The naive inherit foolishness, But the sensible are crowned with knowledge. Proverbs 14:18

This verse in Proverbs is based on what has been said in the previous three verses before it. It has to do with the simple or naive person (whose simpleness is due to being foolish) as opposed to one who is sensible. Let's look at these two today - not just in light of this verse - but in light of the previous ones as well.

We are told that the naive or simple inherit foolishness. This is because they act like and think like fools. Going back to verse 15 we see that these people "believe everything" and do not consider where their actions and choices are taking them. Verse 16 reveals that the naive one is both arrogant and careless. They do not practice proper caution but walk headlong into evil and godless choices. They do not consider what God says about these things, either ignoring Him or arrogantly thinking that they know more than He does. Finally we see that they are quick-tempered - and because of their quick temper they act foolishly in the midst of their uncontrolled passions. They resort to evil plans and deeds - and are hated because of these things. When you consider the full picture of the simple, naive one who bases their life not on God's Word, but rather their own flawed reasoning, you see why God says that their inheritance will be foolishness. They do not take the time to think - to consider the end of the matter - to calm themsevles and think rationally about the actions they are about to take. Thus they are fools - and what comes to them is the fruit of their own foolishness and stupidity.

We are also sold though that the sensible one will be crowned with knowledge. Some call Christians simpletons and people who have a low I.Q. This is not the case - at least with the Christian who adheres to Scripture and who has gained wisdom over time. The true Christian does not shun study or knowledge - they embrace them. As they spend more and more time in the Scriptures - and specifically the book of Proverbs - they will become very wise, discerning, and knowledgeable. The word "sensible" here is the Hebrew word "arum" which means to be prudent. The idea here is that this one "takes careful thought" before doing things. He takes careful thought of his ways according to Proverbs 14:8. He takees careful thought before he acts according to Proverbs 14:15. In Proverbs 22:3 and 27:12 we are told that a man like this sees danger before it happens and avoids it. Thus this man walks with God in a way to where God's counsel is received and understood. This protects him from many things that would harm him.

The promise here is that the prudent/sensible man will be crowned with knowledge. The word knowledge is the familiar word in Proverbs that deals with our lifestyle from the standpoint of the choices we make. The word is "daath" which means to have a knowledge that gives us discernment, insight, and a notion about what we are doing - and how it will end. The word spoke of a way of living and choosing, thus it was known as the word that meant a person's chosen lifestyle. This points us to the reality that when we live by a prudent, biblical thinking and reasoning way - we will be filled with a knowledge that grants us discernment and insight. We will even have the function of "notion" as well - which simply means that over time we will just sense at times that something is right or wrong.

All this is said with the idea of being crowned with this blessing. Thinking and reasoning biblically will crown our minds with both wisdom and discernment. We will be able to know the difference between two choices - two ways of doing things - the simple idea of right and wrong. The world wants to blurr these lines of distinction. They want there to be little of no way of knowing truth of error, right or wrong. The world wants us to think everything is relative to a situation. But God's Word is true. God's Word is right. God's Word is sufficient to not only guide us in the big decisions of life, it will be what the Holy Spirit will use to guide us through every day. As we are guided - we will note that we are often crowned with the right choice - the right discernment - the right notion of which way to go. That is the blessing of being sensible and reasoning according to God's ways.

A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children, And the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.   Proverbs 13:22

What kind of inheritance are you leaving to your children?  What kind of inheritance are you leaving to your grandchildren?  That is what today's proverb wants us to consider.  There is a blessing that we should pass to our families.  From what we read in Scripture there is one that we can pass to several generations if we choose to live as God would have us to live.  Let us take a look at this today.

The good man leaves an inheritance to both his children and his grandchildren.  He approaches his earnings in life in such a way as to use them frugally and save for the future.  This is how he provides an inheritance for his family.  Note that he is called a "good" man - which refers to his character.  In order to be such a man one needs to be selfless and desire to bless his children - rather than to spend it all on himself. 

One thing we need to remember is that God does not promise riches in wealth to all men in equal amounts.  Therefore to say that this refers only to money is foolish.  Solomon laments of the man who had worked himself to death to obtain money, only to leave it to a son who is a fool.  This man may have left wealth to his son, but he forgot to leave him spiritual wealth and wisdom.  Therefore the money he has earned and saved will only be wasted by a son who is a complete moron when it comes to how to live. 

We need to leave our children an inheritance of godliness and wisdom as well as one that we can financially.  Without this our children will suffer far worse than if they miss a few luxuries according to the dictates of society.  There are those who will have wealth, but may spend eterntiy in abject poverty in hell when they die.  This is no inheritance that you want to pass on to your family.  If we leave them with wisdom and with knowledge of the Word and of their Savior Jesus Christ - they will be rich for eternity - even if they don't live on the upper east side in this life. 

The wicked will leave their wealth to the righteous.  This means that although they live wealthy for the few years of this life, they will eventually die and leave all of it to others.  Since they have lived for wickedness, their children will most likely waste their wealth and have it transfer to those who use wise principles in how they do business.  These are those who are godly and good in their business as well as their daily lives. 

There is something that we desperately need to leave to our children and their children.  It is a good thing if we can leave them an inheritance that will help them afford a home or other things financially.  But more importantly is to leave them with an inheritance in the things of the Lord.  This is something that can never be lost.  God promised that a godly man can touch thousands over the lives of his children and grandchildren.  But to do so we need to be willing to invest, not just in stocks and bonds - but in a godly heritage that will take a lifetime to develop and prepare for our families. 

