Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes’”? Matthew 21:42
From Rejection to Foundation
Have you ever rejected something, only to discover later how important it really was?
Jesus used the picture of a building to teach us something about himself. He spoke of a stone that the builders rejected. They looked at it, decided it wasn’t useful, and cast it aside. But then something unexpected happened. The rejected stone became the cornerstone, the stone upon which the whole building would rest.
Jesus was talking about himself. The religious leaders were rejecting Jesus. They did not believe he was the Messiah God had promised. It looked like failure. Jesus appeared defeated. His enemies seemed to have won. The Son of God was hanging dead while his followers mourned.
But God had something else in mind. The rejected stone became the cornerstone. Jesus rose from the dead. The cross that looked like defeat became the place where Jesus paid for the sins of the world. The grave that appeared to be his end became the starting point of his victory over death.
And now Jesus is the foundation of everything that matters.
What are you building your life on? Success? It won’t last. Money? It can disappear. Health? It will eventually fail. Your own goodness? It will never be enough. If you build your hope on any of these things, your foundation will eventually crumble.
But Jesus is different. He has already done everything necessary for your salvation. He lived the perfect life you could not live. He died the death you deserved. He rose again so that you could have forgiveness, life, and salvation.
The world may still reject Jesus. People may still dismiss him as irrelevant or unnecessary. But God has made him the cornerstone. The One who was rejected has become the foundation of our faith. The One who was crucified is our risen Savior. The One whom the world cast aside has become our hope.
So, build your life on Christ. When everything else shakes, he remains. From rejection to foundation, that is what the Lord has done. And it is marvelous in our eyes.
Last of all, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said. “But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and take his inheritance.’ So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. Matthew 21:37-39
When the son is the Son
Have you ever heard a story and then realized that the story was really about you?
Jesus tells a story about a vineyard owner who sends his servants to collect what belongs to him. The tenants beat one servant, kill another, and stone another. Finally, the owner sends his son. Surely they will respect him. But they don’t. The tenants recognize that he is the heir, and they decide to kill him. “Come, let us kill him and take his inheritance.”
Jesus’ listeners would have understood the wickedness of such a plan. But there is something even more remarkable about this story. The son of the vineyard owner turns out to be more than a character in a parable. He is the Son of God.
Jesus is telling the story about himself. The vineyard is God’s people. The servants are the prophets whom God sent to call his people to repentance and faith. Again and again, God’s messengers were rejected. Finally, God sent his Son. And what did they do? They rejected him too.
The wicked tenants wanted the inheritance for themselves. We can recognize something of ourselves in them. We want to be in control. We want what belongs to God. We resist his Word when it calls us to repent and trust him.
But Jesus does not turn away. The Son of God goes to the cross willingly. He bears our rebellion, our rejection, and our sin. He is killed, but death cannot hold him. The rejected Son rises again. And now the story has a glorious ending. The Son who was rejected has become the Savior. The inheritance the tenants tried to steal is given freely to those who trust in him.
Jesus is not merely the son in a story. He is the Son of God, sent by the Father to save you. Trust him. And rejoice that the Son who was rejected has made you an heir of eternal life.
Prayer:
Show your face in mercy, Lord. May your people be restored. Amen.
And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. Philippians 3:20-21
A Glorified Body
What do you think about your body? Maybe you appreciate some things about it. Maybe there are things you wish you could change. Perhaps your body reminds you that you are getting older. Your strength isn’t what it used to be. Your eyesight isn’t as sharp. Your joints hurt. Your body gets tired. And eventually, our bodies grow old, become weak, suffer, and return to the dust from which God made us.
But death is not the end of the story. At the end of time, Jesus will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
Think about that. The body you may sometimes wish you could change is the body God promises to raise. The body that becomes weak will be made strong. The body that suffers will be freed from pain. The body that grows old will be made new. The body that dies will live again.
And that glorified body will be like the glorious body of Jesus.
Look at Jesus after his resurrection. His disciples could see him. They could touch him. He ate with them. He was truly alive. His resurrection body was real, but it was no longer subject to death. Jesus rose never to die again.
