Proverbs 16 (Contemporary English Version)
- We humans make plans, but the LORD has the final word.
- We may think we know what is right, but the LORD is the judge of our motives.
- Share your plans with the LORD, and you will succeed.
- The LORD has a reason for everything he does, and he lets evil people live only to be punished.
- The LORD doesn't like anyone who is conceited-- you can be sure they will be punished.
- If we truly love God, our sins will be forgiven; if we show him respect, we will keep away from sin.
- When we please the LORD, even our enemies make friends with us.
- It's better to be honest and poor than to be dishonest and rich.
- We make our own plans, but the LORD decides where we will go.
- Rulers speak with authority and are never wrong.
- The LORD doesn't like it when we cheat in business.
- Justice makes rulers powerful. They should hate evil
- and like honesty and truth.
- An angry ruler can put you to death. So be wise! Don't make one angry.
- When a ruler is happy and pleased with you, it's like refreshing rain, and you will live.
- It's much better to be wise and sensible than to be rich.
- God's people avoid evil ways, and they protect themselves by watching where they go.
- Too much pride will destroy you.
- You are better off to be humble and poor than to get rich from what you take by force.
- If you know what you're doing, you will prosper. God blesses everyone who trusts him.
- Good judgment proves that you are wise, and if you speak kindly, you can teach others.
- Good sense is a fountain that gives life, but fools are punished by their foolishness.
- You can persuade others if you are wise and speak sensibly.
- Kind words are like honey-- they cheer you up and make you feel strong.
- Sometimes what seems right is really a road to death.
- The hungrier you are, the harder you work.
- Worthless people plan trouble. Even their words burn like a flaming fire.
- Gossip is no good! It causes hard feelings and comes between friends.
- Don't trust violent people. They will mislead you to do the wrong thing.
- When someone winks or grins behind your back, trouble is on the way.
- Gray hair is a glorious crown worn by those who have lived right.
- Controlling your temper is better than being a hero who captures a city.
- We make our own decisions, but the LORD alone determines what happens.
God determines the outcome of our plans - Verse 1 probably states it best, "We humans make plans, but the LORD has the final word." We take great pride in our strategies for success, but often forget that the outcome is determined by the Lord. He may allow our plans to take their natural course or He may intervene in some way, but in the end, His purpose will prevail. Whatever success our plans accomplish will be a result of either God allowing that success or aiding it. We are wise always to recognize this reality and therefore to "Commit your activities to the LORD" as verse 3 states. In so doing, "your plans will be achieved." A truth to be drawn from this, as I see it, is that it is better to be proactive in seeking the Lord's help with our plans and activities, than to be passive and hope He will help or to not think about His help at all. But we must keep in mind that it is His purpose and not ours that will prevail. Therefore, it is even better to let Him guide us in making the plans in the first place rather than to make our plans and hope He will bring them to success. If they are His plans aimed at accomplishing His purpose to begin with, we know success is assured.
Pride is dangerous - Solomon declares that pride will lead to destruction and to a fall. He also says it is detestable to the Lord and will not go unpunished. This leads me to believe that there is more to pride than being an irritating personality trait. Actually, it is not a personality trait at all but rather a behavior. One can choose to behave with pride and arrogance or to behave with humility. But if the choice is to behave with pride, it can become a dangerous behavior and is best avoided. How is it that pride can lead to destruction and a fall? It happens primarily because the proud person is unwilling to accept instruction or to seek counsel. Such persons believe they have the answers and don't need anyone's help. This sets them up to all. Another factor that contributes to one's fall and/or destruction is the harm pride does to relationships. Verse 5 tells us that the proud heart is detestable to the Lord. But the Lord is not the only one to whom pride is detestable. Most persons do not like being around a proud or egotistical person and will sever or even avoid such relationships. This leaves the proud person isolated from sound counsel or from any balance to their own thinking. As verse 19 says, "You are better off to be humble and poor than to get rich from what you take by force." A tendency of the proud is to take what is not theirs presuming themselves to be deserving of it and the owner not to be worthy.
Pleasing the Lord is to our advantage - Solomon gives several advantages to pleasing the Lord. He says, "The one who trusts the Lord will be happy." He also says in verse 7, "When a man's ways please the LORD, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him." The advantages to pleasing the Lord are two-fold. Besides having God working in our favor, we are also acting with more wisdom, which means our choices and behavior guide us toward more favorable outcomes. Some people view God as a "traffic cop" who is always watching for us to do something bad and give us a ticket. This is foolish thinking. God desires for our conduct to be righteous so that we avoid problems that come with foolish and wicked behavior. By pleasing God and seeking wisdom we do ourselves a favor and make for ourselves a better life. It may not be a life of wealth, but as Solomon says, "Better a little with righteousness than great income with injustice." Living righteously does not automatically eliminate wealth, but if we must choose, righteous living is the better choice.
Pleasant words are a honeycombe - Solomon has a great deal to say in this book about how we use our mouths. In verse 23 of this chapter, he says, "A wise heart instructs its mouth and increases learning with its speech." Some people pride themselves on "telling it like it is," or in "putting people in their place." Too often this is an attempt to put a good face on bad behavior. In contrast, Solomon says, "Pleasant words are a honeycomb: sweet to the taste and health to the body." We all know that pleasant words are much "sweeter to the taste" than harsh words, even if they are used to give a rebuke. But it is significant to note the rest of verse 24. Pleasant words are also health to the body. A constant diet of harsh words, rather than being health to the body, is like poison both to the one who speaks them and to those who receive them. We do harm to ourselves and others when we are inclined often to speaking harshly.
Unrighteous behavior causes all sorts of trouble - Several behaviors are lumped into this theme of "unrighteous behavior." Included in this theme are the violent man, the worthless man, the contrary man, and the wicked man. Thus, I have simply labeled it unrighteous behavior. Concerning the violent man, Solomon says he "lures his neighbor in a way that is not good." The worthless man "digs up evil." The contrary man "spreads conflict." And the wicked man's "behavior is detestable." One gets the impression from the description of these behaviors of a tornado beating a path of destruction wherever it goes. And so it is that our behavior cuts a swath as we go, whether it be a swath of destruction or a constructive swath. Some argue, "It's my life, I'll do with it as I wish." Such an argument assumes the person themselves will be the only one affected by their behavior. But our behavior, our lives, always affect other people. So we must choose what affect we want to have on those about us. Our choices are not just about ourselves. They always involve others.
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