Proverb A Day, Proverb 28 [Prayer and Meditation]

Proverb 28 (NKJV)
The Righteous Are Bold as a Lion

01 The wicked flee when no one pursues,
00But the righteous are bold as a lion.

02 Because of the transgression of a land, many are its princes;
00But by a man of understanding and knowledge
00Right will be prolonged.

03 A poor man who oppresses the poor
00Is like a driving rain which leaves no food.

04 Those who forsake the law praise the wicked,
00But such as keep the law contend with them.

05 Evil men do not understand justice,
00But those who seek the LORD understand all.

06 Better is the poor who walks in his integrity
00Than one perverse in his ways, though he be rich.

07 Whoever keeps the law is a discerning son,
00But a companion of gluttons shames his father.

08 One who increases his possessions by usury and extortion
00Gathers it for him who will pity the poor.

09 One who turns away his ear from hearing the law,
00Even his prayer is an abomination.

10 Whoever causes the upright to go astray in an evil way,
00He himself will fall into his own pit;
00But the blameless will inherit good.

11 The rich man is wise in his own eyes,
00But the poor who has understanding searches him out.

12 When the righteous rejoice, there is great glory;
00But when the wicked arise, men hide themselves.

13 He who covers his sins will not prosper,
00 But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.

14 Happy is the man who is always reverent,
00 But he who hardens his heart will fall into calamity.

15 Like a roaring lion and a charging bear
00 Is a wicked ruler over poor people.

16 A ruler who lacks understanding is a great oppressor,
00 But he who hates covetousness will prolong his days.

17 A man burdened with bloodshed will flee into a pit;
00 Let no one help him.

18 Whoever walks blamelessly will be saved,
00 But he who is perverse in his ways will suddenly fall.

19 He who tills his land will have plenty of bread,
00 But he who follows frivolity will have poverty enough!

20 A faithful man will abound with blessings,
00 But he who hastens to be rich will not go unpunished.

21 To show partiality is not good,
00 Because for a piece of bread a man will transgress.

22 A man with an evil eye hastens after riches,
00 And does not consider that poverty will come upon him.

23 He who rebukes a man will find more favor afterward
00 Than he who flatters with the tongue.

24 Whoever robs his father or his mother,
00 And says, "It is no transgression,"
00 The same is companion to a destroyer.

25 He who is of a proud heart stirs up strife,
00 But he who trusts in the LORD will be prospered.

26 He who trusts in his own heart is a fool,
00 But whoever walks wisely will be delivered.

27 He who gives to the poor will not lack,
00 But he who hides his eyes will have many curses.

28 When the wicked arise, men hide themselves;
00 But when they perish, the righteous increase.

For today's commentary on Proverbs 28:26, I am offering a word from Pastor Jim Suttle of Calvary Chapel in Roswell, New Mexico.

He who trusts in his own heart is a fool,
But whoever walks wisely will be delivered. Proverbs 28:26
Don’t trust your feelings.
In some ways that sounds so counterintuitive, so un-American, so un-modern…and I suppose it is. Yet, it is a vital and Biblical truth we need to understand.
If we follow feelings, we will be led astray.
When marriages are built on feelings, they often end in divorce – for no one always “feels in love”. When feelings govern our choices, then fear will keep us back from walking in the steps of faith God has for us.   If feelings dictate our Christian habits, if we only go to church when we feel like it, read the Bible when we feel like it or pray when we feel like it – then we will have very a inconsistent and barren spiritual life.   Further, if we allow feelings to govern our choices, we will often choose sin over righteousness – because we felt like it. If you follow feelings in your life…you are a fool.
He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, Proverbs 28:26

Feelings are to be enjoyed, never followed.
I want to say that again and ask you to listen and think about it clearly. This is one of those sentences that has been so helpful to me over the years - I have thought about it often, prayed about it and shared it with others.   So take a moment to consider this:
             ‘Feelings are to be enjoyed, never followed’.
I believe this wholeheartedly and exhort you to consider it. Feelings are not bad things in and of themselves.   God invented them and the pleasure they can bring.   God wants us to enjoy them and we should.   Yet, we should be very careful to enjoy them without letting them dictate our lives for us.

Feelings are fickle things.
Part of the problem is so many things can effect our feelings.
There are physical things that effect feelings- moods, our physical health, tiredness, or the season of life we are in.
There are spiritual issues that effect our feelings - attacks from our enemy and spiritual hills and valleys God has us walk through and even recognizing our own weakness.
There are personal things that effect our feelings - fears, memories, failures and previous successes all play a part.

Honestly, the more you know yourself and know how your only feelings work – you will really understand – feelings are fickle things! Sometimes there are there in a good way with delight and pleasure and sometimes they are there in a bad way with fear and foreboding. Yet…so many things effect them – that wise is the person who doesn’t trust in them.
God calls us to walk by faith, by truth, by wisdom.
He who trusts in his own heart is a fool,
But whoever walks wisely will be delivered. Proverbs 28:26

God calls us not to lean on our own understanding – but to trust Him, follow Him and His guidance (Proverb 3:5-6).   Thus our lives are to be based on His truth, His Word. Our lives are to be governed by what we know is good and of God and His ways and His guidance. We are to walk by faith and not by sight (or feelings) – 2 Corinthians 5.
Or to borrow from an illustration – like a train, we are to base our lives on facts first – God’s facts, God’s truth. Then we place our faith in God’s truth and guidance. Feelings follow like a caboose.   Feelings make a great caboose…but a terrible train engine.
God is calling you and I to walk, to direct our lives by wisdom – His wisdom.
I call you to walk in the steps God has for you – to walk in His ways. When feelings are good and join this walk God has for you, great, enjoy them! But when they are absent – persevere in faith and don’t live by feelings. Feelings are to be enjoyed, never followed.
I call you to walk in the steps God has for you – to walk in His ways. When feelings are bad, and fears, doubts, condemnation and discouragement are there – walk anyway and don’t give in to feelings, but overcome them.   Feelings are to be enjoyed, never followed.
Today, I call you to walk in God’s ways and let feelings enjoy their proper place…for feelings are to be enjoyed, never followed.
He who trusts in his own heart is a fool,
But whoever walks wisely will be delivered. Proverbs 28:26

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