That is the promise for you. Your hope is not that your soul will escape your body and live somewhere forever. Your hope is the resurrection. Jesus will raise your body from the grave and transform it by his almighty power.
Why can you trust that promise? Because Jesus has already done it. He died for your sins and rose from the dead. His empty tomb is God’s guarantee that death does not have the final word. The Savior who conquered death will return, and when he does, he will make all things new, including you. So don’t despair when your body grows weak. Don’t fear the grave. On judgment day, your body will be glorified, perfectly suited for eternal life with Jesus.
Prayer:
Lord, keep my body and soul safe for eternal life with you. Amen.
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17 Open your ears and listen to the words of the wise, and set your heart on the knowledge that I offer, 18 for it is pleasant when you keep my words deep within you, [1] and you have them ready on your lips. 19 Today I make my words known to you—yes, to you, so that your trust will be in the Lord.
20 Have I not written to you already [2] with advice and knowledge, 21 in order to make accurate, true words known to you, so that you may reply with true words to those who sent you?
22 Do not rob a poor person because he is poor, and do not crush an oppressed person in court, [3] 23 because the Lord will defend their cause, and he will rob those who rob them of their lives.
24 Do not be friends with a hothead. Do not go along with someone who has a hot temper. 25 If you do, you will learn his ways and set a trap for yourself. [4]
26 Do not be among those who shake hands to guarantee debts. 27 If you do not have enough to repay, why should your bed be taken out from under you?
28 Do not move an ancient boundary marker that your ancestors made.
29 Do you see a person who is efficient in his work? He will serve kings. He will not serve nobodies. [5]
Proverbs 23
1 When you sit down to eat with a ruler, pay close attention to what is put in front of you, 2 and put a knife to your throat if you have a big appetite. 3 Do not crave his delicious food. That food is deceptive.
4 Do not wear yourself out getting rich. Have the good judgment to know when to stop. 5 Will your eyes get a glimpse of wealth before it is gone? No, it will sprout wings for itself. Like an eagle it will fly away into the sky.
6 Do not eat the food of a miser. Do not crave his delicious food, 7 because he is calculating how much things cost him. So when he says to you, “Eat and drink,” he does not mean it. 8 You will vomit up the little bit you ate and spoil your pleasant conversation.
9 Do not speak within earshot of a fool, because he will despise your sensible words.
10 Do not move an ancient boundary marker, and do not enter the fields of the fatherless, 11 because their Redeemer is strong. He will defend their cause against you.
12 Apply your heart to discipline and your ear to words that give knowledge.
13 Do not withhold discipline from a child, for if you strike him with a rod, he will not die. 14 Strike him yourself with a rod, and you will rescue his soul from death.
15 My son, if your mind [6] is wise, my mind will rejoice as well. 16 My heart [7] will celebrate when your lips speak upright things.
17 Do not allow your heart to envy sinners. Instead, always fear the Lord. 18 Indeed, there is a future, and your hope will never be cut off.
19 Listen, my son, and be wise, and keep your heart on the straight way. 20 Do not be among those who drink too much wine, or those who eat too much meat, 21 because a drunk and a glutton will become poor, and drunken stupor dresses a person in rags.
22 Listen to your father, who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old. 23 Buy truth and do not sell it. Buy wisdom, discipline, and knowledge. 24 The father of a righteous child will celebrate greatly. One who fathers a wise son will find joy in him. 25 Your father and your mother will find joy, and she who gave birth to you will celebrate.
26 My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes be pleased with my ways, 27 because a prostitute is a deep pit, and an immoral woman is a narrow well. 28 She is also like a robber waiting to ambush someone, and she multiplies unfaithful men among the people.
29 Who has trouble? Who has misery? Who has quarrels? Who has complaints? Who has wounds for no reason? Who has glazed eyes? 30 Those who linger over wine, those who go to search for mixed wine. 31 Do not look at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly. 32 Later it bites like a snake, and it strikes like a venomous viper. 33 Your eyes will see strange things, and your mind will say senseless things. 34 You will be like someone who tries to sleep in the middle of the sea, like someone who tries to sleep at the top of a ship’s mast. 35 “They struck me, but I felt no pain. They beat me, but I was not aware of it. When will I wake up, so that I can try it again?”
