March 31

One who is righteous is a guide to his neighbor,
but the way of the wicked leads them astray.

In the path of righteousness is life,
and in its pathway there is no death.
Proverbs 12:26, 28

thoughts to come...

March 30

Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down,
but a good word makes him glad.
Proverbs 12:25

thoughts to come...

March 29

The hand of the diligent will rule,
while the slothful will be put to forced labor.

Whoever is slothful will not roast his game,
but the diligent man will get precious wealth.
Proverbs 12:24, 27

thoughts to come...

March 28

Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil,
but those who plan peace have joy.
No ill befalls the righteous,
but the wicked are filled with trouble.
Proverbs 12:20-21

thoughts to come...

March 27

Whoever speaks the truth gives honest evidence,
but a false witness utters deceit.
There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts,
but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
Truthful lips endure forever,
but a lying tongue is but for a moment.

Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord,
but those who act faithfully are His delight.
Proverbs 12:17-19, 22

thoughts to come...

March 26

The way of a fool is right in his own eyes,
but a wise man listens to advice.
The vexation of a fool is known at once,
but the prudent ignores an insult.

A prudent man conceals knowledge,
but the heart of fools proclaims folly.
Proverbs 12:15-16, 23

thoughts to come...

March 25

An evil man is ensnared by the transgression of his lips,
but the righteous escapes from trouble.
From the fruit of his mouth a man is satisfied with good,
and the work of a man’s hand comes back to him.
Proverbs 12:13-14

thoughts to come...

March 24

Whoever is righteous has regard for the life of his beast,
but the mercy of the wicked is cruel.
Proverbs 12:10

thoughts to come...

March 23

Better to be lowly and have a servant
than to play the great man and lack bread.

Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread,
but he who follows worthless pursuits lacks sense.
Whoever is wicked covets the spoil of evildoers,
but the root of the righteous bears fruit.
Proverbs 12:9, 11-12

thoughts to come...

March 22

A man is commended according to his good sense,
but one of twisted mind is despised.
Proverbs 12:8

thoughts to come...

March 21

The wicked are overthrown and are no more,
but the house of the righteous will stand.
Proverbs 12:7

thoughts to come...

March 20

The thoughts of the righteous are just;
the counsels of the wicked are deceitful.
The words of the wicked lie in wait for blood,
but the mouth of the upright delivers them.
Proverbs 12:5-6

thoughts to come...

March 19

An excellent wife is the crown of her husband,
but she who brings shame is like rottenness in his bones.
Proverbs 12:4

thoughts to come...

March 18

A good man obtains favor from the Lord,
but a man of evil devices He condemns.
No one is established by wickedness,
but the root of the righteous will never be moved.
Proverbs 12:2-3

thoughts to come...

March 17

Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,
but he who hates reproof is stupid.
Proverbs 12:1

Reproof: an act or expression of criticism and strong disapproval; a rebuke, a reprimand. It is to state that someone has done wrong, with the implication that there is adequate proof of such wrongdoing.

There is no doubt that we live in a world that hates reproof and those who give it. But the biggest problem with hating reproof is that hating reproof is stupid.

The Hebrew word translated "stupid" is ba'ar, an adjective that refers to being stupid, dull-hearted, and unreceptive. It has the additional idea of being "brutish," that is, "resembling a beast; showing lack of human sensibility."

There isn't really much to say about this verse that I haven't said somewhere else already. But the point of today's reading in Proverbs 12 is painfully obvious.

Don't be stupid!

March 16

If the righteous is repaid on earth,
how much more the wicked and the sinner!
Proverbs 11:31

thoughts to come...

March 15

The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,
and whoever captures souls is wise.
Proverbs 11:30

thoughts to come...

March 14

Whoever diligently seeks good seeks favor,
but evil comes to him who searches for it.
Whoever trusts in his riches will fall,
but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf.
Whoever troubles his own household will inherit the wind,
and the fool will be servant to the wise of heart.
Proverbs 11:27-29

thoughts to come...

