A Grievous Wink

“Whoever winks maliciously causes grief, and a chattering fool comes to ruin.  The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.”

Wow, the chattering fool surfaces again! We just read about her a few verses before.  So much of our quality of life depends on what comes out of our mouths!

I don’t know about you, but I’m not sure I’ve seen anyone “wink maliciously.”  What in the world can that mean? The only thing I visualize when I read that verse is a card shark in a game of poker winking because he knows he’s got a winning hand, only he also knows it’s ill-gotten winning hand.  Can you see it?

Malicious winking , chattering, and concealing…all descriptions of the wicked.  All of these attributes are the total opposite of integrity, which we wrote about yesterday.

And then of course, like all good Proverbs say, there’s a counter to the curse:

What comes out of the mouths of those who love God is a fountain of life.  What a contrast!  In other words, others want to come and drink from the words that flow from those who walk with God.

The tongue is important, as are the eyes.  And the righteous know this and submit both to His command.

Unimpaired

Proverbs 10: 9 says, “Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out.”

Security – it’s what all women want – in fact I’m told it’s at the top of the list.  This verse says those who walk in integrity walk securely.  One definition of “integrity” is “an unimpaired condition.”  So if we walk unimpaired, we walk securely. 

I think it works out like this: 

We can walk in truth (the word of God) by obeying the highest command of loving God and loving others, and we will be wrapped securely & tightly, with a heart that’s set straight and clean.  We can go to bed at night with a clear conscience.

Or we can walk in our own whims and fancies (following our natural desires, whatever they may be) and eventually come to the end of our rope, so to speak, realizing we are lost, without hope  - and those around us might be stunned at what we do.  We go to bed at night alone and afraid.

The only way we can walk in an unimpaired condition is if Jesus walks beside us.  We are all impaired, in need of a Savior.   And all we have to do is ask Him, and He will lead.

Then we can follow – safe and sound.

Wise in Heart

“The wise in heart accept commands, but a chattering fool comes to ruin.” (Proverbs 10:8)

I’m writing all about foolishness this month, something I don’t ever think I’ve heard addressed in a sermon…

Have you ever tried to talk to someone, but she doesn’t keep quiet long enough to listen to you?  In fact, you can see in her eyes that she’s thinking of what she’s going to say next, and she’s not even hearing what you have to say.  That person probably has been labeled a “chatterbox.”

A chatterbox might be cute as a toddler, but an adult chatterbox – it seems no one wants to be around her.  Constant chatter leaves no time for listening.

This verse says the wise in heart accept commands, and since this phrase precedes the part about chattering, I conclude that the wise in heart also know when to stop speaking in order to listen.

I’ve been known to be a chatterbox in my prayers.  I go on and on with complaints, requests, and questions as I’m talking to God and I get up from praying – never listening to what He might have to say to me.

Lord, grant me wisdom to be quiet and listen…and accept your instruction.

A Crown

Blessings crown the head of the righteous, but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked. The name of the righteous is used in blessings, but the name of the wicked will rot (Proverbs 10:6,7)

Here we go again – more contrast between the wicked (the foolish) and the righteous (those who believe). 

Can you just picture it?  Those who love the Lord have these beautiful crowns they wear – full of blessings.  And those who do not love the Lord have mouths with ugly stuff spilling out.  I’d like to see a painting of that!

All of this chapter is so visual about the distinct differences between the foolish and the righteous.  There is so much to be gained from following after the Lord, and so much to be lost by turning away.

Out of our mouths comes what resides in our hearts.  And when vile junk pours forth, we earn a name or reputation that stinks – because it’s rotten. 

However, when his blessings crown our head – our reputation is golden.  And the cool thing is that when His blessings adorn our heads, HIS name is recognized as being the giver of the blessings.

These are strong words in this book of Proverbs.  And we have the choice to heed…or disregard.

The Harvest

^“Lazy hands make for poverty, but diligent hands bring wealth. He who gathers crops in summer is a prudent son, but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son.”

So many verses in Proverbs talk about foolishness.  And being lazy is foolish.  But I don’t think these verses always just refer to the natural.  In other words, it IS foolish to sit around and do nothing – because then you make no money and you wind up in poverty. And it’s even ridiculous if you’re a farmer and you sit during harvest instead of gathering your crops – how wasteful!

But let’s look at the spiritual significance to the instruction in this verse.  Diligence, it says, brings wealth. We must be diligent to work with our hands for the Kingdom – through giving, praying, offering praise, etc.  Otherwise, we will always be wanting, always lacking, always without.  Why?  Because in giving we receive.

And when God is blessing the fruit of our land, we are prospering spiritually and growing in Him, tall and strong – we are a disgrace to our Father if we choose to be lulled to sleep during this time because we’re full and satisfied. 

I had an uncle who fell asleep after every Thanksgiving meal, and when he woke up he was ready to go home.  There was no conversation, no fellowship, just eating and leaving. I always wondered why he bothered showing up!

God has invested much in us – His Son.  We must be diligent to praise him and then when he rains blessings upon us, and the fruit of his goodness begins to show – we MUST harvest it and share what we have been given before it rots and falls to the ground.

Covered

Verses 3, 4 say, “The Lord does not let the righteous go hungry, but he thwarts the craving of the wicked.”

I like to think of this verse more in terms of spiritual hunger and cravings.  Yes, of course, the Lord provides us food to eat for our bodies.  But those who hunger and thirst after HIM, the Bible says, are filled. 

Sometimes I feel restless, like there’s a void in my life, sort of empty inside, and it almost always coincides with a time where I’m not really spending much time in prayer or the Word, and I’m starting to feel faint and sick to my spiritual stomach.  I don’t have to stay that way, though sometimes in my hurrying and busyness I let myself get so low that I’m not so pleasant to be around.

The Lord promises that when we are hungry for Him, his table is always set, and it’s always full.  We can eat until we’re content.  We just need to take the time to stop and sit…and eat.

The second part of the verse says the Lord thwarts the craving of the wicked.  What do the wicked crave? 

Proverbs 21:10 says the wicked crave evil.  And often that evil is directed towards the righteous.  But because of Jesus and his blood, all those plans and schemes and cravings that the wicked have to destroy the righteous have already been thwarted! 

If we hunger and thirst after Him, we won’t be hungry and faint.  And the plans devised against us will never prosper. 

I’d say the Lord has us covered!

The Real Treasure

Verse 2 “Ill-gotten treasures have no lasting value, but righteousness delivers from death.”

All of this month, I’m talking about fools or foolishness.  The above verse speaks of gaining treasures through wrongful means – a foolish act.  Ill-gotten treasures can be obtained through obvious stealing, but what about other “treasures?”  

Sex before marriage is an ill-gotten treasure, and it breeds mistrust in a relationship right from the start.  Taking time from a person by gossiping in her ears is an ill-gotten treasure and it not only has no value – it’s quite damaging.  Even stuff we acquire, like houses and cars, if gotten out of greed or because trying to look good, often only makes us want more and we’re never satisfied.

I love the little word “but” because it always means there’s an alternative coming.  And that alternative is righteousness.  We are not righteous – none of us.  That’s why we need a Savior to deliver us from ill-gotten treasures so that we go after the real treasure of knowing Him.  

Instead of acquiring things that have no lasting value, He offers us a big “but” - His righteousness.