So let’s mix it up a little. These are hard! If you are like me, you come to some Proverbs and you read it, have no idea really what it is saying, so you go to the next one. Now this will be hard for some of us, BUT if God wants us to soak up all of His teachings, we will humble ourselves and submit to this:
When you come to a Proverb that does not resonate or you just need clarification you are going to put it in the comments. It will give us something to research…
Since I KNOW it is hard to do this, I will start….
I didn’t get past the first 3..
A person’s own folly leads to their ruin,
yet their heart rages against the Lord.
After research: Instead of repenting of the sins that led to ruin, he/she is so convinced that his way of life is right that he is angry against the LORD, holding him accountable for his “ruin”.
These are hard! Ready…your turn. I am just sitting here (there are so many I struggled with I am just researching them).
Reading the Bible - 2021 
Proverbs 21:14
A gift given in secret soothes anger, and a bribe concealed in the cloak pacifies great wrath.
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A gift given in secret soothes anger, and a bribe concealed in the cloak pacifies great wrath.
Please know that I have read about 5-7 sources and most of them were translating the difference between the Septuagint and the Vulgate wording on this…which is above my thinking process today. BUT I think I was getting caught up on the word “bribe”. English has such a limited vocabulary. For example we have the word ‘Love’, you know the Hebrews have a ton of different ‘Loves’
Anyway, back to the scripture…look at the word AND. The scripture is not a BUT.
NOW I LOVE THIS SCRIPTURE. We live in a world of social media. Nothing is secret, nothing is concealed. A true gift to someone (maybe an apology) said should be concealed. Our relationship with the Lord is no different.
One of the commentators I was reading talked about when Esau and Jacob reunited and Jacob sent huge gifts ahead of him to ‘pacify him’. Esau did not want his public outpouring, he wanted his love.
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I am honestly confused by the ones about the poor. They seem so , all over the place. We want to be poor but we don’t want to be poor. Love the poor, but the poor have no friends. Ahh!?!?!?!?
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Proverbs 20:30
“Lashes and wounds purge away evil, and beatings cleanse the innermost parts.”
Proverbs 20:30
🤪
You early readers amaze me. I listen to the Scriptures in the morning, then come back to the written Word in the evening. So I’m always going to be a late-r commentator.
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I usually do an audible and visual too. I LITERALLY just had this conversation. I think women by nature are more audible. Men are more visual. (That’s why I have to write out a ‘honey do’ list not just say it!!)
“Lashes and wounds purge away evil, and beatings cleanse the innermost parts.”
Proverbs 20:30
Put all the words together to read ‘discipline’. Whether the discipline comes from a parent or from the Lord, it has a purpose. It should change us.
I don’t mean to sound preachy, but parents are getting way too ‘light’ on discipline and that is why it is not working and we see repeat behaviors.
When I think about the Lord’s discipline in my life I can see this Proverb in action. The evil in my life was a ‘heart issue for money’. So the beatings I took were monetary. Finally, the ultimate wound (since nothing else was working) was: “I will take it all and leave her broke”. Well, that worked. The year was 2009, and we are still recovering, but my heart could care less about money (innermost parts).
Discipline=Love.
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cfd, Let me read it again. Sounds like the Lord was highlighting some stuff for you. That is awesome. Be back soon. 😁
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Ughhhhh. D. All of the above. I just parallel read with the message. I think I narrowed most of the ones that seemed confusing/conflicting back to heart issues. Money isn’t bad it’s your heart. Being poor isn’t fun but maybe it’s bc u don’t care about material possessions. Loving discipline-no, loving the change it brings-yes. Not being quick to anger for me pausing and thinking about the persons intent or my own heart. I think every single one was ultimately pride and heart issues. Sorry repeating myself 🤦🏽♀️
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