March 13

The desire of the righteous ends only in good;
the expectation of the wicked in wrath.
One gives freely, yet grows all the richer;
another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.
Whoever brings blessing will be enriched,
and one who waters will himself be watered.
The people curse him who holds back grain,
but a blessing is on the head of him who sells it.
Proverbs 11:23-26

thoughts to come...

March 12

Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout
is a beautiful woman without discretion.
Proverbs 11:22

thoughts to come...

March 11

Whoever is steadfast in righteousness will live,
but he who pursues evil will die.
Those of crooked heart are an abomination to the Lord,
but those of blameless ways are His delight.
Be assured, an evil person will not go unpunished,
but the offspring of the righteous will be delivered.
Proverbs 11:19-21

thoughts to come...

March 10

A gracious woman gets honor,
and violent men get riches.
A man who is kind benefits himself,
but a cruel man hurts himself.
The wicked earns deceptive wages,
but one who sows righteousness gets a sure reward.
Proverbs 11:16-18

thoughts to come...

March 9

Whoever belittles his neighbor lacks sense,
but a man of understanding remains silent.
Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets,
but he who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a thing covered.

Where there is no guidance, a people falls,
but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.

Whoever puts up security for a stranger will surely suffer harm,
but he who hates striking hands in pledge is secure.
Proverbs 11:12-15

thoughts to come...

March 8

When the wicked dies, his hope will perish,
and the expectation of wealth perishes too.
The righteous is delivered from trouble,
and the wicked walks into it instead.
With his mouth the godless man would destroy his neighbor,
but by knowledge the righteous are delivered.
When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices,
and when the wicked perish there are shouts of gladness.
By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted,
but by the mouth of the wicked pit is overthrown.
Proverbs 11:7-11

thoughts to come...

March 7

The integrity of the upright guides them,
but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them.
Riches do not profit in the day of wrath,
but righteousness delivers from death.
The righteousness of the blameless keeps his way straight,
but the wicked falls by his own wickedness.
The righteousness of the upright delivers them,
but the treacherous are taken captive by their lust.
Proverbs 11:3-6

thoughts to come...

March 6

A false balance is an abomination to the Lord,
but a just weight is His delight.

When pride comes, then comes disgrace,
but with the humble is wisdom.
Proverbs 11:1-2

thoughts to come...

March 5

The righteous will never be removed,
but the wicked will not dwell in the land.
The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom,
but the perverse tongue will be cut off.
The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable,
but the mouth of the wicked, what is perverse.
Proverbs 10:30-32

thought to come...

March 4

Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes,
so is the sluggard to those who send him.
The fear of the Lord prolongs life,
but the years of the wicked will be short.
The hope of the righteous brings joy,
but the expectation of the wicked will perish.
The way of the Lord is a stronghold to the blameless,
but destruction to evildoers.
Proverbs 10:26-29

thoughts to come...

March 3

The blessing of the Lord makes rich,
and He adds no sorrow with it.

Doing wrong is like a joke to a fool,
but wisdom is pleasure to a man of understanding.

What the wicked dreads will come upon him,
but the desire of the righteous will be granted.
When the tempest passes, the wicked is no more,
but the righteous is established forever.
Proverbs 10:22-25

thoughts to come...

March 2

When words are many, transgression is not lacking,
but whoever restrains his lips is prudent.
The tongue of the righteous is choice silver;
the heart of the wicked is of little worth.
The lips of the righteous feed many,
but fools die for lack of sense.
Proverbs 10:19-21

thoughts to come...

March 1

Hatred stirs up strife,
but love covers all offenses.
On the lips of him who has understanding, wisdom is found,
but a rod is for the back of him who lacks sense.
The wise lay up knowledge,
but the mouth of a fool brings ruin near.
A rich man’s wealth is his strong city;
the poverty of the poor is their ruin.
The wage of the righteous leads to life,
the gain of the wicked to sin.
Whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life,
but he who rejects reproof leads others astray.
The one who conceals hatred has lying lips,
and whoever utters slander is a fool.
Proverbs 10:12-18

thoughts to come...