Footnotes
Proverbs 22:18 Literally in your belly
Proverbs 22:20 The translation already follows the main Hebrew reading (literally the day before yesterday). An alternate Hebrew reading is Have I not written to you excellent sayings? Many recent English translations emend the text to read: Have I not written to you thirty wise sayings? This change is based on the belief that thirty sayings follow this heading. The supposed divisions between these thirty sayings are marked by spacer lines in the translation.
14 “It’s no good! It’s no good!” says the buyer, but then he goes away and brags. 15 There is gold, and there are many gems, [1] but lips that have knowledge are a precious vessel. 16 Take the garment from someone who guarantees a loan for a stranger. Hold on to it when he offers it as collateral for a foreigner. 17 Food gained dishonestly tastes sweet to a person, but afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel. 18 Plans are strengthened by obtaining advice, so do not wage war without consultation. 19 A person who goes around spreading gossip reveals secrets, so do not associate with anyone whose lips are always open. 20 The person who curses his father and his mother— his lamp will be snuffed out in total darkness. 21 An inheritance easily obtained [2] in the beginning will not be blessed in the end. 22 Do not say, “I’ll get even with you!” Wait for the Lord, and he will rescue you. 23 Differing weights are disgusting [3] to the Lord, and dishonest scales are not good. 24 The steps a man takes come from the Lord, so how can anyone understand his own way? 25 A person falls into a trap if he pledges something to God impulsively and considers his pledge only later. 26 A wise king winnows out the wicked. He rolls the threshing wheel over them. 27 A man’s spirit is the lamp of the Lord. It illuminates the depths of his heart. 28 Mercy and truth protect a king, and he maintains his throne with mercy. 29 The splendor of young men is their strength, but the majesty of old men is their gray hair. 30 Wounds and bruises scrub away evil, and a beating scrubs the depths of the heart.
Wise and Foolish Behaviors
Proverbs 21
1 A king’s heart is like streams of water in the hand of the Lord. He directs it wherever he desires. 2 In a person’s own eyes all his ways are right, but the Lord weighs the motives of the heart. 3 Practicing righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than a sacrifice. 4 Haughty eyes and an arrogant heart, the unplowed field [4] of the wicked, produce sin. 5 The plans of a hard worker lead to abundance, but everyone in a hurry rushes toward scarcity. 6 Piling up treasure by a lying tongue is a vanishing vapor for those who seek death. 7 The violence of the wicked will drag them away, because they refuse to do what is just. 8 A guilty person’s way is very crooked, but the conduct of a pure person is straight. 9 Better to live on the corner of a roof than in a house shared with a nagging wife. 10 The soul of a wicked person craves evil. He does not look on his neighbor with mercy. 11 When a scoffer is punished, an undisciplined person becomes wise, and when a wise person is instructed, he gains knowledge. 12 The Righteous One [5] carefully watches the house of the wicked. He throws the wicked down to ruin. 13 Whoever shuts his ear to the cries of the poor— he too will cry out and not be answered. 14 A gift given in secret soothes anger, and a bribe slipped into the pocket soothes fury. 15 It is a joy for a righteous person to practice justice, but destruction waits for those who practice evil. 16 A person who wanders from the way of understanding will rest in the company of departed spirits. 17 Whoever loves pleasure will be poor. Whoever loves wine and olive oil will never be rich. 18 The wicked become a ransom for the righteous, and the treacherous make a payment for the upright. 19 Better to live in an arid region than with a nagging, ill-tempered wife. 20 Good food and olive oil are stored up in the dwellings of the wise, but a foolish person devours everything he has. 21 A person who pursues righteousness and mercy will find life, righteousness, and honor. 22 A wise man can climb up to a city full of warriors and pull down the strong defenses in which they trust. 23 The person who guards his mouth and his tongue guards himself from troubles. 24 The contemptuous, insolent person—“Scoffer” is his name— behaves with overflowing arrogance. 25 A lazy person’s craving will kill him, because his hands refuse to work. 26 All day long he craves something more, but a righteous person gives and does not hold back. 27 A sacrifice offered by wicked people is an abomination. [6] How much more when they bring it with evil intent! 28 A lying witness will perish, but a man who listens will keep speaking forever. [7] 29 A wicked person puts on a bold front, but an upright person gives thought to [8] his way. 30 There is no wisdom, no cleverness, and no advice that can stand up against the Lord. 31 A horse is made ready for a day of battle, but the victory belongs to the Lord.
