Simple Answer

DEVOTION
PROVERBS
SIMPLE ANSWER
Prov 14:24
24 The wealth of the wise is their crown,
but the folly of fools yields folly.
NIV
It would appear in the simplest form this is speaking about how accumulating large amounts of wealth is a wise thing to do and those who do not are fools. It also seems inconceivable God encourages his people to accumulate the wealth of this world to wear it as a crown, displaying it for all to see. But is this wealth is in fact God, and then truly it should be worn as a crown for all to see. Truly wise people seek the wealth of God which is his divine word, his truth, his righteousness. To have the forgiveness of God, to be justified, sanctified and filled with Holy Spirit is wealth beyond anything in this world. It is the fools who refuse such wealth and spend their lives in foolish pursuits of self-importance and self-indulgence thus yielding no true wealth, but just the folly of their own making. It matters not to quantity or the quality of worldly wealth which can be accumulated for death will always separate a person from such wealth. Fools who put their trust in this type of wealth will indeed reap horrible folly when death claims them. It is the wise who will be ushered into the glory of God. It is the man who has taken the wisest path in life who will see the Glorious wealth which awaits him after this life on earth is done. Death cannot claim the wise person as it does the fool. Oh, death where is thy sting? The wise person has untold wealth at his disposal in this life and the one to come for it is only the wise who will step into eternity in the paradise of God. How can anyone think his own foolish ways can gain him that kind of wealth? The only reason it seems to me is they have been deceived by the evil one, or even by their own foolish ideas. They are living within a fool’s paradise, fake, built on falseness and with facades of gold, hiding the real truth. Who is the fool? Who is the wise? The answer is so simple.

Profit or Poverty

DEVOTION
PROVERBS
PROFIT OR POVERTY
Prov 14:23
23 All hard work brings a profit,
but mere talk leads only to poverty.
NIV
It is certain many might see this as a word admonishing people to not be lazy and go out and get a good hard working job, or at least work diligently at whatever job or profession they have so as to make an abundant life for themselves. It may also be true that if one simply talks about working and does little about it, no profit, no gain, no abundant life will follow. Yet it seems also true that many people do work very diligently at their job and make far less in material payment then some who work very little but are able to charge far more for their skillset. But if we look at the true spiritual wealth of information which is written here we can see a profit and loss statement which has far greater ramifications than material profit. If a person merely talks the walk about being a believer in Christ Jesus and does not actually walk the talk it will surely lead to poverty. It is mandatory for a believer to walk the talk. What value is there in simple saying I am a believer? If a person is not working hard for the benefit of the Kingdom of God, what value does he have? Does God just call people into his kingdom to sit around all day within the confines of their own self, home or even church? Is simply giving God lip service about their faith in him having any merit? Mere talk will lead to spiritual poverty for sure. Far too many times God expresses his views about why he calls people to him. They are all members of one body, each having a function. They are living stones being built into his temple, all having a place, a purpose for their location. They are trees planted by the stream of living water being fruit for others to enjoy. Talking about being a believer is nothing, living as a believer, working diligently for his Kingdom brings profit to our Lord. Even talking about our faith, trusting him and then living as though all material gain id dependent on our own efforts will lead to poverty. If we say we trust him for everything, that we depend on God for all things, that we believe he directs our paths, then we have to actually be diligent to listen and obey. It does take hard work to actually believe, but when accomplished it brings great a reward, a great profit to those who really believe. God has declared some would say they are rich, but he sees them as poor. It is not about money, it is about him. Who will work hard for his Kingdom? Who will experience great profit for God? I will!

