[Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (FG), a daily reading update (reflection) from each chapter of the Bible]
ℙℝ𝕆𝕍𝔼ℝ𝔹𝕊
𝟙𝟘:𝟙
"𝕋𝕙𝕖
𝕡𝕣𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕓𝕤
𝕠𝕗
𝕊𝕠𝕝𝕠𝕞𝕠𝕟.
A wise son makes a father glad,
But a foolish son is a grief to his
mother."
From here, begins the real
proverbs—short witty statements—till chapter 22:16 are the proverbs of Solomon
the wisest man.
Scholars have counted them to be 375
proverbs. Well sufficient to update his proverbs once a day every year!
BTW, chapters 1-9 serve as the
foundation, a basis to understand and apply the following proverbs
appropriately. They are instructions given by an experienced loving father and
mother to a son.
Well, most of them are witty and
true even by the standards of this wicked world, but they are all wise sayings
because they are measured by the standard of heaven. It's heavenly wisdom,
inspired, and to be studied.
For example, v13, it had been true
even for the world for centuries, but now, if you beat a fool or even your
child, you are a fool and could end up in jail. But it's the world that's
changing, not the Proverbs. The world professing to be wise, they become fools!
ℙℝ𝕆𝕍𝔼ℝ𝔹𝕊
𝟙𝟙:𝟚𝟠
"He who trusts in his riches
will fall,
But the righteous will flourish
like the green leaf."
The Scriptures’ Philosophy is
different from the world when it comes to prosperity and longevity of life. It's
not by wealth; it's by righteousness. Don't run after richness; run after
righteousness.
It's ok, good, and better to be
rich than to be poor, but how we get rich should not be at the expense of
righteousness. And even when we are rich, it's our righteousness that will
sustain us.
Rightness must be preferred over
Richness! Don't run after easy money, easy work, and easy popularity at the
cost of the right living!
ℙℝ𝕆𝕍𝔼ℝ𝔹𝕊
𝟙𝟚:𝟙𝟘
"A righteous man knows the
value of the life of his animal,
But even the compassion of the
wicked is cruel."
Not only by the way how a man
behaves with fellow humans but even with animals. Perhaps even by the way how
one kills a mosquito! Christian veterinarians should be able to quote this verse
by heart! 🙂
ℙℝ𝕆𝕍𝔼ℝ𝔹𝕊
𝟙𝟛:𝟚𝟚
"A good man leaves an
inheritance to his children’s children,
And the wealth of the sinner is
stored up for the righteous."
The obvious fact: righteous people
work hard and leave enough inheritance for even the third generation.
Whereas the wicked people even what
they have earned will be taken away and be given to righteous people after they
die.
Again, Proverbs is establishing for
us a righteous hard-working life to choose.
ℙℝ𝕆𝕍𝔼ℝ𝔹𝕊
𝟙𝟜:𝟡
"Ignorant fools scoff at
guilt."
That's a lot of words in a single
line. Only 5 words but weighty ones.
Ignorant (adjective, functioning as
the further description of this individual)
Fools (the nature of this person,
his identity, BTW, it's plural. There are many... Are you one of them? 🥶)
Scoff (verb, this is their action,
their habit, what they do. Know them by what they do!)
Guilt (Guilt is to be relieved by
confession, repentance, forgiveness, and reconciliation; not by mocking,
scoffing, or ignoring). And BTW the ultimate guilt of sin is removed by the
death of Christ. It's not by scoffing! And our response is a godly sorrow
leading towards repentance!
ℙℝ𝕆𝕍𝔼ℝ𝔹𝕊
𝟙𝟝:𝟙
"A gentle answer turns away
wrath,
But a harsh word stirs up
anger."
This is true! Have seen it many
times already! 👍
ℙℝ𝕆𝕍𝔼ℝ𝔹𝕊
𝟙𝟞:𝟛
"Commit your works to Yahweh
And your plans will be established."
