PROVERBS 20 16 Take a man’s garment when he has put up security for a stranger, and hold it in pledge when he puts up security for foreigners. 17 Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man, but afterward his mouth will be full of gravel. 18 Plans are established by counsel; by wise guidance wage war. 19 Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets; therefore do not associate with a simple babbler. 20 If one curses his father or his mother, his lamp will be put out in utter darkness. – Proverbs 20:16-20
PROVERBS 20 PLANS ESTABLISHED BY COUNSEL A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses When a man consults with good counsel His plans are well thought of and will prosper If a man does not seek the advice of wise people His plans may fail because he won’t see the big picture If a man goes ahead without consultation He must be ready to expect the worst conditions.
Why do kings, presidents and other leaders almost always have a pool of counsel or advisers? Why can’t they just make all the decisions themselves regarding making policies and executing laws and other decisions regarding the nations they rule over? Because they do not see the whole perspective of something, they need the viewpoint of other wise people so that they can make better decisions for the good of the nation or country they lead. Solomon mentions the importance of wise counsel in verse 18 of this Proverbs. The success of a plan is established by good counsel. Even going to war can be beneficial if there are wise heads put together to plan the best strategic action.
REFLECTION • What does a leader manifest when he listens to good advice from his counsel?
PROVERBS 20 6 Many a man proclaims his own steadfast love, but a faithful man who can find? 7 The righteous who walks in his integrity— blessed are his children after him! 8 A king who sits on the throne of judgment winnows all evil with his eyes. 9 Who can say, “I have made my heart pure; I am clean from my sin”? 10 Unequal weights and unequal measures are both alike an abomination to the LORD. – Proverbs 20:6-10
PROVERBS 20 ON BOASTING OF PURITY FROM SIN A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses Who can claim that one has cleansed himself of sinfulness? Can any human being completely detach itself from wickedness? When we boast that we can totally be without evil We are actually lying to ourselves since we are limited beings Only God can purify and cleanse us from our nature If we confess and repent, we will be washed from it There is no point in boasting that we have anything to do with it It is only the Spirit of the Lord who is able to purify our hearts.
In 1 John 1:8 it says that “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” No human being living on earth can truly say he is sinless. The bible says in Ecclesiastes 7:20 that 20 Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins. Morgan comments that “This is the eternal challenge which has but one answer. When a man recognizes this, he begins to inquire for a Savior.” Bridges also comments that “Only vain people can boast that they have pure hearts. But the boast, far from showing their goodness, demonstrates their blindness. Man is so depraved that he cannot understand his own depravity.” Many false religions claim that they can cleanse themselves from rituals and works of the flesh, but only the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ can purify us from sins since he is the only one who is sinless. No human can do it without believing in him.
REFLECTION • What is in our hearts when we boast that we are sinless?
PROVERBS 20 Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise. 2 The terror of a king is like the growling of a lion; whoever provokes him to anger forfeits his life. 3 It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife, but every fool will be quarreling. 4 The sluggard does not plow in the autumn; he will seek at harvest and have nothing. 5 The purpose in a man’s heart is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out. – Proverbs 20:1-5
PROVERBS 20 PEACEMAKERS VERSUS TROUBLEMAKERS A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses When a man does not engage in conflicts He must have wisdom and understanding Someone who pursues peace is a man of honor He isn’t quick to speak, instead he is a good listener. The man who keeps on talking without listening They are foolish and only care about their cravings Troublemakers seek attention and are full of pride They love to quarrel and aim to always be right.
Solomon gives us a picture of honorable man and the fools in this Proverbs. The man of honor stays away from conflicts. They seek peace and unity. 1 Peter 3:10-11 says that whoever desires to love life and see good days must keep his tongue and his lips from speaking deceit and he must turn away from evil and do good but most of all, he must seek peace and pursue it. A wicked man on the other hand isn’t interested in learning, but only in quarreling to prove that he is right. He has no desire to listen to others.
REFLECTION • Share some insights or experiences you had with quarrelsome people and also with peacemakers.
PROVERBS 19 26 He who does violence to his father and chases away his mother is a son who brings shame and reproach. 27 Cease to hear instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge. 28 A worthless witness mocks at justice, and the mouth of the wicked devours iniquity. 29 Condemnation is ready for scoffers, and beating for the backs of fools. – Proverbs 19:26-29
PROVERBS 19 WHEN YOU CEASE TO HEAR INSTRUCTIONS A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses Those who do not want instructions avoid knowledge When you try to direct the wicked, you’ll do it all again The one who walks in the way of the wicked They will stray and fall into the pit of darkness Pride and a hardened heart is at the core of all rebels They are compelled to do what is selfish and evil.
