Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 386 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Laughter Can Conceal a Heavy Heart – Proverbs 14:1-17
Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 386 of our trek, and today is Wisdom Wednesday. Every Wednesday along life’s trails, we dig for the nuggets of wisdom that are found within the book of Proverbs. Today we will explore the first half of chapter 14.
We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. It is good to get back to a normal schedule this week. For the past two months, I have invested my morning exercise and devotional time working on the renovation projects. While it still provided a good opportunity for physical activity, it is good to get back on the treadmill for my 5 mile run each morning. I am also able to work my other exercise routines in before the run. The morning schedule allows me to have my devotional and meditation time during my 70 minutes of exercise.
As we refocus on our client work and newer projects, I have some catching up to do to clear some of the backlogs. We will get there one day at a time. Since none of us are promised more than today, that will be sufficient.
In case you missed yesterday’s Wisdom-Trek, we have started a very short segment on Tuesday and Thursday of each week called Wisdom Unplugged. It is a short 1-3 minute wisdom nugget featuring a wisdom inspirational quote designed to be a supplement on those days. Let me know how you enjoy these mini-treks by leaving a comment on Wisdom-Trek or emailing me at guthrie@venturecg.com.
As we head out on our trek for today, let’s dig for those nuggets of wisdom that fill the book of Proverbs. Today we will dig into the first half of chapter 14. Today’s trek is…
Laughter Can Conceal a Heavy Heart
1 A wise woman builds her home,
but a foolish woman tears it down with her own hands.
If you are wise, either as a woman or a man, you will take the necessary steps to follow Godly principles to create a home environment that is nurturing and helpful for the entire family. This requires selfless acts of love. If you are foolish, though, you will primarily think about what is best for yourself, and make decisions based on selfishness. This will result in the destruction of the home. Ideally, all members of the family should have concern for and look after each other to foster a proper home life.
2 Those who follow the right path fear the Lord;
those who take the wrong path despise him.
It does not get much simpler than this verse. If you desire to be a good and Godly person, then you will learn, understand, and apply God’s precepts to your life. By doing so you will follow the trail that is best for your life. If you choose to ignore God’s precepts, then you will find yourself on the trail that leads to destruction in your life.
3 A fool’s proud talk becomes a rod that beats him,
but the words of the wise keep them safe.
Words are so important every time you open your mouth to speak you should do so with caution. If you are proud and speak that which is foolish, it will come back to harm you in the same manner as getting beaten with a whip or rods. In contrast to this, if your words are wise, they will be a hedge of protection to you, protecting you from harm. When you speak the truth, you will not have to remember what you said because it will be the truth each time.
4 Without oxen a stable stays clean,
but you need a strong ox for a large harvest.
When you work, life may get messy and be difficult at times, but that is okay because the fruit of your labor will be worth it. Yes, life may be easier in the short term if you are lazy or not productive, but you will soon be hungry. Work hard like a strong ox and you will produce a large return.
5 An honest witness does not lie;
a false witness breathes lies.
If you are honest at your very core, then you will not lie regardless of the situation or cost to you. Situational ethics is so prevalent that you need to be very careful not to fall victim to that thinking. A person who practices lying will become habitual at it. Lying and breathing will become one to that person. This unfortunate person will get to the point in his life where he does not even realize he is lying.
6 A mocker seeks wisdom and never finds it,
but knowledge comes easily to those with understanding.
If a person is proud and mocking of God’s precepts even if he seeks to become wise, he never will because true wisdom comes only from God. If you seek wisdom and understanding from God, then you will easily obtain knowledge, wisdom, and insight
7 Stay away from fools,
for you won’t find knowledge on their lips.
We need to be very cautious who we invest time with because we will become like them. If you hang with fools, you will become a fool. You can tell if someone is a fool by the way he speaks and acts. His lips will show they lack basic knowledge and common sense
8 The prudent understand where they are going,
but fools deceive themselves.
When you are prudent, then you will set goals and make decisions that are wise and attainable. You will clearly know your purpose and the direction you would like to pursue in your life. If you lack wisdom, then you may think you are setting direction for life, but without a clear purpose for life, you will deceive yourself and wander aimlessly.
9 Fools make fun of guilt,
but the godly acknowledge it and seek reconciliation.
If you are foolish, you will not accept responsibility for your life and, therefore, not understand the reason to seek reconciliation when you do wrong. If you are good and Godly, then when you do make mistakes or cause harm to another person you will seek forgiveness and work toward reconciliation.
10 Each heart knows its own bitterness,
and no one else can fully share its joy.
No one can fully share in sadness or bitterness that you may experience. Some people may be able to empathize with you to an extent, but it will not be to the depth that you may feel. In the same manner, when you are joyful and rejoicing about a positive situation, others may share that joy but not to the same extent.
11 The house of the wicked will be destroyed,
but the tent of the godly will flourish.
Eventually, if a person is wicked and does not follow God’s precepts, even if they have a grand house, it will not last. In contrast, a good and Godly person, even if they only have a tent to live in, will flourish with their family because their lives are not built on material possessions.
12 There is a path before each person that seems right,
but it ends in death.
You may make plans for your life, but if it is not based on God’s Word and His precepts regardless of how grand of plan it is, the end result will be death and destruction.
13 Laughter can conceal a heavy heart,
but when the laughter ends, the grief remains.
You need to consider and be sensitive to the needs and hurts of others. You never know for sure what another person may be going through at any point in time. Although they may appear happy and are jovial externally, it may be a mask covering deep and lasting grief. Get to know others on such an intimate level that you understand what their true heart is feeling.
14 Backsliders get what they deserve;
good people receive their reward.
If a person chooses to ignore God’s Word and his laws for life, eventually they will harvest what they have planted in life. The converse is also true. If you live a good life according to God’s Word with consistent persistence, you will harvest an abundance of what you planted.
15 Only simpletons believe everything they’re told!
The prudent carefully consider their steps.
It is good to trust others, but you must also verify what you are told as truth according to God’s Word. You need to be prudent and consider your trails in life.
16 The wise are cautious and avoid danger;
fools plunge ahead with reckless confidence.
It is certainly wise to show some restraint and caution in life so that you do not become involved in dangerous situations. Those who are foolish act before they think and will pay the price for their thoughtless actions.
17 Short-tempered people do foolish things,
and schemers are hated.
Controlling your temper is always good. Losing your temper is always your choice. When you do lose your temper, you will fall prey to saying and doing things that are foolish. You will become known as someone who schemes and cannot be trusted. When this happens, others will avoid you and start to disdain you.
Today’s trail was once again filled with nuggets of wisdom that we can easily consume, digest, and allow to strengthen us each day. Don’t just listen to God’s Word. Allow these precepts to become habits in your life.
Tomorrow we will have another short segment of Wisdom Unplugged in which we will cover an inspirational wisdom quote. So, encourage your friends and family to join us, and then come along with us tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.
That will finish our trek for today. As you enjoy your dose of wisdom, we ask you to help us grow Wisdom-Trek by sharing with your family and friends through email, Facebook, Twitter, or in person and invite them to come along with us each day. If you would like to listen to any of the past daily treks, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. Don’t forget to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek so each trek will be downloaded to you automatically. I would like to ask you to also rate and review us on iTunes or Google Play so that others will find out about Wisdom-Trek and join us.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
- Live Abundantly (Fully)
- Love Unconditionally
- Listen Intentionally
- Learn Continuously
- Lend to others Generously
- Lead with Integrity
- Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you on Wednesday!
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