Wisdom for the Day - Standing Strong

Send us Fan Mail Broken Fools 21  It is painful to be the parent of a fool;      there is no joy for the father of a rebel. 22  A cheerful heart is good medicine,      but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Verse 21 A fool hates God, and hates wisdom. By ‘fool’, Solomon means someone who is evil. Because the son is evil, the father suffers. The father might suffer, because the son makes evi...

Send us Fan Mail Quarrelsome and Crooked 19  Anyone who loves to quarrel loves sin;      anyone who trusts in high walls invites disaster. 20  The crooked heart will not prosper;      the lying tongue tumbles into trouble. Verse 19 There will be results from our actions. Some people like to argue. These people will cause problems. They will cause hate and anger. A proud man might build a high gate...

Send us Fan Mail Loyal Debtor 17  A friend is always loyal,      and a brother is born to help in time of need. 18  It’s poor judgment to guarantee another person’s debt      or put up security for a friend. Verse 17 A real friend does not forget you, if you become poor. He helps you when you have troubles. A brother or sister should be a true friend. Solomon uses humor here. He says that your bro...

Send us Fan Mail Fairness School 15  Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent—      both are detestable to the Lord. 16  It is senseless to pay to educate a fool,      since he has no heart for learning. Verse 15 Judges should make fair decisions. We all must be honest. A judge should not accept a bribe (secret gift). He should not follow his own feelings and emotions. He should listen to...

Send us Fan Mail Evil Dispute 13  If you repay good with evil,      evil will never leave your house. 14  Starting a quarrel is like opening a floodgate,      so stop before a dispute breaks out. Verse 13 It is evil to hurt people who help you. But some evil people do this. As we help other people, we should realize this. The people that we help may not be honest. They might be cruel or unfair. As...

Send us Fan Mail Skunks and Bears 11  Evil people are eager for rebellion,      but they will be severely punished. 12  It is safer to meet a bear robbed of her cubs      than to confront a fool caught in foolishness. Verse 11 This evil man refuses to change his behavior. Even punishment will not stop his evil behavior. A ruler will send an official to put the evil man in prison. Verse 12 Bears ar...

Send us Fan Mail Love That Rebuke 9  Love prospers when a fault is forgiven,      but dwelling on it separates close friends. 10  A single rebuke does more for a person of understanding      than a hundred lashes on the back of a fool. Verse 9 Sometimes we do not need to point out a mistake. We should forgive other people, and help them not to repeat their errors. See Matthew 18:21-22. Verse 10 By...

Send us Fan Mail Jive Talkin’ 7  Eloquent words are not fitting for a fool;      even less are lies fitting for a ruler. 8  A bribe is like a lucky charm;      whoever gives one will prosper! Verse 7 Solomon uses humor here. A fool (an evil person) should be careful about his words. His words will cause trouble. Instead, he should say nothing. Certainly, he should not try to speak in a clever way....

Send us Fan Mail Pop-Pops Pride 5  Those who mock the poor insult their Maker;      those who rejoice at the misfortune of others will be punished. 6  Grandchildren are the crowning glory of the aged;      parents[a] are the pride of their children. Verse 5 See Proverbs 14:31. God cares about poor people. He does not want them to suffer. He wants us to help them. Verse 6 This is how God wants fami...

Send us Fan Mail Fiery Gossip 3  Fire tests the purity of silver and gold,      but the Lord tests the heart. 4  Wrongdoers eagerly listen to gossip;      liars pay close attention to slander. Verse 3 The hottest fire cleans gold and silver. The fire burns waste materials. This is how the gold and silver become pure. In the same way, God tests our hearts. He wants us to be free from evil thoughts...

Send us Fan Mail Crusty Servant 1   Better a dry crust eaten in peace      than a house filled with feasting—and conflict. 2  A wise servant will rule over the master’s disgraceful son      and will share the inheritance of the master’s children. Verse 1 Dry bread is not a good meal. We might prefer the rich food at a party. But a quiet place is better than a place where people argue. A party can...

Send us Fan Mail Deadheads Touch 31  Gray hair is a crown of glory;      it is gained by living a godly life. 32  Better to be patient than powerful;      better to have self-control than to conquer a city. 33  We may throw the dice,[a]      but the Lord determines how they fall. Verse 31 This person is an old man, who respects God. The man’s grey hair looks like a crown. This old man deserves a r...

