Author: spartanchristianity

Do not overwork to be rich;
Because of your own understanding, cease!

Proverbs often talk about money and man’s relationship to it.

Proverbs 23:4 talk about the foolishness of the relentless pursuit of wealth at the expense of everything else in life.

Solomon warns against the obsession with riches, teaching us that at the root of understanding is the knowledge that overworking for riches is no optimal.

Recognize the Futility of Greed

The pursuit of wealth can easily become an all-consuming endeavor. It can become an idol in the heart.

Solomon’s instruction to “labor not to be rich” teaches us not allow the desire for money to dominate our lives.

Wealth can provide comfort, and it is a valuable tool, but it should not be our ultimate goal.

Understanding this distinction is crucial for maintaining a accurate perspective on life.

Focus on Valuable Goals

Instead of fixating on accumulating wealth, redirect your energy toward pursuits that bring lasting value.

Maybe it’s investing in relationships, personal growth, or service.

The Dangers of Overworking

Solomon’s warning also highlights the dangers of overworking in the relentless chase for financial gain.

While hard work can be honorable, it should not come at the expense of your health, relationships, or spiritual well-being.

Practice Generosity

One of the most effective antidotes to the greed that Solomon warns against is generosity.

By sharing our resources with others, we shift our focus from accumulation to service.

If we recognize the futility of greed, focus on goals, trust in God’s provision, and practice generosity, we can lead improved lives, represent the faith, and live honorably.

Proverbs 24:1-2 explains a a key aspect of human behavior—envy—and offers practical wisdom identifying its dangers and contrasts it with the path of righteousness.

Because it’s not just that we envy people. sometimes we envy them for the wrong things.

Envy itself is wrong.

But layer on top of envy the fact that we are envious of evil, and we have have a serious problem.

Proverbs 24:1-2 (NKJV)

1 “Do not be envious of evil men, Nor desire to be with them;
2 For their heart devises violence, And their lips talk of troublemaking.”

Warning Against Envy

This passage teaches a fundamental principle: the worthlessness of envying sinners and longing for their seemingly carefree and prosperous lives.

It’s a reminder to resist the temptation of abandoning our religious and moral principles merely for the allure of worldly pleasures.

We will always want to improve things and for life to be better, but when we start to believe the way to get to that better life is through sin, we are treading a Dangerous road.

Those thoughts will eventually produce action.

The envy of the sinful life leads to resentment towards a moral life and increased desire to life the life of the world.

This in turn makes it much more difficult to follow the commands of God, because now our motivations are working against us.

Reasons for Caution

Envy is not merely a harmless emotion; it carries deep risks:

• Sinners’ paths lead to destruction, not just for them, but for everyone around them.
  
• Their minds hold intentions that are evil and lustful, this is shown by their speech filled with evil and their plans to do wrong – as the Proverb teaches.
  
• Despite any sensation of success or happiness, their actions and intentions will inevitably lead to their downfall.

Wisdom in Disassociation

The practical teaching of the Proverb is to separate ourselves from the ways and speech of the wicked.

Get away from negative influence.

This theme is repeated over and over again through the biblical narrative.

We have to recognize the harmful nature of this envious behavior so we can safeguard ourselves from dishonor, harm, and a life of sin.

This disassociation is not about judgment but about protecting our moral integrity and upholding righteousness.

Righteous Anger

Rather than envy, righteous anger towards the sin of the wicked should be the attitude we employ to help resist sin.

Note that we focus our anger on the behavior – the sin itself.

The lessons from Proverbs 24:1-2 is even more profound in the digital age.

The digital age exposes us to images of success and happiness, and create envy all around.

The business model of social media is built on envy and emotionalism.

But the Proverb writer reminds us to focus on a life of righteousness, steering clear of envy-induced nonsense.

Practical Steps:

1. Contemplation: Take time to introspect and identify the roots of envy or unrighteous, non-productive comparison in your mind.
   
2. Thankfulness: Cultivate a habit of gratitude to appreciate your blessings and reduce envy.
   
3. Anger Response: When confronted with envy, choose to respond with righteous anger towards sin or with a calm understanding rather than resentment.
   
