Proverbs 14
Frank Sinatra had a hit song in 1969 entitled “My Way.” It’s a catchy song you sometimes hear played at funerals. One line in the tune still doesn’t sit well with me, “Regrets, I’ve had a few but then again, too few to mention.”
Being a trailblazer, unique, a rebel and going against the grain is popular in today’s society. Yet when you do, when you follow your heart and do things “your way,” heartache and regret are inevitable. Don’t let Sinatra fool you, “my way” is full of grief, pain and ruin. There was once a billboard, “The national anthem of hell is ‘I did it my way!’”
Verses 12 and 13 tell us the folly of doing things our own way and its ultimate result. “In the end it leads to death” and “even in laughter the heart may ache, and joy may end in grief.” I would suggest to you the reason we want to do things “my way” is because we are following our hearts and what we are feeling moment-by-moment. This is dangerous as our feelings and heart can betray us.
Psalm 37:4 tells us to “Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” When we delight in the Lord (in Him alone) and acknowledge His path and His ways as being “our ultimate good,” then our desires and wants begin to change. They start to align with the Lord’s, and our ultimate heart’s longing is fulfilled. This produces life in my bones and joy in my heart.
Blessings,
Pastor Adrian
Being a trailblazer, unique, a rebel and going against the grain is popular in today’s society. Yet when you do, when you follow your heart and do things “your way,” heartache and regret are inevitable. Don’t let Sinatra fool you, “my way” is full of grief, pain and ruin. There was once a billboard, “The national anthem of hell is ‘I did it my way!’”
Verses 12 and 13 tell us the folly of doing things our own way and its ultimate result. “In the end it leads to death” and “even in laughter the heart may ache, and joy may end in grief.” I would suggest to you the reason we want to do things “my way” is because we are following our hearts and what we are feeling moment-by-moment. This is dangerous as our feelings and heart can betray us.
Psalm 37:4 tells us to “Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” When we delight in the Lord (in Him alone) and acknowledge His path and His ways as being “our ultimate good,” then our desires and wants begin to change. They start to align with the Lord’s, and our ultimate heart’s longing is fulfilled. This produces life in my bones and joy in my heart.
Blessings,
Pastor Adrian
Posted in Proverbs Challenge
8 Comments
Right on again, Pastor Adrian! Something that stood out for me in this chapter is that part of the folly of doing it "my way" is being hot-headed and quick to lose your temper:
"The wise fear the Lord and shun evil, but a fool is hotheaded and yet feels secure."
â€â€Proverbs‬ â€14‬:â€16‬ â€NIV‬‬
"A quick-tempered person does foolish things, and the one who devises evil schemes is hated."
â€â€Proverbs‬ â€14‬:â€17‬ â€NIV‬‬
"Whoever is patient has great understanding, but one who is quick-tempered displays folly."
â€â€Proverbs‬ â€14‬:â€29‬ â€NIV‬‬
For many of us, our "go-to" response is to quickly become angry and to lash out in anger. But the wise person understands that God's way is one of patience, self-control, and gentleness. Lord help me to choose your way, for it is always better than my way!
What a beautiful analogy. I believe I'm living the benefits of doing God's will, at all costs, currently, and being blessed by it.
Thank you, Pastor Adrian
I find myself trying to unpack every verse!
Standouts to me in this chapter:
V4: where there are no ox, the manger is empty, but from the strength of an ox comes abundant harvests.
V23: all hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty
These two verses I think are pretty similar and have the same message. We are here with a purpose. We are here to be doers. Our efforts and risks will be rewarded.
AMEN, Andrea!!
Adrian, that's funny and true. The ox is messy, sometimes stubborn and fairly aloof but put to work they're strong and determined. There is beauty in the mess.
AMEN, Andrea!!
Andrea... vs 4, makes me chuckle every time. "Where there is no ox the manger is empty," meaning sometimes life, relationships and ministry is messy. (Ox have...ugh, droppings... #pgcomment) However, I truly love that analogy because it's true. I can deal with the messy because it typically means there is life. Whenever I walk into a house that's pristine I always ask "does anybody live here?" This is too perfect. But when it's a little tattered and messy, there is life.
I pray for life in our personal life, families and our church.
AMEN, Andrea!!
Adrian, that's funny and true. The ox is messy, sometimes stubborn and fairly aloof but put to work they're strong and determined. There is beauty in the mess.
AMEN, Andrea!!
Thank you Pastor Adrian, I have enjoyed your thoughts and comments throughout this challenge. I try to read your comments first, then read the chapter, paying attention to your comments and those of others.
Proverbs14:10 ESV stands out to me:
The heart knows its own bitterness, and no stranger shares its joy.
Verse 1 states "The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down."
â€â€Proverbs‬ â€14‬:â€1‬ â€NIV‬‬
I feel that many women (men too!) can relate to this or at least know someone who is living this out. I was talking about this with someone. We are all one decision away from completely ruining our life. When we choose what we "want" (what we think we want in that moment), we can destroy our lives and those around us. When we are wise, we build our house on a solid foundation (Jesus Christ).
ERV comparison states "A wise woman makes her home what it should be, but the home of a foolish woman is destroyed by her own actions."
â€Are we living our life how it should be? Do we self sabotage?
Pastor Adrian- most definitely when we align ourselves with God, our wants and desires are no longer of the flesh, but are what He desires for us. Love that! We don't even have to have it all figured out. We just have to let God be in control just as it should be. Yet humans struggle so much with this. Let's get even more specific than that. Christ-followers struggle so much with this. It's not us and the enemy. It's us WITH god versus the enemy (plus many other factors). I have to remind my 5 year old this who admires David from the David and Goliath story. What made David brave and strong? God did! Nothing he did or earned.