Plan Not Plot

DEVOTION
PROVERBS
PLAN NOT PLOT
Prov 14:22
22 Do not those who plot evil go astray?
But those who plan what is good find love and faithfulness.
NIV
If a person is not planning good, which in this case, this setting, is talking about a relationship with God, then all else would be considered evil. What else is good other than God? He has declared that man’s heart is deceitfully wicked. How could any man plan good if it is not based on accepting God’s provision for his salvation? If man plans anything for his own pleasures it has to be evil because it does not include God. In this planning for self, without God, man will always head in the wrong direction and thus be going astray. He is headed away from God instead of toward him. Whatever thoughts man has devised based in human terms are plots of evil. Man’s philosophies, ideologies and even theologies which are based on man’s own mind are not headed toward God but are headed astray. God is the only thing man can plan on which is good. To plan in living in the realm of his Kingdom rather than in the realm of this world is not only a good plan, it is the only plan as all the rest are plots. No matter how diligent a person is in his plotting toward his own future, it is doomed to go astray, if it is not based on God’s plan for his life. There is no hope of finding love and faithfulness without finding God first. Life without God is a lonely path to travel. Whatever attempts to find love and faithfulness without God fail, and people knows and understands they are really all alone in the world, even if they endeavor to hide it from others, they know in their heart, they are all alone. Why would anyone want to travel that path of plotting their life without God? Is self-pleasure and self-fulfillment worth the end result? Who in their right mind would desire to go astray? Why is the truth so painful to accept? Are they so deceived by Satan they cannot even see the truth? The only way to finding love and faithfulness is to find God. He has declared if people will only seek him, they will find him, if they knock, the door will be opened and they will find all the love and faithfulness they will ever need. Simply plan and not plot.

Kindness Over Rudeness Rules

DEVOTION
PROVERBS
KINDNESS OVER RUDENESS RULES
Prov 14:21
21 He who despises his neighbor sins,
but blessed is he who is kind to the needy.
NIV
Sitting in church hearing a good sermon on righteous living and thinking of how someone else should have been to hear it surely is a form of despising a neighbor’s sin. How can any man stand or for that matter sit in judgment of another’s sin? Do we not all have enough sin of our own? Of course it has been said by some that they do not sin anymore. Could that not be the sin of pride? How can someone not sin anymore? If a person attained perfection then the purpose of the cross was for nothing. Jesus did not have to die, for man achieved perfection and reinstated himself into right relationship with God. How prideful is that? True, they might say it is because of Jesus they do not sin anymore, but that is simply not true. Who are they trying to convince, others or themselves? This use of all have fallen short of the glory of God as before being saved, but after no more falling short, is simply misused. Is any sin worse than another? So how can one despise another, all are sinners saved by grace. Every human is in the same condition and is the same condition and needs Christ. The greatest kindness one can exhibit to his neighbor is to share the joy of having sin forgiven and to have been brought back into right relationship with God by God. It seems right that having sin within self surely should bring acts of kindness to others who have sin within. Understanding the temptations which so easily entangle a person certainly should activate acts of kindness to those in need of salvation. If believers portray themselves as perfect and righteous people better than those sinful neighbors, it is no wonder the neighbor wants nothing to do with their religion for they feel the despise. The only true difference is the act of acceptance of Christ and the forgiveness of God. Other than that we are all sinners in need. If a believer loves his neighbor as himself than no more despising, just kindness is at hand. Even when a believer who knows of his own sin, despises other believers who do not act in accordance with the faith, but say they are perfect is another form of despising. No, it is apparent; each man must stand before God for his own life, and his alone. Judge not or be judged. Love covers a multitude of sins. Kindness over rudeness.

