Pondering the Proverbs

The Psalmist wrote of the blissful man whose:

Delight is in the law of the Lord,

And in His law he meditates day and night. (Psalm 1:2)

Some folks associate meditation with the practices of eastern pagan religions. In reality, meditation is nothing more than focusing one’s thoughts on something to gain a better or deeper understanding. It is good to pause in our Bible reading to focus and think about what we have read. I find it productive to ask myself questions about the things I’ve read.

If you have caught up on reading the Book of Proverbs (see last week’s blog), then you may remember the following from chapter 1:

Wisdom shouts in the street,

She lifts her voice in the square. (1:20)

Wisdom is personified as a woman. Why is she shouting? What would that look like if it were taken literally, that is, if a woman actually stood in the streets shouting? (Focus and think.)

In verse 22 Wisdom calls out:

How long, O naïve ones, will you love being simple-minded

And scoffers delight themselves in scoffing

And fools hate knowledge?

What is the relationship between:

• The naïve and simplicity?
• The scoffer and scoffing?
• The fool and knowledge?

What is the difference between the three individuals: the naïve, the scoffer, and the fool? (Ponder.)

The naïve ‘loves,’ the scoffer ‘delights,’ and the fool ‘hates.’ What is the significance of these action words? (Meditate.)

When we pause and ask ourselves questions about the things written, we tend to look more intently at the text. We envision the scene and all the moving parts. It may help us to see connections not seen before, grasp a deeper meaning, remember things more easily, or remember longer.

Simple observation is a part of meditation. What do you remember about Proverbs 2? 

For me it is the ‘path’ chapter. The word path, or a synonym (way, course, or track), appears twelve times. Why is there such repetition? Is there an overarching message or emphasis? If so, what is that message?

Sometimes the text seems to jump off the page with a pattern of thought. It may be a mere poetic device or it may suggest a deeper meaning. Either way, it makes the reader stop and look...and ponder.

Sometimes the text seems to jump off the page because the text does not meet the reader’s expectation. For example, Solomon addressed “my son” numerous times in the first seven chapters, but in 4:1 and 5:7 he addressed, “my sons,” plural. Why? Is there significance? (Think.)

Some questions may be easily answered in the surrounding text. Others may be answered when considering the book as a whole and its repetitive themes. Some questions may go unanswered. Even then, our minds are sharper as we continue to read further in the book, as we re-read, and as we explore other sections of scripture.

Pondering the proverbs is not a science, but rather a simple means of delving more deeply into God’s word. What will you see today!?

Mark Stinnett

December 14, 2025

An Enticing Prospect

My son, if sinners entice you,
Do not consent.
--Proverbs 1:10

The ‘sinners’ in this verse are described more fully in the next four verses:

If they say, "Come with us,
   Let us lie in wait for blood,
   Let us ambush the innocent without cause;
Let us swallow them alive like Sheol,
   Even whole, as those who go down to the pit;
We shall find all kinds of precious wealth,
   We shall fill our houses with spoil;
Throw in your lot with us,
   We shall all have one purse...."

The ‘sinners’ appear to be violent. For many of us, it is quite difficult to think of ourselves or our friends as people of violence. In most areas in our country we enjoy relatively peaceful surroundings. ‘Sinners’ we are exposed to are more likely to be people who gossip, lie, become drunk, cheat on their taxes, etc.

Let's take a closer look.
They say, "Let us ambush the innocent without cause." The idea is that there is no reason for doing what they are doing. Other translations bring this out in a more descriptive way:

• Let's ambush...for no reason at all. (ISV)*
• Let's ambush...just for fun. (CSB, NLT)**

That's a lie! The sinners are masking their real purpose. They seem to be acting aimlessly and to some degree they probably don't have a well thought out plan. Yet, they have a purpose, and that is to take advantage of those who have possessions and take those possessions by force to get rich!

Could the ‘sinners’ in this teaching also apply to those who through clever manipulation of circumstances ‘force’ others to give up their possessions? Would the following list also fit this description of ‘sinners’: 

• Embezzlers?
• Dishonest salesmen?
• Those who defraud others through insurance scams?
• Doctors who knowingly make false diagnoses or knowingly prescribe unnecessary medications?
• Those who lie about services needed (mechanic, handyman, plumber, electrician, heating/AC repairman, etc.)?
• Those who use their position to obtain favors or take unfair advantage of those under their authority?

