Today, I am reading and commenting on  Proverbs 29-31.

I want to focus on three themes I find in today’s passage.  The first two I believe reflect on what we see going on around us today  And are closely related.   I have chosen four proverbs to illustrate these two themes.  The writer warns us that mockers stir people up and that fools fight and riot when they get angry, but that the wise seek to reduce tensions and bring about calm.

Mockers stir up a city,
    but the wise turn away anger.

Fools give full vent to their rage,
    but the wise bring calm in the end.

The writer also gives us insight into government figures who encourage the mockers and the fools.  Some do so because they have no concern for the destruction such things cause as long as they get their bribes and other benefits of corruption.  In fact, they will encourage such things in order to increase their benefits and power.  Others do so because they have listened to lies so long that they cannot distinguish lies from truth.

By justice a king gives a country stability,
    but those who are greedy for bribes tear it down.

If a ruler listens to lies,
    all his officials become wicked.

I am not going to quote specific proverbs for the final theme: Without discipline, order falls apart.  This has two aspects.  One must live a disciplined life and society must discipline those who do discipline themselves.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.