If good people barely make it, what’s in store for the bad?
Why it matters to Jesus: Jesus is straight with us. The way is not easy. He says it over and over. …
Tag Archives: King Solomon
What do I want from God? What should I ask for?
God offered Solomon anything he wanted. He could have anything at all. Now that is amazing. What did Solomon want? …
Am I a student of good?
There are many things we can be students of. Seeking good is God’s goal for us. God wants us to …
Is my grandeur to forgive and forget?
I need to learn how to hold my tongue. Easier said than done some days. Someone says something and off …
“Wise men and women are always learning, always listening for fresh insights.” ~King Solomon
How can I become wise? That is an essential question. I need to figure it out. King Solomon was the …
Will I be devoted to a dead life? Am I a stump, dead and rotting?
I want to live a life that is flourishing. I really do. I can’t do it on my own though. …
“A meal of bread and water in contented peace is better than a banquet spiced with quarrels” ~King Solomon
There is something about enjoying a peaceful meal. It can be alone or with families and friends. I come away …
“God made everything with a place and purpose; even the wicked are included—but for judgment.” ~King Solomon
I can take comfort in the fact that God has made everything. It has all been planned out. God has …
“Knowledge flows like spring water from the wise; fools are leaky faucets, dripping nonsense.” ~King Solomon
God is gracious and kind to us. He gives wisdom and knowledge. It is lack turning on the faucet. Once …
“Lady Wisdom builds a lovely home; Sir Fool comes along and tears it down brick by brick.” ~King Solomon
Wisdom in an amazing character trait. I want more of it. I need more of it. God is in a …
“Better to be poor and honest than a rich person no one can trust.” ~King Solomon
The pursuit of possessions and wealth and a preoccupation with physical things is futile and dissatisfying. Materialism is defined as “the …
“Liars secretly hoard hatred; fools openly spread slander.” ~King Solomon
This puts an interesting twist on the motivation of liars and slanderers. I must pay attention here. When I lie, …
“Are you confused about life, don’t know what’s going on?” ~Lady Wisdom
The call here is for the confused, the simple and ignorant to have dinner with Lady Wisdom. It is easy …
“The Fear-of-God means hating Evil, whose ways I hate with a passion — pride and arrogance and crooked talk.” ~King Solomon
It is an interesting question. Do I hate evil? Should I hate evil? Am I passionate in my hate for …
“Dear friend, do what I tell you; treasure my careful instructions. Do what I say and you’ll live well. My teaching is as precious as your eyesight—guard it!” ~King Solomon
Wisdom is useless unless I act on it. Wisdom is about knowing, understanding and doing. Acting on wisdom leads to …
“Their perverse minds are always cooking up something nasty, always stirring up trouble.” ~King Solomon
I deal with a lot of atheists and skeptics online. I see this play out daily. There is a duplicitousness …
“Good friend, don’t forget all I’ve taught you; take to heart my commands. They’ll help you live a long, long time, a long life lived full and well.” ~King Solomon
I want to live long. I want to live well. I want to live long. There is very good news. …
“God gives out wisdom free, is plain spoken in knowledge and understanding.” ~King Solomon
God is ready, willing and able to give me wisdom. God makes it clear and is plain spoken. There is …
“Carelessness kills; complacency is murder.” ~King Solomon
I have to guard against being content. Being self-satisfied is dangerous. Neglecting wisdom in my life leads to the destruction …
“When good people run things, everyone is glad, but when the ruler is bad, everyone groans.” ~King Solomon
The issue here, relative to “good people”, is one of righteousness. Do we have righteous people in charge? The contrast …
“The wicked are edgy with guilt, ready to run off even when no one’s after them; Honest people are relaxed and confident, bold as lions.” ~King Solomon
A lion is a mighty and very courageous animal. Jesus is the Lion of the tribe of Judah. I want …
“Don’t call attention to yourself; let others do that for you.” ~King Solomon
Jesus calls on me to be humble. God is God. God is great. I am not. I am a slave. …
“We no more give honors to fools than pray for snow in summer or rain during harvest.” ~King Solomon
God wants me to be wise. God wants me to understand that He is God. I am not. God is …
“The right word at the right time is like a custom-made piece of jewelry, and a wise friend’s timely reprimand is like a gold ring slipped on your finger.” ~King Solomon
We need friends but we need wise friends that we can count on to say the right thing at the …
“It’s better to be wise than strong; intelligence outranks muscle any day.” ~King Solomon
There is a better way. What? Yes, God shows us. It is a God thing. It is called wisdom. It …
“Don’t stealthily move back the boundary lines or cheat orphans out of their property, for they have a powerful Advocate who will go to bat for them.” ~King Solomon
