Proverbs chapter 12 verses 1 to 28.
Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid.
A good man obtains favor from the Lord, but a man of evil devices he condemns.
No one is established by wickedness, but the root of the righteous will never be moved.
An excellent wife is the crown of her husband, but she who brings shame is like rottenness in his bones.
The thoughts of the righteous are just, the counsels of the wicked are deceitful.
The words of the wicked lie in wait for blood, but the mouth of the upright delivers them.
The wicked are overthrown and are no more, but the house of the righteous will stand.
A man is commended according to his good sense, but one of twisted mind is despised.
Better to be lowly and have a servant than to play the great man and lack bread.
Whoever is righteous has regard for the life of his beast, but the mercy of the wicked is cruel.
Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless pursuits lacks sense.
Whoever is wicked covets the spoil of evildoers, but the root of the righteous bears fruit.
An evil man is ensnared by the transgression of his lips, but the righteous escapes from trouble.
From the fruit of his mouth a man is satisfied with good, and the work of a man's hand comes back to him.
The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.
The vexation of a fool is known at once, but the prudent ignores an insult.
Whoever speaks the truth gives honest evidence, but a false witness utters deceit.
There is one whose rash words are like sore thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment.
Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil, but those who plan peace have joy.
No ill befalls the righteous, but the wicked are filled with trouble.
Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who act faithfully are his delight.
A prudent man conceals knowledge, but the heart of fools proclaims folly.
The hand of the diligent will rule, while the slothful will be put to forced labor.
Anxiety in a man's heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad.
One who is righteous is a guide to his neighbor, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.
Whoever is slothful will not roast his game, but the diligent man will get precious wealth.
In the path of righteousness is life, and in its pathway there is no death.
This is God's holy and authoritative word.
As I've been sharing over the last couple weeks, chapters 10 through 15 up to verse 29 is all a series of contrasts between the righteous and the wicked.
And the faith that awaits them both.
Faith that awaits them both.
And we're going to look at another aspect of that contrast today in Proverbs 12.
And here it emphasizes the exaltation of the humble versus the humiliation of the prideful.
And the main point of this passage that Solomon wants us to take away, that God wants us to take away,
is that God bestows his favor upon those who humble themselves and learn from him.
And this chapter can be divided further into two subsections.
First, it talks about loving discipline in verses 1 to 14.
And then it talks about listening to advice in verses 15 to 28.
That's a general heading that kind of the head verses in each of the subunits talk about.
And so all of this highlights the teachability of the wise versus the kind of the incorrigibility of the fool.
The unwillingness to learn of the fool.
And it says in verse 1,
Now, this is a recurring theme that we've seen, that God blesses the humble.
He gives grace to the humble.
Those who submit to his order.
Those who yield to his molding, his shaping influence.
They are the ones that receive blessing from God.
If you've ever tried to grow an orchid as a house plant,
you know that in order for orchids to grow in your house and to bloom in a healthy way,
that they need to be attached to stakes.
That's how when you buy them from the store, usually they come with stakes attached to them.
And that's because the way they grow in the wild, the orchids actually don't grow up like that.
They grow from on top of trees.
It attaches itself to tree limbs and actually grows downward.
It bows down.
And so if you don't have stakes in your house,
it will keep bowing down and down.
And when it blooms and the flowers get heavy,
it will eventually tip over and uproot itself from the pot.
The only way a orchid grows in a healthy manner in your house, in a pot, is to be staked,
is to be attached to a stake.
And God's discipline works in a similar way.
It stabilizes us.
It keeps us from being uprooted.
It helps us to grow in a healthy way, the way God intends for us to.
And it's those who submit, even though in the moment it might feel constraining,
you might even chafe against that,
but in reality it's those who submit to God who flourish,
His order, His discipline,
those who heed His correction, His reproof that grow.
So whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,
but he who hates reproof is stupid, it says.
Like the guitarist who submits herself to the discipline of tedious finger exercises and scales,
they are the only ones who develop in the end an ability to perform masterpieces.
Only the athlete who submits himself to the discipline of rigorous exercise and drill,
they are the only ones that hone their bodies to win races.
