Making Major Life Decisions

Scripture: John 6.66-69; 15.4-5; Matt. 26.36-46; Rom. 12.1-2; I Cor. 10.31; Mark 1.35-39; Acts 1.23-25; Josh. 9.14; Matt. 7.7-8; James 1.5-8; Gen. 12.1-4; Acts 10.1-48; 15.28; 16.6-10; Matt. 4.1, 18-22; 16.21-28; Gal. 5.16-26; Prov. 3.5-8; 15.22; 14.8; 20.4; Heb. 13.7, 17; Ps. 90.12;

Translation: ^{Gen. 12.1}Go for your own good away from your land, from your birthplace, from the house of your father to the land that I will show you. … ⁴And Abram went just as Yahweh told him. And Lot went with him. And Abram was 75 years old when he left from Haran.

^{Psalm 90.12}Teach us how to count our days, so that we can get a heart of wisdom.

^{Prov. 3.5}Trust in Yahweh  with all your heart; don’t rely on your own understanding. ⁶Know Him in all your ways, and He will straighten your paths. ⁷Don’t be wise from your own perspective; fear Yahweh and turn away from evil. ⁸It will be healing for your body, and refreshment for your bones.

^14.8The wisdom of a shrewd man is understanding his path, but the stupidity of idiots is deception.

^{Prov. 15.22}Plans fail when there is no advice, but with a lot of advisors you will succeed.

^{Prov. 20.4}The lazy person doesn’t plow during planting season; he looks in harvest season, but there’s nothing.

^{John 6.66}At this point, many of His followers left for what they left behind and didn’t walk with Him anymore. ⁶⁷So Jesus said to the Twelve, “You don’t want to go too, do you?” ⁶⁸Simon Peter responded to Him, “Lord, who will we go away to? You have words of eternal life! ⁶⁹And we really do believe and know that You are the Holy One of God!”

^{John 15.4}Stay in Me, and I will stay in you. Just as the branch can’t produce fruit from itself, unless it stays on the vine, in the same way you can’t either unless you stay in Me. ⁵I am the Vine; you are the branches. The person who stays in Me and I in him—this person will produce lots of fruit, because without Me you can’t do anything!

^{Matt. 26.36}Then Jesus went with them to a garden called Gethsemane. And he was saying to the disciples, “Sit here while I go pray over there. ³⁷And taking along Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, He began to express sorrow and emotional turmoil. ³⁸Then He was saying to them, “My soul is depressed to the point of death. Stay here and hold vigil with Me. ³⁹And going ahead a little, He fell on His face praying and saying, “My Father, if it’s possible, take this cup away from Me! But now how I want it, but how You want it.” ⁴⁰And He came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And He was saying to Peter, “How are you not strong enough to stay awake with Me for one hour? ⁴¹Stay awake and pray, so that you don’t go into testing. Although the spirit is willing, the flesh is weak.” ⁴²Again, for a second time, going off, He prayed saying, “My Father, if it’s not possible that this pass except if I drink it, Your Will be done.” ⁴³And coming back, he found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. ⁴⁴And leaving them, going back, He prayed for a third time the same sentiment saying it again. ⁴⁵Then He came to the disciples and He was saying to them, “Sleep the rest of the time and rest—look, the time has come and the Son of Man is being handed over into the hands of sinners! ⁴⁶Get up. Let’s go. Look, The person betraying Me has come.

^{Rom. 12.1}I urge you, brothers, by the mercies of God to offer your bodies as a living, holy, and pleasing sacrifice to God, your logical act of worship. ²And don’t be conformed to this age, rather be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you can prove what really is the Will of God, which is good, pleasing, and perfect.

^{Mark 1.35}And really early in the morning while it was still dark, He got up, left, and went out to a deserted place and He was praying there. ³⁶And Simon and those with him were searching all over. ³⁷And they found Him and were saying to Him, “Everyone is looking for You.” ³⁸And He was saying to them, “Let’s go somewhere else to the nearby market-towns, so that I can preach there too, because I set out for this purpose. ³⁹And He went preaching in their synagogues, in all Galilee, and casting out demons.