Wise and Foolish Behaviors
Proverbs 22
1 A good name is worth more than great wealth. Respect is worth more than silver and gold. 2 Rich and poor have this in common: The Lord is the maker of them all. 3 A sensible person sees trouble and hides, but the naïve keep going and pay the penalty. 4 The outcome of humility and of the fear of the Lord is wealth, honor, and life. 5 Thorns and traps are on the road followed by the crooked. Whoever guards his soul [9] will stay far away from them. 6 Dedicate [10] a child to the way he should go, and even when he becomes old, he will not turn away from it. 7 A rich person rules over poor people, and a borrower is a slave to a lender. 8 Whoever sows injustice reaps trouble, and the rod that inflicts his fury will be destroyed. 9 A generous person will be blessed, because he gives some of his food to the poor. 10 Drive away a scoffer, and conflict leaves. Quarrels and insults cease. 11 A person who loves a pure heart and whose lips are gracious will have a king as his friend. 12 The eyes of the Lord watch over knowledge. He overturns the words of a treacherous person. 13 A lazy person says, “There’s a lion outside! I’ll be murdered in the streets!” 14 The mouth of an immoral woman is a deep pit. The man who is under the Lord’s wrath will fall there. 15 Foolishness is bound tightly to a child’s heart. A rod of discipline will drive it far from him. 16 Whoever oppresses the poor to become great, and whoever gives gifts to the rich— both are sure to suffer loss.
Footnotes
Proverbs 20:15 The identity of these gems is uncertain. Rubies and red coral are among the suggestions.
Proverbs 20:21 The translation easily obtained is an alternate Hebrew reading. The main Hebrew reading is gotten by greed.
Proverbs 20:23 Or repulsive or an abomination
Proverbs 21:4 Or lamp. The meaning of the word and the point of comparison are unclear.
Proverbs 21:12 Or righteous one
Proverbs 21:27 Or a disgusting thing
Proverbs 21:28 The line is cryptic. Another suggestion is one who listens to him will perish forever.
Proverbs 21:29 The translation follows an alternate Hebrew reading. The main Hebrew reading is establishes.
Proverbs 22:5 Or his life
Proverbs 22:6 Or consecrate. The Hebrew word used here is not one of the usual words for teaching or training, but it is the same word used for dedicating a temple. It adds the connotation of entrusting the child to the Lord, as Hannah did.
1 Better to be a poor person who walks in his integrity than one with perverse lips who is a fool. 2 Zeal without knowledge is certainly not good, and a person who acts hastily sins. [1] 3 A person’s own foolishness undermines his way, but his heart rages against the Lord. 4 Wealth adds many friends, but a poor person is deserted by his friend. 5 A false witness will not go unpunished. He breathes lies and will not escape. 6 Many seek the goodwill of a ruler, and everyone is a friend to a person who gives gifts. 7 A poor person’s brothers all hate him. Even his friends keep their distance from him! Though he pursues them with words, they are not there. 8 A person who acquires intelligence [2] loves his life. [3] A person who guards understanding finds a good thing. 9 A false witness will not go unpunished. He breathes lies, and he will perish. 10 A life of luxury is not appropriate for a fool. How much less appropriate for a slave to rule over princes. 11 Good sense makes a person slow to anger, and it is to his credit when he overlooks an offense. 12 The king’s anger is like a lion’s growl, but his favor is refreshing like dew on the grass.
