The book of Proverbs often warns us of “leaning on our own understanding” instead of God’s expressed direction or the better advice from others. The most popular phrase Proverbs uses is the one that begins Proverbs Chapter 21. It says, “Every way of a man is right in his own eyes…” What that means is we all think our ideas are best or our way is the right way. This often will lead to catastrophic results.
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Proverbs 21:2
God Always Knows Best!
Proverbs 20:1
The Perils of Alcohol
It’s difficult to make the case for total abstinence from all alcoholic beverages in the Bible. Yet it repeatedly comments on the wisdom of abstinence. It describes alcohol in derogatory terms frequently. In chapter 20, verse 1, we read, “Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.”
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Proverbs 19:11
Controlling Anger
Self control is one of the fruits of the Spirit. They are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. The book of proverbs expresses the value of self control frequently. Chapter 19, verse 11, tells us that “Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.”
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Proverbs 18:6-7
Controlling the Tongue
Control of the tongue is a serious subject in both the Old Testament and the New Testament. Proverbs is one of the key books to teach on the subject. It’s repeated throughout the book in order to emphasize the importance of it. Chapter 18 contains a clear warning about neglect of tongue control. Verses 6 and 7 say, “A fool’s lips walk into a fight, and his mouth invites a beating. A fool’s mouth is his ruin, and his lips are a snare to his soul.”
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Proverbs 17:6
The Importance of the Father
Chapter 17 of Proverbs really nails it when it says in verse 6, “Grand children are the crown of old men.” I’ve been blessed with three grandsons and just love them to death. I’m always talking about them and bragging about them, for better or for worse. Did you know that my 8 year old grandson got all A’s except for one B on his most recent report card? Well, he did! The King James Version says it well, “Children’s children are the crown of old men…”
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Proverbs 14:12
Our Father always knows best
“There’s a way that seems right to a man, but the end thereof is disastrous.” This is what Proverbs 14:12 says. Man has some pretty good ideas and has come up with some pretty good inventions and we help each other out in lots of ways. But when we fool with concerns that God has established in His word, we usually get ourselves into deep trouble.
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Proverbs 13:24
Horse & Carriage – Love & Discipline
The book of Proverbs is full of parental advice. One of the better known passages is Proverbs 13:24. It says, “Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.”
Proverbs 12:15
Learning From God and From Others
Love, Learn and Live are the three characteristics of a true disciple of Christ. We are to love God and love others. This is the first and greatest commandment. But there’s more to discipleship than loving. We must be learning from God and from others. Then, we must put our love motivated lessons into action. I had coffee with my son, Chuck, last week and he really had an excellent insight into how we learn from God. I had just assumed that learning from God was reading the Bible. But he suggested that it’s responding correctly to the circumstances that God brings into our lives. Wow! Romans 8:28-29 teaches us that all things that God allows into our lives, good and bad, are there to help us become more like Jesus. Learning from God is both understanding His Word, and growing through the trials, failures, successes and victories in life. That’s how we learn from God.
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