I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.
Today, I am reading and commenting on Proverbs 14-17.
Today’s passage is composed of a large number of one or two sentence words of wisdom, most of which seem obvious but which say more than they seem to. A good example of this is Proverbs 14:5
An honest witness does not lie;
a false witness breathes lies.
Those two parts are self-evident. “An honest witness does not lie.” Well, of course, that is what it means to be an honest witness. “A false witness breathes lies.” Again, that is the definition of a false witness. However, when you look at these two together you realize that the writer is telling you something more than that. If someone lies to you, they will probably always lie to you on important matters. While someone who tells you the truth will probably always tell you the truth. There is even one step further than that. Every time you tell the truth, especially when it hurts you to do so, it becomes easier to tell the truth and harder to lie. And every time you tell a lie, especially one which gains you advantage, the harder it is to tell the truth and the easier it is to lie. Telling the truth and telling lies both become addictive. You need to decide to which you would rather be addicted.
In many ways the idea of choosing to what behaviors we will become addicted is carried throughout many of the proverbs here. The more we choose to do what is right, just, and wise, the more we will do what is right, just, and wise without thinking about it. The more we choose to do the opposite, the more we will do the opposite without giving it a conscious thought. The other thought, closely related to the first, which permeates these wise sayings is that: if you want to be wise, spend time with the wise; if you want to be righteous, spend time with the righteous. On the other hand, if you spend your time with the foolish, you will soon be foolish and if you spend time with the wicked, you will find yourself doing evil.