A Sad Commentary

DEVOTION
PROVERBS
A SAD COMMENTARY
Prov 14:20
20 The poor are shunned even by their neighbors,
but the rich have many friends.
NIV
What a sad commentary on the condition of the human heart. Would this not be speaking to the fact people merely are attracted to those who have money in hopes of getting some of it? It also shows at the same time the fact people are not attracted to those without money because they have nothing to offer. The whole of relationships are not built on the personality of a person, but rather on social positions. Why a person of means would even desire to build a friendship with someone without means? It would seem that people who do not have money have no friends, but that is not actually the truth here, for they do. This is about the injustice in relationships between the classes. No matter the upstanding quality of a person’s character and the validity of his ability to be a good friend, if he is without the financial means to live in the standard of those with enough wealth to live such, he is not considered worthy to invest any time in building a friendship with. Perhaps the wealthy simple are afraid of his motives and are guarding their wealth from a potential mooch and that is the enough reason alone to shun them. Could this be also speaking to the church and that which was declared through James? Could those within the church even form judgments about new people based upon their appearance rather on their relationship with God? If a long haired, unshaven, ill clothed child of God entered the church would all those clean shaven, with cut hair and clean fine clothes rush to give this person the hand of fellowship and greet him with a holy kiss or even a hug? I dare say, I think if a couple of fine good looking demeanor appeared for the first time within the walls of the church, a line of handshakes and introductions would ensue. Perhaps even this distinction might even occur by the staff of the church, thinking one might be a good tither while the other may be an expense which the church cannot afford. It is a sad commentary.

Bow Now or Later

DEVOTION
PROVERBS
BOW NOW OR LATER
Prov 14:19
19 Evil men will bow down in the presence of the good,
and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
NIV
Even though it may be thought by some this actually applies to people on earth such as in the case with Joseph and his brothers who bowed before him, it appears it could actually speak to the day of the Lord. Has there been much presence day examples of evil men bowing before believers? How many have seen those God classifies as evil bowing as to beg from the hands of the righteous? No, it would seem right to see this as what will happen on the day of the Lord. God himself declares that every knee will bow before him, the only true and good one who is actually righteous. It does not matter how vehement people oppose the true of God, they will bow their knee before him on that day. Perhaps in some feeble effort to seek his mercy, but they will bow before him and before the gates to his presence. They may be begging for his forgiveness for their refusal to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior. The may be seeking some escape from the inevitable end to their evil life, but they will be bowing low before him. Who could dare stand in defiance of his power on that day? What on this earth could be so worthwhile to have to bow in fear before a just God? Yes, all the believers will bow also, but not in fear, for they will be bowing in reverence, to pay honor and praise for his righteousness, with joy and gladness in their hearts. They will hear those wonderful words, “Welcome into my rest, good and faithful servant”. But those who have been wicked and live for their own self-pleasure in this earth refusing to accept the ways of God, will not hear those words, and in truth, they may already know that truth, which makes it even worse on that day. With fear and trembling those who live for self rather than for God will bow before him anyway. Bow now or bow later, but bow everyone will. I have chosen to bow now.

Folly or Knowledge

DEVOTION
PROVERBS
FOLLY OR KNOWLEDGE
Prov 14:18
18 The simple inherit folly,
but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
NIV
Back to opposites between those who know God and those who refuse to know him. Although those who refuse to acknowledge God and his power, refusing to accept him as the creator of all things, the author of the Bible, and the Savior of mankind, think they are the intelligent people of this world, are actually the simple of silly ones. All they trust in the wisdom of mankind will prove to be an absolute folly. How can mankind provide any answers to life, the beginning of it, or the end of it? How can mankind prove any real answers to the beginning of the universe of the end of it? How can mankind prove anything that it does not actually experience? Even then it can merely record its experiences such as gravity, which was established by God. True mankind might invent some mechanical device to make its life easier, but that is only because its knowledge has been established by God. God created mankind with cognizant thought and the ability to use that which he has established for their use. But instead of acknowledging God, they give homage to man who declares their heritage comes from apes and before that some primordial slime. All their thoughts are simply and will result in folly. But the people who see the real truth and accept all that God has declared and have accepted his Son as their Savior will be crowned but in this life and the one to come with true knowledge. They will see the truth of the beginning of the universe, the beginning of mankind and they will know all about the end as well. God has revealed his plan to them, which is the best true knowledge there is to have. If a person does not know where they come from or where they are going, it only makes sense they can only wonder in circles with no idea of what to prepare for. They lives are simply void of purpose and are filled with silliness. But the person who knows God has the knowledge if his past and the knowledge of his future do his life is spent in purpose and preparation. The children of God know him, they have true knowledge.