First Chapter of Solomon's Proverbs

The Book of Proverbs Chapter 10

Chapter 10 is a list of cuplets or proverbs that cover a wide range of topics. The first section was written by Solomon, the next two sections may have been written by others but collected by Solomon. Please read them as they give you practical wisdom for godly living at every stage of life. I will choose just a few to comment upon.

Verse 2 says: ill- gotten gain has no lasting value, but right living can save your life. By craving satisfaction, some people may do something that destroys their chances of achieving happiness. God's principles for right living bring lasting happiness because they guide us into long term right behavior.

Verses 4 & 5 say: Lazy people are soon poor; hard workers get rich. A wise youth works hard all summer; a youth who sleeps away the hour of opportunity brings shame. Each day we have only 24 hours filled with opportunities to grow, serve, and be productive. Refuse to be a lazy person, sleeping or frittering away the hours meant for productive work. See time as God's gift to you and live diligently for him.

Verse 18 says: to hide hatred is to be a liar; to slander is to be a fool. By hating another person you become a liar or a fool. If you conceal your hatred, you end up lying. If you slander another person and are proven wrong, you are a fool. The only way out is to admit your hateful feelings to God and ask him to change your heart and help you love instead.

Verse 20 says: the words of the godly are like sterling silver; the heart of a fool is worthless. Words from a good person are valuable. It is easy to get opinions from people who tell us what they think will please us, but this advice is not helpful. Instead, we should look for people who will speak the truth, even when it hurts.

Verse 22 says: the blessing of the Lord makes a person rich, and he adds no sorrow with it. God supplies us with the personal and financial abilities to respond to the needs of others. If we only realize how God has blessed us, we could use our resources to do God's will and hunger and poverty would be wiped out.

Verse 24 says: the fears of the wicked will come true; so will the hopes of the godly. The wicked dread death and those who do not believe in God fear death with good reason. By contrast, believers desire eternal life and God's salvation- their hopes will be rewarded. You can make the choice of this verse come true by rejecting God or by accepting God and following him.

HOW DOES THIS CHAPTER RELATE TO US TODAY? The proverbs are every bit as true and the days they were written. I was struck by verses 4 & 5 because am a person who likes my bed. I like to sleep in. I like to lounge under my covers until mid morning. But now I see that this is actually a lazy habit. Enjoyable yes, but not what God intended for me to be productive. I am letting time slip away and be wasted. Perhaps I can change my ways. Can you? Do you find yourself and your habits in some of these Proverbs? If so let us get down on our knees and ask God for his mercy and guidance.

Yours in Christ,
Mary

Prayer Requests are needed for:
HEALTH:
Update on my niece Suzanne, she is out of rehab after many months for a crushed leg and doing well and being cared for by her ex. Pray for Gabe and Wanda. Pray for Janice Long’s parents, especially her mother who faces another round of chemotherapy and her father with Alzheimer’s and now her mother in law also with Alzheimer’s. Their family is feeling the strain both emotionally and financially. Pray for them. Update on this family: Her mother-in-law is being taken to Oklahoma to live with an aunt who will care for her.
Pray for Arlene’s nephew David and for my neighbor Al who is nearing the end of his life.
Pray for Carolyn’s brother Ronald who has cancer.
Pray for our friend Michelle who was diagnosed with MS.
UPDATE on Barb who went in for back surgery and had a heart attack and stroke, she has her speech back and is home , but continues to have a problem with one arm and hand. Thanks to your prayers, she is able to hobble without a cane and has been granted disability. She still has surgery scheduled on her hand, but I saw her recently and her attitude is fantastic.
Pray for Robert Sargent who is quite ill with lung cancer.
Pray for Judy’s husband who was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer. Pray for her too, that she can deal with the side effects of his illness.
Pray too for Charly’s husband Robert who is undergoing chemo for his prostate cancer. Update on Robert: he has one more treatment and then three months of waiting for his psat test to come back clean.
Pray for John’s recovery from a heart attack and for the doctors who have difficulty diagnosing his other symptoms.
Pray for James’s sister Cynthia whose chemo has lost its effect as the cancer grows powerful.
Pray for another friend named Carolyn whose faith remains strong, but is lost and confused about where and how to spend her elder years.
SPIRITUAL UPLIFTING: Gail, Mary
RESTORATION OF FAITH: Al, John
LOVE AND SUPPORT: Claire, Hunter, Brian
SUPPORT: Haiti, Chile, survivors of Japan’s earthquake, survivors of the devastating tornadoes in our southernmost states and Joplin, Missouri. Pray too, for our country’s leaders and our military people who die each day for our freedom.