God cares for the poor, the widow, the orphan, the homeless, the sick, those in jail; all of the displaced …
“A sterling reputation is better than striking it rich; a gracious spirit is better than money in the bank.” ~King Solomon
Jesus warns us constantly and consistently about the dangers not focusing on God and focusing on wealth. It is a …
“Good leadership is a channel of water controlled by God; He directs it to whatever ends He chooses.” ~King Solomon
God is God. God is in control. I don’t get that some days. What about that jerk that is …
“He who guards his mouth and his tongue, guards his soul from troubles. ” ~King Solomon
I don’t like to get in trouble. I do even though I don’t like it. Usually it is something I’ve …
“Lots of people claim to be loyal and loving, but where on earth can you find one?” ~King Solomon
Where is the loyalty? Where is the love? Doesn’t anyone care? God is loyal and God is loving. I can …
“Let angry people endure the backlash of their own anger; if you try to make it better, you’ll only make it worse.” ~King Solomon
There is a natural set of consequences for angry people. There is a backlash. Something very real is going to …
“Fools are undone by their big mouths; their souls are crushed by their words.” ~King Solomon
Scripture portrays fools as those who have rejected God and/or his ways and are unable or unwilling to appreciate the …
“The fear of the Master is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.” ~King Solomon
Proverbs 1:7 declares, “The fear of the Master is the beginning of knowledge.” Until I understand who God is and develop …
“Overlook an offense and bond a friendship; fasten on to a slight and — good-bye, friend!” ~King Solomon
Friendship is an amazing experience. It also can be a fragile relationship. Am I looking at the good in my …
“Humans are satisfied with whatever looks good; God probes for what is good.” ~King Solomon
God acts from the highest, purest motives. God expects me to do the same. Humans are satisfied with whatever looks …
“A gentle response defuses anger, but a sharp tongue kindles a temper-fire.” ~King Solomon
I have seen it way too often. Something that starts simple escalates. It turns into all out war. My drive …
“Escape quickly from the company of fools; they’re a waste of your time, a waste of your words.” ~King Solomon
Scripture portrays fools as those who have rejected God and his ways and are unable or unwilling to appreciate the …
“A pretentious, showy life is an empty life; a plain and simple life is a full life.” ~King Solomon
Here is something for me to assess. Am I being pretentious? Am I pretending and showing off what I have …
“The gossip of bad people gets them in trouble; the conversation of good people keeps them out of it.” ~King Solomon
Oh no! Here we go. If I could just keep quiet. If I could just control my tongue. I love …
“The more talk, the less truth; the wise measure their words.” ~King Solomon
We all know people who have something to say about everything. Is this me? Is this you? Think about it. …
“Exploit or abuse your family, and end up with a fistful of air; common sense tells you it’s a stupid way to live.” ~~King Solomon
There is right and there is wrong. We all know the difference. I must remember to stand up for the …
“So don’t waste your time on a scoffer; all you’ll get for your pains is abuse. But if you correct those who care about life, that’s different—they’ll love you for it!” ~King Solomon
“If you reason with an arrogant cynic, you’ll get slapped in the face; confront bad behavior and get a kick in …
“Here are six things God hates, and one more that he loathes with a passion.” ~King Solomon
Here are six things God hates, and one more that he loathes with a passion: eyes that are arrogant, a tongue that lies, …
“The ways of right-living people glow with light; the longer they live, the brighter they shine.” ~King Solomon
The ways of right-living people glow with light; the longer they live, the brighter they shine. But the road of …
“Prefer my life-disciplines over chasing after money, and God-knowledge over a lucrative career.” ~King Solomon
Prefer my life-disciplines over chasing after money, and God-knowledge over a lucrative career. For Wisdom is better than all the …
“Why be exploited by those who care nothing for you?” ~King Solomon
It is helpful to know that some people really don’t care for me. In fact, they care nothing at all. …
“But don’t resent God’s discipline; don’t sulk under his loving correction. It’s the child he loves that God corrects; a father’s delight is behind all this.” ~King Solomon
God has a goal for me. Primarily God wants me to grow up and not be a child my whole …
“Tune your ears to the world of Wisdom; set your heart on a life of Understanding.” ~King Solomon
There is an amazing world out there filled with Wisdom. It is the wonderful world of Jesus. Jesus provides me …
“Pay close attention, friend, to what your father tells you; never forget what you learned at your mother’s knee.” ~King Solomon
It seems basic but I know grown adults who don’t pay a bit of attention said growing up or have …