Be wary of questionable schemes to make quick money. The get-rich-quick fantasy will generally lead to disappointment, and often, evil. Be wary of questionable schemes that manipulate others or use force to gain a benefit. How can we 'love our neighbor as we love ourselves' if we are taking unfair advantage of them???

Better is the poor who walks in his integrity
Than he who is crooked though he be rich.
--Proverbs 28:6 (NASB95)

Shortcuts are often enticements of Satan in disguise.

Be wise.

Mark Stinnett

October 25, 2020

  *ISV - International Standard Version

**CSB - Christian Standard Bible

    NLT - New Living Translation

Hey Kids, What Are You Wearing?

Read the title question. What do you think?

Is this a fashion question? A modesty question? A pandemic ‘mask’ question?

It is ‘none of the above.’ My question stems from the advice the writer of Proverbs gave his son. It is good advice for kids today…

Hear, my son, your father’s instruction, 

And do not forsake your mother’s teaching;
Indeed, they are a graceful wreath to your head, 

And ornaments about your neck.
—Proverbs 1:8-9 (NASB95)

Does the proverb merely sound like a plea to honor parental advice? Actually, there’s more.

‘Instruction’ is translated from the Hebrew word ‘musar.’ It is best understood as discipline. Solomon pleads with his son to ‘hear’ or ‘listen to’ musar. So, he is referring to any kind of verbal discipline: instruction, correction, or rebuke.

‘Teaching’ is from the Hebrew word ‘torah.’ In most cases, ’torah’ was a word used for the Law of God. However, it did not refer to a set of rules, but rather, careful instruction.

So, what was the content of this fatherly verbal discipline and motherly instruction?

Based on the content of Proverbs 1, the discipline of the father and instruction of the mother both reflect the word of God. In other words, the parental instruction here is not homespun advice, but God’s instruction being relayed to the child through the parents. This tells me two things:

First, while every parent has informative and helpful instruction based on personal experience, nothing is more important than instruction from Scripture. So, children, it is of greatest importance that you to listen to your parents.

Second, parents, it is imperative that you take your responsibility as a parent seriously. Your obligation is to first relay what God has taught in His word. There is a place for your personal wisdom; just make sure God’s word is primary and your instruction is secondary. And don’t allow for your personal experience to undo or water down God’s instruction.

Solomon said that the parental teaching is “a graceful wreath to your head and ornaments about your neck.” That is God’s fashion statement to you. 

• Do you know what to wear when you get ready for school? 
• Do you know what you should wear to a party? 
• To the park? 
• To a church function? 
• On vacation? 
• Even at home?

Instead of promoting yourself and your independence and your opinions and your attitudes with your outer wear, God will be really impressed if you ‘wear’ your parents’ instruction.

So, how do you dress up with your parent’s instruction?

It is really simple to explain, but often hard to do: You ‘listen.’

When Solomon instructed his son to “Hear,” he did not intend for the instruction to go in one ear and out the other. Relaying God’s instruction, he expected his son to actually listen with interest; to think about the instruction; and to follow the instruction. That does not mean that there is no discussion. But any discussion should be for clarity. There is no room for selfish bargaining to get out of doing what is expected; no room for rebellion; no room for disobedience.

In the end, when children humbly follow God’s instruction given to them by their parents, things always go better for the children. It might not be fashionable to the people of the world, but it sure pleases God to adorn yourself with the teaching from His word.

Mark Stinnett 

August 30, 2020

Don't Be A Birdbrain

Perhaps you have heard the expression; perhaps you have used it: "You are such a birdbrain."

Most everyone understands this expression. Even with some rather interesting research on the intelligence of certain kinds of birds, we recognize that, in general, birds have small heads, so they have small brains. So, we tend to equate the small brains to stupidity. Our generation was not the first.

Solomon observed:

   Indeed, it is useless to spread the net

   In the eyes of any bird.

   --Proverbs 1:17

A translation of the same verse from the Tanakh, a modern Jewish translation of the Old Testament, seems a little clearer.

   In the eyes of every winged creature

   The outspread net means nothing.

   --Proverbs 1:17 (Tanakh)

The simple idea is that a net is spread in full view of a bird, yet the bird is so stupid, it is still caught in the net. It cannot understand the danger of the net; the net means nothing. The wise Solomon was using this illustration to warn his son against running with friends who were involved in evil things. Those involved in evil are no better off than the birds.

