A Walk Through Proverbs Eleven

 Proverbs, a remarkable book of Biblical principles, aims to guide us in living wisely, making sound choices, and finding guidance. However, are there some truths we can confirm in the New Testament? I was challenged recently to see what Proverbs Eleven had to offer. 

I selected the following verses to examine from the ESV translation:

Proverbs 11:12 states, “Whoever belittles his neighbor lacks sense, but a man of understanding remains silent.”

In Matthew 7:1, Jesus advises, “Judge not, that you be not judged.” 

This advice resonates with the truth conveyed in Proverbs 11:12. After all, we often lack complete knowledge of others’ struggles, life situations, and inner thoughts. When we don’t have all the facts, it’s best to remain silent.

Proverbs 11:17 emphasizes the benefits of kindness, stating, “A man who is kind benefits himself, but a cruel man hurts himself.”

Being kind to others is indeed rewarding. What does the New Testament say about this?

In Matthew 5:7, Jesus declares, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.”

Additionally, there’s a story from Matthew 25:34-40 that further supports the truth of this proverb. The story describes a King who welcomes those who have shown mercy to others, including those who were hungry, thirsty, strangers, naked, sick, or in prison. The righteous individuals respond by asking, when did we see You in these instances? The King then affirms that as they did it to one of the least of these his brothers, they did it to him.

Colossians 3:23-24 reinforces this idea, stating, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.”

Proverbs 11:18 further elaborates on this concept, saying, “The wicked earns deceptive wages, but one who sows righteousness gets a sure reward.”

Hosea 10:12 provides another perspective, urging us to “Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up your fallow ground, for it is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and rain righteousness upon you.”

What does it mean to “sow righteousness? And what is the reward?

Galatians 6:8-9 offers valuable insights into this matter. It states, “For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”

To sow to the Spirit, I believe, involves allowing Jesus to reside within us and guide our daily actions. It means saying no to our selfish desires and embracing the initial promptings of the Holy Spirit. By being open to following His lead, even when we may not fully comprehend His guidance, we demonstrate trust in Him rather than relying solely on our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Additionally, taking up our cross daily and following Jesus (Matthew 16:24) is an essential aspect of sowing to the Spirit. As John in 1John 2:6 emphasizes, “Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.”

Proverbs 11:19 continues the theme of the reward of eternal life, stating, “Whoever is steadfast in righteousness will live, but he who pursues evil will die.”

Romans 6:23 confirms this truth by stating, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Proverbs 11:23 further emphasizes this truth by saying, “The desire of the righteous ends only in good, while the expectation of the wicked leads to wrath.”

The truth of this proverb is found in Romans 2:8-9, which states, “but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek.”

My favorite verse to look at is Proverbs 11:25, which says, “Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.”

2Corinthians 9:6-8,11 confirms this. It states, “The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that you may have all sufficiency in all things at all times, and may abound in every good work. You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.”

I love how God enriches us so that we can enrich or bless others, which brings about gratitude to God. :)

And that ends my walk through Proverbs Eleven!