January 26, 2024

Integrity is worth it.

Proverbs 21

Tim Hancock
Friday's Devo

January 26, 2024

Friday's Devo

January 26, 2024

Friday's Devo

January 26, 2024

Friday's Devo

January 26, 2024

Big Book Idea

Living wisely; God's way.

Key Verse | Proverbs 21:6

The getting of treasures by a lying tongue
is a fleeting vapor and a snare of death.

Proverbs 21

1  The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD;
    he turns it wherever he will.
2  Every way of a man is right in his own eyes,
    but the LORD weighs the heart.
3  To do righteousness and justice
    is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.
4  Haughty eyes and a proud heart,
    the lamp 1 21:4 Or the plowing of the wicked, are sin.
5  The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance,
    but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.
6  The getting of treasures by a lying tongue
    is a fleeting vapor and a snare of death. 2 21:6 Some Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Latin; most Hebrew manuscripts vapor for those who seek death
7  The violence of the wicked will sweep them away,
    because they refuse to do what is just.
8  The way of the guilty is crooked,
    but the conduct of the pure is upright.
9  It is better to live in a corner of the housetop
    than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife.
10  The soul of the wicked desires evil;
    his neighbor finds no mercy in his eyes.
11  When a scoffer is punished, the simple becomes wise;
    when a wise man is instructed, he gains knowledge.
12  The Righteous One observes the house of the wicked;
    he throws the wicked down to ruin.
13  Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor
    will himself call out and not be answered.
14  A gift in secret averts anger,
    and a concealed bribe, 3 21:14 Hebrew a bribe in the bosom strong wrath.
15  When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous
    but terror to evildoers.
16  One who wanders from the way of good sense
    will rest in the assembly of the dead.
17  Whoever loves pleasure will be a poor man;
    he who loves wine and oil will not be rich.
18  The wicked is a ransom for the righteous,
    and the traitor for the upright.
19  It is better to live in a desert land
    than with a quarrelsome and fretful woman.
20  Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man's dwelling,
    but a foolish man devours it.
21  Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness
    will find life, righteousness, and honor.
22  A wise man scales the city of the mighty
    and brings down the stronghold in which they trust.
23  Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue
    keeps himself out of trouble.
24  “Scoffer” is the name of the arrogant, haughty man
    who acts with arrogant pride.
25  The desire of the sluggard kills him,
    for his hands refuse to labor.
26  All day long he craves and craves,
    but the righteous gives and does not hold back.
27  The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination;
    how much more when he brings it with evil intent.
28  A false witness will perish,
    but the word of a man who hears will endure.
29  A wicked man puts on a bold face,
    but the upright gives thought to 4 21:29 Or establishes his ways.
30  No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel
    can avail against the LORD.
31  The horse is made ready for the day of battle,
    but the victory belongs to the LORD.

Footnotes

[1] 21:4 Or the plowing
[2] 21:6 Some Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Latin; most Hebrew manuscripts vapor for those who seek death
[3] 21:14 Hebrew a bribe in the bosom
[4] 21:29 Or establishes
Table of Contents
Introduction to Proverbs

Introduction to Proverbs

Timeline

Author and Date

Proverbs itself mentions Solomon (reigned c. 971–931 B.C.) as author or collector of its contents (1:1; 10:1), including the proverbs copied by Hezekiah’s men (25:1). There are also two batches of sayings from a group called “the wise” (22:17–24:22; 24:23–34), and “oracles” from Agur (30:1–33) and Lemuel (31:1–9). No author is named for the song in praise of the excellent wife that ends the book (31:10–31). Although Proverbs was begun in the time of Solomon, it probably was not in its present form until the time of Hezekiah (reigned c. 715–686 B.C.).

Theme

The goal of the book is stated right at the beginning (1:1–7): to describe what wisdom is and to help God’s people become wise. Wisdom is founded in the “fear of the Lord,” and it enables believers to express their faith in the practical details of everyday life.

