Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Proverbs 10:15-17: Keep. Refuse. Two verbs.

The rich man’s wealth is his strong city; the destruction of the poor is their poverty. The labor of the righteous leads to life, the wages of the wicked to sin. He who keeps instruction is in the way of life, but he who refuses correction goes astray. Proverbs 10:15-17

Destruction: the ruin of the poor (is) their poverty; as consequence of evil-doing

Labor: wages (as earned by work)
Life: as consisting of earthly felicity combined (often) with spiritual blessedness
Wages: income, revenue
Wicked: criminal, guilty of crime

Keep: guard, to protect, attend to
Instruction: discipline, chastening, correction
Life: of mode of living, or of character
Refuses: forsake, fail to follow: obey advice, instruction, wisdom, reproof
Correction: chastisement
Goes astray: physically—cause to wander about; mentally and morally—cause to err

Keeps Instruction. Refuses Correction. 
Two verbs. Keep. Refuse. Powerful verbs which have lasting consequences. 

Keep. Guard. Protect. Attend to.
Wisdom isn't once acquired then forgotten! Wisdom must be guarded and attended to, as one would maintain a garden or home. You keep watch over it, preserve it, tend to it. That means that wisdom must be a part of our daily lives. We cannot neglect wisdom! 

Refuse. Forsake. Fail to follow. 
The results are what you'd expect—wandering about, lost and getting into trouble. Simple. Refuse wisdom as you find yourself in the middle of trouble. 

Keep. Refuse. Two verbs. Two Choices. Two different consequences. 
Keeping begins when a heart is permeated with a deep sense of reverence for God (Acts 9:31 MSG). And then the fear of God, creates the desire to continuing keeping! Do not refuse wisdom—KEEP IT! 

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