10:1 Dead flies make the perfumer’s ointment give off a stench;
so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.
2 A wise man’s heart inclines him to the right,
but a fool’s heart to the left.
3 Even when the fool walks on the road, he lacks sense,
and he says to everyone that he is a fool.
4 If the anger of the ruler rises against you, do not leave your place,
for calmness will lay great offenses to rest.
5 There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, as it were an error proceeding from the ruler: 6 folly is set in many high places, and the rich sit in a low place. 7 I have seen slaves on horses, and princes walking on the ground like slaves.
8 He who digs a pit will fall into it,
and a serpent will bite him who breaks through a wall.
9 He who quarries stones is hurt by them,
and he who splits logs is endangered by them.
10 If the iron is blunt, and one does not sharpen the edge,
he must use more strength,
but wisdom helps one to succeed.
11 If the serpent bites before it is charmed,
there is no advantage to the charmer.
12 The words of a wise man’s mouth win him favor,
but the lips of a fool consume him.
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness,
and the end of his talk is evil madness.
14 A fool multiplies words,
though no man knows what is to be,
and who can tell him what will be after him?
15 The toil of a fool wearies him,
for he does not know the way to the city.
16 Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child,
and your princes feast in the morning!
17 Happy are you, O land, when your king is the son of the nobility,
and your princes feast at the proper time,
for strength, and not for drunkenness!
18 Through sloth the roof sinks in,
and through indolence the house leaks.
19 Bread is made for laughter,
and wine gladdens life,
and money answers everything.
20 Even in your thoughts, do not curse the king,
nor in your bedroom curse the rich,
for a bird of the air will carry your voice,
or some winged creature tell the matter. (ESV)
8 He who digs a pit will fall into it,
and a serpent will bite him who breaks through a wall.
Part b of this verse reminds me of Raiders Of the Lost Ark (Indiana Jones). When he is thrown into a snake pit, asps are POURING out of the walls. This verse speaks to consequences coming to be, even as a result of accidental situations (digging a pit, breaking through a wall–neither are done, in this context, with mal-intent. The point here is that a fool’s foolishness is what destroys him. When you, as a fool, are doing what seems natural, normal, and/or harmless, the very things you go about doing are what lead to your demise.
20 Even in your thoughts, do not curse the king,
nor in your bedroom curse the rich,
for a bird of the air will carry your voice,
or some winged creature tell the matter.
This I love. If we aren’t careful, we can deceive ourselves into receiving the concept that as long as we don’t SAY anything mean, we’re safe and in clear conscience. But this verse is powerfully convicting as it reminds us to be mindful of-and take captive-the thoughts that come into our minds. Our meditations-the sentiments that we sift through and focus on in our minds-are indicative of what is in our HEARTS. And ultimately, the trials and temptations we face will bring forth the sin and divided inclinations that perhaps lie deep within. And this verse tells us that inevitably, it will come out of us and be revealed, exposing us in our thoughts that curse, if we don’t take captive of them.
Wise words, indeed…
12 The words of a wise man’s mouth win him favor,
but the lips of a fool consume him.
Word.
Not to be mistaken with the Word of God, our words should be like God’s in that they are like choice silver, refined in the fire seven times. They bring healing to those who are weak, and they are seasoned with salt, able to intelligently and compassionately answer everyone.
The Bible presents the words of man as a fire, that can easily destroy a person with even a little spark. But our mouths have been redeemed! We can now stand up to the Lion and roar just as loud, not with words of hatred and foolishness, but with words that build up, and win us favor, more importantly God, our King.
Amen!
You are gangsta Spence! And that is what I was going to comment on this morning. Great comment!
19 Bread is made for laughter,
and wine gladdens life,
and money answers everything.
It is WE (people) who misappropriate what is meant to bless us. Some may read this, trying to use this as a crutch or a justification or a license to live without conscience in life.
It is critical, though, to remember just a few chapters back, (5, verse 10), when Solomon assures us that money does not SATISFY. It may lend itself to being a means for obtaining, “answers,” in life, but IT does not satisfy.
