God Speaks
We can make our own plans,
but the Lord gives the right answer.
2 People may be pure in their own eyes,
but the Lord examines their motives.
3 Commit your actions to the Lord,
and your plans will succeed.
4 The Lord has made everything for his own purposes,
even the wicked for a day of disaster.
5 The Lord detests the proud;
they will surely be punished.
6 Unfailing love and faithfulness make atonement for sin.
By fearing the Lord, people avoid evil.
7 When people’s lives please the Lord,
even their enemies are at peace with them.
8 Better to have little, with godliness,
than to be rich and dishonest.
9 We can make our plans,
but the Lord determines our steps.
10 The king speaks with divine wisdom;
he must never judge unfairly.
11 The Lord demands accurate scales and balances;
he sets the standards for fairness.
12 A king detests wrongdoing,
for his rule is built on justice.
13 The king is pleased with words from righteous lips;
he loves those who speak honestly.
14 The anger of the king is a deadly threat;
the wise will try to appease it.
15 When the king smiles, there is life;
his favor refreshes like a spring rain.
16 How much better to get wisdom than gold,
and good judgment than silver!
17 The path of the virtuous leads away from evil;
whoever follows that path is safe.
18 Pride goes before destruction,
and haughtiness before a fall.
19 Better to live humbly with the poor
than to share plunder with the proud.
20 Those who listen to instruction will prosper;
those who trust the Lord will be joyful.
21 The wise are known for their understanding,
and pleasant words are persuasive.
22 Discretion is a life-giving fountain to those who possess it,
but discipline is wasted on fools.
23 From a wise mind comes wise speech;
the words of the wise are persuasive.
24 Kind words are like honey—
sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.
25 There is a path before each person that seems right,
but it ends in death.
26 It is good for workers to have an appetite;
an empty stomach drives them on.
27 Scoundrels create trouble;
their words are a destructive blaze.
28 A troublemaker plants seeds of strife;
gossip separates the best of friends.
29 Violent people mislead their companions,
leading them down a harmful path.
30 With narrowed eyes, people plot evil;
with a smirk, they plan their mischief.
31 Gray hair is a crown of glory;
it is gained by living a godly life.
32 Better to be patient than powerful;
better to have self-control than to conquer a city.
33 We may throw the dice,
but the Lord determines how they fall.
Source: New Living Translation: BibleGateway.com
We Respond
Reflection: Consider the following questions regarding Proverbs 16:
1. What does this chapter tell me about God?
2. What does this chapter tell me about the human beings He created?
Here is one possible answer to each of these questions. Ask the Holy Spirit if there are any others for you personally to ponder.
1. The LORD God’s actions and perspectives are mentioned in about a third of these 33 verses. After all, He is the source of all true wisdom.
2. People need to take all of their thoughts and plans to the LORD. Those who do not will suffer consequences.
Prayer:
3. How might I pray regarding Proverbs 16?
Dear Father God, I bring my plans to You. You are the One who can make them succeed. Better yet–please show me Your plans and help me to carry out my part in them. You always know and do what is best. Please show me where there is evil or when I am being proud so that I can avoid these situations and Your necessary punishment. Thank You that, through Jesus’ great love and faithfulness, my sins have been atoned for; through the proper fear of You, LORD, I will avoid evil. May the way I live please You so that even my enemies will be at peace with me. Even though I make my plans, may You direct my steps. I trust You, LORD, to help me deal rightly with the “kings” in my life. May I pursue wisdom more than riches. Please help me to follow the high road of righteousness, depart from evil, and preserve my life. Keep my spirit humble by paying attention to Your word; that’s how I will find good and be blessed. I want my heart, the center of who I am, to make the words I say to be sweet and persuasive, imparting knowledge and understanding to others for their benefit. May my hunger cause me to work hard and effectively. May I not pay attention to wicked and violent deceivers. Please help me to be slow to anger as You are and control my spirit. I declare that You are sovereign over every decision. May my whole life bring You glory, LORD. AMEN
Action: (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, if He wants you to work on one of the suggestions below or something else more personal that He points out.)
4. What action does the LORD want me to take in response to Proverbs 16? With the help of God’s Holy Spirit:
- I will sit down at least once each week and discuss my plans with the LORD and ask for help in carrying out His plans.
- I will thank the LORD for how I see His plans being carried out.
- I will ask the LORD to turn me from being proud to being truly humble so that he won’t have to punish me.
- I will seek to please the LORD and watch for how that brings favor with the “kings” in my life.
Share: I plan to share what I’ve learned with __________.