Life Project Blog

We now move into a new section that runs from 20:20-21:4 that deals with important relationships, the first of which is the relationship between Humanity and God (20:20-25).

²⁰If someone curses their father or mother,
    their lamp will be snuffed out in pitch darkness.

Other verses about cursing and belittling one’s parents: Exodus 21:17; Leviticus 20:9; Matthew 15:4. Other passages on one’s lamp being put out: Proverbs 24:20; Job 1816,6. They always kept a small light burning in their houses at night, for utter darkness was one of the things they feared the most. The “lamp” of one’s life, one‘s household, one’s future lineage, would be cut off if they cursed their parents.

²¹ An inheritance claimed too soon
    will not be blessed at the end.

Sometimes an inheritance immediately places into a person’s hands more money than they have ever had at any one time. They didn’t work for it; they didn’t save it; but now all at once it is there. If the person is wise, it can be a great blessing as they thankfully receive it, as they carefully invest or use it, and as they realize the value of it. But “come easy, go easy” is so often the rule, and a short time of luxurious living while it lasts; can make it a curse as the person finds themself in a standard of living that cannot be sustained. The result is both desperate and hopeless.

²² Do not say, “I’ll pay you back for this wrong!”
    Wait for the Lord, and he will avenge you.

Proverbs 24:29 also forbids one saying he will take vengeance. I Thessalonians 5:15 and I Peter 3:9 also forbid our vengeance-taking and teach us to render good for their evil. Deuteronomy 32:35-36 promises that God will take care of executing vengeance on the wrongdoer, saving us the trouble, keeping us from making mistakes, and being sure the wrongdoer will get just what he should receive. Paul reminds us of this in Romans 12:19-20, promising that by our doing good to them, some of them will be turned from enmity to friendship (v. 21) cf. I Samuel 25:9-34; 26:7-10; 16:5-12

²³ The Lord detests differing weights,
    and dishonest scales do not please him.

Similar to v. 10, God’s great displeasure with crooked dishonest dealings with one’s fellowmen is again expressed

²⁴ A person’s steps are directed by the Lord.
    How then can anyone understand their own way?

That God leads in our lives, see Proverbs 16:9 and Psalm 37:23. Since we cannot successfully direct our own ways (Jer. 10:23), we should ask God to do it for us (Proverbs 3:6; Psalm 37:4-5). At the time we may not see the hand of the Lord at work as we will see it later (consider Genesis 50:20). Paul and Silas must have had this faith, for in answering the Macedonian call of Acts 16:9, they were soon in jail in Macedonia, but we see no complaining in them but praying and singing praises to God (Acts 16:25), and great good came out of their actual imprisonment (Acts 16:26-34).

²⁵ It is a trap to dedicate something rashly
    and only later to consider one’s vows.

We should always think before acting, and when vowing before God this verse shows that one should be sure he is going to carry through before promising. (Ecclesiastes 5:4,5) We should work to get people to make sacred decisions, but we do not want to pressure them into saying something that they will not have the faith, reverence, and determination to carry out.

Proverbs 20:13-19

In this grouping of parables, we see several qualities important in the workplace. Of course, it is important for us to keep in mind that the workplace of Solomon’s time has little or no resemblance to the one we might be used to. Even so, both eras would place a value on things like industry, honesty and integrity, all of which are on display here. As you read through this short list of parables, try to picture its significance at your workplace. I’ll do the first one…

Do not love sleep or you will grow poor;
    stay awake and you will have food to spare.

Proverbs 20:13

It goes without saying that if you have a job to do, you need to show up, yet there are those mornings when it isn’t as easy as it should be to get there on time. So, what do you do? You get there on time anyway. When at work, you always give a minimum of 100% and cause no problems. As I always tell my kids, if you want to be successful at work, you need to be the one they can’t live without. A big thanks to my Dad for impressing that on me: It works!

OK, you’ve got the rest of them, let me know how you do!

Proverbs 20:5-12

⁵The purposes of a person’s heart are deep waters,
    but one who has insight draws them out.

“Purposes” in this verse stands for deep wisdom (like water of a deep well). But “purpose” is no good unless you can get it from its possessor. People with little to offer us are generally free with their advice, but people who really have knowledge tend to be more conservative with giving unsolicited advice. In fact, sometimes it takes just the right person who goes at the right time and approaches the subject in just the right way to get such valuable counsel. This verse shows that where there’s a will, a person of understanding will find the way to get it.

