31 Lessons from the Book of Proverbs
Whether you believe in the Bible or not, the book of Proverbs has a wealth of wisdom for anyone who is listening. So, I encourage you to study this lesson put together by Dr. Carlos N. Moore and hopefully gather a few “nuggets” from this book.
I have chosen one main lesson from every chapter, but there are a lot more to be had from this amazing book of the Bible. So, I would also encourage you to read the entire book of "Proverbs" for yourself. Without further ado, here is my list of 31 lessons from the book of Proverbs in the English Standard Version (ESV). I usually write from the NIV or Amplified Bible but that’s a different lesson for another time. Enjoy!
P.S. --- Shout out to my main man Jeffrey Hathaway who lives in Nashville Tennessee. He has encouraged me over the 32-years that we have known each other, and I just want to thank him for being such a dear friend.
Proverbs 1 - Wise Men Never Stop Learning
“Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance…”
Proverbs 1:5
Wise men take correction, they listen to what people have to say, and never stop getting wiser. A man of understanding will want to be counseled by older, wiser men. They will be quick to be instructed by someone who has already experienced the same thing. These wise counsels can save many mistakes.
Proverbs 2 - If You Seek Wisdom, You Will Find It"
“…if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.” Proverbs 2:4–5
If we would spend even half the time learning the Word of God as we spend searching for worldly wealth, we would find the treasures of God. Knowledge has to be accumulated by learning. Wisdom is a gift from God. As we uncover the secrets of the Bible, we will have reverent fear of God and be filled with His knowledge.
Proverbs 3 - Stay Humble
“Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.”
Proverbs 3:7
If you are blessed with wisdom beyond your years, always stay in a humble mindset. The most dangerous thing, if you are trying to succeed in the world, is to get satisfied with yourself. A person cannot grow when he gets this attitude. When we rely upon our self, we are always disappointed. No one likes a know-it-all or a conceited person. We must remain humble. What little knowledge that we do have is because of God's generosity towards us. Fear of the Lord will take away all arrogance and pride. In the first few verses of Proverbs, we learned that the fear of the Lord is true wisdom. Fear here could be looked at again as reverence or high praise. Give God the glory for it all.
Proverbs 4 – Wisdom Will Eventually Reward You
“The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight. Prize her highly, and she will exalt you; she will honor you if you embrace her. She will place on your head a graceful garland; she will bestow on you a beautiful crown.”
Proverbs 4:7–9
Solomon, as you can see here, thought that wisdom was the most important thing to have. Worldly wisdom is not what Solomon had in mind, here. Solomon, being taught of David and being gifted with the gift of wisdom which God had given him, realized that wisdom and knowledge of the things of God should bring a person even closer to God; and therefore, keep him from failure. He speaks of wisdom as if it is a person. Wisdom is spirit.
Wisdom does bring honor instead of shame. A foolish son or daughter brings shame to their parents, but children filled with godly wisdom bring honor to their parents.
Crowns of glory have to do with heavenly rewards. The Lord Jesus earned our crowns of glory for us, but we would have to be wise enough to receive Him to obtain those crowns. Verse ten, here, has to do with honoring father and mother that thy days may be long upon the earth.
Proverbs 5 – Stay Away from Temptations
“Keep your way far from her, and do not go near the door of her house.”
Proverbs 5:8
This verse is speaking of the door of an adulteress, which is good advice in general, but really this lesson can be applied to all areas of life. If you are trying to quit smoking, don’t keep cigarettes lying around. Make no provision for your temptations. Throw away those cigarettes if you are serious about quitting. working.
Here, again, the Solomon the penman is saying take special heed to this, ye young men. Stay away from evil women like this. Don't even go near her house. She will bring nothing but disappointment. Stay honorable. If you were to get involved with her, you would lead an unhappy life. There is no lasting happiness to be found with this type of woman.
Proverbs 6 – Work, Work, Work"
“Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. Without having any chief, officer, or ruler, she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest. How long will you lie there, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.”
Proverbs 6:6–11
Wise men are always at work. Don’t waste your time watching Netflix and playing video games (My JROTC mentees love doing this). If you don’t want to live your life in poverty, you must develop a strong work ethic. Be like the ant.
God does not like for us to be lazy (sluggard). The ant throughout history has shown great industry. It is wise to follow someone or something that teaches us good habits. The ant works without another ant over him and, yet, gets his work done and done well. The ant prepares ahead and is never short of food. We can learn a lesson from the ant. We should not have to be driven to work, but should do our work, because it needs to be done.
