Proverbs 13: 13-14

“Don’t touch that, it’s hot!” This is a phrase that nearly every parent has told his or her child at some point. The parent knows that touching the stove will result in pain for their sweet child, and looking out for their best interest, they admonish the child against the tempting action. However, often times the child reaches forward touches the stovetop as soon as the eyes are off of them. OUCH!! Pain spreads through their hand and they begin to cry remorsefully, all because the stubborn child wanted their own way.

Just as the child often ignores the insightful advice from their parents, so also we often decide that our way and plan is the best and only way. When we despise the advice of others because of the pride we have in our own plans, the end result is hurt and trouble. However, there is always someone who is wiser and has a more insightful point of view. The person offering advice is like a life-giving fountain, and when we respect their insight we will succeed! So often, we are so engulfed in our own situations that we do not see the red flags that are popping up around us, pushing us to ignore advice. However, when we humble ourselves and listen to the wise counsel of others, we are able to avoid a world of hurt, referred to in Proverbs 13:14 as “the snares of death.”

In the end, the choice is ours. We must choose to either humble ourselves and surrender our own plans, or continue down the destructive path of pride and selfishness. The wisest counsel comes from seeking the Lord, but in doing that our Sovereign God also places wise people in our lives who can be vessels of His will for us.

Be wise to listen to advice from others, and always avoid the stovetops.

Proverbs 13:11-12

¹¹ Wealth from get-rich-quick schemes quickly disappears;
wealth from hard work grows over time.

Money gained or won quickly, many times is dwindled away just as rapidly. It is generally used on self and what self wants. We read in Ephesians 4:28, If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need. This is a great example of God’s “upside down” kingdom. Work hard, give generously. Say, what?!! Yep!! When we have the attitude of pleasing God in our work, and realizing everything we have is from Him, it will help us to be more generous in helping others in need.

¹² Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life.

Hope is a precious and wonderful thing. Hope is the expectation of something desired. If the thing you desire is not obtained in the time expected, your heart and soul are grieved and pained by the delay.

I think of prayer, and the many times we can lose hope as we are praying for someone we love. Maybe weeks go by with no answer and then months, at times the months turn into years, and we feel like God does not hear us. We start losing hope, almost giving in to hopelessness. We can become sick with worry, in despair over the unanswered prayer. However, when the answer finally comes it brings life to our souls! Our hearts are encouraged and revived. God gives us hope! Romans 15:13 says that God is the source of hope! Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can overflow with confident hope. So we can pray with confidence, knowing God hears us and wants us to have hope that the answer is coming.

Proverbs 13:7-8

Merriam-Webster defines greed as, “a selfish and excessive desire for more of something (as money) than is needed. I often ask myself the question, when I get to where I’m going, will it be enough? Will I be satisfied? Will I have peace? Maybe a better question is this, “when is enough enough? There’s nothing wrong with wanting more as long as the more is to meet your need, is not excess, and doesn’t neglect or inconvenience others.

7 Some who are poor pretend to be rich; others who are rich pretend to be poor.

Jesus commonly called the religious elite (Pharisees and Sadducees) hypocrites. During that time Jesus was using a Greek theatre term that described how one actor could play many parts in the same play. Essentially, he was telling them that they put on different masks depending on the circumstance and that they lacked authenticity and genuineness. All of us at one time or another have suffered from an internal identity crisis that encouraged us to compare ourselves with others, pretend we were something other than ourselves to be accepted, or be ashamed of our status in life, whether it be rich or poor. A good friend of mine told me once, “The Joneses don’t exist. Be yourself.” Nobody likes a fake or phony and to be quite honest authenticity or the lack thereof is the one barrier that is preventing the body of Christ from winning the world at-large.

8 The rich can pay a ransom for their lives, but the poor won’t even get threatened.

On the South side of Chicago there is a homeless woman pushing a grocery cart and as dangerous as that section of town is no one will ever bother her. Why? Because she is not perceived as a threat and her appearance in most people’s eyes communicates that she has nothing of value on her; therefore she is not threatened. However, a rich man may be taken and forced to release some of his money because of his perceived worth. Thankfully, our value is not external or limited to material possession, but yet begins with the intangible and the internal.

Proverbs 13:1-3

As children, many of us used to hear our teachers in school tell us “Be quiet, watch, and listen. You were made with two ears, two eyes, and only one mouth for a reason”. I never quite understood the significance of that statement until I entered into my first relationship. I learned very quickly how difficult it could be to be in constant relationship with somebody that wasn’t my parents, best friend, or sibling. I quickly realized how difficult communication and conflict could be when I was only trying to only get my point across, be heard, and share my own point of view. It was very seldom to me that anybody else’s opinion was as important, or as “true and factual” as mine was (whether that be true or not). Those discussions never led to a happy ending, and only led to hurt, offence, and misunderstanding. I was quick to speak, slow to listen, and slow to understand.

So much of not only the book of proverbs, but the entirety of the Bible speaks heavily on our words, and the importance of listening before speaking. So many of todays debates, arguments, and discussions are not to hear and understand, but rather to merely get their own point across. 1 Timothy says not to waste our time over foolish arguments and ideas and instead feed our spirits with truth and life. Many Christians today have lost their sense of compassion, and instead of sitting down with the poor to feed them, and listening to the hurt and pain, we tend to only have our own agenda in mind, to get our message to be heard at the cost of anyone’s feelings. Yet it is the kindness of Christ that leads to repentance, so instead of telling them all the things they may need to change in their lives, lets sit with the broken, and hear their struggles, let our hearts break with theirs, and speak only in the context of love and compassion.