One of my favorite chapters in the
book of Proverbs is Chapter 16. And v3 is interestingly different from what we
normally and usually do. We plan and commit our plans to God to bless us with successful
work. Many of our prayers are informing God what to do or what can be done. This
proverb is telling us to commit our works to God and that God will establish
our plans.
ℙℝ𝕆𝕍𝔼ℝ𝔹𝕊
𝟙𝟟:𝟡,
"He who covers a transgression
seeks love,
But he who repeats a matter
separates close companions."
Note the verbs. They are the
actions. Those are what matter — to do and not to do: Cover and Repeat
Be forgiving. And once you have
forgiven, do not recall again, do not talk about it again. Or else, ask,
"Do I really have love? Have I really forgiven?" Or "Do I want
some people to talk about my mistake again and again?" "Do I love
people who never stop talking about my past mistake? "And the answers are
most probably "No!"
ℙℝ𝕆𝕍𝔼ℝ𝔹𝕊
𝟙𝟠:𝟚𝟜
"A man of too many friends
comes to ruin,
But there is a friend who
sticks."
Proverbs 18 has lots of wisdom than
I thought before! But I've decided to single out v24 for today. It's good to
have many friends than have many enemies. Gandhi is supposed to have said,
"Do you have 50 friends? Too less. Do you have 1 enemy? Too many"
However, friends influence one
another, and therefore must be wise. It's good to stick with only a few good
friends. As another writer said, "One friend is enough, two is too many,
and it's impossible to have three friends"
Bill McCartney has 4 levels of friendships.
He says many people don't have a first-level friendship. Do you have a friend
that sticks closer than a brother as this proverb says? Well, I don't have. All
the friends I have aren't even good enough to be called my best friends. I
think I don't have even a second-level friendship. Everyone is in the 4th
or 3rd level.
Be careful of your friendship!
Please don't try to be cool and say around, "You are my BFF, best friend
forever" to anyone. Don't be stupid! As one writer said, "Friends are
often more trouble than help!"
But there's indeed a friend who
sticks closer than a brother, than a superglue: Jesus Christ. He is not just
our God, not just our Lord, not just our brother, but also our friend. And He
laid down His life for me. Nobody does that. And He will never let me go of His
hands. Even super-glue can be broken, no, not from the love of Christ!
ℙℝ𝕆𝕍𝔼ℝ𝔹𝕊
𝟙𝟡:𝟙
"Better is a poor man who
walks in his integrity
Than he who is crooked in lips and
is a fool."
We don't want to be treated as poor
people because everyone looks down on the poor. They are even treated as fools,
lazybones, witless, powerless, hopeless, and useless. Yet this verse says, it's
better to be poor and live a life of integrity.
In other words, it's better to be
poor and learn how to swim in a river, than to have the brain of Einstein and the
wealth of Elon Musk, and not have learned to swim in a capsizing boat in the
middle of the river.
Man of integrity! Man of principle.
Man of careful thinking!
ℙℝ𝕆𝕍𝔼ℝ𝔹𝕊
𝟚𝟘:𝟙𝟜
"‘Bad, bad,’ says the buyer,
But when he goes his way, then he
boasts."
Everyone behaves the same when it
comes to business and shopping!
ℙℝ𝕆𝕍𝔼ℝ𝔹𝕊
𝟚𝟙:𝟡
"It is better to live in a corner
of a roof
Than in a house shared with a
contentious woman."
The thought is repeated in v19.
Don't marry a contentious woman.
Full stop!
Break up! Dump her! If she is
contentious! 😎
ℙℝ𝕆𝕍𝔼ℝ𝔹𝕊
𝟚𝟚:𝟙
"A good name is to be chosen
over great wealth,
Favor is better than silver and
gold."
Indeed, being rich in reputation is
better than being rich in wealth. A reputed man will not live in poverty;
however, a rich man could be hated by many.