Applications

1.      Outline

a.       Step # 1: Get God

                                                              i.      Get a relationship with God

1.      If you don’t have one, get one—right now, it’s easy.

2.      If you do have one, get it healthy—right now.

3.      Life with God is not life; it is nothingness

a.       John 6.66-69

b.      John 15.4-5

                                                            ii.      Get a passion for God’s Will

1.      Matt. 26.36-46

2.      Rom. 12.1-2

                                                          iii.      Get a passion for God’s Glory

1.      I Cor. 10.31

b.      Step # 2: Get Praying

                                                              i.      Example: Jesus prays before making a major life decision (Mark 1.35-39)

                                                            ii.      Example: the Apostles replace Judas with Matthaias after praying (Acts 1.15-26, esp. 23-25)

                                                          iii.      Example: Joshua and the Israelites get tricked, because they fail to ask God about their possible alliance (Joshua 9, esp. v.14)

                                                          iv.      Example: Jesus prays about going to the cross (Matt. 26.36-46)

                                                            v.      Instruction: Jesus tells us to pray for what we need (Matt. 7.7-8)

                                                          vi.      Instruction: James tells us to ask for wisdom if we need it (James 1.5-8

c.       Step # 3: Get Direction (from God)

                                                              i.      Listen to God

1.      Gen. 12.1-4

2.      Acts 10.1-48

3.      Matt. 26.36-46

4.      Acts 16.6-10

                                                            ii.      Follow Jesus

1.      Matt. 4.18-22

2.      Matt. 16.21-28

                                                          iii.      Walk in the Spirit

1.      Gal. 5.16-26

2.      Matt. 4.1

3.      Acts 15.28

d.      Step # 4: Get Wise

                                                              i.      Trust Yahweh (Prov. 3.5-6)

                                                            ii.      Fear Yahweh (Prov. 3.7-8)

                                                          iii.      Study the Bible (Ps. 119.105)

                                                          iv.      Get Advice from Wise People (Prov. 15.22)

1.      Parents

2.      Pastors

3.      Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, etc.

4.      Older brothers and sisters

5.      Wise friends (but not all friends are wise friends)

6.      Experts on the issue

                                                            v.      Consider your options (Prov. 14.8)

1.      Figure out what your options are

2.      Evaluate your options

a.       Costs vs. benefits

b.      Pros vs. cons

c.       Rightness vs. wrongness

d.      From your own perspective, from others’ perspective, from God’s perspective

                                                          vi.      Follow Godly examples/Obey the instructions of your leaders (Heb. 13.7, 17)

                                                        vii.      Plan ahead (Prov. 20.4)

                                                      viii.      Consider the Consequences (Prov. 20.4)

                                                          ix.      Know /Discover your Calling

                                                            x.      Recognize how short life is (Ps. 90.12)

e.       Step # 5: Get Sober (Don’t Make a Major Life Decision…)

                                                              i.      IF you’re emotionally unstable/disoriented

1.      Like after a major breakup

2.      Like after a major failure

3.      Like after losing your job

4.      Like after a death of a loved one

5.      Etc.

                                                            ii.      IF you’re extremely tire, sick, injured, etc.

                                                          iii.      IF you’re drunk, high, or unable to think clearly

                                                          iv.      IF you’re depressed

                                                            v.      IF you’re really angry

                                                          vi.      IF you’re really scared

                                                        vii.      IF you’re far from God

f.       Step # 6: Get Going

                                                              i.      Don’t hesitate to do what you need to do, once you know what right decision is and it is the right time.

                                                            ii.      Don’t procrastinate, waste time, or miss the opportunity (Prov. )

                                                          iii.      Don’t let fear, worry, apprehension, or pain hold you back from doing what God is calling you to do. (Matt. 26.36-46)

g.      Step # 7: Get Praising

                                                              i.      WE are in it to win it, not for ourselves, but for the glory of our God (I Cor. 10.31)

                                                            ii.      Ultimately, it is God who makes all our success and ability possible (Prov. and Phil. 2.13)

Wise with People (assorted Proverbs)

Scripture: Proverbs 11.22; 12.4, 26; 13.20; 14.7, 9; 15.17; 17.1-2, 9, 12, 17; 18.22, 24; 19.4, 6-7, 13-14, 19, 22, 26; 20.6, 19-20; 21.7, 19; 22.6, 7, 10, 14, 24-25*; 23.19-21, 27-28; 24.21-22; 25.17, 24; 27.6, 9, 10, 15-16, 17*; 28.24; 29.22; 30.20; 31.30-31

Translation: ^{Proverbs 11.22}A gold ring in a pig’s snout is a woman with a hot body but an empty head [lit. a beautiful woman even though her good judgment is gone].