You know what DOES, though…?
The promise of eternal life in our One and Only–our Savior and Messiah, Jesus Christ. And this comes from confessing and turning from our sins and sinfulness, and living ever after for Him, in pursuit of HIS agenda.
Good point!
So if money does not satisfy, why does Solomon say it does here? Is he contradicting himself?
12 The words of a wise man’s mouth win him favor,
but the lips of a fool consume him.
Our words can make us or break us. Thus it is so important that we heed the advice of Scripture and be careful what we say. James tells us that we should be slow to speak (and quick to listen – James 1:19). When we do speak we should make sure it is to build others up according to their needs not to tear them down (Eph 4:29). I need to ask God everyday to help me to speak in a way that will glorify Him.
12 The words of a wise man’s mouth win him favor,
but the lips of a fool consume him.
Sometimes I think we forget how powerful words are. Something that I always heard as a child was “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” The honest thing is, that our words are more powerful than any action EVER. Just by saying a few words, we can change someone’s life for the better, or for worse. Our mouth is our most powerful weapon for God. There’s no way to encourage more believers if we don’t speak. This is a big deal!!
14 A fool multiplies words,
though no man knows what is to be,
and who can tell him what will be after him?
This verse reminds me of the whole thing about 2012 and the world “ending.” So many people believe that people can tell the future by just making up stuff, or making a scientific estimate. God clearly states here, though no man knows what is to be!!! Meaning no one knows that the earth is 4.2 billion years old, or that we came from monkeys! God says in the bible that we will not know everything! As a christian, I need to put my faith and trust in God, and understand that not all my questions will always be answered but all I know is that God made everything including heaven and earth!!! Not some random star. :)
Morning,
This verse stuck out to me.
4 If the anger of the ruler rises against you, do not leave your place,
for calmness will lay great offenses to rest.
It explains that no matter what situation I get into, that I should never lose my cool, stay calm, and think things through. If someone else goes off at me, yelling, cursing, etc etc. I need to stay calm and reassure myself that God will get me through the situation.
Which leads me to this verse.
12 The words of a wise man’s mouth win him favor,
but the lips of a fool consume him.
Calmness will outweigh any sort of storm. If you don’t lose your cool and someone else does, they will eventually come to the realization that they were foolish in there actions. Then you can explain to whomever did, why you did not waver in your emotions back to escalate the argument into a fight.
E.I. sharing the gospel!
Final Verdict:
Don’t Lose your cool
NEVER forget that God has your back
Great to see you on Collin! Awesome comment!
Mmmm keepin’ it cool Collin!! d:-/
I am praying for you daily that you will keep standing firm! Love ya brother. Great comment Collin!
10 ….but wisdom helps one to succeed.
This is just like Pastor Bobby was saying yesterday in his sermon! That in order for us to shut down satan, we need to have wisdom and know the truth, God’s word.
Great to see you on SOTD!
12 The words of a wise man’s mouth win him favor,
but the lips of a fool consume him.
Each word that comes out of my mouth has the potential to give God glory and build others up or mar Christ’s reputation and tear others down. Words are a big deal! James 3 is devoted to the danger of the tongue and the command to control it through the help of the Holy Spirit. If I try to rely on myself to keep my speech pure I will surely fail and make myself look like a fool. If I pray daily for God to help me keep a guard over my tongue and consider each word carefully before it exits my mouth I can honor God and give Him the glory through what I say to others!
4 If the anger of the ruler rises against you, do not leave your place,
for calmness will lay great offenses to rest.
This verse stuck out to me because when I’m talking to some of my friends about the gospel or even the Christian religion in general, I get pretty upset about some of the things they believe themselves, and the things they refuse to believe about Jesus. I find myself angry and don’t always conceal it. But here it says composure or calmness will lay great offenses to rest. If I keep my cool, trusting in God and not freaking out, then the argument will stop. Another daily reminder from God to stay calm so I can keep my mouth closed to foolishness, and open to wisdom. Praise to our Holy Lord!!
MARANATHA.
