Recompense [Proverbs 11:31] – Lightning Study

Whether in this life or the next, God will repay all men and women for their actions.

In the Book of Proverbs, there’s a powerful verse that urges us to pay attention. It’s like a spotlight on the concept of recompense, or the consequences of our actions, both good and bad.

1. Divine Justice

Proverbs 11:31 starts with “Behold!” This word notes the importance of this short saying. “Take a good look. think long and hard about it”.

This verse talks about how our actions have consequences, whether they bring joy or regret. Whether these actions require God’s reward or His punishment. 

God’s Just nature requires that he perfectly weigh and measure the justice He delivers to mankind. Though it can seem like some people get away with their actions on earth, this is actually not the case. 

Whether in this world or the next, God will deliver to each person exactly what they deserve – both for their secular actions and their spiritual ones. 

2. What Goes Around Comes Around

What we sow in life, we reap. Galatians 6:7-8 explains this law of cause and effect. It’s a reminder that our choices matter and have real outcomes.

Claiming religion does not excuse us from acting on our own behalf. We must take action in our own lives and not expect God to do all the heavy lifting for us. 

3. Rewards for the Righteous

The verse also speaks about rewards for the righteous. Hebrews 11:6 reinforces this idea, saying that God rewards those who seek Him sincerely. Maybe the reward does not come in this life. Some people live difficult lives, only to be rewarded for it at the end of life. This is a difficult matter to think about because despite strong faith, we all still fear death. We still wonder what exactly waits beyond the end of this life. 

4. God’s Justice Knows No Bounds

God’s justice isn’t confined to this world. Romans 2:6-8 shows us that God’s judgment is based on truth and fairness, extending beyond our earthly lives.

And when man finally stands before God on the Day of Judgment, God’s judgment will be fair.

5. Live With a Sound Mind

In light of these truths, Proverbs 11:31 encourages us to live with awareness and integrity.

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 reminds us of our accountability to God, urging us to live in reverence and keep His commandments.

Proverbs 13:12 – Deferred Hope

“Hope deferred makes the heart sick, But when the desire comes, it is a tree of life.” – Proverbs 13:12 (NKJV)

Introduction

Life is going to try to slow you down. With that in mind, the wisdom of Proverbs shines through, reminding us to look forward and know that if we persevere, something better is coming. One day our goal will be achieved if we can temporarily put our wants aside and focus. 

1. Understanding the Weight of Deferred Hope

When we want something, but cannot have it, the emotional toll is serious. Anyone who. Has sat down to think about how long they will have to work in life may consider this for themselves.

It can be depressing and disheartening to think of how long we have to work a day job before retirement. This makes many people physically sick. Some use this sickness to motivate themselves to free themselves from the need to work a day job. I find this to be a noble pursuit. 

There are moments in our lives when dreams are delayed, and aspirations seem out of reach. Those moments can easily send us spiraling into depression. 

2. A Tree of Life

However, this verse also shows the satisfaction of reaching a goal and fulfilling a desire, likening them to a tree of life. 

Tis is the source from which improvement grows.

3. Generating Resilience

Hope isn’t passive; it’s a force that sustains us through adversity. Romans 12:12 teaches us to be joyful in hope, patient in tribulation, and steadfast in prayer. 

Center your mind on your goal so you can aim for what you want to accomplish. Don’t worry if you aren’t where you want to be today. Let go of those attachments – they will only create worry and anxiety.

Practical Exercise

  • Reflect: Take time to reflect on areas in your life where goals feel deferred. Journal your thoughts and emotions, allowing yourself to process the difficult thoughts that accompany these realizations. 
  • Use God’s Wisdom: Spend time in Scripture and learn teachings related to your hopes and desires. Write down verses that resonate with you and meditate on them daily.
  • Take Action: Identify small steps you can take towards fulfilling your hopes and dreams. Set realistic goals and commit to consistent effort, trusting in God’s timing and provision.

Correction: A Path to Wisdom [Proverbs 12:1]

Proverbs 12:1 sheds light on the role of correction in our journey towards wisdom. Whether it’s self imposed or comes from others is secondary. What’s important is whether or not we learn the lesson life has to teach us and correct our actions accordingly.  

