A wicked messenger falls into trouble,
but a trustworthy envoy brings healing.
Proverbs 13:17 (from Bible.com)
A thought: The way a message is brought makes all the difference. Done with evil desire, there is great trouble. Done with care, it can only benefit all.
A prayer: Father, grant me a desire to tell the truth faithfully.
All who are prudent act with knowledge,
but fools expose their folly.
Proverbs 13:16 (from Bible.com)
A thought: How often do I act with folly? Probably too often. I want to consider more how I act before blowing it.
A prayer: Dear Lord, give me prudence, so I don’t act foolishly all the time. Thankyou.
It’s been a while, but there is always time to get back into a hobby. I love to write, and I want to finish what I started.
On Proverbs has been a project for many a year and already it has changed styles twice. Getting back into means I’m going to try another method.
This time I’m going to use a very simple format. I’ll share the proverb/s, give a sentence or two thought, and finish with a prayer. I will not borrow pictures if I can help it, as it takes time to acknowledge the author. It’s just going to be about the word and my current thoughts.
Proverbs is wisdom literature, and has implications throughout our entire lives. This being the case, we will always look at it differently over time. That’s not going to stop me from sharing and leaving my current thoughts about it for all the blogsphere to see. I hope it helps you also think carefully about God’s Word.
All the best, and God bless. Pete
“Good understanding wins favour, but the way of the unfaithful is *hard” – Proverbs 13:5
(*or does not endure)
What is a characteristic of a wise woman? This proverb focuses on good understanding.
What is good understanding?
Good understanding here seems to be to characterising people who learn the right thing to do and who also live it out. They are willing to be taught and to change. They are promised favour with God and with men.
The unfaithful are the ones who learn the ways of God but reject them, having a way of living that turns aside. They are not willing to change from destructive habits or behaviour. There is hardship and fleeting pleasure in that path, we are told.
If we can listen to people in our life who will guide us well, we might avoid a lot of sorrow.
Thanks for reading!
Similar Proverbs: 13:13
Photo Attribution:
KAPITAN ÑAÑO
Used under Creative Commons Lic: BY-NC-ND 2.0
Some places where else this is discussed:
Proverbs 5:22, 10:11, 12:12, 14:27
My Thoughts:
Have you a friend in your life you turn to for good advice? Maybe you have a pastor who can speak to you frankly and with wisdom. Life has many struggles and temptations, and we are never far from falling prey to the “snares of death”.
This proverb speaks of a wise teacher’s words being a flowing life-extender. When he teaches well, God’s ways have an impact on his students. I take a long time to learn and put wisdom into practice. Thankfully, I have some great teachers who live out what they preach.
The foolish path has many snares, leading to death. There are many a foolish person ready to guide you to an enticing but fatal end. Seek the wise people in your life and learn from them. Their words will be a life-giving stream for you. And then maybe you could provide a fountain of life to someone else?
Thanks for reading! Pete
Thoughts or questions? Have your say in the comments section!
Photo Attribution: Raul Lieberwirth Used under Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 2.0
Have you ever completely ignored an order from your boss and they found out? I’m sure they got quite upset.
Those in leadership want obedience. They don’t want workers to make their own rules, and might very well punish with a vengeance.
Wisdom teaches us to also love the instruction from God, because it is for our good and others. When we fear God and obey what he says, he promises to reward our faithfulness. When we choose to live lives that dishonour Him, we are asking for judgement.
Either way we pay for disobedience. Slighting our boss results in very serious discussions. When it comes to God, our very lives might be in jeopardy.
Thanks for reading! Pete
Thoughts or questions? Have your say in the comments section!
Photo Attribution: Mubarak Fahad Used under Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 2.0
References in Proverbs to the “tree of life”: 3:18, 11:30, 15:4
Have you had a postage item that took months to arrive? How about having an unforeseen prolonged engagement? You might relate to this proverb. Expecting something at a certain time, only for it to take much longer to turn up, can be so frustrating. No doubt the wait for something special would even cause you to wain a bit.
And how about for when the longing is fulfilled? Once hope has been answered, the joy 
can be palpable. There are so many examples of such in the Bible. Hannah, who was barren, received Samuel from God (1 Sam 2:1-10 is her prayer of thanks). Mary and Elizabeth (her cousin) were blessed miraculously with very special children by God’s intercession (Luke 1 tells the story). Simeon and the prophetess Anna both were waiting and had been promised to see the Messiah be revealed. Both saw Jesus before their deaths and gave thanks to God for his promise fulfilled (Luke 2:25-38).
Our whole bodies are invigorated when we finally can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Hope is certainly for things unseen, but some things are just worth waiting for.
Thanks for reading! Pete
Tree of Life: John A. Kitchen speaks of the tree of life imagery being throughout the Bible’s revelation and “forms an inclusion”, from Genesis (2:9) to Revelation (2:7 and 22:2, 14,19). I highly recommend time spent with Proverbs – A Mentor Commentary by John A. Kitchen.
Thoughts or questions? Have your say in the comments section!
Photo Attribution: nathalie solle Used under Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 2.0
Some places where else this is discussed:
Ill-gotten wealth: Prov. 10:2, 11:18
My thoughts:
What happens when you invest in Bitcoin for quick money? You get a very unstable investment. Would you also be tempted to spend that quick money unwisely? This proverb speaks to how wealth is gathered, and how much we work for it.
My experience is that when we earn lots very quickly, especially if by deception, we don’t value it so much. We are much more likely to splurge. When we work hard for our livelihood, we value what we earn far more.
We need to remember that a long-term investment or a steady income doesn’t promise huge return initially. It seems better in the long run, though, to seek income the honest way. Let’s stick with our jobs, and not be endlessly hoping for that winning lottery ticket, as understandable and tempting as that may be.
Thanks for reading! Pete
Thoughts or questions? Have your say in the comments section!
Photo Attribution: Jake Kitchener Used under Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 2.0
Some places where else this is discussed:
My thoughts:
Why am I so full of pride? I have nothing to be proud about! Everything I have and know and believe has been gifted or learnt from someone else. My skill and ability and all else come from God.
As this Proverbs states, where there are arguments and quarreling, a little examination will prove pride is at work. Pride only gets us into a fight about who is wiser. To gain wisdom we ought to be open again to what others we trust have to say. Humbleness can give us so much more in the end.
Thanks for reading! Pete.
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Thoughts or questions? Have your say in the comments section!
Photo Attribution: Ashbridge Studios Used under Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 2.0
Some places where else this is discussed:
Light/lamp references: Job 18:5,6, Prov 4:18,19
My thoughts:
Our choices in life often tend to affect what kind of life we have. If we determine to live only for self, pushing others who interfere aside, what kind of life would we end up with? We’ll lose any chance at deep relationships, have a very small view of the world, and be in open rebellion of our Maker.
This proverb talks of life with the metaphorical use of lights and lamps. People’s lifestyles affect the brightness of their life-light. The righteous has a bright lamp, as they are living the life they were created for, loving neighbour and God as best they can. The wicked’s lamp is put out before it’s time, reflecting the dangerous behaviour they exhibit.
Our lives aren’t easy or guaranteed to be long for any of us, but its always worth seeking the One who created us to be righteous. In him our life-light can shine brightly.
Thanks for reading! Pete.
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Thoughts or questions? Have your say in the comments section!
Photo Attribution: Tutankhamun_cyrus Used under Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 2.0
On Proverbs 