Today I Learned

I was actually able to wake up that one day at 5:30AM.

I got some kind of bug over the weekend which totally knocked me out of the new routine I was trying to make.

It was much more challenging than I thought. It’s 6:40AM right now.

If possible I would like to continue to wake up earlier and earlier.

1 Better a dry crust with peace and quiet
than a house full of feasting, with strife.

Peace and quiet > Riches with Anger

2 A prudent servant will rule over a disgraceful son
and will share the inheritance as one of the family.

Prudent servants > Nepotism.

3 The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold,
but the Lord tests the heart.

God tests the heart. God tests us to help us know where we stand. He already knows where we stand.

4 A wicked person listens to deceitful lips;
a liar pays attention to a destructive tongue.

A liar pays attention to liars.

5 Whoever mocks the poor shows contempt for their Maker;
whoever gloats over disaster will not go unpunished.

Love everyone. Everyone is created by God.

6 Children’s children are a crown to the aged,
and parents are the pride of their children.

Children are the pride of their parents.

7 Eloquent lips are unsuited to a godless fool—
how much worse lying lips to a ruler!

Tell the truth to the ruler and eloquence is for the wise.

8 A bribe is seen as a charm by the one who gives it;
they think success will come at every turn.

Bribes can be useful but are not always successful.

9 Whoever would foster love covers over an offense,
but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.

Foster love to cover wrong doing.

10 A rebuke impresses a discerning person
more than a hundred lashes a fool.

Rebukes only work on the discerning.

11 Evildoers foster rebellion against God;
the messenger of death will be sent against them.

Evildoers will get what they deserve.

12 Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs
than a fool bent on folly.

Keep away from people who are foolish.

13 Evil will never leave the house
of one who pays back evil for good.

Stay away from people who pay back evil for good.

14 Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam;
so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.

Drop matters before a dispute breaks out.

15 Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent—
the Lord detests them both.

Condemn the guilty and acquit the innocent.

16 Why should fools have money in hand to buy wisdom,
when they are not able to understand it?

God will not give money to fools. Purchase wisdom.

17 A friend loves at all times,
and a brother is born for a time of adversity.

A brother is born through adversity.

18 One who has no sense shakes hands in pledge
and puts up security for a neighbor.

Avoid putting up pledges for neighbors.

19 Whoever loves a quarrel loves sin;
whoever builds a high gate invites destruction.

Loving quarreling = sin.  Building high gates invite destruction.

20 One whose heart is corrupt does not prosper;
one whose tongue is perverse falls into trouble.

If you are willing to act dishonestly for money you will not prosper. If you lie you will fall into trouble.

21 To have a fool for a child brings grief;
there is no joy for the parent of a godless fool.

If a parent raises a fool there will be no joy.

22 A cheerful heart is good medicine,
but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

Cheerful hearts are a good medicine. Cheerful hearts are from God.

23 The wicked accept bribes in secret
to pervert the course of justice.

Wicked accept bribes in secret.

24 A discerning person keeps wisdom in view,
but a fool’s eyes wander to the ends of the earth.

Keep wisdom in view.

25 A foolish son brings grief to his father
and bitterness to the mother who bore him.

A wise son bring happiness to his father and goodness to his mother.

26 If imposing a fine on the innocent is not good,
surely to flog honest officials is not right.

Do good for those who do their work well.

27 The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint,
and whoever has understanding is even-tempered.

People of understanding are knowledgeable, use words with restraint, and are even-tempered.

28 Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent,
and discerning if they hold their tongues.

Let your words be few. Listen more.

I was supposed to be attending a workshop about Metacognition: Learning how to learn. I got sick mid way through it and was not able to complete it. What’s interesting is that if you are silent and listen you will be able to add value to whoever is speaking.

Action Item: Learn to listen even more deeply.

I learned yesterday evening that I will be having another girl. God is good.

Today I begin Proverbs 10. The first nine chapters focus on why you should consider wisdom. Chapter 10 begins the more practical aspects of wisdom.

I try to focus on the positive, because I’m already very good with the negative and pessimistic thinking. This doesn’t mean I am unaware of the opposite and the consequences.

