Proverbs 16:
Several miscellaneous proverbs are collected in this chapter. In reading these, it's always good to underline or circle the ones that speak to you. Putting them to memory or writing them on post it notes is also a good habit to form. Verse 2 is a scary proverb. "All a man's ways seem innocent to him," is the 1st half of the verse. We've heard this before in proverbs and no one will argue this. It's easy to look at what other people do wrong and consider our decisions as healthy. The problem is the word 'seem.' And then he brings some scary reality in the 2nd half of the verse..."but motives are weighed by the Lord. Motives? Really? Man, if that doesn't make you shake nothing will. God is not just weighing my bad choices, he is weighing the motives behind those decisions. I think verse 28 is just plain sad. "A perverse man stirs up dissension, and a gossip separates close friends." Gossip whether true or false is still gossip. However, most gossip in my opinion is false or very exaggerated. So, what makes this verse so sad is that 'close friends' are separated by information that is probably false. It might be better if it said casual friends are separated by gossip, but the word close makes it sad.
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We have bought into a lie that following God restricts and contricts in a negative way, but how false that it. Why would we not want to submit ourselves to the one true God who is all-knowing and all-powerful and full of grace, mercy, and love! Verse 25tells us that chosing our own way apart from God will lead us to death. Growing in wisdom through God's Word will yield the ability to know the right path and the power of the Holy Spirit will enable us to keep on that path!
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