Proverbs Study – Lesson 41 (Proverbs chapter 28:1-13)
V. 1 Confidence drives a lot of what you do in life. So, too, does fear. Perception is everything. We make decisions that prompts actions and responses to life more on what we perceive to be true than what is actually so. It is not responses to reality that we respond to and act on, but it is all too often responses to our perception of that reality that drives so much of our life. How we see life really does dictate how we live it and what life becomes. This is a good verse to be reminded that our thoughts drive the boat to what becomes actually reality in our life. In this verse he mentions two approaches to life. He does not place life in the two buckets that is often used to designate the two major approaches to life, usually being the positive or negative approach to life. But, instead here Solomon paints a different picture. He says that the watershed to life and how it works out or treats you deals more with our actions or life style than our attitude. It is true that attitude does often determine our actions, but here Solomon highlights the differences in the reality of life which is determined by two lifestyles. He sets down the two lifestyles that there is a wicked or selfish approach to life and a righteous or God perspective approach to life. He says that it is our heart not our attitude that determines the choices that we make and in turn determines how life turns out. In this verse he highlights the point that a wicked heart prompts a wicked lifestyle which leads to a life of FEAR and actions and decisions based on that premise. However, a clean conscious and a heart bent toward trust in God and confidence in His justice and love prompts good actions that are confident and bold as a lion making reality different and what we would term good or positive. The Apostle John put it this way saying that ‘perfect love casts out all fear’. When we come to God with a clean heart we can do nothing but love Him. If we can face God with boldness then what else is there to fear. We can face life in front of us as ‘bold as a lion’.
This leads into our second verse (v.2) which says when a land is full of wicked lifestyles it becomes diseased and sick overcoming any ability or effort to bring stability to it. When a land is full of transgression it seems to go through leaders like water, even some good leaders, chucking them almost like spewing them out because there is no place for true leadership. There is no answer to wicked living except change. All too often a nation filled with wicked lifestyles will chose more bad leaders evoking more wicked principles in the land which are destine to fail causing their reign to be short lived also. But this verse also says that there is hope even in a nation full of corruption. It says that one man/person can make a difference. It makes the point, however, that if hope is to come it will be based on solid principles and by a man making and executing wise decisions. Things either work or don’t work due to the principles that it is founded upon. The only hope for a nation and a better world is change and the establishing of it on how it functions basing it on better principles. Solomon would say that this world and universe was meant to work well only on God’s principles. A man of understanding and knowledge would know this from experience would work toward making this so. Solomon says that by doing so a nation’s existence is prolonged.
In V. 3 Solomon brings forth an interesting principle in this proverb. At first glance it seems that Solomon is directing this proverb toward the poor. But, this proverb in reality deals with a principle that can affect us on any level of living. The principle is that ‘we only hurt ourselves when we take advantage of other people’. He uses the poor because it is an easy example to identify with. But, this principle and proverb can also apply to those in business, politics, or any aspect of society. This principle deals with taking away something from someone else to make our life supposedly better instead of evoking God’s principle of ‘helping someone else get what they need’ knowing that in doing so we in turn are also benefited.
Solomon observed that everyone takes advantage of the poor. He would probably say that it is obvious why rich or the more advantaged take advantage of the poor. They are an easy target. But, the mystery to him was why the poor also tend to target themselves taking advantage of each other making their life as a group even more severe. He uses interesting words to express the end result of such action saying that the end result is like a broad severe harsh storm that damages an already sparse food supply leaving even less to go around. Even though it is easy to see this proverb in action concerning the poor, it is also demonstrated in many other levels having the same devastating effect. It was witnessed in this country and others during the recent economic meltdown. Although the survival of the basic foundational fabric of the world financial system was threatened, some chose to take advantage of the situation further weakening the system causing it to be even more fragmented and weak pushing it even closer to potential collapse. A collapse in turn would put everyone in peril including the ones that were taking advantage of the very system that they hoped to benefit from. Even pirates, as an example, as selfish and greedy as they were knew the benefit of helping others along the way to accomplish their plans. Other proverbs that might coincide with this proverb are ‘biting the hand that feeds you’ or ‘cutting off your nose to spite your face’. Solomon would say that good business is good business and is not devoid of treating others right. But, he would also take it one step further. He would say that by helping others at the same time when doing business and helping them to better there lives in the end helps all of us.
