Proverbs 29:15 says, The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.  I believe that this is another directive that parents are charged with teaching their children how to behave properly.  We cannot just leave them to do whatever makes them happy in the moment, but must teach them to do what is best for them, even if it is painful for them at the moment.  Verse sixteen states, When the wicked are multiplied, transgression increaseth: but the righteous shall see their fall.  When the wicked of the world, those who will not acknowledge God's authority over them, multiply, then transgressions, or sins, multiply.  Still, those who are righteous, or follow Christ, will one day see the fall of those who are wicked.  Verse seventeen says, Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul.  When we teach our children to follow God's will in their lives, and they do so, they will be a delight unto our soul.  Verse eighteen declares, Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.  As God's people, we should have a vision of what God expects of us and the world.  If we, as followers of Christ, lack a vision of what God wants the world to be, then those around us may perish in their sins.  Verse nineteen states, A servant will not be corrected by words: for though he understand he will not answer.  Matthew Henry says this means that some servants simply will never be corrected, no matter what is done to them.  Even if they understand what is being said to them, they will not answer by obeying.  Verse twenty asks, Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words? there is more hope of a fool than of him.  We, as followers of Christ, should always think before we speak.  We need to make sure that what we are saying is what God would have us say and what brings honor and glory to Him.  Verse twenty-one says, He that delicately bringeth up his servant from a child shall have him become his son at the length.  Servants who are treated fairly all their life can become as sons or daughters.  This is the way God treats all who will accept Christ as Savior and Lord.  Though we are but servants, we become God's children.  Verse twenty-two says, An angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man aboundeth in transgression.  People who act out of anger tend to stir up strife, or cause problems.  Acting out of anger can cause a multitude of sins.  We are always to act out of love for others if we are following God's guidance.  Verse twenty-three declares, A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.  When people act out of self pride, they are putting themselves above God.  We as followers of Christ are to humbly serve Him so that He will get the glory and not us.  Verse twenty-four says, Whoso is partner with a thief hateth his own soul: he heareth cursing, and bewrayeth it not.  If we join with a thief in his or her actions, we are doing so at the risk of our soul, or everlasting relationship with God.  I do not believe that cursing means profanity, but means speaking against God.  Verse twenty-five states, The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.  We cannot put our faith in people or submit to them in fear when they are doing something against God's teachings, but we can find safety in following God's will.  Verse twenty six declares, Many seek the ruler’s favour; but every man’s judgment cometh from the LORD.  We may seek to look good in the eyes of those who are in power in the world, but God is the ultimate judge, so it is He Whom we should be following.  Verse twenty-seven states, An unjust man is an abomination to the just: and he that is upright in the way is abomination to the wicked.  We should be honoring those who follow God's teachings if we are to be honorable people.  Righteousness or morality should matter.

Proverbs 29:1 says, He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.  People who will not be corrected, or listen to God's word, will one day suddenly find themselves without remedy, or a way to attain forgiveness.  Verse two says, When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.  Though this should be true, I am not sure that it always is.  Sometimes it seems that as long as those in power do what at least a large number of people want, then it doesn't matter if the leaders are righteous or not.  Of course, it could mean that when the leaders are righteous, then the righteous rejoice.  Verse three says, Whoso loveth wisdom rejoiceth his father: but he that keepeth company with harlots spendeth his substance.  This is just another call for us to live by the wisdom of God if we are to bring joy to our earthly parents, if they themselves live by God's wisdom.  Verse four declares, The king by judgment establisheth the land: but he that receiveth gifts overthroweth it.  This is a warning that just as honest rulers establish a country, dishonest rulers, those who take gifts or bribes to enrich themselves, can lead to the downfall of a country.  Verse five states, A man that flattereth his neighbour spreadeth a net for his feet.  People who will say anything flattering to win the approval of their neighbor will ultimately prove to be a trap for them.  Those who use false praise to win our approval are only interested in what is best for them.  Verse six declares, In the transgression of an evil man there is a snare: but the righteous doth sing and rejoice.  Sin has its own trap, but if we follow the will of God we can rejoice in His presence.  If we follow the leadership of the Holy Spirit, we will never fall into sin's traps.  Verse seven says, The righteous considereth the cause of the poor: but the wicked regardeth not to know it.  Once more, we have a call to be concerned about the poor, if we are righteous, or followers of Christ.  Those who do not follow the leadership of God, usually have no concern for the poor.  Verse eight states, Scornful men bring a city into a snare: but wise men turn away wrath.  When those in power scorn God, they will ultimately lead a city, or country, into ruin.  If it doesn't happen before, it will happen at God's judgment day which is to come.  Verse nine says, If a wise man contendeth with a foolish man, whether he rage or laugh, there is no rest.  There is no way to reason with a fool, someone who denies God, and find rest, or peace.  Verse ten declares, The bloodthirsty hate the upright: but the just seek his soul.  Those who do not believe in God tend to hate, or at least dislike, those who do.  Those who are just, or are followers of Christ, will want to lead people to His salvation and thereby save their souls.  Verse eleven states, A fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards.  Those who are foolish, or not guided by God's judgment, will say anything that comes to their mind no matter what.  Those guided by God, or the wise, will allow the Holy Spirit to direct their speech and will not utter foolish and hurtful things.  Verse twelve says, If a ruler hearken to lies, all his servants are wicked.  Those who rule by listening to lies will have servants, or those that they rule over, who are wicked.  Those who are ruled over will tend to take on the characteristics of those who rule them, especially if neither is following the leadership of God.  Verse thirteen declares, The poor and the deceitful man meet together: the LORD lighteneth both their eyes.  There will always be those who are poor and those who are rich through deceitfulness, and they will encounter each other in life.  Just being poor does not mean a person is following God's will, nor does being rich mean that a person is not.  God calls all, rich or poor, to come to Him out of love for them.  Verse fourteen states, The king that faithfully judgeth the poor, his throne shall be established for ever.  Once again, the king, or ruler, who treats the poor with compassion and care will have his or her throne established forever.  I don't believe this means forever in this world.  Treating the poor with respect is a characteristic of those who follow God, and if those in power follow God, they will live forever in His kingdom.

