Proverbs 20
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.
Wisdom From Experience
1 Wine produces mockers; alcohol leads to brawls. Those led astray by drink cannot be wise.
2 The king’s fury is like a lion’s roar; to rouse his anger is to risk your life.
3 Avoiding a fight is a mark of honor; only fools insist on quarreling.
4 Those too lazy to plow in the right season will have no food at the harvest.
5 Though good advice lies deep within the heart, a person with understanding will draw it out.
6 Many will say they are loyal friends, but who can find one who is truly reliable?
7 The godly walk with integrity; blessed are their children who follow them.
8 When a king sits in judgment, he weighs all the evidence, distinguishing the bad from the good.
9 Who can say, “I have cleansed my heart; I am pure and free from sin”?
10 False weights and unequal measures – the Lord detests double standards of every kind.
11 Even children are known by the way they act, whether their conduct is pure, and whether it is right.
12 Ears to hear and eyes to see – both are gifts from the Lord.
13 If you love sleep, you will end in poverty. Keep your eyes open, and there will be plenty to eat!
14 The buyer haggles over the price, saying, “It’s worthless,” then brags about getting a bargain!
15 Wise words are more valuable than much gold and many rubies.
16 Get security from someone who guarantees a stranger’s debt. Get a deposit if he does it for foreigners.
17 Stolen bread tastes sweet, but it turns to gravel in the mouth.
18 Plans succeed through good counsel; don’t go to war without wise advice.
19 A gossip goes around telling secrets, so don’t hang around with chatterers.
20 If you insult your father or mother, your light will be snuffed out in total darkness.
21 An inheritance obtained too early in life is not a blessing in the end.
22 Don’t say, “I will get even for this wrong.” Wait for the Lord to handle the matter.
23 The Lord detests double standards; he is not pleased by dishonest scales.
24 The Lord directs our steps, so why try to understand everything along the way?
25 Don’t trap yourself by making a rash promise to God and only later counting the cost.
26 A wise king scatters the wicked like wheat, then runs his threshing wheel over them.
27 The Lord’s light penetrates the human spirit, exposing every hidden motive.
28 Unfailing love and faithfulness protect the king; his throne is made secure through love.
29 The glory of the young is their strength; the gray hair of experience is the splendor of the old.
30 Physical punishment cleanses away evil; such discipline purifies the heart. (NLT)
insights
Proverbs 20:3
Wisdom from experience provides us with a true world view. The world teaches us the falsehood that we can make others think like we do, because of course, we are right.
We use fear and hostility as the tools to get our way. When we do not allow fear and hostility to rule, we can be at peace, and God will show us that what He has for us is far greater than anything the world can offer us. For this reason, we must always resist the temptation to bend another person to our will.
Proverbs 20:12
Chances are you have received a similar story in an email from a friend. This song captures the essence of wisdom from experience and the proverb itself.
Proverbs 20:29
It seems throughout our lives we are caught up in wanting to look good. Our modern society has through 5th avenue marketing tactics redefined what beauty is, and created a standard that very few can measure up to. The pressure on the young to live up to this standard causes many young men and women to withdraw, even to take their own lives in their depression over their clumsiness, their imperfect skin, or their not so thin physique.
In Gods eyes we are all beautiful. In each stage of life another trait develops – wisdom from experience – that defines our beauty in the eyes of God. You were created by the Master, in His image. How can there be anything but beauty in that?
lynnibug
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