^12.4A woman of quality is the crown of her husband, but like cancer in his bones if she brings him shame.

^12.26A righteous man researches a possible business partner, but the way of wicked people leads them astray.

^13.20Walk with the wise and get wise, but a person who hangs out with idiots suffers.

^14.7Get away from a stupid man, or you won’t know lips of knowledge.

^14.9Guilt mocks idiots, but acceptance is found among moral people.

^15.17A meal of vegetables where love is present is better than a fattened bull where hated present.

^17.1A bit of dry bread that comes with peace is better than a house filled with fresh steaks and conflict. ²A successful slave will rule over a shameful son, and among he will have a share of the inheritance among the brothers.

^17.9A person who forgives an offense is a person who really is seeking love, but a person who brings it up/does it again separates friends.

^17.12Go meet a bear robbed of its cubs by a man, but not an idiot in his stupidity. 

^17.17A friend is someone who loves in every situation, but a brother is born for trouble.

^18.22A man who finds a wife finds what’s good, and he gets a blessing from Yahweh.

^18.24There are friends that split up, but there is a loving person who sticks closer than a brother.

^19.4Wealth adds many friends, but a poor man loses his friend.

^19.6Many people suck up to important people, but everyone is the friend of the man who gives gifts. ⁷All the brothers of a poor man hate him, it’s worse if his friends distance themselves from him. He may be chasing them with words, but they are not there for him.

^19.13A foolish son is total ruin for his father, and the naggings of a wife are a constant dripping. ¹⁴A house and wealth are the inheritance of fathers, but a wise/successful wife is from Yahweh!

^19.19Great anger carries a penalty, because if you get rid of it, then it will come back again.

^19.22What you want in a person is their loyalty, so a poor person is better than a liar.

^19.26A person who attacks his father drives away his mother—that’s a son that brings shame and dishonor!

^20..6Many people claim to be a loyal person, but who can find a faithful man?

^20.19A person who exposes a secret is someone who acts like an spy, so don’t ever open up to someone who’s thoughtless with their lips. ²⁰The person who curses their father and their mother—their light will be snuffed out in the deepest darkness!

^21.7The violence of wicked people will drag them away, because they refuse to render justice.

^21.19It is better to live in the middle of a desert than with a wife who is argumentative and angry.

^22.6Teach a young man about the point of his life, then when he gets old he won’t turn always from it.

^22.7A rich person will rule over poor people; and the borrower is a slave to the man who lends.

^22.10Drive out a mocker, and conflict will leave; and legal fighting and public shaming will stop.

^22.14The mouth of forbidden women is a deep pit, a person cursed by Yahweh falls into there.

^22.24Don’t be friends with an angry man, and don’t hang out with a man with rage problems. ²⁵Otherwise you will learn his ways and set a trap for yourself.

^23.19You listen up, my son, and be wise, so that your heart will be set on the right path. ²⁰Don’t be with people who get drunk on wine, with people who stuff themselves with meat. ²¹Because a person who gets drunk or stuffed will become poor and laziness clothes them with rags.

^23.26My son, give me your heart. And your eyes will enjoy your ways, ²⁷because the forbidden woman is a deep pit, and a out-of bounds woman is a narrow well. Indeed, she lies in wait like a predator , and she multiplies cheaters among humanity.

^24.21Fear Yahweh, my son, and the king. Don’t associate with people who change sides, ²²because suddenly their trouble will come up and who knows the destruction the two of them can bring?

^25.17Don’t go over to your friend’s house too much, otherwise he will have enough of you and hate you.

^25.24It is better to live on the corner of a roof than to share a house with a nagging/argumentative wife.

^27.6The wounds of a friend are trustworthy, but the kisses of a hater are numerous.

^27.9Oil and incense delight the heart, and the sweetness of his friend comes from life advice.

^27.10Don’t abandon your friend or your father’s friend, and don’t go to your brother’s house when you’re in trouble. It is better to stay with someone nearby than a brother far away.

^27.15A constant dripping on a rainy day and a nagging wife are similar. ¹⁶A man who can restrain her can restrain the wind, and he calls his days luxury.

