Proverbs 11
I would offer that the word love is not a verb, it is a noun. It is not a thing you do. It is the light that you are made of and what you were created to be.
Honesty
1 The Lord detests the use of dishonest scales, but he delights in accurate weights.
2 Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.
3 Honesty guides good people; dishonesty destroys treacherous people.
4 Riches won’t help on the day of judgment, but right living can save you from death.
5 The godly are directed by honesty; the wicked fall beneath their load of sin.
6 The godliness of good people rescues them; the ambition of treacherous people traps them.
7 When the wicked die, their hopes die with them, for they rely on their own feeble strength.
8 The godly are rescued from trouble, and it falls on the wicked instead.
9 With their words, the godless destroy their friends, but knowledge will rescue the righteous.
10 The whole city celebrates when the godly succeed; they shout for joy when the wicked die.
11 Upright citizens are good for a city and make it prosper, but the talk of the wicked tears it apart.
12 It is foolish to belittle one’s neighbor; a sensible person keeps quiet.
13 A gossip goes around telling secrets, but those who are trustworthy can keep a confidence.
14 Without wise leadership, a nation falls; there is safety in having many advisers.
15 There’s danger in putting up security for a stranger’s debt; it’s safer not to guarantee another person’s debt.
16 A gracious woman gains respect, but ruthless men gain only wealth.
17 Your kindness will reward you, but your cruelty will destroy you.
18 Evil people get rich for the moment, but the reward of the godly will last.
19 Godly people find life; evil people find death.
20 The Lord detests people with crooked hearts, but he delights in those with integrity.
21 Evil people will surely be punished, but the children of the godly will go free.
22 A beautiful woman who lacks discretion is like a gold ring in a pig’s snout.
23 The godly can look forward to a reward, while the wicked can expect only judgment.
24 Give freely and become more wealthy; be stingy and lose everything.
25 The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.
26 People curse those who hoard their grain, but they bless the one who sells in time of need.
27 If you search for good, you will find favor; but if you search for evil, it will find you!
28 Trust in your money and down you go! But the godly flourish like leaves in spring.
29 Those who bring trouble on their families inherit the wind. The fool will be a servant to the wise.
30 The seeds of good deeds become a tree of life; a wise person wins friends.
31 If the righteous are rewarded here on earth, what will happen to wicked sinners? (NLT)
insights
Proverbs 11:6
Life is not always fair, and bad things often happen to good people. Even more disconcerting is that often the treacherous and evil acts of others are never exposed. Honesty is what we expect from our leaders, but seldom do we hear the whole truth.
That evil people sometimes “get away with” evil things, is a fact of life on this earth, but ultimately there is no satisfaction for them in that accomplishment. They live with the fear of being discovered, and that fear separates them from that which is life. Honesty leads us into life.
There is still good news in this. When bad things happen to God’s people, God will use it for good.
Proverbs 11:14
The United States of America was founded by wise men, and in their wisdom they gave “we the people” the right, and the duty to wisely elect our leadership. This they did after prayerful contemplation, unashamed to mention God, our Creator, in the founding documents, in the courts of this land, even on the currency issued. To this day each session of congress opens in prayer.
Sadly, over the years, the freedom and constitutional principle that God belongs in our midst, has been all but lost as a vocal minority have chipped away at the foundations of our freedom. Honesty has given way to agenda and lust for more power and control. We must not be a silent majority any longer. We must not allow the law of our nation to put God in the closet for the sake of those who are uncomfortable in His presence.
We must pray for our leaders. We must understand the issues. We must probe to discern where the candidates really stand. And we must hold our leaders accountable for their actions.
This beautiful ballad by Norah Jones gives us another perspective on our elected leadership.
Proverbs 11:25
“There are those who give with joy, and that joy is their reward. And there are those who give with pain, and that pain is their baptism. And there are those who give and know not pain in giving, nor do they seek joy, nor give with mindfulness of virtue; They give as in yonder valley the myrtle breathes its fragrance into space. Through the hands of such as these God speaks, and from behind their eyes He smiles upon the earth.”
Kahlil Gibran
The Prophet – 1923
What could I possibly add to that?
lynnibug
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