Proverbs 28:5 (NLT)“Evil people don’t understand justice, but those who follow the LORD understand completely.” The Fog of Justification There is a direct connection between your behavior and your discernment. Those who willingly choose to walk outside of God’s will eventually find it impossible to understand Justice. Why? Because when you make a disobedient or…

Proverbs 26:3 (NLT)“Guide a horse with a whip, a donkey with a bridle, and a fool with a rod to his back!” Stop Wasting Your Pearls Are you tired? Are you physically and spiritually drained because you’ve been trying to “reason” with a fool? We waste a significant amount of energy trying to convince people…

Proverbs 27:6 (NLT)“Wounds from a friend are better than many kisses from an enemy.” The Motive Behind the Mark An enemy can easily masquerade as a friend through a thousand “kisses” of flattery, while a true friend might look like an enemy because of the wounds or criticisms they inflict. Ironically, the rebuke—the “cut”—is often…

 Proverbs 25:4 (NLT)“Remove the dross from silver, and the sterling will be ready for the silversmith.” The Scum on the Surface In order for silver to be useful, the dross must be removed. Dross is the scum, the dirt, and the lighter, inferior metals that float to the surface when silver is being worked. If…

Proverbs 24:4 (NLT)“Through knowledge its rooms are filled with all sorts of precious riches and valuables.” The Wealth of the Student This verse is the powerful continuation of the truth that a house is built by Wisdom and established by Good Sense. But Solomon goes deeper: he says the rooms are filled by Knowledge. Wisdom…

Proverbs 23:4-5 (NLT)“Don’t weary yourself trying to get rich. Why waste your time? For riches can disappear as though they had the wings of a bird!” The Exhaustion of the Chase Let’s be clear: the goal of your life is not “more money.” If wealth is your primary compass, it will lead you down a…

Proverbs 22:3 (NLT)“A prudent person foresees the danger ahead and takes precautions; the simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences.” The Sight of the Prudent In life, business, relationships, and finances, it is incredibly easy to say or do something we know leads to trouble. We see the red flags, we hear the warning…

Proverbs 21:3 (NLT)“The LORD is more pleased when we do what is just and right than when we give him sacrifices.” The Religious Hustle God is not like man; He cannot be conned, and He will not be hustled. Our pride often convinces us that if we sacrifice enough, give enough, or “do” enough, it…

Proverbs 20:3 (NLT)“Avoiding a fight is a mark of honor; only fools insist on quarreling.” The Strength of Softness In today’s climate, it seems like fighting is the only way. We live in a culture saturated with violence and fueled by rage. Society tells you that you’re a “chump” if you back down or a…

Proverbs 19:3 (NLT)“People ruin their lives by their own foolishness and then are angry at the LORD.” The Mirror of Accountability Have you ever wondered why so many people are walking around with a chip on their shoulder? Often, the person they are truly angry with is themselves. It is a painful but necessary truth:…