He who guards his mouth and his tongue, Guards his soul from troubles. Proverbs 21:23
The mouth and the words that come out of it are a matter of great interest to the Lord. He gives much counsel on how our mouths should and should not be used. We would be wise to listen well and do what the Lord says about our mouths. Here the wisdom of God is to guard your mouth and your tongue. Why? The mouth and tongue are used to form words - and those words can be very dangerous. James chapter 3 tells us that the tongue is a deadly evil full of poison. We are also told by James that the tongue can set the whole course of our life on fire. That, my friends is a dangerous thing. But when you consider this counsel, also consider how many times a stray word spoken by an official - spoken by a commentator - spoken by a sports figure can set their entire life on fire. I remember the Republican Senate Leader Trent Lott's comments that were considered racist by many in the media. We don't know unless we can enter into Senator Lott's heart whether he is actually a racist or not - but that did not matter. His words were spoken without thinking - and the result was that his entire life was set on fire with controversy. The air waves were filled with shock and horror over what he said - and before things were over - he was forced out of a position he spent years trying to achieve in politics. One quote destroyed an entire career in his case. That is why Proverbs tells us that the one who "guards" his mouth and tongue - guards his soul from troubles. The word "guard" here is "shamar" and means to watch and keep like a guard or like a person standing guard in a military situation. We are not just to casually look at what might come out of our mouths, we are to stand guard over our mouths - and make sure that nothing comes out of it that will cause us trouble and grief later. This kind of guarding requires us to literally "THINK BEFORE WE SPEAK!" Some people say that we need to just speak what is on our minds - which is a great way to get in serious trouble. We should speak what our minds have processed with wisdom and discretion. That way we guard our soul from troubles. Oh, dear saints of God - listen to this admonition of the wise man and guard your mouth closely. It only takes one little comment to set your life on fire - be wise then and make sure that such words are guarded against at the gate of your mouth - the place where wisdom reigns in your mind!
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Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, And whoever is intoxicated by it is not wise. Proverbs 20:1
What does the Bible say about alcoholic drinks? That is what we face here in Proverbs 20:1. The first thing we need to do is to define what is referred to as wine and strong drink. There are some who try to make a distinction between these two words saying that wine is not alcoholic, but strong drink is. Problem with that view is that wine is referred to at least 20 times as having intoxicating properties. It is paired with the other word used here 12 times in a negative context - each time indicating that one is likely to be drunk if they drink it to excess. The word for "strong drink" is even more explicit. It means in every situation a very intoxicating substance. It is difficult to try to make a direct correlation between the levels of alcohol in these drinks and those of today. What you can say with confidence is that both wine and strong drink when not controlled properly will cause intoxication - which the Bible strictly prohibits both in the Old and New Testaments. You can also be confident in saying that one would get drunk faster when drinking strong drink rather than wine. About the only comparison you could make this way would be comparing wine to the alcohol levels of win and beer - and strong drink to stronger intoxicants like whiskey, vodka, and other higher proof drinks. Here is what we learn though about both wine and strong drink. Wine is called a "mocker" in this passage. A mocker is one who boasts and scorns. This person is given to deriding others. Their actions lead us utter contempt toward someone. The idea therefore here is that when a person drinks wine to the point of being deceived by it (the NASB calls this decieved state the point of intoxication) he is not wise - he is a fool. Think a moment about this - when someone is intoxicated by wine - he no longer thinks clearly and can say and act in ways that he regrets later. The alcohol deceives his mind - making it stray from wisdom - wander from godliness - and to make major mistakes. Want to avoid being deceived and erring badly from the way of the Lord? Then stay away from wine. That is the implication made by this verse - this wisdom from God. What is strong drink? It is a brawler according to Proverbs 20:1. This word is very illustrative of the drunk. It is "hamah" and means to murmur, growl, roar, or howl. When refering to the drunken fool it means to be a fighter - to be a boisterous, roaring, howling fool. We all know that many who are affected by alcohol wind up becoming more agressive. This is especially true of the "fighting" drunks who go