His Ambassador Blog

Proverbs is a book known for its applicable wisdom. Written by Solomon, the son of David and the third king of Israel. The Lord told Solomon that He would give him anything that He asked for. Instead of asking for riches, power, or anything of these sorts, Solomon asked for wisdom and the Lord greatly blessed him with such. There are 31 chapters in Proverbs so for the next 31 days of May we’re going to take a look at the wisdom in each one. 

Chapter Ten: Working with diligence, walking in righteousness, a life well-lived. 

Diligence and righteousness go hand in hand to create a life well-lived. Diligence in the pursuit of righteousness creates intimacy with the Lord. Righteousness in diligence makes the work we do here worthwhile, because it is work for the Lord. 

Working with Diligence

“Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit, but righteousness delivers from death. The Lord does not let the righteous go hungry, but he thwarts the craving of the wicked. A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich. He who gathers in summer is a prudent son, but he who sleeps in harvest is a son who brings shame. The memory of the righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot.”(v.2-5, 7) 

We were created for work. Our bodies were made with the ability for physical and mental labor. Solomon says that the son who does not work and is not prepared is a shame. We should be working diligently for the things that we want and not simply expecting them to fall into our hands. We should also go about doing work the right way, in honesty and holiness. The Lord rewards those who work hard and who come by what they have in a respectable way. He will bless those who live righteous lives and part of that is had work and dedicating all of that work back to Him. 

The Lord has given us something so valuable and that is time. Do not let what can be done today wait until tomorrow. Don’t be idle and let the time pass you by. You may not have a chance to be diligent tomorrow. We should not waste a second of the time God has given to us. This is a difficult concept to grasp and I certainly haven’t. But using your time better one day at a time is better than letting each one go to waste. 

Walking in Righteousness

“Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out. Whoever winks the eye causes trouble, and a babbling fool will come to ruin. The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence. The wise lay up knowledge, but the mouth of a fool brings ruin near. The one who conceals hatred has lying lips, and whoever utters slander is a fool. When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent. The tongue of the righteous is choice silver; the heart of the wicked is of little worth. The lips of the righteous feed many, but fools die for lack of sense.”(v.9-11, 14, 18-21)

An important factor in walking righteously has to do with the words we speak and how we speak them. To speak in a holy, God-honoring way is life-giving and refreshing to those that we come in contact with. When we say things that are kind, uplifting, truthful, and holy it is like a fountain of life to those listening. But the mouth of someone who is not seeking to honor the Lord in everything that he/she does is a fool.

There is a time and place when things should or should not be said. Some things are better left unsaid. Solomon describes how our words can lead us to sin. The tongue is a very powerful thing and if we are not using it to glorify God it can very quickly get us in trouble. As we gain wisdom we will better understand when it is best to simply keep our mouths shut. Concerning the words we use, less if often more. Righteous lips will provide goodness and well-being to others, leaving them feeling better than when they arrived. Our words as followers of Christ can be used to impart wisdom on those around us.

“Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses. The wage of the righteous leads to life, the gain of the wicked to sin. Doing wrong is like a joke to a fool, but wisdom is pleasure to a man of understanding. Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to those who send him. The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable, but the mouth of the wicked, what is perverse.”(v.12, 16, 23, 26, 32) 

How we act towards others is one of the most obvious indications of whether or not we are walking in righteousness. We should not greet or act with hatred towards other people. This causes problems between the children of God. The Lord calls us to love others because love calls for healthy problem-solving, kindness, and grace for mistakes that are made. We should not be a people of hatred but a people of love. 

People who have no regard or respect for others time, resources, and personhood are considered repulsive. Nobody likes working with lazy people! When working with others we should be diligent and respectful. 

“The wise of heart will receive commandments, but a babbling fool will come to ruin. The wise lay up knowledge, but the mouth of a fool brings ruin near. Whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life, but he who rejects reproof leads others astray.”(v.8, 14, 17)

It is important to treasure the commandments of God in our hearts. We should keep them safe, gaurding our hearts and minds from the pursuits of evil. Our goal should be to never stop learning and seeking wisdom. I’ve heard someone say it before that wisdom is a lifelong pursuit and it is not gained on accident. A life well-lived is found through discipline, wisdom and hard work.