This chapter had me hitting the brakes every couple of proverbs.
1) “Commit your activities to the LORD, and your plans will be achieved” (v. 3).
Is this a promise for success? Because let’s face it, a number of plans that have been “committed” to the LORD have not come to fruition. Maybe that’s easy for someone like Solomon to say.
I think this is a general statement of surrendering your activities to the LORD, living in righteousness, and in general fruitfulness and success follows. I don’t think it is a promise that every plan will succeed if we just commit it to the LORD, because it may not even be in the LORD’s will that we do a certain activity, even if it is good.
It reminds me of Augustine (?) who said, “make my will thy will so that thy will is my will.” Not 100% sure it was Augustine and that’s not a precise quote, but that’s a quote from one of the early church fathers that I think is good.
2) “The LORD has prepared everything for His purpose–even the wicked for the day of disaster” (v. 4)
That’s one we don’t like to hear. We want God to be nice to everyone, including the wicked. But is righteous and holy, and wickedness deserves to be punished. Thank God for Jesus.
3) “Everyone with a proud heart is detestable to the LORD; be assured, he will not go unpunished” (v. 5).
Then who can stand? Again, than God for Christ.
4) Words for the kings
After the difficult verses, a number of verses then discuss the ways of kings.
“God’s verdict is on the lips of a king, his mouth should not give an unfair judgment” (v. 10)
Plain and simple, a king knows what is true, and he should not override that truth by giving an unfair judgment to support his political means.
“a throne is established through righteousness” (v 12) – How much we need that in these days and times around the world.
So much more.
5) Patience
“Patience is better than power” (v. 32)
We in the US are probably the least patient in the whole world. Those in the Middle East probably get the award for most patient in all of history.
Patience gets a lot more done. And better than power? Yes, I think we can see that. Those who are patient and have long term goals even beyond their own lives achieve a lot.