home and beat family members when under the affect of wine and strong drink. Why should we avoid strong drink of every kind? Because the effect of this poison is to deaden our minds to kind and gracious behavior and turn us instead into a brawling, fighting fool. The wise man would avoid these things altogether. The Christian community has those who want to preserve our ability to have a glass of wine or a social drink. They state that they have freedom in Christ to do so. While I cannot categorically say that all alcohol is utterly forbidden by Scripture, I can say that the wise person would stay away from it. I will give a couple of reasons for this. First - to drink is to place yourself in a situation where it is far more possible to sin by becoming drunk. Considering what the law considers drunken driving, the amount which a person can drink before they are considered drunk is minimal. Why put yourself in that kind of jeopardy when there are plenty of beverages that pose no danger whatsoever? Second - outside of a glass of wine with a meal at home - the usual places where drinking takes place also include a hedonistic lifestyle as well. Bars, last time I checked, have not been traditional centers of godliness and holy living. Why endanger your witness and testimony by drinking in these places? Why endanger your heart by placing yourself in such places where far more than drunkenness is the possibility? This verse deals with being intoxicated and therefore deceived by wine and strong drink. If you get the drift of the writer of Proverbs - the wise man would avoid these things altogether. This should even more be the case in our day when the ability to purify water has led to a multitude of drinking options that do not have the danger of alcohol in them. Truly - the wise man - just stays away from this. You would be wise to do the same. Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity, than he who is perverse in speech and is a fool. Proverbs 19:1
There are those who are rich today in the entertainment industry because they employ perversity to make money. This will always have a short-lived, short-sighted profit margin because mankind is fallen. There is a certain joy that man has in embracing perverse speech and actions. Initially, there is the thought that this is wrong - that men shouldn't speak this way. But this is overcome as mankind begins the process of searing their conscience over the years of their existance. But, as Solomon says here, it is better to be a poor man who walks in integrity - than to be a rich, perverse-speaking fool. Let's take a few moments to look at the important concepts in this passage. The One Perverse in Their Speech . . . This is the Hebrew word "iqqesh" and it means to be crooked. It was used to describe those who were morally, religiously, and socially perverse. They lived out their perversions of the truth and of morality among men. We are told that this kind of perversity destroys a man in Proverbs 28:6 and that this kind of perversity has as its source - a perverse heart from which is flows. Then their perverse heart issues forth perverse speech - which God says "pours" forth from them like water. There are those who say that foul language is just a matter of semantics. They argue that we are the ones who have determined what is foul language - and if you removed the definers - then anything would be acceptable. This is an interesting, though fatally flawed reasoning. The truth is that so-called foul language is given that distinction because it speaks of things that are - well - foul. Common "curse words" involve references to defecation and crude sexual references. These are things God meant to either be hidden behind closed doors - or to be something holy to be protected from the perversity of fallen men. Yet the worldling loves to use such terms, finding them liberating and powerful as they use them to manifest their ignorance. As my mother told me - these words are used instead of adjectives usually - and they only reveal how utterly ignorant someone is. She had me consider exactly what the person would be trying to say - and after being amused at their comments - I agreed that they are frequented by the ignorant and those lacking any grace toward others. As Proverbs intimates - these people - reveal by their words that they are fools. The poor man, though, is the man who walks in integrity. He has a completeness and honor about him. God uses this word to speak of Abimelech, who acted with a clear conscience in initially taking Abraham's Sarah to be considered his wife. He acted with innocence - and his righteousness was revealed in how far he went to make things right and to testify to Sarah's integrity. We are told again and again in Scripture that walking and speaking in this way will guard us and protect us. Who cares if we do not get the riches the world offers to the perverse. We have something far more valueable. We have the favor of God. May God give us grace in the midst of a perverse generation to continue to embrace purity and integrity in life. He who separates himself seeks his own desire, He quarrels against all sound wisdom. Proverbs 18:1