This lazy person (sluggard) loves to sleep late rather than to work. This lazy person uses every kind of excuse to avoid work. He or she says," I have to sleep a little, I do not have time to work right now". Poverty will come upon a person who does not want to work. Money is earned by the sweat of the brow and with busy hands. People who do not like to work, receive no money. This is just a warning against being lazy and a sleepy head.
Proverbs 7 – Don’t Let Lust Destroy You
“Let not your heart turn aside to her ways; do not stray into her paths, for many a victim has she laid low, and all her slain are a mighty throng. Her house is the way to Sheol, going down to the chambers of death.” Proverbs 7:25–27
Pornography and masturbation can seem harmless at first, but they are very dangerous and very destructive. Not only will they mess you up, but they will destroy your relationships. Stay away from lust; it is a trap that will eventually be the death of you.
A wise heart would not fall into this trap. This is just a warning to stay away from this evil woman. You would have to decline to get to her, for her place is in hell.
Paid adulteresses have ruined many lives. There are many men whose lives have been totally destroyed by visiting this type of woman. There is no heavenly home for these women or the men they trick unless they repent and turn from their wicked ways. Death and destruction await her and her victims.
Proverbs 8 – Anybody Can Learn to Be Wise
“To you, O men, I call, and my cry is to the children of man. O simple ones, learn prudence; O fools, learn sense.”
Proverbs 8:4–5
If you are immature or lack discipline, you don’t have to spend the rest of your life living that way. God knows that I am far from being mature or wise, but I am asking him for direction and for wisdom. I know that He is blessing me.
Here, again, we are told that wisdom is available, but it will not just drop out of the sky and force itself upon us. We must want wisdom and pray for it if we are to receive it. It is always there and always available. To get wisdom, we must activate our will to receive it. This wisdom is not hiding and coming out at night as the harlot and the foolish man. Just as Christianity is for all, so is wisdom and knowledge. That is what I believe is meant by the gates and the entering of the gates.
Have you ever noticed how the little old grandmothers with very little formal education can read and understand the Bible better than some college graduates? I believe it has to do with their desire to learn of God and their willingness to receive their wisdom from Him. I know plenty of men who barley read, but God has called them to the ministry and has filled him with the wisdom to fulfill the job.
Proverbs 9 – Listen To People When They Correct You
“Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you; reprove a wise man, and he will love you.”
Proverbs 9:8
This one is hard to swallow, but it’s very important. It can be hard to take correction from someone, especially when they are younger than you or lack experience. However, a wise man will stay humble and listen to what anyone has to say.
We see here that some people will not accept your message if it corrects error in their life. Some people, if you remind them of sin in their life, will hate you. I have heard people say in church, if the preacher doesn't make them upset, he is not a good preacher. These are the wise who want to be reminded of their sins so they can repent. Then others have said that if the preacher makes them mad, they will leave and never come back. These are the unwise who do not want to be reminded of their sins because they don’t think they have anything to repent.
Proverbs 10 – Don’t Hold Resentment or Grudges
“Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses.”
Proverbs 10:12
If someone has wronged you but repented, do not dwell on what they did to you. Move on and give them another chance; you will reap the benefits.
In I Peter chapter 4 verse 8, it also says that love covereth a multitude of sins. (Note: Here’s a gift from Dr. Moore; whenever you see the “eth” at the end of any Biblical word, it means “continually”) Example; “Believeth” does not mean to “Believe” once and for all, it means to “Continue believing” until God takes you home. That’s why some Christian think they are “Saved” but really are not “SAVED”. They are “Being Saved.”
Here’s what it says, I Peter 4:8 "And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins." Hatred and murder are next of kin. Feuds throughout the ages have been caused by hatred. Sometimes a few generations after the original incident most of the haters do not even know why they hate. Forgiveness is a by-product of love. So, the way to stop all the Hate is to forgive your offenders and love them. Believe me, it’s hard to do
Proverbs 11 – Be Honest
“A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is his delight.”
Proverbs 11:1
It can be tempting to be a little dishonest in order to gain a profit. If you value wisdom and integrity, however, your honesty won’t go unnoticed.
God wants us to be honest in all our dealings. We read a request of God in Ezekiel 45:10 "Ye shall have just balances, and a just ephah, and a just bath." It is not only against man's law to weigh merchandise for sale wrongly, but it is against God's law as well. In fact, the Lord calls it an abomination (a very evil thing). God is delighted with us when we are honest with all our dealings which includes weighing, lying, deceptions, half-truths, fake news, stealing, etc.
