Wisdom and Folly Part 4: Proverbs 10-12

Wowzers! Seemed like every verse had a positive and negative comparison! Let the chart speak for itself. Definitely convicted about some areas in my own life that need some work.

Wisdom/Virtuous Woman	Folly/Strange Woman
Makes parents glad 10:1	Sorrow to parents 10:1
Righteousness 10:2	Treasures gained through wickedness 10:2
Does not go hungry 10:3	Cravings never satisfied 10:3
Rich through diligence 10:4	Laziness causes poverty 10:4
Prudent preparer 10:5	Shame through laziness 10:5
Righteousness brings blessings 10:6	Mouth conceals violence 10:6
Remembered as a blessing 10:7	Name will rot 10:7
Heart that receives commandments 10:8	Ruined by babbling 10:8
Securely walks in integrity 10:9	Ways are crooked 10:9
Mouth is a fountain of life 10:11	Winks the eye, causing trouble 10:10
In love, covers all offenses 10:12	Ruined by Babbling 10:10
Speaks with understanding 10:13	Mouth conceals violence 10:11
Lays up knowledge 10:14	With hatred, stirs up strife 10:12
Wealthy 10:15	Lacks sense 10:13
Wage leads to life 10:16	Mouth brings ruin 10:14
Heads instruction, path is life 10:17	Poverty is her ruin 10:15
Restrains lips 10:19	Gain is sin 10:16
Tongue is choice silver 10:20	Rejects reproof, leading others astray 10:17
Lips feed many 10:21	Conceals hatred, has lying lips 10:18
Rich through the Lord’s blessing with no sorrow 10:22	Utters slander 10:18
Pleasure through wisdom and understanding	Inability to shut mouth brings transgression 10:19
Desires will be granted	Heart is of little worth 10:20
Established forever 10:25	Die for lack of sense 10:21
Long life 10:27	Doing wrong is like a joke 10:23
Hope brings joy 10:28	What she dreads will come upon her 10:24
Way of the Lord is a stronghold 10:29	Destroyed through hard times 10:25
Blameless 10:29	Years will be short 10:27
Will never be removed from the land 10:30	Expectation will perish 10:28
Mouth brings wisdom 10:31	Way of the Lord is destruction 10:29
Lips know what is acceptable 10:32	Wicked will not dwell in the land 10:30
Humble 11:2	Perverse tongue will be cut off 10:31
Guided by integrity 11:3	Mouth knows what is perverse 10:32
Righteousness delivers from death 11:4	Pride brings disgrace 11:2
Righteousness keeps her way straight 11:5	Crookedness destroys her 11:3
Delivered through righteousness 11:6	Riches do not profit 11:4
Delivered from trouble 11:8	Falls by her own wickedness 11:5
Delivered by knowledge 11:9	Taken captive by lust 11:6
City rejoices in blessing 11:10	Hope perishes with death 11:7
Remains silent through understanding 11:12	Expectation of wealth perishes with death 11:7
Trustworthy is spirit, keeps a secret 11:13	Walks into trouble 11:8
Safety in an abundance of counselors 11:14	Destroys his neighbor with his mouth 11:9
Honor through graciousness 11:16	City is glad when she perishes 11:10
Benefits through kindness 11:17	Lacks Sense 11:12
Receives reward through righteousness 11:18	Belittles neighbor 11:12
Steadfast in righteousness, gains life 11:19	Goes about slandering revealing secrets 11:13
The Lord’s delight 11:20	Falls from lack of guidance 11:14
Offspring will be delivered 11:21	Hurts through cruelty 11:17
Desire ends in good 11:23	Earns deceptive wages 11:18
Rich through giving 11:24	Pursues evil, gains death 11:19
Enriched through blessing 11:25	Abomination to the Lord 11:20
Blessed through giving 11:26	Will not go unpunished 11:21
Diligently seeks good 11:27	Lacks discretion 11:22
Her fruit is life 11:30	Expectation is wrath 11:23
Captures souls 11:30	Through greed suffers want 11:24
Loves discipline 12:1	Curse because of greed 11:26
Loves knowledge 12:1	Trusts in riches 11:28
Obtains favor from the Lord 12:2	Troubles her household 11:29
Will never be moved 12:3	Servent to the wise 11:29
An excellent wife 12:4	Hates reproof, is stupid 12:1
Thoughts are just 12:5	Condemned by God 12:2
Mouth delivers 12:6	Is not established 12:3
House will stand 12:7	Brings shame to her husband 12:4
Commended for her good sense 12:8	Deceitful thoughts 12:5
Has regard for life of animals 12:10	Words of the wicked are hurtful 12:6
Through work has plenty 12:11	Is overthrown and destroyed 12:7
Bears fruit 12:12	Despised for her twisted mind 12:8
Escapes from trouble 12:13	Cruel to animals 12:10
Satisfied with good from the fruit of her mouth 12:14	Follows worthless pursuits 12:11
Listens to advice 12:15	Covets the spoil of evildoers 12:12
Ignores an insult 12:16	Ensnared by the transgression of her lips 12:13
Gives honest evidence 12:17	Ways are right in her own eyes 12:15
Speaks the truth 12:17	Immediately offended/insulted 12:16
Words bring healing 12:18	False witness, uttering deceit 12:17
Truthful lips endure forever 12:19	Stabbing words 12:18
Plan peace, receives joy 12:20	Lying tongue 12:19
Has no trouble 12:21	Deceitful heart 12:20
Act faithfully 12:22	Filled with trouble 12:21
Conceals knowledge 12:23	Lying lips 12:22
Rules with a diligent hand 12:24	Proclaims folly 12:23
Made glad by a good word 12:25	Lazy will be put to forced labor 12:24
Guide to his neighbor 12:26	Weighed down by anxiety 12:25
Wealth through diligence 12:27	Leads neighbor astray 12:26
Life through a righteous path 12:28	Lazy 12:27