This proverb speaks of one who separates himself. Here is an interesting issue - because the Bible does speak of separation for God's people. God calls for this on the basis of holiness. 2 Corinthians 6:17 tells us to "come out from their midst and be separate," says the Lord, "and do not touch what is unclean, and I will welcome you." God speaks of separation from the spirit of this present world. We are in the world, but we are not to be "of" it. That is the separation that God wants for us to know. Human reasons for separation (outside of medical ones for infection and disease - which by the way the Law encouraged) are foolish. Our society separates for the sake of race - seeking categories of blacks, whites, hispanics, orientals, etc. God does not see this way. He sees men as either saved or unsaved. They are either of the world or of His church. But outside of these distinctions - which by the way are not for discrimination, except that we might know to whom we should minister - God does not see as man does. This man is separating himself out of a desire to ignore wisdom. He wants to walk in his own rebellion and godlessness. He is separating himself from those who would offer biblical advice and counsel concerning his lifestyle and choices. Rather than receive that advice and counsel - he utterly rejects it - even going to the point of separating himself from the people who offer it. He even quarrels against all the godly wisdom that is offered to him. The word quarrel is the Hebrew "gala" and means to burst forth against - which has the idea of arguing and being stubborn and obstinate. This man wants nothing to do with God's wisdom - and rejects it so he can "seek his own desire. There are men who just don't want God's ways. They separate themselves against God - and subsequently against anyone who speaks the things of God. They do so in order to walk in whatever way they want. Some do so for the sake of immorality and sensual conduct that they want to maintain. When faced with godly counsel concerning the immorality, they rage against it and turn away from the messenger and the message. God calls this arguing against sound wisdom - and continues His commentary in the next verse. He says there that the fool doesn't even want to understand - he only wants to babble his ideas and speak his own mind. Here the fool is the one who doesn't want to listen - he only wants to live out the desires of his flesh. Separating yourself from others to seek out wickedness is one of the most harmful foolish ways of all. May God deliver us from such foolishness! Better is a dry morsel and quietness with it, than a house full of feasting with strife. Proverbs 17:1
A quiet, very modest meal in a peaceful, quiet atmosphere is much better than a rich man's feast with its strife and contention. That is what the writer of Proverbs tells us. When you consider the table of Solomon as you read this - you realize that being the richest man with the most awesome feasts in history may not have been all that fantastic. You can see king Solomon thinking in his head that things may have been better without all the pomp and revelry that surrounded his royal banquets. We read today that the relative tranquility with which you take your meal may do more for you than the meal itself. You can have a feast fit for a king - and yet if is it filled with stress and strife - it will yield indegestion. You can find yourself sick as a dog when you are filled not just with food, but also with worry and the wrestlings of bad relationships. Thus a dry morsel of food with a quiet, gracious atmosphere is better than the finest feasts of the rich. This word "quietness" is a word we all would like to experience. It is the Hebrew word "shalvah" and it means a sense of security, prosperity, and quietness. It indicates a lack of anxiety and ease. The concept here of prosperity evidently does not speak of riches, but rather of the security and peace that come from not having to be concerned about things. Though the world may trick us for a time - we will eventually long for this more than for all that the world can give us. The other state of mind - strife - comes from the Hebrew word "rib" and means a controversy, a contention, strife. It arises from disputes and quarrels and usually involves open hostilities and a clamoring of others for action on their behalf. Oh, what a horrid meal is experienced when we try to enjoy a meal with this kind of atmosphere and attitude present. Peace and tranquility . . . these are often overlooked in our world's torrid search for wealth, riches, and affluence. Too bad that as they are overlooked and passed by the one searching for the other doesn't mark where they are found. The truth is that one day in spite of all the wealth, fame, and abundance of things - they will lon for peace. Better to have the simple meal and peace - than all the wealth in the world and an ulcer with it. The plans of the heart belong to man, But the answer of the tongue is from the Lord. Proverbs 16:1
