Wise Up: Proverbs 16
Proverbs 16 (NIV)
1 To humans belong the plans of the heart,
but from the Lord comes the proper answer of the tongue.
2 All a person’s ways seem pure to them,
but motives are weighed by the Lord.
3 Commit to the Lord whatever you do,
and he will establish your plans.
4 The Lord works out everything to its proper end—
even the wicked for a day of disaster.
5 The Lord detests all the proud of heart.
Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.
6 Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for;
through the fear of the Lord evil is avoided.
7 When the Lord takes pleasure in anyone’s way,
he causes their enemies to make peace with them.
8 Better a little with righteousness
than much gain with injustice.
9 In their hearts humans plan their course,
but the Lord establishes their steps.
10 The lips of a king speak as an oracle,
and his mouth does not betray justice.
11 Honest scales and balances belong to the Lord;
all the weights in the bag are of his making.
12 Kings detest wrongdoing,
for a throne is established through righteousness.
13 Kings take pleasure in honest lips;
they value the one who speaks what is right.
14 A king’s wrath is a messenger of death,
but the wise will appease it.
15 When a king’s face brightens, it means life;
his favor is like a rain cloud in spring.
16 How much better to get wisdom than gold,
to get insight rather than silver!
17 The highway of the upright avoids evil;
those who guard their ways preserve their lives.
18 Pride goes before destruction,
a haughty spirit before a fall.
19 Better to be lowly in spirit along with the oppressed
than to share plunder with the proud.
20 Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers,
and blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord.
21 The wise in heart are called discerning,
and gracious words promote instruction.
22 Prudence is a fountain of life to the prudent,
but folly brings punishment to fools.
23 The hearts of the wise make their mouths prudent,
and their lips promote instruction.
24 Gracious words are a honeycomb,
sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.
25 There is a way that appears to be right,
but in the end it leads to death.
26 The appetite of laborers works for them;
their hunger drives them on.
27 A scoundrel plots evil,
and on their lips it is like a scorching fire.
28 A perverse person stirs up conflict,
and a gossip separates close friends.
29 A violent person entices their neighbor
and leads them down a path that is not good.
30 Whoever winks with their eye is plotting perversity;
whoever purses their lips is bent on evil.
31 Gray hair is a crown of splendor;
it is attained in the way of righteousness.
32 Better a patient person than a warrior,
one with self-control than one who takes a city.
33 The lot is cast into the lap,
but its every decision is from the Lord.
Verse 9 In Their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.
Life can be difficult! We sometimes make our plans how we want life to be, and the way we want it to play out, but God may bring other things that are not always the most comfortable. But it is great that He is always right there to help us as we step through life. I like how verse 9 reads from the Message bible,
“We plan the way we want to live, but only GOD makes us able to live it.”
Proverbs 16:9 MSG
All a man’s ways seem innocent to him,
But motives are weighed by the Lord.
Proverbs 16:2
If we bother to think about it at all, aren’t we usually confident that the motives behind our words and deeds are good and just? After all, I’m a follower of Christ who has the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. I’m not some pagan with no understanding of God’s will. I wouldn’t speak or act with bad intentions. Well yes to some of that but certainly no to the intentions piece. My problem is that too much of my life is lived on auto pilot, the course is set with little or no counsel of God. So though I might declare my motives righteous, have I even considered God? Only God determines what is good; not man and certainly not me. The Bereans were declared to be more noble because they checked all Paul told them against scripture. It would be wise for me to follow their lead and check all I say and do against God’s Holy standard and then submit my will to Him.
Holy Spirit convict my heart of my prideful self-righteousness and lead me on the path of God. Lord, may I seek your counsel, submit to you, and follow your perfect way.
32 Better a patient person than a warrior,
one with self-control than one who takes a city.
Heavenly Father, please help me to abide in You. Please give me the mind of Christ, and Your heart for others. Soak me so much in Your Spirit Lord, that when I am crushed it is juice from Your fruit that comes out first. Amen.
9 In their hearts humans plan their course,
but the Lord establishes their steps.
Sometimes when we pray for guidance before jumping into something we do not receive a direct or clear answer, but other things fall into place in order for the plans to take affect. This causes me to believe if when I pray, God hears my call, and as long as I am not doing something in direct conflict of His will for me, he will establish the steps of that plan.
Then I think of V16:2, and it makes me wonder if I am making my own ways seem right to me.
I pray in the name of Jesus,for discernment, from the Holy Spirit to guide my thoughts, words, and actions so that the steps of my plans will be directed by God the Father.