Beloved, I am glad to share with you today the above theme from Pr 14:1-2 and following. Indeed, “man quick to anger acts madly” (verse 17; Ec 7:8-10). On the contrary, “the slowness of anger is great intelligence…” (verse 29; Jas 1:19-20) and it is a character often attributed to God Himself (Ex 34:5-9; Nb. 14:17-19). How many deeds or words spoken at the stroke of irritation that are then bitterly regretted! Rather than an “impatient mind”, let us therefore show this great intelligence: let us precede the explosion of our anger with a moment of reflection (or better, of prayer). We will then find more than once that there is no valid reason for our irritation. He who knows that he has God’s approval is able to peacefully expect Him (1 Kings 22:23-28).
“Blessed is he who uses grace for the unfortunate” (verse 21). Under the pretext that good works are worthless to accomplish our salvation, we may be inclined to neglect them. But God’s children are invited “to be the first in good works” (Titus 3:12-15), without losing sight of the fact that the state of souls takes precedence over material needs. Verse 25 reminds us of the Witness par excellence… but also what must characterize every faithful witness: to show souls the way of deliverance. The wisdom of women builds their homes, but madness destroys it with her own hands (v. 1). The word wisdom here seems to be the sovereign Wisdom inspired from above. It is especially valuable to see it granted to women to carry out the humble but so important functions by which the house is built. We will find this thought in the example of the virtuous woman in chapter 31. We have an example of this wisdom in Naomi building up by Ruth the house of David (Ruth 4:11). It is the function of the woman to work according to God for the erection and consolidation of this edifice, “but madness destroys it with her own hands”. The heart of man without God, without experience gained at His school, is incapable of building up anything. He always destroys what Wisdom had built, witness to the whole history of man and especially, in these times of the end, the history of the Church, the house of God.
He who walks in his righteousness fears the Lord, but he who is perverse in his ways despises him (v. 2). To follow a straight walk, a walk directed by the state of the heart: “his righteousness,” to avoid any tortuous path, is the proof and testimony that the Lord is feared; being perverse in his ways shows, not only that we do not fear him, but that we take no account of him, that we reject him as a despicable Being! For the righteous, to fear jehovah is to honor Him, and how would we honor Him, if not by our conduct? In the mouth of the fool is the rod of pride, but the lips of the wise guard them (v. 3). The words that come out of the mouth of the madman are the expression of his pride and will be his condemnation when he is chastised, but the lips of the wise, their words, instead of condemning them, preserve them from any punishment. Where there are no oxen the crib is empty; and the abundance of income is in the strength of beef (v. 4). Where there are no oxen, symbols, in Scripture, of strength and patience in work, the manger is empty. Food, a consequence of work and a source of strength, is lacking.
How could this food be obtained without work, and what would it be used for? It is a vicious circle. But the abundance of income is found in this patience to use the energy that God has given us. To see in this maxim, as in so many others, only what is called the wisdom of the nations, is to completely ignore the purpose of the divine word. How many such words are adapted to those who work for the Lord’s work! “Does God take care of the oxen?” said the apostle, “or does he speak entirely for us?” (1 Cor. 9:9). The faithful witness does not lie, but the false witness utters lies (v. 5; Pr 6:19; 12:17). As long as there is a lie, there can be no fidelity in testimony; as long as there is a falsehood in the testimony, there are necessarily lies. How important this is to make us recognize god’s witness in this world! The mocker seeks wisdom and there is none; but knowledge is easy for the intelligent man (v. 6).
All the passages we have just reviewed compare wisdom and madness with those who follow, madness and righteousness. Fools make fun of sin, but for righteous men there is favor (v. 9). Fools treat sin lightly, make it a joke, make no importance to it, and sin will bring their judgment and be the cause of their ruin. What a difference from upright men! God’s favor rests on them. One can also accurately translate “among upright men”. They seek God’s favor for others. The heart knows its own bitterness, and a stranger does not mingle with his joy (v. 10). The bitterness of the heart can be neither known, nor probed, nor shared by the assistants. God alone probes her, He who knows hearts. Such was the case of Anne vis-à-vis Eli, when she “poured out her soul before the Lord.” The same is true of joy; a foreigner cannot get involved. But God has a part of both. Only He in Christ can sympathize in a perfect way; only he can say, “It was necessary to rejoice” (Luke 15:32).
The house of the wicked will be destroyed, but the tent of the righteous men will flourish (v. 11). The wicked may build a house for themselves, apparently establish their prosperity on a solid foundation, but there will come a time when that house will be destroyed. It is spoken here not of the end times, but of the government of God (v. 1): Righteous men have only their tent, for they realize their condition as strangers and pilgrims, but this tent flourishes. Considered with the eyes of God, it is like a garden “near a river” (Nb. 24:6); God’s favor rests on them. There is such a way that seems straight to a man, but ways of death are the end of it (v. 12; Pr 16:25). Even in laughter the heart is sad; and the end of joy is sorrow (v. 13). Laughter is in the world the expression of joy, but it is never the expression of “joy in the Lord.” “If anyone is joyful, let him sing Hymns” (Jas 5:13). Human laughter can make us forget for a moment the sorrows and worries of life; it is, for the world, a distraction and nothing more.
