Proverbs – Taking advice

Another survey of Biblical wisdom from the Bible's proverbs. This time looking at taking advice and dealing with correction, instruction or rebuke. (Again vaguely grouped).

The benefits of heeding discipline & advice
He who heeds discipline shows the way to life,
but whoever ignores correction leads others astray. (10v17)
He who ignores discipline comes to poverty and shame,
but whoever heeds correction is honored. (13v18)
Plans fail for lack of counsel,
but with many advisers they succeed. (15v22)
He who listens to a life-giving rebuke
will be at home among the wise.
He who ignores discipline despises himself,
but whoever heeds correction gains understanding. (15v31-32)
Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers,
and blessed is he who trusts in the LORD. (16v20)
Stop listening to instruction, my son,
and you will stray from the words of knowledge. (19v27)

Wisdom in taking rebukes & advice
Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,
but he who hates correction is stupid. (12v1)
The way of a fool seems right to him,
but a wise man listens to advice. (12v15)
A wise son heeds his father's instruction,
but a mocker does not listen to rebuke. (13v1)
Pride only breeds quarrels,
but wisdom is found in those who take advice. (13v10)
A fool spurns his father's discipline,
but whoever heeds correction shows prudence. (15v5)
A rebuke impresses a man of discernment
more than a hundred lashes a fool. (17v10)
Flog a mocker, and the simple will learn prudence;
rebuke a discerning man, and he will gain knowledge. (19v25)
A man who remains stiff-necked after many rebukes
will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy. (29v1)

Wisdom in giving rebukes & advice
Better is open rebuke
than hidden love.
Wounds from a friend can be trusted,
but an enemy multiplies kisses. (27v5-6)
He who rebukes a man will in the end gain more favor
than he who has a flattering tongue. (28v23)
As iron sharpens iron,
so one man sharpens another. (27v17)

Wisdom in seeking guidance & instruction
Listen to advice and accept instruction,
and in the end you will be wise. (19v20)
Make plans by seeking advice;
if you wage war, obtain guidance. (20v18)
Apply your heart to instruction
and your ears to words of knowledge. (23v12)

Wisdom in accepting praise
The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold,
but man is tested by the praise he receives. (27v21)

Proverbs - Well chosen words...

A brief survey of the Bible's wisdom on the effects of well chosen speach from Proverbs (loosely grouped).

...Encourage
An anxious heart weighs a man down,
but a kind word cheers him up. (10v25)
A man finds joy in giving an apt reply—
and how good is a timely word! (15v23)
A cheerful look brings joy to the heart,
and good news gives health to the bones. (15v30)

...Bring healing & peace
A gentle answer turns away wrath,
but a harsh word stirs up anger. (15v1)
Reckless words pierce like a sword,
but the tongue of the wise brings healing. (12v18)
The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life,
but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit. (15v4)
Pleasant words are a honeycomb,
sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. (16v24)

...Bring rescue & life
The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,
but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked. (10v11)
The words of the wicked lie in wait for blood,
but the speech of the upright rescues them. (12v6)
The tongue has the power of life and death,
and those who love it will eat its fruit. (18v21)

...Bring wisdom & knowledge
The lips of the righteous nourish many,
but fools die for lack of judgment. (10v21)
The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom,
but a perverse tongue will be cut out. (10v31)
The tongue of the wise commends knowledge,
but the mouth of the fool gushes folly. (15v2)
The lips of the wise spread knowledge;
not so the hearts of fools. (15v7)
The wise in heart are called discerning,
and pleasant words promote instruction. (16v21)
A wise man's heart guides his mouth,
and his lips promote instruction. (16v23)
Gold there is, and rubies in abundance,
but lips that speak knowledge are a rare jewel. (20v15)

So speak carefully...
A man who lacks judgment derides his neighbor,
but a man of understanding holds his tongue. (11v12)
He who guards his lips guards his life,
but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin. (13v3)
The heart of the righteous weighs its answers,
but the mouth of the wicked gushes evil. (15v28)
A man of knowledge uses words with restraint,
and a man of understanding is even-tempered.
Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, 

and discerning if he holds his tongue. (17v27-28)

Proverbs – the consequences of poverty

I'm looking at the Bible's wisdom literature at the moment, in particular the Old Testament book of Proverbs.  Nothing fancy! Just skimming through trying to get a sense of what is said on particular topics.

