June 7: Proverbs 13-15

June 7, Proverbs 13-15

Proverbs 13 continues on with a call for righteous living. We need to guard our hearts and pursue what is right, and that will show even in our kids - are they teachable and desiring to be righteous? Guard ourselves, especially our hearts because what comes out of there is through our lips. We also learn that things are not always what they seem. But God knows… 

You ever heard the saying birds of a feather flock together? Well, it is reiterated here in chapter 13, “Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.” You become the company you keep, be wise who you spend time with. 

Also, a righteous parent will provide for their kids and grandkids. Legacy is important in Proverbs - what are you leaving behind? A trail of destruction or a path of righteousness to those that are coming behind you? 

Then we have a very famous verse, “Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.” This is not permission to beat your kids, but rather, in love, to discipline them with the intent of loving them. This is a lot like God’s love for us. He disciplines those He loves, and those that love Him, appreciate the discipline and do not despise Him for it. 

Proverbs 14 Again, we are being taught about the lives of the righteous and the lives of the foolish. Being righteous takes hard work, but the rewards are there. Being righteous even requires leaving the presence of a fool, because he/she lacks many things and is on their way to destruction. 

“In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty” Just talking about something doesn't meant that you have done anything. To do something takes hard work. What is God calling you to do? Go do it. 

Again, we are called to leave a good legacy… “In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence, and his children will have a refuge.” You start the legacy for your kids - it starts with you… no excuses… Go do it. 

Proverbs 15 We are also being called to soften our approaches to get the best results. Another old saying, Honey gets you better results than vinegar… I especially am working on this one! A soft answer turns away wrath… Our words are the outpouring of what is in our hearts. Check your hearts (me too!) so that we are pursuing holiness and righteousness. 

“A fool despises his father's instruction, but whoever heeds reproof is prudent.” If you are humble - you will be on the path to being wise. Humbly accept what God is calling you to and work with what you got. God also reminds us here that He is the one who sees all and judges all - this is divine judgement. There in lies our motivation to fear God, not be afraid of Him, but to respectfully know our place before the Holy One. 

“Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed.” A humble and wise man seeks counsel. An arrogant man thinks he knows everything. Which man/woman are you? Our hearts should be yearning to be righteous, so we ponder how we respond and God will hear us. Think you know it all? Haha. Not possible!

 The last verse also sums it up well, “The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom, and humility comes before honor.” We need to know our place and humbly come before the Almighty.

To sum it all up:

• You become the company you keep, be wise who you spend time with… 
• Legacy is important in Proverbs - what are you leaving behind? A trail of destruction or a path of righteousness to those that are coming behind you? It is imperative that you look out for your kids and live a life as an example for those around you - they are watching your decisions and basing theirs on yours. 
• We are left with a choice… a choice to sin or a choice to be righteous and obey.