4-22-13. Proverbs 12:1-28, DON’T BE STUPID –my devotional

Proverbs 12:1-28                                                                                     Kevin E. Jesmer

Key Verse: 12:1                                                                                      4-22-13

“Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but whoever hates correction is stupid.”

     Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for the wisdom that you give us through your word. I need your wisdom and your strength to reveal the love of Jesus to those who are close to me. Help me to break out my shell and reach out to others within my reach with the love of God. Help James K. and I to learn of your wisdom from Proverbs today. I thank you and I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen!

Proverbs is concerned with the learning of wisdom. The book of makes it clear that there is no good alternatives to learning wisdom, especially the wisdom that comes from the Lord. There is no middle ground when it comes to acquiring wisdom. We are either becoming wise learners or refusing to learn and becoming foolish failures. There is a comparison between the wise and the foolish. Proverbs encourages us and strengthens us to make the right, wise choices.

And so, what is there to say about the wise and the foolish? In chapter 10, we found that the wise learners quietly accepted instruction and criticism, (10:8) and the foolish ignored correction. The wise lead others to righteousness and the foolish lead others astray. (10:17) The wise help others with good advice and the foolish lack judgment. (10:21) The wise enjoy wisdom and the foolish enjoy foolishness. (10:23) The wise are admired as counselors and the foolish are beaten. (10:13) In chapter 12 we will see that wise learners love discipline and listen to advice; while foolish hate correction and think that they need no advice.

When you read this passage, you get the feeling that there are just too many points to digest, …too many thoughts to ponder all at once. And so, in our study we will start to discover some central themes. In a quick flyover, there are some central ideas. Concerning discipline, a humble person, with a desire to learn and grow, can love discipline and accept correction. Concerning success, one who tries to succeed by being crafty or wicked will fail, but the person who obtains God’s favor takes root in God and bears fruit. Concerning self discipline, a diligent hand will rule, but laziness ends in slave labor. Concerning communication, words can build up others or tear them down. The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are truthful. One should be prudent (14-23,25). Concerning righteousness, in the way of righteousness there is life and immortality (28). Through a study of this passage, may the Lord teach us his wisdom and help us to walk in the way of righteousness. Especially may he help us not to be stupid; be wise in his sight.

Part 1: Love Discipline (1)

As God’s people we must love the Lord’s discipline. Verses 1 reads, “Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but whoever hates correction is stupid.” The Bible gives instruction which generates knowledge. There are all kinds of knowledge. People go here and there to gather knowledge. Much knowledge is generated in other capacities, which may or may not be true. But these teachings in the Bible have to do with the true knowledge of life.

We have to want to learn the knowledge that God wants to give you. If you don’t want to learn, and if you don’t have a passion to learn, even years of schooling will teach you very little. But if you want to be taught, and have a passion for learning, then there is no end to what you can learn.

Learning also includes a willingness to accept discipline and correction. A person who refuses constructive criticism has a problem with pride. Such a person is unlikely to learn very much.

Learning also requires humility to learn from the wisdom of others. This is related to accepting discipline and correction. No one loves discipline with his natural feelings, and no one likes to be corrected. But a humble person with a desire to learn and grow can love discipline and accept correction.

Part 2: Obtain God’s Favor (2)

Here we learn how to receive the Lord’s favor. Verse 2, “Good people obtain favor from the Lord, but he condemns those who devise wicked schemes.”  Jesus once said, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.” (    )  Being good in God’s sight and obtaining the Lord’s favor has everything to do with righteousness. We can not be declared good in God’s sight without God making us righteous and declaring us forgiven and good. This is accomplished through faith in the Jesus and his precious Gospel.

Obtaining the “Favor of the Lord” is the highest attainment of any seeker. It may well be the treasure and the reward in heaven that believers will receive. We are all sinners and fall short of the glory of God. There is a goodness that is derived from the world and there is the goodness that is given us by God. We can never procure that goodness on our own. God will only accept the goodness that comes from himself. That is why Jesus died on the cross for us. He died so that we can meet God’s standards and be forgiven and accepted and declared, “Good” from the holy God’s point of view.

There are several examples of wisdom the following verses. Look at verses 4-8, “⁴ A wife of noble character is her husband’s crown, but a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones. ⁵ The plans of the righteous are just, but the advice of the wicked is deceitful. ⁶ The words of the wicked lie in wait for blood, but the speech of the upright rescues them. ⁷ The wicked are overthrown and are no more, but the house of the righteous stands firm. ⁸ A person is praised according to their prudence, and one with a warped mind is despised.”  A wise wife is one who speaks words of wisdom that build up and encourage their family members rather than promoting decay in the bones of their family members. I am glad that Julie is such a wise wife. Her words do build up and encourage all of us. This family stands because of the wisdom that God has imparted to her. The wise speak about their plans that that have made in the Lord. They give good advice. Their advice brings hope and faith and healing to people. I thank God for the wise words and advice given to me by many servants of God over the years. They have helped me in so many ways. The wise words rescue people from the grip of sin. Wise words help the foundations of families and ministries, even businesses and nations stand firm. Wise words and counsel will bring praise our way, But we must always divert that praise to the one who imparted that wisdom to us in the first place…to Christ.