To what level is God sovereign in our lives? There are some who think God is not sovereign over their lives - they can do whatever they want. They can plan their lives to the smallest detail without ever consulting with the Lord to make sure that their lives are pleasing to Him. The truth though is something far different. The plans of the heart belong to man is what Proverbs tells us. A man makes plans - and tries to set up how his life is going to be. There are those who make a few plans - and others who have an entire plan-book detailing almost every aspect of their lives. Whichever you are - you make those plans in your heart thinking that if you act on them you will be able to do what you want. But here is where Proverbs tells us something a little different - well - a lot different. The answer of the tongue is from the LORD. Jehovah is the One who determines whether the plans of men are accomplished or whether they just remain plans. God is the ultimate arbiter of all things - if He says this will not happen - it will not happen. But on the flip side of this is a very comforting realization. If God says something IS going to happen - it will just as He said it would. This does place us in choppy waters at times, because men will criticize God for what He allows within the scope of difficulties, disasters, and ungodly behavior. All we can do in these situations is to call upon the revealed character of God as well as His perfect wisdom and wait until the day that all the secrets of men's hearts will be revealed to us. To us life may take on the look of the backside of a tapestry with threads seemingly going all directions in what looks like a helter-skelter pattern. Yet the front of the tapestry reveales His eternal plan which is beautiful in every way. What we are to learn from this Proverb is what James tells us in his letter. When we presume upon God by saying we will do this or that, we are acting in insolent pride. What we need to say is that we will do this or that if God wills it. That is the wise man's stance on these things. There is one last lesson though - and that is we should seek and know God to where what is most important is not the inadvertant ways we may cross God's will with "our" desires, but rather that we would strive to know Him intimately so that "our" desires are submitted to His design at all times. The eyes of the Lord are in every place, Watching the evil and the good. Proverbs 15:3
As a pastor, I have the fun task of informing people that God sees and hears everything. This is usually after someone learns that I am a pastor - and immediately apologizes for saying something crass or ungodly. I appreciate their graciousness in apologizing, but I also want to inform them that God hears and knows everything. There are some who do not believe this - but kind of believe that I'm mic-ed by God for surveilance of anyone near me. Soooo . . . when they speak within the range of my mic - God hears them - but when I'm out of range - well, everything is go for ungodly behavior. Proverbs lets us know - the eyes of Jehovah are in every place. God has an attribute called "omnipresence" which means that God is everywhere at all times. That is one reason God sees all things. There is a second attribute of God called "omniscience" which means that God knows all things at all times. Therefore we see that God not only sees all things - He knows what is said - the motives behind what is said - and He even knows what was not said but merely thought. This is information that is unnerving to say the least to those who are walking contrary to God's ways. I think it is one reason why some are so adamantly atheistic in their views of God. They cannot tolerate a God who konws all things they have done - and more importantly, One to whom they are accountable for these things as well. Therfore they just choose to deny Him instead. Of course this is as ridiculous as someone who denys the sun exists - yet still receives the light and warmth of the sun - even though he denies its existance. God does see - in every place - and He watches the evil and the good that is going on everywhere at all times. There is nothing He does NOT see or know. To be perfectly honest - this is unnerving to me! It is unnerving because there are times even I don't live like God sees and knows everything. It is unnerving because God does see all I do - and knows every motive that I have and every thought that passes through my head. If I did not know of the blood of Jesus and the grace of God - I might find myself mentally unstable due to this knowledge - but peace reigns in my heart because I do know such things. What a respect and fear of God comes to us when we grasp the attributes of God. It is a good thing to know this - because the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. It is when we grasp such things that we realize that a life lived for our own desires and lusts is a foolish life indeed. It moves us to wisdom because we grasp that life is to be FOR God - for His purposes and plans. It moves us to wisdom because such a knowledge leads us to a life lived THROUGH God Who alone is capable of giving us what we need to live a life acceptable to Him. So, next time you are tempted to trust self - live according to self - please self - and think that no one but you matters . . . think again. The eyes of God are in every place - seeing the good and the evil. And . . . He is the One with Whom we will have to deal in the day of judgment. The wise woman builds her house, But the foolish tears it down with her own hands. Proverbs 14:1
