Proverbs 12
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.
Eternal Life and Rewards
1 To learn, you must love discipline; it is stupid to hate correction.
2 The Lord approves of those who are good, but he condemns those who plan wickedness.
3 Wickedness never brings stability, but the godly have deep roots.
4 A worthy wife is a crown for her husband, but a disgraceful woman is like cancer in his bones.
5 The plans of the godly are just; the advice of the wicked is treacherous.
6 The words of the wicked are like a murderous ambush, but the words of the godly save lives.
7 The wicked die and disappear, but the family of the godly stands firm.
8 A sensible person wins admiration, but a warped mind is despised.
9 Better to be an ordinary person with a servant than to be self-important but have no food.
10 The godly care for their animals, but the wicked are always cruel.
11 A hard worker has plenty of food, but a person who chases fantasies has no sense.
12 Thieves are jealous of each other’s loot, but the godly are well rooted and bear their own fruit.
13 The wicked are trapped by their own words, but the godly escape such trouble.
14 Wise words bring many benefits, and hard work brings rewards.
15 Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to others.
16 A fool is quick-tempered, but a wise person stays calm when insulted.
17 An honest witness tells the truth; a false witness tells lies.
18 Some people make cutting remarks, but the words of the wise bring healing.
19 Truthful words stand the test of time, but lies are soon exposed.
20 Deceit fills hearts that are plotting evil; joy fills hearts that are planning peace!
21 No harm comes to the godly, but the wicked have their fill of trouble.
22 The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in those who tell the truth.
23 The wise don’t make a show of their knowledge, but fools broadcast their foolishness.
24 Work hard and become a leader; be lazy and become a slave.
25 Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up.
26 The godly give good advice to their friends; the wicked lead them astray.
27 Lazy people don’t even cook the game they catch, but the diligent make use of everything they find.
28 The way of the godly leads to life; that path does not lead to death. (NLT)
insights
Proverbs 12:6
Our eternal life is what the gospel is all about when you really get to the meat of it. We are commissioned to go and make disciples to further the kingdom of God. This is not about saving lives as in “search and rescue” but rather about saving eternal life; connecting people who are holding on to the world with that God spark within them that will draw them to eternal life. When we interact with others from a perspective of agape, or unconditional love, this is the natural result.
The greatest and second commandments in the original Aramaic as spoken by Jesus translate:
“You shall maintain the condition of pure love for the Invisible Source of Creation in your entire mind and with your whole true self in all your actions and in all your thoughts. This is the greatest commandment and takes precedence over all. The second, which is like unto it, you shall maintain pure love for neighbor – anyone near to you or anyone you think about – as your true self. Upon these two commandments hang the law and its prophets.”
(translation acquired via dr. michael ryce with thanks to the scholars of the Yonan Codex Foundation)
Proverbs 12:14
The wise will speak well of their work and its rewards. Work approached in this manner is a sign that one is on the path to eternal life.
“Work is love made viable. And if you cannot work with love but only with distaste, it is better that you sit at the gate of the temple and take alms from those who work with joy.
For if you bake bread with indifference, you bake a bitter bread that feeds but half man’s hunger.
And if you grudge the crushing of the grapes, your grudge distills a poison in the wine.
And if you sing though as angels, and love not the singing, you muffle man’s ears to the voices of the day and the voices of the night.”
Kahlil Gibran
The Prophet – 1923
Proverbs 12:25
Worry will quickly move in on us when we are not vigilant in holding on to the peace we have in God. Worry accomplishes nothing and will not be present when we trust in God.
lynnibug
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