1. The Value of Instruction and Correction

Proverbs 12:1 emphasizes the connection between love for instruction and knowledge. Without a willingness and desire to be corrected we cannot improve and progress in life. It highlights the importance of being receptive to correction, which plays a critical role in our personal and intellectual growth.

We cannot hope to progress beyond our weak states if we do not accept the transformative force from correction. We have to learn how to correct ourselves by viewing ourselves in a detached way and changing the way we act. 

2. Developing Humility

At the heart of accepting correction lies humility. The ability to learn begins with accepting the fact that we know nothing. Acknowledging our mistakes and areas for improvement requires humility.

Being aware that we have flaws requires humility.

Only the arrogant believe they are perfect.

And because of this they never progress beyond their pitiful accomplishments. They will forever lack the perspective necessary to push beyond into something great. 

3. Learning from Mistakes

Mistakes are inevitable in life, but it’s what we do with them that matters. Utilizing correction means learning from our mistakes and using them as stepping stones toward greater wisdom.

The arrogant believe they never make mistakes. They believe they are perfect. This prevents them from learning. This is another reason the arrogant limit their accomplishments to an artificial ceiling, 

4. Seeking Wise Counsel

Wisdom is not gained in isolation. Seeking advice and counsel from wise mentors, teachers, or peers can provide valuable insights. In fact, critical thinking from multiple perspectives demands an abundance of counselors, which the Biblical wisdom literature encourages [Pr 24:6] It’s a vital step toward learning and growing from correction.

5. Applying Corrective Actions

Correction is not merely about recognizing errors but also about taking corrective actions. Applying lessons learned and making actual behavioral changes based on feedback is essential for personal development in secular and spiritual matters. 

The False Security of Wealth: Proverbs 11:28

Every man has the responsibility to work and make money. That’s a job we all have. The mistake we often make is to put trust in riches that are here one day and gone the next.

In Proverbs 11:28, we are reminded that relying solely on wealth for security is misguided. 

1. Wealth as False Security

Many believe that accumulating wealth is the key to security and happiness. I’ve thought this many times, and I don’t underestimate the power of wealth in making people happier.

However, Proverbs 11:28 challenges this notion by highlighting the transient nature of riches.

Material wealth can provide temporary comfort but cannot guarantee long-term security.

Men can lose fortunes in the blink of an eye – fortunes that it took them a lifetime to acquire. 

so while we should all work and attempt to gather a fortune and build wealth, we should recognize the tendency of money to sprout wings and fly away.

2. The Deceptive Allure of Riches

It’s easy to fall into the trap of pursuing wealth as a source of security. The allure of luxury and financial stability can blind us to the deeper realities of life.

Proverbs warns us against placing undue trust in material possessions, which can lead to disappointment if that wealth is lost. There is nothing wrong with gathering wealth, but do not become emotionally attached to it. That is what this verse is teaching.

This is not a verse telling us not to gain wealth, but rather to manage our emotional attachment to wealth. 

3. True Security in Wisdom and Righteousness

Instead of relying solely on wealth, Proverbs 11:28 encourages us to seek true security in wisdom and righteous living. This security will outlast the temporary nature of material wealth.

Our possessions may fluctuate throughout our life, but our character cannot be taken from us. We build it yourself, and we maintain it throughout time. 

4. Inner Wealth

While financial planning and responsible stewardship are important, lasting wealth extends beyond monetary assets.

Cultivating inner wealth through righteous living will be the wealth that echoes into eternity. Everything you read on this website is about developing the inner man.

5. Balanced Perspectives

The wisdom of Proverbs invites us to adopt a balanced perspective on wealth and security.

While financial stability is valuable, it should not overshadow the pursuit of spiritual, emotional, and relational well-being. We have to maintain perspective regarding what is important in life. 

Proverbs 11:28 serves as a pointed reminder that security is found in wisdom, righteousness. Gather wealth but do not become emotionally attached to wealth.

Men and Women Cannot be Friends

Men and women cannot be friends because the relationship depends on one party being attracted to the other.

For men, there is almost never pure friendship with a woman.

Did you know that if a man is not attracted to a woman he will almost certainly not approach and talk to her?

In fact, one of the only times a man will approach a woman he is not attracted to is if he believes he can gain access to her more attractive friends by using the unattractive friend to get his foot in the door.