This chapter feels a little like proverbs. Bringing in the wise man and the foolish man. And also the wicked/ evil under the sun.
8 He who digs a pit will fall into it,
I liked this verse because people who are getting in trouble and are lying, other people would say they are digging themselves a whole. Little did they know that it is said in the bible. I mean I didn’t know and i have read the book of Ecclesiastes before. So be careful not to dig holes. :]
See you all at TN today!!! :]
HA it reminded me of proverbs too when I read it!! :)
4 If the anger of the ruler rises against you, do not leave your place,
for calmness will lay great offenses to rest.
Rulers like kings held complete power over all of their people in their respective time. They stood above all the rest of the men. To have the king angered against you was not a position you would want to be in at all. He would have full ability to do with you as he pleased. Yet this verse is an encouraging command, saying that even if the ruler of your day, such as a king, rises against you with anger, you need to move or run away. Instead, stay where you are and stand with a clam spirit. And the anger of the ruler may be put to rest by your calmness.
I never have any kings or dictators or even the President of the United States rising directly against me. However, this doesn’t mean that I don’t conflict with those in authority over me. And this can even apply to those who don’t necessarily have authority over me, but they may be angered with me. Whenever someone is angered at me, I want to react with patience and calmness. And even if they don’t settle down, I will have done my part in not causing a fight. As a Christian, I am going to have people oppose me in this life. They are going to be angered with me. Yet I can be an example of Christ to them by keeping a calm spirit. As the Bible says a lot, it will be like heaping burning coals on them. Their anger toward me doesn’t give me reason to want to get back. Instead, it gives me opportunity to witness to them, showing the calmness that I have in Christ!
Very well said Steffen. Just because we don’t see our authorities daily doesn’t mean we can’t respect them or pray for them. Good job :)!
12 The words of a wise man’s mouth win him favor,
but the lips of a fool consume him.
IIIIII was thinking about this verse…Makes me think about how IIII need my tongue tied down to the bottom of my mouth sometimes. haha It should only be untied when I’m evangelizing, talking to my parents/friends/teachers respectfully, orrr my siblings. I know some people on SOTD know what I’m talking about when I say “ohhh my goooooosh”. I say it A LOT to my mother when I think she says something silly. My mamasita doesn’t like it ya? SO I need to stop. It’s one of those moments where my tongue needs to be tied down. XD Lord help me with this one, this one is a HUGE challenge! Maranatha.
10 If the iron is blunt, and one does not sharpen the edge,
he must use more strength,
but wisdom helps one to succeed.
With wisdom we can succeed. I know that I need wisdom, but the only way to get that is to rely on God. He is the one that can give me wisdom. Also I need to be in His word more often, which I have not done for a while. If I stay in his word and listen to him about everything I will obtain wisdom because everything I read is wisdom. Then surely I can sharpen my iron and use it to the best of its ability.
1 Dead flies make the perfumer’s ointment give off a stench;
so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.
This is saying that even a little foolishness can completely “dilute” any wisdom and honor that I have. I need to be praying constantly that God help me to not be foolish in my ways, but rather be striving solely for Godliness in every aspect of my life! I do not want to be considered a fool by God AND have if corrupt any righteousness in me!
1 Dead flies make the perfumer’s ointment give off a stench;
so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.
Mmmmm lovin’ the biblical analogies. I can’t just be wise in a lot of ways and then use that as an excuse to be foolish occasionally. That’s like saying “My perfume smells good enough to drop a couple turds into.” I pray that God would keep me from foolishness and continue to build me up in His wisdom with nothing to contaminate it.
12 The words of a wise man’s mouth win him favor,
but the lips of a fool consume him.
This is a good verse to remind us that we must not talk like fools or else that habit will consume us.
I read…
Verse 12… “The words of a wise man’s mouth win him favor, but the lips of a fool consume him.”
Throughout our lives we see the consequences of our choices with our mouth. We can choose to use it to sin and curse people or we can use it to praise God. As a Christian, our whole life should be a life directed in praise towards the Lord. Even though cussing is not a problem in my life I still use it to maybe talk back to my parents or put others down. I pray that the Lord would continue in the sanctification of my mouth and that I would please Him with every word.
