Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 631 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

Vice or Virtue - Proverbs 14

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is Day 631 of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Every Wednesday along life’s trails we dig for the nuggets of wisdom that are found within the book of Proverbs. Today we will explore Proverbs 14 from The Voice Translation, which will give us a fresh perspective on this book of timeless wisdom.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. The investment of our time in Arizona working on our construction projects last week was very productive. It appears that our smaller projects will certainly occupy all of our time between now and when Phase II begins on September 1st.

On the home front, the hawks which were born this year have left the nest to set off on a life of their own. We probably won’t see the parents around until they begin the nest repair next winter. It is always enjoyable to watch them each year.

Our granddaughter Hazel has been feeling fairly well the past couple of weeks as she continues with her chemo treatments. Her blood counts were down this week, which is disappointing, but the oncology team told Nat and Elizabeth to expect that due to the regimen that she is currently on. Just like when we are on a physical trek we have to take one step at a time, and as with all of life, but particularly in this situation, we have to take it one day at a time.

Life is filled with good and bad situations, and regardless of the external circumstances, each of us must choose to live with integrity or dishonesty. This is the topic for today as we explore Chapter 14 of Proverbs and our focus today will be…

Vice or Virtue

Remember the two women from Chapter 9 – Lady Wisdom and Folly? Well, they’re back again in Chapter 14. In fact, 14:1 is nearly identical to 9:1 – Wisdom builds her house and lives upright, while Folly only destroys and wallows in the mess of her own making. How different can these women get? Who will you choose to follow?

Chapter 14 describes and shows us the great differences between these two ways of life using contrasting character traits:

Carefulness or Carelessness (verse 3, 16)

Discernment or Deception (verse 8)

Integrity or Mockery (verse 9)

Thoughtfulness or Haste (verse 15)

Patience or Quick-tempered (verse 29)

Consider the list of virtues and vices. Notice how one builds up while the other tears down.

Which course will you take in life? Verses 26 and 27 emphasize the “Reverence for the Eternal,” which puts a person on the right trajectory. This is a deep reverence that motivates right behavior even when it’s difficult. To live in Reverence of the Eternal is to have confidence, protection, life, and salvation.

What would it look like today for you to Reverence the Eternal and choose Lady Wisdom?

Listen intently as I read Proverbs 14:

1 A wise woman builds her house,

but a foolish one picks it to splinters with her own hands.

2 Whoever travels through life with integrity respects the Eternal,

but whoever turns from it hates Him.

3 A fool’s words betray his pride and invite punishment,

but the humble speech of the wise will spare them.

4 A farm without oxen has a manger without grain;

there’s a good return in the strength of an ox.

5 An honest witness can always be trusted,

but a false witness breathes out nothing but lies.

6 Wisdom eludes mockers, though they seek it,

but insight comes quickly to those with understanding.

7 Walk away from the company of fools,