On Pride Proverbs 21:4
What is pride? It is to imagine oneself as equal to your maker and disdaining those around you. Fool, how can a creature whose bowels start decaying from birth be proud? Humble yourself, and maybe wisdom will favour you.
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On the proud and violent Proverbs 21:5 -10
Truly, “hurry hurry has no blessings”. The soul is slow and steady, as life should be; not the immediate gratification culture of modern times. Take your time, the world will not change if you slow down.
Greed in and of itself is a snare, combine it with lies and conmanship and you get thuggery, simply reaping where you have not sown. It is impossible to live in peace, for you will always look over your shoulder. Besides, wisdom will not allow you to flourish.
Who is the violent? Those who ignore the beatitudes of humility and meekness and ride with impunity over everybody, see themselves as demigods. Another term for them is "the proud". Well, we all know the saying, “Pride comes before a mighty fall.”
Christ carries his cross
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How can a proud and wicked soul see the needs of his neighbour? How can he see what he cannot perceive? Pray to the Lord to keep pride at bay. Look at every person as God does, they are simply a reflection of you, dust and ashes.
On scoffers and justice Proverbs 21:11-26
Better the simple, who when they fall learn, and slowly inch towards wisdom. The proud on the other hand persist in their foolishness arrogating the power of the most high to themselves.
The poor are just as you are, human beings. How can you not empathize?
Who does not enjoy a gift as a sign of appreciation? A bribe, however, aimed at perverting the course of justice, should be avoided, lest the sin of the injustice taint you. Do not stray from the love of God and neighbour. It is the way of the dead.
As part of the seven deadly sins is gluttony. An excess love of wine and food (oil) is gluttony. Drunks and gluttons will not be rich, for their base desires will overtake their common sense. Tame your baseness, a human being is more than what he will eat.
Pray to the Lord for a sensible spouse. Study their thinking, words, and actions before you make a leap of faith. The cover may be appealing, but the content may be dismal. Take your time and appeal to wisdom for guidance.
Wisdom teaches us to save for a rainy day and for future generations. It is only a fool that consumes all that he has, in revelling.
The sermon on Beatitudes
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The proud rely on Earthly qualities to assert themselves. Wealth, beauty, power, and so on. All these qualities eventually disappear, but wisdom does not. A wise man will understand this and will weave his way through them.
By now we hopefully have a consensus in regards to speaking and listening as the starting point of obtaining wisdom.
The righteous use the gifts given to them from on high as tools to bless those around them and obtain the approval of wisdom. It is not to be accumulated simply for hoarding; it must have an overall purpose beyond itself.
On the sacrifice of the wicked Proverbs 21:27-31
Wisdom sees into the deepest parts of your soul. How can you expect what is pure to approve ill intent? Approach wisdom with a flawless heart and with pure intentions.
What we think, say, and do. One can attempt to hide one's character, but your true self is to listen to what you say and thereafter in what you do. Our Lord told the people not to do as the Pharisees did, but to listen to what they said. To understand the true character, see if there is congruence in what is said and done.
Only the proud imagine themselves as masters of their destiny. The humble understand that there is a supernatural order to things, which we access through prayer and appeals to wisdom. How can flesh and bone imagine that they can thwart the aims of wisdom? Appeal to her for favour and may your speech and actions show reverence for her at all times.
On who to trust Proverbs 25:1-5
A wise mind is always inquisitive, appealing to wisdom to share
her secrets. The powerful should be judicious in whom they trust. Wisdom
should take centre stage as they choose their confidants. Gauge thoughts,
speech, and actions carefully; let the measure of a man’s wisdom determine who
has your ear.
On staying out of other people’s business Proverbs 25:6-10
To the extent that it does not involve an injustice, stay out of people’s
business, and don’t allow yourself to be drawn into something that does not
relate to you.
Your use of discretion and respect for privacy creates confidence
and trust and wins you, friends. Who will trust gossip? If there is tension
with a neighbour (regardless of the situation; say workplace, social, an actual neighbour,
and so on), go directly to them. A matter privately discussed is much simpler
to resolve.
On persuasion Proverbs 25:11-15
Who guides us to give the right word at the right time? It is
wisdom. And those that appreciate a wise word, will be attentive even if it is
a word of exhortation.
The parable of the persistent widow and the judge, suggests that
we should never give up on prayer for as long as it is justified. It appears
the same for a King and all human beings in general. Keep knocking gently and
eventually, you will get a change of mind from a strong position against it.
Gentleness is much more powerful than forceful speech or action.
Pharaoh's daughter finds Moses
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On moderation Proverbs 25:16-22
In all things approach with moderation. Be on an even keel, in both pleasure and pain. All things from our maker are good, but they lose goodness when overdone.
Familiarity breeds contempt. To keep a friendship, respect each
other at all times, valuing the privacy of the other. We all need time for
ourselves, and time together, being social creatures.
Our Lord told us to pray for our enemies and help them in their
time of need. It is against all our inclinations, but it rings very true in its
nobility and difficulty.
On enduring Proverbs 25:23-26
Why lose your righteousness to the scheming of the wicked? Why
endure to the last moment, and then relent? Wisdom is always at your side,
fighting the good fight for you. Do not relent, be the light of justice and
salt of upright behaviour.
On being human Proverbs 25:27-28
Do not be led purely by your desires, you are not an animal but a human being created in the likeness of our maker. Make the practice of the cardinal virtues, a constant part of your life. They are Prudence, Temperance, Fortitude, and Justice. Look them up and practice them constantly. As in all things, only practice makes perfect.
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