But they [those who run to evil]  lie in wait for their own blood; 

They ambush their own lives.

--Proverbs 1:18

The evil person has the stupidity of a bird. He might even take stupidity to its extreme: He is not only caught in a trap that he can see, he set the trap for himself through his pursuit of evil! This is the crowning jewel of stupidity; the pinnacle of stupidity; stupidity's most glorious moment, shining as bright as the sun!

The Book of Proverbs was written for the purpose of keeping people from the 'birdbrained' stupidity of self-entrapment by their involvement in evil. Don't pass over the word 'evil' as some sort of abstract gray haze. Evil has many faces: disrespect toward parents, lying, cheating, laziness, anger, lust, pornography, disobedience, fighting (with fists or words), gossip, intoxication (drugs or alcohol), dishonesty, pride, chasing money, hatred, jealousy, intentionally being unfair (unjust), sexual sin, and so on....

Avoid evil.

Avoid those who do evil things.
Don't be a 'birdbrain.'

Expectations

What do you expect when you read the Bible? Do you have the same expectation when reading different books of the Bible: The Psalms as compared to Genesis as compared to the gospel accounts? What about The Proverbs?

Unlike many books of the Bible the book of Proverbs announces its purpose within the first several verses. A person might generalize the purpose of Proverbs by describing it as a book of wisdom, but what should a person expect?

Solomon described the expectation for the reader:

   To receive instruction in wise behavior,
   Righteousness, justice and equity.
   --Proverbs 1:3


When a person reads a nugget of wisdom in The Proverbs, it is often applied to a specific event in one's life in a kind of 'moment by moment application.' The purpose of the entire book applies to the scope of one’s life. The Revised Standard Version accurately suggests this broad purpose:
   [That men may] receive instruction in wise dealing....

'Wise behavior' or 'wise dealing' is defined in three areas: Righteousness, justice, and equity. Together these describe the full development of ‘wise behavior': conduct in a morally right way, conduct in a legally correct way, and application in all things rightly, or evenly.

Applying the Proverbs to your life, you can expect to be equipped:

• Morally; not as a moral perfectionist, yet not immoral;
• Legally; not as a legalist following the letter of the law, but law abiding;
• Practically; not being a hypocrite, but applying things properly to yourself and others.

Of all the accusations levied against Jesus, no one ever said that he was overly pious or ‘holier than thou.’ No one accused of Jesus of being a morality policeman or judge. He applied the instruction of God perfectly as a true example of ‘wise behavior’: Full of righteousness, justice, and equity.

Have you ever considered that the Proverbs will equip you to be more like Jesus?

Read Proverbs.
Ponder Proverbs.
Apply Proverbs.
Expect wise dealings.

The Naive

To give prudence to the naïve,
To the youth knowledge and discretion.
—Proverbs 1:4

Found in the opening verses of the book of Proverbs, this verse indicates the purpose of the entire book. But who are the naïve? What is the meaning of prudence? What is discretion? (Those are not words you hear every day.)

The root meaning of the Hebrew word for naïve means: to be spacious or to be wide open. It carries the idea of being ‘open-minded’ yet in a negative sense.

A wise instructor of mine once quipped, “It is good to be open-minded, but not so open-minded that your brain falls out.” That was a clever way of saying, “Don’t be naïve!” The mind of the naïve is opened wide to accept any thought offered by anyone.

He can be fooled easily but will also follow after wise teaching. He is just as likely to follow a fool or an evil man as he would be to follow a wise and discerning teacher.

Consider the naïve when he encounters two individuals arguing over a question. The naïve is so open-minded, he can openly acknowledge both lines of reasoning. It is not that he cannot make up his mind, or that he acknowledges merit in each line of reasoning. He actually believes both opposing arguments. He lacks the ability to discern one from the other.

The book of Proverbs is offered to the naïve for the purpose of producing prudence and also discretion.

The Hebrew term translated prudence in this verse is generally used in a negative sense. It carries the idea of craftiness. When used in a positive sense, it gives the idea of being shrewd or sensible.

The Hebrew term translated discretion  literally means to consider or plan.

The Book of Proverbs is specifically devoted to those who are naïve. Its purpose is to bring about maturity by teaching the open-minded person to be crafty in his thinking, to stop and think and evaluate situations in life. It is intended to help the young person learn to be sensible. It promotes careful thinking and planning in life so that evil does not destroy.

Young people...what are you waiting for???