Audience

The book is addressed to a young man. The situations he will face while he is young receive much attention. These situations supply concrete examples from which all readers can apply lessons to their own lives. Anyone who is wise and who pays attention will benefit (1:5) from this instruction.

Reading Proverbs

The reader of Proverbs must seek to understand the various types of people the book describes. The most obvious characters in the book are the wise, the fool, and the simple. Proverbs urges its readers to be wise, which means embracing God’s covenant and living out the covenant in everyday situations (compare 2:2; 10:1). The fool is the person who constantly opposes God’s covenant (1:7b). The simple is the person who is not firmly committed, either to wisdom or to folly; he is easily misled (14:15).

The first nine chapters of Proverbs are “wisdom poems” that urge the reader to pursue wisdom. The main section of Proverbs—the concise, memorable statements of two or three lines—begins in 10:1. Proverbs often seem to be mere observations about life, but their deeper meanings will reveal themselves if the following questions are kept in mind: (1) What virtue does this proverb commend? (2) What vice does it disapprove of? (3) What value does it affirm?

Key Themes

Proverbs offers wisdom on a wide array of topics from daily life: diligence and laziness (6:6–11); friendship (3:27–28; 18:24); speech (10:19–21); marriage (18:22; 19:14); child rearing (22:6); domestic peace (15:17; 17:1); work (11:1); getting along and good manners (23:1–2; 25:16–17; 26:17–19; 27:14); eternity (14:32; 23:17–18); and much more. It shows that “godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come” (1 Tim. 4:8).

  1. God’s will is intensely practical, applying to every aspect of life. A proper relation to God involves trying hard to understand his truth, and then embracing and obeying that truth.
  2. A life lived by God’s will is a happy life (3:21–26).
  3. A life lived by God’s will is a useful life (3:27–28; 12:18, 25).
  4. A life lived by God’s will does not just happen. One must seek after it (9:1–6).

Outline

  1. Title, Goal, and Motto (1:1–7)
  2. A Father’s Invitation to Wisdom (1:8–9:18)
  3. Proverbs of Solomon (10:1–22:16)
  4. The Thirty Sayings of “the Wise” (22:17–24:22)
  5. Further Sayings of “the Wise” (24:23–34)
  6. Hezekiah’s Collection of Solomonic Proverbs (25:1–29:27)
  7. The Sayings of Agur (30:1–33)
  8. The Sayings of King Lemuel (31:1–9)
  9. An Alphabet of Womanly Excellence (31:10–31)
The Global Message of Proverbs

The Global Message of Proverbs

Proverbs: Wisdom for the World

The book of Proverbs is not simply a collection of “wise sayings” for life. It is heaven-sent help for stumbling sinners all over the world from every walk of life who are willing to listen to something other than their own fallen instincts. The “fool” in Proverbs is not someone who lacks intellectual capacity but one who stubbornly lives out of his own fallen intuitions, resisting instruction and correction. Likewise, the wise person in Proverbs is not someone who is intellectually superior but someone who humbly places himself beneath the authority of God. Such wisdom is for all God’s people everywhere.

In his great mercy God has clearly shown wisdom to the world—both through the instruction of his Word and in the person of his Son. The book of Proverbs summarizes true wisdom as rooted in the “fear of the LORD” (Prov. 1:7). In Jesus such wisdom takes on new clarity and glory as the one who is the “wisdom of God” (1 Cor. 1:24) and who “became to us wisdom from God” (1 Cor. 1:30). God’s global people are to receive such wise instruction, to base their wise living in the fear and worship of God, and to testify to a lost world about God’s saving wisdom.

God’s Wisdom Is Theological and Practical

In one sense wisdom is very much universal. It is difficult to find a culture or tradition without its own legacy of wise sayings. Some of these are culture-specific; others reflect the shared human experience.

