LESSONS ABOUT WISDOM PROVERBS _KEITH SIMONS_ CHAPTER 23 V1 When a ruler invites you for a meal, be careful! Think, before you eat! V2 If you might be greedy, then hold your knife near your neck! V3 Do not allow the ruler’s good food to tempt you! His food is like a lie.... [ Continue Reading ]
A ruler does not invite you so that you can taste his fine food. He invites you because he wants to discuss serious matters with you. You should not think much about his food or his wine. But you must think about your words. Your advice must be good. You need to speak wise words. Solomon uses humou... [ Continue Reading ]
The Book of Proverbs encourages us to work hard. But some people work too hard, because they want to become wealthy. These people suffer because they use all their energy in their work. Their families suffer too. We ought to be sensible. We can lose our money quickly. When we die, we cannot take ou... [ Continue Reading ]
Some people pretend to be our friends. But they do not care about us. They might say the right words. They might invite us to their homes. But they do not want to share their possessions with us. Instead, they want to keep their things for themselves. This is not a good attitude. We should not copy... [ Continue Reading ]
Solomon uses the word ‘fool’ to describe an evil person. This person hates God. So this person hates wisdom. This person does not want wise advice, because that advice would tell him to stop his evil behaviour. He will not obey your wise words. See Matthew 7:6. V10 Do not move an ancient fence! Do... [ Continue Reading ]
As in Proverbs 22:28, Solomon reminds us that the boundaries in Israel mattered to God in a special way. But verses 10-11 are also about a child that has no father. Perhaps the child’s father died. Now the child has nobody who will protect the child’s property. Perhaps nobody cares about that child.... [ Continue Reading ]
Sometimes you need to punish a child with a smack. A smack will not kill your child. But a smack will teach him the right way to behave. And your child will learn how to live wisely. Your punishment now may save your child from a much worse punishment later in life. You could even save him from the... [ Continue Reading ]
But you will be glad if your child learns to be wise. You will be especially glad if you had to punish your child. You must teach your child to be wise. You must teach the child to respect God. And if you do the right things, your child will copy your behaviour. And your child will also teach other... [ Continue Reading ]
Perhaps you are jealous because some evil people are wealthy. Or they are famous, or important (Psalms 73:3-5). But you must desire the right things. So do not be jealous when you see evil people. Instead, think about God. Remember that God loves you. Remember the things that God wants you to do. An... [ Continue Reading ]
The father warns his son. The son must not be greedy for food. And he must not be a drunk. This is because greedy people and drunks become lazy. They want only to eat and to drink. They do not want to work. Their expensive habits will waste all their money. This is how they become poor. V22 Listen... [ Continue Reading ]
If the son loves his parents, then he should listen to them. He should obey their instructions. And he should learn to be wise. Then his parents will be glad. They will have great joy, because their son will be a wise man. So, the son should choose the best things in life. He should not choose mone... [ Continue Reading ]
The son must be careful about sex. Some women sell sex. They are like a deep hole that a hunter uses as a trap for animals. And some married women tempt other men. They are like a narrow well that a man cannot escape from (Jeremiah 38:6-8). Wells and holes are dangerous whether they are deep or nar... [ Continue Reading ]
The writer points out a group of people. They are sad. They argue. They cry. Perhaps we suppose that a terrible event has happened.... [ Continue Reading ]
The writer tells us what is wrong. These people drank too much wine. Alcohol tempted them. This is terrible, he argues.... [ Continue Reading ]
Wine may look attractive. But it causes many troubles. When a person begins to drink alcohol, that person sometimes cannot stop. This is an illness called ‘alcoholism’. If someone cannot control alcohol, that person needs help. That person should learn not to drink alcohol again. Doctors might help... [ Continue Reading ]
The writer tells us about a drunk’s strange experiences. If someone has an alcohol problem, that person should obtain help early. That person should not wait until they suffer these strange experiences. The writer seems to know these experiences well. Perhaps the writer himself suffered this proble... [ Continue Reading ]
Alcohol confuses a drinker. A drinker cannot think sensible thoughts. Often, he thinks that he needs to drink more alcohol. Really, he needs to stop.... [ Continue Reading ]
When the drinker drinks too much alcohol, he feels like someone on a ship. The drinker cannot walk in a straight line. He might shake. He might fall. He might be sick.... [ Continue Reading ]
Now the drinker hurts himself. But he might not feel the pain. The next day, he might feel terrible pains. These pains are called a ‘hangover’. But the drunk does not learn from his error. He will make the same mistake again, many times. This is because alcohol confuses the brain. The drunk does n... [ Continue Reading ]