Everyone one of these scriptures can be elaborated and expanded on. I may do some of those in the future.

Proverbs 10

1 The proverbs of Solomon:
A wise son brings joy to his father,
but a foolish son brings grief to his mother.

Listen to your parents.

2 Ill-gotten treasures have no lasting value,
but righteousness delivers from death.

Gain treasure through righteousness.

3 The Lord does not let the righteous go hungry,
but he thwarts the craving of the wicked.

God protects his children. Children means everyone. God protects those who are righteous and those who aren’t. I’m very grateful for that because most of the time I’m probably unrighteous.

4 Lazy hands make for poverty,
but diligent hands bring wealth.

Work with your hands and diligently provide value to the world. Then you will have wealth.

5 He who gathers crops in summer is a prudent son,
but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son.

There is timing and seasons change. Prudently and strategically plan and do valuable work.

6 Blessings crown the head of the righteous,
but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked.

If I’m righteous I will be blessed.

7 The name of the righteous is used in blessings,
but the name of the wicked will rot.

Righteous names can be used to bless.

8 The wise in heart accept commands,
but a chattering fool comes to ruin.

The wise accept instruction. Preferably commands from righteous people.

9 Whoever walks in integrity walks securely,
but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out.

Walk in integrity for security. Nothing is every truly done in secret.

10 Whoever winks maliciously causes grief,
and a chattering fool comes to ruin.

Let your words be few and encourage.

11 The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,
but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.

Righteousness promotes life.

12 Hatred stirs up conflict,
but love covers over all wrongs.

Love covers all wrongs.

13 Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning,
but a rod is for the back of one who has no sense.

Wisdom can be found from wise people. Those who have no sense must be punished physically.

14 The wise store up knowledge,
but the mouth of a fool invites ruin.

Collect wisdom and knowledge.

15 The wealth of the rich is their fortified city,
but poverty is the ruin of the poor.

The rich can be seen by their life styles. Riches here are not just materially- don’t forget relationships and experiences.

16 The wages of the righteous is life,
but the earnings of the wicked are sin and death.

A long life is a gift by living in righteousness.

17 Whoever heeds discipline shows the way to life,
but whoever ignores correction leads others astray.

Discipline is righteous. Everyone can influence.

18 Whoever conceals hatred with lying lips
and spreads slander is a fool.

Spreading slander and lying is foolish. Slander is lying about someone.

19 Sin is not ended by multiplying words,
but the prudent hold their tongues.

Let your words be few… again.

20 The tongue of the righteous is choice silver,
but the heart of the wicked is of little value.
21 The lips of the righteous nourish many,
but fools die for lack of sense.

Wise words can be valuable. Fools don’t provide value.

22 The blessing of the Lord brings wealth,
without painful toil for it.

Blessings from the Lord bring wealth without pain.

23 A fool finds pleasure in wicked schemes,
but a person of understanding delights in wisdom.

Understanding people delight in wisdom.

24 What the wicked dread will overtake them;
what the righteous desire will be granted.

Righteous people will receive what they desire.

25 When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone,
but the righteous stand firm forever.

When tests come the righteous stand forever.

26 As vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes,
so are sluggards to those who send them.

Send people who represent you.

27 The fear of the Lord adds length to life,
but the years of the wicked are cut short.

Fear God and your life will be longer.

28 The prospect of the righteous is joy,
but the hopes of the wicked come to nothing.

The righteous have joy.

29 The way of the Lord is a refuge for the blameless,
but it is the ruin of those who do evil.

The way of the Lord is a refuge and if you follow it you will be blameless.

30 The righteous will never be uprooted,
but the wicked will not remain in the land.

The righteous will be protected.

31 From the mouth of the righteous comes the fruit of wisdom,
but a perverse tongue will be silenced.

Righteous people speak wisdom.

32 The lips of the righteous know what finds favor,
but the mouth of the wicked only what is perverse.

The righteous know how to persuade people.

Practical Action: Wisdom = righteousness. Need to learn how to be more righteous.