# 19 2023 Dev. Prov.15:1-2. The Eyes Of The Lord! Read all of chapter fifteen first. We invite you into God’s space, to read His Word, to think on and interact with. This is God’s story! Do you believe that this is also our story, in our time? All passages are taken from the NIV.
Proverbs 15:1-2 “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stores up anger. The tongue of the wise adorns knowledge, but the mouth of the fool gushes folly.”
Proverbs 15 is about patience, a soothing tongue, the lips of the wise, the discerning heart, and many more character traits. Much of Proverbs is a series of opposing couplets of opposite ways of thinking and living. In this chapter there are 9 verses that stand alone where the second line reinforces the first line. 6 verses are positive, 3,23,24,30,31and 33. 3 verses are negative, 10,11, and 12. Proverbs are about ways of living that is pleasing to God and is contrasted with ways of living that is not pleasing to Him.
Vs.1-2 “A gentle answers turns away wrath… The tongue of the wise adorns knowledge…” The answer for a peaceful life!
V.3 stands alone, “The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good.” We don’t think much about the fact that God is everywhere 24/7.
Vs.4-9 What is positive in these verses? “The soothing tongue, life… heed correction, prudence… the righteous, treasure… the lips of the wise, knowledge… prayers of the upright pleases Him, He loves those who pursue righteousness.” What is negative? “A perverse tongue crushes the spirit, one who spurns discipline, a fool… the wicked, ruin…hearts of fools, not upright…the Lord detests the sacrifices of the wicked, the Lord detests the way of the wicked.” The Lord decides what is good or bad!
Vs.10-12 These verse are negative: “Stern discipline, who leaves the path; the one who hates correction will die.” There is a second death. “Death and destruction lie open before the Lord- how much more the human heart”! The eyes of the Lord are on us! “Mockers resent correction, so they avoid the wise.” Wisdom is a gift we cultivate.
Vs.13-22 These verses are about well-being as opposed to a life of turmoil and conflict. A positive life: “the face cheerful, knowledge, a cheerful heart, fear of the Lord, love, who is patient calms a quarrel, the path of the upright is a highway, a straight course, joy, success.” A negative life: “Heartache… the mouth of the fool feeds on folly… oppressed… turmoil…hatred… conflict… blocked with thorns… a foolish man despises his mother…no sense… lack of counsel.” The positive life and the negative life are choices we make!
Vs.23-24 are positive, standing alone. “A person finds joy in giving a an apt reply-and how good is a timely word. The path of life leads upward for the prudent to keep them from going down to the realm of the dead.” A word for the wise!
Vs.25-29 The care of the Lord: “the Lord tears down the house of the proud, but sets the widow’s boundary stones in place. The Lord… detests the wicked, but gracious words are pure in his sight. The greedy bring ruin… but the one who hates bribes will live. The heart of the righteous weighs its answers, but the mouth of the wicked gushes evil. The Lord is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayers of the righteous.” Wisdom is to seek the Lord!
Vs.30-33 These 4 verses sum up Ch.15: v.30 Good news “brings joy to the heart…gives health to the bones.” v.31 “Whoever heeds life-giving correction will be at home among the wise.” Amen!
V.32 “Those who disregard discipline (teaching) despises themselves.” Amen!
V.33 “Wisdom’s instruction is to fear (to seek and listen to) the Lord, and humility comes before honor. Amen and Amen!
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