Goodness gains; wickedness loses

New Guest: Like this one, most posts are devotional; those related to CAR BIZ can be found by searching for that title. You might start with 'Welcome,' the first post, dated November 12, 2008, in the archives, where I introduce myself and the blog.

Monday, September 7, 2009
Devotions: Proverbs 13

Wise sons heed their fathers’ advice; scoffers ignore honest rebukes. A good man eats good fruit from his good speech; the treacherous consume violence. Guard your mouth to preserve your life; rash talk begets ruin. The sluggard’s soul craves but starves; the diligent soul is richly supplied. The righteous hates falsehood; the wicked reaps shame and disgrace. Righteousness protects the upright, but sin destroys the wicked. One pretends riches in his poverty, another who has great wealth pretends poverty. The light of the righteous shines on; the lamp of the wicked is snuffed out. The heedless create conflict by their insolence; wisdom aids those who heed advice. Ill-gotten riches quickly disappear; carefully gathered gain increases. Hope deferred makes the heart sick; desires fulfilled are the tree of life! Despise God’s commands to your destruction, or obey commands and reap rewards. Wise teaching is a fountain of life, enabling avoidance of death’s snares. Good sense wins favor; faithlessness brings ruin. A prudent always acts with knowledge; a fool flaunts his folly. A bad messenger plunges men into trouble; a faithful envoy brings healing. One who ignores instruction reaps poverty and disgrace; one who heeds reproof is honored. Fools hate to turn from folly, but a righteous desire fulfilled is sweet to the soul! Walk with the wise and become wise; accompany fools and suffer harm. Misfortune pursues sinners; prosperity rewards the righteous. A good man leaves riches to his grandchildren; the righteous appropriate a sinner’s wealth. God’s good earth yields much food, even to the poor, but injustice sweeps it away. Parents who spare the rod actually hate their children; diligent discipline is parental love. The righteous do not hunger; the wicked suffer want!