“You’re looking for proof, but you’re looking for the wrong kind.” ~Jesus
I want proof but I am not prepared to believe it. Jesus gives me proof. I get to decide whether …
“For people who hate discipline and only get more stubborn, there’ll come a day when life tumbles in and they break, but by then it’ll be too late to help them.” ~King Solomon
Discipline is very tough and at the time it is tough to appreciate. My heavenly Father disciplines me because he …
“Justice makes no sense to the evilminded; those who seek God know it inside and out.” ~King Solomon
Justice is a tricky thing. For many it is befuddling and confusing. They are seeking justice here in our country. …
“Don’t respond to the stupidity of a fool; you’ll only look foolish yourself.” ~King Solomon
We all know foolish people. We see them every day on TV or at work. Everyone really knows they are …
“Don’t brashly announce what you’re going to do tomorrow; you don’t know the first thing about tomorrow.” ~King Solomon
This is a very common theme that leads to wisdom. So follow the thread from Solomon to Jesus to Paul …
“Bad work gets paid with a bad check; good work gets solid pay.” ~King Solomon
Our focus for work in God’s world is to work as if we are working for God. That is good …
“Whoever makes deals with strangers is sure to get burned; if you keep a cool head, you’ll avoid rash bargains.” ~~King Solomon
Now here is some good advice. King Solomon knows about wisdom. Before doing business, we ought to take some time …
“Don’t jump to conclusions — there may be a perfectly good explanation for what you just saw.” ~King Solomon
Uh oh! Here we go. How often do I jump to conclusions about what I saw or heard? Way too …
“Don’t envy bad people; don’t even want to be around them. All they think about is causing a disturbance; they talk about is making trouble.” ~King Solomon
King Solomon has some wisdom for me. It is about “bad” people. Note that it isn’t about evil people which …
“Don’t wear yourself out trying to get rich; restrain yourself!” ~King Solomon
I have a goal. I have a plan. I have dreams. They involve money. What does wisdom say about that? …
“Moral character makes for smooth traveling; an evil life is a hard life.” ~~King Solomon
My dad was a very wise man. My dad always said it is easier to tell the truth than to …
“Don’t hang out with angry people; don’t keep company with hotheads. Bad temper is contagious— don’t get infected.” ~King Solomon
Wisdom is challenging. It sounds great but it isn’t easy to do. This advice about anger and bad tempers is …
“Do your best, prepare for the worst — then trust God to bring victory.” ~King Solomon
God has given us all the gift of wisdom. It is amazing what we learn in the wisdom books in …
“Leave your impoverished confusion and live! Walk up the street to a life with meaning.” ~King Solomon
What does Lady Wisdom say to me? I’m living in confusion and impoverished by it. I should leave the land …
“Talk to Wisdom as to a sister. Treat Insight as your companion.” ~King Solomon
Here is the deal about wisdom. God has a goal for me. God wants me to be wise. I need …
“People ruin their lives by their own stupidity, so why does God always get blamed?” ~King Solomon
I find it way to easy to blame God. After all, he is in control, right? On any given day, …
“Death is the reward of an undisciplined life; your foolish decisions trap you in a dead end.” ~King Solomon
Jesus challenges me to be careful about the decisions I make. I must be disciplined in my approach to following …
“Keep vigilant watch over your heart; that’s where life starts.” ~King Solomon
Jesus challenges me to be vigilant. If I don’t pay attention, I will drift. Jesus has given me the way …
“Knowing what is right is like deep water in the heart; a wise person draws from the well within. ” ~~King Solomon
God’s goal for me is to know what is right and to store it up in my heart. I must …
“Fools care nothing for thoughtful discourse; all they do is run off at the mouth.” ~King Solomon
I am a fool. Many times I run off at the mouth. I think what I have to say is …
“A farmer too lazy to plant in the spring has nothing to harvest in the fall.” ~~King Solomon
God created a world where one thing leads to another. It is not always immediate but eventually planting will produce …
“Don’t assume that you know it all. Run to God!” ~King Solomon
I think I am pretty clever some days. I think I can figure it all out. AND then I run …
"The stuck-up fall flat on their faces, but down-to-earth people stand firm." ~~King Solomon
Ah, now there we go. Down to earth people. We all seem to admire them. But is that said of …
“Overlook an offense and bond a friendship; fasten on to a slight and—good-bye, friend!” ~King Solomon
I get offended. Probably way too easy. Eventually, everyone is going to say something to offend us. Love is the …
"Curses on those who drive a hard bargain! Blessings on all who play fair and square!" ~~King Solomon
We live in a world where driving a “hard bargain” seems to be a real strategy that is respected. As …
