Proverbs 11

Scripture selections are taken from the Rock Church Daily Bread Reading schedule for each month. “Lena’s Journalin’” are Lena’s comments on the specific passages from her Daily Journal.

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Proverbs 11:1-31
The Folly of Wickedness1 Dishonest scales are an abomination to the LORD, But a just weight is His delight. 2When pride comes, then comes shame; But with the humble is wisdom. 3The integrity of the upright will guide them, But the perversity of the unfaithful will destroy them. 4Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, But righteousness delivers from death. 5The righteousness of the blameless will direct F128 his way aright, But the wicked will fall by his own wickedness. 6The righteousness of the upright will deliver them, But the unfaithful will be caught by their lust. 7When a wicked man dies, his expectation will perish, And the hope of the unjust perishes. 8The righteous is delivered from trouble, And it comes to the wicked instead. 9The hypocrite with his mouth destroys his neighbor, But through knowledge the righteous will be delivered. 10When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices; And when the wicked perish, there is jubilation. 11By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted, But it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked. 12He who is devoid of wisdom despises his neighbor, But a man of understanding holds his peace.
13A talebearer reveals secrets, But he who is of a faithful spirit conceals a matter. 14Where there is no counsel, the people fall; But in the multitude of counselors there is safety. 15He who is surety for a stranger will suffer, But one who hates being surety is secure. 16A gracious woman retains honor, But ruthless men retain riches. 17The merciful man does good for his own soul, But he who is cruel troubles his own flesh. 18The wicked man does deceptive work, But he who sows righteousness will have a sure reward. 19As righteousness leads to life, So he who pursues evil pursues it to his own death. 20Those who are of a perverse heart are an abomination to the LORD, But the blameless in their ways are His delight. 21Though they join forces, F129 the wicked will not go unpunished; But the posterity of the righteous will be delivered. 22As a ring of gold in a swine's snout, So is a lovely woman who lacks discretion. 23The desire of the righteous is only good, But the expectation of the wicked is wrath. 24There is one who scatters, yet increases more; And there is one who withholds more than is right, But it leads to poverty. 25The generous soul will be made rich, And he who waters will also be watered himself. 26The people will curse him who withholds grain, But blessing will be on the head of him who sells it. 27He who earnestly seeks good finds favor, But trouble will come to him who seeks evil. 28He who trusts in his riches will fall, But the righteous will flourish like foliage. 29He who troubles his own house will inherit the wind, And the fool will be servant to the wise of heart. 30The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, And he who wins souls is wise. 31If the righteous will be recompensed on the earth, How much more the ungodly and the sinner.

Footnotes
1. F128: 11:5 Or make smooth or straight
2. F129: 11:21 Literally hand to hand
Copyright Statement: The New King James Version

~ Lena’s Journalin’ ~
In speaking about weights and balances we must be very careful to not think with our natural minds.
When it says just weights, it is speaking about the way God measures the purpose of life. I’ve heard many Christians justifying themselves in not serving in church or not winning souls, by saying in life we must have balance.
True in life we must have balance, but not as we deem balance in a naturally designated world. The enemy would like for us to balance all of our life’s purposes and to fit God in just a smidgen!
Again I say be careful when you think about balance.
Balance has to do with weight, weight and glory are a spiritual mass God requires each human being alive to carry in the earth. He requires it, if we do not carry His burden, say for the lost, or as in service to His house, in our local churches, we are out of balance. The weights we do carry instead are the unjust part of the balance.
In Christianity one is not to fit some of God into their life, their life is to be changed by God, and given over to God, forever. I am not my own, I’ve been bought with a price, the blood of God’s dearly beloved Son. When we fit God and the things of God into or already full lives, we’ve missed out on transforming purpose. In Him we live, move, have our being. This is why we were created, why we are alive. Life had better take a back seat and serve the purpose of God. God will see clearly who or what was/is number 1.
Don’t be deceived in your natural mindedness, words will barely hold any value or weight when we stand before Our Father, He will look at what we did with Jesus, not what we said we’d do.
I’ve heard it said, the road to hell is paved with good intentions! Be very careful of intending to…..
He who lacks wisdom despises…gets angry, is impatient with his neighbor, but a wise man holds his peace. That is such a key at gauging our own hearts. If we rise up in anger at people easily we have a serious heart issue that must be brought before the consuming fire of God’s great love and burned to ashes to be blown away. If I’m angry at a person (i.e. neighbor) easily, I’ve exalted my own wisdom, my own ideas as truth and God’s word that tells me to be a person of peace in every situation has not ruled me, is not my Lord, I am my Lord. If I insist on my own way with others, I may be selfish rather than selfless, that needs to also be weighed and found lacking, judged, executed in me and a sentence of death carried out, for I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless Christ lives in me, not me lives in me, The character and peaceful nature of Christ is alive and responsive in me. It is not I who continues to live, but Christ who is made to be able and allowed to rise up and live in me. I disallow self to rise up in resurrection power, for self has been judged and put to death. The life of Christ has been resurrected.
Skipping down,- he who wins souls is wise.
Want wisdom? Save some.
Evidence of true living faith is, I change. I change enough for others to notice. I change a lot quickly. I am always being changed, I ask for and seek change. Change is the witness of my new life in Christ. His image is formed in me. If I see repetitive cycles of past characteristics, I corner their behaviors and insist on change. I’m vigilant against what takes Christ and smothers Him in me. I watch for anything that does not resemble Him and I aggressively pursue and overtake that until it is dead and Christ is alive, visible.
That is how I win souls, I’m always changing. I do what it takes to win some. I become Him to win some. I have to win some, so if it means more of Him , less of me than so be it, to win some!

Daily Meditation/Recital/Question
Ask myself daily: “What Page Am I On?”