Proverbs 28:15 says, As a roaring lion, and a ranging bear; so is a wicked ruler over the poor people.  A wicked ruler is just as dangerous to those that they rule over as a roaring lion or a ranging bear.  Verse sixteen states, The prince that wanteth understanding is also a great oppressor: but he that hateth covetousness shall prolong his days.  Wanteth means lacking understanding.  Rulers who lack understanding will allow their coveteousness to influence their decisions.  They will do what is best for them and not what is best for those that they rule over.  Verse seventeen declares, A man that doeth violence to the blood of any person shall flee to the pit; let no man stay him.  This is a warning against murdering someone.  A murderer should pay for murdering someone, and we are not to help someone who commits murder get away with it.  Verse eighteen proclaims, Whoso walketh uprightly shall be saved: but he that is perverse in his ways shall fall at once.  We could interpret this to mean that we can be saved by our own goodness, or walking uprightly, but I believe that it means walking under the leadership of the Holy Spirit.  If we do not accept Christ and follow God's guidance, we will certainly fall when judgment comes.  Verse nineteen says, He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread: but he that followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough.  We are to do honest work if we are to have enough bread to eat.  Following after the get rich schemes of others will only lead to our poverty.  Verse twenty states,  A faithful man shall abound with blessings: but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent.  I believe that this is simply another way of saying that we should be honest in our dealings with others.  If we are, we will abound in the blessings of God.  Verse twenty-one declares,  To have respect of persons is not good: for for a piece of bread that man will transgress.  We are to treat all people with fairness, no matter who they may be.  Our judgment or treatment of others should never be able to be bought.  Verse twenty-two states, He that hasteth to be rich hath an evil eye, and considereth not that poverty shall come upon him.  This is another warning against get rich quick schemes, no matter how appealing they may seem.  Some people will seemingly do anything to get rich, and those riches will always be but temporary.  Verse twenty-three says, He that rebuketh a man afterwards shall find more favour than he that flattereth with the tongue.  It is better for us to rebuke someone who is guilty of sin than it is for us to flatter them.   Even if people are rich and powerful that does not mean that we are to always to speak of them with admiration.  Of course, this applies to all people, no matter their status in life, but we tend to flatter the rich more than the poor.  Verse twenty-four warns, Whoso robbeth his father or his mother, and saith, It is no transgression; the same is the companion of a destroyer.  We cannot just take what belongs to our parents without their permission and claim that it is okay.  We hear too often about people stealing from or even abusing their parents, and this is never acceptable.  Verse twenty-five declares, He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife: but he that putteth his trust in the LORD shall be made fat.  Self-pride leads people to stir up strife, or create problems for those around them.  Those filled with self pride care only about what is best for them.  When we put our faith in God, we will be made fat spiritually, even if we are poor in the eyes of the world.  Verse twenty-six proclaims, He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.  If we are to walk with wisdom, we must follow God's leadership at all times.  If we attempt to rely on our own heart, or understanding, we will never prosper spiritually.  Verse twenty-seven says, He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack: but he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse.  Once more, we as followers of Christ are called on to help the poor.  We are never to just overlook them and pretend they don't exist.  Verse twenty-eight states, When the wicked rise, men hide themselves: but when they perish, the righteous increase.  If wicked people are in power, those who follow God may be in danger.  In some parts of the world today, it is dangerous to openly declare oneself to be a Christian.  If these people fall out of power, then it is easier for those who follow God to prosper.  I cannot say when it is right for a Christian to hide their faith, but I am certain that God will let us know.

Proverbs 28:1 says, The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.  The wicked have a guilty conscience, making them think that someone is always after them.  Verse two states, For the transgression of a land many are the princes thereof: but by a man of understanding and knowledge the state thereof shall be prolonged.  The world is full of leaders who deny God, and the world suffers for it.  We, as followers of Christ, should be people of knowledge and understanding and stand up against the evil in the world.  Verse three declares, A poor man that oppresseth the poor is like a sweeping rain which leaveth no food.  Poor people too often look down on other poor people.  Even if we are poor materially, as followers of Christ we are rich in His blessings and are called on to share with others as much as we can.  Verse four says, They that forsake the law praise the wicked: but such as keep the law contend with them.  People who break the law tend to praise others who do so as well.  If we keep the law, especially God's law, we will always stand against evil, even if that evil is done under the pretence of following God's will.  Verse five states, Evil men understand not judgment: but they that seek the LORD understand all things.  As followers of Christ, we must understand that this judgment of God is coming, if not in this world, then in the everlasting world to come.  Evil people, those who deny God, also deny that judgment will one day come.  The only way that we can stand redeemed before God is by accepting Jesus as our Savior and Lord.  Verse six proclaims, Better is the poor that walketh in his uprightness, than he that is perverse in his ways, though he be rich.  We are better of poor and under the Lordship of Christ than we are rich in material things without a right relationship with God.  Our relationship with God is all that is everlasting.  Verse seven says, Whoso keepeth the law is a wise son: but he that is a companion of riotous men shameth his father.  We can apply this to our earthly fathers, but it is especially true of our heavenly Father.  Obeying the law should always make our earthly father proud, but it will definitely make our heavenly Father proud of us.  Verse eight states, He that by usury and unjust gain increaseth his substance, he shall gather it for him that will pity the poor.  Matthew Henry says this means that those things gained by dishonest means will not last, and that at some point they may be used to help the poor.  This would mean someone who follows God's will who inherits things that have been attained through dishonest means should use those things to help the poor.  Verse nine declares, He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.  We cannot ignore the law, especially God's law, and then expect Him to hear our prayers.  If we expect God to hear our prayers, we must come to Him in honesty and humility.  Verse ten states, Whoso causeth the righteous to go astray in an evil way, he shall fall himself into his own pit: but the upright shall have good things in possession.  This is a warning against leading the righteous, those who follow God, astray.  If someone does this, that person is setting up their own fall.  Verse eleven says, The rich man is wise in his own conceit; but the poor that hath understanding searcheth him out.  Some people equate riches with being wise, but even the poor should realize that true wisdom comes only from God.  Verse twelve states, When righteous men do rejoice, there is great glory: but when the wicked rise, a man is hidden.   When the righteous, those who follow God, rule, a nation prospers for all the people.  This doesn't mean that the nation is rich materially necessarily, but that that there is peace and security in the land.  When the wicked rule, the righteous man is hidden.  Verse thirteen declares, He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.  Even as followers of Christ, if we sin, we must still confess our sins to God.  We cannot just claim that they don't matter because we are already forgiven through the sacrifice of Christ.  Verse fourteen adds, Happy is the man that feareth alway: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief.  Once more, this fear means having an awesome respect for God.  It is not to be a sometime thing, but a continual one.