⁶ Many claim to have unfailing love,
    but a faithful person who can find?

The tendency of humanity is to tell those things that are personally commendable and to forget those things that are not As such we tell only a part of the story. A “faithful” person (one who tells it exactly as it is concerning himself) is almost impossible to find, according to the implication of this verse. There is much food for thought here for each of us.

⁷ The righteous lead blameless lives;
    blessed are their children after them.

Everybody is blessed when a man lives right, but especially themself and their family. Since influence and environment are such strong factors in life, those who are the closest to a righteous person are the ones who receive the greatest blessings from their influence. “Integrity” is honesty and uprightness. Other passages showing that one’s offspring is blessed by their righteousness and because of their righteousness: Psa. 37:25,26; 112:2

⁸ When a king sits on his throne to judge,
    he winnows out all evil with his eyes.

Not just any king, for some kings (like Ahab) have been the source and the multiplication of evil. But a good king is one who rules with a righteous scepter, and his government praises the good and punishes the evil (I Pet. 2:13,14; Rom. 13:3)

⁹ Who can say, “I have kept my heart pure;
    I am clean and without sin”?

The implied answer is “nobody”. We can make our hearts corrupt and our lives sinful, but we cannot dispel the guilt nor cleanse away our sin apart from God’s mercy. Put another way, we cannot direct our own way successfully (Jeremiah 10:23), nor can we save ourselves by our own righteousness (Titus 3:5), nor can we cleanse ourselves from a single sin.

¹⁰ Differing weights and differing measures—
    the Lord detests them both.

People sometimes employ such means to gain personal advantage even though its disadvantage to others equals the advantage that it is to dishonest person. It is unscrupulous gain. It is plain and intentional dishonesty. And it is abomination to God. See Deut. 25:13-16 and Prov. 11:l also.

¹¹ Even small children are known by their actions,
    so is their conduct really pure and upright?

The Bible says we can know what a person really is by what they do (Matthew 7:16; 12:35; I John 3:lO; 2:29). This verse shows that people begin to take notice of one’s behavior and to form an opinion concerning them even when they are young children.

¹² Ears that hear and eyes that see—
    the Lord has made them both.

Psalm 94:9 and Exodus 4:11 also affirm that God has made our equipment for seeing and hearing, and when one studies the intricacies of these valuable parts of our bodies, who else but God could make them? This is applicable not only to the eyes and ears but to all the body. Jesus spoke of eyes that see and ears that hear several times relative to people who choose to hear His message, and those who choose not to hear or see it.

Provers 20:1-19 has as its theme our need for salvation. It begins with our text for today which is Proverbs 20:1-4 which is a condemnation of vice.

Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler;
    whoever is led astray by them is not wise.

A king’s wrath strikes terror like the roar of a lion;
    those who anger him forfeit their lives.

It is to one’s honor to avoid strife,
    but every fool is quick to quarrel.

Sluggards do not plow in season;
    so at harvest time they look but find nothing.

Proverbs 20:1-4

Each one of these four verses points out the unwise folly of a distinct vice. Vere 1 points us to alcohol, and by extension other intoxicating substances. The conclusion is elegant in its simplicity: Being led astray by these things is unwise.

Incurring the wrath of the king seems to also be unwise, as it leads to death. In our day, we have ample opportunities to poke government in the eye and incur its wrath in some way; this too would be unwise. Many years ago, I knew a guy who was part of a group of people who prided themselves on not paying taxes. They made many interesting presentations on how the law does not require anyone to pay them. I never went along with them; maybe they were right, maybe they were wrong, nut all these years later I am sitting here writing a Christian blog, and those guys are sitting in prison. Angering the king is still a bad idea.

Verse three has already come up several times: it isn’t wise to get yourself into every quarrel that comes along; you might even find yourself in a cell next to those old tax protesters I mentioned.

Finally, verse four refers to laziness. This one reminds me of a great line in an old John Lennon song: “There’s a place for you in movies, you just gotta lay around”. Yes sir, that’s how you become a star, lay around the house until Hollywood comes along and knocks on your door: Unwise.

Please note the understated way that this whole subject is handled here. There was no name calling, no yelling, no insults, just simple and clear practicality. You can make choices that are wise… or not.