v.1-10
"Beginning with ch. 10 there is a difference in the form of the material contained in the book of Proverbs. No longer are there long admonitions, but the actual proverbs, short aphorisms dealing with right or wrong choices. Other than a few similar themes grouped together here and there, there is no arrangement to the material as a whole. It is a long collection of approximately 400 proverbs." NET Bible notes
I want to share with you v.8," The wise person accepts instructions, but the one who speaks foolishness will come to ruin. " Remember the 1st and 2nd half of the sentence supplement each other? In the 2nd half, not just the person speaks foolishness, but they also refuse the instructions. It was probably they speaks too much that they do not listen or they do not want to listen and that's why they speak.
"This person talks foolishness; he is too busy talking to pay attention to instruction." (NET notes)
Do we pay attention to instruction? Sometimes instruction comes as a negative comment from our spouse, or even from your children. Do you accept them with a thankful attitude? Or do we defends ourselves and speak foolishness? Or not even want to listen?
Audrey
Audrey
v.21-32
We see many contrast between the righteous person and the wicked. e.g. The teaching of the righteous feeds many, but fools die for lack of wisdom v.21. If we bring the meaning from the 1st phrase, "feeds many" to the 2nd phrase "die" then "die" not just meaning the fools themselves die, but the fool brings ruining effect on other's lives. The righteous and the fool bring different effects to other people's life.
What attract my attention are those verse that stated the advantages of the righteous, e.g. What the wicked fears will come on him; what the righteous desire will be granted v.24 (see also 25,27, 28, 29 and 30). I dont know about you, but when I read those passages, I never thought that I am the wicked person. I automatically imagine myself to be the righteous. Is that correct? From v.24, the righteous desire will be granted, but why? Probably because what they desire is also what God desires. They asked for the right things. Am I pray and ask God for His will? Or my own will?
If we want to have the advantages from this passage, then we need to be the righteous person and that means, we need to have the right relationship with God.
Audrey
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