Hello! Two Sundays ago, Alan continued his teaching through the Proverbs by taking us to Proverbs 13:1-25. To listen to this message, simply click play on the audio player below. I’ve also included Alan’s outline, along with some notes and links to BibleGateway for Scriptures referenced.
*Note: the audio recording was not started until about halfway through the message. Check the outline for where the audio matches up with the notes.
Proverbs on Wealth, Speech, Satisfaction, and Destinies
The Big Theme: Through morally good behavior there are gains earned.
Proverbs 13:1 – sets the stage, essentially saying that you will listen to the rest of what he has to say if you are wise; if you are foolish, however, you will ignore it.
- Proverbs on Speech and Being Industrious – Proverbs 13:2-6
- v. 2: There is speech that will benefit you and there is speech whose motive is violence.
- Are our words constructive or destructive?
- Ephesians 4:29
- v. 3: A wise person is cautious in what they say. A fool says all kinds of things that ruin their lives and the lives of others.
- Basically, when in doubt, don’t shout it out.
- v. 4: A lazy person wants the good things but doesn’t get them (at least when things are operating in a normal way).
- The Proverbs operate on the principle that diligence is good and rewarded, while laziness is evil and left wanting.
- v. 5: Speech here is connected to practical righteousness on one hand and wickedness on the other.
- Must be able to determine what is true & what is false; the Holy Spirit will help you discern.
- Righteousness rejects falsehood
- Wickedness embraces shameful things (Ephesians 5:11-12)
- v. 6: Righteousness guards the one who lives with integrity
- v. 2: There is speech that will benefit you and there is speech whose motive is violence.
- Proverbs on Wealth from an Ethical Perspective – Proverbs 13:7-11
- Morality (the quality of what you do) vs. Ethics (how you should live) in our culture.
- v. 7: The fraudulent use of money.
- Here there are two ways to be a fraud:
- “Thousand-dollar millionaires” – those who lead others to believe they are wealthier than they actually are, who live outside their means.
- Those who pretend to have nothing – not flaunting their wealth, but also not willing to share with others, using the excuse that they can’t afford to help
- Here there are two ways to be a fraud:
- v. 8: Two dangers with wealth:
- The danger of finding false security in your wealth
- The attitude of not caring because you don’t have wealth, which could (not always) be linked to lack of ambition and not saving
- v. 9: Just as speech was connected to righteousness or wickedness, so is the use of money:
- The righteous use money and speech in their lives in a way that lights up life
- The wicked use their speech, money, and lives in ways that God will see to it flicker out in the end
- v. 10: This proverb is a word on listening:
- A person whose pride rules their view of everything will always be ready for a fight
- A humble person will listen because of their wisdom (One can’t have godly wisdom without God! You can only have worldly wisdom, which is foolishness to God. – 1 Corinthians 1:18-25)
- Surround yourself with wise people, not “yes” men
- v. 11: This proverb deals with the danger of high risk, get-rich-quick schemes versus the virtue of diligent accumulation of wealth
- Proverbs on Fulfillment (Satisfaction) or Frustration – Proverbs 13:12-19
- v. 12: The truth is, it’s impossible to live a fulfilled life without hope.
- You can survive almost anything if there is a ray of hope, but without it, it’s a sickness slowly killing you.
- The believer’s hope is Christ – our Living Water & Tree of Life
- Proverbs 29:18
- v. 13: Two choices with two outcomes are given in life.
- You can esteem God’s Word and be rewarded.
- You can despise God’s Word and face the built-in penalty
- It’s the maxim of you reap what you sow.
- v. 14: This world is an ever-increasingly dangerous minefield. *Note: this is where the audio recording begins.
- There are traps we cannot see without the life-giving fountain of God’s wisdom in Christ.
- We need to be in connection with God to be able to discern traps and then avoid them.
- v. 15: We need the moral clarity that comes from Proverbs’ instruction to shape our conduct.
- Bad conduct is inherently destructive – it never ends well.
- v. 16: A shrewd person is characterized as knowing not to openly play a fool’s life.
- Know how to use self-control
- v. 17: This proverb asks the question of us, “Are we faithful messengers of God who don’t speak on our own authority, or are we the world’s foolish messengers?”
- We are supposed to be God’s ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20), speaking from God’s authority.
- v. 18: If you can’t be disciplined (by self or others), you end up a poor disgrace.
- If you can be disciplined, there is hope for you!
- v. 19: All about the frustrated life of the fool…
- A fool doesn’t want to give up what may well be poisonous “fun”
- Addictions are hard to break
- Because a fool abhors the idea of giving up evil fun, they can’t know what would be a truly sweet deal, what will truly satisfy their soul.
- v. 12: The truth is, it’s impossible to live a fulfilled life without hope.
- The Choices of Good or Evil – Proverbs 13:20-25
- v. 20: The choice of wise (good) company versus foolish (evil) company is constant.
- Be careful of the company you keep
- Not many people are influencers; they are instead influenced
- To deny this reality is foolish
- The greatest influence we can have in the life of a fool is our absence – don’t put up with/encourage their foolishness
- v. 21: The general maxim here is this: the harm you do to others will return on you
- Conversely, the good you do to others will also return to you
- v. 22: The ultimate redistribution of wealth
- v. 23: This life’s injustices to the poor will be taken care of, if not in this life, then in the next.
- The rich man and Lazarus – Luke 16:19-31
- v. 24: The demise of an undisciplined household
- Discipline isn’t fun for anyone, but it is necessary.
- v. 25: God is the satisfaction of the righteous, but the wicked will ultimately never be satisfied.
- v. 20: The choice of wise (good) company versus foolish (evil) company is constant.
Conclusion: In the end, the wise and righteous person is satisfied, while the foolish and evil one is not.
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