^27.17Iron is sharpened by iron, and a man is sharpened in front of his friend.

^28.24A person who robs his father and mother and says “there’s no rebellion”—he is a partner to the man who destroys.

^29.22An angry man stirs up conflict, and a furious man makes a lot of offenses.

^30.20This is the way of an adulterous woman: she eats, wipes her mouth, and says “I didn’t do anything wrong.”

^31.30Charm is a lie and beauty is empty: a woman who fears Yahweh, she is praiseworthy. ³¹Give her some of the fruit of her hands and praise her in public for what she does.

Applications

1.      Outline

a.       Be a Good Friend

                                                              i.      Be someone who brings out the best in others (27.17; 27.6, 9)

                                                            ii.      Be a faithful friend (12.26; 17.17; 18.24; 19.4, 6, 22; 20.6, 19; 27.10; 24.21-22)

                                                          iii.      Be a forgiving friend (17.9)

                                                          iv.      Be a good wife (12.4; 18.22; 19.13-14; 21.19; 25.34; 27.15-16; 31.30-31)

                                                            v.      Be a wise person (25.17)

                                                          vi.      Be a patient person (19.19)

b.      Find Good Friends

                                                              i.      Find people who bring out the best in you (27.17; 27.6, 9)

                                                            ii.      Find faithful friends (12.26; 17.17; 18.24; 19.4, 6, 22; 20.6, 19; 27.10; 24.21-22)

                                                          iii.      Find forgiving friends (17.9)

                                                          iv.      Find a good wife (12.4; 18.22; 19.13-14; 21.19; 25.34; 27.15-16; 31.30-31)

                                                            v.      Find wise people (13.20; 17.2)

                                                          vi.      Find patient people (19.19)

c.       Avoid Bad Relationships

                                                              i.      Angry people (15.17; 17.1; 22.10, 24-25; 29.22)

                                                            ii.      Adulterers (22.14; 23.26-27; 30.20)

                                                          iii.      Argumentative/Nagging People (19.13-14; 21.19; 25.24; 27.15-16)

                                                          iv.      Attractive outsides with ugly insides (11.22; 31.30)

                                                            v.      Unwise People (13.20; 14.7; 17.12; 23.19-21)

                                                          vi.      Unforgiving People (17.9)

                                                        vii.      Avoid being a borrower/slave (22.7)

                                                      viii.      Evil people (19.26; 21.7; 28.24)

2.      Discussion Questions

a.       Do you have a best friend? What is he/she like?

b.      What kind of people do you hang out with most of the time? Are they good friends? Are the good influences?

c.       How faithful of a friend do you think you are on scale of 1-10? Why?

d.      What are you looking for in a future spouse?

e.       What are you doing to become the kind of person who would make a good spouse?

f.       What do you think you can do to help bring out the best in others?

g.      Why do angry and unforgiving people make bad friends?

h.      Why is it important to avoid becoming in debt to someone/something?

i.        What practical thing can you do this week to become a better friend?

Wise with Time (assorted Proverbs)

Scripture: Proverbs 6.6-11; 10.3-5; 12.11, 24; 13.4, 11, 16; 14.4, 23; 16.26; 18.9; 19.2, 15, 24; 20.4, 13; 21.5, 17, 20, 25; 22.13, 29; 23.19-21; 24.30-34; 26.10, 13-16; 28.19-20

Translation: ^{Proverbs 6.6}Go to the ant you lazy bum! See its ways and be wise! ⁷That there is no commander for it, no one administrating or ruling. ⁸It arranges in the summer for its food. It gathers at harvest time what it will eat. ⁹How long are you going to sleep you lazy bum? When will you get up from your sleep? ¹⁰A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep, ¹¹and your poverty will come like a robber, your needs will come like an armed man!

^{Proverbs 10.3}Yahweh doesn’t starve the stomach of the righteous person, but He overturns the desire of wicked people. ⁴Lazy hands make a man poor, but the hands of diligent people get rich. ⁵The man who harvests in the summer is a son who brings success; the man who sleeps at harvest time is a son who brings shame.

^{Proverbs 12.11}A person who works his land is full of food, but a person who chases worthless things doesn’t have a brain!

^12.24The hands of diligent people are successful, but laziness leads to slave labor.

