Proverbs 10

Good Morning Everyone,

What a blessing it is to have men in the brotherhood who have studied and learned about Christian evidences and apologetics. The reason I bring this up is that we are watching a series from Focus Press called "Convicted" by Brad Harrub. If you have the ability to check it out you really should. Today we are in Proverbs 10. This is where I really begin to enjoy Proverbs because the wisdom is given to us in a rapid fire method.

Proverbs 10

Proverbs 10:1

¹ The proverbs of Solomon:

A wise son brings joy to his father,

but a foolish son brings grief to his mother.

Working with teenagers means that this passage is near and dear to my heart. The damage that can be done by a child who defies their parents is almost too difficult to quantify. In my short time here on Earth I have seen more damage and hurt brought upon families because children chose to defy their parents. I encourage you to heed this passage even if you are grown.

Proverbs 10:4

⁴ Lazy hands make for poverty,
but diligent hands bring wealth.

If you look at any of the great success stories in America what you will see are diligent hands. You will never be successful if you don't make the effort to do something with your life. Too many times people with great potential never meet that potential because they simply do not put forth the effort to be diligent. If you are feeling like you are not contributing anything consider what you can be diligent at.

Proverbs 10:10

¹⁰ Whoever winks maliciously causes grief,

and a chattering fool comes to ruin.

This one pretty much speaks for itself but let me tell you why I always smile when I read this passage. There is a game that is played at youth retreats and gatherings called wink 'em. The game is played by dividing up the group by boys and girls. The girls sit in a circle of chairs and the boys stand behind them with one chair left empty. The boys wink at girls across the circle trying to get them to come to the empty chair.

If you are quick enough to see what is happening you can tap the girl on the head so she has to stay. When I was in high school a small group of us went to a retreat that Ralph Bryant was doing and we played this game. Ralph played with us and to say that he was competitive would be an understatement. It was great fun and the reason that I smile anytime I read this passage.

Proverbs 10:16

¹⁶ The wages of the righteous is life,
but the earnings of the wicked are sin and death.

This passage echos the passage in Romans 6:23 that says "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.". Too often we become comfortable in sin, we decide that we know what is better for ourselves than God does. Solomon is widely considered one of the wisest men to ever walk the Earth I believe we should listen to what he has to say and apply it every day.

Proverbs 10:23

²³ A fool finds pleasure in wicked schemes,
but a person of understanding delights in wisdom.

How many books could we fill full of stories of congregations of the Lord's church that have been torn apart because fools find pleasure in wicked schemes? I had seen three congregation splits before I was 12 years old, at a very young age I learned what wicked schemes could do to the Lord's church and that is a sad thing to learn at such a young age. I still hurt and grieve over those splits but as I have grown older I also have learned to appreciate the people who were shining examples of Christianity who showed their true colors in the midst of such confusion and chaos. My prayer today is that God will give us wisdom and that the people who read this blog will be the agents of change that will help splits in the Lord's church become a thing of the past.

Be Strong and Courageous,

Paul