Dealing With Fools
13 A foolish son is a disaster to his father, and a nagging wife is like constantly dripping water. 14 Home and wealth are an inheritance from fathers, but a wife with good sense is from the Lord. 15 Laziness makes a person fall into a deep sleep, and an idle person will go hungry. 16 A person who keeps a command preserves his life. One who despises his ways will die. 17 A person who is gracious to the poor lends to the Lord. He will repay him in full. 18 Discipline your son while there is hope. Do not make yourself responsible for his death. 19 Someone who has a lot of anger pays the penalty. If you rescue him, you will have to do it again. 20 Listen to advice and accept discipline, so that you will be wise in the future. 21 There are many plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that will prevail. 22 A desirable trait in a person is loyalty. [4] It is better to be poor than a liar. 23 The fear of the Lord leads to life. One who has it rests content. He will not be disturbed by trouble. 24 A lazy person buries his hand in the dish, but he does not even bring the food up to his mouth. 25 Strike a scoffer, and an undisciplined [5] person may learn caution. Warn a person with understanding, and he will gain knowledge. 26 A son who attacks his father and chases away his mother brings shame and disgrace. 27 If you stop listening to discipline, my son, you will stray from the sayings that give knowledge. 28 A malicious witness mocks justice, and the mouth of the wicked swallows evil. 29 Punishments have been prepared for scoffers and beatings for the backs of fools.
More Dealing With Fools
Proverbs 20
1 Wine is a mocker, and beer is a brawler. Whoever is intoxicated by them is not wise. 2 The king’s rage is like a lion’s growl. Whoever intrudes on him endangers his life. 3 Avoiding strife brings honor to a man, but every stubborn fool is always fighting. 4 A lazy person fails to plow when it is the season for planting. [6] He expects something in the harvest, but nothing will be there. 5 The intentions in a person’s heart are deep water, but a person with understanding can draw them out. 6 Many people claim to be loyal, [7] but who can find a trustworthy man? 7 A righteous person walks in his integrity. How blessed are his children after him! 8 When a king sits on his throne as judge, he winnows out all evil with his eyes. 9 Who can say, “I have purified my heart. I am cleansed from my sinfulness”? 10 Differing weights and differing measures— both of them are disgusting to the Lord. 11 Even a youth makes himself known by his acts, by whether his conduct is pure and upright. 12 An ear that hears and an eye that sees— the Lord has made both of them. 13 Do not love sleep, or you will become poor. Keep your eyes open, and you will have enough to eat.
Footnotes
Proverbs 19:2 Or a person who runs too quickly loses his way
Proverbs 19:8 Literally heart
Proverbs 19:8 Or his soul
Proverbs 19:22 Or what a person desires is loyalty. The word translated loyalty often refers to mercy.
Proverbs 19:25 Or inexperienced
Proverbs 20:4 Literally at the start of the rainy season
Proverbs 20:6 The word translated loyal often means merciful. The line is difficult.
1 Better a piece of dry bread with peace than a house full of feasting with quarreling. 2 A wise slave will rule over a shameful son. He will share the inheritance with the brothers. 3 There is a crucible for refining silver and a smelter for gold. In the same way the Lord examines hearts. 4 An evildoer pays attention to wicked lips. A liar feeds upon [1] a destructive tongue. 5 Whoever mocks a poor person insults his Maker. A person who rejoices over calamity will not escape. 6 Grandchildren are a crown for the elderly, and parents are a source of pride for their children.
