Proverbs 10:17-32

17 He who heeds discipline shows the way to life, 

but whoever ignores correction leads others astray.

18 He who conceals his hatred has lying lips, 

and whoever spreads slander is a fool.

19 When words are many, sin is not absent, 

but he who holds his tongue is wise.

20 The tongue of the righteous is choice silver, 

but the heart of the wicked is of little value.

21 The lips of the righteous nourish many, 

but fools die for lack of judgment.

22 The blessing of the LORD brings wealth, 

and he adds no trouble to it.

23 A fool finds pleasure in evil conduct, 

but a man of understanding delights in wisdom.

24 What the wicked dreads will overtake him; 

what the righteous desire will be granted.

25 When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone, 

but the righteous stand firm forever.

26 As vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, 

so is a sluggard to those who send him.

27 The fear of the LORD adds length to life, 

but the years of the wicked are cut short.

28 The prospect of the righteous is joy, 

but the hopes of the wicked come to nothing.

29 The way of the LORD is a refuge for the righteous, 

but it is the ruin of those who do evil.

30 The righteous will never be uprooted, 

but the wicked will not remain in the land.

31 The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom, 

but a perverse tongue will be cut out.

32 The lips of the righteous know what is fitting, 

but the mouth of the wicked only what is perverse.

Questions to consider:

• How are wisdom and righteousness related to your life?
• For fun, try choosing and memorizing a proverb from this passage. How does it relate to your daily life?

Possibilities for prayer:

It’s interesting to think of the “way of the Lord” as a refuge for the righteous--that’s us, Jesus followers--isn’t it? It seems like it should be a path that we follow that maybe leads us to a refuge, but to be a refuge in itself seems a little bit strange. But that is part of what is so exciting about God--things are bigger and better than what we expect or can imagine. Today, let’s ask God to show us the “way of the Lord” so that we can take refuge in Him.