It sounds manipulative, but it is sex we are talking about here.

Think about this rationally.

What exactly do men and women have in common?
What do they have to be friends about?

If men and women start discussing various things they are interested in, a bond generally forms.

Some form of attraction usually starts to surface.


It is nearly impossible spend excessive amounts of time with another person, of the opposite sex, share interests, stories and thoughts without developing an attraction to them.

What I have just described is often the breeding ground for adultery.

It’s a rare for a man or woman to storm out of their home saying “I’m tired of my marriage, I’m gonna go have an affair”.

It’s becoming less rare with websites dedicated to anonymous affairs, but it is still uncommon.

Instead what happens is a seemingly innocent relationship develops between to people. It starts with small talk but the end result is often pillow talk. What starts small grows into powerful attraction that becomes difficult to resist.

What is kept as a secret inside the mind tends to grow as well. You feel the urge to avoid telling your wife when you develop one of these “friendships” at work or some other place.

If you feel the urge to keep something a secret, that might just be your intuition trying to tell you that you are doing something unwise.

Small talk can easily lead to a feeling of companionship which can easily lead to an affair if not stopped in its tracks.



It is dangerous for men and women to be friends.

Intersexual relationships are designed to be sexual in nature at their terminal points. Once that singular relationship is developed in a marriage, that should mark the end of any close man-woman relationships.


I’ll make it plain: I don’t believe men and women can be close friends. Perhaps they can be distant friends, but close friendship is often built on attraction.

It seems to me that relationships between men and women are meant to lead to marriage and sex.

That is the natural end point of intersexual relationships.

That’s not to say platonic relationships cannot happen – you can probably think of some exceptions yourself. But it is exactly that – exceptions. And exceptions serve to prove the rule.

Because of these realities, we need to understand some key principles:

I – Men in Committed Relationships Should Not Develop Close Friendships with Women.

It is a Potential Pathway to Adultery.

If you want one of the surest ways to put yourself at risk for an adultery, then make close friendships with a woman who is not your wife.

Your intuition will tell you it’s dangerous. And your intuition can be verified with logical analysis of the lives of men who have made the same error.

II – Women who are “just friends” with men don’t understand the minds of men.

When women become friends with men, they get attention, which is exactly what they want. During this friendship, the standard man frequently tries to win her affections by proving he is worth them. [This is a weak approach – you cannot win over women by proving your worth. They have to be organically attracted to you]



Women don’t understand that all their male friends are likely attracted to them on some level.

You don’t see guys hanging around unattractive women do you? They seem to always make friends with women they find attractive.

Even if women know this intellectually, they just don’t want to acknowledge the reality of it because they are enjoying the attention too much.


If a woman could spend five minutes in the mind of the man she would instantly understand why men and women cannot be friends.

Man in the secular state is driven by his sexual drive and makes the bulk of his decisions in an attempt to satisfy that drive.

When trained by biblical principles he attempts to reign in this drive, but that does not change the fact that the sexual drive exists, and it always will exist in his mind. He can discipline it, but it will always be there.

Therefore if a man makes a friendship with a woman, it is done in attempt to further the sexual drive.

He may deny it to himself, saying, “Oh we’re just friends. We have so much in common. She understands my complaints”. These are all excuses meant to deny the reality that every man knows in the back of his mind – that the relationship might turn sexual.

The main point is that men and women simply cannot be “just friends”. Not in the truest sense. Not in the ways that women are friends with women and men are friends with men.

Same sex friendships will always go deeper than intersex friendships. Intersex friendships generally terminate at sex. It is very difficult to resist the pull of those relationships to turn sexual.



I would encourage you to not have close relationships with other women who are not your wife.

I also understand that as Christians we have a familial relationship within the church body where men and women interact.

I would encourage you to keep these relationships on a Spiritual level.

Do not make close friends with women even at your church. Plenty of affairs have begun at a church.

And how often do people mistake emotion for spirituality? Very often.

As such, Christian’s can mistake their emotions for spirituality when it comes to their relationship with one another.

Because of the confusion regarding the relationship between the spiritual and the emotional, we have another possible breeding ground for an affair.

Always remember the fact that men and women cannot truly be friends.

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