"When you’re kind to others, you help yourself; when you’re cruel to others, you hurt yourself." ~~King Solomon
Who do I think I am hurting? Cruelty is intended to hurt someone else. It actually backfires and hurts me. Jesus …
"Wise men store up knowledge, but the mouth of a fool invites ruin." ~~King Solomon
How do we become wise? As we follow God, seek His ways, listen to Him, we need to store it …
“You don’t know the first thing about tomorrow.” ~King Solomon
There are a few things I know. God has been good to give me that knowledge. There are many things …
“The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the LORD.” ~King Solomon
I have been thinking about this lately. I should prepare. That is a very good thing. But I have no victory without …
“Careful planning puts you ahead in the long run; hurry and scurry puts you further behind.” ~King Solomon
God has a goal in mind for me. Am I ready? Have I prepared? Will I be up to the …
“We don’t expect eloquence from fools, nor do we expect lies from our leaders.” ~King Solomon
It is sad that we have probably come to expect lies from our leaders. It clearly shouldn’t be that way …
“Don’t assume that you know it all. Run to God! Run from evil!” ~King Solomon
I like to think I know a lot. Some days, I think I know it all. I don’t know very …
“If you make Insight your priority, before you know it Fear-of-God will be yours.” ~King Solomon
I have priorities. I have plans. I love to plan. But, do I have the right priorities? There is a …
“Start with God—the first step in learning is bowing down to God.” ~King Solomon
Wisdom teaches me that everything starts with God. I can’t be wise until I know God is God and God …
“Whoever mocks poor people insults their Creator; gloating over misfortune is a punishable crime.” ~King Solomon
Jesus was clear that we will always have poor people with us. We always have. We always will. Jesus challenges …
“Mortals make elaborate plans, but God has the last word.” ~King Solomon
I love to plan. It is a passion of mine. It is comforting to me. It provides me the illusion …
“Congenial conversation—what a pleasure! The right word at the right time—beautiful!” ~King Solomon
God’s goal for us is that our conversations are pleasant. Arguing and fights aren’t what he has in mind. Love …
“A mean person gets paid back in meanness, a gracious person in grace.” ~King Solomon
There is such a thing as tit for tat. Being mean gets you meanness in return. While Jesus teaches us …
“Good leadership is a channel of water controlled by God; he directs it to whatever ends he chooses.” ~King Solomon
Some times my thoughts wander off when I am praying and meditating. They move away to my “agenda” and what …
“If you love learning, you love the discipline that goes with it. How shortsighted to refuse correction!” ~King Solomon
The first thing is cultivate a love of learning. To be wise, means we need to grow. It isn’t something …
“Don’t brashly announce what you’re going to do tomorrow; you don’t know the first thing about tomorrow.” ~King Solomon
Oh how we love to plan. We worship our to do lists. Some of us even put things on them …
“The speech of a good person clears the air; the words of the wicked pollute it.” ~~King Solomon
The wise are so powerful in what the say. It is like the very old ad on TV, “When ABC …
“Love and truth form a good leader; sound leadership is founded on loving integrity.” ~King Solomon
When we think of leaders, how often do we think of love and truth? That should become our normal criteria. …
“It’s a mark of good character to avert quarrels, but fools love to pick fights. ” ~~King Solomon
I get into arguments sometimes. Not pleasant to admit but it is true. God’s goal for me is to not …
“As water reflects a face, so a man’s heart reflects the man.” ~King Solomon
God spends a lot of time talking about the heart. God longs for me to have His heart. That is what …
"Blessings accrue on a good and honest life, but the mouth of the wicked is a dark cave of abuse." ~~King Solomon
It seems conventional wisdom is that there is no reward for a good and honest life. There is the eternal …
“Quick-tempered leaders are like mad dogs— cross them and they bite your head off. ” ~~King Solomon
Wisdom gives us clues about how to deal with certain leaders. Leaders generally have power and authority. They can destroy …
“Wine makes you mean, beer makes you quarrelsome— a staggering drunk is not much fun. .” ~~King Solomon
Moderation is everything but we’ve all known a mean drunk. Not much fun at all. God’s goal is for us …
"Make hay while the sun shines—that’s smart; go fishing during harvest—that’s stupid." ~~King Solomon
We know this to be true but being disciplined at it can be the challenge. There is a time to …
“God-loyal people, living honest lives, make it much easier for their children.” ~King Solomon
What kind of legacy do I want to leave my children? What is the most important thing I can do? …
"God is solid backing to a well-lived life, but he calls into question a shabby performance." ~~King Solomon
There is no “coasting along” in God’s world (Kingdom). God has given us talents. God expects us to live the life He …