12 The words of a wise man’s mouth win him favor,
but the lips of a fool consume him.
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness,
and the end of his talk is evil madness.
There have been times when I have felt like a complete fool because of the stupid things I say, and I see others gain respect because of their wise words. I need to think more before I say things.
Great to see you on here, Brady!
20 Even in your thoughts, do not curse the king,
nor in your bedroom curse the rich,
for a bird of the air will carry your voice,
or some winged creature tell the matter.
“if you dont have something nice to say, dont say anything at all” – Thumper
Thumper must have lived in a Christian home. Its always best to just think good of everyone.
Love it! And love you : ). Missed you today! Hope you feel better : D
2 A wise man’s heart inclines him to the right,
but a fool’s heart to the left.
as a christian we need to be wise and here it says that a wise mans heart will lead him to do right.
c u all later
18 Through sloth the roof sinks in,
and through indolence the house leaks.
This is a great verse. This is the same of our walk with CHRIST. When we are lazy when it comes to our christian life, we can be lazy, but if we do we will begin to have problems and trouble. I need to make sure not to become lazy in my christian life.
12 The words of a wise man’s mouth win him favor,
but the lips of a fool consume him.
We all need to be wise with the words that we choose. As Christians, people look at us and record our every move. Christians are often marked as hypocrits because many will say one thing and do another. I need to make sure that I am not only talking about God’s commands, but that I myself am following them to show an example. I want to be known as a Christian, not a hypocrite.
20 Even in your thoughts, do not curse the king,
nor in your bedroom curse the rich,
for a bird of the air will carry your voice,
or some winged creature tell the matter.
These verses remind me of a couple of Bobby’s points this weekend: that satan attacks our thoughts, as well as Bobby’s reference to the parable of the sower. I need to closely gaurd my thoughts because, as Pastor Ardavanis preached the other week, temptation begins in our minds. When I have a sinful thought, I need to shut it down immediately and take it to the Lord. If I don’t put those thoughts in check and turn to God, that’s when they’ll come out (a bird of the air will carry my voice) and become other sin. The devil will use my thoughts to attack me and take me down. I need to stand against him. And of course the more I’m in God’s word, the easier it will be for me to recognize those sinful thoughts that I need to shut down. These very verses are a prime example of how the word of God brings me wisdom to help me stay on a path of righteousness.
4 If the anger of the ruler rises against you, do not leave your place, for calmness will lay great offenses to rest.
What a great verse! When people try to get a rise out of us by offending us or by doing anything, we just need to remain calm. We need to think about what Jesus would do at that point. If I stay calm and handle it in a calming manner, then I will actually be the one “laying great offenses to the rest.” I can be on God’s team (as Pastor Bobby talked about in the sermon this morning) and deal with the situation in a way that shows how great God is. With God, all things are possible and as long as I’m living my life for him I know I am on God’s team.
10 If the iron is blunt, and one does not sharpen the edge,
he must use more strength,
but wisdom helps one to succeed.
MMMM, like Bobby preached on today, we need to do all we can (with Gods help) to strengthen our faith so that we can strongly say “GET BEHIND ME SATAN!” As i go to college (where so many people lose their ‘faith’), i need to be sure that i am strong and that i surround myself with Christians. I also need to be digging deep into Gods word so that i am sharp…I need to have good solid friends..like Proverbs 27:17 says “as iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” In order to do that, I need to be sharp and I can only do that with the Lords help! I need to read Gods word so i can avoid the twisting temptations of satan! I am unashamed of the gospel and I will stand firm for the Lord always!
Maranatha!!!!
amen michelle! i’m prayin for u <3
12 The words of a wise man’s mouth win him favor,
but the lips of a fool consume him.
This verse shows me how important it is to be wise. The things that I say will affect me for the good or the bad. If say foolish things then it will consume me and that is something that does not sound good for me. I would rather have my mouth win me favor. So if I want that I should be thinking about what I am saying before I say it and see if it is wise or foolish.
