Proverbs 13
McGeeCHAPTER 13We continue in this section where we are learning some of the great principles of life.
Proverbs 13:1
Although Solomon was not David’s favorite son, Solomon did at least listen to him. He is an example of a wise son who heard his father’s instruction. Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, is an example of the scorner who did not listen. He is an example to us of the dark side or the negative side, as we have found in many of these proverbs. But there are other examples that we could find in Scripture.
Proverbs 13:2
There is a type of talking today which is gossip; it is foolish talking. It borders on being risquetelling things that have a double meaning. The double entendre joke even gets into Christian circles today. And when they do, they seem to dwell on this matter of sex. I have noticed that many of these folk take courses on sex, and then later on I hear that their home was broken up. The husband has run away with another woman and all that sort of thing. I believe much of this trouble is a result of such borderline living and borderline speaking. That is the thing we are warned about here, and the young man is told to beware of it.
Proverbs 13:4
You will remember that the apostle Paul put it right on the line to the Thessalonians. There were some pious souls there who said, “We’re looking for the Lord to come,” and they quit work. Paul wrote, “… if any would not work, neither should he eat” (2Th_3:10). Let’s not be doling out food to those who will not work. We are to work. And if you really believe that the Lord is coming, it will make you a better worker.
Proverbs 13:5
This refers to truth in the inward parts. This is the background of practical righteousness. God hates that which is false; He cannot tolerate it. The child of God should recognize and deal with any sin in his life. This old nature of ours is inclined to lie. It just comes naturally to us to lie. God says He hates that, and He will have to deal with that type of thing.
Proverbs 13:7
Here is another example of the old nature that we all have. If we are poor we want to put up a front, to keep up with the Joneses. We pretend to have more than we actually have. Some people drive a Cadillac automobile simply to impress other folk, even though they really can’t afford it. Some live in a neighborhood they really cannot afford. On the other hand, there are people who are really very wealthy but are always talking about how poor they are. A member in one of my former churches was a very wealthy man, but he probably gave less than anyone else. He was always talking about how high prices were and how much things cost him. And he would say he’d be broke if things didn’t get better. Both sides are an abomination to God because each is hypocritical. It is putting up a front that we don’t need to put up. We don’t need to try to keep up with the Joneses; neither ought we to act as if we don’t even know the Joneses. We are to treat them as neighbors, and then we ought to be just what we are.
Proverbs 13:9
In the study of the history of the kings of Israel, I called attention to this principle at work. One line after another became kings in the northern kingdom. Then, suddenly, they were cut off, often in a violent manner by murder. This is what God says: “The lamp of the wicked shall be put out.” It happens again and again in this world. The end of Hitler was not pretty. And the end of Stalin evidently was not either.
Proverbs 13:10
When you find contention in a group, in a neighborhood, in a church or church group, the basis of it will be found to be pride. It is always that. As someone has said, it takes two to make a quarrelalways.
Proverbs 13:11
This is another proverb that should be considered in the light of eternity; that is the yardstick that you must put down alongside this. Many wealthy men apparently knew that they had very foolish offspring; so they established trust funds and put legal chains around their estates so their offspring could not get to it. Such an arrangement is made so that their offspring can live off the income, but they cannot touch the estate itself. As a result there are many rich sons in the world today, men who never made a dime in their lives, they wouldn’t know how to work for a living at all; yet they are heirs to tremendous fortunes. But they have been protected so that they cannot touch the principal of their estates. If they could, they would foolishly spend it all. Now this proverb needs to be looked at in the light of eternity. What are true riches? What is wealth really? Is it those stocks and bonds? Well, the individual is going to lose them someday. Death took them away from the original owner. Nobody came in and stole them; he stole away! He went off and left them. And that’s going to happen to those who own those stocks and bonds today.
Proverbs 13:12
You can just keep hoping for something that doesn’t come to passthat will make the heart sick. This is the reason we ought to be in step with the will of God in our lives, because we hope for a great many things that will not be realized in our lives at all. How much better it is to accept the reality of the situation in which God has placed us!
Proverbs 13:13
All through Proverbs there is this contrast between righteousness and wickedness. God hates pride; He hates lawlessness; He hates hypocrisy. He has no use for this type of thing that arises out of our human nature. That is the reason that God will not accept anything that we do in the old nature. It is only what He can perform through our new nature that is acceptable to Him. One thing is sure: He is not going to take Vernon McGee’s old nature to heaven. I’ll be glad to get rid of it. In heaven you and I will be forever parted from that old nature which produces all the sins that are inherent in each of us. God makes what He wants very clear in Isa_66:2: “… to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.” That is the way we must all come to God if we wish to be accepted of Him. We cannot come in pride. And we dare not despise His Word nor His commandments.
Proverbs 13:17
We have had men in our government who have had access to government secrets, to that which is “top drawer” as far as the policy of this country is concerned, and some of these men have been homosexuals. When the enemy discovers this, it makes it possible for them to use these men. The same is true about men who have a weakness for alcohol. “A wicked messenger falleth into mischief.” We need men of high integrity in our government. It is important whether a man drinks or not. I think it is tragic that so many men high up in government positions use alcohol. I think that is a part of our problem as a nation today. We need to recognize that these basic proverbs which seem so simple are so important to our lives as individuals and as a nation.
Proverbs 13:24
This is real child psychology. The child of God today is told the same thing. “Children, obey your parents,” but the father is told, “…provoke not your children to wrath …” (Eph_6:1, Eph_6:4). That is, don’t whip them or discipline them when you are angry or talking in a loud voice. Wait until a time when you can calmly sit down with your child and talk with him and explain why he is being disciplined. That is very important. This is the reason my father’s discipline was so good. He often did not deal with me until maybe a day had gone by. And I thought several times I had gotten by with it, but I hadn’t. He very calmly dealt with me, and I knew he was not doing what he did because he was angry. Discipline is very important.