Proverbs 16

Proverbs 16

1 The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord. 2 All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirit. 3 Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established. 4 The Lord has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble. 5 Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord; be assured, he will not go unpunished. 6 By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the Lord one turns away from evil. 7 When a man's ways please the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. 8 Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues with injustice. 9 The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps. 10 An oracle is on the lips of a king; his mouth does not sin in judgment. 11 A just balance and scales are the Lord's; all the weights in the bag are his work. 12 It is an abomination to kings to do evil, for the throne is established by righteousness. 13 Righteous lips are the delight of a king, and he loves him who speaks what is right. 14 A king's wrath is a messenger of death, and a wise man will appease it. 15 In the light of a king's face there is life, and his favor is like the clouds that bring the spring rain. 16 How much better to get wisdom than gold! To get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver. 17 The highway of the upright turns aside from evil; whoever guards his way preserves his life. 18 Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. 19 It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor than to divide the spoil with the proud. 20 Whoever gives thought to the word will discover good, and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord. 21 The wise of heart is called discerning, and sweetness of speech increases persuasiveness. 22 Good sense is a fountain of life to him who has it, but the instruction of fools is folly. 23 The heart of the wise makes his speech judicious and adds persuasiveness to his lips. 24 Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body. 25 There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death. 26 A worker's appetite works for him; his mouth urges him on. 27 A worthless man plots evil, and his speech is like a scorching fire. 28 A dishonest man spreads strife, and a whisperer separates close friends. 29 A man of violence entices his neighbor and leads him in a way that is not good. 30 Whoever winks his eyes plans dishonest things; he who purses his lips brings evil to pass. 31 Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained in a righteous life. 32 Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city. 33 The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.

Devotional

Introduction

I think in the midst of all this uncertainty, with the COVID-19 crisis, its hard to believe that someone is in control. But with this perspective only, we forget how God is sustaining life everywhere else. We forget that he has decreed this, that it is in his plan, thus forgetting that God is sovereign over everyone and everything.

How easily we focus on what is bad around us than the good! And there is much good to be celebrated.

Study

Proverbs 16 talks very specifically across five verses about the sovereignty of God. Here they are:

1. "The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord." (vs.1)

What this verse is essentially saying is that man will often make plans to do things, but what God says is what will happen. We often remember this in prayer. If we pray for something from God, it will not always come about, because it may not be what God wills.

We consider Jesus' prayer to God in the Garden of Gethsemane: “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.” (Matthew 26:42). I think it is so important to add this to any prayer we have. It recognises that our wills do not always match God's. It recognises that God is sovereign and in control, so we cannot just boss him around. It reminds us to look to God as someone who will bring about what is good, rather than being our personal genie in a bottle.

2. "Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established." (vs.3)

Much like the previous verse, we ask that the Lord's will be done in everything we do. When we do something, commit it to God. I will never forget a sermon where the pastor revealed that before he went onto a new task he would just say a short prayer giving it to God.

What's awesome about this approach is that it allows our work to be for the glory of God. It means that we are doing everything for the Lord. We are following the command of Colossians 3:23, doing it for the Lord and not for man.

It says that our plans will be established if we do so. This means, that whatever work we do will succeed, because it is in line with God's will. Now, we do not know the plans God has for us. But in general, we know that if we do something with the intention of being God-honouring, and being obedient to his word, we will succeed. It will come to fruition. If they are not for the Lord, they are for ourselves, and remember, our heart's natural desire is to do evil.

3. "The Lord has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble." (vs.4)

God has his own purposes, and means in which to achieve those purposes. The idea that the "end justifies the means" kind of works with God, but mainly because anything he does is good and will achieve a good end.

Believe it or not, the wicked, who seem to be all high and mighty and powerful, are still under God's thumb. And God has judgement in store for them.

Remember, our purpose for being created was to glorify God and exult in him. In one way or another, we will work within that goal. If we are saved, we are the vessels for the powerful and mighty salvation that the Lord Jesus paid for in his death and resurrection. We demonstrates God's mercy and grace. If we continue to be wicked, we will be vessels that of that glory in a completely different way. We will demonstrate God's just nature, in bringing judgement upon those who sinned against him.

So, yes, even the wicked will work within God's purpose.

4. "The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps. (vs.9)"

Once again, this is a very similar idea to verse 1 and 3, we might plan, but God brings to fruition. I think the difference is that it takes the first phrase of verse 1, and the second phrase of verse 3 to provide a variation on the verse. Instead of asking that our plans line up with God's will, we might just make normal plans, and God will determine if those happen.

So whether we line it up with God's will or not, it will or will not come to pass base on what God chooses to establish. Whether a man's heart is wicked or made righteous, the Lord will have his decrees. We might ask his, we might not, and he will still have what he intends.

In this verse, it becomes very clear that regardless of our desires, God's desires will come to pass.

5. "The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord." (vs.33)

And finally, Proverbs 16 throws this metaphor in to solidify this idea in our heads. You make a decision (a "lot"), but the decision in the end will be God's. Many people would probably think of the Roman soldiers to who cast lots for Jesus' clothing. But I think more appropriately, we can look at the appointment of Matthias as an apostle. Check this out:

And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias. And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles. (Acts 1:23-26)

Notice the sequence of events? There were two men put forward, just as God-fearing as the other. Paul prayed that God's will would be done. Lots we cast. Matthias was chosen.

It was the Lord's decision who was chosen. It was not gambling, for it was not greed. It was a form of decision making. But they asked it to be the Lord's choice, not their own. They knew that they could make a decision, but it was the Lord who would end up deciding.

If in this passage, they had not done the prayer, it would be very easy to think they had decided for themselves, without seeing God as in control.

Conclusion

At the heart of every man is wickedness. Our desires do not line up with God's. As part of our nature, we are also finite, weak beings. We cannot control the circumstances around, but we know who can.

I encourage you to commit you way to the Lord. In every decision you make, ask God to guide you. Remember, that in the end, his will will be done. But your heart attitude should be accepting towards this. You should want the will of God. Thank him that he has and will achieve his purposes.