Proverbs 29 – My challenge to you

My quiet time today (I know it’s almost comical to say “quiet time” in this house) brought me to Proverbs chapter 29.  I have read several verses from this chapter before independently of one another, but for some reason today I felt led to read the entire chapter to get a better feel for the context of the verse.  I found this short 27 verse chapter to be full of such wisdom and insight that I could not believe this was the first time I was reading it in its entirety.  Have you read it before?

Over the next week or so I plan to really dig into this chapter and all of its nuggets.  There is so much here to learn and understand!  So I invite you to come along with me on this small journey, I challenge you to take heart what God’s word has for us to see.

To get us started let me give you a little background of the chapter.  Solomon, the son of David and King of Israel, is the author of this chapter and wrote most of the book of Proverbs during his reign from 970 to 930 BC.  In the first chapter of Proverbs the author give us nine reasons why the book was written.  He penned it to offer instruction, wisdom and understanding (verse 2). He also recorded the book to help others gain an understanding of judgment and equity (verse 3), to acquire simple prudence (verse 4) and to offer discretion and knowledge to the young (verse 4). In verses 5 and 6 Solomon additionally states he recorded his words to increase the wisdom of somebody already wise, to offer advice on wise counsel, and to give understanding regarding the enigmas and riddles given by those who have attained wisdom.  The intended audience for this material was Solomon’s descendants, primarily to the young men, and then on to the men of Israel.  It is a book that is referred to over and over again in sermons, devotionals, bible studies and the like.

So ready to dig in?  No better place to start than just by reading through the chapter!

1 Whoever remains stiff-necked after many rebukes
    will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy.

² When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice;
    when the wicked rule, the people groan.

³ A man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father,
    but a companion of prostitutes squanders his wealth.

⁴ By justice a king gives a country stability,
    but those who are greedy for^[a] bribes tear it down.

⁵ Those who flatter their neighbors
    are spreading nets for their feet.

⁶ Evildoers are snared by their own sin,
    but the righteous shout for joy and are glad.

⁷ The righteous care about justice for the poor,
    but the wicked have no such concern.

⁸ Mockers stir up a city,
    but the wise turn away anger.

⁹ If a wise person goes to court with a fool,
    the fool rages and scoffs, and there is no peace.

¹⁰ The bloodthirsty hate a person of integrity
    and seek to kill the upright.

¹¹ Fools give full vent to their rage,
    but the wise bring calm in the end.

¹² If a ruler listens to lies,
    all his officials become wicked.

¹³ The poor and the oppressor have this in common:
    The Lord gives sight to the eyes of both.

¹⁴ If a king judges the poor with fairness,
    his throne will be established forever.

¹⁵ A rod and a reprimand impart wisdom,
    but a child left undisciplined disgraces its mother.

¹⁶ When the wicked thrive, so does sin,
    but the righteous will see their downfall.

¹⁷ Discipline your children, and they will give you peace;
    they will bring you the delights you desire.

¹⁸ Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint;
    but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom’s instruction.

¹⁹ Servants cannot be corrected by mere words;
    though they understand, they will not respond.

²⁰ Do you see someone who speaks in haste?
    There is more hope for a fool than for them.

²¹ A servant pampered from youth
    will turn out to be insolent.

²² An angry person stirs up conflict,
    and a hot-tempered person commits many sins.

²³ Pride brings a person low,
    but the lowly in spirit gain honor.

²⁴ The accomplices of thieves are their own enemies;
    they are put under oath and dare not testify.

²⁵ Fear of man will prove to be a snare,
    but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.

²⁶ Many seek an audience with a ruler,
    but it is from the Lord that one gets justice.

²⁷ The righteous detest the dishonest;
    the wicked detest the upright.

 

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