Proverbs 12 – The Rulers Are the Hard Workers
“The hand of the diligent will rule, while the slothful will be put to forced labor.”
Proverbs 12:24
If you keep failing at your startup and are forced to work a 9–5, you’re not working hard enough. You can’t get to the top of the ladder without climbing the rungs.
We see, here, again, that hard work will get you promoted, and you will rule over those who are too lazy to work. We see again that hard work pays off. In the military, in order to get promoted, we had to put in the study time if we wanted to “rule” over our subordinates. Today's language calls this “supervising”. While in the Air Force, I obtained a position of “Superintendent” over the “Supervisors”. Are you impressed?
Proverbs 13 – Stay Away from Get-Rich-Quick Schemes
“Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it.”
Proverbs 13:11
Be patient. Even if you’re not bathing in gold after a year of blood, sweat, and tears, stick with it. Wealth will come little by little and then grow exponentially. And this doesn’t just apply to wealth. This goes for relationships, skills, habits, etc.
We see, here, someone who quickly gains wealth by being crooked will not be able to keep his wealth, because God will not bless him in this. A modern saying of this is "easy come, easy go".
We see this so much in our society today with the drug peddlers and some Church leaders. Did I say that out loud? They may make a lot of money, but it is very seldom you see one of them who is able to keep it. The best wealth is that which you work for and save a little here and a little there. You appreciate it and will be able to keep some of it, if you work for it and are generous to give to those in need. God will bless you and prosper you even more.
Proverbs 14 – Surround Yourself with Wise People
“Leave the presence of a fool, for there you do not meet words of knowledge.”
Proverbs 14:7
You will become like the people you hang around with. If you know that your friend is one who often makes bad decisions, cut off that relationship. Stick with people who challenge you and encourage you to grow.
This is just saying to listen to the words coming out of your friend's mouth and if they are not Godly words and are lacking in knowledge, don't have him or her for a companion. You will become like the person you have for a close friend. The minute to leave is the first moment you hear that he or she is using condemning or non-encouraging language. My buddy Jeffrey is my “sounding board.” I bounce a lot of my thoughts off him just to see if my head is screwed on tight. I think everybody should have a friend like Jeff. Good looking out!
Proverbs 15 – Speak Softly and Carry A Big Stick
“A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”
Proverbs 15:1
If you find yourself in a heated argument, do not respond by shouting. Speak gently and sensibly, and you will both be more likely to reach a conclusion.
It takes two people to have an argument. If we will look here, we see that we must answer softly. The worst thing we can do is pout and not talk. I must admit, I’m guilty of this. Perhaps, we should silently pray a few minutes and then answer quietly. Screaming never accomplishes anything. It just causes a fight. Angry words bring angry words in return. The first thing you know, there are problems difficult to settle, because everyone has said too much. The best way is to stay calm and talk quietly. Again, my man Jeff has a “calming” voice even when I am pissed off about something. All I can say, “God ain’t through with me yet!”
Proverbs 16 – Wealth Is Not the Aim Of The Game
“Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues with injustice.”
Proverbs 16:8
The Bible has a lot to say about money because it knows how important money is. It’s great to have the financial freedom to travel the world and do what you love. However, your integrity is even more important, so be happy with what you have. Never be satisfied, but don’t let money control you.
I have seen so many people who have great wealth that they have acquired at the cost of their neighbors. Listen up some of you religious leaders. I’m talking to you now. These people are afraid to go to sleep at night. They have so many enemies that they have stepped on, to get to the top, that they are in constant fear of retaliation from some of them. Thank you, but I do not want any part of that kind of life. When you live a righteous life, you can go to bed at night and sleep in peace. You have no enemies directing their main attentions toward you. But you will always have “haters.” Some people can’t stand to see others prosper.
Proverbs 17 – Use Trials to Grow
“The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and the Lord tests hearts.”
Proverbs 17:3
It’s not easy to make it through tough times, but this verse says it well. When we go through the furnace we will come out as gold. Whenever you are struggling, know that you will come out of that situation, and when you do you will be stronger than you were before.
Silver and gold are made pure by melting them down with great heat. The impurities (“dross” - I had to hunt for this word) come to the top when they are melted and can be skimmed right off the top. I believe this is saying that we may go through fiery trials (to make us purer in our heart). The Lord burns all the impurities (sin) out of us and makes us pure before Him. This is one reason a lot of unbelievers and some fake believers dislike true believers today. One thing that I know for sure is that God is purifying me and the “Heat” is also felt from those who stand to close to me. Well, if the “Heat” from me is too hot that is projecting from me, how can they stand next to the “Son?”
