Proverbs 13:1-25 (NLT)
1 A wise child accepts a parent’s discipline; a mocker refuses to listen to correction.
2 Wise words will win you a good meal, but treacherous people have an appetite for violence.
3 Those who control their tongue will have a long life; opening your mouth can ruin everything.
4 Lazy people want much but get little, but those who work hard will prosper.
5 The godly hate lies; the wicked cause shame and disgrace.
6 Godliness guards the path of the blameless, but the evil are misled by sin.
7 Some who are poor pretend to be rich; others who are rich pretend to be poor.
8 The rich can pay a ransom for their lives, but the poor won’t even get threatened.
9 The life of the godly is full of light and joy, but the light of the wicked will be snuffed out.
10 Pride leads to conflict; those who take advice are wise.
11 Wealth from get-rich-quick schemes quickly disappears; wealth from hard work grows over time.
12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life.
13 People who despise advice are asking for trouble; those who respect a command will succeed.
14 The instruction of the wise is like a life-giving fountain; those who accept it avoid the snares of death.
15 A person with good sense is respected; a treacherous person is headed for destruction.
16 Wise people think before they act; fools don’t—and even brag about their foolishness.
17 An unreliable messenger stumbles into trouble, but a reliable messenger brings healing.
18 If you ignore criticism, you will end in poverty and disgrace; if you accept correction, you will be honored.
19 It is pleasant to see dreams come true, but fools refuse to turn from evil to attain them.
20 Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble.
21 Trouble chases sinners, while blessings reward the righteous.
22 Good people leave an inheritance to their grandchildren, but the sinner’s wealth passes to the godly.
23 A poor person’s farm may produce much food, but injustice sweeps it all away.
24 Those who spare the rod of discipline hate their children. Those who love their children care enough to discipline them.
25 The godly eat to their hearts’ content, but the belly of the wicked goes hungry.
Until we encounter consequences severe enough to shake the heart, there is a natural tendency for pride to rise, causing us to disregard the voice of reason as we continue toward an unfavorable end. If only we could clearly perceive the foolish destination ahead, we would see that simple steps of humility could turn us away from peril and disgrace.
Choosing wisdom over foolishness begins with valuing the voice of discipline above the arrogant and insistent voice of “what seems right to me.” As long as pride causes us to place self-determination above—or even on the same level as—the guidance of wisdom, we will neither hear nor see wisdom clearly, much less choose to follow it. Instead, we will pursue the path toward destruction headlong, unaware of its devastation until we have arrived there.
However, when we elevate the instructor’s voice above our own notions and desires, we allow wisdom to direct our path. Rather than arriving at destruction and disgrace, we are led toward blessing and favor, where we can walk with peace and confidence.