Wisdom and Folly Part 3: Proverbs 7-9

I was prepared to have a lot of spaces filled in about Folly/Strange Woman, but amazingly, I filled in more about Wisdom/Virtuous Woman! Really a neat study/comparison!

Wisdom/Virtuous Woman	Folly/Strange Woman
Treasures instruction 7:1	Forbidden/strange 7:5
Avoids folly/strange women 7:5	Simple 7:7
Raises her voice 8:1	Lacking sense 7:7
Takes a stand 8:2	Goes about in secret/darkness 7:9
Learns prudence 8:5	Dressed as a prostitute 7:10
Learns sense 8:5	Wily of heart 7:10
Speaks noble things 8:6	Loud 7:11
From her lips comes what is right 8:6	Wayward 7:11
Mouth utters truth 8:7	Feet do not stay home 7:11
Wickedness is an abomination to her lips 8:7	Lies in wait 7:12
Words of mouth are righteous 8:8	Bold face 7:13
Nothing twisted or crooked in her words 8:8	Seductive speech 7:21
Instruction better than silver 8:10	Smooth talk 7:21
Knowledge better than gold 8:10	House is the way of Sheol 7:27
Wisdom better than jewels 8:11	Neglect instruction 8:33
All desires cannot compare to her 8:11	Fails to find wisdom, injures himself 8:36
Dwells with prudence 8:12	Love death because of hatred of wisdom 8:36
Finds knowledge and discretion 8:12	Corrects/reproves a scoffer 9:7
Fear of the Lord is hatred of evil 8:13	Loud 9:13
Hates pride, arrogance and the way of evil 8:13	Seductive 9:13
Hates perverted speech 8:13	Knows nothing 9:13
Has counsel and sound wisdom 8:14	Sits at the door of her house 9:14
Has insight and strength 8:14	Calls to those who lack wisdom 9:15
By her, rulers govern justly 8:15-16	Her guests are dead 9:18
Loves those who love her 8:17
Those who seek her will find her 8:17
She has riches and honor 8:18
Her fruit is better than gold and silver 8:19
She walks in the way of righteousness 8:20
Walks the paths of justice 8:20
Grants an inheritance to those who love her 8:21
Created by God in the beginning 8:22-30
God’s delight 8:30-31
Hear instruction and does not neglect 8:33
Whoever finds her, finds life 8:35
Whoever finds her, finds favor of the Lord 8:35
Builds her house 9:1-3
Walks in the way of insight 9:6
Reproves a wise man 9:8
Gives instruction to the wise 9:9
Knowledge of God 9:10
Days will be multiplied 9:11

Wisdom and Folly Part 2: Proverbs 4-6

These chapters in Proverbs had a whole lot more to say about Folly/the Strange Woman.

So many thoughts that pop out at me. The virtuous woman is not one to gossip, thinks about the paths before her and walks accordingly on the path of light (wow!). And listens to instruction and knowledge.
The Strange Woman despises instruction and knowledge and her path is one of darkness on which she stumbles along not thinking about the way she has chosen.
One thing that stands out to me as I do this comparison is how the Virtuous Woman description has depth. Whereas the Strange Woman is only characterized by the externals. Her eyes, her tongue, her speech. Her actions, attitudes, words, and appearance all give her away. It seems that the Virtuous Woman would be more reserved. And not known by what she does, but rather what she does not do, or does not say. Just interesting.