Proverbs 18 – Be Open-Minded
“A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion.”
Proverbs 18:2
Understand that often times you will be wrong. Have the humility to let others change your mind and learn from your mistakes.
A fool is not interested in learning. He just is interested in his own thoughts. Today, in our society, the favorite statement is "I need to get off and find myself". This is foolish talk. In finding yourself, you are pleasing your own flesh. If this is a married person doing this, they usually find more than themselves. This type of activity breaks up families. We must somehow get our eyes off of ourselves and stop trying to please self. Only a fool pleases self. A wise person is interested in pleasing God. Go off and seek God.
Proverbs 19 – Be Slow to Anger
“Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.”
Proverbs 19:11
Be known for being even-tempered. Don’t let little things throw you off, and always be willing to give someone a second chance. When you wrong someone else, they will also be forgiving towards you.
We see here a man slow to anger. This Scripture is just saying a Christian who can overlook little injustices done to them by others is putting more stones in his crown he will wear in heaven. When we are forgiving others, we are making sure God will forgive us. Forgive and ye shall be forgiven.
Proverbs 20 – Take Action
“The purpose in a man’s heart is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out.”
Proverbs 20:5
Everybody has big dreams sitting around on the inside of them. Very few will draw from that well and fulfill their purpose.
This is the very reason, I believe, that it is so important to study your Bible every day. If someday we were not allowed to have a Bible that we could hold in our hand and if we have studied on a regular basis, we would still have the Bible hidden away in our heart. No one could take that Bible away from us. This "counsel in the heart" is that kind of counsel. This counsel flows from way down deep in the heart, from a pure heart, stayed upon God. The good things that we have stored in our heart can be drawn up whenever we need them. The Holy Spirit will quicken to us Scriptures
that we have hidden in our heart as we need them.
Proverbs 21 – Don’t Settle for Short-Term Pleasures
“Whoever loves pleasure will be a poor man; he who loves wine and oil will not be rich.”
Proverbs 21:17
The reason that games are so popular is that they give us a sense of accomplishment with little effort. Be wary of things that reward you for little work. Don’t give in to short-term temptations but invest in the long-term.
Wine and oil are expensive. The cost of a bottle of wine is enough to feed a large family. Even worse than the cost of the wine is what the wine causes you to do. Your judgement is not as good after you have drunk wine and you would be a spendthrift with money needed for other things. Many people in our society today have expensive pleasures like golf, ball games, movies, etc. Not only are these hobbies very expensive, but they take a great deal of time, as well. Time we should be working to take care of our needs is many times wasted in worldly pleasures. We are warned in II Timothy 3 about caring about pleasures too much (lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God). The chapter says it happens in the end times.
Proverbs 22 – Your Reputation Is More Important Than Your Net Worth
“A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold.”
Proverbs 22:1
When you die, do you want to be remembered for how much money you left behind or for being an honest and uplifting person? This is why the book of Proverbs stresses the importance of honesty and integrity over wealth. They will always serve you better than money ever could.
Riches such as gold and silver are not permanent. They are nice to have but are not nearly as valuable as more permanent things. The good name of a family will help their children and grandchildren for a very long time. This certainly has to do with God's loving favor, as well, which no earthly treasures can compare with.
Proverbs 23 – Be A Man of Discipline
“Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you strike him with a rod, he will not die. If you strike him with the rod, you will save his soul from Sheol.”
Proverbs 23:13–14
Not only should you discipline your children, but practice self-discipline in your own life. Let others praise you but you be your toughest critic. Don’t accept your mistakes without striving to be better. You’ll thank yourself later.
Punishment should not be overlooked in training a child. If he or she cries, it is not because you are killing him or her. A lesson learned where punishment is involved is remembered better. In the Old Testament, a rebellious child was killed. Rebellion was associated with witchcraft. This is just saying, spank him or her, and drive the rebellion out of them, before it gets too much of a hold on them. In the long run you will save them.
Proverbs 24 – Do Not Seek Revenge
“Do not say, ‘I will do to him as he has done to me; I will pay the man back for what he has done.’”
Proverbs 24:29
The best revenge is to beat out the competition with hard work. If you try to seek revenge against your enemy through name-calling or sabotage, it will not end well for you. Vengeance belongs to God.
The Bible teaches us to do unto others as you would have them do unto you. It is not our job to get even with him. Let God fight our battles with him or her. We read in II Chronicles 32:8 "With him [is] an arm of flesh; but with us [is] the LORD our God to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah." You see, the Lord fights our battles for us, we do not need to fight them ourselves.
