There is stark contrast between the upright and the wicked. We are not talking “shades of gray”. Meditate on the guidance offered by our Creator in Proverbs 13 in regards to managing your finances. Pray for His help and guidance to lead you down the right path. Apply this wisdom to your financial considerations in life in how you act, in whom you put your trust, in how you teach your children, in how you treat others, etc.
Contrast the Upright and the Wicked
1A wise son accepts his father’s discipline,
But a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.
2From the fruit of a man’s mouth he enjoys good,
But the desire of the treacherous is violence.
3The one who guards his mouth preserves his life;
The one who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.
4The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing,
But the soul of the diligent is made fat.
5A righteous man hates falsehood,
But a wicked man acts disgustingly and shamefully.
6Righteousness guards the one whose way is blameless,
But wickedness subverts the sinner.
7There is one who pretends to be rich, but has nothing;
Another pretends to be poor, but has great wealth.
8The ransom of a man’s life is his wealth,
But the poor hears no rebuke.
9The light of the righteous rejoices,
But the lamp of the wicked goes out.
10Through insolence comes nothing but strife,
But wisdom is with those who receive counsel.
11Wealth obtained by fraud dwindles,
But the one who gathers by labor increases it.
12Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
But desire fulfilled is a tree of life.
13The one who despises the word will be in debt to it,
But the one who fears the commandment will be rewarded.
14The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life,
To turn aside from the snares of death.
15Good understanding produces favor,
But the way of the treacherous is hard.
16Every prudent man acts with knowledge,
But a fool displays folly.
17A wicked messenger falls into adversity,
But a faithful envoy brings healing.
18Poverty and shame will come to him who neglects discipline,
But he who regards reproof will be honored.
19Desire realized is sweet to the soul,
But it is an abomination to fools to turn away from evil.
20He who walks with wise men will be wise,
But the companion of fools will suffer harm.
21Adversity pursues sinners,
But the righteous will be rewarded with prosperity.
22A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children,
And the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.
23Abundant food is in the fallow ground of the poor,
But it is swept away by injustice.
24He who withholds his rod hates his son,
But he who loves him disciplines him diligently.
25The righteous has enough to satisfy his appetite,
But the stomach of the wicked is in need.
I urge you to consider Proverbs 13 as truly relevant to your life and decisions today. Think of this wisdom like a handy checklist and use it often for evaluating your behavior and making decisions. Don’t rely on your own “gut feel” or judgment… we are not as wise as we think. Rely instead, on the guidance that God has already provided to contrast the righteous from the wicked.
5Trust in the LORD with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
6In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight.
7Do not be wise in your own eyes;
Fear the LORD and turn away from evil.
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Remember that all you have belongs to God. Manage your money God’s way. Visit GrowGodsMoney.org .