^13.4A lazy man wants but there’s nothing for his stomach, but the stomachs of diligent people get fat.

^13.11Wealth from thin air shrinks, but the person who harvests by hand gets a lot.

^13.16Every smart person makes use of knowledge, but an idiot spreads stupidity.

^14.4When there is no cattle, the feeding trough is clean, but an abundant harvest comes via oxen.

^14.23With all pain there will be an abundance, but talking lips, what great poverty!

^16.26The stomach of the worker works for him, because his mouth pressures him.

^18.9Moreover, a person who slacks off on his work, he is the brother to master of destruction.

^19.2Moreover, with no knowledge life is not good, and a person who rushes on foot is a sinner.

^19.15Laziness brings on a deep sleep, and a lazy man’s stomach starves.

^19.24A lazy man buries his hand in the food, yet doesn’t bring it back to his mouth!

^20.4A lazy person doesn’t plow after the fall harvest, so he wants food during the summer harvest, but there’s nothing.

^20.13Don’t love sleep, otherwise you will be poor. Open your eyes. Get full on food!

^21.5Focused thoughts—surely it will lead to abundance! But everyone who rushes—surely it will lead to poverty!

^21.17A man of poverty is a person who loves pleasure; a person who loves wine and oil doesn’t get rich!

^21.20There is desired treasure and oil in the house of the wise person, but stupid man uses it all up!

^21.25What a lazy person wants will kill him, because his hands refuse to work!

^22.13A lazy person says, “Ah! There’s a lion outside! I could get killed right out in the open!”

^22.29You should look at a skilled man at his work—he will stand before kings, he won’t stand before unimportant people.

^23.19You Listen up, my son, and be wise. Set your mind on the right path. ²⁰Don’t be with those who get drunk on wine, those who stuff themselves with meat, ²³because a person who gets drunk and a stuffed will be poor, and sleepiness will make them wear rags!

^24.30I walked past the field of a lazy man, and by the vineyard of a man who didn't have a brain. ³¹And look, all of it grew thistles and weeds covered its surface—and a wall, its stones were torn down. ³²And I looked. I thought about it. I saw. I took it as a lesson. ³³A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding the arms to rest, ³⁴And your poverty will come walking all over you, and your needs like armed man!

^26.13A lazy person says “Ah! There’s a lion in the street! A lion is in the middle of those wide open spaces!” ¹⁴The door turns on its hinges, and the lazy person on his bed. ¹⁵A lazy person buries his hand in the food on the plate, but it’s too much work for him to bring it back up to his mouth. ¹⁶A lazy person is wiser from his own perspective than seven people who can give a wise decision.

^28.19A person who works his land will be full of food, but a person who chases worthless things will be full of poverty. ²⁰A faithful man is great in blessings, but a person who hurries to get rich will not get away with it.

Interpretation

1.      Themes

a.       Hard work

b.      Laziness

c.       Wasting time

d.      Planning ahead

e.       Poverty, needs

f.       Wealth

g.      Wisdom

h.      Agriculture

i.        Stomach

j.        Providence of God

2.      Doctrines

a.       God will provide what the wise need

Applications

1.      Outline

a.       Don’t Waste Time, Instead Plan Ahead

                                                              i.      Don’t waste time

1.      Don’t sleep too much

2.      Don’t drink too much

3.      Don’t eat too much

4.      Don't game too much

5.      Don’t watch too much

6.      Don’t play too much

7.      Don’t talk too much

8.      Don’t socialize too much

9.      Don’t procrastinate too much

10.  Don’t work too much

                                                            ii.      Plan Ahead

1.      Set Goals

2.      Maximize Opportunities

3.      Manage Risks

4.      Make Schedules

5.      Map out strategies

6.      Meet Needs

7.      Recognize cause and effect

8.      Trust in God’s provision

b.      Don’t Be Lazy, Instead Work Hard

                                                              i.      Don’t be Lazy

1.      Give up the obsession of getting rich quickly

2.      Give up the hatred for hard work

3.      Give up making excuses

4.      Give up expecting everything to be easy

5.      Give up wasting time

6.      Give up impulsive, foolish decisions, especially purchase

7.      Give up expecting everything to be done for you, or magically appear for you

8.      Give up getting ahead by any means necessary

                                                            ii.      Work Hard

1.      Get to Work

a.       Start working

b.      Work when you need to work

2.      Get through the work

a.       Through the pain

b.      Through the boredom

c.       Through the distraction

3.      Get motivated

a.       By hunger

b.      By wealth

c.       By honor

d.      By blessing

e.       By faith

4.      Get Wise with Work (work smarter not harder)

a.       Use Good Tools

b.      Use Good Timing

2.      Discussion Questions

a.       What is your favorite way to waste time? why?

