
week. Many of us up in the Northeast Georgia
mountains did not get to go to church last week because of the snow. This weekend appears to be clear and free of
snow … or even rain. So, my plan is to be
in Sunday School and church this Sunday.
I hope you will be as well.
Agape’
Mr. Jim
Prayer: Thank You, dear Father, for teaching me to seek
Your face and to listen to Your voice in all that I do. In Jesus’ Name … Amen.
Scripture for today: Proverbs 14
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