Probably, the best week of True North I have ever been apart of. First, the True North Banquet. It was great celebrating the year. Then, talking to most of you guys. Usually, I don’t really have as much time to talk to all of you. Then, this weekend at True North. One of the best messages Pastor Bobby has ever done in the four years I’ve been there. I just want to be near God. I don’t want the “lion” or Satan to be near me. I need to have a right view of God all the time!
12 The words of a wise man’s mouth win him favor,
but the lips of a fool consume him.
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness,
and the end of his talk is evil madness.
So many times the Bible warns us about what we say! Like James for example. The tongue is actually our most dangerous weapon, it can also be to tear someone down or lift someone else. The words we say really expose our heart. What we say like verse 12, can win us favor or can bring us down. Of course, everyone wants to win favor. We got to have a right heart, if we want to win favor. I’m going to focus and pray that I will not saying anything ungodly so that I can have great street-cred! My mind needs to be focus on Christ and be aware that Satan wants to take me down. I need to rely in Christ, knowing that through him I can make Satan flee. I need to have the right view of God. God cares what I think and say. I will be judge according to His righteousness.
I am with you KJ! It was an awesome week!
10 If the iron is blunt, and one does not sharpen the edge, he must use more strength, but wisdom helps one to succeed.
God’s word and grace sharpens us. We need it when we go out into the world and are faced with challenges and rebukes (is that a word?). Like the verse suggests, when we are blunt, we need even more strength. We become blunt when we are faced with something we don’t know how to handle, so we need to search the Bible and pray for answers. We need to be sharp, too, in order to say no to Satan and his temptations. Great sermon today Bobby!
8 He who digs a pit will fall into it,
and a serpent will bite him who breaks through a wall.
This totally corresponds to what Bobby preached on today. We need to not be like gazelles who fall into Satan’s mouth. And if we do not want to be ensnared, we need to make sure we don’t dig a pit by surrounding ourselves with ungodly friends. I’ve witnessed in high school especially people who change because of their friends…some for the better, but a lot of people for the worst. I am praying that those who come to True North would seek and find Christian friends and become stronger individually with Christ and also with an accountibilibuddy.
3 Even when the fool walks on the road, he lacks sense,
and he says to everyone that he is a fool.
The way that a fool carries himself shows what he is: a fool. The way that a fool thinks shows through his actions. As Christians, the way that we think will be shown by our actions. I know that when my thoughts are sinful or arrogant, it translates into me falling into sin and be prideful. This verse has really helped me remember the importance of taking every thought captive for Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5). I need to be thinking godly, sinless thoughts so that I do not prove myself to be a fool!
4 If the anger of the ruler rises against you, do not leave your place,
for calmness will lay great offenses to rest.
Just reading this chapter of advice concerning wisdom calms me:) I loved Pastor Bobby’s message today! I need to keep my guard up and not let Satan near me. I should charge fearlessly for God as well. I need to evangelize more to my non-Christian friends. My life has been quite stressful lately and I have learned the importance of trusting in God with everything because His plan always prevails. This verse reminds me that even when others are angry, I should remain calm and trust in God. “Calmness will lay great offenses to rest.” Attitude is a great thing. A way to attain this calmness is to be patient. I pray that God will use to stand strong for Him and witness to others!
8 He who digs a pit will fall into it,
and a serpent will bite him who breaks through a wall.
This verse reminded me of how lies can come back to bite me even if I think its smart at the time. A lie is like a snowball affect and its only going to dig a hole in which I would fall into eventually. Thats why its important to stop lying and and repent. Lying will get me no where and every little lie I tell will add up. I need to realize how important it is to just come clean for anything.
2 A wise man’s heart inclines him to the right, but a fool’s heart to the left.
This verse reminded me that being wise and being foolish make you go into two completely opposite directions. I’m going to pray for wisdom to help me make the right decisions and not to be foolish in my life.
14 A fool multiplies words,
though no man knows what is to be,
and who can tell him what will be after him?