What follows is a sweep that picks out proverbs focusing on the situation of the poor*.  It brings out three things (according to which I’ve roughly grouped them below).

• Material poverty leads to relational poverty

• Material poverty leaves you vulnerable to oppression

• God is concerned for the poor
  

Material poverty leads to relational poverty

• The poor are shunned even by their neighbors, but the rich have many friends. (14v20)
  
• Wealth brings many friends, but a poor man's friend deserts him. (19v4)
  
• A poor man is shunned by all his relatives— how much more do his friends avoid him! Though he pursues them with pleading, they are nowhere to be found. (19v7)
  

Material poverty leaves you vulnerable to oppression

• The wealth of the rich is their fortified city, but poverty is the ruin of the poor. (10v15)
  
• A poor man's field may produce abundant food, but injustice sweeps it away. (13v23)
  
• The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender. (22v7)
  
• A ruler who oppresses the poor is like a driving rain that leaves no crops. (28v3)
  
• Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. (31v8)
  
• Do not exploit the poor because they are poor and do not crush the needy in court,
  
• for the LORD will take up their case and will plunder those who plunder them. (22v22-23)
  

God is concerned for the poor

• He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God. (14v31)
  
• He who mocks the poor shows contempt for their Maker; whoever gloats over disaster will not go unpunished. (17v5)
  
• He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward him for what he has done. (19v17)
  
• If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be answered. (21v13)
  
• Rich and poor have this in common: The LORD is the Maker of them all. (22v2)
  
• A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor. (22v9)
  
• He who gives to the poor will lack nothing, but he who closes his eyes to them receives many curses. (28v27)
  
• The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern. (29v7)
  

*Note: I've not included here the (many) proverbs which consider patterns of behaviour and lifestyle that can lead to poverty (the sluggard, the drunkard,...).  However, the place of personal responsibility needs to be wisely considered alongside these issues.  It does not contradict nor should it  lessen any of the above.

Pursuing wisdom to 'live well' in the world (Proverbs)

I want to 'live well' in the world.  I want to understand how the world works... To have incite into the workings of the stock market... To understand the ways and motivations of men's hearts... and many more things besides.  Knowledge like that would help me to prosper, and protect myself.  It might (in my better moments) help me love other people well.

I want that kind of wisdom, and I want it quickly... easily.  Osmosis through my pillow would be fine.  Hypnosis or a brain download would be OK.  A drip feed even.  Failing that listening to a few podcasts on the tube would be bearable. I want wisdom to come to me the way information and entertainment do. Freely, easily, and with no effort. 

Well it turns out wisdom like that is available.  Wisdom to 'live well' in the world...  to prosper, to protect and to love.  

 

But wisdom - according to Proverbs chapter 2 - doesn’t come quickly or without effort. Wisdom requires application and to be pursued with commitment. We need to “accept” truthful words, “store up” right commands, actively “turn our ears” to widsom, “[apply] our hearts”, “call out” for insight, “cry aloud" for understanding, “look for” and “pursue“ understanding as we would the costliest treasure. None of that sounds like a quick and easy exercise. It sounds like something that is pursued with heart and mind, persistently... even avidly.  (I've recently seen National Treasure the film.  Nicolas Cage's character knew what it was to look for and pursue something as a treasure - I hardly pursue wisdom the same way...). 

But there's more to it than our part. For one thing, where would we look for these "truthful words"?  To whom could we "cry aloud for understanding"? 

Proverbs makes clear, wisdom originates with God and is His to give. Which kind of makes sense! If we connect 'living well in the world' with the purpose of both 'living'  and 'the world' (see “I have a hammer…”), we might expect the creator to have something to say on both.  In fact, it would be rather odd if the God who gives life and who made the world didn't come into the picture when it came to living life in His world.   If he had spoken about it, it would be worth listening to.  Worth treasuring even...

Proverbs 2v1-12
[Our bit… (v1-5)]
My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.
[God’s bit… (v6-12)]
For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones. Then you will understand what is right and just and fair—every good path. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you. Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men, from men whose words are perverse,…