Proverbs 10

As you read Proverbs you’ll be tempted to see Solomon’s wisdom as disjointed, secular, and absolute. Let’s address each of these in turn.

From Proverbs chapters 10 to 29, it’s easy to feel lost. It can feel like you’re reading a long list of disjointed bits of wisdom—and sometimes that might be true.

The list moves quickly from talking about obedient children (Proverbs 10:1)

financial management (Proverbs 10:2),

importance of a decent work ethic (Proverbs 10:3),

inner disposition of wise people (Proverbs 10:8).

It can feel messy, but that’s part of the point.

If wisdom is understanding the way the world works, Solomon intentionally scatters his sayings to show how getting wisdom works—in fits and starts. We gain wisdom in painful events, business seminars, parenting moments, conversations with friends, watching people—or by opening our Bibles. Bit by unconnected bit we slowly learn to live wisely in the world. Instead of being frustrated at the lack of cohesion, Solomon asks us to accept the way wisdom works and learn from his experience with it.

Some of Solomon’s wisdom seems like it has nothing to do with God—they’re insightful, secular observations. Proverbs 13:12 speaks of shattered hopes. And Proverbs 14 13 says that just because someone is laughing doesn’t mean they’re happy. It can be easy to dismiss these as secular.

But Solomon demonstrates the truth we learned back in Proverbs 1-9. God created the world and people with wisdom. There is an internal logic and a creative design that runs through every human interaction, every type of work, and every sunset.

Solomon, by including these seemingly secular bits of wisdom, is actually showing us that nothing is secular. Everything points us back to God.

Text: Proverbs 10:1-10

Intro: As the rain changes the entire atmosphere of a hot day. The barometer, thermometer, and even the pollen count all drop. And the moisture makes dry dust into mud. So Solomon changes the mood of the entire conversation. All that has been built will now be spelled out in bite size pieces. Allowing his son Rehoboam to take each and every principle and analyze it slowly and methodically. Solomon takes the principles of the first nine chapters and spells them out over and over again in a setting that really could be considered mundane. But Solomon understands that life is not made up of one grand finale before the curtain drops. But rather a character is formed in the miniscule, minutia of each and every decision. The Wise man sees each decision as a building block of character. He understands that no matter how small the choice, character is formed in the day-to-day, that the fool often neglects. Where the fool is waiting for one big ship to come in, that lotto ticket to pay off, or for some unknown relative to leave an estate. The wise man works day in and day out, showing wisdom penny by penny, dollar by hard earned dollar.

“The difference between playing the stock market and betting the horses is that at least of the horses win.” - Joey Adams

John D. Rockefeller gave three simple rules to any man who wished to be rich.

1. Go to work early.

2. Stay at work late.

3. Find oil.

Everyone remembers the stories of the great gold rush. Perhaps the most famous gold rush in American history occurred in January 1849 when a man named John Marshall found gold at Stutter’s Mill in northern California. The find set off a gold rush that reached a frenzied pitch attracted prospectors from Europe – but it ruined Marshall and John Stutter, the man who owned the land where gold lay for the taking. Stutter’s land was overrun by gold seekers, his cattle were stolen, and he was driven to bankruptcy. Marshall died drunken and penniless.

Why does Solomon choose to discuss money?

1. Predominate Bible Theme

1 out of every 10 Bible verses deals with money!

2350 verses in the Bible deal with money!

There are twice as many verses dealing with money than with faith and prayer combined!

15% of Jesus recorded words deal with money!

Jesus said more about money than about heaven and hell combined!

2. Predominate Personal Theme

a. Undoubtedly Rehoboam’s like our life is connected with money.

b. It tells the state of your heart.

Matthew 6:21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

c. God uses money as an open or closed door in our life.

d. It shines light on who or what we trust when things are bad.

e. Both heaven and earth have treasure to capture the heart of man.

Matthew 6:19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth…(20) But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven…

Continuing the Contrast.

Verse 1 is showing us that though the temperament of the book has changed the subject has not. Solomon is continuing the contrast between the wise man and a foolish man. But then puts out this warning in verse 2.

The treasures of wickedness profit nothing.

But righteousness delivereth from death.

We are to understand here that Solomon is clearly equating the fool of verse 1 with the wicked of verse 2. We get that the bad guy in verse 1 would want what is bad in verse 2. We can also assume the same is true of the wise man and righteousness in verse 2. He is wise because he wants righteousness.

In the next verses Solomon describes the three predominate ways a fool will attempt to gain treasure. In fact these methods are used exclusively by the fool.

1. Laziness (4-5)

Vs. 4 uses the words slack hand when describing the lazy fool. This term slack hand brings to mind the picture of a boy with his hands in his pockets.

My grandma used to tell me that pockets were not meant to hold boys hands. But by the time she was telling me that, that is all pockets were made for.

The idea of a slack hand is a hand that is not even willing to carry its own weight. It is a burden to the whole system. This is not speaking to those that are truly disabled or infirmed. But our society is supporting many that are stricken with the disease of slackness.

