Proverbs 29
Proverbs 29:1-27 (NLT)
1 Whoever stubbornly refuses to accept criticism will suddenly be destroyed beyond recovery.
2 When the godly are in authority, the people rejoice. But when the wicked are in power, they groan.
3 The man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father, but if he hangs around with prostitutes, his wealth is wasted.
4 A just king gives stability to his nation, but one who demands bribes destroys it.
5 To flatter friends is to lay a trap for their feet.
6 Evil people are trapped by sin, but the righteous escape, shouting for joy.
7 The godly care about the rights of the poor; the wicked don’t care at all.
8 Mockers can get a whole town agitated, but the wise will calm anger.
9 If a wise person takes a fool to court, there will be ranting and ridicule but no satisfaction.
10 The bloodthirsty hate blameless people, but the upright seek to help them.
11 Fools vent their anger, but the wise quietly hold it back.
12 If a ruler pays attention to liars, all his advisers will be wicked.
13 The poor and the oppressor have this in common—the LORD gives sight to the eyes of both.
14 If a king judges the poor fairly, his throne will last forever.
15 To discipline a child produces wisdom, but a mother is disgraced by an undisciplined child.
16 When the wicked are in authority, sin flourishes, but the godly will live to see their downfall.
17 Discipline your children, and they will give you peace of mind and will make your heart glad.
18 When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild. But whoever obeys the law is joyful.
19 Words alone will not discipline a servant; the words may be understood, but they are not heeded.
20 There is more hope for a fool than for someone who speaks without thinking.
21 A servant pampered from childhood will become a rebel.
22 An angry person starts fights; a hot-tempered person commits all kinds of sin.
23 Pride ends in humiliation, while humility brings honor.
24 If you assist a thief, you only hurt yourself. You are sworn to tell the truth, but you dare not testify.
25 Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the LORD means safety.
26 Many seek the ruler’s favor, but justice comes from the LORD.
27 The righteous despise the unjust; the wicked despise the godly.
There is honor and deference to the will and wisdom of God that provides the way to discipline’s reward, something the spoiled and foolish can never know. Pridefully resisting the Truth as if there are valid alternatives only leads to the inevitable downfall of the proud. Laws and justice came from the Lord. To assume authority and the establishment of order apart from Him is certain folly. It only leads to a government despised for its unrighteous oppression of its people. Attempted reasoning with those embedded with foolishness and selfishness is only an exercise in futility.
“You can recognize fools by the way they give full vent to their rage and let their words fly! But the wise bite their tongues and hold back all they could say.”
Proverbs 29:11 TPT
“There’s only one kind of person who is worse than a fool: the impetuous one who speaks without thinking first.”
Proverbs 29:20 TPT
How we respond, especially with our words will show the fruit of our hearts. Verse 11 in the Passion says the wise hold back all they COULD say. This spoke to me that, even saying what could be true is not always the right course of action. It reminded me of Noah’s sons, when Ham disclosed that Noah was drunk and naked. He was in fact drunk and naked, but it was Ham’s retelling that brought dishonor and a curse upon his descendants.
We have been given a tool, our mouth, that requires great training, great refining and great discretion; something that has the power to make or break, and it’s up to us to use its power appropriately.