Verse 3 reads, “³ No one can be established through wickedness, but the righteous cannot be uprooted.” To be established means to be successful. Real success comes only to those who do what is right before God’s eyes. Their efforts stand the test of time. The righteous can not be uprooted from the Kingdom of God and the family of God. If God makes you righteous, you are righteous indeed. Nothing can change that. The good work that God started in you WILL be carried through to completion. We don’t have to live in fear that we will loose our salvation. We can find peace, rest and assurance that God will bring us home to be with him in heaven. He has done that now…in so many ways.

The wise are compassionate and caring even if it means a loss…even if it means lots of hard work. Verses 9-11 read, “⁹ Better to be a nobody and yet have a servant than pretend to be somebody and have no food. ¹⁰ The righteous care for the needs of their animals, but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel. ¹¹ Those who work their land will have abundant food,  but those who chase fantasies have no sense.” They are the true winners in this world and in the next.

What kind of success does wickedness bring? We all know people who cheated to pass an exam or to get a larger tax refused – is this not success? And what about the person who ignores family commitments and mistreats their workers in order to get ahead in business? These worldly successes are temporary. They are bought at the expense of our character. Cheaters grow more dishonest, and those who hurt others become more calloused. Evil behavior never leads to success. It leads to more evil. Real success maintains glorifies God, builds up his kingdom, advertises Jesus and the gospel and builds up personal integrity. This is the success that we need to pursue.

Part 3: Work Hard (11, 14, 24,27)

Those who are wise are the ones who work hard. Look at verses 11, 24, 27, “¹¹ Those who work their land will have abundant food, but those who chase fantasies have no sense…¹⁴ From the fruit of their lips people are filled with good things, and the work of their hands brings them reward...²⁴ Diligent hands will rule, but laziness ends in forced labor…..²⁷ The lazy do not roastany game, but the diligent feed on the riches of the hunt.”  If you work hard, wisely then you will have abundant food, you will rule over, that is become a servant/leader of the people, you will feed in the riches of the hunt. But if you are a fool (i.e, those who chase after fantasies, are lazy) then you will be subjected to forced labor, will go hungry and be considered as one who has no sense. Who wants to be like this? Not me. Obviously we need to work hard.

I need to work hard at the hospital as a nurse. I need to work hard at home, as a husband and a father. I need to work hard preaching the Gospel and serving others in the name of Jesus Christ. When I work hard then I will be blessed in so many ways. I can not just be lazy and do nothing. That is the fasted way to physical and spiritual poverty. But we must know that our hard work has nothing to do with being saved and entering into family of God. We are saved by faith, through our faith in Jesus Christ. John 3:16. God loved the thief on the cross just as much as he loved the great apostle Paul. But we can bear more fruit the more we lay down our lives while we live in this world. May many hard working and wise servants of God be raised up among us.

Part 4:  Be Careful About What You Say (12-23,25)

Verses 12-23 and 25 read, ^“The wicked desire the stronghold of evildoers, but the root of the righteous endures. ¹³ Evildoers are trapped by their sinful talk, and so the innocent escape trouble. ¹⁴ From the fruit of their lips people are filled with good things, and the work of their hands brings them reward. ¹⁵ The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice. ¹⁶ Fools show their annoyance at once, but the prudent overlook an insult. ¹⁷ An honest witness tells the truth, but a false witness tells lies. ¹⁸ The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. ¹⁹ Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue lasts only a moment. ²⁰ Deceit is in the hearts of those who plot evil,    but those who promote peace have joy. ²¹ No harm overtakes the righteous,    but the wicked have their fill of trouble. ²² The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy. ²³ The prudent keep their knowledge to themselves,  but a fool’s heart blurts out folly.” and  “²⁵ Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up.”

There are different types of words. There is sinful talk. (13) Sinful talk can be twisting the facts to support your claims. Those who do this are likely to be trapped by their own lies. But for someone who always tells the truth, the facts, plain and unvarnished, they can give an unshakeable defense. Showing annoyance is another type of talk. (16)  When someone annoys or insults us, it is natural to retaliate. But this solves nothing and only encourages trouble. Instead, we must answer slowly and quietly. Our positive response will achieve positive results. That is why Proverbs 15:1 says, “A gentle answer turns away wrath.” Speaking good words also involves speaking the truth. (19)

Truth is always timely to speak. It applies today and in the future. Because it is connected with God’s changeless character, it is also changeless. Think for the moment about the centuries that have passed since these proverbs were written. Consider the countless hours that have been spent carefully studying every sentence of scripture. The Bible has withstood the test of time. Because of God’s truth, you can trust his word to guide you.

Good words, spoke by the righteous help them to avoid trouble. (21) This is a general, but universal truth. Although harm does befall the righteous, they are able to see opportunities in their problems and move ahead. The wicked, without God’s wisdom are ill equipped to handle their problems. They do not know how to speak the proper words to defuse a situation. They may even dig deeper pits with the foolish words they speak. But the Holy Spirit helps God’s people to speak the proper words.

Words can build up others or tear them down. The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in men who are truthful. One shouldn’t say everything he knows. He should be prudent (14-23,25). In the way of righteousness there is life and immortality (28).

Prayer: Lord, teach me wisdom; help me to walk in the way of righteousness.

One Word: Don’t be stupid; be wise