It is interesting to follow the ongoing description of two women in Proverbs. These two women are the wise and godly woman and the immoral and foolish woman. Here they are contrasted in how they deal with their onw house. House is used here not of a literal building but rather of how a woman builds up her own family. Thus the wise woman builds up her family. She is selfless and gives herself away to strengthen and encourage and bless her family members. Her husband knows her love and support - and her children are partakers of her love, discipline, and care. Truly, the woman who does this gives untold blessings to her family. Her spirit pervades the home and makes it so much more than just a place to live - but a place to grow and thrive. Keil and Delitzsch make a comment that I want to quote here. "In truth, the oneness of the house is more dependent on the mother than on the father. A wise mother can, if her husband be dead or neglectful of his duty, always keep the house together; but if the house-wife has neither understanding nor good-will for her calling, then the best will of the house-father cannot hinder the dissolution of the house, prudence and patience only conceal and mitigate the process of dissolution—the folly of the house-wife, always becomes more and more, according to the degree in which this is a caricature of her calling, the ruin of the house." Moms are such a blessing to the home if they are godly ones. They will build up their homes with their own hands and with their own works. That house is truly blesssed to have one - to have a mother who is a wise woman - and who builds up her home by her constant efforts to make it a place of peace and an environment where the work and presence of the Holy Spirit is welcome. On the other hand - the foolish woman tears down her home with her own hands. Her foolishness is what is keyed upon here. Foolishness throughout the book of Proverbs is seen in those who do not take God's perspective on things. To the extent that a woman does not focus upon the Lord - to that extent she will tear her own house to the ground. Women who focus on wealth and the world's view of beauty will do great damage to their sons and daughters. The woman who thinks that a career is far more important than the job of being a mom will do great damage, not just to her own family, but to the society around them. Multiply this attitude a million-fold in a society and you have the makings of that societies' downfall. She can teach her daughters that they should focus on chasing men rather than seeking God. She can have them think that a man is gotten by her female wiles rather than by her chaste and godly character. Such foolish women have destroyed their homes down through the ages. The Bible is full of examples of both these women. Ahab, that wicked king of Israel had two of them in his life. First his mother did not rear him to fear the Lord. It is amazing to see that every king had his mother mentioned - and then afterward it is told whether he did right or evil in God's sight. Possilby her greatest failure with Ahab was allowing him to marry Jezebel, the second foolish woman in his life. She counselled and encouraged Ahab to do evil and even to kill to get a piece of land he wanted. Ahab turned into a pouty, spoiled, godless man due to the influence of these women. He was responsible for his own actions, but how often the actions of a child reflect the mother who reared him. Ahab wound up destroying not just himself, but ever single child born to him. In the end, both his mother and Jezebel destroyed and tore down their houses with their own hands. These are not the only women who exhibit this behavior. There is Athaliah, who not only counselled her son to walk in th ways of Ahab, but who when her son had died, killed all the rest of the royal offspring so she could be queen. There was Micah's mother who blessed her son's thieving ways and dedicated her stolen precious metal to make an idol for him and her household. There was Herodias, who had her daughter debauch herself so that she could carry out her deadly grudge against John the Baptist by having his head cut off and put on a silver platter. These ungodly woman torn down house after house and paved the way for greater destruction in future generations. Thank God that we also have godly examples placed before us. We have examples of women who built their houses instead of tearing them down. Godly Sarah who called Abraham lord, even though he was not the greatest of protectors. She was responsible for building up the house of Israel. There was Jochabed, mother of Moses who risked her life to protect and care for Moses - and then when God had allowed him to be placed back into her hands as his nurse - she taught him the ways of the Lord. There was the godly mother and grandmother of Timothy, Lois and Eunice, who took the time to teach him the Scriptures which made him wise unto salvation. What blessing was passed from generation to generation through these godly women. May God add to their number more and more so that our nation can be blessed in its future as well. A wise son accepts his father's discipline, But a scoffer does not listen to rebuke. Proverbs 13:1
