Who are we when nobody is looking on to cheer or jeer? The central theme of our next collection of wisdom sayings deals with our time spent, how we control our tongues, our generosity, along with raising our children in God’s ways. All of these behaviors begin with a relationship with God who is wisdom. We cannot do life without God who created all Life. He knows, loves, cares, and give us the careful discipline we need to walk with Him while building character traits that imitate His Goodness. Yes, there’s that word again—discipline. Notice that in our language some of the letters of discipline are used to form another word—disciple.
Proverbs 13, The Message
Walk with the Wise
Intelligent children listen to their parents;
foolish children do their own thing.
2 The good acquire a taste for helpful conversation;
bullies push and shove their way through life.
3 Careful words make for a careful life;
careless talk may ruin everything.
4 Indolence wants it all and gets nothing;
the energetic have something to show for their lives.
5 A good person hates false talk;
a bad person wallows in gibberish.
6 A God-loyal life keeps you on track;
sin dumps the wicked in the ditch.
7 A pretentious, showy life is an empty life;
a plain and simple life is a full life.
8 The rich can be sued for everything they have,
but the poor are free of such threats.
9 The lives of good people are brightly lit streets;
the lives of the wicked are dark alleys.
10 Arrogant know-it-alls stir up discord,
but wise men and women listen to each other’s counsel.
11 Easy come, easy go,
but steady diligence pays off.
12 Unrelenting disappointment leaves you heartsick,
but a sudden good break can turn life around.
13 Ignore the Word and suffer;
honor God’s commands and grow rich.
14 The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life,
so, no more drinking from death-tainted wells!
15 Sound thinking makes for gracious living,
but liars walk a rough road.
16 A commonsense person lives good sense;
fools litter the country with silliness.
17 Irresponsible talk makes a real mess of things,
but a reliable reporter is a healing presence.
18 Refuse discipline and end up homeless;
embrace correction and live an honored life.
19 Souls who follow their hearts thrive;
fools bent on evil despise matters of soul.
20 Become wise by walking with the wise;
hang out with fools and watch your life fall to pieces.
21 Disaster entraps sinners,
but God-loyal people get a good life.
22 A good life gets passed on to the grandchildren;
ill-gotten wealth ends up with good people.
23 Banks foreclose on the farms of the poor,
or else the poor lose their shirts to crooked lawyers.
24 A refusal to correct is a refusal to love;
love your children by disciplining them.
25 An appetite for good brings much satisfaction,
but the belly of the wicked always wants more.
WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?
We are learning that wisdom is multifaceted in our relationships. We can either encourage or tear down each other from the words that tumble over our tongues and come forth like a fountain that spews hate uncontrollably or extreme love generously. What flows out depends on what is in our hearts. When our hearts, minds, and souls, our whole being, are surrender on the One who saved us from our sins and set us free from payment for those sins; gratitude to God takes up residence along with His Holy Spirit within us.
In our surrender, God’s Holy Spirit guides us to truth by convicting us of truth of our behaviors with loving correction as we walk humbly with God. Goals. Notice He has no interest in condemning us as his nature is to restore us!
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:16-17
John, known as Jesus’ beloved disciple, walked with Jesus, knew His love and returned it willingly. Daily, John witnessed Jesus’ compassion to all in need of a Savior who needed to be corrected with all that is truth from God. “I am the Way, Truth, and the Life”, Jesus told them. To all who believed what He said were saved by God’s grace for eternity! It was not God’s desire to punish and beat us down with condemnation; that is man’s way and was witnessed by the disciples as Jesus was beaten, whipped, mocked, and then nailed to a cross then placed upon a hill for all to see in an effort to humiliate Him!
Jesus walked perfectly humbled with God daily, so man’s way of humiliating Him was futile. Paul explains the humility of Christ as the Perfect example with reminders of how Jesus lived on earth;
“Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! Philippians 2:1-8
Because of Jesus’ willingness to obey His Father, God we are saved from the punishment of our sins—forever! THIS is placing the interest of others far beyond our own interests. If we want to become more like Jesus in every way; it begins by laying self and self-interests at His feet. Ask what God wants, like Jesus did, then go do what He says! This is a lifelong discipline that marks us as disciples of Jesus.
When we are willing, obedient “walkers” with God; this discipline to know God more so we can be more like Him sheds a great glorious Light on His character traits to be obtained! There will be later days when we will even surprise ourselves in our actions and reactions to life because of our surrender to God’s work in our new life of walking with Him. We might not be able to precisely explain our transformation; but over time others see it and want to know what happened. We are different. Because of Jesus living in us, we think, speak, and walk differently. Our relationship with God causes our relationship with others to be different—not of this world different. This is God at work in all who believer and trust Him!
Lord,
Thank you for leading us to truth with gentle conviction with correction. You give us wisdom without finding fault in us. Thank you for lifting us up when we have been beaten down. Thank you for saving us and also restoring us to full spiritual health in our relationship with you and with others. Lead me, on. I’m yours. I’m listening.
In Jesus Name, Amen
