Proverbs 22 Sayings of the Wise

Hello and welcome to Proverbs 22! We're actually finishing up the Proverbs of Solomon and are touching up on the Sayings of the Wise. If you missed one of the Proverbs of Solomon or any of the other Proverbs in particular, please go check back on what you missed. If you're all caught up then get to reading! 

1 Choose a good reputation over great riches; being held in high esteem is better than silver or gold.

2 The rich and poor have this in common: The Lord made them both.

3 A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions. The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences.

4 True humility and fear of the Lord lead to riches, honor, and long life.

5 Corrupt people walk a thorny, treacherous road; whoever values life will avoid it.

6 Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it.

7 Just as the rich rule the poor, so the borrower is servant to the lender.

8 Those who plant injustice will harvest disaster, and their reign of terror will come to an end.

I can't help but think of Planned Parenthood whenever I see this verse. When you first take a look at Planned Parenthood, without thinking of everything we've learned now, you look and think that Planned Parenthood is nothing more than an abortion clinic. For me that's bad enough, but a lot of people think there's nothing wrong with abortions. But continue your research of Planned Parenthood. Sooner or later you'll find the video where an owner of a Planned Parenthood clinic is talking about what she's going to buy with all the money she's getting from selling baby parts. If that doesn't get you then maybe this will. The founder of Planned Parenthood was racist, and the reason they made Planned Parenthood was to decrease the population of African Americans in America. (feel free to correct me if I'm wrong) A lot of people support Planned Parenthood, and they abort children in a demented way of justice. I don't care what excuses you make, aborting children is WRONG and it's complete injustice to the child. They're a good example of a company that harvests disaster. And I proclaim now if nobody will that their rein of terror will come to an end.  

9 Blessed are those who are generous, because they feed the poor.

10 Throw out the mocker, and fighting goes, too. Quarrels and insults will disappear.

11 Whoever loves a pure heart and gracious speech will have the king as a friend.

I read this and I wondered, 'what king'? But then I realized that the king could be referring to God. Think about it. Whoever loves a pure heart and gracious speech will have the king as a friend? I don't know how God handles you, but God handles me with nothing more than gracious speech. He doesn't get mad, he doesn't yell at me when I sin, he shows grace and love. And to explain the pure heart, I feel like this means our hearts. If you seek a pure heart, meaning you're seeking to escape your sins and be righteous and godly, then you can communicate with God. 

12 The Lord preserves those with knowledge, but he ruins the plans of the treacherous.

13 The lazy person claims, “There’s a lion out there! If I go outside, I might be killed!”

Okay let's get real for a moment. If there's a lion outside your house, and you don't want to go outside because you might get killed, you're really lazy. And I know that staying inside to protect yourself from a lion seems more like a survival tactic than being lazy but you gotta consider what's outside your house too. If you're a farmer, you've got cattle and crops to worry about being destroyed. If you live in the city, you've got children who are walking to school to worry about being killed. If you live in the country like I do, and you don't have a farm, you have sheds or wells to worry about. Either way something like a lion outside your house is like a threat. If you're lazy and stay inside for your crops or cattle or neighborhood kids to get killed, that's pretty inconsiderate and lazy. I mean if you live in a place with gun rights, surely you can put a bullet in that lion's head, or if you have a phone you can call animal control. 

14 The mouth of an immoral woman is a dangerous trap; those who make the Lord angry will fall into it.

15 A youngster’s heart is filled with foolishness, but physical discipline will drive it far away.

16 A person who gets ahead by oppressing the poor or by showering gifts on the rich will end in poverty.

Why do you think Prince John was oh-so-popular in Robin Hood? He oppressed the poor in the story by upping taxes for his own glory. Who likes that kind of leader? Of course, you also have to think of the other part, where you shower gifts on the rich. I'm sure that the rich loves to be showered with gifts, but what happens when you spend so much money on people who already have enough. You're practically taking from the people who don't have enough. That doesn't get you anywhere with the Lord. 

Sayings of the Wise

17 Listen to the words of the wise; apply your heart to my instruction.

18 For it is good to keep these sayings in your heart and always ready on your lips.

19 I am teaching you today—yes, you— so you will trust in the Lord.

20 I have written thirty sayings for you, filled with advice and knowledge.

21 In this way, you may know the truth and take an accurate report to those who sent you.

I don't know if you realize this, but Solomon wrote this in hopes of sharing wisdom with us, the readers. He didn't write Proverbs so that he will gain popularity as the wisest man in the bible, and he didn't do it just to deceive us for kicks. He wrote Proverbs in hopes of sharing what God had shared with him. He and all the other authors are conveying a message delivered by God, or sharing a story that shows God's glory. Nothing more. When you read it with that mindset, you understand and receive the lessons better. 

22 Don’t rob the poor just because you can, or exploit the needy in court.

23 For the Lord is their defender. He will ruin anyone who ruins them.

24 Don’t befriend angry people or associate with hot-tempered people,

25 or you will learn to be like them and endanger your soul.

Emotions are very contagious. If you hang out with angry people, you get angry too. If you hang out with cool tempered people, you become cool tempered. We already know that it's dangerous to lose your temper and how losing your temper will get you nowhere. What's the point of hanging around with someone who has such a contagious temper? 

26 Don’t agree to guarantee another person’s debt or put up security for someone else.

27 If you can’t pay it, even your bed will be snatched from under you.

28 Don’t cheat your neighbor by moving the ancient boundary markers set up by previous generations.

29 Do you see any truly competent workers? They will serve kings rather than working for ordinary people.

And that's it for today's Proverb! If you liked this post please give me a thumbs up and if you have a question or a comment please email me at fire.time.rsmith@gmail.com. Until tomorrow, God bless, and keep your fire for God, blazing!