Proverbial Wisdom: Plans of A Man's Heart

 Proverbs 19

Verse 1: A poor man who loves God is far wealthier than a fool because of the weight of glory and the devastation of hell.

 

Verse 4:  Some friendships are shallow enough to be based upon whether a person has money and lots of toys or not.  People tend not to be friends with poor people because they are afraid that they will catch whatever financial disease they might have.  They don’t like being around people who need things, and they don’t like being asked to be generous.  Thus, it is a test of our hearts whether or not we value and love the poor, the orphan, and the widow.  Love compels a person to give as he is able and to share the gospel whenever possible, whether a person is poor or rich.  

Verse 5:  Those who bear false witness may not get caught on earth.  If they do, they will probably suffer on account of it.  What is certain is that God will punish liars one day by sending them to hell unless they have been forgiven by the shed blood of His Son.  This sin, like all sin, destroys.  Normally, in our lives, a liar never gets away with it.  God loves us too much to let us get away with it.  God is truth and wants His children to live in truth.

 

 Verse 7:  Even family members tend to respect more and associate more often with the ones who have done well for themselves financially.  The poor among them tend to get scorned rather than loved and helped.  The world is an “every man for himself” kind of place, and people give out their love and friendship based upon success.  But the poor should be treated as equally valuable, especially among families.  It is one thing to deal with sin issues that make a person poor, and it is another just to not like a person anymore because they have found calamity not of their own making.  Some just don’t possess the talents or skills that will make them wealthy in this life, and this doesn’t make them worth any less.  After all, some of the most important jobs don’t make people rich.

 

Verse 10:  A fool will only destroy what is good, exploit power, misuse influence, and waste wealth.  He cannot properly steward the opportunity to have the world’s goods.  A slave who has wisdom and the fear of God would do a better job ruling than many of the world’s princes.  However, the idea is that the thought of such a scenario happening is so repulsive and unfitting to the general person who is partial and who ranks people by job status, nation, social tier, etc.  The repulsion that people feel naturally to the social order being turned on its head is the repulsion that they should feel for a fool being given luxury, power, or the title of prince.  When we find that we have wasted away things much like the Prodigal Son, we need to have the wisdom to return back to the Father.  He is the one who always changes paupers into princes.

Verse 11:  It shouldn’t be a surprise that a Christian is willing to forgive and even delight in the fact that he has the opportunity to show the grace of God by overlooking a person’s personal offense toward him.  This doesn’t mean taking an attitude that minimizes sin, for this would also minimize the glory and value of forgiveness.  By being slow to anger, it demonstrates wisdom and discretion, the ability to have self-control and to value the needs of the other person even while one is being poorly-treated by them.  

Verse 14:  Some things money can buy, but a godly wife (and a godly husband for that matter) is such a precious and rare find that it points to the miraculous intervention of God doing the impossible and acting in ways beyond what we could ask or imagine.  One can inherit a house, a business, or a bank account, but nobody can merit the gifts of God.  They are His treasures to give because of His love and grace, and those who receive His good and perfect gifts ought to always praise and thank God for them and not take them for granted. 

 

Verse 16:  Galatians 6:7-8 says that we will reap according to how we sow.  No man can keep the commands of God entirely, for only Jesus fulfilled the Law completely.  Thus, to be saved, one must find salvation through Him on account of His perfection and holiness.  In salvation, the sinner is forgiven and seen in the righteousness of Christ.  Those who do not repent and put their faith in Christ have no such hope and remain dead in sin and guilty before God.  They will find that the consequence of sin is eternal death in hell.  A careless attitude toward sin, righteousness, and judgment spurns the conviction of the Spirit, and it is the only unforgivable sin.  Wisdom trusts in Christ to forgive sin because of a recognition of falling short of God’s standards (Romans 3:23), and therein is eternal life.  Even after salvation, wisdom guides the believer away from sin and into all truth so that he avoids needless harmful pitfalls that sinners regularly fall into.  A careless attitude will be punished, but those who take God and His Word seriously will be rewarded. 

Verse 17:  Those who give to the poor without seeking the approval of man do so as though they are giving to Christ Himself (Matthew 25:45).  God will be faithful to reward them for their faithfulness in eternity.   It doesn’t mean that faithful giving guarantees earthly health, wealth, and prosperity, but it does guarantee eternally valuable and indestructible rewards in heaven, something far more desirable anyway.

Verse 18:  Godly parents will do everything possible to teach their children the fear of God.  They will lovingly discipline them and they will teach them about God and His ways from early on.  Unless they learn to fear God, they will never learn wisdom and never come to know His perfect love.  Parents that discipline in love and are diligent to teach their children the commands of God prove their love for their children, while those who allow their sin natures to guide them act as though they are not concerned of the consequences of sin which is death.  Those parents who refuse to train up a child in the ways of God are disrespectful of the gift of children that God gave them.  This will not go unanswered.  Just as pastors and church leaders are held to a higher accountability, so are parents.

 

Verse 21:  This is again, one of the most known proverbs.  God’s sovereign purposes cannot be thwarted, and He will always be on the throne.  His Word will endure forever, for it is true. People may reject Him and His Word, but it will stand.  God may frustrate plans, and He may advance plans.  What He wants done will be done, and He will always do only good for those whom He loves.  Man naturally thinks that he is in control and that he can do whatever he wants.  But God alone is in total control, and even the air that man breathes is dependent upon God giving strength to his lungs.  He is the Master and Lord of all.

 

 

Verse 27: Godly discipline is for our good, and it will train us and keep us on the way of righteousness.  This is why discipline is different from wrathful punishment.  Punishment is the belief that simply imposing consequences or pain can make a person modify his behavior without paying attention to the heart.  Discipline is imposing pain or consequences but with an explanation of what God wants and why to accompany it.  It entails explaining the dangers of evil and the blessings of righteousness.  Discipline is not about getting a conditioned response, but it is about shepherding a child’s heart to know and love God.  They must always see and know that the one doing the disciplining is loving and seeking their good.  Abuse is not discipline, but godly discipline brings comfort and safety.  Children actually like to know their boundaries, for it helps them know that they can keep exploring the world while their parents will keep them safe and teach them about the world.  When I was a youth pastor a lot of parents would actually grow frustrated because they would see their children behave and obey during my youth meetings but act up at home.  Of course, a lot of that was teenage rebellion against a parental figure but another part of it, which I helped and became friends with many of these parents to this day, was because the parents actually did not lay out the strict boundaries.  In our youth meetings, once a quarter, we always went over what we strived to be disciplined to do.  Was this always held to?  Of course not.  However, it’s amazing what happens eventually if we lay out a road of loving discipline, not ridicule, cruelty, and embarrassment.