I saw this and instantly thought of what Bobby talked about at Noob Night! TALK LESS SAY MORE. I need to make sure that everything that comes out of my mouth is legit and has meaning, rather than reambling off about things that dont matter. When I’m with my friends, we can have more meaningful conversations that glorify God rather than what we usually talk about!
3 Even when the fool walks on the road, he lacks sense,
and he says to everyone that he is a fool.
it can be very obvious at times when you are in the presence of certain people. Everyone can tell who the teacher’s pet in the class is by the way he constantly asks questions and tries to look smart. Similarly, athletes have an aura of muscles and anecdotes about their last game. In a similar way, from a Christian perspective, it is easy to distinguish many of the nonChristians around us by the sin that defines their lives. But is the opposite true? Do our words and deeds make it clear to those around us that we are sold out for Jesus Christ? I need to make the most of every opportunity in these last few weeks of school to bring the Gospel to my high school campus!
20 Even in your thoughts, do not curse the king,
nor in your bedroom curse the rich,
for a bird of the air will carry your voice,
or some winged creature tell the matter.
People often get the thought that if we think badly of someone, that no one will know, and it doesnt matter. This is where were wrong, God hears everything, no matter in our minds, our on the outside, we will be punished with it. If other people could read our minds, wouldnt we want to think good thoughts ALL the time, so we wouldnt be in danger? Well that is how it is, 24/7 with God. I need to watch my tongue and my mind, because either way, God will hear it. Hes our mind reader, and I need to flourish my mind with good thoughts so the bad stuff will be flushed out.
2 A wise man’s heart inclines him to the right,
but a fool’s heart to the left.
HA-take that liberals!
20 Even in your thoughts, do not curse the king,
nor in your bedroom curse the rich,
for a bird of the air will carry your voice,
or some winged creature tell the matter.
This is very true. well, i guess all of the Bible is true, so that’s a dumb thing to say. Anyway, i see this verse happen all the time. Someone hears that “so-and-so” said “this” about them, and so-and-so says “what? wait! but i didn’t tell anyone”…”or did i?”
anyway, that came out horribly. and the point i was trying to make was: don’t think bad thoughts or speak badly about other people. I feel that there are some areas i can work on this
4 If the anger of the ruler rises against you, do not leave your place,
for calmness will lay great offenses to rest.
It says in matthew that we’re supposed to turn our cheek. I need to control my anger a little bit more than usual, whether its the big dramas, or at the tiniest things. doing one sin leads to many more sins, right? so, in the same way, amger will lead to more anger, until either it spirals out of control, or if the one who got angry calmed down.
2 A wise man’s heart inclines him to the right, but a fool’s heart to the left.
The life direction of a wise man should be entirely different than the direction of a fool. As a wise man, my heart should be entirely inclined to righteousness and completely apart from wickedness. I need to make sure that I am fighting the sin in my heart and staying away from any form of foolishness.
20 Even in your thoughts, do not curse the king,
nor in your bedroom curse the rich,
for a bird of the air will carry your voice,
or some winged creature tell the matter.
I love this verse! it really convicted me because even though i may be thinking something bad in my head, but i do not say it i have still sinned. While i may think i did good by not saying it to the person, God still knows. I need to make sure my thoughts are more pure, and that ultimately there is nothing i can hide from God.
I like verse 4 on how to remain calm during tough situations. People try to revoke us all the time with the name calling. It is really childish of them though. Showing them that we don’t care what they think of us is a good thing. We need to show them that there is a better team than Satans team. Gods team is the way to go. Like Pastor Bobby said that a lot of high schoolers are being capture in the lions mouth. (lion=Satan) We need are Christian friends so we don’t fall away. Non-christain friends will hurt us and bring us down. So lets stand together and make Satan hate us for preaching the gospel and having our campus lunches. Lets bring Satan down!
12 The words of a wise man’s mouth win him favor,
but the lips of a fool consume him.
