14 The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge, but the mouths of fools feed on folly.

We need to be cautious and discerning about what we watch on TV, what we listen to on the radio, what type of conversations that we keep near and choose to walk away from and company with what we expose ourselves to…. these things of the world just doesn’t feed our mind but they also feed our spirits…too much of a bad thing could kind of be like a building block to saying… well if that’s OK then this is OK and then it gets worse and worse and then the next thing you know you’ve crossed a couple of moral lines. I don’t watch the same shows or listen to the same music the same way at all since I came to the Lord – there’s a lot of things I used to do that I stopped because I ask myself ..would that be pleasing to Him? Does He delight me when I do this or that? and if the answer is no, then I gotta wonder what direction my moral compass is pointed at and if I want to go that way or not and usually it’s a hard no.

17 Better is a dinner of herbs where love isthan a fattened ox and hatred with it.

I also read this in another translation that said it’s better to have a bowl of vegetables with a friend then a steak with someone who is evil.

I really want to say that any meal is better so long as you have the bread of life with you… I’m talking about the bread that if you eat which is similar to the water that you drink you will never thirst again. If I keep company with people who are like-minded and want to talk about the Lord and spiritual things then you would find me very happy at a porridge party (I got that from going to Alpha) because who wants to sit around a bunch of people who blasphamize and do nothing but gossip ?it could even make the best foods taste horrible if you’re in the wrong company.

22 “A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children,but the sinner’s wealth is laid up for the righteous.”

In my case it was a good woman who came to mind! My late grandmother, unlike a lot of other kids grandmothers I knew and grew up around, not only made sure that she saved money and lived without many things and luxuries all her life so she was able to save for her two daughters but ALSO saved that there will be a nice inheritance for all four grandchildren if you can believe that! but it wasn’t just a monetary benefit that she left all four grandchildren and her two daughters, she also taught us what great things can come from doing without! She lived to be 92 years old and didn’t take her first vacation – her first real vacation until she was 80…she mostly enjoyed just watching her TV shows and spending time with her grandchildren and feeding them… that’s what she got most of her joy from and because of her, I see the value in saving… not just for my future or my sons future, but for my grandchildren’s future. She was not a woman of Christ, but I can take her lifestyle and enhance mine with the love of Christ and not only pass on monetary things, but spiritual things… which in my opinion are worth much much more, because I know that as Christians we may be called to be put into positions where the financial gain is not great…but if we are serving our Lord and Saviour in anything that we do,

the money is not what’s important. If that is a lesson I could pass on to my son that he can grow with integrity, then that’s something I could die a happy man with…if he happens to be wealthy as far as money goes then with the lessons I plan to teach him hopefully he gives a lot to his church and teaches his children to do the same because when you give that way it comes back to you in many different ways.

On the other side of the spectrum there are family members that will live just for themselves…and spend every dime as they get it… just so long as they have their bases covered and their bills are paid and not thinking about the next generation…sluffing it off thinking “well that’s the next generations problem, not mine.. I got to take care of myself” I think those people need to be reminded of who wakes them up every morning and who gave him the gift that they had to get them where they are in the first place.

10 A little sleep, a little slumber,a little folding of the hands to rest,11 and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man”

This part and all about looking to the ants for how they innately work so diligently reminded me about how when people say “There’s plenty of time to sleep when I’m dead” These are usually people that are early risers and get more done by noon than most people get done in two days. Also reminds me of “27 Idle hands are the devil’s workshop;” but that’s later in Proverbs 🙂

I was also reminded of how Joseph fled the advances of Potiphar’s wife…

after reading about 24 “to preserve you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the adulteress.25 Do not desire her beauty in your heart, and do not let her capture you” – He Ran!

She was married and yet was pursuing lustfully, she had a selfish evil heart and when she didn’t get what she wanted she made him look like the bad guy.. how twisted was that?! Joseph walked with God and knew what was right and wrong. He prayed morning noon and night. He 21 “Bind them on your heart always;

tie them around your neck.”; I believe a lot of men would have jumped into that type of “dark opportunity” without thinking of consequences. That’s how the Light keeps us from getting sucked into stumbling into garbage. God keeps our moral compasses pointed north….or any direction away from the danger.

I was in a position in my past where I was cheated on, I was engaged to find that my fiancé had been unfaithful. She was then “scorched” and “burned” She did not receive my mercy or forgiveness. It was over. We were not close to God, either of us. This is over 20

years ago now. When I think about how I was hurt, and the anguish, I remember how upsetting and wrecked I felt, time passed and I have grown to forgive her. She was in a bad place, as was I. I do not and have not kept contact, however I have grown to forgive her and have hope that she has “grown up” in order not to bring that king of hurt and deceit to anyone else. The one she had cheated with was a so-called “friend” of mine… wanted to reconcile and just like it said in the chapter… 35” He will accept no compensation;” and I did not!

15 “Drink water from your own cistern,

flowing water from your own well”

OR don’t mow someone else’s grass Or The grass isn’t always greener on the other side of the fence. Whatever you wanna call it .. and however you want to say it …when your in a covenant with marriage between your spouse and the Lord you should just keep to each other – no wandering eyes – no wandering hands – guard your thoughts – protect your morals and keep with each other.

Maybe they use the words drink water from your own well was used because in the desert water is precious as the gift of love from God is, and if you were to go to steal from someone’s well – that was frowned upon. I further did some research to realize the immoral woman in v3 is referring to a prostitute. One can buy sex but you can’t buy happiness… you can’t buy pure true joy. Doing that whether you are married or not reduces the value of the gift of love that God gives us, It degrades humanity and destroys family life and can lead to no good.

I really think God was talking directly to me as I was reading this, especially since I just finished praying for understanding of this passage.

He really likes the fact that despite we all have different ideas, concepts and thoughts of what His word means, He Loves the fact that we (“raise your voice for understanding”) are willing to put our own hearts on the line and discuss it openly.

Even if this is online, He is in the midst of all this, even if some of it is fueled by personal feelings and hopes….He adores that we are discussing Him, seeking understanding (“and inclining your heart to understanding;”) of His love letter to us.

The knowledge I have is “pleasant to my soul” and anyone else with “smooth words” may find them selves sinking… 18 “for her house sinks down to death, and her paths to the departed;19 none who go to her come back, nor do they regain the paths of life.”

We can type whatever we want here in ALL CAPS….but it’s doesn’t make it truth.. it may make you think it’s truth, but you are only deceiving yourself and even worse… “who forsakes the companion of her youth” and 2 Timothy 3:5 “Having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people”

Interpretations and translations are perceived differently by all, and by nature we are pulled to the darkness…. and or what suits us personally. We are not allowed to pick and pull what we like and discard the rest…it’s all or nothing.. Eternal life or Eternal suffering. If you don’t like that, then there may be some changes needed to be made. Take it up with God.

Remember my other favourite 3:16 from 2 Timothy “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,”Amen!!

Q2:
Yes because I am making an effort to have a relationship with the Lord and pass it on to my children not just religion and tradition but relationship and education of truth in love

Q3:
Yes to the best of my ability starting with getting baptized as we are called to do and to carry the gospel and try to plant seeds with every opportunity