Ours is a soceity where fathers are abandoning their biblical position. The result is a soceity where things are unfortunately falling apart at an alarming rate. What is even more alarming is how badly the biblical portrait of fatherhood is under attack by the entertainment, educational, and political elite of our day. There are many who think a man's usefulness is at its maximum shortly after the conception of a child. The Bible knows no such view. This proverb is actually addressed to sons who desire to be wise. The wise son is the one who listens to his father's disciplinary words and ideas. The word for discipline here is "musar" and it means to discipline throuh instruction. It is when a father speaks with his son in correction of his attitudes and actions. This is something that is desperately needed for a child. Foolishness is bound up within his heart - and something and someone must address the wrong thinking that the child has - and will destroy the child if left alone. The father is to offer these words of rebuke and correction. That means that the view that we are naturally good is false. We are not naturally good. The Bible teaches that we are fallen and are given over to a worldly wisdom that is very destructive. Thus we need a godly father to speak the truth to us and to encourage us toward the ways of God. The son who does not listen to this helpful rebuke, is called a "scoffer." This is an interesting Word. It means to scorn, deride, and mock another. Here it speaks of how the son does not honor the father or his instruction. He won't listen to rebuke or correction. He mocks it instead - thinking that the things his father says to him will not happen - nor will his own actions bring any kind of difficulty. Yet, the truth is that when a godly father's instruction is ingored and mocked - the son is in for a bumpy road filled with grief and problems. A father's instruction is invaluable to a son or daughter. Do not ignore it - or mock it. It is god's way of offering to the next generation the wisdom it needs to prosper and be blessed. Keep it and the blessing with be yours - ignore it only at your own peril. Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, But he who hates reproof is stupid. Proverbs 12:1
I've grown up being taught that the word stupid is not a very nice word. It is one that my parents encouraged me to avoid. So when the living God refers to someone as "stupid" it is a verse that catches my attention. What is it that makes God call someone stupid? The stupid man is the one who hates to be reproved and corrected. He bristles when someone offers rebuke. He does not like it when someone corrects him when he is wrong. This is what makes him stupid, because by nature we are fallen - and by nature we are born ignorant. The only way to remedy this situation is for us to be corrected by God and corrected by others. Any discipline in life is to turn us from the wrong and toward the right. Those who love us discipline us, because they know that such discipline directs us away from wickedness and toward righteousness. Discipline by its very nature is not pleasant - and that is why the Lord doesn't tell us that we always have to be happy about it. But when we move from finding it unpleasant but necessary - to - hating it and despising those who offer it - then we move to dangerous territory. Wisdom has us embrace discipline and reproof. Proverbs tells us that this is the way of life - the way things work - and the way to move from foolish actions to wise ones. We are told here to love discipline. To appreciate it for what it is - instruction that keeps us from problems - keeps us from ungodly patterns and habits in our lives. Those patterns and habits yield destruction and death. Thus we need to learn to embrace discipline because when we learn from it - we receive what Hebrews calls, 'The peacable fruit of righteousness." We learn what is right and we hold fast what is right when we learn from correction. Otherwise we just become entrenched in our wrong - in error - and in ways that are displeasing to the Lord. Stupid is not a great word to use every day - or a good name to call someone. Yet, God in His wisdom lets us know that when we hate the correction and reproof that will lead us to a godly life - we are being nothing less than stupid! |
Proverb a DayEach day, we'll take a look at a verse from the chapter of Proverbs for the day. Our hope is to gain wisdom each day - and from that wisdom - to have understanding to make godly decisions in the throes of everyday life. Thank you for visiting our website! Everything on this site is offered for free. If, however, you would like to make a donation to help pay for its continued presence on the internet, you can do that by clicking here. The only thing we ask is that you give first to the local church you attend. Thank you!
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