Scripture’s admonition and exhortation about wisdom, however, is clear. Our faith is not to rest on man’s wisdom but is to be rooted in God’s power (1 Cor. 2:5). The wisdom of this world is “folly with God” (1 Cor. 3:19). Ultimate wisdom is from God (1 Cor. 1:30) and is revealed by God (1 Cor. 2:7). True wisdom is theological and God-given. Those who lack wisdom are to “ask God” for it (James 1:5). It is the Lord who gives wisdom (Prov. 2:6). In Proverbs 9:10 God’s people are reminded again that, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight” (compare 1:7). True wisdom is not the handy tips for life that get handed down from generation to generation among those who do not know God. True wisdom is divine. It is rooted in God’s own saving revelation to his people.

God’s wisdom is not only theological; it is also practical. Indeed, wisdom is practical because it is theological. Theology impacts daily life, and this is clearly seen in the instruction of Proverbs. Everyday life issues are addressed, including parental relations (Prov. 10:1; 15:20; 19:26; 23:25), marriage (5:18; 12:4; 18:22; 19:13–14; 31:10), money (3:9; 10:4; 11:1; 15:16; 16:11), and the power and danger of words (4:5; 7:5; 10:19; 16:24; 17:27). These are life issues that affect people of every age and place. Proverbs provides a picture of both the blessed life grounded in the fear of the Lord and the danger-filled and foolish life of those who despise the Lord’s wisdom and instruction (1:7).

God’s Wisdom Is Individual and Global

Individual wisdom. For every person, in every place, in every time, the message of Proverbs rings true: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom” (Prov. 9:10). Wisdom from above is not mere advice or pithy sayings. Rather, the worthiest and most blessed advice flows from God, when he has his proper central place in the heart and worship of each individual created by his hand and in his image.

Global wisdom. The message of Proverbs is also global. This is true, first, because only God’s wisdom comprehensively instructs and skillfully dissects with perfect insight the hearts of mankind from every place and for every time. God’s wisdom is global, second, in that God’s global people are called to global engagement and a global mission. The Lord is not a tribal god. The teaching of Proverbs is not tribal lore. God’s wisdom is eternal and global. And God’s people are called to be instruments, through word and deed, of teaching his wisdom to the world. Those who are wise in God represent God to the world. For example, the wise exhibit generosity to the poor and the needy (Prov. 14:21, 31). The wise in God speak enduring and reliable wisdom to a world desperately looking for life-giving counsel. The wise in God feed even their own enemies (25:21).

Taking God’s Saving Wisdom to the World

In the book of Proverbs the Lord has equipped his people to fulfill his global and eternal purposes. God’s purpose is to reveal himself to and then through a people who will bring eternal blessing to the world, and that purpose is still unfolding around the world today (Matt. 28:18–20). In his kindness God has made known both the path of the wicked (Prov. 4:14) and the path of righteousness (12:28). The one leads to destruction and the other to life (11:19).

When love and grace is observed by the world in the lives of God’s people and supremely in the cross of Christ, it is indeed “folly” to them (1 Cor. 1:18, 21). But “the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men” (1 Cor. 1:25). The wise in God share the good news of the wisdom of God in the gospel of Christ with nations both near and far. Such sharing, when it lands on receptive ears, is “like cold water to a thirsty soul” (Prov. 25:25).In grace God is opening blind eyes through the gospel to his glorious wisdom. In grace he has shown us and empowered us toward a life of God-honoring, upright living. In grace he will use us as his global ambassadors till the day we join in the angelic choir proclaiming, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen” (Rev. 7:12).

Job Fact #9: Proverbs in Job

Fact: Proverbs in Job

Proverbs in Job. In 17:5, Job may have been quoting a proverb to warn his friends not to make false accusations against him. Proverbs are an effective and memorable way of stating a truth. The book of Proverbs is a rich resource of such wisdom.

Proverbs Fact #1: Wisdom

Fact: Wisdom

Wisdom is a key term in Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes. The word can mean “skilled at making sound decisions in life.” Proverbs 9:10 states that “the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.”

Proverbs Fact #4: Garlands

Fact: Garlands

Garlands were wreaths woven from leaves and flowers. They were worn around the head or neck during various celebrations such as weddings. They were also symbols of honor for military success. In Proverbs, they symbolize the honor that comes from following the way of wisdom (4:9).