Proverbs 27:15 says, A continual dropping in a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike.  Just as the dripping of rain can become annoying, so can a woman who is contentious, or disagreeable.  Of course, the same can be said of a man who is contentious.  Verse sixteen adds, Whosoever hideth her hideth the wind, and the ointment of his right hand, which bewrayeth itself.  A person would be wise to hide a contentious spouse, but it is as impossible to do as hiding the wind would be.  Contentious people will make themselves known, whether anyone attempts to keep them from doing so or not.  Verse seventeen states, Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.  If used the right way, iron can sharpen iron.  If our friendship is true, it can help sharpen the well being of that friend.  We will always want what is best for them.  Verse eighteen declares, Whoso keepeth the fig tree shall eat the fruit thereof: so he that waiteth on his master shall be honoured.  I believe this is a call for us to be diligent in our work and our relationship to others, especially those in power over us.  We are to bring glory to God by our actions and attitude.  Verse nineteen declares, As in water face answereth to face, so the heart of man to man.  When we look into water and see our reflection, it can only be a reflection of what we look like.  When we deal with others, it will likewise be a reflection of what is in our heart, or innermost being.  Verse twenty says, Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.  Just as there is not just a certain number of people who can be saved, there is not a set number of people who cannot be saved.  When our lusts and desires cannot be satisfied by what God has blessed us with, then we may be on our way to adding to the number of people in hell.  Verse twenty-one states, As the fining pot for silver, and the furnace for gold; so is a man to his praise.  Just as refining brings out silver and gold, so does praise bring out the true character of a person.  We can either accept the praise with humility giving the honor to God, or we can allow it to make us vain.  As followers of Christ, we should always live so that He is glorified and not us.  Verse twenty-two says, Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar among wheat with a pestle, yet will not his foolishness depart from him.  This tells us that even if he were ground down to nothing, the fool will not accept the truth of God.  We cannot beat the devil out of someone who will not accept the gospel of Christ.  Verse twenty-three declares Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds.  We may not have flocks or herds, but we do have jobs and a calling from God.  We are to be diligent in doing what we are called and employed to do.  Verse twenty-four states, For riches are not for ever: and doth the crown endure to every generation?  When we die or Christ returns, we will leave everything behind.  Even before then, we may lose all that we own, because riches really are only temporary.  Ruling families do not rule forever.  We can look at the Russian czars for example to see this.  Verse twenty-five says, The hay appeareth, and the tender grass sheweth itself, and herbs of the mountains are gathered.  I believe this means that the earth will produce the food that we need in its season.  Verse twenty-six continues, The lambs are for thy clothing, and the goats are the price of the field.  Not only does God provide a way for us to eat, but He provides a way to clothe us as well.  Verse twenty-seven concludes, And thou shalt have goats’ milk enough for thy food, for the food of thy household, and for the maintenance for thy maidens.  God will meet our needs, and the needs of those who rely on us, if we will only be obedient to Him.  God expects us to faithfully do what He calls us to do, and then He will provide for all our needs.

Proverbs 27:1 says, Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.  We cannot live for tomorrow.  We may have great plans, but we cannot even be certain that we will be alive tomorrow.  Verse two states, Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.  Some people love to tell everyone how great they are, but we are advised to not do this.  Bragging on one's self is never a characteristic that followers of Christ should have.  Verse three declares, A stone is heavy, and the sand weighty; but a fool’s wrath is heavier than them both.  We can easily see that carrying around sand or a stone would weigh us down.  Just as easily, we should understand that the wrath of a fool will do the same.  When a fool feels threatened, he or she will lash out at those whom he or she feels threatened by.  Verse four says, Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy?  When people are envious of others, that is when they are the most dangerous.  When driven by envy, people will never be concerned about what is best for the one they are envious of.  Verse five proclaims, Open rebuke is better than secret love.  Matthew Henry says this means that it is better if our friends rebuke our sins publicly than it is for them to remain silent about them out of love.  We should expect our friends to point out our sins out of love and not to just ignore them.  Verse six says, Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.  I believe that this means that when a friend wounds us by pointing out our faults that we know they do so out of love, but enemies will often flatter us even as they seek to harm us.  We should be truthful in our relationships with others, always looking for what is best for them.  Verse seven states, The full soul loatheth an honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.  I believe this means that someone who has plenty to eat doesn't find even good food particularly appealing, while a hungry person finds almost anything edible to be good.  Verse eight declares, As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so is a man that wandereth from his place.  I don't believe that this means that we are never to leave where we currently live, but that we are to have a safe place to reside.  Matthew Henry says that it means that we are to be satisfied with where God calls us to be.  Paul travelled continually when he was free to do so, but he did so at God's direction.  Verse nine states, Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man’s friend by hearty counsel.  We should value the wise counsel of a friend as much as we do someone who smells nice, which I believe means that we should look beyond just  what is physically appealing and look to what is spiritually good for us.  Verse ten says, Thine own friend, and thy father’s friend, forsake not; neither go into thy brother’s house in the day of thy calamity: for better is a neighbour that is near than a brother far off.  We should be able to rely on our friends who are close to us in times of need or trouble, and they should be able to rely on us as well.  Sometimes, relying on family, especially if we aren't close to them, can create more problems than relying on a friend does, though this should not be true.  Verse eleven declares, My son, be wise, and make my heart glad, that I may answer him that reproacheth me.  We are to be wise, or acknowledge God, the source of all true wisdom.  If we are, then our parents can be glad in their hearts, if they believe in God.  Verse twelve states, A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished.  We should be prudent, or wise, enough to see evil where it exists and avoid it.  I believe that if we are living under the leadership of the Holy Spirit, then we will always be able to see evil wherever it exists.  Verse thirteen proclaims,  Take his garment that is surety for a stranger,  and take a pledge of him for a strange woman.  This is a warning against being reckless in lending to others without security for the loan.  I don't believe this means that we shouldn't help a person in need, but that we shouldn't lend them money for every scheme they have.  Verse fourteen says, He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be counted a curse to him.  I believe that this means that a person is not to loudly and continually praise someone who has helped him or her.  We should thank them, but we should not continually praise them, especially if we are doing so only in the hope of getting them to do so again.

