Proverbs 15:26-33
but gracious words are pure.
27 Whoever is greedy for unjust gain troubles his own household,
but he who hates bribes will live.
28 The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer,
but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.
29 The Lord is far from the wicked,
but he hears the prayer of the righteous.
30 The light of the eyes rejoices the heart,
and good news refreshes the bones.
31 The ear that listens to life-giving reproof
will dwell among the wise.
32 Whoever ignores instruction despises himself,
but he who listens to reproof gains intelligence.
33 The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom,
and humility comes before honor.
Normally I read the whole chapter and all that, but this morning I'm going to focus just on the the text for the day.
When I read verse 26: The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord, but gracious words are pure. I have to admit to going...oh.. right, of course they would be. I don't know why I felt surprised, but I did. I think it's just the "out of there" of it. Of how the thoughts of the wicked are abhorrent to God. Consider that the wicked are wicked all the time, and God is holy ALL the time and as a holy God can't be near wickedness it only makes sense....For some reason this morning it just struck me as important to remember/know.
Verse 28 jumps out at me as well: The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer, but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things. Consider how a righteous person will often take their time to pose a response, but the wicked have no need to think about what they are saying, and therefore can spew out anything they want. sometimes for good, sometimes for ill...but remember....the thoughts of the wicked are wicked all the time.
Verses 31-33 focus on the importance of learning from instruction The ear that listens to life-giving reproof
will dwell among the wise. Whoever ignores instruction despises himself, but he who listens to reproof gains intelligence. The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom, and humility comes before honor. Wisdom listens. The fear of the Lord is part of wisdom. Reproof and the ability to heed it is part of wisdom. Those who learn to listen and heed are those willing to be wise.
1. the privilege of prayer
: God does not hear the words of the wicked, he hears the words of the righteous.
This points out two important things: 1. WHO can prayer and 2. WHO God hears. God actually takes the time to listen to the prayers of the righteous.
2. the practice of prayer
: Prayer is action. It is something we persistent in, it is something that we do, AND it is something that God acts upon.