Marketplace Proverbs and Coffee with Ernie-A Proverb Per Day Keeps Stinking Thinking At Bay

Remember when you turned down a deal that seemed good on the surface but didn’t feel right? Over the years, I’ve realized that customers might not always grasp your strategy, but they can sense your true motives. In today’s market, it’s common to say the right things with a hidden agenda. However, trust isn’t solely based on words—it’s rooted in your underlying intentions. This Proverb today reminds us that integrity isn’t just about actions; it’s about the reasons behind them.

“It’s stupid to try to get something for nothing, or run up huge bills on get-rich-quick schemes.” Proverbs 17:18 (MSG)

Proverbs 17 warns about judgment, restraint, and the costs of foolish choices. The verse highlights a recurring temptation: seeking quick results by bypassing wisdom and effort. In chaotic cultures, shortcuts seem like opportunities, confident, efficient, and innovative. Yet wisdom questions not if it works, but its long-term cost.

Some relationships in life… You don’t rush. You build them… over time. Today’s episode is special to me. I’m joined by my good friend C.J. Lewis, North America Sales Manager for SSL—Solid State Logic—one of the most respected names in professional audio. If you’ve ever stepped into a world-class recording studio… or heard a live mix that just felt right… There’s a good chance SSL was behind it.

But what matters more to me than the brand… is the relationship. C.J. and I have been walking together in the marketplace for over 15 years. And today—on the 16th day of the month—he shares how Proverbs 16:9 has shaped not just his work… but his life at home. Because we can make our plans…but there’s a greater hand guiding our steps. And when you understand that… it changes everything.

God rightly expects leaders to skillfully manage conflicts within their organizations. So, how can we do this most effectively? A great starting point is Proverbs 15:1. While we often quote this verse, we don't always put it into practice. Sometimes, it seems only leaders feel free to express their anger, and eventually, this unhealthy environment ends up catching up with everyone. Today, Ron Price, a conflict resolution coach, shares insights on Proverbs 15:1 to help us navigate these challenges.

Compassion

"Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker, but he who is generous to the needy honors him.” Proverbs 14:31 ESV

The Insight

In 2000, I had the privilege of meeting Mr. Peter Drucker at a NAMM Leadership event. In his book Landmarks of Tomorrow, Drucker offers a profound observation about contemporary culture. He notes that in an age of chaos and "terror," many people develop a "hard shell of moral callousness" to survive. We see this in the marketplace every day: the "dog-eat-dog" mentality where we stop seeing people as human beings and start seeing them as obstacles or opportunities to make the next transaction.

Mr. Drucker warns that this "moral numbness" is a disease of the soul. It leads us to believe that, to be productive, to achieve sales goals and win more transactions, we must be cold, or even "spiritually neutral," keeping our spiritual self separate from our "world" self. But he argues the opposite: society needs a return to spiritual values, not to replace material success, but to make that success fully productive.

Pride Blinds. Humility Builds.

Pride can make us deaf. Deaf to wise counsel. Deaf to warning signs. Deaf to the very people we’re called to serve. Humility, on the other hand, opens our ears, clears our vision, and builds bridges that pride would have burned. Today, our focus is Proverbs 13:10 because it’s the 13th day of the month.

Today, I am reading from chapter 13 of Marketplace Proverbs Vol 2, Micro to Macro the Ripple Effect of Influence, written by yours truly and Co-Author Jon Kluiter.

“Arrogant know-it-alls stir up discord, but wise men and women listen to each other’s counsel.”--Proverbs 13:10 MSG.

Arrogance is a dangerous root in any team, organization, or marketplace mission. By definition, arrogance is an exaggerated sense of one’s importance or abilities. It’s pride in disguise. Left unchecked, it stirs up discord, sows strife, and damages relationships.

In business, pride often shows up as an unwillingness to listen, a need to control outcomes, or a toxic culture that kills team harmony. When arrogance takes hold, division creeps in, and the mission to add significance to others fades into the background.

Have you ever bought something… not because you needed it—but because you wanted it to say something about you? I’ve been there. There was a season in my life when I measured success by what I drove, what I wore, and how I looked to others. From the outside, it looked like I had made it. But behind the scenes? I was one car payment away from stress… one lunch invitation away from anxiety. In today’s marketplace, it’s easy to confuse hard work with hustle—and hustle with image. But what if money was never meant to be a trophy? What if it was always meant to be a tool?

Today, we’re talking about the traps of trophies… and how to build a life—and a business—based on stewardship instead of status.

Today is the 9th day of the month. Proverbs 9-The Spiral of Progress: It Just Looks Like a Loop.

Today, I am reading from chapter 9 of Marketplace Proverbs Vol. 3: Ego, Humility, and the KPI that Matters the Most. Written by yours truly, Today, we discuss The Spiral of Progress Proverbs 9:9

“Instruct the wise, and they will be wiser still; teach the righteous, and they will add to their learning.” Proverbs 9:9

There are seasons when we feel stuck, even though we’re doing the work. We’re showing up, staying faithful, and giving our best, but the results we expect haven’t materialized yet. That’s when self-doubt creeps in. Slowly at first, then all at once. I’ve asked myself more than once, “What am I even doing?” And if I’m honest, I’ve sometimes questioned if my effort was making any difference. But that’s often the exact moment when God reminds me: what feels like going in circles is a quiet elevation. An upward spiral that happens to look like a loop from where I’m standing.

—God isn’t distant—He’s been right there. The question is: have we been listening? Today, we’re in Proverbs 8:32-36 because it’s the 8th day of the month.

God’s instructions aren’t complicated. They’re clear: Listen. Obey. Seek wisdom daily. And in return? Blessing. Favor. Life.

I used to think God was distant—disconnected from the everyday reality of business and life. I believed in Him, I knew I was saved, but I still felt He was far away. Until one day…

In prayer, I apologized to God for viewing Him that way. And clear as day, I heard it in my spirit: “I’m not distant—you’ve been resistant.”

Remember that time you closed the big transaction—and something didn’t sit right afterward? Not because it failed, but because deep down you knew the customer wasn’t truly served. You chased personal success rather than adding significance to the customer. Proverbs 7 warns us about seduction—not just in relationships, but in decisions. Today, we’ll talk about how chasing the deal at any cost can quietly pull us away from wisdom—and what it looks like to stay faithful in a chaotic marketplace.”