Wisdom for the Day - Standing Strong

Send us Fan Mail Lord’s Sight  13  The poor and the oppressor have this in common—      the Lord gives sight to the eyes of both. 14  If a king judges the poor fairly,      his throne will last forever. 15  To discipline a child produces wisdom,      but a mother is disgraced by an undisciplined child. The first proverb reflects what Jesus said: "God sends the rain to fall on the just and the...

Send us Fan Mail Fools Vent 10  The bloodthirsty hate blameless people,      but the upright seek to help them.     11  Fools vent their anger,      but the wise quietly hold it back. 12  If a ruler pays attention to liars,      all his advisers will be wicked. The first proverb teaches that truly evil people seek to destroy those who are honest and upright. Verse 11 challenges the modern idea tha...

Send us Fan Mail Godly Care 7  The godly care about the rights of the poor;      the wicked don’t care at all. 8  Mockers can get a whole town agitated,      but the wise will calm anger. 9  If a wise person takes a fool to court,      there will be ranting and ridicule but no satisfaction. We've encountered these three proverbs earlier in the Book of Proverbs, showing their importance. In He...

Send us Fan Mail Kings and Friends 4  A just king gives stability to his nation,      but one who demands bribes destroys it. 5  To flatter friends      is to lay a trap for their feet. 6  Evil people are trapped by sin,      but the righteous escape, shouting for joy. Verse 4 explains how bribes are completely against God's design. They lead to injustice by giving power to the rich and stron...

Send us Fan Mail Stubborn Critic 1 Whoever stubbornly refuses to accept criticism      will suddenly be destroyed beyond recovery. 2  When the godly are in authority, the people rejoice.      But when the wicked are in power, they groan. 3  The man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father,      but if he hangs around with prostitutes, his wealth is wasted. The first proverb explains that if someo...

Send us Fan Mail Hidey Hole  27  Whoever gives to the poor will lack nothing,      but those who close their eyes to poverty will be cursed. 28  When the wicked take charge, people go into hiding.      When the wicked meet disaster, the godly flourish. The first proverb shows God's deep concern for those who are destitute and helpless. Verse 28 is straightforward: when wicked people are in po...

Send us Fan Mail Daddy’s Money 24  Anyone who steals from his father and mother      and says, “What’s wrong with that?”      is no better than a murderer. 25  Greed causes fighting;      trusting the Lord leads to prosperity. 26  Those who trust their own insight are foolish,      but anyone who walks in wisdom is safe. Verse 24 echoes one of the Ten Commandments, reminding us of its timeless imp...

Send us Fan Mail Dr. Seuss?  21  Showing partiality is never good,      yet some will do wrong for a mere piece of bread. 22  Greedy people try to get rich quick      but don’t realize they’re headed for poverty. 23  In the end, people appreciate honest criticism      far more than flattery. A friend recently told me that we shouldn’t dwell on bad things that have happened to us in the past. Rathe...

Send us Fan Mail Crooked Food  18  The blameless will be rescued from harm,      but the crooked will be suddenly destroyed. 19  A hard worker has plenty of food,      but a person who chases fantasies ends up in poverty. 20  The trustworthy person will get a rich reward,      but a person who wants quick riches will get into trouble. Walking blamelessly is the right path, but straying from it lea...

Send us Fan Mail Lions and Bears, Oh My!  15  A wicked ruler is as dangerous to the poor      as a roaring lion or an attacking bear. 16  A ruler with no understanding will oppress his people,      but one who hates corruption will have a long life. 17  A murderer’s tormented conscience will drive him into the grave.      Don’t protect him! Proverbs isn’t against rulers and kings in general, but i...

Send us Fan Mail Take Charge 12  When the godly succeed, everyone is glad.      When the wicked take charge, people go into hiding. 13  People who conceal their sins will not prosper,      but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy. 14  Blessed are those who fear to do wrong,      but the stubborn are headed for serious trouble. The first proverb teaches that when good people...

Send us Fan Mail The Law 9  God detests the prayers      of a person who ignores the law. 10  Those who lead good people along an evil path      will fall into their own trap,      but the honest will inherit good things. 11  Rich people may think they are wise,      but a poor person with discernment can see right through them. In Verse 9, we learn that if a person turns away from God's comm...

