One of the fun things about tracking through Proverbs is looking beyond the random order of the wisdom within and trying to gather related items into topical groups. You may group them differently, but regardless, I’m continually amazed at the detail of each proverb and how it applies to life then, now and in the future.
Be Humble
1 Do not boast about tomorrow,
for you do not know what a day may bring.
2 Let someone else praise you, and not your own mouth;
an outsider, and not your own lips.
21 The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold,
but people are tested by their praise.
Wisdom leaves no place for arrogance. Refusing to esteem ourselves (even when others esteem us) glorifies God.
Be Content
4 Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming,
but who can stand before jealousy?
19 As water reflects the face,
so one’s life reflects the heart.
7 One who is full loathes honey from the comb,
but to the hungry even what is bitter tastes sweet.
8 Like a bird that flees its nest
is anyone who flees from home.
Wisdom leaves no place for jealousy or coveting. Your life will demonstrate where your treasure is, whether you live to pursue material possessions or God.
Be Known
5 Better is open rebuke
than hidden love.
6 Wounds from a friend can be trusted,
but an enemy multiplies kisses.
10 Do not forsake your friend or a friend of your family,
and do not go to your relative’s house when disaster strikes you—
better a neighbor nearby than a relative far away.
9 Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart,
and the pleasantness of a friend
springs from their heartfelt advice.
17 As iron sharpens iron,
so one person sharpens another.
Wisdom grows from Godly friendships that are established in good communication. To know and be known within these relationships allows good, honest feedback that prevents us from thinking too highly or lowly of ourselves in relation to our identity in Jesus Christ.
Be Wise
11 Be wise, my son, and bring joy to my heart;
then I can answer anyone who treats me with contempt.
12 The prudent see danger and take refuge,
but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.
13 Take the garment of one who puts up security for a stranger;
hold it in pledge if it is done for an outsider.
14 If anyone loudly blesses their neighbor early in the morning,
it will be taken as a curse.
Wisdom does not just consist of what you know but also consists of what you do. Acting on wisdom will protect the wise, as well as those associated with them.
Be Patient
3 Stone is heavy and sand a burden,
but a fool’s provocation is heavier than both.
15 A quarrelsome wife is like the dripping
of a leaky roof in a rainstorm;
16 restraining her is like restraining the wind
or grasping oil with the hand.
20 Death and Destruction[b] are never satisfied,
and neither are human eyes.
22 Though you grind a fool in a mortar,
grinding them like grain with a pestle,
you will not remove their folly from them.
Wisdom restrains a person from acting on anger resulting from provocation. There are situations that we just can’t avoid when dealing with broken people. We don’t have to make it worse by throwing wisdom out the door. Patience to consult wisdom and make the best decision on how to respond can quell our desire to lash out.
Be Diligent
18 The one who guards a fig tree will eat its fruit,
and whoever protects their master will be honored.
23 Be sure you know the condition of your flocks,
give careful attention to your herds;
24 for riches do not endure forever,
and a crown is not secure for all generations.
25 When the hay is removed and new growth appears
and the grass from the hills is gathered in,
26 the lambs will provide you with clothing,
and the goats with the price of a field.
27 You will have plenty of goats’ milk to feed your family
and to nourish your female servants.
Wisdom and diligence lead to good things. Many are blessed as a result. Diligence is the vehicle for wisdom to become action.
What insight do you gain when you group Proverbs 27?
21 Days of Proverbs
Proverbs 1
Proverbs 2
Proverbs 3
Proverbs 4
Proverbs 5-7
Proverbs 8
Proverbs 9
Proverbs 10
Proverbs 11
Proverbs 12-15
Proverbs 16
Proverbs 17-19
Proverbs 19-23
Proverbs 24
Proverbs 25
Proverbs 26
Proverbs 27
Proverbs 28
Proverbs 29
Proverbs 30
Proverbs 31