Proverbs 26:15 says, The slothful hideth his hand in his bosom; it grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth.  The slothful, or lazy man, hates to have to even raise his hand to feed himself.  God expects His people to be at work sharing His love in the world.  Verse sixteen states, The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason.  This sluggard will not listen to the wisdom of seven, or a group, of men, because he believes that he is smarter than they are.  Some people simply refuse to listen to reason, or the truth of God.  We cannot afford to be slothful in our relationship to God.  Verse seventeen declares, He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears.  If we meddle in affairs that don't really concern us, we may be hurt.  This doesn't mean that we are to totally withdraw from the world, but that at times we are better off to let others settle their disputes.  Verse eighteen says, As a mad man who casteth firebrands, arrows, and death   Verse nineteen continues, So is the man that deceiveth his neighbour, and saith, Am not I in sport?  These two verses tell us that a person who deceives his neighbor, and then brags about it, is just as dangerous as a mad man throwing firebrands or shooting arrows at someone.  Verse twenty states, Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.  Just as a fire without wood goes out, so does strife caused by tale bearing or gossip if it is not repeated.  As followers of Christ, we should never add fuel to the fire of discord by gossiping.  Verse twenty-one adds, As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife.  Those who don't want to agree with anybody just add fuel to the fire of contention.  They love controversy.  Verse twenty-two says, The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.  This is a continuation of the warning about the problems caused by the tale bearer.  They cause deep wounds for those they are speaking against.  Verse twenty-three states, Burning lips and a wicked heart are like a potsherd covered with silver dross.  Burning lips, or those that cannot wait to tell tales,  when driven by a wicked heart, are just as deceptive as a clay jar covered with the dross of silver.  Though such a vessel may look good on the outside, it is really not worth very much.  Verse twenty-four says, He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him;  Then verse twenty-five continues, When he speaketh fair, believe him not: for there are seven abominations in his heart.  We should never put much faith in what a person who continually puts others down says.  Even if the do speak fair words, we cannot trust what they say because their hearts are not right with God.  Verse twenty-six adds, Whose hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedness shall be shewed before the whole congregation.  Though a people may attempt to hide their evil hearts, when confronted with the truth, their true nature will be revealed.  As followers of Christ, we should never be guilty of speaking badly about another person just because we don't agree with that person.  Verse twenty-seven states, Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein: and he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him.  When we attempt to trap others, we set ourselves up to fall into our own trap.  Verse twenty-eight declares, A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin.  Those who tell lies about others hate the ones they lie about.  When we love others as God commands us to do, we will not tell, nor even repeat, lies about them.  We will always seek what is best for others.

Proverbs 26:1 says, As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honour is not seemly for a fool.  Snow in the summer is rare and rain can ruin a harvest, and honoring a fool, or a person who denies God, should be viewed the same way.  Verse two states, As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come.  Matthew Henry says this refers to giving into passion and cursing someone without reason.  Not that we should ever curse anyone, but doing so simply because someone has done something we do like is especially bad.  Verse three says, A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the fool’s back.  Just as a horse or an ass is hard to control, so is the fool.  The fool will not be controlled easily.  Verse four declares, Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.  When a fool is speaking foolishly, we must be careful that we don't just answer with our opinion.  We must rely on God's guidance, even in whether we answer or not.  Verse five states, Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.  I believe that this means we are to point out the folly of what those who deny God say.  Again, this does not mean that we are simply to argue with them, but are to speak under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  Verse six says, He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool cutteth off the feet, and drinketh damage.  I believe this basically means that a fool cannot be trusted to carry a message truthfully or faithfully.  Verse seven declares, The legs of the lame are not equal: so is a parable in the mouth of fools.  It is obvious when someone is lame, and likewise should be obvious that we should not expect a fool to understand or declare the message of God.  Verse eight says, As he that bindeth a stone in a sling, so is he that giveth honour to a fool.  Just as a stone in a sling can be dangerous, so can giving honor to someone who denies God, or is a fool.  Verse nine says, As a thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, so is a parable in the mouth of fools.  Just as those who are drunk can injure themselves easily, so can God's word be damaged when used by the fool.  Those who deny God often attempt to ridicule His word to justify themselves.  Verse ten declares, The great God that formed all things both rewardeth the fool, and rewardeth transgressors.  This is not a reward that we want.  One day, God Who knows all will reward fools and transgressors, or sinners, with everlasting punishment.  Verse eleven says, As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly.  This is a very disgusting habit of dogs, and just as disgusting to God are the actions of the fool.  Yet, for the dog it seems normal, and so do the actions of a fool to him or her self.  Verse twelve proclaims, Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him.  This is a warning about believing that we are better than others.  Those who are full of egotism instead of acknowledging that God is the source of all wisdom and knowledge are worse than the fool.  Verse thirteen states, The slothful man saith, There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets.  Instead of taking action to deal with the problem if there were a lion in the street, the lazy man simply says there is a lion, or problem, instead of dealing with it.  Verse fourteen declares, As the door turneth upon his hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed.  I believe that this means that just as a door swings back and forth without really going anywhere, so does a slothful man lay in his bed without accomplishing anything.