Proverbs 25 – Repay Evil with Good
“If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink, for you will heap burning coals on his head, and the Lord will reward you.”
Proverbs 25:21–22
Imagine a scenario where your competitor publicly shames you. If you respond with kindness, you will be regarded as the hero and your enemy will be put to shame. It’s very difficult to do so, but God will reward you for it.
This is what Jesus taught that believers should do to their enemies. Be good to those who persecute you. Our rewards are not for this world, Jesus said over and over, "In as much as ye have done it unto the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me" (Matthew 25:40). Jesus even taught that if your enemy slaps you on the one cheek, turn to him the other also. Christians are to be Christ like. While Jesus was in great pain on the cross, He said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34). It is not the natural (fleshly) thing to do to be good to someone who is cursing you, but it is the way of the Spirit. Jesus fights our battles for us. Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord. The Lord will punish them, we do not have to.
Proverbs 26 – Do Not Repeat Your Mistakes
“Like a dog that returns to his vomit is a fool who repeats his folly.”
Proverbs 26:11
Mistakes are inevitable; we’re all going to make them. Every once and a while you are going to “vomit.” But when you do, learn why that happened and resolve to never do it again. The fool is not the one who makes a mistake, but the one who continually makes the same mistake without learning from it.
Just as a dog is never through with the food that he has expelled and goes back to it, a fool who has momentarily rejected sin in his life, will return to it, as well. A fool must become wise to get rid of sin and stay rid of the sin. A fool will be enticed to the same sin all over again as his flesh calls him, because he has not learned anything from the first sin.
Proverbs 27 – Leave the Bragging to your Fans
“Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips.”
Proverbs 27:2
Not only is a cocky man resented by the majority of his viewers, but a compliment that comes from someone other than yourself is more credible. Do not brag; let your actions speak for themselves.
If we honor ourselves, it is more like conceit and the honor is not very valuable. If another begins to honor you then it is accepted because it comes from an impartial person. Bragging on yourself is very close, as I said, to conceit.
I would describe myself as an “Confident” man but not an “Arrogant” man. The two are very closely related. Be careful!
Proverbs 28 – Don’t Give in To Fear
“The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion.”
Proverbs 28:1
So often we run away when nothing is chasing us. Be as bold as a lion and stand up to your fears. In most scenarios, you will find that there was nothing to be scared of in the first place.
A guilty conscience is a terrible thing. We can see in this that the wicked flee because they are guilty of sin and they know it. Their fear comes from being found out and punished for the things they have done. They are constantly looking over their shoulder, because they know punishment is coming. They just do not know when, or from where.
Their worst fear is fear of death and hell. The righteous are such a drastic opposite. They have no fear of things of this earth because they are assured that greater is He that is within them than he that is in the world. God is on their side, and who can be against them. They have no fear of death, because they are promised eternal life. Death of the body on the earth to them is like stepping through a door into all of eternity.
Proverbs 29 – People Will Support Your Integrity (Part 1)
“When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, the people groan.”
Proverbs 29:2
What good is it to reach the top of the ladder if everyone is booing? This is why it’s important to implement the previous lessons of character. Don’t boast, be honest, stay humble, speak softly, etc. You’ll have everyone’s support in your climb to success.
We see here that the welfare of the people is better served under the righteous than the wicked. A righteous man will rule justly. There will be no prejudice or bribing. The truth will be the rule when the righteous are in control. It will be fair to everyone. The poor, the widows, and the homeless will be cared for. On the other hand, when the wicked rule, the order of the day would be to make the wicked ruler richer. Every decision he made would have a selfish motive. He would have no regard for others' welfare, just his own.
Proverbs 30 – People Will Support Your Integrity (Part 2)
“The eye that mocks a father and scorns to obey a mother will be picked out by the ravens of the valley and eaten by the vultures.”
Proverbs 30:17
The Bible is big on obedience and respect when it comes to your parents. Honor them with your words and your actions.
We see here that the eye reveals what is in the heart of man. This person shall come to an untimely death, and his body will be left to the vultures. They peck the eyes of the dead first before they eat the body.
Proverbs 31 – Use Discernment in Choosing Your Partner
“An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels.”
Proverbs 31:10
It is repeated several times throughout the book of Proverbs that it is better to remain alone than to live with a quarrelsome wife.
This "virtuous woman" is a woman of high morals who is upright in all her ways. This is just saying that her worth cannot be measured in earthly things, such as rare stones (rubies). Dr. Christine L. Moore is such a woman.