Day 1,048: Proverbs 20- Wisdom Waits For The Lord

Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler,
    and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.
 
2 The terror of a king is like the growling of a lion;
    whoever provokes him to anger forfeits his life.

3 It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife,
    but every fool will be quarreling.

4 The sluggard does not plow in the autumn;
    he will seek at harvest and have nothing.

5 The purpose in a man's heart is like deep water,
    but a man of understanding will draw it out.

6 Many a man proclaims his own steadfast love,
    but a faithful man who can find?

7 The righteous who walks in his integrity--
    blessed are his children after him!

8 A king who sits on the throne of judgment
    winnows all evil with his eyes.

9 Who can say, “I have made my heart pure;
    I am clean from my sin”?

10 Unequal weights and unequal measures
    are both alike an abomination to the Lord.

11 Even a child makes himself known by his acts,
    by whether his conduct is pure and upright.
 
12 The hearing ear and the seeing eye,
    the Lord has made them both.

13 Love not sleep, lest you come to poverty;
    open your eyes, and you will have plenty of bread.

14 “Bad, bad,” says the buyer,
    but when he goes away, then he boasts.

15 There is gold and abundance of costly stones,
    but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.

16 Take a man's garment when he has put up security for a stranger,
    and hold it in pledge when he puts up security for foreigners.
 
17 Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man,
    but afterward his mouth will be full of gravel.

18 Plans are established by counsel;
    by wise guidance wage war.

19 Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets;
    therefore do not associate with a simple babbler.
 
20 If one curses his father or his mother,
    his lamp will be put out in utter darkness.

21 An inheritance gained hastily in the beginning
    will not be blessed in the end.

22 Do not say, “I will repay evil”;
    wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you.

23 Unequal weights are an abomination to the Lord,
    and false scales are not good.

24 A man's steps are from the Lord;
    how then can man understand his way?

25 It is a snare to say rashly, “It is holy,”
    and to reflect only after making vows.

26 A wise king winnows the wicked
    and drives the wheel over them.

27 The spirit of man is the lamp of the Lord,
    searching all his innermost parts.

28 Steadfast love and faithfulness preserve the king,
    and by steadfast love his throne is upheld.

29 The glory of young men is their strength,
    but the splendor of old men is their gray hair.

30 Blows that wound cleanse away evil;
    strokes make clean the innermost parts.
 
Meditation
God’s sovereign grace delivers His people and transforms evil into good. Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers, thrown in prison for doing what was right, forgotten for years, and estranged from his father most of his life. Joseph eventually ascended to power as Pharaoh’s right-hand man, finally served the opportunity for vengeance. Counterintuitively, Joseph stewarded God’s sovereign grace saying, “What the enemy intended for evil, God intended for good” (Genesis 50:20). Joseph forgave.
 
Wisdom waits for the Lord rather than taking matters into our own hands. Fools say, “I will repay evil.” Wisdom waits for God to deliver (22). This teaching is a great example of how the book of Proverbs layers wisdom: To repay evil to others is to welcome evil into your own home (17:13). Wisdom does not say, “I will do what they have done to me and repay what they have done.” (24:29). Rather, wisdom waits for God and serves those who hurt us, feeding our enemy when hungry and giving them drink when they are thirsty (25:21). Waiting is proactive, trusting God’s promises and power.
 
“Vengeance is mine,” says the Lord. “I will repay” (Romans 12:19). This teaching cascades through Scripture but is captured most clearly in Christ Himself. Jesus loved His enemies by giving His life. Jesus did not repay the evil done to Him but absorbed it so He could give what we hunger for most: forgiveness and a fresh start.
 
Wisdom waits. Wisdom welcomes opportunity to serve our enemy and forgive, knowing the Lord will deliver and repay.
 
Richly Dwelling
-Do you welcome this depth in application of wisdom? Why or why not?
 
-Do you take matters into your own hands or do you wait for the Lord? What does this tension reveal about your heart?
 
-Jesus embodies this wisdom in how He has loved us! How does the gospel give us ground to grow in grace and godliness by waiting for God on the one hand and loving our enemies on the other?
 
Key Verse
22 Do not say, “I will repay evil”; wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you.