Wednesday’s Proverb Chapter – 12

Proverbs 12 for the 12th

Proverbs 12
1 Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid. That’s an interesting thing to think about. I don’t really like correction, it makes me bristle… at the same time, it’s true that you DO learn from it. It’s nice when it can be given gently and in nice ways. My current boss is pretty good at that and God is always great about it.

2 A good man obtains favor from the LORD, but the LORD condemns a crafty man. 3 A man cannot be established through wickedness, but the righteous cannot be uprooted. That’s got to be true for the next world, because it isn’t always true for this world. I used to believe that when I was growing up. My parents and grandparents raised me to believe this. But I have seen, in my lifetime, that this is not always true on our Earth.

4 A wife of noble character is her husband’s crown, but a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones.This is SO true and I like to be reminded of this at all times. It makes me feel good and inspires me to be a better wife!

5 The plans of the righteous are just, but the advice of the wicked is deceitful. 6 The words of the wicked lie in wait for blood, but the speech of the upright rescues them. These are true words. The advice of the wicked is ALWAYS bad advice and it’s true that you have to watch out who you’re asking advice from and who you set up as your role models!<br.

7 Wicked men are overthrown and are no more, but the house of the righteous stands firm. Is that true? Sometimes, maybe even often, but I guess that depends on whose perspective.

8 A man is praised according to his wisdom, but men with warped minds are despised.Our problem these days, is that men with warped minds are often admired .

9 Better to be a nobody and yet have a servant than pretend to be somebody and have no food.Now THIS is true!

10 A righteous man cares for the needs of his animal, but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel.This is interesting. Are the kindest acts of the wicked really cruel? I guess it depends on who the wicked person is and how wicked he/she is. I don’t think Hugh Hefner’s kindest acts are cruel and one would think that he would qualify as wicked if looked at in a Biblical sense, yet I’ve heard he does many kindnesses for those suffering with AIDs. Maybe this word “wicked” means something much worse than what I’m talking about here. There are wicked people who are constantly nasty to everyone and everything around them. Maybe THAT’S the kind of wicked their referring to here.

11 He who works his land will have abundant food, but he who chases fantasies lacks judgment.Oh my gosh, I think God is talking to me here!

12 The wicked desire the plunder of evil men, but the root of the righteous flourishes.Those two statements seem to have no connection. Whatever… the first half seems fine as a standalone. The second have does too, but they don’t seem to be interlinking. I’ll have to think about these.

13 An evil man is trapped by his sinful talk, but a righteous man escapes trouble. 14 From the fruit of his lips a man is filled with good things as surely as the work of his hands rewards him.Oh wow! Another sentence of absolute wisdom!! How true is all this! Our words can get us in to so much trouble. They can wound or heal. The have an incredible amount of power.

15 The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice.That, too, is true… maybe he doesn’t always TAKE advice, but it’s smart to listen and consider.

16 A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult.A good piece of wisdom to tuck away and keep in my mind. Sometimes you just don’t know quite what to pass over and what to respond to. I guess this sort of says, “When it doubt, just ignore it.”

17 A truthful witness gives honest testimony, but a false witness tells lies.18 Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. 19 Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue lasts only a moment. More on our words and the power they have to bring miserable or grand consequences. That’s so important to remember. I remember struggling with this so much when I first came back to God in the 90s. My mouth was just out of control… gossip and judging, mocking and nagging, complaining. It’s not like I’m little Miss Perfect now, but my struggle has lessened through the years.

20 There is deceit in the hearts of those who plot evil, but joy for those who promote peace.Very true and important to remember. That joy is a wonderful reward for keeping your heart straight.

21 No harm befalls the righteous, but the wicked have their fill of trouble.Sometimes that doesn’t seem so true but, when I think about it… a lot of the so-called wicked people I’ve known have really had their share of problems and troubles.

22 The LORD detests lying lips, but he delights in men who are truthful.I love reading about the stuff the Lord delights in. I always imagine the Lord sitting there being delighted… you know, sort of beaming like the bright summer sun. Then I imagine times when I’ve been truthful… and, generally I’m a pretty truthful person. That’s usually not my weak area. So, I think about God delighting in ME and I feel all warm and wonderful inside because how often does one really think about God delighting about anything to do with them!

23 A prudent man keeps his knowledge to himself, but the heart of fools blurts out folly.Hum de dum… not a good area for me. I like to show off how much I know. I am compelled to make very clear exactly how brilliant I am  For instance, one day our boss called each of us and left a message on our voice mail that he’d like us to start fully justifying all of our correspondence because he thought it looked better. I replied to his voice mail that I already always justified all of my correspondence. He replied to that message that he should have known which, of course, made me feel good (and adore him all the more) but the thing is, I didn’t really HAVE to do that. I didn’t have to show off. I could have just not said anything at all and kept on doing what I was doing in the first place. Also, I always have to try to blurt out the scripture or answer in Bible study when they say things like, “and who knows what the priest thought when Hannah was praying silently at the altar?” “That she was drunk?” I’ll say in a small voice – always like a question (in case I AM wrong so that I won’t look too stupid – but I’m always right and I’m always showing off how incredibly holy I am because I’m so knowledgeable – somebody should promote me to sainthood right now).

24 Diligent hands will rule, but laziness ends in slave labor.Hmmm.. I’m pretty lazy. I’d better keep this in mind when I’m acting it.

25 An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up.Isn’t this a nice one?! It reminds me of an anonymous quote I saw once and loved. It said, “Nobody needs a smile more than one who has none to give.”

26 A righteous man is cautious in friendship, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.Do you know that I never noticed this one before… cautious in friendship? What does THAT mean? Hmmm… maybe that you take the friendship relationship slow and know people well before you jump into a close intimate relationship (I mean intimate in non-physical terms). I’ll have to think more on this one too.

27 The lazy man does not roast his game, but the diligent man prizes his possessions.I am completely at a loss to what the first half of this one means but I am sure it has something to do with how stuff got cooked in the old days. But I get the second half.

28 In the way of righteousness there is life; along that path is immortality.This is a WONDERFUL quote. I really like this one. It is solid and something to really hang on to.