Proverbs 25:16 says, Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it.  Just because we find honey, or any other good food, doesn't mean that we are to over indulge in it.  As followers of Christ, we should always act in moderation in all things material, though I don't believe we can ever over indulge in the spiritual aspects of life.  Verse seventeen says, Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbour’s house; lest he be weary of thee, and so hate thee.  I believe this would be another way of saying that we shouldn't overstay our welcome.  We should never become a nuisance to our neighbors.  Verse eighteen declares, A man that beareth false witness against his neighbour is a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow.  Bearing false witness against a neighbor, or anyone for that matter, is just as deadly as using some weapon against them, and as followers of Christ we are to never be guilty of this.  In this day of lies and false information being shared by social media, we must make sure that what we share is true.  Verse nineteen states, Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint.  We need to be careful who we put our faith in.  If we put our faith in the wrong person, and then trouble comes, we will find ourselves without help.  Verse twenty says, As he that taketh away a garment in cold weather, and as vinegar upon nitre, so is he that singeth songs to an heavy heart.  Matthew Henry says this refers to attempting to simply bring joy to a person who is grieving instead of emphasizing with them.  Verse twenty-one proclaims, If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:  We are not to desire for our enemies to go hungry and thirsty.  Once again, this goes against what the world teaches today, which is that we should want our enemies to suffer as much as possible.  God holds His people to a higher standard, which calls for us to love our enemies.  Verse twenty-two adds, For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD shall reward thee.  Being kind to our enemies will be as coals heaped on their heads from their point of view, but will be reward by God.  Verse twenty-three states, The north wind driveth away rain: so doth an angry countenance a backbiting tongue.  Matthew Henry says this means that we are to show our displeasure at those who back bite, or speak ill of others.  By doing so, we may stop them from continuing to do so.  Verse twenty-four says, It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman and in a wide house.  This idea of being better off alone than with a brawling spouse has been stated earlier.  Verse twenty-five declares, As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.  As an Ann Murray song stated, we sure could use a little good news today.  We as followers of Christ have the good news of the gospel to share with others, but we often share the bad things of the world more quickly.  Verse twenty-six says, A righteous man falling down before the wicked is as a troubled fountain, and a corrupt spring.  Matthew Henry says that this can mean that it is wrong for the righteous to fall into sin before the wicked.  It can also mean that it is wrong for the righteous to be abused by the wicked, and even more so for the righteous to fall in fear before the wicked.  We must stand firm in our faith.  Verse twenty-seven states,  It is not good to eat much honey: so for men to search their own glory is not glory.   Just like honey, which is good and good for us, should never be eaten in too great of a quantity or it will make us sick, so it is with self glory.  True glory brings honor to God and not to an individual.  Verse twenty-eight proclaims, He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.  If we cannot control our spirit, or our relationship with God, we are without any defence when we face the evil in the world. We must submit ourselves spiritually to God to have His everlasting protection.

Proverbs 25:1 says, These are also proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out.  This is simply an acknowledgement that Solomon is the author of this proverb, though the ultimate author is God.  Just as the men of Hezekiah copied it, Solomon simply shared what God had revealed to him.  Verse two states, It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter.  Matthew Henry says this means that all the ways of God are unknowable to man.  God reveals Himself most completely through Christ, I believe.  We do not need to know everything about God to be redeemed,  We need to simply accept that Christ died for our sins.  Still, from the rulers on down to every person, we are wise to search to know more about God.  Verse three adds, The heaven for height, and the earth for depth, and the heart of kings is unsearchable.  We cannot know everything about the thoughts of a king, so how much less can we know the thoughts of God.  We cannot measure God's creation, no matter how intelligent we may think we are.  Verse four proclaims, Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer.  I believe this is referring to more than just refining silver.  In order for people to shine with the righteousness of God, they must be refined by removing the dross, or sin, from their lives.  Verse five says, Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness.  Just as a king must never rely on the wicked for advice if he is to establish a righteous kingdom, neither shall God rely on evil people to establish His kingdom.  If we are to be a part of God's righteous kingdom, we must come to Him through Christ, Who will purify us.  Verse six states, Put not forth thyself in the presence of the king, and stand not in the place of great men:  I believe this tells us that we are not to attempt to be more important to those in power than we really are.  Verse seven continues, For better it is that it be said unto thee, Come up hither; than that thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the prince whom thine eyes have seen.  It is better that someone in power calls on us for our advice or help than it is for us to be sent away because we attempted to force our opinion on them.  This is especially true of our relationship with God.  If we attempt to make our opinion or presence necessary for God's plan to be carried out, we will be put down by God.  Just as we cannot assume to be essential to a ruler for advice, we certainly cannot assume to be essential to God.  Verse eight declares, Go not forth hastily to strive, lest thou know not what to do in the end thereof, when thy neighbour hath put thee to shame.  We should not strive, or disagree, with someone without taking the time to consider what the outcome might be.  If we do, we may be sent away in shame.  Verse nine advises, Debate thy cause with thy neighbour himself; and discover not a secret to another:  If we have a problem with our neighbor, we are to go to him or her to settle the problem.  We are not to go to someone else complaining about our neighbor.  Verse ten adds, Lest he that heareth it put thee to shame, and thine infamy turn not away.  If we do go to someone else complaining, and our neighbor hears about it, we may be put to shame.  As followers of Christ, we should never just speak badly about a person we have problems with, but should attempt to speak to that person alone.  Verse eleven says, A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.  I believe that this simply means that words spoken out of concern for others under God's guidance is a precious thing.  Verse twelve adds, As an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear.  The words of a wise reprover, one who shares God's word, should be more beautiful to those who will listen than golden earrings are.  Verse thirteen states, As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to them that send him: for he refresheth the soul of his masters.  I am not sure what the snow would do to a harvest, but it would refresh a person if it fell.  Likewise, a faithful messenger refreshes the soul of his or her master.  I believe that when we are faithful messengers for God, He is refreshed, or well pleased.  Verse fourteen declares, Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift is like clouds and wind without rain.  Those who boast about giving a gift that they have not given are like clouds that promise rain but only deliver wind.  They are harmful instead of beneficial.  Verse fifteen says, By long forbearing is a prince persuaded, and a soft tongue breaketh the bone.  We are to be patient in our dealing with those in power and speak softly in our requests.  We have become too much of a nation filled with those who scream and yell, as opposed to those who reason together.  I believe God expects His people to treat others with respect.

