Shownotes
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 451 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Plans Succeed Through Wise Counsel – Proverbs [20:16]-30
Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 451 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 2nd half of Chapter 20.
We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. All things considered, the packing and moving of all of our household furnishings from our Charlotte home to The Big House went fairly smooth. It was certainly one of the busiest and physically tiring weeks that we have had for a long time. With the help of three of our grown children and their spouses, we were able to get the 26’ U-Haul truck fully loaded on Friday, and then Paula and I invested a long day Saturday cleaning the house from top to bottom.
We pulled away from our home at 6:30pm and arrived in Marietta at 1:30am. After sleeping in a bit on Sunday, my brother Jack, his wife Ann, and their son Rob helped us unload. We are truly blessed to have willing and able family that is so supportive. We do have a few remaining furniture items stored in the garage that did not fit on the truck and will be making a return trip soon to retrieve them. It may take a few weeks for us to unpack all the boxes and determine where everything will go, but the most difficult tasks are behind us.
We are grateful to God for safety and the strength to accomplish all that we did in a week’s time. The home is on the market now, so we are praying that it sells quickly and for the price we desire. We would appreciate your prayers also.
As we do adapt to the ever-changing seasons of life, it certainly is beneficial to rely on the wisdom, insight, and understanding obtained through many years to help navigate the trails that we are hiking each day. Sharp turns, unexpected obstacles, and precarious ledges can come on us quickly. Being prepared for these unexpected situations will allow you to traverse the trails with the strength needed while maintaining your peace and joy.
In every season of life, we need to seek wisdom, insight, and understanding both from God’s Word and from other wise individuals. We then need to put plans in place, so as we break camp for our trek today, let us explore the nuggets of wisdom found in the second half of Proverbs 20 where we will learn that…
Plans Succeed Through Good Counsel
Let’s start our trek with verse 16.
16 Get security from someone who guarantees a stranger’s debt.
Get a deposit if he does it for foreigners.
Proverbs is full of advice and warnings about borrowing money or guaranteeing debt for someone else. The converse of this is true also. If you loan money to others, you need to make sure that you obtain collateral or some sort of security. This is especially true if it is someone that you do not know personally. Make sure a deposit is obtained to offset the risk.
17 Stolen bread tastes sweet,
but it turns to gravel in the mouth.
When a person steals or takes advantage of someone, it may appear that it is beneficial and that they have obtained something for nothing, but in the end, it will be a destructive force within them.
18 Plans succeed through good counsel;
don’t go to war without wise advice.
Before making any major decisions or plans, it is best to get advice and counsel from someone who is wise and has a track record of success. This is even more important if the outcome of the decision could be harmful physically, emotionally, or spiritually. The analogy is as if you are going to war and how important good counsel would be.
19 A gossip goes around telling secrets,
so don’t hang around with chatterers.
It is never wise or beneficial to gossip and betrays others by telling secrets. The person who does a lot of talking, or as it is referred to here – a chatterer, is much more prone to gossip. Make a habit of only speaking when it is necessary, and only if it is beneficial to the listener.
20 If you insult your father or mother,
your light will be snuffed out in total darkness.
As an adult, mistreating your parents in any manner is very grievous. We should love and respect them. Not doing so can have a serious impact on your standing before God.
21 An inheritance obtained too early in life
is not a blessing in the end.
We see this quite often with individuals who receive a large inheritance before they are mature enough to handle the unearned riches. Many time it corrupts the person who is receiving the inheritance. We see a similar pattern from most lottery winners. Within a matter of a few years, they are usually worse off than they were prior to winning.
22 Don’t say, “I will get even for this wrong.”
Wait for the Lord to handle the matter.
It is never good to seek revenge on another person who has mistreated you in any manner. The only one that will ultimately be hurt is you. We need to patiently allow God to handle the situation. It returns us to the laws of planting and harvesting. If someone plants harm in another person, he will harvest a 10-fold increase in harm to himself. Let it go, and let God take care of it.
23 The Lord detests double standards;
he is not pleased by dishonest scales.
Throughout Proverbs we are continually reminded that God is never pleased when we cheat and lie to others. This is especially true in business. Our pricing should be fair to everyone involved, and we should treat everyone the same.
24 The Lord directs our steps,
so why try to understand everything along the way?
It is crucial that we plan and prepare for our journey of life, but realize that it is God that will ultimately guide us if we follow His precepts. While we make plans, we also need to be prepared for the obstacles and detours on the trail. We can never see the end of the trail from the beginning, so it is okay to continue on even if we don’t have all the answers. When you are ready and prepared, then the answers will come at the appropriate time.
25 Don’t trap yourself by making a rash promise to God
and only later counting the cost.
Always be very careful when making promises to anyone. This is especially true of promises made to God. Prepare first, and then you will be in a position to fulfill promises that are made.
26 A wise king scatters the wicked like wheat,
then runs his threshing wheel over them.
A wise person knows that having negative and bad people around them is not good for them. They will distance themselves from them or put safeguards into place so they are not harmed. If you are a person of authority, then you may also have the opportunity to take action against them.
27 The Lord’s light penetrates the human spirit,
exposing every hidden motive.
We may think we can get away with doing wrong or harming others, but God knows all, and His light will penetrate to the deepest recesses of our minds and expose that which is not good. How much better it is to be filled with light to shine on others.
28 Unfailing love and faithfulness protect the king;
his throne is made secure through love.
When a person who is in a leadership or authority position is loving and faithful they will form a strong bond with others. In doing so, their position will be safe and secure.
29 The glory of the young is their strength;
the gray hair of experience is the splendor of the old.
Young adults have the strength needed to accomplish the tasks that are required of them. This allows them to succeed in many things. If you live according to God’s precepts as a younger adult, then you will be able to enjoy life more fully when you are old. Those who are Godly and older will have the experiences in their lives that have matured them. Then they will be able to enjoy the splendor and blessings that come with old age.
30 Physical punishment cleanses away evil;[d]
such discipline purifies the heart.
When a person does wrong, they should receive the punishment that is due and is commensurate with the wrong that was done. If the person who has done wrong accepts and learns from the punishment, then he will allow that discipline to cleanse him and mature him into the person he should be.
The nuggets of wisdom that we gathered in verses 16-30 of Proverbs 20 provide more tasty morsels of wisdom, insight, and understanding. Regardless of your faith walk, if you follow the precepts in Proverbs, your life will be rich and satisfying. Take them and plant them in your heart so that you will reap a harvest of goodness.
Tomorrow we will hike another short trail of Wisdom Unplugged where we will discover 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. Just as you enjoy your daily 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 inviting them to come along with us each day. I would challenge you today to take just one precept that we learn today in Proverbs and commit yourself to applying it to your life.
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 tomorrow!