Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 706 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

Self-Controlled Wisdom – Proverbs 29

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is Day 706 of our trek, and it 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 Proverbs 29 from The Voice Translation, which will give us a fresh perspective on this book of timeless wisdom.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. I am blessed to have a close relationship with our grown children, and we have many opportunities to discuss issues, challenges, and struggles that we are all facing in life. I am privileged to be a mentor and provide them with counsel.

Recently I was discussing with one of our sons who works from home as a sales rep providing industrial coatings for commercial businesses about the difficulty of self-discipline and focus in work. It takes real self-control, consistency, and persistence to be successful. To successfully gain wisdom also requires long-term self-control as we will explore today from Proverbs 29 about…

Self-Controlled Wisdom

This is the last installment of wise sayings assembled by the men of Hezekiah. This chapter begins with a lesson on teachability— one of the greatest values of the wise. The wise must be able to listen and receive correction (see verse 1). Look ahead at how the collection ends. We are told to fear the Lord above any other human because it is from Him that all justice truly comes (verses 25-26). Teachability and trusting God: these two values frame everything in this chapter.

Between these opening and closing proverbs is a strong emphasis on self-control. A wise leader must be able to lead themselves if they want to lead others. Leading those under our authority (particularly children) is not an option; it is a requirement to enjoy the sweet fruit of wisdom (verses 15 and 17). Consider these three virtues: teachability, restraint, and trust in God. What theme is the Lord asking you to pay more attention to?

Listen intently as I read Proverbs 29.

¹ The one who remains defiant after repeated reprimands
will suddenly be shattered, and there will be no remedy for him.
² When just leaders are in power, the citizens celebrate;
but when evil people gain control, their joys become moans.

³ An adult who loves wisdom and follows its ways gives his parents joy,
but one who hangs out with women of the street will lose everything.

⁴ A king brings stability to a land with his justice,
but one who makes unjust demands brings it to ruin.
⁵ The one who flatters his friend
is laying a trap that will catch his friend’s feet.
⁶ An evil person is sure to be trapped by his sin,
but a man who lives right is free to sing and be glad.
⁷ The just get involved with the poor and know their issues,
but the wicked cannot comprehend such concerns.
⁸ Mockers stir up a city and inflame passions,
but the wise know how to put out the fire and ease tensions.

⁹ When the wise go to court against a fool,
there will be ranting and raving but no resolution.

¹⁰ Bloodthirsty men despise those who are honest,
but the just find a way to help them.

¹¹ A fool does not think before he unleashes his temper,
but a wise man holds back and remains quiet.

¹² When it is known that a ruler listens to the words of liars,
soon he will have only scoundrels for advisors.
¹³ A poor man and his oppressor have this in common:
the Eternal created them and provides both with light and life.
¹⁴ The king who is fair in his treatment of the poor
will see his dynasty continue forever.

¹⁵ Corporal punishment and correction produce wisdom,
but a child left to follow his own willful way shames his mother.
¹⁶ When evil people are free to flourish, sin is on the rise,
but the just will surely see their destruction.
¹⁷ If you discipline your children, they will make your life easier
and refresh your soul.

¹⁸ Where there is no vision from God, the people run wild,
but those who adhere to God’s instruction know genuine happiness.
¹⁹ Words are not enough to correct a servant;
even if he understands, he will not respond.
²⁰ Have you ever met someone who is overly eager to talk?
There is more hope for a fool than for him.
²¹ If you indulge your servant from early in life,
in the end it won’t go well for either of you.

²² A hot-head provokes quarrels,
and one mastered by anger commits all kinds of sins.
²³ A person’s pride brings him down,
but one of humble spirit has a firm hold on honor and respect.
²⁴ Anyone who teams up with a thief must despise his own life,
for he is bound by an oath to tell the truth and yet refuses.^[a]
25 If you fear other people, you are walking into a dangerous trap;
but if you trust in the Eternal, you will be safe.
²⁶ Many people vie for special treatment from a ruler,
yet genuine justice proceeds from the Eternal.
²⁷ The right-living are disgusted by the actions of the unjust;
likewise, the wicked are disgusted by the ways of the righteous. 

That will conclude our exploration of Proverbs 29. Do you have the self-control that it takes to gain lifelong wisdom? Doing so is wise. The precepts found in God’s Word have the law of planting and harvesting built into them. If you plant good seeds in life, you will reap a bountiful harvest of good. The opposite is also true. Over the course of our lives, we will harvest what we plant. Each week we will explore a full chapter in Proverbs. I hope that you will join us next week for Chapter 30 so that you can gain wisdom, insight, and understanding for yourself.

The entire book of Proverbs provides us with rich wisdom, insight, and understanding on a myriad of life issues.  Regardless of where you are in your faith walk, if you follow the precepts in Proverbs, your life will be rich and satisfying. I encourage you to take them and plant the seeds of wisdom in your heart so that you will reap a harvest of wisdom throughout your life.

Tomorrow we will continue with our 3-minute wisdom nugget that will provide you with a bit of wisdom that, if followed will allow you to grow healthier, wealthier, and wiser each day. 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. If you would like to listen to any of the past daily treks or read the associated journals, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. You can also subscribe through iTunes or Google Play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

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 of life together, let us always:

1. Live Abundantly (Fully)
2. Love Unconditionally
3. Listen Intentionally
4. Learn Continuously
5. Lend to others Generously
6. Lead with Integrity
7. 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 tomorrow!