As I've read through Proverbs there are a few bold points that God repeats, trying to get a point across boldly.
I was born into sin and have sinned my whole life, therefore I give in to anger. When I feel I've been treated unfairly I tend to get angry. Instead of counting my trials as blessings in disguise, I complain and get upset. I went through Proverbs and found quite a few verses that have just struck me really hard. To see my actions written down and called "foolish" hits my spot of pride like a rock.
"He who is slow to wrath has great understanding, but he who is impulsive exalts folly." -Proverbs 14:29
Slow to wrath. Just thinking about it is a little hard. I tend to let out whatever feelings I have, whether it be bitterness, anger, or unforgiveness. I don't think about the end result or consequences of my actions. "Great understanding" can only be given by Christ, therefore to be slow to wrath, I must constantly seek God and through His strength I can overcome the wrong feelings I have in my life.
"A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly, but the mouth of the fools pours out foolishness." -Proverbs 15:1-2
Soft answers. That is one I have a very hard problem with. I get very defensive and spout out things harshly, knowing full well that it is wrong. But God says harsh words stir up anger, probably more so in both people than just one.
Just because I think I'm right or know a better answer doesn't mean I have to tell someone my opinion. There's a time to speak, and a time for silence.
"The preparations of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord. All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirits. Commit your works to the Lord, and your thoughts will be established." -Proverbs 16:1-3
The things I let into my heart and keep there are my own choice. God doesn't keep our hearts clean for us, we have to ask Him to cleanse and wash them clean. Then we can speak with the love of God because our heart isn't full of junk. My actions may look right in my eyes, but deep in my heart, many times, there's bitterness. God looks deeper than what I say and looks at my motives. But if I do everything for the Lord, He will help my mind stay clean.
"He who loves transgression loves strife, and he who exalts his gate seeks destruction. He who has a deceitful heart finds no good, and he who has a perverse tongue falls into evil." -Proverbs 17:19-20
A lover of strife? I've always told people I can't stand arguing or any kind of disagreements...which is true, but I do tend to cause strife between people frequently. It says if my heart is deceitful, then it won't find any good and my tongue that does contrary to that which is good will fall into evil things. So if I speak evil things, I know my heart is deceitful and I have love for strife. Go backwards and find the root: my heart is not clean.
"He who has knowledge spares his words, and a man of understanding is of a calm spirit. Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace; when he shuts his lips, he is considered perceptive." -Proverbs 17:27-28
Just because I know something doesn't mean I have to speak it to other people. I can have a spirit of peace because I don't exalt myself or my knowledge of anything.
I can read all the books in the world, know anything about every topic, but if all I do is spout off my knowledge, it doesn't do anything for the cause of Christ, because I am lifting myself up, instead of Him.
"It is honorable for a man to stop striving, since any fool can start a quarrel." -Proverbs 20:3
This one really hits home. It's "honorable" to stop striving because even fools can start fights. Ouch. This puts me in the "fool" category. My heart can be filled with so much strife and turmoil that it will simply come out of my mouth and stop peace from being a part of my life. When I go to the Lord, though, and ask Him to cleanse my heart of anything that is not of Him, to prune and chisel away anything not of Him, then my heart will not longer be in a battle.
"Most men will proclaim each his own goodness, but who can find a faithful man?" -Proverbs 20:6
I don't know about you, but I like to be noticed when I do something good. It's just a desire to be noticed...but it is not of God. A faithful servant of Christ does the work of Christ without any thought of praise of notice from other people. I don't need to tell people how good I am, or the good I've done. If God wants people to know, He will make it be so. I just need to rest in Him and know I am pleasing Him by my works.
"Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the heart." -Proverbs 21:2
It doesn't matter how much I think my actions are pure; God looks inside of my heart and finds my motives behind why I am doing/saying something and will judge me for my hidden intentions. Kind of scary to know, but reassuring at the same time. I would get away with so many prideful things if God didn't constantly check my heart and bring my wrongful doings to my attention. It takes awhile, because I try to tell Him "That wasn't my intentions...that wasn't what I meant at all!" But when I finally give in, I am honest to myself and Him and beg Him to cleanse that dirty part of my heart.
"Wisdom is too lofty for a fool; he does not open his mouth in the gate. He who plots to do evil will be called a schemer. The devising of the foolishness is sin, and the scoffer is an abomination to men." -Proverbs 24:7-9
The definition of "wisdom" is this: "The quality or state of being wise; knowledge of what is true or right coupled with just judgment as to action; discernment, or insight." Wow. I can see why it is too lofty for a fool! That's pretty deep stuff. So many things I've done in my life haven't been wise. I've made poor decisions, even as God sat and told me the right thing to do. It's brought shame on my heart so many times. The only encouragement I have is that God has already forgiven every mistake I'll ever make. This doesn't give me any excuse to sin more, though, it simply means when I give in to the flesh I know my God loves me enough to forgive everything I do that is unwise.
"Do not be a witness against your neighbor without cause, for would you deceive with your lips? DO not say, "I will do to him just as he has done to me; I will render to the man according to his work." " -Proverbs 24:28-29
Our lips can cause more damage than physical harm. Weird, but true. The saying "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me" is one of the the worst things a child can be taught. The bible says "They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders' poison is under their lips." (Psalm 140:3)
To take action against someone and give tit for tat is not of the Lord. We don't do evil to people just to get them back for what they have done to us. "Therefore all things whatever you would that men should do to you, do you even so to them: for this is the law" (Matthew 7:12). It doesn't say "Therefore all things whatever you have been treated as, do you even unto them"; no. You do to those around you as you would WANT to be treated, not as you HAVE been treated. God will punish those who reward evil for evil.
"He who is of a proud heart stirs up strife, but he who trusts the Lord will be prospered. He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, but whoever walks wisely will be delivered." -Proverbs 28:25-26
Pride is one of the hardest things in life to get past. I should know. My pride gets in the way of SO many things it's overwhelming. If I put my trust in the Lord, it says I will prosper (definition: to be successful or fortunate, especially in financial respects; thrive; flourish.)
Trusting in my heart will do nothing for my life. My flesh and heart are weak to the lies and darts Satan throw at me, He can get my heart bitter towards people by telling me how much better I feel, when in reality it will rot my heart away.
"But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there." -James 3:14-16
"A fool vents all his feelings, but a wise man holds them back." -Proverbs 29:11
I have a very bad habit of venting all my feelings, whether they be bitter, anger or frustration with someone. But here it says it's wise to hold them back. Now, holding all of my feelings inside isn't good or healthy. It would be like poison inside of me, and instead of taking medicine to get better, I just sit there and let it eat me away. The best way to "vent" or get unholy emotions out is to give them all over to the Lord. I should go to Him in prayer and have Him peel them away from my life and hands, however painful it is to let them go.
"An angry man stirs up strife, and a furious man abounds in transgression. A man's pride will bring him low, but the humble in spirit will retain honor." -Proverbs 29:22-23
Again, anger and fury. To be truly humble, one doesn't just constantly admit to being wrong, to go before the Lord and humble yourself before Him, admitting wrong doings or wrongness of the heart; that is truly being humble. He can then take away anger and the feelings of fury...however hard it is to imagine, even those who have dealt with anger their whole life, who others say there is no hope for, our hope doesn't lie in the goodness of man, because there is none; our hope is in the Lord, our joy and life comes from Him. He can work miracles still to this day, no matter how impossible it seems in our eyes. I have seen anger that is to the point of nightmarish. Anger that has been grown in hearts from the time of birth in some people. But I still have hope in the Lord that He will work in the lives of these many people, give them peace and joy in their heart and the love that only the Father can give. When I let anger start to rule my heart, it pushes God out pretty quickly and soon He will be hidden in a dusty corner, being smashed by my anger and pride. I pray I constantly give up my anger to the Lord so He can keep my heart clean.
"Whoever guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from troubles." -Proverbs 21:23
I must watch everything that comes out of my mouth. Like I mentioned before, the tongue can be so harsh and hurtful. It can cause so much damage and pain to those around me, as it has many times before. "But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger;" (James 1:19) My soul is troubled when I have let loose words of hurt. It's part of having a conscious, knowing when you have done wrong. It's the law God placed in every mans heart since he was born. We know when we have done something wrong because it doesn't sit well in our hearts, it makes us miserable, sick, depressed and sad. I need to listen to my heart more, block out the lies of Satan when he tells me "it wont' hurt anyone" and listen to God's soft voice saying "hold your tongue".
"Who can say, "I have made my heart clean, I am pure from sin"? " -Proverbs 20:9
God is the only one who can clean my heart; I cannot do it of my own will. To say I have cleansed my own heart by my own actions is a lie from the devil; to have a clean heart I must seek God to do it for me, to wash away all of the dirt and filth that is stuck to it.
"Do not say, "I will recompense evil"; wait for the Lord, and He will save you." -Proverbs 20:22
Lastly...when evil or wrong is done against me, the total wrong thing to do is do the same back to the person. Everything is the Lords; everything is in His hands, and He will deal with those who do wrong either here on earth, or one day at judgement. It isn't my place to deal with those people. I am to show the love of God in all of my actions, and though I fail so many times at this, I pray I won't ever stop trying.
"But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you," -Matthew 5:44
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