Thought for the Day

Verse 13 - This verse emphasizes that those who keep God's Word will be blessed, but those who despise His laws will suffer destruction. God gave His commands for our good. He desires that we avoid the suffering that sin brings. He does not punish us when we are disobedient, but rather it is the consequences of our own rebellion that brings us harm.

A good parent warns a child not to touch a hot stove. It is not the parent's fault if the child disobeys. Even so, if the child is accidentally burned, his father immediately takes care of him. He may scold the child for disobeying, but he is sensitive to his pain. It is the same with God. He does not cause hurtful things to happen in our lives. Would a good earthly parent make their child touch a hot stove? We bring the painful results of sin upon ourselves. When we disobey, He is still with us to help us when we cry out to Him.

Verses 14-15 - The wisdom in God's Word brings life, enabling us to resist the devil's attempts to draw us into snares leading to death. Good understanding wins us favor and causes life to go more smoothly. Life is difficult for transgressors; yielding to sin fills their lives with problems and pain. Obeying God is not hard; it is the way of the sinner that is hard. God empowers us to obey Him by giving us the Holy Spirit so that sin will not have dominion over us (Romans 6:14).

Verse 16 - Prudent people prosper because they do not commit to things or express opinions until they are sure of the facts. Fools flaunt their ignorance because they cannot keep quiet. Many times a criminal is caught because he simply had to boast to someone of his evil deeds and thus provided a witness to help convict him. If we are wise, we will walk in the knowledge of God; it will keep us from foolish mistakes.