One of the characters of a true believer is obedience. The first sin of Adam and Eve has to do with their defiance to obedience. Because of their desire to know more than what they were already given, our first parents fell into sin. The original sin impacted every human being. It led every person with an inclination to hate God and to love sin. No wonder it is so easy for us to do what is evil and very hard to do what is right. The apostle Paul explains it in Romans 7:19-25 this nature of ours that we inherited from Adam and Eve. He says that “Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me.” In verse 27, Solomon gives us the consequence of not obeying or following instructions. It leads us away from wisdom and makes us stray from what is righteous. It leads to sin.
REFLECTION • What are other consequences of not heeding God’s instructions?
PROVERBS 19 21 Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand. 22 What is desired in a man is steadfast love, and a poor man is better than a liar. 23 The fear of the LORD leads to life, and whoever has it rests satisfied; he will not be visited by harm. 24 The sluggard buries his hand in the dish and will not even bring it back to his mouth. 25 Strike a scoffer, and the simple will learn prudence; reprove a man of understanding, and he will gain knowledge. – Proverbs 19:21-25
PROVERBS 19 WHAT THE FEAR OF THE LORD BRINGS A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses When the fear of the Lord is in a man’s heart He will be content and prosper in life He will not be harmed because God protects him The world will not ruin his heart and mind Because he reveres his Maker and Lord He will have wisdom as he navigates this world.
What does it mean to fear the Lord? The word fear in this context is not a worldly fear but it is to honor and revere the Lord who is your Master and Maker. It means to live your life in accordance to his will and in obedience to all the laws he gave you. Why is it important to have the fear of the Lord? Proverbs 1:7 says that it is the beginning of knowledge. We can therefore clearly see that those who don’t have the fear of the Lord lack knowledge. How can they have wisdom if they do not revere God? Proverbs 8:13 also says that to fear the Lord is to hate evil. Those who love the Lord are humble and do not follow the way of the wicked. Job 28:28 spells out the benefit of fearing the Lord. It brings wisdom and gives the person the ability to turn away from evil. When he does this, he begins to have understanding.
REFLECTION • Why do you think some Christians don’t have the fear of the Lord?
PROVERBS 19 16 Whoever keeps the commandment keeps his life; he who despises his ways will die. 17 Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will repay him for his deed. 18 Discipline your son, for there is hope; do not set your heart on putting him to death. 19 A man of great wrath will pay the penalty, for if you deliver him, you will only have to do it again. 20 Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future. – Proverbs 19:16-20
PROVERBS 19 OBEYING GOD BRINGS LIFE A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses Anyone who listens to God’s commandments and follow him They will find wisdom and life will be good if they obey it When one listens to advice and accept instruction That person will gain understanding and have a vision As soon as we take God’s covenant promise seriously We will have the benefit of his bounty, grace and mercy.
Many people suffer in their lives because they have no clue that our main purpose in life is to obey and live in the will of our Creator. When someone has not heard and accepted the gospel that Jesus was given to humanity so we can be free from the bondage of sin, it is difficult to grasp the meaning of life. Once a person does not know the character of God and the salvation history of mankind, he will continue to live a life against what God designed it to be. He cannot overcome sin. He will live hating God and his laws and do what is against it. Solomon gives us the benefit of obedience to God in verses 16 and 20. Following his law and his word bring us life and protect us from spiritual death. It saves our soul and spirit.
REFLECTION • Why would it be hard for someone to obey God’s commands?
PROVERBS 19 11 Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense. 12 A king’s wrath is like the growling of a lion, but his favor is like dew on the grass. 13 A foolish son is ruin to his father, and a wife’s quarreling is a continual dripping of rain. 14 House and wealth are inherited from fathers, but a prudent wife is from the LORD. 15 Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep, and an idle person will suffer hunger. – Proverbs 19:11-15
PROVERBS 19 OVERLOOKING AN OFFENSE BRINGS ONE GLORY A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses When you are offended by someone’s action or words Hold your tongue and control your mouth and your reactions Examine your hearts; there might be a root of bitterness in it This bitterness can make you view things very differently It is loving to forgive and not keep a record of wrongs It is ungodly to hold on to offense for it will destroy you.
In Matthew 24:10-12 it says “And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.” He talks about the end times in these following verses where there’ll be so much evil and offenses. In Hebrews 12:15, the author says “See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled.” No wonder why Solomon would bring up the importance of overlooking an offense. It adds glory to the person who can overlook it. It manifests God’s mercy in our hearts when we can let go of the wrong done to us. How can we not forgive someone who said or done something to offend us when God has forgiven us time and time again?
REFLECTION • What do you think lies behind an easily offended heart?
PROVERBS 19 6 Many seek the favor of a generous man, and everyone is a friend to a man who gives gifts. 7 All a poor man’s brothers hate him; how much more do his friends go far from him! He pursues them with words, but does not have them. 8 Whoever gets sense loves his own soul; he who keeps understanding will discover good. 9 A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who breathes out lies will perish. 10 It is not fitting for a fool to live in luxury, much less for a slave to rule over princes. – Proverbs 19:6-10
PROVERBS 19 THE WISE GETS TO THE HEART OF THINGS A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses Those who are wise are able to seek deeper things in life They are not shallow and easily deceived by lies The righteous man is hungry for truth and seeks wisdom They pursue to understand so they can live in freedom Whoever digs deeper into the word of the Lord They will find good and be able to overcome the world.
In verse 8, Solomon points out the importance of seeking wisdom and getting into the heart of things. He says that when we do this, we manifest love for our own self. When we take for granted all the gifts that God has given us, we are not able to see our full potential. When we just seek knowledge for the sake of acquiring it without knowing what we are made of and why we are here in this world, it is no good for us. But if we take to heart what the will of God is, we will benefit from it because we will be able to use all our gifts for his plan and purpose for us. Some people just do things out of habit or automated responses. They do not seek and examine their hearts and therefore live meaningless or shallow lives.
REFLECTION • Why is it important to get to the heart of things?
Better is a poor person who walks in his integrity than one who is crooked in speech and is a fool. 2 Desire without knowledge is not good, and whoever makes haste with his feet misses his way. 3 When a man’s folly brings his way to ruin, his heart rages against the Lord. 4 Wealth brings many new friends, but a poor man is deserted by his friend. 5 A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who breathes out lies will not escape.
– Proverbs 19
PROVERBS 19 THE FOLLY OF RUSHING
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
When one rushes to do anything, he misses something
It is better to plan and take your time in anything
A hasty decision will lead to bad consequences
But a well-thought of choice will bring much success
Rushing is a manifestation of foolishness and recklessness
When one is prudent and patient, he displays righteousness
Don’t ever rush anything and you will be wise
Make a habit of rushing and you will be without insight.
Can you remember if there is anyone in the bible who rushed? Did Jesus ever rushed or done something in haste? I don’t recall any because there isn’t one. In John 11, even when he was called to come quickly to his beloved friend Lazarus who was dying, he still took his time. Of course it wasn’t to torture Lazarus’ sister, but he delayed it so that the He can be glorified through it. He showed to them that he is the Resurrection and Life.
Why do we have this habit of rushing? Could it be that we rush because of recklessness and following the world’s standard? Could it be because we are impatient or because we didn’t manage our time and didn’t set boundaries with ourselves and with others?
REFLECTION
What are some results of hasty actions and decisions?
19 A brother offended is more unyielding than a strong city, and quarreling is like the bars of a castle. 20 From the fruit of a man’s mouth his stomach is satisfied; he is satisfied by the yield of his lips. 21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits. 22 He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord. 23 The poor use entreaties, but the rich answer roughly. 24 A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
– Proverbs 18:19-24
PROVERBS 18 THE POWER OF THE TONGUE
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
The tongue is a very small member in our body
And yet, it controls our whole being tremendously
Like a rudder to a ship, it guides the direction of large ships
Like a bit in the horses’ mouth, it brings them to obedience
Death and life are anchored in whatever comes from the tongue
It can bless and build up someone, but it can also ridicule and destroy.
In the book of James, in chapter three, he gives us a picture of the power of the tongue. He compares it to a fire where even with such a small fire, it can put a great forest to ablaze. He says that it is set among other parts of the body, but it can set on fire the entire course of our lives. James also says that it is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. He further tells us that any animal can be tamed, but no human tongue can be controlled. No wonder we have been warned to guard our mouth by the Lord himself.
REFLECTION
How do you think a man can control his tongue if the bible says that it is untameable?
19 A brother offended is more unyielding than a strong city, and quarreling is like the bars of a castle. 20 From the fruit of a man’s mouth his stomach is satisfied; he is satisfied by the yield of his lips. 21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits. 22 He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord. 23 The poor use entreaties, but the rich answer roughly. 24 A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
– Proverbs 18:19-24
PROVERBS 18 THE POWER OF THE TONGUE
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
The tongue is a very small member in our body
And yet, it controls our whole being tremendously
Like a rudder to a ship, it guides the direction of large ships
Like a bit in the horses’ mouth, it brings them to obedience
Death and life are anchored in whatever comes from the tongue
It can bless and build up someone, but it can also ridicule and destroy.
In the book of James, in chapter three, he gives us a picture of the power of the tongue. He compares it to a fire where even with such a small fire, it can put a great forest to ablaze. He says that it is set among other parts of the body, but it can set on fire the entire course of our lives. James also says that it is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. He further tells us that any animal can be tamed, but no human tongue can be controlled. No wonder we have been warned to guard our mouth by the Lord himself.
REFLECTION
How do you think a man can control his tongue if the bible says that it is untameable?