V. 4 Our actions tell us a lot about what we truly believe and who we truly are. We may say one thing, but in private or in actual life do another. The law referred to here is more in likelihood referring to God’s laws, not just the laws of the land or of a particular nation. God’s Word Translation puts it this way, ‘Those who abandon [God's] teachings praise wicked people, but those who follow [God's] teachings oppose wicked people’. How we live is important. What we do is more important than what we claim or even how we vote. If we ourselves who claim to want righteousness in the land break God’s laws and principles we in practice are supporting those who are establishing poor or wicked practices actually praising them by our actions for doing so. However, it goes on to say that just by our actions and a righteous or good lifestyle we contend with them forcing them to deal with and contend with just and right principles. By being in their world they must encounter us and the principles that we hold and in turn we encounter them and are found to resist the principles, actions and desires that they pursue. This may be one of the reasons God leaves His children in this world for a season before taking them home after their conversion. In Matthew Christ makes the statement that His children are the ‘salt of the earth’. By living out His principles in this world while He has left us here we ‘contend with this world’ making it a better place.
V. 5 Some things seem so clear, but…not to everyone. In dealing with legislation and beliefs and general points of view there seem to be differing opinions as what is right or best. However points of view and opinions even strong or confident ones are not necessarily based on what is right or wrong but are often based on or tempered by need or desire or often greed. When these things get in the way of our decision making process the truth begins to become obscure or even foreign to us. So much so, that we often lose our sense of right, wrong or even justice, not understanding its principles anymore. Here it says that evil men in essence replace justice with their own laws or code becoming a law unto themselves. However, in seeking God and not our own wants and desires we give up our personal convictions and begin to align ourselves with the true standard of justice. In taking our self out of the equation we yield to the truth beginning to comprehend its wisdom, beginning to understand ‘all things’ as they really are…as God intended. Prov. 14:12 says that ‘there is a way that seems right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death’. Living our life seems so right to us yet for all of us the end of our way and our decisions is ‘death’. The righteous search out God and His ways and in doing so we begin to comprehend ‘all things’.
V. 6 Simple pleasures in life most often don’t cost much. In fact, upon observation, it seems that the more things cost the more complex and often burdensome they can become. Here Solomon points out the pleasure and satisfaction that we get from doing the right things. Money can’t buy this. And yet, if it could it would be worth the purchase, it would be worth its weight in gold. He reminds us that sacrificing our principles will get us nowhere that we really want to go. He says that in doing so we end up miserable even though we may be rich. He says that a good conscious and a clean heart can bring more satisfaction than any amount of money that we may gain.
V. 7 We make sacrifices in life. So often we sacrifice long term gains for ‘temporary pleasures’. But, sometimes our decisions to do so are influenced by our association with other people. Here Solomon warns that those who you associate with can influence your final decision, and in fact your general lifestyle. In the end who you associate with and the standards that you hold can make a difference in how life turns out and how it treats you. As it is so often in life we have a choice between two things. Here the offer is between temporary pleasures and effort. This choice begins so early in life and for some reason the offer between choosing between the two never ends. Solomon encourages us to choose the choice that takes effort and leave behind the path of least resistance. He says to get upstream you have to apply some effort and paddle or life will take you where ever it may. It is true that there is something to letting go and going with God, but Solomon is not referring to that here. He says that going with the flow while associated with no plan live for today individuals will end up only in shame and regret.