Proverbs 24:17 says,Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth:  This is so much the opposite of what the world teaches and practices today that we as followers of Christ often refuse to accept it.  Verse eighteen adds, Lest the LORD see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.  We must follow God's directives about our enemies, which tells us to love them.  I believe that even if we must go to war with an enemy that we should not do so out of hatred.  Verse nineteen states, Fret not thyself because of evil men, neither be thou envious at the wicked;  We are not to worry about evil people, but even more importantly we are not to envy them.  We have become too much a nation where wealth and power are worshipped, no matter how they were attained.  Verse twenty says  For there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out.  This is not referring to earthly rewards, but to the rewards of God.  Evil people, those who oppose or refuse to accept Christ as Savior and Lord, will never inherit life in the kingdom of God.  Verse twenty-one declares, My son, fear thou the LORD and the king: and meddle not with them that are given to change:  Once more, if we are living under the leadership of the Holy Spirit, we will obey God and not be afraid of those in power.  Earthly powers can do nothing to take away our everlasting salvation with God.  Verse twenty-two says, For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin of them both?  Earthly rulers often arise quickly, but the question is how long will they last.  Verse twenty-three proclaims, These things also belong to the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.  We are once again called on to act with the wisdom of God, and when we do we will not be influenced by who a person is.  We are to look at all people equally, whether they be rich or poor, powerful or powerless.  Verse twenty-four adds, He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous; him shall the people curse, nations shall abhor him:  We are called on to never declare the wicked to be righteous, no matter how rich or powerful they may be.  Verse twenty-five adds, But to them that rebuke him shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them.  God expects those who follow Him to rebuke, or speak out against, evil.  We cannot just ignore those things that go against God's teachings simply because a person is successful.  Verse twenty-six states, Every man shall kiss his lips that giveth a right answer.  Matthew Henry says this means that those who judge with fairness will be respected.  Verse twenty-seven says, Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thine house. This is another call for us to work when we have work to do.  As we work, we will be able to build our house, which I believe means provide security for our family and us.  Verse twenty-eight declares, Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause; and deceive not with thy lips.  If we must testify against our neighbor, then our testimony must be truthful and accurate.  We are never to testify dishonestly, whether we like our neighbor or not.  Verse twenty-nine adds, Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me: I will render to the man according to his work.  This is the attitude that we will do unto others as they have done unto us.  We cannot treat others badly simply because the have treated us that way.  Verse thirty says,  I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;  Then verse thirty-one continues, And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down.  When we live in laziness, the fact will be evident in the condition of the things we own.  Verse thirty-two adds, Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction.  Solomon said that he saw the condition of the property of those who were lazy, or slothful, and considered and learned from it.  Verse thirty-three states, Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep. Then verse thirty-four concludes, So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man.  The lesson is that when a person lives in laziness, poverty is the likely outcome.  We must be busy doing what God calls us to do and not put everything off until later.  We should never just wring our hands in despair, but should be busy doing God's work now.

Proverbs 24:1 says, Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them.  Evil people, or those who have no concern for others or God, may be rich and powerful, but we are not to be envious of them.  We are not even supposed to desire to be around them.  Verse two tells us why stating, For their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.  This is not their own destruction, but the destruction of others for their own benefit.  Verse three declares, Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established:  We should build our house based on the knowledge and understanding of God.  I believe this means more than just the building we live in, but our family that lives there as well.  Verse four adds, And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.   When we build our lives on the knowledge of God, our houses will be filled with true riches.  I don't believe that this means earthly riches, but the riches of God, which will last forever.  Verse five states, A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength.  I believe this refers to being morally strong more than being physically strong.  Though living with wisdom, or under God's leadership, may help us be strong physicality by avoiding things that are harmful and doing things that are good, I know that we will be morally strong by following God's instructions.  Verse six says, For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellers there is safety.  If we are going to war, it should be after we have consulted with wise counselors, which I believe would be those who follow God.  We should never go to war simply to prove our own might.  Verse seven proclaims, Wisdom is too high for a fool: he openeth not his mouth in the gate.  We need to remember that a fool is described as one who has said in his heart that there is no God.  Wisdom, which comes from God, is indeed to high for such a person to understand.  Verse eight says, He that deviseth to do evil shall be called a mischievous person.  This is simply a statement of fact.  Of course mischief means more than harmless fun as we often view it.  It means being up to no good in God's eyes.  Verse nine states, The thought of foolishness is sin: and the scorner is an abomination to men.  We are held accountable before God, not just for our actions, but for our thoughts as well.  When our thoughts are of foolishness, or things not directed by God, our actions will be an abomination to God.  They may be great in the view of the world, but will still be an abomination to God.  Verse ten declares, If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.  If we follow God, we can be certain that days of adversity are coming.  The question is whether our faith will be strong enough to stand in the days of adversity.  Verse eleven asks, If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain;  Then verse twelve continues, If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his works?  I believe that this means that we cannot just ignore the evil in the world and claim we know nothing about it.  God knows even our thoughts, and we cannot hide our knowledge of evil things going on in the world from Him.  As followers of Christ, we are expected to stand against evil and not to hide from it.  Verse thirteen states, My son, eat thou honey, because it is good; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste:  I believe this is a call to live our lives in a way that brings a sweetness to God.  Verse fourteen proclaims, So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul: when thou hast found it, then there shall be a reward, and thy expectation shall not be cut off.  This is a promise that when we live by the wisdom and guidance of God that we will be rewarded, not materially but spiritually.  Verse fifteen declares, Lay not wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous; spoil not his resting place: Then verse sixteen concludes,  For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.  I believe these two verses simply state that ultimately the wicked are going to fall from their wickedness and not be able to get up again.  The just, those who follow God, may fall many times, but God will always lift them up again.

Proverbs 23:19 says, Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way.  Though spoken by Solomon, we can see that this would also apply to hearing God.  For children to be wise, then they should listen to their parents, who should be listening to God's guidance.  Wisdom comes not with age, but with following God's guidance.  Verse twenty states, Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh:  Then verse twenty-one continues, For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.  We could interpret this to mean that we aren't to drink wine at all, but if we do, then we also have to interpret this as saying we should not eat meat.  I believe verse twenty-one shows this refers to over indulgence, and not simply to drinking and eating.  Verse twenty-two declares, Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old.  We are to listen to and honor our parents, not just when we are young, but all our life.  We cannot despise our parents when they get old and need help, but we are still to honor them.  Verse twenty-three states, Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.  I believe that this means that we are to value God's truth, instruction, and understanding above the things of this world.  We should never sell out the truth of God for any reason.  Verse twenty-four declares, The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him.  Fathers and mothers should rejoice when their children live righteous lives.  I don't believe that having a wise child refers to intellectual ability, but to following God, Who is the only source of wisdom.  Verse twenty-five adds, Thy father and thy mother shall be glad, and she that bare thee shall rejoice.  This is a continuation of the call for children to live under the authority of God.  When they do, then parents, if they likewise live under God's authority, will rejoice.  Verse twenty-six proclaims, My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.  Though this could apply to earthly parents, I believe it applies to our heavenly Father.  We are to give God our heart and follow His ways.  Verse twenty-seven warns, For a whore is a deep ditch; and a strange woman is a narrow pit.  We are not to be tempted by those who would lead us away from God's teachings about sex and marriage.  Verse twenty-eight adds, She also lieth in wait as for a prey, and increaseth the transgressors among men.  Though spoken about women tempting men, this applies equally to both men and women.  It seems that many advertisements today use a sexual element to sell nearly everything.  Temptation will always be there in life.  Verse twenty-nine asks, Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?  Then verse thirty answers, They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.  Though we may all have these problems in life, they are increased by drinking too much.  We should never over indulge in alcoholic drinks if we don't want our problems to multiply.  Verse thirty-one adds, Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.  I believe that this is a warning against attempting to use wine, or any alcoholic drink, to solve our problems.  It may look good, but over indulgence brings problems.  This is stated in verse thirty-two, which says, At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.  Turning to wine or alcohol to solve problems is just as deadly as a serpent, or snake.  In too great a quantity, it robs us of our ability to act with wisdom.  Verse thirty-three states, Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things.  Again we have a warning about being tempted by sexual desires.  Unless we give in to perverse thoughts, we will never act on this temptation, or any other for that matter.  Verse thirty-four states, Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast.  We will be as one who is drowning when we begin to give in to temptation.  Verse thirty-five declares, They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.  I believe this applies to being drunk.  Even when bad things happen to us when we are drunk, we often do not really remember them and only want to drink again.  We must never be ruled by the things of this world.