Send us Fan Mail  Violence and Mischief  29  Violent people mislead their companions,      leading them down a harmful path. 30  With narrowed eyes, people plot evil;      with a smirk, they plan their mischief. Verse 29 A cruel man will try to make other people behave like him. He will try to frighten them with a loud voice. He will even use force. The cruel man’s neighbor should be very careful....

Send us Fan Mail Scoundrels and Gossips 27  Scoundrels create trouble;      their words are a destructive blaze. 28  A troublemaker plants seeds of strife;      gossip separates the best of friends. Verse 27 This evil man makes evil plans. He is dangerous. It is even dangerous to listen to this man. If you listen to his words, they are like a fire. His plans will destroy you. Do not even go near h...

Send us Fan Mail Hunger Drives 25  There is a path before each person that seems right,      but it ends in death. 26  It is good for workers to have an appetite;      an empty stomach drives them on.26  Verse 25 In our lives, there are many dangers. People might trust in false religions. They might follow evil leaders. Or they might drink too much alcohol. There are many other dangers also. Like...

Send us Fan Mail Honey Sweet 23  From a wise mind comes wise speech;      the words of the wise are persuasive. 24  Kind words are like honey—      sweet to the soul and healthy for the body. Verse 23 Another translation of the second line is, ‘So his words persuade people.’ A wise man’s words are honest. He does not think one thing, but say something else. He does not lie. People trust the words...

Send us Fan Mail Wise Talkin’ 21  The wise of heart is called discerning, and sweetness of speech increases persuasiveness. 22  Good sense is a fountain of life to him who has it,      but the instruction of fools is folly. Verse 21 Another translation of the second line is, ‘Pleasant words persuade people.’ A wise person is sensible, because he is careful. He thinks about his actions, and obtains...

Send us Fan Mail Joyfully Poor 19  Better to live humbly with the poor      than to share plunder with the proud. 20  Those who listen to instruction will prosper;      those who trust the Lord will be joyful. Verse 19 A man who is rich and proud is selfish. He will want to keep his possessions to himself. Humble but poor people are much more likely to share what they have. Verse 20 A wise person...

Send us Fan Mail Pride Fall 17  The path of the virtuous leads away from evil;      whoever follows that path is safe. 18  Pride goes before destruction,      and haughtiness before a fall. Verse 17 Life is like a journey. The honest man is like a traveller who chooses the high road. It might be a difficult road, because a high road goes over mountains. However, the traveller chooses this road bec...

Send us Fan Mail Super Happy King 15  When the king smiles, there is life;      his favor refreshes like a spring rain. 16  How much better to get wisdom than gold,      and good judgment than silver! Verse 15 The wise servant wants the king to be happy. The king should not be angry. Events should not upset the king. Then the king will make good decisions. He will care about his people. He will se...

Send us Fan Mail Happy King 13  The king is pleased with words from righteous lips;      he loves those who speak honestly. 14  The anger of the king is a deadly threat;      the wise will try to appease it. Verse 13 If a servant is honest, then the king should reward him. The servant might bring bad news. His honest words might upset the king. But the king needs honest servants to speak wise word...

Send us Fan Mail Watch that Thumb    11  The Lord demands accurate scales and balances;      he sets the standards for fairness. 12  A king detests wrongdoing,      for his rule is built on justice. Verse 11 Honest attitudes are important to God. We must not cheat people. Everybody must respect other people’s possessions. Even a king must not cheat people. Verse 12 If a king is evil, his nation wi...

Send us Fan Mail Plan Wisely 9  We can make our plans,      but the Lord determines our steps. 10  The king speaks with divine wisdom;      he must never judge unfairly. Verse 9 We all make plans for the future, but we cannot control everything. Events that we do not expect will happen. There will be problems. We might need to change our plans. We might not understand the reasons. In all these cha...

Send us Fan Mail Please God 7  When people’s lives please the Lord,      even their enemies are at peace with them. 8  Better to have little, with godliness,      than to be rich and dishonest. Verse 7 Our lives should please God. We should do the things that are right. We should respect God. God can cause our enemies to become our friends. This does not always happen immediately. First, we oursel...

Send us Fan Mail Avoid Evil  5  The Lord detests the proud;      they will surely be punished. 6  Unfailing love and faithfulness make atonement for sin.      By fearing the Lord, people avoid evil. Verse 5 A proud person refuses to listen to God or to other people. He has his own ideas. He thinks that he is better than everyone else. God will punish proud people. God wants us to be humble. Verse...