Introduction to Fools and Foolishness:
The Consequences of Being a Fool
7 Eloquent lips are [2] not fitting for a fool. How much less lying lips for a ruler! 8 A bribe works like a charm for the person who gives it. Wherever he turns, he prospers. 9 A person who covers an offense pursues love, but one who repeats the matter separates friends. 10 A reprimand impresses a discerning person more than receiving a hundred lashes impresses a fool. 11 An evil person promotes only rebellion, and a cruel messenger will be sent against him. 12 Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than to meet a fool in his stupidity. 13 A person who repays evil for good— evil will never leave his house. 14 Starting a quarrel is like opening a floodgate, so stop the dispute before it gets started. 15 Acquitting a guilty person and convicting an innocent person— both of these are disgusting [3] to the Lord. 16 Why hand a fool money to buy wisdom, since he has no aptitude for using it? 17 A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of trouble. 18 A person without sense shakes hands to guarantee a loan for his neighbor. 19 A person who loves sin loves conflict. A person who builds his gate high invites destruction. 20 A crooked mind does not find good. A perverted tongue will fall into disaster. 21 The man who fathers a fool has grief, and the father of an arrogant fool will have no joy. 22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. 23 A wicked person secretly accepts a bribe to pervert the ways of justice. 24 Wisdom is right in front of a discerning person, but a fool’s eyes wander to the end of the earth.
Avoiding Fools and Foolishness
25 A foolish son is an aggravation to his father and bitterness to the woman who bore him. 26 It is not good to impose a fine on a righteous person nor to flog officials because of their uprightness. 27 A person with knowledge restrains his words. A person with understanding is even-tempered. 28 Even a stubborn fool who keeps silent will be considered wise. He is considered to be perceptive if he keeps his lips shut.
Proverbs 18
1 A person who is a loner seeks his own desires. He fights against all sound judgment. 2 A fool finds no pleasure in understanding, but only in revealing his own opinions. 3 When a wicked person comes, contempt comes with him, and with dishonor comes disgrace. 4 The words from a man’s mouth are deep waters. The fountain of wisdom is a flowing stream. 5 It is not good to show favoritism to a wicked person in order to deprive a righteous person of justice. 6 A fool’s lips enter a fight, and his mouth invites a beating. 7 A fool’s mouth is his destruction, and his lips are a trap for his soul. [4] 8 The words of a gossip are like delicious food. People gobble them right down. [5] 9 A person who fails to do his work is a brother to a vandal. 10 The name of the Lord is a strong tower. A righteous person runs inside and is protected. 11 A rich person’s wealth is his strong city. In his imagination it is like a high wall. 12 Before destruction a man’s heart is proud, but humility comes before honor. 13 If a person answers before he listens, that is foolishness that brings disgrace. 14 A man’s spirit can endure illness, but who can bear a broken spirit? 15 A discerning heart acquires knowledge, and the ears of the wise seek knowledge. 16 A person’s gift opens doors [6] for him. It leads him into the presence of great people. 17 The first person to state his case appears to be right. Then his neighbor comes and cross-examines him. 18 Casting lots [7] ends disputes and decides between powerful people. 19 A brother who has been wronged is harder to regain than a strong city, and disputes are like a bar across the gate of a citadel. 20 From the fruit of a man’s mouth, his stomach is satisfied. He is satisfied with the harvest of his lips. 21 Life and death lie in the power of a tongue, and those who love to use it will eat its fruit. 22 The man who finds a wife finds a good thing, and he obtains favor from the Lord. 23 A poor man pleads for mercy, but a rich man answers harshly. 24 A man with many acquaintances may suffer harm, but there is a loving friend who sticks closer than a brother.
Footnotes
Proverbs 17:4 Hebrew variant listens to
Proverbs 17:7 Or excessive chatter is
Proverbs 17:15 Or repulsive
Proverbs 18:7 Or his life
Proverbs 18:8 Literally they go down to the rooms of the belly
Proverbs 18:16 Or makes room
Proverbs 18:18 This probably does not refer to the Urim and Thummim but to ordinary ways of making a choice, like a coin toss.
24 The path of life leads upward for a person with insight, so that he may turn away from hell [1] below. 25 The Lord tears down the house of the arrogant, but he maintains the property line of a widow. 26 The plans of the wicked are disgusting [2] to the Lord, but pleasant words are pure to him. 27 Someone who is greedy for gain brings trouble to his own household, but a person who hates bribes will live. 28 The heart of a righteous person ponders his answer, but the mouth of a wicked person gushes evil. 29 The Lord is far away from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous. 30 A twinkle in the eyes delights the heart, and good news gives health to the bones. 31 An ear that listens to a life-giving warning will find a home among the wise. 32 A person who ignores discipline despises himself, but a person who listens to a warning acquires good sense. 33 The fear of the Lord gives discipline and wisdom, and humility comes before honor.