He who troubles his own house will inherit wind, And the foolish will be servant to the wisehearted.   Proverbs 11:29

There is a foolishness that harms our homes.  It is not a foolishness though from outside of our homes - it is one that is perpetrated within them.  We are warned in today's proverb about a person who troubles his own house.  We are warned against such behavior because we will not be blessed in the end.

What does it mean to "trouble" ones own house?  The word here means to trouble, to stir up, to disturb, or to bring calamity.  Someone can trouble their own home by being a constant source of fighting and conflict within it.  When there is a member of a household that constantly fights with the others - the home is troubled and continually disturbed.  But other things can trouble a home.  Anyone guilty of disboedience to God, rebellion, selfishness, carelessness, covetousness, or cruelty - will bring serious problems to their family.  It is well known that a home can be a harmonious place to live - or a torturous one.  Those who act in this way will inherit wind in the end.  This is a picture of nothingness - of an empty inheritance at the end of life.

One biblical example of this is the home of Issac and Rebekkah.  These two had ways that they troubled their own home.  They both had their favorites which eventually led to a home divided.  Rebekkah eventually allowed her feelings for Jacob to bring her to a point where she involved him in a plot to deceive her husband.  Jacob complied and wound up with the blessing - but later had to flee the home because his older brother harbored thoughts of killing him.  This led to Jacob leaving the home to find a wife.  Rebekkah did not know that this would not be a short trip - and never saw her son again.  She troubled her home with her plot, and inherited the wind in never seeing her son again. Jacob's deceit came back on his own head when he went to work for Laban - who deceived him multiple times. 

The second half of this proverb also warns that the foolish will be servant to the wisehearted.  The fool will continue to walk according to his folly - and will waste his wealth and his opportunities to lead effectively.  As a result someone who is wise in heart will eventually be the one in charge.  The fool will then have to take his place as a servant.  Saul and David are an example of this proverb.  Saul began his life well - serving the Lord and being His instrument of deliverance for Israel.  But soon Saul began to do foolish things.  In time Saul and his family wound up being servants to David, who was wise in his choices and way of living.  How this warns us against living for ourselves and our own desires, rather than living as a servant to others - a love slave to God - and finding His favor blessing us in every area of life. 

A righteous man who walks in his integrity— How blessed are his sons after him. Proverbs 20:7

What is it that will bless our sons while we are live - and more importantly after we die?  Some thing that leaving them a huge inheritance of money, stock, and real estate would be the best thing.  Actually, Proverbs says that an inheritance quickly gained will be lost in the end.  So what is it that will bless our sons now and far into the future?

Solomon tells us that the best thing we can do for our sons is to be a righteous man who walks in integrity.  The first thing we see here is that this father is a "righteous man."  This means that he does what is right in the sight of the Lord.  He lives in a way that honors and glorifies God.  It also means that this father has looked to Jesus Christ for salvation - since that is the only way we can truly be a righteous man - by grace through faith.  But this father also is one who lives in integrity.  The word integrity here is the Hebrew word, "tamam" which means to walk in a completeness and moral innocence.  This man walks through life in complete obedience to God as well as complete submission to what God's Word instructs him to do.  He also walks in a moral innocence that comes from desiring holiness and spiritual maturity in his life.  The last way that this word is used is to speak of someone who walks in simplicity.  When I read this I am reminded of Paul's statement in 2 Corinthians that he was jealous for them with a godly jealousy.  He desired for them to walk, "in simplicity and devotion to Jesus."  This would wonderfully describe the kind of integrity that the righteous father would want his children (especially his sons) to see in his life - an integrity of devotion to Jesus Christ - simple devotion to Him.

When a father walks in this way - how blessed are his sons after him.  They may not have riches.  They may not have huge estates and vacation homes.  They may not have all the things that this world says a man shoul have to be successful.  But what they do have is something very rare.  Possibly more rare that diamonds and rubies.  They will have a godly upbringing and a godly example from their father.  This will bless them long after the toys and trinkets of this life are gone.  They will be blessed in having the kind of rearing that will help them through the minefields of the world system.  These minefields include the devil's traps in the areas of sexual immorality, impurity, evil desires, and greed.  It will help them navigate through the shoals and hidden reefs of youth and the dangerous coastal rocky shorelines of mid-life crisis.  They will have watched a godly father navigate these dangers successfully - thus leaving them a legacy of godliness.  They will have mapped out for their sons the course that will lead them safely to the harbors of heaven.  They will know to close their ears to the siren songs of their flesh and the world - and to sail with their eyes fixed on the Word of God.  They will run their race with their eyes fixed on Jesus - and on the example their fathers were of a life centered in Him. 

You can spend your life working to leave your sons a fortune.  You can make sure that they are set for life when you die - at least in financial realms.  The problem with such an inheritance is that without a godly compass these things can actually be more of a danger than a help.  A son needs the blessing of a godly man who walks in his integrity.  We say often that the things of God are more often caught than taught.  How true this is in regard to teaching our sons how to walk with God.  I do not discount teaching because it is absolutely necessary.  But without a corresponding walk in integrity before the eyes of our boys, they may not get all they need to succeed at life.  And regardless of how they fare in the business world - in the end they will need life, life eternal more than anything else.  May we be wise fathers who not only teach them the things of God - but also walk in out as they look to see if we are only offering them precepts - rather than living principles.