Proverbs Fact #7: The simple person

Fact: The simple person

The simple person (7:7) is one of the primary character types described in the book of Proverbs. The term describes someone who is immature and easily misled (14:15).

Proverbs Fact #10: A different kind of security

Fact: A different kind of security

A different kind of security. In biblical times, if a person was unable to pay his debt, the consequences could be serious. The whole family could be sold into slavery. If someone put up “security” for another person, he promised to pay that person’s debt if he was unable to do so himself. Proverbs teaches that putting up security for another person is generally unwise, since those who do so risk losing everything if the other person cannot pay his debt (11:15).

Proverbs Fact #27: Gluttony

Fact: Gluttony

Gluttony refers to excessive eating. The Bible condemns gluttony as well as drunkenness. Proverbs teaches that eating and drinking in excess can lead to poverty (23:19–21).

Proverbs Fact #28: Hezekiah’s contribution to Proverbs

Fact: Hezekiah’s contribution to Proverbs

Hezekiah’s contribution to Proverbs. Although most of the Proverbs were collected or written by King Solomon, who reigned from 971–931 B.C., the book of Proverbs did not exist in its present form until the time of King Hezekiah, some 200 years later. Hezekiah and “his men,” probably his scribes, recorded chs. 25–29.

Proverbs Fact #29: Rock badgers

Fact: Rock badgers

Rock badgers are small cliff-dwelling animals closely resembling guinea pigs. They live and forage for food in large groups and are good at hiding. They are best known for posting sentries that alert the group when danger is near. Perhaps it was this mark of wisdom that earned them a mention in Proverbs (30:26).

Proverbs Fact #20: Weighing the heart

Fact: Weighing the heart

The concept of weighing the heart (21:2) originated in Egypt. Egyptians believed that when a person died, the gods placed that person’s heart on a set of golden scales along with the Feather of Truth. If the heart weighed less than the feather, the person was admitted into the afterlife. It is possible that the Israelites brought this imagery with them when they left Egypt and replaced the Egyptian gods with Yahweh, who is the true judge of the heart.

OT Testimony that All Are under Sin (3:9)

OT Testimony that All Are under Sin (3:9)

Romans 3 OT Reference
Sinful Condition
v. 10, none is righteous Ps. 14:3/53:3; Eccles. 7:20
v. 11a, no one understands Ps. 14:2/53:2
v. 11b, no one seeks for God Ps. 14:2/53:2
v. 12, all have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one Ps. 14:3/53:3
Sinful Speech (note progression from throat to tongue to lips)
v. 13a, b, their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive Ps. 5:10, Septuagint (English, 5:9)
v. 13c, the venom of asps is under their lips Ps. 140:3
v. 14, their mouth is full of curses and bitterness Ps. 10:7
Sinful Action
v. 15, their feet are swift to shed blood Prov. 1:16/Isa. 59:7
v. 16, in their paths are ruin and misery Isa. 59:7
v. 17, and the way of peace they have not known Isa. 59:8
Summary Statement
v. 18, there is no fear of God before their eyes Ps. 36:1
Study Notes

Prov. 21:1 The stream of water describes water flowing through a channel or an irrigation ditch, which a skillful farmer can direct to flow wherever he wishes.

Study Notes
Proverbs Fact #20: Weighing the heart

Fact: Weighing the heart

The concept of weighing the heart (21:2) originated in Egypt. Egyptians believed that when a person died, the gods placed that person’s heart on a set of golden scales along with the Feather of Truth. If the heart weighed less than the feather, the person was admitted into the afterlife. It is possible that the Israelites brought this imagery with them when they left Egypt and replaced the Egyptian gods with Yahweh, who is the true judge of the heart.

Study Notes

Prov. 21:1–4 Like 20:22–25, this section has three proverbs on divine judgment followed by a fourth proverb that is related but does not explicitly mention the Lord. God is a much higher judge than the king, whom he controls.

