Proverbs 14

Proverbs 14

1 The wisest of women builds her house, but folly with her own hands tears it down. 2 Whoever walks in uprightness fears the Lord, but he who is devious in his ways despises him. 3 By the mouth of a fool comes a rod for his back, but the lips of the wise will preserve them. 4 Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean, but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox. 5 A faithful witness does not lie, but a false witness breathes out lies. 6 A scoffer seeks wisdom in vain, but knowledge is easy for a man of understanding. 7 Leave the presence of a fool, for there you do not meet words of knowledge. 8 The wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way, but the folly of fools is deceiving. 9 Fools mock at the guilt offering, but the upright enjoy acceptance. 10 The heart knows its own bitterness, and no stranger shares its joy. 11 The house of the wicked will be destroyed, but the tent of the upright will flourish. 12 There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death. 13 Even in laughter the heart may ache, and the end of joy may be grief. 14 The backslider in heart will be filled with the fruit of his ways, and a good man will be filled with the fruit of his ways. 15 The simple believes everything, but the prudent gives thought to his steps. 16 One who is wise is cautious and turns away from evil, but a fool is reckless and careless. 17 A man of quick temper acts foolishly, and a man of evil devices is hated. 18 The simple inherit folly, but the prudent are crowned with knowledge. 19 The evil bow down before the good, the wicked at the gates of the righteous. 20 The poor is disliked even by his neighbor, but the rich has many friends. 21 Whoever despises his neighbor is a sinner, but blessed is he who is generous to the poor. 22 Do they not go astray who devise evil? Those who devise good meet steadfast love and faithfulness. 23 In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty. 24 The crown of the wise is their wealth, but the folly of fools brings folly. 25 A truthful witness saves lives, but one who breathes out lies is deceitful. 26 In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence, and his children will have a refuge. 27 The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, that one may turn away from the snares of death. 28 In a multitude of people is the glory of a king, but without people a prince is ruined. 29 Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly. 30 A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot. 31 Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker, but he who is generous to the needy honors him. 32 The wicked is overthrown through his evildoing, but the righteous finds refuge in his death. 33 Wisdom rests in the heart of a man of understanding, but it makes itself known even in the midst of fools. 34 Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people. 35 A servant who deals wisely has the king's favor, but his wrath falls on one who acts shamefully.

Devotional

Introduction

If you have ever seen the 'King and I' (or been any sort of choir ever) you probably know the song "I whistle a happy tune". In one of scenes of this classic Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, a mother - Anna - and her son are moving to Siam (former name of Thailand) so that she can teach the King's children. Upon arrival, they are greeted by not-so-friendly residents and Anna tells her son to try and forget the scary situation and instead "whistle a happy tune". They try to deceive themselves in order they might forget their circumstances.

This is kinda what the wicked do throughout proverbs. The only difference is, they don't really know they are fooling themselves. So what we see is a lot of backlash from the folly of the wicked who determine to perform wicked acts upon others, and also get caught themselves.

Study

Their mistreatment - and more specifically, deception - of others is quite clearly seen in verse 25 ("A truthful witness saves lives, but the one who breathes our lies is deceitful") and verse 5 ("A faithful witness does not lie, but a false witness breathes out lies"). They even deceive and harm those who are disadvantaged in society, including the poor (vs.31). But we know this fact of the wicked. As Christians, we know that sin is only a dangerous path to something much worse: God's wrath. But how easily even we stray on these foolish paths! How easily we forget that we only deceive ourselves! So let's get it very clear in our minds.

1) They are first deceived, because of their own folly (vs.8)

"The wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way,  but the folly of fools is deceiving." (vs.8)

Perhaps you might like to think of it in terms of this very biblical metaphor. If you are walking in darkness without light, how easily it is to stumble. It is easier to fall off the cliff than continue on the narrow path to life.

The foolish man, unsurprisingly, is blinded by his own folly, which leads him to more foolish behaviour. By his own folly, his own ways and actions, he is deceived.

More specifically, we see it begins with their rejection of God, or their lack of the fear of God. Consider what Romans 1 says:

"For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools" (Romans 1:21-22)

They were already fools, and their hearts were darkened. And in verse 22, it says they claimed to be wise, deceive themselves, and then become fools, similar to what is says in Proverbs 14:8. So remember, our folly will only deceive ourselves, and begins with our rejection against God.

2) The foolish person will believe everything (vs.15)

"The simple believes everything,  but the prudent gives thought to his steps." (vs.15)

The simple believe everything. That seems a bit dangerous. Actually, it's destructive. It reminds me of the common belief that "Any road leads to Heaven" or "There are multiple Gods" or "Inter-faith movements will unite all people". The foolish person will believe in everything. And in doing so, they deceive themselves.

What I find amusing is that they know people will deceive them, because they themselves deceive others, but they allow themselves to be deceived nevertheless. It is in this that we find such irony. Psalm 118:8 says:

"It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man." (Psalm 118:8)

Also in Psalms it says this:

"Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God." (Psalm 20:7)

There is a person we must serve and trust in instead. His name is God. There is only one of him. There is no other God before him. Do not believe everything. But do what vs.15b says: "give thought to [your] steps". Ensure you are taking the right steps to faithfully following God.

3) They are physically and spiritually destroyed (vs.3,30,32)

"By the mouth of a fool comes a rod for his back,  but the lips of the wise will preserve them." (vs.3)

"A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh,  but envy makes the bones rot." (vs.30)

"The wicked is overthrown through his evildoing,  but the righteous finds refuge in his death." (vs.32)

Notice a pattern in all these verses, the wicked are eventually destroyed. As it says in chapter 1 and throughout the book of Proverbs, they lay a trap for themselves, even when they are laying a trap for others.

From his own pride comes his own discipline (vs.3), from his own envy comes his own decay (vs.30), from his own wickedness, he is overthrown (vs.32). I have already discussed the ruinous effects of the foolish person. But it ties in so well in how they deceive themselves

I think I wanted to especially highlight verse 32. The wicked are overthrown, but it isn't always physical. In fact, the second part of that verse indicates that the righteous will find "refuge in ][their] death". So the wicked will not. The way in which they are overthrown is found after their death. In their life to come, or should I say, their death to come.

They are spiritually destroyed. They deceive themselves, and face something that will last eternally.

Conclusion

Flick back to Romans 1 for a moment and notice something. God allows people to continue in their rejection of him, in their own foolish deception, and gives them over to the "desires of their heart". This is not a pleasant image. Sin will corrupt them and destroy them.

But Romans 2 says something even more frightening that any physical circumstance. Romans 2 says this:

"But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed." (Romans 2:5)

You see? In rejecting God, we are only "storing up wrath" for ourselves. We are deceiving ourselves, because we think our heart's desires are what is best for us, when they only lead to Hell.

You see, if you don't turn to God, you won't be able to whistle a happy tune to help you get through. You won't be able to call to him to save you. You are awaiting his wrath.

Praise be to God, that to those who trust in him, who plead to him for repentance, he has moved their heart in order that they would be deceived no longer, that they would not be blinded by their own folly, that they would not lead themselves to their own destruction. Praise be to God that his children have been saved by the blood of Jesus!

I pray that the Lord will move your heart and the Spirit will transform your mind in order than you might not be deceived by folly.