If you love discipline, you love knowledge.
Because reproof, correction, and disprompt from the Lord is for our good.
And verses 2-3 continue,
A good man obtains favor from the Lord,
but a man of evil devices he condemns.
No one is established by wickedness,
but the root of the righteous will never be moved.
A good man obtains favor from the Lord.
And the word good is defined,
not by our own faulty sense of morality,
but by God.
Since, as Jesus said in Mark 10-18,
no one is good except God alone.
God is the ultimate,
the only perfect standard of good.
And so a good man,
as defined by Him,
a good man who does the will of the good God,
obtains favor from the Lord.
But in contrast,
a man of evil devices God condemns.
A man of evil devices refers to a crafty person,
a cunning person who is scheming of ways to take advantage of others
for their own advancement.
And such people might get their way for a time,
but God condemns him,
and for that reason,
he will not be ultimately established.
Verse 3 says,
The following verses describe in greater detail
what the life of this righteous person looks like.
Verses 47 describe in turn
the righteous person's wife,
his words,
and his household.
First it says in verse 4,
An excellent wife is the crown of her husband,
but she who brings shame
is like rottenness in his bones.
The word excellent
that's used to describe the wife here
is the same word used to describe
the excellent wife
in the famous Proverbs 31,
verses 10 to 31.
It literally means strong,
strong wife.
It refers to both the strength of her character,
her noble character,
and the strength of her competent industry.
An excellent wife possesses fortitude,
a spiritual, physical, mental, and emotional strength
that enables her to face and overcome
the adversities of life.
And such a wife is the crown of her husband.
I can't help but think about my own wife
as I'm talking about it.
The crown of her husband,
she is his pride,
his joy.
The crown is a symbol of honor and authority.
And because of her,
the husband enjoys honor and prestige
in the community.
Because of her,
he is the man he is.
Because of the excellent wife,
she is.
And in contrast,
she who brings shame
is like rottenness in his bones.
Unlike the excellent wife
who brings her husband honor,
there's a wife who brings him shame.
Not only does this wife
not bring her husband honor in public,
she also makes his life miserable
in private.
This is described by the rottenness in his bones.
When your blood-forming stem cells
in the bone marrow are destroyed,
it causes fatigue and shortness of breath
so that you can't even do the lightest exercises.
It makes you bruise and bleed more easily.
It literally saps you of your vitality and strength
and destroys you from the inside out.
And that's what the wife who brings shame
to her husband does.
Her influence in his life
is like rottenness in his bones.
The wife,
this is telling us,
has the power
to either make or break a man.
And if you are a married woman,
this is a good question to ask yourself.
Does the way you conduct yourself,
does the way you support your husband
bring him honor
or does it bring him shame?
Are you sapping him of his life and strength
or does your strength of character
and competence build him up?
And if you are single
but hoping to get married,
consider this,
that marriage is no light matter.
It can make or break you.
Choose prayerfully and deliberately.
And verses five to seven
return to the familiar contrast
between the permanence of the righteous
and the transience of the wicked
that we've been seeing
throughout these chapters.
It says,
An excellent wife
helps to establish her husband
in the community
and the righteous man
in turn establishes his house,
his household
by living uprightly before God.
His thoughts are just,
right,
fair,
true,
rather than deceitful.
The words of the wicked
are personified here as hunters.
It says that they lie
and wait for blood.
But the mouth of the upright
is personified as a rescuer
or a deliverer.
The wicked hunt the members
of their community
with what they say.
The righteous,
in contrast,
rescue the members
of their community
with what they say.
And this difference
in wisdom
between the righteous
and the wicked
can also be seen
in the way they do their work.
Verse eight says,
A man is commended
according to his good sense,
but one of twisted mind
is despised.
The righteous have good sense.
Their sense works well.
The wicked, however,
have a twisted mind.
They can't think straight.
Their perception,
their worldview is skewed.
It is twisted.
It's warped.
And then in verses 9 to 14,
Solomon unpacks
what this contrast looks like
when it comes to one's work
and employment.
Verse nine says,
Better to be lowly
and have a servant
than to play the great man
and lack bread.
To be lowly here means
to be lightly esteemed,
to be dishonored even.
It's better to be regarded,
it says,
as lowly by others
and to have a servant,
which suggests actual,
in reality,
prominence and prosperity.
It's better to do that
than to play the great man
and lack bread.
Than to act like some wealthy
and important person
when in reality
you don't even have bread to eat.
This is very similar
to Proverbs 13, verse 7
that we saw a couple weeks ago
that one pretends to be rich
yet has nothing.
Another pretends to be poor
yet has great wealth.
Right?
The rich may live frugally
well below his means
in order to be a good steward
of the resources
that God has given him.
But the poor, in contrast,
may live lavishly
well beyond his means
out of a desire
to be perceived as wealthy
and to gain social standing.
And so verse 9
is highlighting the folly
of trying to gain
the approval of people
using your wealth
or your perceived wealth.
Because God bestows his favor
upon those who humble themselves.
Instead, it says
we should focus on
what verse 8 taught us.
A man is commended
according to his good sense.
It's our good sense
through our wisdom,
through the fear of God
that we should seek
to win commendation,
not by flaunting our wealth.
And then verse 10
shifts to how we have
to gain wealth.
It says,
Whoever is righteous
has regard for the life
of his beast,
but the mercy of the wicked
is cruel.
As we saw last week,
the righteous person
selflessly disadvantages himself
for the sake of others,
while the wicked person
selfishly advantages himself
at the expense of others.
And so this applies
even in the way
they treat
their domesticated animals.
Whoever is righteous
has regard
for the life
of his beast.
The Bible tells us
that God has compassion
even for the animals
he created
in numerous places
in Scripture.
And the Ten Commandments
specified
that we are to grant
Sabbath rest
even for the animals
within our possession.
So this proverb
applies certainly
to the humane treatment
of animals,
but it doesn't apply
merely to animals.
In 1 Corinthians 9,
verses 9-10,
Paul argues
that God's command
in Deuteronomy 25-4,
which is,
You shall not muzzle an ox
when it treads out the grain.
In other words,
you got to let the ox eat
if you're going to
use him for your work.
He argues,
Paul argues
in 1 Corinthians 9
that this applies
not merely to the oxen,
but also to human employees.
Because the plowman
should plow in hope
and the thresher
thresh in hope
of sharing in the crop.
He argues that
the farmers
who share in your work
should also share in the crop,
the fruit of their labor.
If even the animals
are to be treated humanely
and given what is due to them
for their labor,
how much more
fellow human beings
created in the image of God?
So if you are involved
in any kind of
leadership
or managerial role,
if you have people
that you are in charge of,
you should have regard
for the life
of your employee.
Care
for their well-being.
Don't reduce
your management
merely to getting
the most out
of your workers
to increase,
to improve
your margins,
the bottom line.
don't reduce
your work
to meeting quotas.
Your workers
don't exist
simply to make
you richer
and more successful.
Humble yourself.
Don't make it
all about you.
Have some regard
for others.
In contrast,
the mercy
of the wicked
is cruel.
The mercy,
word mercy
literally means
bowels,
your innards.
It's a figurative
representation
of kind of your,
the center
of your compassion
and mercy
from a place,
a figurative
representation
of the place
from which people
have well-loved
with compassion
for others.
And it's so interesting
the way this is phrased.
Even the wicked
have bowels,
but it says
even their bowels
are cruel.
They're so thoroughly
corrupted
that even their
mercy
is cruel.
When they are
being cruel
and insensitive,
abusive
and manipulative,
they delude
themselves into
thinking that
they're being
merciful.
What are you
complaining about?
You should be
thankful.
I don't have to
do any of these
things for you.
I'm being merciful.
That's the delusion
of the wicked.
Even their mercy
is cruel.
And so we should
be kind to our
employees and work
diligently on the
task at hand.
And then verse 11
says,
Notice the contrast
between verse 11
and verse 9.
Verse 9 spoke
of the foolish
person who plays
the great man
and lacks bread.
In contrast,
whoever works
his land will
have plenty
of bread.
Verse 11 says,
He who follows
worthless pursuits
lacks sense.
And it's such
people who,
according to verse 9,
who lack bread.
If you care for
your workers
and work diligently,
work your ground
diligently,
you will in turn
have plenty of
bread.
Now,
worthless pursuits
literally mean
empty or vain
pursuits.
Vanity projects.
Things that people
do when they have
too much money
and time
on their hands.
But in reality,
people do
such things
even when they
don't have
enough money
and time
on their hands.
Pursuing things
that are
insubstantial
and or elusive.
Instead of
doing your job
and being faithful
to the roles
that God
has placed you in.
Indulging your vanity.
Flaunting your wealth
and status.
Playing the great man.
Going to a club
or a casino
with a large entourage
and spending lavishly.
Things that people
do when experiencing
a midlife crisis.
Finding a mistress.
Buying a sports car.
Expensive jewelry.
Worthless pursuits.
Those who do
such things
might not lack
time,
money,
and power.
But they lack
sense.
And verse 12
continues,
whoever is wicked
covets the spoil
of evildoers.
But the root
of the righteous
bears fruit.
The word spoil
is a translation
of the word
that literally
means net
or snare.
The things
that
refers
figuratively
to the unjust
gain
of evildoers.
That's why
it's translated
as spoil here.
And the image
contrasts well
with the root
of the righteous
in that same verse.
The righteous
are rooted.
They grow
and bear
their own fruit.
The evildoers,
however,
steal the wealth
of others
with their net,
their snare,
through unjust
gain.
And only the wicked
covet such
get-rich-quickly
schemes.
Notice how
verses 8-12
all deal with
the theme
of work and money.
It says,
you should be lowly
and have a servant.
Don't flaunt
yourself.
You should have
regard for the
life of the
workers and
animals under
your charge.
You should keep
your head down
and work hard
instead of raising
your eyes and
imagination to
vain,
worthless pursuits.
Instead of
desiring the
stolen spoil
of evildoers,
you should bear
fruit from your
own root of
righteous hard
work.
Now,
verses 13-14
continue this line
of reasoning
with regard
to one's
speech.
It says,
an evil man
is ensnared
by the
transgression
of his lips,
but the
righteous escapes
from trouble.
From the fruit
of his mouth,
a man is
satisfied with
good,
and the work
of a man's
hand comes
back to him.
Verse 12
warned us
not to covet
the spoil
or the snare
of evildoers.
And now,
verse 13
says that an
evil man is
ensnared
by the
transgression
of his lips.
The wicked
ensnare
others
for unjust
gain,
but in
the end
they ensnare
themselves.
In contrast,
the righteous
escapes from
trouble,
it says.
Verse 12
said,
the root
of the
righteous
bears fruit,
and likewise,
verse 14
says that
from the
fruit of
his mouth,
a man
is satisfied
with good,
and the
work of
a man's
hand
comes back
to him.
The righteous
person not only
is diligent
in the work
of his
hands,
he is also
disciplined
in the words
of his
mouth.
And so
they both
bear fruit,
his mouth,
his hands,
in keeping
with his
righteousness.
So in sum,
to summarize all
this,
the righteous
person is
humbly
submitted to
God and
lives with
the fear
of God.
He lives
and works
within the
divinely
instituted
order.
The righteous
love God's
discipline.
And just as
the first
half of
chapter 12
began with
the statement
about the
humility
and teach
ability
of the
wise.
So the
second half
begins with
a similar
statement
in verse
15.
The way
of a fool
is right
in his
own eyes,
but a
wise man
listens to
advice.
Thinking that
you're always
right,
this kind of
stubborn
self-assuredness
that we can
cultivate
sometimes as
sinners,
that's the
trait of a
fool.
This fool
that Proverbs
is speaking
of is
incapable
of listening.
He never
learns because
he already
thinks he
knows
everything.
In contrast,
a wise man
listens to
advice.
This doesn't
mean, of
course, that
a wise man
doesn't have
any of his
own opinions
or convictions,
but rather
that he
listens to
advice.
There is a
willingness to
be challenged
or to be
corrected.
The fool's
eyes are
full of
himself only,
but the
wise man's
ears are
full of
the advice
of many
counselors.
The wise
humble
themselves,
and have
a learning
posture.
Verses
16 to
23 focus
on what
the way
of wisdom
looks like
in terms
of one's
speech.
It first
speaks of
the timeliness
of wise
speech,
and then it
speaks of
the truthfulness
of wise
speech.
First,
it speaks
of timeliness.
Verse 16
says,
The
word
agitated,
annoyed,
or angered.
When a
fool is
agitated or
annoyed,
it is known
at once,
immediately.
The very
same day,
you're going
to hear
something from
him.
The fool
is easily
annoyed and
quickly angered.
He is
characterized by
outbursts of
anger.
He's always
ready to
pick a
fight.
He wants
everyone to
have a
piece of
his own
mind.
Compare this
to verse
18.
There is
one whose
rash words
are like
sore thrusts,
but the
tongue of
the wise
brings
healing.
The rash
words of
fools are
like sore
thrusts.
You don't
want to
approach
someone who
is flailing
his arms
wildly with
the sword
in hand,
because if
you do,
you are
bound to
get hurt.
And the
fool's rash
words are
like that.
We don't
in our
house let
our kids
use sharp
knives in
the kitchen,
understandably
because they
don't have
enough strength
and control
over the
knife.
They can
hurt themselves
and others.
The fool
likewise has
no control
over his
tongue,
which he
wields wildly
like a
dangerous sword,
and it
cuts.
In
contrast,
the tongue
of the wise
brings healing.
The fool's
tongue is like
a sword that
kills,
it's destructive,
but the
wise person's
tongue brings
healing.
It's like a
bomb to
one's soul.
So let's
return to
verse 16.
The vexation
of a fool
is known
at once,
but the
prudent
ignores
an insult.
The word
ignores is
a translation
of the same
Hebrew word
that is often
translated cover
or conceal.
It's similar
to Proverbs
chapter 10
verse 12,
which said,
love covers
all offenses.
Instead of
being easily
annoyed or
quickly agitated,
the prudent
person,
the strategic
person,
the shrewd
person,
ignores or
covers an
insult.
The prudent
person knows
when to
speak and
when not to
speak.
He understands
that it's
possible to
speak the
right words
at the
wrong time.
He doesn't
feel the
compulsion to
give everyone
a piece of
his own
mind because
he has
humbled
himself
before God.
He is
content to
let God
defend him
and vindicate
him.
And verse
16 is
matched by
verse 23.
This is a
prudent man
in verse 23
conceals
knowledge,
but the
heart of
fools
proclaims
folly.
The same
word conceal,
ignore.
It's the same
word as I
mentioned.
Once again,
the wise
person is
called prudent.
He is
strategic.
He is
shrewd and
he conceals
knowledge.
In
contrast,
the fool
knows no
such
restraint.
He is
like a
shaken
cup of
carbonated
soda to
drink that
bubbles over
with fizz as
soon as you
open the
can.
He spills
out folly
wherever he
goes.
There is
no cap
on it.
In
contrast,
a prudent
man conceals
knowledge.
His words
are weighed
and measured.
He knows
when to
speak and
when not
to speak.
He knows
not to
waste his
knowledge on
a blabbering
fool.
So there is
a timeliness
to wise
speech.
In
addition to
being timely,
the wise
person's
speech is
always
truthful.
It says
in verse
17,
whoever speaks
the truth
gives honest
evidence,
but a
false witness
utters
deceit.
The New
American Standard
Bible translates
this verse
more literally
this way,
he who speaks
truth tells
what is
right,
but a
false witness
deceit.
truth is
not only
factually
true,
it is
also
morally
right.
When
giving a
sworn
testimony
in court
as a
witness,
one must
swear to
tell the
truth,
the whole
truth,
and nothing
but the
truth.
This is
crucial because
a false
witness can
destroy an
innocent life.
A truthful
witness does
what is
right.
he does
righteousness
because he
preserves
justice.
He acquits
the innocent
and condemns
the guilty.
Verse 17
is matched
by verse
22.
Lying lips
are an
abomination
to the
Lord,
but those
who act
faithfully
are his
delight.
The word
faithfully
is the same
word that's
translated truth
in verse
17.
To speak
the truth
is to act
faithfully,
to do
righteousness.
Verse 22
gives us
the theological
basis for
truth telling.
Lying lips
are an
abomination
to the
Lord,
but those
who act
faithfully
are his
delight.
The wise
person lives
with the
fear of
God,
and it's
the fear
of God
that knowing
that you
are accountable
to God,
knowing that
he is the
Lord and
God and
judge over
all,
that fear
of God
constrains him
to tell
the truth.
That's why
in courts
people say,
I swear to
tell the
truth,
the whole
truth and
nothing but
the truth,
so help
me God.
The wise
person lives
under the
authority of
God.
He knows
that even
if he
successfully
deceives
the human
judge,
the human
jury,
he will
never
deceive
the divine
judge.
And this
humility
before God
constrains him
to tell
the truth.
It says
in verses
19 to
21,
truthful
lips
endure
forever,
but a
lying tongue
is but
for a
moment.
Deceit is
in the
heart of
those who
devise
evil,
but those
who plan
peace
have joy.
No
ill befalls
the righteous,
but the
wicked are
filled
with
trouble.
A
heart that
plans
evil is
behind the
mouth that
speaks deceit.
In
contrast,
those who
plan
peace
have
joy.
This
implies that
the heart
that plans
peace is
behind the
mouth that
speaks
truth.
The truth
tellers are
concerned with
genuine
peace,
true,
lasting
peace,
instead of
fake,
false
peace.
And such
a person
is rewarded
with joy.
The wise
person understands
as Jesus
said in
Matthew
chapter 12
verse 36
that on
the day
of judgment
people will
give an
account for
every
careless
word they
speak.
For every
word.
And for
this reason
truthful
lips
endure
forever
while
lying
tongue
is
but
for
a
moment.
The
liar
might
deceive
others
for the
sake
of
self-advancement
but his
success
is only
momentary.
It is
fleeting
compared to
the eternal
life
offered
to those
the righteous
who enjoy
to obey
God's
will.
For this
reason
it says
no ill
befalls
the
righteous
but the
wicked
are filled
with
trouble.
God
bestows
his favor.
It's the
main point
of this
passage.
God
bestows
his favor
upon those
who humble
themselves
and learn
from him.
And
as verses
16 to
23
focused on
the way
of wisdom
focused on
what the
way of
wisdom
looks like
in terms
of one's
speech
and then
verses
24 to
27
now
transition
to
speaking
of
one's
deeds
what the
way of
wisdom
looks like
in one's
deeds.
This
subunit
is bracketed
by verses
24 and
27
both of
which contrast
the
diligence
from the
slothful.
Verse 24
says
the hand
of the
diligent
will rule
while the
slothful
will be put
to forced
labor.
Verse 27
says
whoever is
slothful
will not
roast his
game
but the
diligent
man will
get precious
wealth.
So it's
telling us
that diligence
leads to
rule
and precious
wealth
but slothfulness
leads to
forced labor
and poverty.
the
diligent
person
is being
described
here as
a
self
starter
someone
who
possesses
self
control
and
because
he's
able to
control
himself
he will
attain
rule
and
governance
over
others.
In
contrast
the
slothful
person
who
lacks
self
control
and
therefore
is
unable
to
get
himself
to
work
will
be
forced
to
work
by
others
who
rule
over
them.
So
ruling
oneself
leads
to
rule
over
others.
And
after
speaking
of
the
slothful
who
will
subject
themselves
to
the
physical
oppression
of
conscripted
labor
Solomon
turns
his
mind
to
those
who
are
already
subject
to
the
psychological
oppression
of
anxiety
or
depression.
He
says
in
verses
25-26
anxiety
in a
man's
heart
weighs
him
down
but
a
good
word
makes
him
glad.
One
who
is
righteous
is
a
guide
to
his
neighbor
but
the
way
of
the
wicked
leads
them
astray.
The
phrase
weighs
him
down
literally
means
to
oppress
or
to
make
someone
bow
down.
For
example,
the
same
word
is
used
in
the
prophecy
of
Isaiah
chapter
51
verse
23
to
refer
to
the
tormentors
and
oppressors
of
God's
people
who
say
to
them
bow
down.
It's
the
same
word
being
weighed
down.
So
the
people
subjected
God's
people
and
then
it says
made
their
backs
like
the
ground
upon
which
they
walked
all
over.
That's
what it
says in
Isaiah
51.
So
the
word
weighed
down,
being
weighed
down in
your
heart,
has
the
connotation
of being
oppressed
and
ruled,
being
subjected
to
someone
or
something.
And I
think
that's
the
connection
between
verse
24
and
verse
25.
Those
who
are
slothful
will
be
oppressed
and
ruled
by
others.
But
the
Bible
also
acknowledges
that
some
people
are
slothful
because
they
are
already
oppressed
and
ruled
by
anxiety.
Anxiety
in their
hearts
weighs
them
down,
rules
them.
Depression,
anxiety,
these
are all
words that
convey
emotional
distress
caused
by
loss
or
by
the
fear
of
losing
something
that
one
treasures.
And
if
you
are
weighed
down
with
anxiety
there
is
hope
for
you
because
it
says
a
good
word
makes
him
glad.
One
who
is
righteous
is
a
guide
to
his
neighbor
but
the
way
of
the
wicked
leads
them
astray.
If
you
are
weighed
down
today
with
anxiety
with
heaviness
if
you
feel
oppressed
and
makes
you
slothful
unable
to
work
get
yourself
started
what
you
need
is
the
counsel
of
the
wise
and
the
righteous
person
to
guide
you
and
most
importantly
the
message
the
good
word
the
good news
of
Jesus
the
righteous
one
God
the
timely
and
truthful
word
of
the
wise
as
we
have
been
talking
about
through
this
passage
that
good
word
can
make
you
glad
it
says
if
you
have
been
downtrodden
or depressed
or weighed
down by fear
and anxiety
and sadness
you should
know that
the Bible
consistently
teaches
that
you
can
be
encouraged
and
lifted
up
by
good
counsel
this
might
surprise
us
because
nowadays
many
people
see
human
beings
as
nothing
more
than
a
body
made
up
of
a
series
of
chemical
reactions
but
the
Bible
teaches
us
that
human
beings
have
two
components
the
outer
person
the
body
and
the
inner
person
which
scripture
alternatively
calls
the
heart
the
soul
or
the
mind
human
beings
cannot
be
reduced
to
only
that
which
can
be
observed
and
measured
by
scientific
instruments
the
body
and
heart
are
interrelated
for
sure
there
are
physiological
contributors
to
depression
such
as
abnormally
low
functioning
thyroid
or
low
hemoglobin
levels
due to
blood
loss
but
we're
not
merely
the
body
and
our
mind
affects
the
body
and
vice
versa
and
the
inner
person
our
hearts
our
minds
can
be
exhorted
it
can
be
encouraged
it
can
be
renewed
in
fact
there's
a
wordplay
that
communicates
exactly
this
reality
the
phrase
weighed
down
in
Hebrew
is
yashana
and
the
phrase
makes
him
glad
in
Hebrew
is
yashama
they
rhyme
and
they
are
spelled
almost
exactly
the
same
way
and
intentionally
so
to
convey
the
truth
that
he
who
is
weighed
down
can
be
made
glad
again
by
a
good
word
the
wise
and
humble
person
is
the
in
your
own
eyes
and
thinking
that
there's
nothing
he or
she
can
do
to
help
me
instead
of
isolating
yourself
thinking
no one
else
understands
humble
yourself
and get
help
seek
wise
counsel
since
God
bestows
his
favor
upon
those
who
humble
themselves
and
learn
from
him
and
just
as
verse
15
began
this
subunit
with
the
metaphor
of
the
way
or
verse
28
concludes
this
subunit
with
the
metaphor
of
the
path
of
righteousness
is
life
and
in
its
pathway
there
is
no
death
living
in
humility
and
the
fear
of
God
makes
for
a
better
life
here
on
earth
the
path
of
righteousness
is
life
but
it
leads
even
beyond
this
life
in
its
pathway
there
is
no
death
the
new
international
version
translates
that
verse
this
way
verse
28
along
that
path
is
immortality
and
it's
only
when
we
assume
this
long
view
of
life
only
when
we
assume
an
eternal
perspective
that
we
can
humble
ourselves
and
learn
from
God
because
the
humble
life
is
the
better
and
the
more
fulfilling
life
but
it's
not
an
easy
life
it's
not
easy
to
love
discipline
it's
not
easy
to
listen
to
reproof
it's
not
easy
to
restrain
our
tongue
and
speak
in a
truthful
and
timely
way
when
we
are
being
insulted
or
when
others
are
lying
to
get
their
way
it's
not
easy
to
live
for
the
approval
of
God
rather
than
the
approval
of
people
because
approval
of
people
feels
so
immediate
it's
not
easy
to
live
with
integrity
diligence
and
justice
when
the
wicked
gain
prosperity
power
and
prominence
all
around
us
through
their
underhanded
ways
and
this
is
why
because
it's
not
easy
Proverbs
God
bestows
his
favor
upon
those
who
humble
themselves
and
learn
from
him
and
this
is
what
our
savior
Jesus
Christ
did
to
save
us
and
to
set
an
example
for
us
1
Peter
chapter
2
verses
20
to
25
it
says
if
when
you
do
good
and
suffer
for
it
you
endure
this
is
a
gracious
thing
in
the
sight
of
God
for
to
this
you
have
been
called
because
Christ
also
suffered
for
you
leaving
you
an
example
so
that
you
might
follow
in
his
steps
he
committed
no
sin
neither
was
deceit
found
in
his
mouth
when
he
was
reviled
he
did
not
revile
in
return
when
he
suffered
he
did
not
threaten
but
continued
entrusting
himself
to
him
who
judges
justly
he
himself
bore
our
sins
in
his
body
on
the
tree
that
we
might
die
to
sin
and
live
to
righteousness
by
his
wounds
you
have
been
healed
for
you
are
straying
like
sheep
but
have
now
returned
to
the
shepherd
and
overseer
of
your
souls
Bolsonaro
reconstruction
were
額
our
constraints
we were all railing against the standards of God's discipline
we were all headed toward eternal death and damnation
but Jesus humbled himself for our sake
and he died on the cross to bear our sins
to pay the price of our rebellion
and now it's by renouncing our pride
and humbly submitting to the lordship of Jesus
saying that I cannot save myself
I can cling to you alone for salvation
that is the only way we can die to our sins
and live to the righteousness
and get restored to that path
in which there is no death
have you trusted in Jesus for salvation?
have you given your life to him?
do you have a relationship with him?
because you can have that
and it's only for those of you who have already done that
it's only by receiving God's unmerited favor
his grace bestowed upon us freely
on account of what Jesus has done
it's only by receiving that we too can have the mind of Christ
and live with humility
remember what Jesus did for you
in order to save us
who like sheep had gone astray
Jesus was led like a lamb to the slaughter
he says in Isaiah 53 verse 7
because we had gone astray like sheep
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter
and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent
so he opened not his mouth
Jesus of all people
could have defended himself
Jesus of all people
should not have been the object of vitriol
of foul-mouthed people
Jesus of all people
had a claim
a legitimate claim
to righteousness
and Jesus of all people
deserved to live forever
and never experience
the bitterness of death
but he was silent
for our sake
he was submissive
for our sake
he was lowly
for our sake
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient
to the point of death
even death on a cross
he says in Philippians chapter 2
and therefore
because of that
for that reason
he says
God has highly exalted him
and bestowed on him
the name that is above
every name
that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bow
and every tongue confess
every tongue confess
that Jesus Christ
is Lord
to the glory of God the Father
God bestows his favor
upon those who
humble themselves
and learn from him
the prideful will be humbled
the humble will be exalted
so let's follow
in the footsteps of our Savior
and walk humbly
with our God
Holy right
Lord
Godard
morning
so
in theovich
and
all
good
morning
to the moon
and again
they declare
an ark
and oftentimes
in the summer
God
every one
day
and then
thank you
the people
now
we can prevent
you
everything
as
you
and
you