Plans, Instruction, and Godly Counsel

Proverbs 19:15-29

15 Laziness casts one into a deep sleep,
And an idle person will suffer hunger.

16 He who keeps the commandment keeps his soul,
But he who is careless of his ways will die.

17 He who has pity on the poor lends to the LORD,
And He will pay back what he has given.

18 Chasten your son while there is hope,
And do not set your heart on his destruction.

19 A man of great wrath will suffer punishment;
For if you rescue him, you will have to do it again.

20 Listen to counsel and receive instruction,
That you may be wise in your latter days.

21 There are many plans in a man's heart,
Nevertheless the LORD's counsel—that will stand.

22 What is desired in a man is kindness,
And a poor man is better than a liar.

23 The fear of the LORD leads to life,
And he who has it will abide in satisfaction;
He will not be visited with evil.

24 A lazy man buries his hand in the bowl,
And will not so much as bring it to his mouth again.

25 Strike a scoffer, and the simple will become wary;
Rebuke one who has understanding, and he will discern knowledge.

26 He who mistreats his father and chases away his mother
Is a son who causes shame and brings reproach.

27 Cease listening to instruction, my son,
And you will stray from the words of knowledge.

28 A disreputable witness scorns justice,
And the mouth of the wicked devours iniquity.

29 Judgments are prepared for scoffers,
And beatings for the backs of fools.

We may have our plans but without instruction and good counsel, wisdom escapes us.  Instruction teaches us not to be lazy or idle if we do not want to starve or miss life by sleeping it away and missing all God has for us.  It teaches the wisdom of following God’s word to keep our lives instead of carelessly living by our own reckless standards and rules, and facing death as a result.  This is a picture of eternal life and death as much as our mortal existence.  Yes, wisdom understands that giving to meet real needs of others is as if giving to the Lord, for we are all image bearers by His handiwork.  It also means we should pay back those who lend to us and not just take from others, for God gives back to us when we give to others and we have no lack.  Just as we discipline our children early and not severely, so this picture of God’s correction is complete if we accept His instruction and good counsel (Hebrews 12:9), though some people when older may require many rescue attempts because of their anger and stubborn refusal to listen the first time.  Therefore, to be wise as we mature in our sanctification means that we listen to wise and godly counsel along the way to learn from their instruction as disciples of the Lord together.  Yes, though we may invent many of our own plans on how to live and what to do, God gives eternal and unwaveringly good and true counsel; if the ones who disciple us base their teaching and example on Him, we will learn lasting wisdom (2 Timothy 2:2).  This instruction should result in our kindness to others and truthfulness even when we suffer in return for that spiritual integrity.  This life is all based on the fear of our Lord and the satisfaction of following in willing obedience to His instruction of good counsel to avoid evil.  The lazy man does not desire to know or grow, and is like the example here of the one who puts a hand in the food but cannot find the will to lift it to his mouth to gain the necessary nourishment.  We are to be starving for more of His word constantly as Jeremiah 15:16 tells us to avoid spiritual starvation from our inaction and lack of knowledge to grow in such spiritual malnourishment.  Good correction also wakes up others observing it, just as church discipline now makes us aware for our own learning of the consequences.  We discern knowledge when we are rebuked if we truly have godly understanding, and therefore accept our correction with eventual joy in the process, knowing the wisdom that results in the end (1 Peter 1:6, Hebrews 12:11) from our loving Father.  We do not rebel like the child with his parents to bring shame and reproach on ourselves, but choose rather to listen and grow in grace and knowledge (2 Peter 1:5-7).  In our judgment of situations and of others, then, we should learn from this to be just to a void justice to correct us because we refused to learn from godly counsel that we might avoid such harsher correction.  May we put aside our own plans and what passes as knowledge for the understanding of God’s knowledge and understanding for the grace of His wisdom.