Proverbs 17:18-28

Well, good morning, good morning. Welcome to Coffee and Devotions. This is where every day we get together, we get into God's word and we grow in our love for the Lord together. And this year, 2021, we'll make it through all the wisdom literature. We're here a little bit earlier than normal because of being at a conference in Atlanta. But I just wanted to jump on and get into God's word with you. Let's go ahead and have some coffee. We'll pray and we'll get into God's word. Let's pray. Father, we thank you so much for this day and we thank you for your word. We pray that you would bless us and care for us. Watch over us in Jesus's name. Amen.
I'm going to make sure that this microphone is actually on real quick. Hold on here. Okay. Well, I can't see how the audio is doing. So actually, you know what? We're just going to play this safe. I'm going to unplug the microphone. And we're just gonna do this straight through the microphone there. Let's go ahead and get into God's Word. Proverbs 17 verses 18 through 28.
A man devoid of understanding shakes his hands in a pledge and becomes surety for his friend. We've talked about this principle in Proverbs before. It is not wise to cosign on alone. If you don't know someone well, it's probably not best to go into debt with them. We have a personal principle coming from a passage like this, which is essentially, if we're going to loan out money to someone, or if we're going to say that, okay, we're going to put up pledge for them, we just have to count it as a gift. We have to have the money ready and be ready to lose the money. It's not wise to be a surety for a friend.
Verse 19, he who loves transgression loves strife, and he who exalts his gate seeks destruction. If you love sin, you will also love fighting. If you love problems in your life, go chase after sin. This is just the reality of what it is. Sin is always tempting, it always looks pleasurable, it always looks fun, and it always brings fighting and problems. And so if you love problems in your life, wonderful. Love transgression. But if you want peace in your life, turn away from it.
Because what does it say here? And he who exalts his gate seeks destruction. Don't be prideful. Don't think that you're all able to do everything yourself. Not gonna happen. One commentator on this says that if you're going to build a high wall around your house, act like you have all sorts of important stuff. Don't be surprised if someone climbs the wall and breaks into your home. Verse 20. He who has a deceitful heart finds no good and he who has a perverse tongue falls into evil. Good doesn't come from evil. We don't do Evil that good may come from it. They don't that's not how it works.
We do good and good follows That's a general pattern the general rule now again. These are the proverbs are principles not promises Jesus is the one himself who says that it's not just all gonna go well with us. No No, if we follow him we can be hated and persecuted and we shouldn't find that a strange thing when trials and tribulations come but But we should count it all for glory when these types of things happen. But if we want good things to flow to us, we should do the will of the Lord. And no matter what, we know that even in this life, though we might not get the things we desire here, we know that we get God in heaven.
Verse 21, he who begets a scoffer does so to his sorrow, and the father of a fool has no joy. It's painful to be the parent of a fool. It's painful to watch your child go the way that leads to pain and hurt and sorrow and destruction. It's much better to see your children walk in wisdom and grow and do those things that are pleasing to the Lord. Verse 22.
A merry heart does good like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones. It's amazing how medicinal a good friend can be who can come alongside you and cheer you up. Do you have one of those friends, somebody that can just come alongside you and they smile? And it's like your soul is lifted up, like, okay, it's gonna be okay. Now, I'm not saying, you know, the annoying person who is just giddy, giddy, giddy, you know, that's not what this is talking about, but a broken spirit dries up the bones. There's a reality. There is a reality to sorrow and depression and grief, and it's like sapping up the strength in your bones. Be kind to those who are going through those hard times.
Verse 23, a wicked man accepts a bribe behind the back to pervert the way of justice. It's a wicked person. who will look like they're doing the right thing, but in reality, in the back door, they're taking deals and making bribes that are perverting justice. God hates that. God hates the politician who make the back door deals to promote their own doing. God hates the judges who will do the immoral thing, acting like they are on the moral high ground. It is an affront to our creator.
Verse 24, wisdom is in the sight of him who has understanding, but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth. This is an interesting proverb. I'm going to read what I've put down here in the margin of mind. Keep your eyes glued on wisdom. Fools will look everywhere else. Keep your eyes glued on wisdom. Seek after the Lord. Go to his word. Do what's right in front of you that you can do. Don't just look everywhere else. Don't be the one who goes and looks all over the world for wisdom only to find out that it was in front of your face the entire time.
Verse 26, 25, a foolish son is a grief to his father and bitterness to her who bore him. I've been in rooms and counseled people who their children have made horrible decisions. and seeing their parents weep and weep and weep as they've seen their daughter go the way that they know leads to destruction and it grieves their hearts, buries them down to the soul, almost as if they wish they could say, could it be me instead? Why are they doing this? Why are they acting that way? I know that it's not right. It causes grief to the heart.
It's a violation of the fifth commandment, not honoring your mother and your father by going the way of the fool. Verse 26, also to punish the righteous is not good, nor to strike princes for their uprightness. We shouldn't penalize the good for good behavior, and we shouldn't flog our leaders because they've done the right thing. Again, it's the opposite of verse 23. 23 says, oh, look, I'm going to act like I'm right, but in reality, I'm doing evil behind my back. But the opposite is true too.
When people are doing the right thing in public, we shouldn't punish them for that either. This is exactly what happened to Jesus. Jesus was showing love, and he was showing mercy, and he was doing healing, and he was doing the work for the Lord. And what did they do in response? What did they want to do? Kill him. Why? Because he was getting in the way of what they wanted to do.
Verse 27. He who has known, or sorry, he who has knowledge spares his words and a man of understanding is of calm spirit. Speak less and remain calm. I'm going live straight to Facebook today instead of through the servers I normally use and my wife was trying to encourage me. Brian, look how worked up you are because the computers aren't working and I'm sitting there trying to justify myself. I should be frustrated. We pay for services and the services don't work and that's frustrating to me.
And yeah, that's true, but how much better, and I take the admonishment of my dear wife who's sitting right over here, how much better would it be just to zip the lips, figure out a different way, and move forward? have a calm spirit, don't speak in anger.
Verse 28, even a fool is counted. Oh, I love this proverb. Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace. When he shuts his lips, he is considered perceptive. If you will just be quiet, people will think you're smart. Even the fool is considered wise when he keeps his mouth shut. shut. Just stay quiet and you'll look a whole lot smarter. People will think you're contemplative and that you have all sorts of insight because you can just sit there and maybe stroke your beard or cross your arms and just think about things.
Even if you were daydreaming, it's better for the fool to just be quiet than to just speak. If we're not going after the Lord, if we're not speaking His words, even a fool can just Just be quiet. There's a number of men I've had to disciple that I've had to say, you know, it's probably best if you just don't say that. Probably best if you just don't talk. Because the pattern of their speech was destructive to their families and just poured forth words that they couldn't bring back and they regretted.
Even a fool is considered wise when he keeps his mouth shut. Well, I'm going to keep my mouth shut. Let's pray. Father, thank you so much for this day. Thank you for your word. Thank you that you do not pervert justice. You don't take bribes. Thank you that you have shown us the way of wisdom. We pray that we would walk in your path. In Jesus' name, amen. Well, may the Lord bless you today. May you walk in the joy and peace of Jesus Christ, and I'll see you tomorrow. Bye.