Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Solomon Says...

Proverbs 10:

The main focus through the first 9 chapters of Proverbs has been Wisdom, Folly, Adultery & the paths to life or death. There's been other stuff included but those are probably the main things that have risen out so far. Now we move to what my Bible says is the 'Proverbs of Solomon.' We will see more 'one-liners' now, but there is still structure. Verses 1-5 show diligence versus laziness. Verses 6-11 show the mouth of the wicked. Notice that verse 6b and 11b are the same...sort of like bookends. You will probably notice that a lot in proverbs. However, there are principles that cover a wide array of subjects in each chapter. Verse 4 'lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth.' Not a guarantee to be wealthy...I know many people that work 'hard' but may not be wealthy. However, you have to define wealth. We usually like to compare with our neighbor...not the best thing to do. It's a principle, not a get-rich scheme. Meaning, if you want to be poor...be lazy. You want to be wealthy? Work hard. I like verse 17 which is a good verse for leaders. 'He who heeds discipline shows the way to life, but whoever ignores correction leads others astray.' People that can't stand correction, based on this verse, are not ready to lead. Solomon says they will lead others astray. I know many people that resist correction from people with good intentions. That's not a healthy thing to do. Leaders are learners. Once you stop learning, you stop leading. There is so much wisdom packed into each of these chapters.

No comments: