Vivian Ward
This chapter talks about seven principles of good leadership. A good leader is:
Courageous –Knowledgeable-Equitable-Stable-Compassion-Diligent-Family Centered
Everything is connected. How you live today will affect how you will live tomorrow. It will affect how you feel about things, and your reaction to things. It determines what type of challenges you will face on a given day.
The wicked flee when no one is pursuing, but the righteous are bold as a Lion. This verse is about conscience. The first line describes the person with a defiled conscience. When a person’s conscience is defiled he flees because he has a guilty conscience, or because he is suspicious of others around him, or because he fears judgment. Gen.3:9-10 - When Adam sinned, he ran away from God and hid. The wicked flee. Wicked people do not and cannot experience REST in their souls.They have no peace in their heart. Their conscience haunts and troubles them constantly. They can never seem to accept their wrongdoing. It is a terrible way to live… no peace… no rest. In contrast to the wicked who are fearful and constantly on the run (fleeing from perceived danger), the righteous are BOLD.
The standard for righteousness is God’s righteousness, and no person is righteous on his or her own. “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). The righteous are people who have entered into a covenant with God by faith and seek to live according to his word. They may do unrighteous things at times, but they know to find forgiveness because they want to do what is right.
If we continue to trust in God and have confidence in God (faith) we will be kept in “perfect peace.” This confidence is a sense of safety and security which belongs to the righteous whose heart is fixed on God. It may take time to overcome weaknesses and old habits, but the Holy Spirit will produce growth.
This Proverb also shows us the importance of confessing our sins. We are given mercy when we confess. If we try to hide or cover them up, we will not prosper, that is because the Holy Spirit will keep convicting us until we confess. Proverbs 28:13 "He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh [them] shall have mercy."
Sin must not be hidden but confessed. In 1 John 1:8-9 we read, "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." If we cover our sins, God will not forgive them. God has mercy on whom He will. He loves us and forgives us if we confess and ask forgiveness.
Again in this Proverb it tells us it is not good to show partiality, or favoritism. This Proverb also lets us know that the evil person has an eye on riches.
Verse 24- Many are willing to abuse and steal from family and friends because they can get away with it. Some feel they even have this right and there is nothing wrong with it. Being able to get away with something, however, doesn’t make it right. It is just as wrong to steal from your parents as would be
from anyone else. This would include “borrowing” money that you never pay back. We should never give ourselves an excuse to mistreat anyone.
This Proverb also tells us we must Trust in the Lord and we will prosper. He is the one that will guide us, comfort us, direct us, and correct us and more.
Verse 27 is one that lets us know that if we help and give to the poor, we will not lack. Give and it shall be given, but we shouldn’t give to get back, we should give because God wants us to. We should never expect anything back from giving. If we do, we are giving for the wrong reasons.
We need to make it our goal to help others be better, not just merely feel better for a time. We need to value those who tell us the truth and be willing to tell our loved ones the truth in a loving manner.
So live today with wisdom, walking with the wise in the righteousness of God and you will become as bold as a lion.
Blessing!
© 2015 by Vivian Ward. All Rights Reserved.
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