Send us Fan Mail Poor and Honest 6  Better to be poor and honest      than to be dishonest and rich. 7  Young people who obey the law are wise;      those with wild friends bring shame to their parents. 8  Income from charging high interest rates      will end up in the pocket of someone who is kind to the poor. If you have to choose between money and integrity, always choose integrity. Once lost,...

Send us Fan Mail Poor Completely 3  A poor person who oppresses the poor      is like a pounding rain that destroys the crops. 4  To reject the law is to praise the wicked;      to obey the law is to fight them. 5  Evil people don’t understand justice,      but those who follow the Lord understand completely. Today's proverbs are pretty straightforward. You might wonder why it's consider...

Send us Fan Mail Run or Rot 1 The wicked run away when no one is chasing them,      but the godly are as bold as lions. 2  When there is moral rot within a nation, its government topples easily.      But wise and knowledgeable leaders bring stability. Wicked people often live in fear, constantly afraid of losing their power. Take Stalin, for example—he ruled Russia with absolute power and had 20 m...

Send us Fan Mail Hey Goat! 25  After the hay is harvested and the new crop appears      and the mountain grasses are gathered in, 26  your sheep will provide wool for clothing,      and your goats will provide the price of a field. 27  And you will have enough goats’ milk for yourself,      your family, and your servant girls. Today's three verses remind us that God's creation is meant t...

Send us Fan Mail Flocks and Riches 23  Know the state of your flocks,      and put your heart into caring for your herds, 24  for riches don’t last forever,      and the crown might not be passed to the next generation. If someone owns many sheep but doesn’t take care of them, many could die from sickness or starvation. Verse 23 is often applied to pastors. If a pastor only focuses on the number o...

Send us Fan Mail If 20  Just as Death and Destruction are never satisfied,      so human desire is never satisfied. 21  Fire tests the purity of silver and gold,      but a person is tested by being praised. 22  You cannot separate fools from their foolishness,      even though you grind them like grain with mortar and pestle. Verse 22 presents us with a humorous example of how deep-rooted foolish...

Send us Fan Mail Iron Sharpens Iron  17  As iron sharpens iron,      so a friend sharpens a friend. 18  As workers who tend a fig tree are allowed to eat the fruit,      so workers who protect their employer’s interests will be rewarded. 19  As a face is reflected in water,      so the heart reflects the real person. True friends are honest with each other and don’t use flattery. Sometimes friends...

Send us Fan Mail Deposit Slip Up 13  Get security from someone who guarantees a stranger’s debt.      Get a deposit if he does it for foreigners. 14  A loud and cheerful greeting early in the morning      will be taken as a curse! 15  A quarrelsome wife is as annoying      as constant dripping on a rainy day. 16  Stopping her complaints is like trying to stop the wind      or trying to hold someth...

Send us Fan Mail Neighbors and Brothers | 10  Never abandon a friend—      either yours or your father’s.  When disaster strikes, you won’t have to ask your brother for assistance.      It’s better to go to a neighbor than to a brother who lives far away. 11  Be wise, my child, and make my heart glad.      Then I will be able to answer my critics. 12  A prudent person foresees danger and takes pre...

Send us Fan Mail Birds Nests 8  A person who strays from home      is like a bird that strays from its nest. 9  The heartfelt counsel of a friend      is as sweet as perfume and incense. Verse 8 can be interpreted in a few ways: One possibility is that it’s about wandering away from a faith community, where we find mutual support. Without that community, a person might become lonely or more vulner...

Send us Fan Mail  Bitter Honey  4  Anger is cruel, and wrath is like a flood,      but jealousy is even more dangerous. 5  An open rebuke      is better than hidden love! 6  Wounds from a sincere friend      are better than many kisses from an enemy. 7  A person who is full refuses honey,      but even bitter food tastes sweet to the hungry. Verse 4 highlights how destructive anger, wrath, and jea...

Send us Fan Mail Heavy Stone 1 Don’t brag about tomorrow,      since you don’t know what the day will bring. 2  Let someone else praise you, not your own mouth—      a stranger, not your own lips. 3  A stone is heavy and sand is weighty,      but the resentment caused by a fool is even heavier. Jesus called a rich man a fool for planning to build bigger barns, knowing he would die before those pla...

Send us Fan Mail Spiders Web  27  If you set a trap for others,      you will get caught in it yourself.  If you roll a boulder down on others,      it will crush you instead. 28  A lying tongue hates its victims,      and flattering words cause ruin. These two proverbs are captured well by Sir Walter Scott’s famous quote: "O, what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive.&quo...