do not desire their company;
2 for their hearts plot violence,
and their lips talk about making trouble.
3 By wisdom a house is built,
and through understanding it is established;
4 through knowledge its rooms are filled
with rare and beautiful treasures.
5 A wise man has great power,
and a man of knowledge increases strength;
6 for waging war you need guidance,
and for victory many advisers.
7 Wisdom is too high for a fool;
in the assembly at the gate he has nothing to say.
8 He who plots evil
will be known as a schemer.
9 The schemes of folly are sin,
and men detest a mocker.
10 If you falter in times of trouble,
how small is your strength!
11 Rescue those being led away to death;
hold back those staggering toward slaughter.
12 If you say, "But we knew nothing about this,"
does not he who weighs the heart perceive it?
Does not he who guards your life know it?
Will he not repay each person according to what he has done?
Questions to consider:
- Relate wisdom and strength.
- To what extent is your social concern accompanied by action (take a look at verses 11-12)?
- Memorize a proverb!
Have you ever found yourself wishing that you could “just do what everyone else is doing”? Maybe that means going out and partying hard on the weekends, or maybe it means calling in sick to work when you’re actually not sick at all. Sometimes the things that “everyone else” are doing seem pretty harmless...and other times, we know that they’re not good at all. Verses 1 and 2 of this passage remind us that envying the “wicked” is not something that we should do and for good reason! Today, let’s ask God to give us desires that seek after the heart of God rather than the rather superficial and fleeting desires of the earth.
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