4. Curate Your Influences: Be mindful of the media and social circles that may fuel feelings of envy and work to surround yourself with positive influences.

“The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.” 

Proverbs 10:11

The Righteous Mouth: A Fountain of Life

The proverbs frequently include vivid imagery to help teach a point.

The imagery used in this passage is of a “fountain of life” and it describes the life-giving nature of the words spoken by the righteous.

A fountain provides the water the quenches thirst and sustains life. The words of the righteousness have the power to build and to uplift those around them.

But beyond mere encouragement, the words of the righteous must also address evil with boldness.

The righteous person’s words are not empty platitudes – they actually mean something and teach valuable lessons.

The righteous don’t pollute the air with empty, mindless words.

Their speech is seasoned with salt, giving grace to those who hear (Colossians 4:6).

The Wicked Mouth: Concealing Violence

In contrast, the proverb warns that “the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.“

While the righteous speak life, the wicked use their words as instruments of destruction.

The wicked attempt to hide their intentions behind smooth words and flattering speech, but their words ultimately reveal the darkness that lives within their minds. 

The Impact of Speech

Proverbs 10:11 teaches us that our words carry heavy weight and can have far-reaching consequences.

The words we speak have the ability to either breathe life into those around us or to deal wounds that may take years to heal.

The book of James repeats this idea in the New Testament that the tongue is like a small fire that can set a great forest on fire (James 3:5). 

Our words have the power to build up or tear down, to encourage or discourage, to bring healing or cause harm.

Guarding Our Speech

Therefore, it’s imperative for us to exercise control in our speech.

We must be intentional about allowing only words that are positive, truthful, and life-giving to pass our lips – but also not missing the opportunity to boldly address evil and sin.

This requires a constant vigilance over our minds, for as Jesus taught, “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34). 

Our words will reflect what is kept in our minds.

Proverbs 10:3 identifies a contrast between the desires of the righteous and the wicked.

“The Lord will not allow the righteous soul to famish, but He thwarts the craving of the wicked.”

The Righteous Soul Is Sustained

Like most proverbs, it comes in two contrasting lines. The first part of the proverb tells us that “The Lord will not allow the righteous soul to famish.”


This teaches us that those who walk in righteousness, aligning their lives with God’s ways, will never lack true sustenance.

It’s unclear is this passage is talking about physical, spiritual or emotional sustenance.

Other passages confirm that if a Christian will concentrate first on God, physical needs will be taken care of [Matt 6:33].

But we also know that God provides for the other human needs we have if and when we seek Him first [Isaiah 26:3-4].

The righteous soul is sustained by the Lord, who provides for their deepest needs.

Just as a loving parent ensures their child is nourished, God cares for those who seek Him.

This promise may be brought to mind when hearing the words of Jesus, when He said, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied” (Matthew 5:6).

The Wicked’s Unfulfilled Cravings

The contrasting line of the proverb states that God “thwarts the craving of the wicked.“

The wicked, those who reject God’s ways and pursue their own evil desires, will find their cravings ultimately unfulfilled.

Whatever it is that they want and desire, even if they get it, they won’t have what they need for eternity.

The word “thwarts” implies that God actively opposes and frustrates the wicked’s cravings.

This is not a vindictive act but is actually merciful. God seeks to redirect their minds toward the only thing that matters in this life– a relationship with Him.

The Contrast of Desires

This proverb teaches us the contrast between the desires of the righteous and the wicked.

The righteous seek after that which is eternal, aligning their minds with the will of God.

Their desires are rooted in wisdom, and as a result, they find what they truly need – and walk into eternity prepared.

On the other hand, the wicked are driven by cravings that are ultimately self-destructive.

Their desires are rooted in the temporary pleasures of this world, leading them down a path of sin and, eventually, eternal punishment.

Righteous Living

Proverbs 10:3 is a reminder of the importance of righteous living and the futility of pursuing evil desires.

It teaches us to align our minds with God’s ways, knowing that He will provide for our needs – assuming we also do the work in our own lives.

If we can discipline ourselves to seek after wisdom and righteousness, we position ourselves to experience better long term outcomes physically and spiritually than the wicked.