Proverbs 20 (NLT)
1 Wine produces mockers; alcohol leads to brawls.
Those led astray by drink cannot be wise.
2 The king’s fury is like a lion’s roar;
to rouse his anger is to risk your life.
3 Avoiding a fight is a mark of honor;
only fools insist on quarreling.
4 Those too lazy to plow in the right season
will have no food at the harvest.
5 Though good advice lies deep within the heart,
a person with understanding will draw it out.
6 Many will say they are loyal friends,
but who can find one who is truly reliable?
7 The godly walk with integrity;
blessed are their children who follow them.
8 When a king sits in judgment, he weighs all the evidence,
distinguishing the bad from the good.
9 Who can say, “I have cleansed my heart;
I am pure and free from sin”?
10 False weights and unequal measures—
the Lord detests double standards of every kind.
11 Even children are known by the way they act,
whether their conduct is pure, and whether it is right.
12 Ears to hear and eyes to see—
both are gifts from the Lord.
13 If you love sleep, you will end in poverty.
Keep your eyes open, and there will be plenty to eat!
14 The buyer haggles over the price, saying, “It’s worthless,”
then brags about getting a bargain!
15 Wise words are more valuable
than much gold and many rubies.
16 Get security from someone who guarantees a stranger’s debt.
Get a deposit if he does it for foreigners.
17 Stolen bread tastes sweet,
but it turns to gravel in the mouth.
18 Plans succeed through good counsel;
don’t go to war without wise advice.
19 A gossip goes around telling secrets,
so don’t hang around with chatterers.
20 If you insult your father or mother,
your light will be snuffed out in total darkness.
21 An inheritance obtained too early in life
is not a blessing in the end.
22 Don’t say, “I will get even for this wrong.”
Wait for the Lord to handle the matter.
23 The Lord detests double standards;
he is not pleased by dishonest scales.
24 The Lord directs our steps,
so why try to understand everything along the way?
25 Don’t trap yourself by making a rash promise to God
and only later counting the cost.
26 A wise king scatters the wicked like wheat,
then runs his threshing wheel over them.
27 The Lord’s light penetrates the human spirit,
exposing every hidden motive.
28 Unfailing love and faithfulness protect the king;
his throne is made secure through love.
29 The glory of the young is their strength;
the gray hair of experience is the splendor of the old.
30 Physical punishment cleanses away evil;
such discipline purifies the heart.
Seeking the Wise
Plans succeed through good counsel; don’t go to war without wise advice. -Proverbs 20:18
WE LIVE IN a world that is extremely fast paced. “Be here now”, “I need to know ASAP”, “You have ’til 5 o’clock.” All of these deadline and decisions fill our lives everyday. We make quick plans, and hasty decisions without giving them a second thought. In this verse it says that plans succeed through good counsel. When was the last time you asked God for wisdom in a situation before you decided on an answer? When was the last time, after praying first, that you talked things through with your godly friends or mentors?
We need wise advice. We do not know everything, thank God He is all-knowing. He knows the very number of hairs on our heads! He has lived forever and will live forever. Don’t you think he knows a little bit about our lives? He cares for us immensely and wants to impart knowledge to us through speaking directly to us, or even through another person. Let’s take the time to ask for wisdom and advice, knowing that we will receive it.
Prayer Starter
God, I thank you that in this life I am not alone. Before I make plans and decisions, help me to remember to come to You first. Thank you for putting godly counsel in my life that I can confide in and seek help in, and ultimately that can receive knowledge and wisdom from You.