This is a good reminder of how to use speech. Not only should I not cuss or lie or say mean things, but I should encourage, evangelize, and edify other people. I want to speak out of wisdom, not foolishly
I agree! Good comment. You encouraged me (:
“He who digs a pit will fall into it.”
When we do things that we know to be wrong, we can be just as sure that making that decision is going to bite us in the butt. I’ve experienced this, and it’s not pleasant!
We need to be doing less digging physically, and more digging spiritually(into God’s word).
12 The words of a wise man’s mouth win him favor,
but the lips of a fool consume him.
Being a Christian in high school today can be very tough. All the people around today with foul language is so frustrating. It is hard to keep all this language out of my head. I am praying that God can help me to be patient and trust in him through this.
12 The words of a wise man’s mouth win him favor,
but the lips of a fool consume him.
Like a lot of the past chapters, there’s been a lot of verses talking about talking. What a fool ends up saying is his downfall, but the words of a wise person help him out. A foolish way to talk would be to just ramble on and keep talking. But a wise way is to hold your toungue and not say anything before thinking, “should i really say that?” Instead of making a mistake by saying somehting foolish, if i bite my toungue and think if what i’m going to say is a good thing, it will really help me out.
Sometimes I feel as though I can say things and the world is on my side. Other times, I say things and I feel that I’m hated by everyone. What makes these times different. It’s wisdom.
Solomon makes it clear when he says, “The words of a wise man’s mouth win him favor, but the lips of a fool consume him.” A wise man says things that prospers him because he doesn’t act with haste but takes things into considerations. The sayings of a fool creates problems and only brings him strife. Wisdom definitely makes a difference.
In my own life I can see how God can change things when I fear Him and I use God’s word and apply it to my life. When I realize my need for wisdom and guidance I pray and God helps me through what can seem to be a very troubling circumstance. I don’t want to be foolish and have a simple life. I want a life that brings God glory and isn’t selfish and self-satisfying.
20 Even in your thoughts, do not curse the king,
nor in your bedroom curse the rich,
for a bird of the air will carry your voice,
or some winged creature tell the matter.
I like this verse because it reminds me to even keep my thoughts free of slander or evil towards others. I want my mind to be pure before God. Our motivation shouldn’t be that we don’t want anyone to hear the bad things we said…it should be that we want to please God by NOT saying such things or even thinking them. We want to forgive as Christ forgave us.
12 The words of a wise man’s mouth win him favor,
but the lips of a fool consume him.
This verse stood out to me right away. I say a lot of words throughout the day. I want to be wise with my words though and not be consumed like the fool. I need to be wise in what I say and that will come by me being in God’s Word and knowing His Word. I will make sure I am in His Word daily and meditating on what I read throughout the day.
12 The words of a wise man’s mouth win him favor,
but the lips of a fool consume him.
I need to be wise with what I say. Verse 14 says that a fool multiplies words. I need to make sure I don’t speak too much and that when I do speak that I say only what is pleasing to God. This is hard for me sometimes…especially when I’m tired I seem to lose all control over my tongue. This is no excuse. I am always responsible for what I say. I need to make sure that my words are always wise and that I don’t slip into the ways of the foolish.
1 Dead flies make the perfumer’s ointment give off a stench;
so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.
Right off the bat this verse hit me. It’s so true if you think about it, and anyone would agree – it’s the little things that define us. If we can’t keep ourselves controlled in the simple things, or be setting a good example in the mundane, everyday tasks, then it outweighs anything we might try to do on a grander scale.
This sort of goes along with living in hypocrisy I think; that we should “practice what we preach”. Because, really, what good is it if we talk the talk but don’t walk the walk? It’ll show, and no good will come of it.
12 The words of a wise man’s mouth win him favor,
but the lips of a fool consume him.
THe tongue is a double-edged sword! it is the most powerful thing we have. It is important to speak words of the wise and refrain from speaking deceit(1 Pet. 3:10). Speaking wisely includes not gossiping or cussing. Gossiping and cussing is a huge problem with high schoolers and all it does it consume!! All the foolish words said consume you and each other. Lets speak wise and righteous words and be different from the world!(:
10 If the iron is blunt, and one does not sharpen the edge,
he must use more strength,
but wisdom helps one to succeed.
