Wisdom

Proverbs 18 The Message (MSG)
Words Kill, Words Give Life 18

Loners who care only for themselves spit on the common good.
2 Fools care nothing for thoughtful discourse; all they do is run off at the mouth.
3 When wickedness arrives, shame’s not far behind; contempt for life is contemptible.
4 Many words rush along like rivers in flood, but deep wisdom flows up from artesian springs.
5 It’s not right to go easy on the guilty, or come down hard on the innocent.
6 The words of a fool start fights; do him a favor and gag him.
7 Fools are undone by their big mouths; their souls are crushed by their words.
8 Listening to gossip is like eating cheap candy; do you really want junk like that in your belly?
9 Slack habits and sloppy work are as bad as vandalism.
10 God’s name is a place of protection— good people can run there and be safe.
11 The rich think their wealth protects them; they imagine themselves safe behind it.
12 Pride first, then the crash, but humility is precursor to honor.
13 Answering before listening is both stupid and rude.
14 A healthy spirit conquers adversity, but what can you do when the spirit is crushed?
15 Wise men and women are always learning, always listening for fresh insights.
16 A gift gets attention; it buys the attention of eminent people.
17 The first speech in a court case is always convincing— until the cross-examination starts!
18 You may have to draw straws when faced with a tough decision.
19 Do a favor and win a friend forever; nothing can untie that bond.
20 Words satisfy the mind as much as fruit does the stomach; good talk is as gratifying as a good harvest.
21 Words kill, words give life; they’re either poison or fruit—you choose.
22 Find a good spouse, you find a good life— and even more: the favor of God!
23 The poor speak in soft supplications; the rich bark out answers.
24 Friends come and friends go, but a true friend sticks by you like family.

Wow... there is so much wisdom in this chapter... I chose the The Message to view the Word broken down... There is so much in this chapter alone that I am so guilty of, it stands to reason that answering before listening doesn't make any sense (verse 13)... but yet this is one of my biggest struggles.

If I am victorious, and I am... and made whole through Jesus, and I am... then these truths, at the very least, should be the blueprint for my life. To repent is a good start, but to repeat is an offense in and of itself. So I not only repent, but renounce the very behavior that would cause me to be anything unlike the Son of God. If I want a personal relationship with my Father, and I do... I must understand and do the things that will bring me life, emulate my Father by doing the things that will bring forth more wisdom. I desire to walk within my giftings and put God first so that He will bless everything that I do. I want nothing less than what the Father intended for His Son Jesus... He is an extension of His Father, and that I my best life. Using His wisdom will set my course of action to smooth sailing on the sea of life.

Thank you God for continuously resetting my course of sail so that I can gain wisdom and stand the course of life with you.