Proverbs Chapter 22

Here is the Proverbs Chapter to Read for Today.

Feel free to reply after reading it with any insights or observations.

Proverbs, Chapter 22

22:1 A [good] name is rather to be chosen than great riches, [And] loving favor rather than silver and gold.

22:2 The rich and the poor meet together: Yahweh is the maker of them all.

22:3 A prudent man sees the evil, and hides himself; But the simple pass on, and suffer for it.

22:4 The reward of humility [and] the fear of Yahweh [is] riches, and honor, and life.

22:5 Thorns [and] snares are in the way of the perverse: He who keeps his soul will be far from them.

22:7 The rich rules over the poor; And the borrower is slave to the lender.

22:8 He who sows iniquity will reap calamity; And the rod of his wrath will fail.

22:9 He who has a bountiful eye will be blessed; For he gives of his bread to the poor.

22:10 Cast out the scoffer, and contention will go out; Yes, strife and ignominy will cease.

22:11 He who loves pureness of heart, [For] the grace of his lips the king will be his companion.

22:12 The eyes of Yahweh preserve [him who has] knowledge; But he overthrows the words of the betrayer.

22:13 The sluggard says, There is a lion outside: I will be slain in the streets.

22:14 The mouth of strange women is a deep pit: He who is abhorred of Yahweh will fall in it.

22:15 Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; [but] the rod of correction will drive it far from him.

22:16 He who oppresses the poor to increase his [gain], [And] he who gives to the rich, [will come] only to want.

22:17 Words of the Wise. Incline your ear, and hear the words of the wise, And apply your heart to my knowledge.

22:18 For it is a pleasant thing if you keep them inside you, If they are established together on your lips.

22:19 That your trust may be in Yahweh, I have made [them] known to you this day, even to you.

22:20 Have I not written to you excellent things Of counsels and knowledge,

22:21 To make you know the certainty of the words of truth, That you may carry back words of truth to those who send you?

22:22 Don't rob the poor, because he is poor; Neither oppress the afflicted in the gate:

22:23 For Yahweh will plead their cause, And despoil of life those who despoil them.

22:24 Make no friendship with a man who is given to anger; And with a wrathful man you will not go:

22:25 Or else you will learn his ways, And get a snare to your soul.

22:26 Don't be one of those who strikes hands, [Or] of those who are sureties for debts.

22:27 If you have not with which to pay, Why should he take away your bed from under you?

22:28 Don't remove the ancient landmark, Which your fathers have set.

22:29 Do you see a man diligent in his business? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before mean men.

(UPDV Translation - Copyrighted, Used By Permission. A raised + sign next to a word means plural.)
 
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The following discussion is from the January Reading of This Chapter of Proverbs at ericasp.com:<BR><BR>

<p>He who loves a pure heart and whose speech is gracious will have the king for his friend (Proverbs 22:11).<br /></p>

<p><br />Reading this Proverb, two people immediately come to my mind:  Ronald Reagan and my friend Linda.</p>

<p><img title="RR" src=&quot;http://public.prayerrequest.com/images/pr365/ronald-reagan-picture.jpg" alt="RR" hspace="5" vspace="5" width="287" height="300" align="right" />I once read that Ronald Reagan made a point to never speak negatively of another individual -- to always find something positive on which to focus, or to not say anything at all.  I can imagine that this would be incredibly challenging in a life of politics, but also -- obviously -- very rewarding.  As one of the most popular Presidents of the United States of America during an era of unprecedented prosperity, Ronald Reagan showed that you can go places when people's primary associations of you are amicability, grace, and positivity.<br /><br />My friend Linda, likewise, is unflappably, unswervingly positive.  It's incredible -- even irksome at times.  It seems that she <em>always </em>has <em>something </em>positive to say about <em>any </em>person she knows.  Even if you kind of fish around for some negativity (as I'm embarrassed to admit that I sometimes do), Linda simply will not oblige.  She maintains positivity and maintains relationships.<br /><br />At times, I have to confess that complete, unmitigated positivity can seem ingenuine to me.  It can feel phony.  But then again, as I really consider the Proverbs and potential real-world applications, I can see that it may not be a bad way to go.  It's hard to fault someone who regularly believes the best about others and speaks well of others in all circumstances.  People like Ronald Reagan and my friend Linda don't have a lot of enemies.  And they do have a lot of friends -- even friends in high places.<br /><br />So I feel like I need to challenge myself in this area:  honing the habit of appreciating others' purity of heart -- even when it's only a teeny, tiny part of a person's heart which can honestly be labelled pure -- and choosing to speak graciously of others, whether they might be listening or not.  It's a great way to make friends and keep friends, at any rate, be it kings or otherwise.  And it's something that I feel freshly challenged to do, in light of Proverbs 22:11.</p>
 