Proverbs 23:1 says, When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before thee:  If we find ourselves eating with a ruler, we are to think about how much we are eating and not just give in to gluttony when given a chance to eat anything we desire.  Matthew Henry applies this to the Lord's Supper especially, which at one time was evidently more of a feast than what observe today.  Verse two adds, And put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite.  Not controlling our appetites and desires is so bad that we would be better off putting a knife to our throat than giving in to them.  God expects us to be guided by the Holy Spirit in all that we do, and when we are, we will live in moderation in all things.  Verse three states, Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful meat.  This is still referring to eating, and the warning is that not everything that looks good is actually healthy.  The same can be said of anything that tempts us.  Just because something looks appealing doesn't mean that it is good for us.  Verse four says, Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom.   We may think this is the opposite of what we are taught.  We work to become more wealthy in today's society, but the warning I believe is that we should work to bring honor to God and to help others first.  We are not to live by our own understanding, but by the understanding of God.  Verse five asks, Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.  We are asked if we will live chasing the riches of the world, which are but temporary at best.  We should live for the glory of and under the guidance of God.  Verse six declares, Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats:  This is a warning about associating too much with those who gain their riches through evil methods.  We are not to desire to be like them, even if they are rich in the eyes of the world.  Verse seven adds, For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.  Even as an evil person invites us to eat with them, they really have no concern for us.  Verse eight adds, The morsel which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up, and lose thy sweet words.  Eating things that are gained through evil actions should make us sick, as should sweet words that are said with no real meaning.  Verse nine states, Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy words.  The fool, the person who rejects God, will despise us when we speak the truth of God.  Verse ten declares, Remove not the old landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless:  This is another warning about attempting to cheat others, especially those who are really less fortunate.  We are not to change the old landmarks to claim more than we are entitled to, and we are especially not to take advantage of those who are fatherless.  Verse eleven adds, For their redeemer is mighty; he shall plead their cause with thee.   We may think we can get away with abusing the poor and the fatherless, but God is with them as their advocate.  This does not mean that all who are poor and fatherless will be saved, but God will always work to protect them.  God always calls on His own to help the poor.  Verse twelve proclaims, Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge.  Instead of chasing after the riches and wisdom of the world, we are to follow the instructions and leadership of God.  This is the only way to true understanding.  Verse thirteen says, Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die.  This is not politically correct advise, but it is better to discipline a child, even with physical punishment, than to let them do whatevseeer they want.  Verse fourteen adds, Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.  I don't believe either of these two verses means that we are to punish a child by excessive physical punishment, but the we should do all that we can to teach them to live in obedience to the law, especially God's law.  The key is following God's guidance as we discipline our children.  Verse fifteen states, My son, if thine heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine.  We can apply this to an earthly father rejoicing when a child lives by the wisdom of God, but it even more so applies to God rejoicing when His children act with wisdom.  Verse sixteen says, Yea, my reins shall rejoice, when thy lips speak right things.  I believe this means that God will rejoice when we follow His reins, or guidance, and speak His word to the world.  Verse seventeen declares, Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long.  We may look at those who are rich with envy, but we are warned not to envy those who have gotten their riches through evil.  Verse eighteen states, For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off.  There will always be an end to the things gained in these two world.  When we follow God's guidance, our expectations will never fail us.

Proverbs 22:15 says, Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.  We can have a debate about the effectiveness of physical discipline, but I believe that sometimes it is necessary to alter a child's behavior.  I do not mean beating or abusing, but simply spanking.  Children will sometimes push boundaries just to see how far they can push them.  Verse sixteen states, He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he that giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want.  This is another warning against using the poor for our own gain, and also against giving to the rich to gain their favor.  Helping the poor may not benefit us in this world, but it will in God's kingdom.  Verse seventeen says, Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge.  This is a call for us to listen to God's word, which those who are wise will be teaching.  Verse eighteen adds, For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee; they shall withal be fitted in thy lips.  When we keep the words of the wise, those who profess God, it will be a pleasure to us and we will speak words of wisdom.  Verse nineteen continues, That thy trust may be in the LORD, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee.   When we listen to those who proclaim God's word and trust in Him, God will continue to make His will known to us.  God does not abandon us when we are saved, but is with us continually through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.  Verse twenty asks, Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge,  Continuing in verse twenty-one, That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee?  We have God's written word to guide us, and it should be a certainty when we are confronted with any situation.  There is never a need to doubt God's word, but instead if we are to live in wisdom, we must hold firm in it no matter what.  Verse twenty-two declares, Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate:  This is another warning against cheating the poor and needy.  We should take this warning seriously since it occurs so often in the Bible.  Verse twenty-three adds, For the LORD will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them.  God pleads the case of the poor, and will punish those who abuse them.  As followers of Christ, if we are guilty of abusing the poor, which we should never be, I am not sure what our punishment by God will be, but I am certain that we will be held accountable for it.  Verse twenty-four states, Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go:  Some people just seem to be continually angry, and we are not to be their friend and adopt their attitude.  Verse twenty-five tells us why stating, Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.  Listening to someone who is always angry may teach us to be the same way, which can be a snare to our soul, or everlasting relationship with God.  Verse twenty-six says, Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts.  This is just another warning about becoming snarled in someone else's debt.  Verse twenty-seven asks, If thou hast nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee?  I believe this is a warning against taking everything, even the essentials, from someone who has no money to pay a debt.  We are to leave them with the essentials in life, which I believe will leave them with at least some hope and dignity.  Verse twenty-eight declares, Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.  We are not to change landmarks to benefit ourselves.  Verse twenty-nine states, Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.  If we live obeying the law, we do not have to fear those in power, but we still have to be concerned about those who do not follow God and His word.

