February 25, 2022

Proverbs 1:1–33 (HCSB)
1 The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel: 2 For learning what wisdom and discipline are; for understanding insightful sayings; 3 for receiving wise instruction in righteousness, justice, and integrity; 4 for teaching shrewdness to the inexperienced, knowledge and discretion to a young man— 5 a wise man will listen and increase his learning, and a discerning man will obtain guidance— 6 for understanding a proverb or a parable, the words of the wise, and their riddles. 7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and discipline. 8 Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction, and don’t reject your mother’s teaching, 9 for they will be a garland of grace on your head and a gold chain around your neck. 10 My son, if sinners entice you, don’t be persuaded. 11 If they say—“Come with us! Let’s set an ambush and kill someone. Let’s attack some innocent person just for fun! 12 Let’s swallow them alive, like Sheol, still healthy as they go down to the Pit. 13 We’ll find all kinds of valuable property and fill our houses with plunder. 14 Throw in your lot with us, and we’ll all share our money” — 15 my son, don’t travel that road with them or set foot on their path, 16 because their feet run toward trouble and they hurry to commit murder. 17 It is foolish to spread a net where any bird can see it, 18 but they set an ambush to kill themselves; they attack their own lives. 19 Such are the paths of all who make profit dishonestly; it takes the lives of those who receive it. 20 Wisdom calls out in the street; she raises her voice in the public squares. 21 She cries out above the commotion; she speaks at the entrance of the city gates: 22 “How long, foolish ones, will you love ignorance? How long will you mockers enjoy mocking and you fools hate knowledge? 23 If you respond to my warning, then I will pour out my spirit on you and teach you my words. 24 Since I called out and you refused, extended my hand and no one paid attention, 25 since you neglected all my counsel and did not accept my correction. 26 I, in turn, will laugh at your calamity. I will mock when terror strikes you, 27 when terror strikes you like a storm and your calamity comes like a whirlwind, when trouble and stress overcome you. 28 Then they will call me, but I won’t answer; they will search for me, but won’t find me. 29 Because they hated knowledge, didn’t choose to fear the Lord, 30 were not interested in my counsel, and rejected all my correction, 31 they will eat the fruit of their way and be glutted with their own schemes. 32 For the turning away of the inexperienced will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them. 33 But whoever listens to me will live securely and be free from the fear of danger.”

Glynda Steele - A Proverb gives us practical suggestions for effective living, but the Book of Proverbs goes deeper than that. It gives divine, or godly, wisdom for our daily lives and also instructions on how to live a moral and upright life. Here we are reminded that we can’t be friendly with sin and then expect our lives to be unaffected. Sin, no matter how good it looks, is always deadly. So we need to choose the people we hang out with carefully to make sure we are honoring God in all we do. If we want to find joy and peace in our lives we need to seek the Lord and His wisdom. James 1:5 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” To trust our own knowledge is to think of ourselves as wiser than God and that is a foolish and dangerous place to be. But verse 33 assures us that “whoever listens to me [God] will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm.” Don’t let pride stand in the way of living in the safety and peace of God.