God is Watching and Supporting

Proverbs 14:26-27:

26 In the fear of the LORD one has strong confidence, and his children will have a refuge.
27 The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, that one may turn away from the snares of death.

Proverbs has said before that God gives good advice that can literally give us life. That support gives us the confidence that we cannot find in ourselves and we can pass that confidence down to our children. On my other blog I recently posted about how thinking someone is watching makes us more moral. As a reader points out, an appropriate respect for God can do the same thing (to our own benefit).

Weight of Truth

Proverbs 14:25:

25 A truthful witness saves lives, but one who breathes out lies is deceitful.

Consider the enormity of such a simple verse. In some ways it is just a restating of an earlier verse on the straight forward distinction between truth and lies, but there is something more here. Truthfulness is important. It saves lives and we, as the witness, are it's vessel. We can save the wrongly accused in a criminal court, but there is also a higher level described more clearly in the King James:

25 A true witness delivereth souls: but a deceitful witness speaketh lies.

Speaking the truth of the gospel saves souls.

Foolishness is Foolish

Proverbs 14:24:

24 The crown of the wise is their wealth, but the folly of fools brings folly.

This verse seems just as obvious as the last. There are practical benefits of wisdom and there are real costs to foolishness. So why even mention it? Because all too often we act without thinking, focus too much on material wealth, keep harmful friends, ignore good advice, and other foolish things.

Walk the Walk

Proverbs 14:23:

23 In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty.

Time after time (after time after time after time after time after time) Proverbs has described how work equal reward. It does not describe how talking about work equal reward. God is a God of action, not mere talk of action.

Plan Good, Feel Good

Proverbs 14:22:

22 Do they not go astray who devise evil? Those who devise good meet steadfast love and faithfulness.

Yesterday a commenter asked a tough question. If God's people don't get the victory promised to them in the Bible, would living the Christian life of personal sacrifice be worth it? I think this verse describes a worldly truth that even non-believers can get behind. Those who exclusively seek to hurt others do not win. Those who seek to do good are satisfied. Seeking favor with God often finds you favor with man. There would certainly be a great sadness if eternal victory is not won, but the teachings of the Bible do often make for a more livable world.

Our Default Isn't Love Thy Neighbor

Proverbs 14:20-21:

20 The poor is disliked even by his neighbor, but the rich has many friends.
21 Whoever despises his neighbor is a sinner, but blessed is he who is generous to the poor.

At first verse seems like a warning to the poor not to be too demanding of others. But the second verse gives it some better context. It is more of a condemnation of those who only favor friends can give them something in return. We should care for our neighbor, especially if they are financially needy.

Good Will Win

Proverbs 14:19:

19 The evil bow down before the good, the wicked at the gates of the righteous.

It's nice to know how the story ends. Sometimes in life the bad guy wins. Even before Jesus, God has planned the final victory for his people.

Slow Down

Proverbs 14:15-18:

15 The simple believes everything, but the prudent gives thought to his steps.

16 One who is wise is cautious and turns away from evil, but a fool is reckless and careless.

17 A man of quick temper acts foolishly, and a man of evil devices is hated.

18 The simple inherit folly, but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.

In the Bible, often the word slow is tied to being wise and fast tied to foolishness. That is not always true in our daily life, where being a bold decisive leader is valued. Yet Proverbs is clear that a cautious critical eye is invaluable in our ability to choose wisely and regulate our heated emotions. The wisdom of carefulness helps bread more wisdom. This was my original goal in my personal blog (which has been getting more attention than this one lately). The slogan, "slowing down to move forward" was to remind me to take all of the information I gather each day and give it some consideration. It's been a mostly successful way to deal with complex issues worth considering.