Study Notes

Prov. 21:10–13 Just as the wicked offers no mercy to his neighbor, so his own pleas for help will . . . not be answered. God both knows and judges the wicked (v. 12).

Study Notes

Prov. 21:17 This proverb does not imply that pleasure or wine or oil are wrong in themselves. However, when they are enjoyed apart from thanksgiving to God, or enjoyed more than following in God’s paths, and thus to excess, they will destroy a person’s life.

Study Notes

Prov. 21:15–18 When justice is practiced, it is a joy for those who have walked in its ways and a terror to those who have perverted it (v. 15).

Study Notes

Prov. 21:9–19 Verses 9 and 19, on the quarrelsome wife, begin and end this unit on the rewards for the wise and the troubles of the wicked.

Study Notes

Prov. 21:25–26 Laziness leads to constant greed and craving. The diligence of the righteous allows them to be generous (see note on 10:4).

Study Notes

Prov. 21:29 The wicked man changes his behavior depending on the situation (puts on a bold face). In contrast, the upright person thinks about his ways and chooses the right way regardless of the circumstances.

S3:020 Proverbs 21

Listen Now

Dive Deeper | Proverbs 21

Have you ever seen the movie Mrs. Doubtfire? In the movie, the main character, played by Robin Williams, resorts to deception by creating the alter ego of Mrs. Doubtfire to gain access to his children after losing custody in a divorce. He lies to his ex-wife and manipulates his way into a job as their housekeeper, all in an effort to spend more time with his kids. The lie allows him to be close to his children, but also creates a complex web of deception. In the end, the truth is exposed, and the lies unravel, leading to difficult consequences for him and those around him.

Our world often promotes shortcuts and dishonesty as a viable means to achieve personal gain, leaving behind a trail of broken relationships, shattered trust, and a loss of integrity. Proverbs 21:6 reminds us of the fleeting nature and danger of treasures acquired through deceitful means. The verse highlights the deceptive allure of obtaining wealth (or success) through a lying tongue. It paints a vivid picture of a vapor that quickly dissipates, revealing a snare that leads to spiritual and moral death. While we think we are on the path toward a happier life, in reality we are setting a trap for ourselves. 

Those who pursue righteousness, on the other hand, "will find life, righteousness, and honor" (Proverbs 21:21). Living a life of righteousness means resisting the allure of immediate gratification in favor of something with eternal significance. It means choosing honesty over deception, transparency over manipulation, and character over compromise. It could lead to you passing on a great opportunity at work, your social status taking a hit, or your bank account staying smaller than you desire. 

Proverbs 10:9 reminds us, "Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out." Trust in the Lord's faithfulness and commit to living a life marked by righteousness and integrity. Choose the path that is secure and upright, for in doing so, you honor God and inspire others to walk in His truth.

This month's memory verse

with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,

– Ephesians 4:2

Discussion Questions

1. How does your flesh define success for you? How much time do you spend thinking about obtaining that success?

2. Would those around you say the actions you are taking to achieve "success" glorify God or glorify yourself? 

3. How have you been serving God faithfully and walking with integrity in your day-to-day life? 

4. Where would you say you need to confess that your intentions have not been pure in your pursuit of something?

As we gear up to release even more features for Join The Journey in 2025, our staff team, unfortunately, no longer has the margin to continue to support the comment functionality. We have big things in store for Join The Journey 2025. Stay tuned!

MS

Michael Scaman

Saving the Soul of a Nation on Proverbs 21 as if by Winston Churchill In the grand theater of nations, leaders' play, A stream of water, the Almighty's sway. Kings' hearts turned by the Lord's own hand, Fate's dance, a nation's destiny planned. Every man deems his path the right, Yet, the Lord weighs hearts in His light. Righteousness and justice, above all, God's divine command, where nations stand tall. Diligence leads to abundance and gain, Haste leads to poverty, a futile terrain. Treasures gained by a tongue's deceit, Violence befalls the wicked's defeat. In wisdom's dwelling, life and treasure, A desert preferred to a quarrelsome measure. Justice brings joy, evildoers' shame, The Lord's hand guides, saving the nation's name.
HS