Wisdom/Virtuous Woman	Folly/Strange Woman
Listens to instruction 4:1	Wicked and violent 4:17
A high prize 4:8	Way is deep darkness 4:19
Path is light 4:18	They do not know what makes them stumble 4:19
Guards her heart with vigilance 4:23	Crooked speech 4:24
Thinks about the path she chooses 4:26	Lips that drip honey 5:3
Uses discretion 5:2	Speech smoother than oil 5:3
Lips that guard knowledge 5:2	Bitter and sharp speech 5:4
Led by wise instruction 6:22	Follow the path of destruction 5:5
See’s teaching and instruction as a light to their path 6:23	Does not think about the path she chooses 5:6
	Wanders without thinking 5:6
	Hates discipline 5:12
	Despises reproof 5:12
	Does not listen to teachers or instructors 5:13
	Held in sin 5:22
	Lazy 6:6 6:9
	Worthless 6:12
	Perverted heart 6:14
	Haughty eyes 6:17
	Lying tongue 6:17
	hands that shed innocent blood 6:18
	Feet that run to do evil 6:18
	False witness who breathes out lies 6:19
	Sows discord 6:19
	Captures with her eyelashes 6:25
	Commits adultery 6:32
	Lacks sense 6:32
	Gets Wounds and dishonor 6:33

Wisdom and Folly or the Virtuous Woman and Strange Woman?

My husband challenged me as I read Proverbs to do a comparison chart and view wisdom and folly as the virtuous woman and strange woman. We all know that Proverbs was written by Solomon to his son. So, it makes sense that to relate to his son, Solomon would talk in comparison to the right and wrong woman. Interesting thought. Today I read Proverbs 1-3 and it was easy to see the traits of a virtuous woman verses the traits of a strange woman. Check out the chart below and strive today to put on the traits of wisdom! I will be sharing my charts over the next few days as I travel through proverbs!

Wisdom/Virtuous Woman	Folly/Strange Woman
Fears the Lord 1:7	Despise wisdom and instruction 1:7
Does not walk in the way of fools 1:15	Feet run to evil 1:16
Has security 1:33	Delight in scoffing 1:22
Does not fear disaster 1:33	Greedy of unjust gain 1:19
Knowledge is pleasant 2:10	Hate knowledge 1:22 1:29
Understands righteousness, justice, and equity 2:9	Refuse to listen to wisdom 1:24
Walks in integrity 2:7	Did not choose to fear the Lord 1:29
Saved for the upright 2:7	Destroyed by complacency 1:32
Given by God 2:6	Perverted speech 2:12
Delivered from evil 2:12	Forsake the paths of uprightness 2:13
Inhabit the land 2:21	Walk in darkness 2:13
Trusts in the Lord 3:5	Rejoice in doing evil 2:14
Honors the Lord with wealth 3:9	Delight in perverseness 2:14
Better than silver and gold 3:14	Ways are crooked and devious 2:15
More precious than jewels 3:15	Smooth words 2:16
Hands hold long life, riches, and honor 3:16	Forsakes the companion of her youth 2:17
Ways are pleasant 3:17	Forgets the covenant of her God 2:17
Paths are peace 3:17	House sinks to death 2:18
Tree of life 3:18	Depends on own understanding 3:5
Inherit’s honor 3:35	Wise in own eyes 3:7
	Despises discipline 3:11
	Get’s disgrace 3:35

Thoughts as I begin reading about Solomon.

As I ponder the life of David, (that I just finished reading about) and begin reading about Solomon, and catch glimpses of the heart of this man, I am struck by a single thought. Our legacy is important. 

David did not live a perfect life. He dealt with anger, lust, and adultery. Yet, he was called a "man after God's own heart." I look at his life and see how God can take our sin cursed lives and turn them into something beautiful. 

Just beginning in the life of Solomon, much is shown of his heart. He loved his Lord. He cared much for his people and the responsibility before him as their king. So much so that when God asked him what one thing he desired, he asked for wisdom and understanding to better lead and guide his people! 

If God came to you and asked you what one thing you desired, what would your response be? Would you ask for riches and power? Or would you ask for wisdom on how you can better lead and guide your family? 

We live in a materialistic world. I am sure Solomon also lived in a world where "things" were what counted towards ones wealth in the eyes of man. 

Back to the legacy. Solomon had the guidance from a man who was not perfect, who made wrong choices in his life, who stumbled in his walk with God. He saw firsthand how sin could destroy a man's life and the lives of others. His father was king David! 

No, we are not royalty. No, we do not have nations to lead. But we have precious lives of the children that God has given to us. Children who will see our low moments in life. Who will see us fail and make mistakes and sin against God. But do our children also see us raised up again by God to worship Him in the midst of our darkest moments in life? Are we teaching our children about the heart of God? Are we teaching our children about sin? Are we teaching our children about the redeeming power of the Gospel? Or are we just correcting behavior? I am preaching to myself today. 

So many times I desire my children act a certain way to please me. This is not altogether bad, but if all I reach is the outward actions and lose their hearts, then I have failed as a parent! 

I need to reach their hearts! I need to teach them what a redeemed heart looks like! I need to lead their hearts to God so that they can then give God their hearts and lives! 

As parents we have a very large and overwhelming task before us. A task that, without God, is truly impossible. Let us strive to be parents after God's heart and also parents after the hearts of our children! Let us ask God for wisdom and knowledge to lead these little ones that we have been entrusted with. Just as Solomon learned to love God from the legacy of his father, let us start a similar legacy that teaches our children to love God as a result of our lives!