Chapter 14 contains a series of proverbs, most of which have to do with the righteous prevailing over the wicked. Godly wisdom beats worldly wisdom any day. We are not going to lead others to Christ with worldly wisdom but with the simple truth of the gospel, the same way the Apostle Paul did. He said to the people of Corinth, "When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God's power." (1 Corinthians 2:2b-5)
It might be hard for us to imagine the Apostle Paul trembling with fear as he preached the gospel, but he knew he was not capable in his human weakness of leading others to the Lord. He knew the power had to come from God alone, so he allowed God to take the lead. He was an exceptionally gifted man, highly intelligent and educated, but he knew none of that was going to persuade people to come to Christ. This is why he had a humble spirit when he told people about Jesus. He knew that if God wasn't in the work, the work wasn't going to accomplish much. You and I can have that same humble spirit. In order to lead people to Christ, we don't have to have college degrees or religious training or be gifted speakers. All we have to do is tell about Christ who was crucified for us. All we have to do is share our personal testimonies about how Jesus changed our lives. Our transformed lives are a demonstration of the Holy Spirit. Others around us can't help but believe there must be power in the Lord if He was able to make us into new creatures.
Solomon begins today with a statement that is dear to my heart, "Each heart knows its own bitterness, and no one else can share its joy." (Proverbs 14:10) Have you ever been so brokenhearted that you wished someone else could get inside your grief with you so you wouldn't feel alone? Have you ever experienced so much joy that you wished you could make those around you feel the same way? It's impossible for anyone but the Lord to get inside either our grief or our joy with us. Humans aren't able, but He is. In a time of grief three years ago, the Lord showed me how He could be with me in my sorrow. No one could feel what I was feeling....no one but Him. In the same way He shares in our happiness, especially when we are happy in the Holy Spirit. No human being can share the things with us that Christ can.
Solomon reminds us that righteousness will prevail over wickedness. "The house of the wicked will be destroyed, but the tent of the upright will flourish." (Proverbs 14:11) The Lord can't bless sin because that would be rewarding wickedness. For a time it may seem like evil people prosper on the earth, but a day is coming when the Lord will sort everything out. "The Lord knows those who are His," and He will reward the righteous for their faithfulness. (1 Timothy 2:19)
"There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death." (Proverbs 14:12) Worldly wisdom will tell us we aren't sinners and we don't need a savior. Worldly wisdom will tell us that, if we want to find God, there are many paths to God. Man's ways aren't God's ways, for God says there is one way to Him and that is through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. (John 14:6)
"Even in laughter the heart may ache, and rejoicing may end in grief." (Proverbs 14:13) Many times I've pasted a smile to my face while my heart was breaking inside or while I was consumed with anxiety. I bet you can say the same. In times like that, what a blessing it is to know the One who can share our sorrows with us. The public may not see what's in our hearts, but Jesus does, and He cares for us.
Again Solomon points out that there is a day of reckoning for the wicked and a day of blessing for the righteous, "The faithless will be fully repaid for their ways, and the good rewarded for theirs." (Proverbs 14:14)
I don't watch or read the news nearly as much as I used to. It brings me down. It makes the world seem like it's gone mad, because there's rarely anything in the news except bad news. It would be easy for us to feel discouraged and hopeless if all we did was view the world through human eyes, but the Lord asks us to look at it from His viewpoint. He says, "I have overcome the world." (John 16:33) He says, "I created the world and it has no power over Me. It has no power over those who belong to Me. I am the One who prevailed over death and the grave. I am the One who gives victory to those who are Mine. I will bring you all the way through this life and you will enjoy eternity in My presence. Do not fear." Jesus has promised to be with us always. (Matthew 28:20) Life may not be without its struggles, but because of Him it's not without its joys.
We will close today with some good news, with a beautiful promise from Isaiah 41:10, "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand." (Isaiah 41:10)
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