Who despises his neighbor sins, but blessed is he who uses grace for the unfortunate (v. 21). This verse follows v. 20. Compare with Luke 16:13. Hatred, contempt, this is what man testifies to the one who represents God in this world: the poor and the neighbor. This contempt for neighbor is considered here as a positive act of sin; but there is not only a present happiness in using grace towards the unfortunate; such an act attracts a future reward to the one who performs it. “Blessed are the merciful, for mercy shall be upon them” (Matt. 5:7). Don’t those who machine evil go astray? But goodness and truth are for those who meditate (or machine) the good (v. 22). The question here amounts to an absolute statement. Definitive misdirection for those whose hearts full of fraud meditate on evil to make it come upon others; but those whose purpose is to bring the good and spread it around them participate in the character of the One by whom “grace and truth came.”
In every work there is profit, but the word of the lips leads only to scarcity (v. 23). Whatever work brings profit to others and to ourselves. (Let us never forget that the ordinary meaning of Proverbs always covers the spiritual meaning and that it is not without reason that this book is called the book of Wisdom). But the word of the lips, without the activity that corroborates it in the one who speaks, is not only wind, but leaves souls in the grip of famine. How true this is! If the work of the one who speaks does not go hand in hand with his words, the result of the latter will leave the one to whom they are addressed in the most absolute spiritual famine.
The following verses have been compiled for your edification and grouped together for your better understanding.
- Wise women, wisdom and virtue
Pr 12:4 A virtuous woman is the crown of her husband, but the one who shames is like the decay in her bones. Pr 14:1 The wise woman builds her house, and the foolish woman overthrows it with her own hands. Pr 31.10 Who can find a virtuous woman? It is much more valuable than pearls. Pr 31:30 Grace is deceiving, and beauty is vain; The woman who fears the Lord is the one who will be praised.
- False witnesses, warning against
Ex 20:16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. Ex 23.1 Thou shalt not spread false noise. Thou shalt not join the wicked man in giving false testimony. Pr 19:9 The false witness will not go unpunished, and he who tells lies will perish. Mt 19:17 He answered him: Why do you ask me about what is good? Only one is the right one. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments. Which? he said to her.
- Value of wisdom
Jb 28:16 It does not weigh against the gold of Ophir, Neither against the precious onyx, nor against sapphire; Pr 3:13-14 Blessed is the man who has found wisdom, And the man who possesses intelligence! 14 For the gain it provides is preferable to that of money, and the profit that one derives from it is better than gold; Ec 2:13 And I have seen that wisdom has an advantage over foolishness, just as light has an advantage over darkness; Ec 7:19 Wisdom makes the wise man stronger than ten leaders who are in a city.
- Royal favors
Pr 16:15 The serenity of the king’s face gives life, and his favor is like a spring rain. Pr 19:12 The wrath of the king is like the roar of a lion, and his favor is like dew on the grass. Pr 29:26 Many people seek the favor of the one who dominates, but it is the Lord who gives right to each one. Mt 24:45 Who, then, is the faithful and prudent servant that his master has established upon his people to give them food at the right time?
From all of the above, we note that theone who has discernment is skilled in differentiating between good and evil. Wisdom, the complete knowledge of God’s thoughts, loves to dwell in the heart of such a man; for the consequence of his discernment makes him love good and hate evil. This home is secret, intimate and does not seek to happen. Men obstinate in their ignorance spread out the emptiness of their foolish hearts. Righteousness elevates a nation, but sin is the shame of peoples. As we saw the king in v. 18, we have the nation here. It is justice: righteousness in the principles of his government, which elevates him, which gives him a prominent place among the peoples, and not the lie and deceit of his politics. On the other hand, sin, accepted corruption, erected in principle, and not repressed, covers such other nations with shame. The king’s favor is for the intelligent servant, but his anger is over the one who shames. This sentence is immediately linked to the previous one. This is the king, the responsible leader of an established government of God. The intelligent servant, quick to realize the thoughts and plans of his master, thus acquires the favor of the latter. This always presupposes, at the same time as the knowledge of the thoughts of the Master, of the King according to the heart of God, the subjection, the absence of will, the activity, proper to the good servant. The same is true for us vis-à-vis Christ. As for the servant who shames the one who established him, the wrath of the Master will fall and remain on him. If He beats those who serve with Him, if He eats and drinks with drunkards, the Lord will give Him His share where the crying and gnashing of teeth are (Matt. 24:45-51); they compare wisdom and foolishness; foolishness and righteousness; paint a picture of good and evil in the heart and in the ways and their respective consequences; tell us what the fear of Jehovah brings to the soul; deal with the government of nations and the government of oneself. Our prayers are with you all.
PRAYER OF ACCEPTANCE OF JESUS CHRIST AS LORD AND PERSONAL SAVIOR
I now invite every person who wants to become a new creation by walking in the truth, to pray with me the following prayer:
Lord Jesus, I have long walked in the lusts of the world ignoring your love for humans. I admit to having sinned against you and ask your forgiveness for all my sins, because today I have decided to give you my life by taking you as Lord and personal Savior. I recognize that you died on the cross of Calvary and rose from the dead for me.
I am now saved and born again by the power of the Holy Spirit. Lead me every day to the eternal life that you give to all who obey your Word. Reveal yourself to me and strengthen my heart and faith, so that your light may shine in my life right now.
Thank you, Lord Jesus, for accepting me into your divine family, so that I may also contemplate the wonders of your kingdom.
I will now choose a nearby waterpoint to baptize myself by immersion, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
All adoration, power and glory are yours, now and forever and ever. Amen!
I would be happy to react to any questions and comments you may have, before sharing with you tomorrow “Collections of proverbs on the moral life ( Pr 15).
May the Lord Jesus Christ bless you abundantly.
David Feze, Servant of the Almighty God.