Proverbs – Day 29
Scripture: Proverbs 29
Whoever remains stiff-necked after many rebukes
will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy.
When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice;
when the wicked rule, the people groan.
A man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father,
but a companion of prostitutes squanders his wealth.
By justice a king gives a country stability,
but those who are greedy for bribes tear it down.
Those who flatter their neighbors
are spreading nets for their feet.
Evildoers are snared by their own sin,
but the righteous shout for joy and are glad.
The righteous care about justice for the poor,
but the wicked have no such concern.
Mockers stir up a city,
but the wise turn away anger.
If a wise person goes to court with a fool,
the fool rages and scoffs, and there is no peace.
The bloodthirsty hate a person of integrity
and seek to kill the upright.
Fools give full vent to their rage,
but the wise bring calm in the end.
If a ruler listens to lies,
all his officials become wicked.
The poor and the oppressor have this in common:
The Lord gives sight to the eyes of both.
If a king judges the poor with fairness,
his throne will be established forever.
A rod and a reprimand impart wisdom,
but a child left undisciplined disgraces its mother.
When the wicked thrive, so does sin,
but the righteous will see their downfall.
Discipline your children, and they will give you peace;
they will bring you the delights you desire.
Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint;
but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom’s instruction.
Servants cannot be corrected by mere words;
though they understand, they will not respond.
Do you see someone who speaks in haste?
There is more hope for a fool than for them.
A servant pampered from youth
will turn out to be insolent.
An angry person stirs up conflict,
and a hot-tempered person commits many sins.
Pride brings a person low,
but the lowly in spirit gain honor.
The accomplices of thieves are their own enemies;
they are put under oath and dare not testify.
Fear of man will prove to be a snare,
but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.
Many seek an audience with a ruler,
but it is from the Lord that one gets justice.
The righteous detest the dishonest;
the wicked detest the upright.
Devotional:
In Proverbs 14, we looked at the benefits of keeping your temper and being patient. But while we all may occasionally lose our temper, a pattern of angry outbursts signifies a lack of control and wisdom that could lead you down a path of destruction. But getting angry isn’t itself a problem, it’s what we do with our anger that causes problems. “A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control.” (v. 11) Anger is a natural reaction, one of many emotions God has designed us to have. But we can’t allow our anger to lead to destructive consequences; we need to keep ourselves under control by creating a release valve for anger. “‘In your anger do not sin’: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.” (Eph 4:26-27)
One way anger destroys is by starting fights. “Mockers stir up a city, but wise men turn away anger.” (v. 8) “An angry man stirs up dissension, and a hot-tempered one commits many sins.” (v. 22) Once your anger has created a hostile situation, it can quickly get out of control. “Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam; so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.” (Prov 17:14) “As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.” (Prov 26:21)
A heart filled with anger can isolate us as well. “Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person, do not associate with one easily angered, or you may learn their ways and get yourself ensnared.” (Prov 22:24-25) Who wants to be around someone who is always flying off the handle? In Proverbs 27 we looked at how to choose your friends wisely and how to be a good friend. Let’s add patience to the list of qualities of a good friend. “My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry” (Jas 1:19)
Perhaps one of the most ubiquitous sources of anger is traffic. A billboard once cleverly stated, “You are not stuck in traffic. You are traffic.” Remembering this as we sit in bumper-to-bumper traffic helps us think about what we are really angry at and helps us “vent” our anger appropriately. We’re not really angry at the cars, the drivers, or even the wasted time. We’re usually more angry at ourselves for being in the mess. In this and other areas, recognizing the source of anger then letting it go is a process, not a one-time event. While we know it may come back over and over, hopefully less intensely, we can commit to giving it up and move towards developing and demonstrating wisdom.
Key Verse:
“A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control.” ~ Proverbs 29:11
Questions:
- What makes you angry?
- Is that really what makes you angry or is there something deeper?
- What are three ways you can better respond the next time you get angry?
