Proverbs 10

Verse 1 is a short reminder of what we’ve already been taught. When we pay attention to wisdom it will make our parents glad and keep us out of trouble. Doing what is right is pleasing to God, helpful in life, and one of the ways we keep the fifth commandment: “Honor your father and your mother.”

God rewards those who follow Him. Does He always do it supernaturally? No. He can, but Proverbs reminds us that by listening to wisdom and doing what is right we’ll prosper in our lives. Doing evil brings consequences. Doing good brings opposite consequences! And we have an example here. The righteous person will work and not be lazy. As a result, good things will happen. The righteous won’t go hungry and they will be able to make a living. The wicked who won’t work will be poor and starve.

Do you want to build a lasting legacy?  Do you want to be thought well of after you die? Wisdom is the key. Being wise means listening to instruction. In contrast, a fool doesn’t listen, can only spout foolishness, and comes to ruin.

Honesty is always the best policy.” Winking the eye is acting insincerely or being deceptive, and people who behave that way are often caught! We are to be people of integrity rather than people who create trouble and cause ruin.

Verses 9 & 10 also illustrate something about Hebrew poetry, which uses parallelism. When lines convey thoughts that are similar to each other it’s called synonymous parallelism. When lines convey thoughts that are opposite to each other it’s called antithetic parallelism. When lines convey thoughts where the argument is advanced it’s called synthetic parallelism. Verse 9 is an example of antithetic parallelism, and verse 10 is an example of synthetic parallelism.

Speech is a big deal. It shows where your heart is, because what’s inside eventually makes it’s way out. A righteous person will speak good and appropriate things. Their speech will build up instead of tear down. It’s a fountain of life and is filled with grace and forgiveness! A wicked person’s speech will destroy, debilitate, and cause dissension.

Discipline is a part of life. When we do wrong, we get into trouble, and not just with God! Those in authority over us (parents, teachers, employers, police) have the right to discipline us. In fact, that’s one of the reasons that God ordained government.

Verse 15 could mean that the wealthy tend to trust in riches rather than God, but what about the second half of the verse? Although Proverbs is very clear that wealth can lead one away from God, it is not necessarily spiritual to be poor. Both the poor and the rich have to trust God and use what they have wisely. However, wealth can make life easier if you have it.

Life is a process. It’s like being on a road. You can follow the road to get to your destination, or you can take a wrong turn and get lost. Following God and being wise is a lifelong pursuit. Heeding instruction is a good start. It puts you on the way. But you have to keep going.

Hypocrisy and slander are wrong. Smiling and saying nice things to someone’s face when you really hate them or wish them harm is a sin. So is spreading lies or gossiping about someone. Note that gossip isn’t necessarily spreading something that is untrue. Sometimes it’s spreading something simply to tear down someone else or to build yourself up at their expense.

The more you speak, the more likely you are to say something that will get you into trouble. Wise people, righteous people, are careful when they speak. As a result, they say good things. Not so much with the wicked! Since what’s on the inside eventually comes out, when they speak it’s not good!

Teaching wisdom helps others to grow and mature. Fools who don’t listen are in trouble.

Verse 22 could refer to spiritual or physical blessings. When we follow God we are blessed with spiritual riches. But, speaking practically, if we are willing to listen to wisdom’s warning about being lazy, industry will literally bring physical blessing. Either way, there is joy!

Sin is enjoyable, and those who are in its grip will find it pleasant. They are fools. However, discernment and understanding bring a change of perspective. Wisdom is now pleasant instead of wickedness.

Even in their enjoyment of sin, the wicked can recognize that things could go wrong. Going back to a common Proverbs illustration, the person committing adultery understands that getting caught will bring trouble. And, in truth, they are usually found out. In contrast, the righteous can look forward to both the practical and spiritual blessings that come from right behavior.

When we work for someone else, we have a responsibility to work hard!

Although we could look at these verses 27and 28 with a “this world” perspective (doing good will bring a longer and better life), it’s very easy to take a longer view here. The righteous will have joy because of their reward in the hereafter, but the wicked face punishment. All of Matthew 25:31-46 speaks to this, but verse 46 gives us the gist: “These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” Truly, fearing the Lord prolongs life!

The upright run to the Lord and look to Him and His commands to provide guidance and strength. It’s the opposite for evildoers. The way of the Lord is abhorrent to them.

We need to be very careful when we try to apply verses like Proverbs 10:30. There was only one Israel! Following God for them meant that He would make sure that they stayed in the promised land. For us, the safest understanding is to look to our heavenly inheritance. When we are God’s we can’t be moved! We are going to inhabit a heavenly land! But the wicked have been written out of the will.

Thought for the day: Jesus provides a commentary on verse 25 in the Sermon on the Mount.

Matthew 7:24-27 (WEB) “Everyone therefore who hears these words of mine and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it didn’t fall, for it was founded on the rock. Everyone who hears these words of mine and doesn’t do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell—and its fall was great.”