This verse really got me thinking. And after a while, I realized how great of an analogy and example this is and how easily I can apply it to my life. If someone tries to break a sinful habit by just themselves, it is very hard and near impossible, but if we sharpen our minds with the word of God which gives us wisdom, we are making it much easier for us to say NO next time we are tempted to sin and we can kill the sin in our lives. Getting in God’s word is sooo important. Whenever I don’t get in the word, I find myself separated from God and more vulnerable to sinning. I pray that we all would sharpen our minds with God’s word and that we would make WAR with sin and kill our sinful habits with God’s help.
10:1 Dead flies make the perfumer’s ointment give off a stench;
so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.
I really liked this verse because it is comparing foolishness and folly, to dead flies and the stench they give off. On the other hand, it compares wisdom to a sweat perfume! It shows that our wisdom, the perfume, can be tainted by folly and foolishness, the dead flies.
0 Even in your thoughts, do not curse the king,
nor in your bedroom curse the rich,
for a bird of the air will carry your voice,
or some winged creature tell the matter.
This verse encourages me to not gossip and start rumors. Talking bad about other people just opens up the opportunity for them to hear that gossip, which could ruin your friendship with that person. I remember reading in Proverbs that it is love to keep a matter silent; so I want to love others by not talking bad about them. This is better for both my reputation and the other person’s!
12 The words of a wise man’s mouth win him favor,
but the lips of a fool consume him.
This verse kinda reminds me of those times when I said something without really thinking about it and then I always wish I wouldn’t had said anything. God wants us to pick our speach carefully and speak wholesomely. Out of the heart comes the words from our mouth so i want to make sure that my heart is always focused on God and His awesome grace and love for us and His amazing power. He is the creator and ruler of all thigns and I am not being a fool in His eyes.
If the iron is blunt, and one does not sharpen the edge,
he must use more strength,
but wisdom helps one to succeed.
The old priciple of working smarter not harder. I didn’t become a Christian until I was 25, and for most of my life I was a rebel. A rebel without a cause. Being a rebel always got brought me more grief and troubles that could have been easily avoided. But now as a Christian, by the grace of God, and by reading the word I am able to avoid a lot of the self-inflicted damage I used to bring upon myself by being rebellious against authority. I wish I would have listened to God when I was younger… That’s why its so encouraging to see many of you students sold out for Christ here at True North! The biblical wisdom taught at True North is way more important than anything taught in the world. Get wisdom even if it costs all you have.
12 The words of a wise man’s mouth win him favor,
but the lips of a fool consume him.
The things that come out of our mouths tell a lot about a person. I want to make sure that with all I do (and of course, say) I bring God the glory he deserves. How can we praise him with our mouths one day, and the next day slander or gossip? I want to be wise with my words and always think before I speak.
Great to read all of these comments at the end of a busy week! Love the people of True North!
Ecclesiastes 10
18 Through sloth the roof sinks in, and through indolence the house leaks.
This verse is a great visual of how the slothful person is like a collapsing house. If we are not faithful to maintain what God has built in us that destruction will surely follow.
1 Corinthians 3:16-17 16 Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.
We have read many times that a slothful person is not fit to do the work of the Lord. If we are not fit to do the work of God than how can we be a Christian? We are all commanded by God to spread the Good News of the Gospel but many who call themselves Christian do not stand up for Christ and share the Truth of His Word. Pastor Bobby’s message today could easily be applied to Satan distorting the Great Commission (Evangelism). Satan would like to trick us into believing that we don’t have to share the Gospel to be a Christian. This is a great lie that many Christians today whole heartily believe. God has commanded every Christian to share the Gospel to others as an act of obedience. Christ did not call it the Great Commission (Command) for no reason. I pray that this summer students will not become lazy and check out when it comes to doing the work that the Lord has commanded given each and every Christian.
Ecclesiastes 4:5 5 The fool folds his hands and eats his own flesh.