Hugh Stephenson

Proverbs 21:1-10 Reflecting on the first four verses in this passage that remind me of how important my heart is. Specifically, I am centered on verse 1 about the king’s heart - “The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will.” From Constable- “This proverb is one of the great affirmations of the sovereignty of God in Scripture (cf. 16:14-15; 19:12; 20:2, 24). There are many proofs of the truth of this proverb elsewhere: in the cases of Nebuchadnezzar (Dan. 4), Belshazzar (Dan. 5), Ahasuerus (Esth. 6:1-10), and Cyrus (Ezra 6:22; Isa. 45:1-7), to name only a few.” "... the proverb has specially in view evidences of kindness proceeding from the heart, as at xvi. 15 the favour of the king is compared to clouds of latter rain emptying themselves in beneficent showers, and at xix. 12 to the dew refreshing the plants. ... Rightly the Midrash: God gives to the world good or bad kings, according as He seeks to bless it or to visit it with punishment ..."[595] God has given me some leadership abilities and endowed me with some parts of His kingdom to steward. Am I surrendered to the way God is “turning” my heart or do I love being in charge so much that I am “right in [my] own eyes? Jesus gave me the perfect model of kingship. Do I relentlessly seek God’s will for my kingship? Am I using the power He has given me to love and serve others? Or elevate myself? Do I consistently seek the counsel of wise believers to test where my heart is? As I write these questions, I wince. Application - this week I will ask those in my kingdom how I can love and serve them better. I will ask those who counsel me for their input as well.
HS

Hugh Stephenson

Proverbs 21:11-22 Reflecting on verses 17 and 21 - “Whoever loves pleasure will be a poor man; he who loves wine and oil will not be rich.” “Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life, righteousness, and honor.” One of my primary sin struggles is with comfort via materialism. My sinful nature wants pleasure, not sacrificial giving. I am happy to give if its doesn’t really cost me a lot and if I get to choose the timing and amount of the gift. The hardest thing for me to give is time. If sacrificial giving involves time, I am way less likely to do it. A couple of months ago I went off the grid for 6 days. This involved giving up virtually all modern comforts. My primary prayer during this time was for God to make clear to me what He wanted me to learn during these six days. What He showed me very clearly is that I had to completely rethink how I spent my time. He gave me seven circles: God, Amy, kids, community group, sheep, team, clients. From a practical standpoint this meant my most often expressed word is now a polite “no” and the most often keyboard function I use is delete. Over the last two months this revelation has ushered in a new sense of purpose and direction in my life. My application today is to look for all possible ways to give to others, (especially time).
HS

Hugh Stephenson

Proverbs 21:23-31 Reflecting on verse 31 - Starting and finishing with sovereignty of God- “Even though man makes his plans, and prepares for what he anticipates, the best he can ("the horse is prepared for the day of battle"), God determines the final outcome. This is not to discourage thorough preparation, which other proverbs advocate. It is a reminder of the sovereignty of God. He is the One who is due the credit ("victory belongs to the LORD") when our plan turns out well. King Hezekiah experienced God's deliverance when the Assyrians attacked Jerusalem, and he undoubtedly gave God the credit for the victory (2 Kings 18—19; Isa. 36—37).” “The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the Lord.” To me, this verse is about surrender and submission of my will and plan to God’s. I can make my horse ready for battle and God’s calls me to do so. What I do and how I do it is to be under His will and plan. Evens so, the result of my efforts are up to God. This verse is a key one for us in Prodigal. We know that Satan tempts us to control (or enable) our prodigals; (kids, spouse, parents, etc). What this verse (and many, many others) teaches us is that orientation is wrong. We are to align our relationships with God’s divine plan, represent Him well as His ambassador, love them as He loves them, prepare them for independence ( not dependance), and embrace the fact that He loves them more than we possible can. It breaks my heart to see my adult kids make bad choices. It’s even harder not to rescue them. Yet I know that this is a key way God teaches us - to learn from the consequences of our mistakes. My prayer today is to accept God’s victory and to fully surrender to Him.
GJ

