Daily Meditations on the Bible
Ill-gotten treasures have no lasting value,
but righteousness delivers from death.
Summary: Today’s verse is a collection of words that seem abstract at first glance. As we look at them more closely we discover that Solomon has given us a warning and a roadmap to life.
Continue reading “Proverbs 10:2 — Dead and Deader”
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
Summary: Some kinds of knowledge are good for us. Other kinds a bad, even poisonous. Learning to tell the difference requires that we rely on Jesus to guide us.
Continue reading “Proverbs 9:10 — The Knegg Detector”
Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still;
teach the righteous and they will add to their learning.
Summary: Learning is a sign of a particular kind of mind. Wisdom and righteousness are the marks of a learner with humility.
Continue reading “Proverbs 9:9 — The Humble Learner”
Whoever corrects a mocker invites insults;
whoever rebukes the wicked incurs abuse.
Summary: Figuring out who are the mockers and who are not is not hard. We know. Sometimes we don’t know why we know, but we know.
Continue reading “Proverbs 9:7 — Good Advice”
Leave your simple ways and you will live;
walk in the way of insight.
Summary: Sometimes we look at God’s Word and think, “That makes sense,” and then go on as if nothing had happened. Proverbs encourages us to learn from what we read in the Bible and apply it in our daily life.
Continue reading “Proverbs 9:6 — Stop the Stupid”
To fear the Lord is to hate evil;
I hate pride and arrogance,
evil behavior and perverse speech.
Summary: Someone who thinks about themselves all the time is egocentric. Someone who thinks their definition of evil is the only one that counts is also egocentric. The reason we fear the Lord is not that God is egocentric, but that he is all-powerful. Our opinions about evil are a passing thought. God’s view of evil is eternal.
Continue reading “Proverbs 8: 13 — Evil”
Choose my instruction instead of silver,
knowledge rather than choice gold,
for wisdom is more precious than rubies,
and nothing you desire can compare with her.
Summary: Instruction is important, but the bigger question is what kind of instruction are we getting? Wisdom calls us to choose her instruction. Now, if we can only find the right classroom…
Continue reading “Proverbs 8: 10-11 — Good versus Bad”
All the words of my mouth are just;
none of them is crooked or perverse.
To the discerning all of them are right;
they are upright to those who have found knowledge.
Summary: Can we “taste” spiritual truth? In a very real sense, yes we can. To be able to discern truth from a lie we need to use wisdom. Fortunately for us, wisdom is ready and willing to help.
Continue reading “Proverbs 8: 8-9 — Spiritual Diet”
My mouth speaks what is true,
for my lips detest wickedness.
Summary: Solomon’s reference to lips detesting wickedness brings to mind the power of taste. How is our taste developed? Today we look at one small aspect of this question.
Continue reading “Proverbs 8:7 — Taste Tester”
But a man who commits adultery has no sense;
whoever does so destroys himself.
Summary: Adultery is a very personal crime. It is not so much a crime against the law as it is a crime against the heart. Today’s meditation gives us a peek into the heart of God.
Continue reading “Proverbs 6:27-28 — Self-Destruction”