Proverbs 22:1 says, A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.  Too often, people want riches, even if they must get them by dishonest means.  This verse tells us that a good name is more important than any riches.  God expects His people to be honest in there dealings with others.  Verse two states, The rich and poor meet together: the LORD is the maker of them all.  Rich or poor, we will all meet together at God's judgment.  God is the Creator of all, and we will be judged by our relationship to Christ and not by how rich or poor we may be.  Verse three says, A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.  If we are prudent, or follow God's guidance, then we will see evil and avoid it.  Verse four states, By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life.  The only way we can have true riches and everlasting life is through our acceptance of Christ as our Savior and Lord, and then we will respect God's guidance.  Verse five says, Thorns and snares are in the way of the froward: he that doth keep his soul shall be far from them.  It may seem that the wicked prosper, but spiritually their lives are full of thorns and snares.  Anything gained outside of God's will can never last.  Verse six declares, Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.  The things that we teach our children as they are growing up will never totally depart them.  What we teach must be consistent with how we live for it to really be effective.  I also believe that even though our children may not live as they should, there will always be the knowledge of how they should live that they cannot forget.  Of course, this all relates to living under God's authority and teaching His word and ways to our children.  Verse seven states, The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.  I don't believe that this has ever been more true than it is today.  The rich seem to live by a different set of rules than the poor do, and for the most part seem to have little concern for the poor.  Verse eight says, He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail.  When we sow iniquity,, we will ultimately reap nothing.  We may gain the world, but we will lose our soul's everlasting salvation if we continue to live in iniquity instead of following God's direction.  Verse nine says, He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.  If we want to be blessed by God, then we are called on to help the poor.  This is stated over and over again in the Bible, and it has not changed today.  Verse ten declares, Cast out the scorner, and contention shall go out; yea, strife and reproach shall cease.  I believe that this tells us that we are not to continually argue with those who scorn God, but we are simply to remove ourselves from their presence.  If they are in the church and continually causing problems, then we are to remove them.  I don't believe this means simply disagreeing with someone, but knowing that what they are saying or teaching is inconsistent with God's word.  Verse eleven states, He that loveth pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend.  I believe this means that if we live our lives guided by God that those who are in power can never really find a reason to not be friendly to us.  I know that some rulers will see us as enemies simply because of our faith in Christ, but it should never be because we break the law, unless the law is totally against God's law.  Verse twelve declares, The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge, and he overthroweth the words of the transgressor.  God's law is always going to rule over the law of man.  We may attempt to make what God says wrong, but we never can.  One day, God's law will be proven to prevail forever.  Verse thirteen says, The slothful man saith, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets.  I believe that this is just stating that the slothful, or lazy person will always look for a reason to not be productive.  Even if there is a lion without, the emphasis should be on removing it, not on using it for an excuse to not work.  Verse fourteen states, The mouth of strange women is a deep pit: he that is abhorred of the LORD shall fall therein.  When a man does not follow God's direction in life, he will be tempted by strange woman, or one who is not his wife.

Proverbs 21:16 says, The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead.  Once more, I don't believe that this means that if we wander away from God as followers of Christ that we will lose our salvation.  I do believe that if we wander away from God that we will be living like the lost, following our own understanding instead of God's guidance.  Verse seventeen states, He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.  If we simply live for the pleasures of this world, we are indeed poor spiritually.  No matter how much pleasure we may find in this world, if we are not following God's guidance, then we are truly poor spiritually.  Verse eighteen declares, The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous, and the transgressor for the upright.  This does not mean that someone else will be punished for my sins except for Jesus Christ.  Still, the wicked, those who refuse salvation through Christ, will pay the penalty for their disbelief, while the righteous, those who accept Christ as Savior and Lord, will be redeemed.  Verse nineteen states, It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry woman.  This simply tells us that a man is better off totally alone than he is living with a woman who continually disagrees with him.  Verse twenty says, There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up.  I believe this tells us that a wise person uses what God blesses him or her with prudently, but a foolish person wastes it.  God expects us to place everything under His control or guidance.  Verses twenty-nine proclaims, He that followeth after righteousness and mercy findeth life, righteousness, and honour.  If we accept Christ and follow God's guidance, then we will find everlasting life, righteousness, and honor with God.  We cannot have any of these without accepting Christ as Savior and Lord.  He makes us righteous before the heavenly Father.  Verse twenty-two states, A wise man scaleth the city of the mighty, and casteth down the strength of the confidence thereof.  I believe this means those in power too often feel that power puts them above even God's judgment, but those who are followers of Christ will be victorious when judgment comes.  Therefore, if we are followers of Christ, we can live in confidence, no matter how weak we may be in the eyes of the world.  Verse twenty-three says, Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.  We are to be careful in the things we say.  We should never lash out with angry words, but everything we say should bring glory to God.  Verse twenty-four declares, Proud and haughty scorner is his name, who dealeth in proud wrath.  If a person is full of self-pride and scorns God's word, then that is what they will be known as when God's judgment comes.  Verse twenty-five states, The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labour.  Laziness can kill a person, even if it is a slow death.  To desire to do as little as possible is in itself a form of death I believe.  Verse twenty-six proclaims, He coveteth greedily all the day long: but the righteous giveth and spareth not.  As followers of Christ, we are not to covet even more, but are to share willingly with the less fortunate around us.  Verse twenty-seven asks, The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination: how much more, when he bringeth it with a wicked mind?  All sacrifices made in the name of God are not really made to God.  Some who do not accept God's word make sacrifices designed to bring attention to themselves and not to God.  God knows our purpose and not just our actions.  Verse twenty-eight says, A false witness shall perish: but the man that heareth speaketh constantly.  God expects His followers to be truthful in everything they say.  Ultimately, the false witness, those who do not seek and speak under the leadership of God, will perish.  Verse twenty-nine declares, A wicked man hardeneth his face: but as for the upright, he directeth his way.  The wicked harden themselves against God's word, but those who are upright, or follow God, allow God to direct them through life.  Verse thirty states, There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the LORD.  We can either accept God's word and guidance, or we can follow the lies of the world, which will never stand when God's judgment comes.  Verse thirty-one says, The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD.  We may put our faith in the military might of the country, but true safety only comes from having a right relationship with God.