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Proverbs 22 opens telling us that a good name, one of loving favor, is greater than any monetary riches. A name that is wise and good should be highly desired. There is also the reminder that in God’s eyes, we are all the same, rich or poor does not matter. A wise man with foresight, will avoid evil, but a “simple†man will fall into its path and punishment will follow. We are reminded, like in many other chapters of Proverbs, that humility and fear are our riches, honor and our life. Humility and fear are appositional, one produces the other. If we watch over our souls, we are therefore preserved from dangers. These same dangers will focus on the deviant man. Verse 6 is a verse familiar to most; it states that if we teach our children the Word of our Lord and to walk with Him, when the child is grown he will stay with the Lord.

Wealth has a negative influence on morality and is disapproved in verse 7. The one who produces and encourages wickedness will produce a conceit and false pride of themselves. In turn, their power to do evil will be destroyed. One of a helpful nature will be blessed, and his acts will prove it. Drive the scornful out of your life because they will only taunt and bring conflict with them. Always use kind words, for they will find favor, even with kings.

The Lord will guard the ones who possess his principles and the Lord will utterly destroy and overthrow the wicked. Verse 13 tells us futile and pointless excuses satisfy the lazy man's conscience. The flattery of a woman’s mouth may ensnare a man, into a pit and the Lord will make their own sin their punishment for falling into her temptation. We are taught that the foolishness of a child is firmly fixed and that reprimand must be used to deter a child from crime and in turn, this will lead to the improvement of the child’s values and beliefs. Both examples of selfishness in verse 16, the oppressor of the poor and the one who gives to the wealthy, are abominable to God and will suffer punishment.

Beginning in Verse 17 we are encouraged in Proverbs to pursue wisdom and hear the words of the wise. Our lessons must remain fresh and at the forefront of our minds and we must be always be ready for us to speak of the same. The Lord is the design of this instruction. Has he not written excellent things in former times, for advice and instruction? He states he has done so to insure accuracy and so that the student may teach others and repeat the lessons they are taught, all in the design of the Lord’s instruction.

In Verses 22 and 23 it is stated that man may fail to defend and protect the poor, but God will not fail. He will preserve the poor and the afflicted. Verses 24 and 25 reiterates previous Proverbs have stated – that we should not enter into the path of the wicked, nor go their way. The unsuspecting are often snared, or misled. Beware and stay alert. Verse 26 and 27 advise that a man void of understanding strikes hands, and becomes surety in the presence of his friend. Finally, the last two verses of Proverb 22 teach us not to establish or entrench upon others, and that industry and persistence are rewarded with success and accomplishment.
 
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In verse 27 it talks about the means to pay your debt and if not that he will take away your bed. In reading this I really struggle. With the economy the way that it is right now we are struggling to keep our head above water as so many others are. I am paying my bills but to do this I am not able to help anyone but ourselves. This tears my heart up. I want out of debt so badly but there seems to be no answer for us. We were always able to pay our bills and help others but now I am not sure whether we will make it thru the next month. I'm not sure if Im blinded but I honestly feel as though we were just in the wrong place(business/investments) at the wrong time. I can't believe that God wants to take my bed. My trust is in God totally, he is the only way I get thru the day but this verse hit me hard today. The other verses were inspirational and ones I love to hear. Not so much this one:(.
 
Get wisdom because wisdom comes from God. This is one of the gifts that the Father bestows to all His dear children. That way you will know how to treat other people, how to behave in front of non Christians and your heart will be so generous for the poor and needy. God will certainly will bless you with a lot of things that you really need. Do not get into debt. Debt is slavery to the banks or to any lender. God want to bless you and never ever want to do you harm. Thank you Jesus for your Word. In Your name. Amen.
 

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