Vs. 5 Sleepeth in the harvest. He sleeps as if his need will never come denying the reality that winter hit last year and it will be on time this year.

2. Oppression (8)

Vs. 8 prating fool, To prate means to speak maliciously

It is important to see how this Oppression reveals itself. It can come through

a. threats

b. defensiveness

c. pouting

d. lying

e. (like the Pharisees) setting rules that you have no intention of keeping yourself.

3. Shiftiness (9-10)

Vs. 9 perverteth his way illustrates the image of a man that acts as if he is walking a straight path but when you get a second glance you see that he has been only playing a good game.

Vs.10 The wink is a man that is sending a message to others one thing with his mouth another with a secret sign.

The greater and more important message than the wicked is who is he contrasting them with.

1. Diligent/slack

When I looked up the definition of the word diligent I was shocked by what I found. We have all heard the phrase “eager beaver”. I mean we don’t use it because it is really not all that cool. But we have heard it nonetheless. The Hebrew definition for diligent is incised, or incising. The same word we get our word incisor, like the two front teeth in our head. One of the definitions is to bite. And then they actually use the term eager.

Diligence is the idea that I am head first into this thing. I am diving in attempting to go at it again. I may step back and shake the dust out of my eyes, but then I am right back at it again.

2. Just/Oppressive

Justice deals with the desire to do right by everyone around me. With measuring the right choice and the wrong choice and choosing right. We have been there before, where we say, “why did I say that?” The Just is a man that never starts a conversation with “I’m sorry.”

3. Upright/ Shifty

Uprightness deals with the moral character of a man. The man that will see an opportunity to get an unfair advantage and corrects it so that he is never tempted to cheat again. He is not under the table doing deals instead he is transparent and helpful.

It is important to point out that the outcome for the fool is much different than the wise man.

The Risk

1. Security

Proverbs 10:2-3 Treasures of wickedness profit nothing: but righteousness delivereth from death. The LORD will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish: but he casteth away the substance of the wicked.

2. Integrity

Proverbs 10:4-5 He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich. He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame.

3. Blessing

Proverbs 10:6-7 Blessings are upon the head of the just: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked. The memory of the just is blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot.

Not a Rich vs. Poor issue.

It is here at this point I can hear someone saying, “Wait no, no, no, that can’t be true. There is no way that the poor have it better than the rich. I want to remind you that this is not a rich vs. poor issue. Though there is a political party that wishes to paint every rich person as evil, the discussion is not about rich vs. poor.

It is talking about riches gained through wickedness or righteousness. I know some incredibly godly rich people that honor God with their substance and frankly have a lot of substance.

Some of the most wicked people I know are dirt poor. They have a desire for the things of this world they just can’t keep from smoking or sniffing every dollar they get.

So this is not a rich/poor issue. Rather it is a wicked/righteous.

I feel like David,

You might say, “That’s it exactly I would be okay if the only rich people in the world were godly and the wicked were poor. I could deal with that.” Sometimes we can feel like David when he said, “Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches.” Psalms 73:12

Perspective of time

I want to submit to you that in our lives it is easy to look from right where we sit this morning and forget the spectrum of time. That is to say, Solomon is telling us here a truth, that he has observed from the porch of a palace. A lifetime spent among the rich and the wicked. He can see what money will do to an individual. That it can eek away the joy, character, blessing right out of a man. I don’t want to diminish David at all but I will remind you that as a shepherd boy David didn’t have the same vantage point. David had been as exposed to the destruction of wicked men pursuing treasure.

Solomon is warning Rehoboam from the vantage point that he has, not to pursue after a treasure that cost more than the treasure is worth.

So many in our world will pursue after treasure in such a way that it costs them more than the treasure was worth to begin with.

Achan found 200 sheckles of silver, 50 sheckles wedge of gold and a Babylonian garment, and gained it in a wicked way. And it cost him more than the treasure was worth.

Let us pursue the proper treasure in such a way as not to destroy more than the treasure was worth to begin with.

Jesus instructs us to measure the value of a soul. Squandering you life in foolish endeavors chasing a foolish treasure leads to a final day that will not bring joy.

Matthew 16:24–27 KJV 1900

Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.

Where is the Gospel?

In Jesus’ death, ascension, and promised return, we have an absolute promise that the foolish will be punished and the wise will be delivered. All the good things we hope to be true will be true. Since God did not spare his own Son, we are guaranteed that the wise in Christ will one day be given all things (Romans 8:32 ).

Romans 8:32 KJV 1900

He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

And if that guaranteed day is coming, no action on the earth is secular, disjointed, or random. Everything matters because matter and time were created by God. Jesus is coming to right all wrongs and bring every wise and foolish deed into judgment (Ecclesiastes 12:14).

Ecclesiastes 12:14 KJV 1900

For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

Nothing is disconnected, no injustice is overlooked, and no wise moment is forgotten.

At Jesus’ return, his wisdom will reveal that nothing in your life is random, no moment was disjointed from his purpose, and all the things that should be true will be absolutely true—forever.