More Advice for a Wise Son
Proverbs 16
1 A person may have thought things through in his heart, but an apt answer from his tongue comes from the Lord. 2 All of a person’s ways are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs motives. 3 Commit what you do to the Lord, and your plans will be established. 4 The Lord has made everything for his [3] own purpose, even a wicked person for a day of trouble. 5 Anyone with an arrogant attitude is disgusting to the Lord. Be sure of this: That person will not go unpunished. 6 Through mercy and truth, guilt is atoned for, and through the fear of the Lord, one turns away from evil. 7 When the Lord is pleased with a man’s ways, he causes even his enemies to live at peace with him.
Wisdom for a King and His Subjects
8 Better a little with righteousness than a large income without justice. 9 A person’s heart plans his way, but the Lord makes his steps secure. 10 The king’s lips speak for God, so his mouth should not betray justice. 11 An accurate balance and scales belong to the Lord. He has made all the weights in the bag. 12 It is disgusting for kings to commit wickedness, because a throne is established by righteousness. 13 Kings approve of righteous lips. They love a person who speaks upright things. 14 The king’s anger is a messenger of death, but a wise person can appease it. 15 There is life in the light from a king’s face, and his favor is like a cloud that brings spring rain. 16 How much better to acquire wisdom rather than gold, and to acquire understanding is more desirable than silver. 17 The highway followed by upright people turns away from evil. The person who guards his way preserves his life. 18 Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit precedes a fall. 19 Better to share a humble spirit with the oppressed than to share stolen goods with the haughty. 20 Whoever gives careful consideration to a matter [4] will succeed, and the person who trusts the Lord will be blessed. 21 A wise heart will be called discerning, and appealing speech increases learning. 22 Good sense is a fountain of life for the person who possesses it, but the instruction given by stubborn fools is stupidity. 23 A wise heart produces edifying speech. It makes a person’s lips more persuasive. 24 Pleasant speech is honey from a honeycomb, sweet to the spirit and healing for the bones.
Advice for a Wise Son
25 There is a way that seems right to a man, but it ends up being the road to death. 26 A laborer’s appetite labors for him, because the hunger of his mouth drives him on. 27 A worthless scoundrel constantly plots evil, and from his lips comes a scorching fire. 28 A perverse [5] man spreads conflict, and a gossip separates intimate friends. 29 A violent man entices his neighbor. He leads him on a way that is not good. 30 A person who squints his eyes is plotting something perverse. One who purses his lips has completed some evil plot. 31 Gray hair is a beautiful crown. It is found on the way to righteousness. 32 Better to be patient than to be a hero, better to control your temper than to capture a city. 33 Lots are cast into the pouch, [6] but the Lord determines all their decisions.
Footnotes
Proverbs 15:24 Or the grave. The Hebrew word is sheol.
Proverbs 15:26 Or are an abomination
Proverbs 16:4 Or its
Proverbs 16:20 Or to a word or to God’s word
Proverbs 16:28 Or twisted
Proverbs 16:33 Or lap. It is not clear what this line means. It may allude to the pouch containing the Urim and Thummim, which the high priest wore on his chest.
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“Every minister of the gospel needs encouragement,” says Kevin Walker, director of staff ministry at Martin Luther College (MLC), New Ulm, Minn. “So a once-a-year conference provides the opportunity for […]
In late August, Daniel Kroll and Stephen Gerling and their families arrived in Dakar, Senegal. They are the first WELS missionaries to serve in this area. As WELS works to […]
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, God has entrusted the young people of our synod to the spiritual care of Christian parents, pastors, teachers, youth leaders, and fellow believers. At […]
Karl R. Gurgel, the tenth man to serve as president of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, was called home to heaven on September 13, surrounded by his wife, Barbara, (pictured […]
Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in Mequon, Wis., is investing in a building project for blessings now that have impacts into eternity. Earle Treptow, seminary president, describes why this is the moment […]