V.8 In this world it is often greed that drives our business and investment decisions. We are admonished in this verse however to do good business which contains the element of ‘fair’ business instead. Solomon, one of the richest men that ever lived, noticed that quick and ill-gotten gain was fleeting and the gain only temporary. Being opportunistic and taking advantage of others ended up nowhere. He states that over time he noticed that the gain gotten this way seemed to find its way into the bank account of the good businessman that was tempered by generous compassion toward the poor. Logically it makes no sense that you can have more by charging a fair lesser interest rate and giving away part of what you have asking nothing in return. But, when considering the God behind this principle, knowing that He is gracious and generous it makes perfect sense.
V. 9 Some want all that God can offer, but want to give nothing in return. We can tend to expect God to be there when we need Him, but are not willing to give Him our will and life living our life in violation of His Law. In this verse it says that in doing so that we forfeit all connections and privileges that go along with knowing Him saying that even the basic privilege of prayer becomes a curse instead of a blessing. This verse makes the point that when we turn our back on God’s ways we turn our back on God and even the basic privileges of knowing Him, like prayer, are not only denied but are counted against us as an offence. This verse reminds us that we should not approach God so casual. He has a standard required to have a relationship with Him which includes obeying His Law.
V. 10 This verse is a warning to those who have chosen to deny God wanting and working toward having others join them. Some will go to great lengths to entice and tempt the righteous to fall into sin so as to justify their rebellious lifestyle. In doing so, they devise a plan to entrap the intended victim in a trap that even they could not survive intending them total ruin. In doing so they are warned to be careful. They may be the one that gets caught in the snare. (A good example of this proverb is Israel’s encounter with the king of Moab found in Num. 22) The second part of this verse admonishes us to keep the faith and to be wise to avoid such temptations reminding us of the reward for doing so.
V. 11 Being rich necessarily does not make you wise, but it frequently makes you proud thinking you are wiser that you are. Those who are poor, however, who also have learned a few things in life are much wiser than someone who is proud and rich. Being poor often has the effect of making one work a little harder and making them more aware of what’s happening in life. Often this can translate into wisdom when involved in business dealings with others, here mentioning such dealings with the rich in particular. A poor man that has understanding doesn’t take things for granted but asks questions and checks into details before closing the deal knowing that things aren’t always what they seem. Although being poor can make you a target for someone else’s advantage it does not have to be so. Knowing that being poor does make you a target and being wise enough to be prepared for the encounter is a valuable resource when it does occur.
V. 12 There is a difference in environment and spirit when righteous men are rejoicing then when the wicked are in power. It is like the difference between night and day. When righteous or good people are in power the focus is on doing what is best for the group or society. They may even sacrifice their own personal agenda for the benefit of others. However, when the wicked rule they only look out for their wants, wishes and agenda. The people who have been in this situation before have experienced that when bad people rule those who are visible are the targets of their extortion. They hide in any way possible to not be noticed waiting it out till good people come back in power again.
V. 13 Hiding things that we should get rid of in our life is just plain foolish. It has no value. It only holds us back and gets in the way of progress in life. We all tend to hide things that we are not proud of. Adam did it. So did Eve. Hiding our mistakes and shortcomings has been common to man since the beginning. But, we get nowhere by hiding them, storing them up to pile them up into an odious heap. But, unless we bring them to God what do we do with them? How do we deal with them on our own? So we all too often cover them and conceal them hoping to figure something out on our own when no good way or ides comes. We find no answer on our own. Yet, sins are like a lot of smelly things. They are so much better at healing and decomposing when exposed to air and sunlight. Covering things like this only allows it to fester. It is interesting, bringing our sins to God’s light is not so bad. At first in the light it appears bad when we see it for what it is, but here Solomon says we find an interesting ingredient necessary for dealing with the problem that only God can bring and give. He says that we find mercy…forgiveness, which is able to deal with and wash away any problem completely. He says that in the end we can go on, free, not carrying the burden that kept us back. He says that in the end confessing and exposing our sins to God will in turn free us up to prosper and grow again.
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