b.      How much time do you think you waste in an average week?

c.       What is your attitude towards work, especially hard work?

d.      What are some practical everyday consequences of laziness? Which ones have you personally experienced?

e.       What do you think and feel when you see someone being lazy?

f.       What are the biggest obstacles to being productive? What are your favorite excuses?

g.      How much do you usually plan ahead, on a scale of 1-10?

h.      What would motivate you to work hard and use your time well? Why?

i.        What is one thing you can do this week to waste less time?

Wise with Words (assorted Proverbs)

Scripture: Proverbs 6.16-19; 10.11, 12, 13-14, 18, 19-21, 31-32; 11.9, 12-13; 12.5-6, 13-14, 16-19, 22-23; 13.2-3, 5; 14.3, 5, 13, 21, 25, 29; 15.1-2, 4, 7, 8, 18, 23, 26, 28, 29; 16.10, 13, 21, 23-24, 27-28; 17.4-5, 7, 14, 19-20, 27-28; 18.1-2, 4, 6-8, 13, 17-21; 19.5, 9, 11, 28; 20.3, 9, 14-15, 22, 25; 21.6, 23-24, 28, 29; 22.14; 23.9, 15-16; 24.11-12, 26, 28-29; 25.9-10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 18, 20, 23, 25; 26.2, 4-5, 6, 7, 9, 17, 18-19, 20, 21-26, 28; 27.1-2, 5, 9, 14, 15-16; 28.6, 9, 23; 29.5, 8, 11; 30.6, 32, 33; 31.8-9

Translation: ^{Proverbs 18.21}Death and life are in the power of the tongue: those who love it will eat its fruit.

^24.28Don’t be witness against your neighbor for no reason, such that you deceive with your lips. ²⁹Don’t say: “Just like what he did to me, I’ll do the same to him! I will pay him back according to what he did!”

^31.8Open your mouth for someone who can’t speak, for the justice of all the children left behind! ⁹Open your mouth! Judge righteously! And give justice the poor and powerless!

^20.3There is glory for the man who sits free from arguments, but any fool can blow up.

^26.4Don’t respond to an idiot according to his stupidity, otherwise you yourself will also be just like him. ⁵Answer an idiot according to his stupidity, otherwise he will think he is wise.

^20.9Make your case with your neighbor, but don’t share someone else’s secret. ¹⁰otherwise a person who hears will shame you, and you won’t get your reputation back.

^27.1Don’t brag about tomorrow, because you don’t know what a day will bring. ²A stranger should praise you, not your own mouth; a foreigner, it better not be your own lips!

^10.19With a lot of words sin is not missing, a wise person restrains his lips.

^15.28The mind of a righteous person thinks to answer, but the mouth of wicked people gushes bad things

^18.13A person who replies before listening, it is stupidity and shame for him.

^19.5A lying witness will not get away with it, and a person who breathes lies will not escape.

^19.9A lying witness will not get away with it, and a person who breathes lies will be destroyed.

^21.6 A person who gets rich by a lying tongue, it is empty and temporary—they are death chasers.

^26.18Like a madman shooting deadly fiery arrows, ¹⁹so is the man tricking his neighbor, and then saying, “Wasn’t I joking?”

^18.17The first person is right in his case, but then his neighbor comes and cross-examines him. ¹⁸Dice will stop fights, and it will settle issues between strong parties. ¹⁹An offended brother is worse than a strong city, in that those fighting are like the bars on a castle.

^26.20When the wood is gone, the fire goes out, and when there’s no gossiper conflict quiets down.

^27.14A person who blesses his neighbor with a loud voice—morning people—it seems like a curse to him.

^17.27A person who restrains his words is a person who knows knowledge, and a cool spirit is a man of understanding. ²⁸Moreover, an idiot who stays quiet seems wise, who zips his lips seems understanding.

