Proverbs 21 (Contemporary English Version)
- The LORD controls rulers, just as he determines the course of rivers.
- We may think we are doing the right thing, but the LORD always knows what is in our hearts.
- Doing what is right and fair pleases the LORD more than an offering.
- Evil people are proud and arrogant, but sin is the only crop they produce.
- If you plan and work hard, you will have plenty; if you get in a hurry, you will end up poor.
- Cheating to get rich is a foolish dream and no less than suicide.
- You destroy yourself by being cruel and violent and refusing to live right.
- All crooks are liars, but anyone who is innocent will do right.
- It's better to stay outside on the roof of your house than to live inside with a nagging wife.
- Evil people want to do wrong, even to their friends.
- An ignorant fool learns by seeing others punished; a sensible person learns by being instructed.
- God is always fair! He knows what the wicked do and will punish them.
- If you won't help the poor, don't expect to be heard when you cry out for help.
- A secret bribe will save you from someone's fierce anger.
- When justice is done, good citizens are glad and crooks are terrified.
- If you stop using good sense, you will find yourself in the grave.
- Heavy drinkers and others who live only for pleasure will lose all they have.
- God's people will escape, but all who are wicked will pay the price.
- It's better out in the desert than at home with a nagging, complaining wife.
- Be sensible and store up precious treasures-- don't waste them like a fool.
- If you try to be kind and good, you will be blessed with life and goodness and honor.
- One wise person can defeat a city full of soldiers and capture their fortress.
- Watching what you say can save you a lot of trouble.
- If you are proud and conceited, everyone will say, "You're a snob!"
- If you want too much and are too lazy to work, it could be fatal.
- But people who obey God are always generous.
- The Lord despises the offerings of wicked people with evil motives.
- If you tell lies in court, you are done for; only a reliable witness can do the job.
- Wicked people bluff their way, but God's people think before they take a step.
- No matter how much you know or what plans you make, you can't defeat the LORD.
- Even if your army has horses ready for battle, the LORD will always win.
Whether we have good intent or bad, whether person of power or not, whether we have wise counsel or not, God, in His sovereignty will prevail. He directs even a king's heart wherever He chooses. It is He who brings victory in battle not all our weapons and strategy, etc. The wise will operate in partnership with God rather than independently or against Him. They will seek God's counsel and learn what His plans are, then join Him. It is true that many carry out plans every day with no consideration for God or His purposes and have a level of success. But they do so with the resources God has given them, along with the abilities He has given them, and succeed only because He has allowed it. They give no consideration that He can just as easily take away their successes. They will not credit Him for the gains of their success, but they will surely blame Him when their gains are lost. It is ironic how we are so prone to conduct life as if there is no God until we have problems. Then, suddenly, there is a God, and He is to blame for our problems.
On another theme, Solomon points out that God is more interested in man's motives than his actions. We like to pat ourselves on the back for our good deeds and religious activities. God, however, is looking at our motives for doing these things and is unimpressed if they are self-serving and insincere. That is the problem when we attempt to come to God through religion rather than through a relationship. With religion we are prone to do all the rituals with the intent of appeasing or pleasing God while conducting our lives apart from religion as if God doesn't exist. Solomon tells us in this chapter that God is not impressed with such practices. He would rather our ways be His ways than to have our offerings. In fact, if our lives are not consistent with His teachings, our offerings are detestable to Him.
We go on to the outcomes of the wicked. Solomon addresses this theme in every chapter. First, the characteristics of the wicked. They are guided by sin, their only interest is evil, and they have no consideration for their neighbor. The outcome of their evil activity is that they will be swept away. They may enjoy a time of pleasure or ill-gotten gain, but it will not last. God will eventually bring them to ruin.
Finally, the theme of ill-chosen marriages. In two verses of this chapter Solomon refers to a quarrelsome wife, as he also does in three other chapters in Proverbs. Again, keep in mind this is a father speaking to his son. I don't believe Solomon is picking on wives. In fact, I refer to it as ill-chosen marriages. Besides quarrelsome wives, there are a number of other issues characteristic of both husbands and wives that can make a marriage rather unpleasant. I can't know what Solomon had specifically in mind when giving this counsel, but I would suspect he is saying to his son, "Be careful in your choice of a wife. Consider factors other than her attractiveness. Consider also her personality and character, for if you get a quarrelsome and nagging wife, it can be so unpleasant you would rather not be in the house with her." Notice, though, he didn't mention anything about divorcing the wife even though he considered it very unpleasant to live with such a woman. Choosing a life-long mate is a matter on which to seek God's guidance.
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