Proverbs 3:31-35: There is a choice to be made.

Do not envy the oppressor, and choose none of his ways; For the perverse person is an abomination to the Lord, but His secret counsel is with the upright. The curse of the Lord is on the house of the wicked, but He blesses the home of the just. Surely He scorns the scornful, but gives grace to the humble. The wise shall inherit glory, but shame shall be the legacy of fools. Proverbs 3:31-35

Envy: a feeling of discontent or covetousness withregard to another's advantages, success, possessions, etc.

Oppressor: one who is or promotes violence and wrong

Choose: man's choice

None: all, the whole

Ways: of moral action and character

Perverse: to turn aside, depart, devious, crooked

Abomination: something disgusting; ethical sense to God and His people

Counsel: circle of familiar friends

Upright: straightforward, just, well-pleased, righteous

Wicked: one guilty of crime, deserving punishment

Just: just, righteous, in conduct and character

Scorns: open or unqualified contempt; disdain

Grace: favor, acceptance

Humble: lowly

Wise: ethically and religiously

Inherit: have or get as a possession

Glory: honor, dignity of position

Shame: personal dishonor, disgrace

Legacy: lift up, exalt, promotion

Fools: stupid fellow

There is a choice to be made.

Choose one who is and/or promoted violence. Choose be in the company of the devious and those who are disgusting (to God). Choose to dwell with those who are guilty crime and deserve punishment. Choose those who are contempt. Choose to leave a legacy be known for being a fool. 

There is a choice to be made.

Choose to be among the circle of the just and well-pleased before God. Choose to live in a home filled with righteous conduct and character. Choose to live in humility before God. Choose to be wise ethically and religiously and enjoy the possession of honor. 

There is a choice to be made. And to make the right choice, my heart must be permeated with a deep sense of reverence for God (Acts 9:31 MSG). 

What choice will you make today? 

Proverbs 2:21-22: Opposites

For the upright will dwell in the land, and the blameless will remain in it;

But the wicked will be cut off from the earth, and the unfaithful will be uprooted from it. Proverbs 2:21-22

These two verses are about contrast. Upright vs Wicked and Blameless vs Unfaithful. 

Upright: that which is right, pleasing in the eyes of, agreeable to God

Wicked: one guilty of crime, deserving punishment; guilty of hostility to God

Blameless: wholesome, unimpaired, innocent, having integrity: of God's way

Unfaithful: act or deal treacherously, faithlessly, deceitfully

Agreeable to God vs Hostile to God. Integrity vs Deceit. Opposites. And each is a choice as to the Verbs and modifiers you choose. 

My son, if you receive my words, and treasure my commands within you... Proverbs 2:1. Receive and Treasure God's words of wisdom....

Who rejoice in doing evil, and delight in the perversity of the wicked; Whose ways are crooked, and who are devious in their paths. Proverbs 2:14, 15 Rejoice in doing evil, delight in perversion.....

Contrast. Opposites. Choices. Actions and Results. Cause and Effect. 

Which group to you fall under? Upright or wicked? Blameless or Unfaithful. Remember you are to using your own personal standard to decide. The standard is set by God. 

When one fears God and has a heart permeated with a deep sense of reverence for God (Acts 9:31) then the choice will be to listen to Wisdom and act in accordance with God's Word. 

Proverbs 2:12: Deliver

To deliver you from the way of evil, from the man who speaks perverse things, Proverbs 2:12

Deliver: rescue, recover, take away

Way of: course of life, moral action and character bad

Evil: unpleasant, giving pain, unhappiness, misery, displeasing

Speaks: says, boasts, speak one with another

Perverse things: a perversity or fraud, fraudulent

Proverbs 2:12 is a continuation of what Wisdom will do—Deliver, rescue, take away. 

From what will Wisdom recuse me? 

1. A course of life that includes unpleasantness and misery, and most importantly—displeasing to God. 

2. The man who speaks fraudulently. 

Most of us can agree that #1 is important. We do need direction and wisdom to stay moral and true. But what is wrong with hearing fraudulent or perverse speech? 

Ever hear the old saying, "What goes in, comes out?" What we allow to enter our minds, will change the course of our thoughts. And our thoughts will rule our hearts and actions. 

There is also a danger to hearing fraudulent speech, for the more we listen to it, the less sensitized we become. I remember the TV shows I watched back in the early 1970's. They were "good clean shows". Meaning that was no sex, no profanity, no gruesome realistic murder scenes. Yet, over the years, all of those things have been added. Making them passé. We've become desensitized to the horrors of sin. 

I now have a TV in my bedroom. I'm not much of a TV watcher. And I did not want the blank screen tempting me to watch, just for the sake of watching. So, I wanted to cover the screen. As I thought about WHY I didn't like watching TV, my answer was simple—I did not like the sin portrayed on most of the shows. 

So, to help me evaluate what I would watch, I printed a verse and taped it on the TV. 

[Finally; In conclusion; or Now then] Brothers and sisters, ·think about [focus your thoughts on; fill your minds with] things that are true and honorable and ·right [just] and pure and ·beautiful [lovely] and ·respected [commendable]. If there is anything that is ·good [morally excellent] and worthy of praise, ·think about [focus your thoughts on; fill your minds with] these things. Philippians 4:8 (EXB)

If my heart is permeated with a deep sense of reverence for God (Acts 9:31 MSG), then Wisdom will deliver, direct me away from a life of sinful morality and fraudulent speech. And if I really respect and fear God, I'll not enjoy the sinful and perverse speech. 

Deliver. Wisdom is ready to do just that. But am I willing to "be delivered"? Or will I choose to stay in the company of those whose character and speech is perverse and ungodly?