^21.23A person who guards his mouth and his tongue guards his life from troubles.

^26.17A person who grabs a dog’s ears is the person who’s passing by and gets all huffy over an argument that has nothing to do with him.

^27.14

Interpretation

1.      Themes

a.       Anger vs. patience

                                                              i.      Prov. 10.18

                                                            ii.      14.29

                                                          iii.      15.1, 18

                                                          iv.      19.11

                                                            v.      20.22

                                                          vi.      24.29

                                                        vii.      25.15

                                                      viii.      26.23-26

                                                          ix.      29.8, 11

b.      Life/Death/healing/restoration/destruction

                                                              i.      Prov. 10.11, 14, 21

                                                            ii.      11.9

                                                          iii.      12.6, 13-14, 18, 19

                                                          iv.      13.3

                                                            v.      15.4

                                                          vi.      18.7, 20-21

                                                        vii.      21.6

                                                      viii.      22.14

                                                          ix.      24.11-12

                                                            x.      25.25

                                                          xi.      26.2

c.       Lying/false witness vs truth

                                                              i.      Prov. 6.17,19

                                                            ii.      10.18

                                                          iii.      12.17, 19, 22

                                                          iv.      13.5

                                                            v.      14.5, 25

                                                          vi.      15.4

                                                        vii.      16.13

                                                      viii.      17.4, 7, 20

                                                          ix.      19.5, 9, 28

                                                            x.      21.6, 28

                                                          xi.      24.26, 28

                                                        xii.      25.14, 18

                                                      xiii.      26.18-19, 27-28

                                                      xiv.      28.23

                                                        xv.      29.5

                                                      xvi.      30.6

                                                    xvii.      31.8-9

d.      Conflict

                                                              i.      Prov. 6.19

                                                            ii.      10.12, 18

                                                          iii.      12.16

                                                          iv.      16.27-28

                                                            v.      17.14, 19

                                                          vi.      18.6, 17-19

                                                        vii.      19.11

                                                      viii.      20.3

                                                          ix.      25.23-24

                                                            x.      26.17, 20-22

                                                          xi.      30.33

e.       Talking too much/too fast vs. self-control

                                                              i.      Prov. 10.19

                                                            ii.      11.12-13

                                                          iii.      12.16, 23

                                                          iv.      13.3

                                                            v.      15.2, 28

                                                          vi.      17.7, 27-28

                                                        vii.      18.2, 13

                                                      viii.      20.25

                                                          ix.      21.23

                                                            x.      25.9-10

                                                          xi.      27.15-16

f.       Righteous/wicked speech

                                                              i.      Prov. 10.31-32

                                                            ii.      11.9

                                                          iii.      15.8, 26, 29

                                                          iv.      16.13

                                                            v.      17.4-5

                                                          vi.      28.9

g.      Pride

                                                              i.      14.3

                                                            ii.      18.2

                                                          iii.      20.9

                                                          iv.      27.1-2

                                                            v.      30.32

h.      Well timed words

                                                              i.      15.23

                                                            ii.      25.11

i.        Wisdom and words

                                                              i.      16.23-24

                                                            ii.      18.4

                                                          iii.      20.15, 25

                                                          iv.      23.9, 15-16

                                                            v.      25.12, 20

                                                          vi.      26.4-5, 7, 9

                                                        vii.      27.5, 14

                                                      viii.       

Applications

1.      Outline

a.       Know the Power of Words

                                                              i.      Power of life and death (18.21, 10.11, 11.9, 12.6, 24.11-12)

                                                            ii.      Power of justice and injustice (24.28-29; 31.8-9)

                                                          iii.      Power of peace and conflict (20.3)

b.      Know the Time for Words

                                                              i.      Talk wisely in light of outcomes (26.4-5)

                                                            ii.      Don’t talk too much (10.19; 25.9-10; 27.1-2, 15-16; 30.32)

                                                          iii.      Talking too fast (15.28; 18.13; 20.25)

c.       Speak Wisely

                                                              i.      Speak Truth (19.5, 9; 21.6; 26.18-19, 23-28; 25.14)

                                                            ii.      Speak Peace (18.17-19; 20.3; 26.20-21)

                                                          iii.      Speak Life (27.14)

                                                          iv.      Speak Nothing (17.27-28; 21.23; 26.17)