greg jones

Morning Tim, great dive. You know how Boston has two great well known schools MIT and Harvard? I’m a graduate of that other great well known school in Waco, TSTC. (Whirl Tornados!)…I used to shoot pool every Monday night at the Golden Cue across the street from the athletic dorm. Mike Singletary played foosball there every Monday night. He played foosball with the same intensity that he played football. I’m pretty sure the Golden Cue has been gone for a while now. “It means choosing honesty over deception, transparency over manipulation, and character over compromise. A close acquaintance who spent the better half of a police career working vice has a problem with the above statement. It’s not that he doesn’t agree with it. His problem is, as a vice officer that won’t make the cases he had to make. After the case is made he says honesty over deception, transparency over manipulation, and character over compromise for sure. I’ve said, I’m sure people get the vice part. He has said yes, but, the “Super Christians” as he calls them/us are fine with him being a cop pretending not to be a cop. It’s out of uniform and off duty and unknown when he has a problem with being considered less than that statement because he is “not a part of the tribe” as he puts it. To use a term from yesterday, I think my close acquaintance is struggling on a first rep with our weight rather than the last rep of a good set under his own weight. “It means choosing honesty over deception, transparency over manipulation, and character over compromise. It could lead to you passing on a great opportunity at work, your social status taking a hit, or your bank account staying smaller than you desire.” Those sentences together resonated with me. Ethics, sometimes seen as righteousness, can sometimes mean that the ends justify the means as in the case of my acquaintance and his vice cases. Sometimes it’s virtue for the sake of virtue in spite of consequences, the point that the deeper dive makes so well.
SB

Sue Bohlin

Great devo, Tim, thank you. The proverb that jumped out at me was 19, "It is better to live in the wilderness than with a quarrelsome and easily provoked woman." (NET) Solomon had an insane number of wives plus a supernatural degree of perception and analysis. He knew something about women. I don't think he lived an everyday kind of life in a house with a single wife like most other men, but he observed (and sometimes experienced?) enough about feminine behavior to say really good stuff like how bad it is to be stuck with a quarrelsome and easily provoked woman. I love that it's 100% our choice to NOT be that way! We can choose not to pick fights. We can choose not to take other people's bait. We can choose to not be easily provoked by choosing to be unoffendable. We can reject the false identity I have heard with my own ears: "Hey, I know I'm rough, I know I'm a b****, I know I'm hard to live with. It's who I am." But it's not who God made ANYONE to be. It's not Christlike. It's not loving or kind or a blessing to others. That mindset needs to be repented of, and new ways of thinking practiced. (Shout out re:generation!)
AL

Amy Lowther

1. It doesn’t. God helps me define success. I talk to God all the time about success. 2. By glorifying God, I experience His glory. 3. I prioritize God in everything I do. 4. None. Tim - Thank you for sharing your ideas. I appreciate your efforts of “if it is a Wednesday night, you will find us with our Shoreline small groups, reminding them that no matter what this world offers us, what Jesus offers is better”.  I also appreciate your point, “Living a life of righteousness means resisting the allure of immediate gratification in favor of something with eternal significance. It means choosing honesty over deception, transparency over manipulation, and character over compromise.” Righteousness is possible, and we each can make it an everyday thing.
LD

Lindsey Driscoll

Tim, thanks for the devo and that you and your wife for serving in shoreline - what a blessing it is for our body’s teenagers to have wisdom poured over them in really formative years! I’m with Sue Bohlin today on being focused on the passages regarding a “quarrelsome wife.” Proverbs 21:9 and Proverbs 21:19 remind me that being a wife with a critical spirit does not bring life to my husband. Proverbs 21:2 is such a great reminder to ask myself “where do my ways seem right? Because the Lord is weighing my heart.” In marriage where does my quarreling seem justified: pointing out my hurt, pointing out his failure/differences in parenting, holding on to missed expectations, etc.