”We can make our own plans, but the Lord gives the right answer. People may be pure in their own eyes, but the Lord examines their motives. Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed. The Lord has made everything for his own purposes, even the wicked for a day of disaster. The Lord detests the proud; they will surely be punished. Unfailing love and faithfulness make atonement for sin. By fearing the Lord, people avoid evil. When people’s lives please the Lord, even their enemies are at peace with them. Better to have little, with godliness, than to be rich and dishonest. We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps. The king speaks with divine wisdom; he must never judge unfairly. The Lord demands accurate scales and balances; he sets the standards for fairness. A king detests wrongdoing, for his rule is built on justice. The king is pleased with words from righteous lips; he loves those who speak honestly. The anger of the king is a deadly threat; the wise will try to appease it. When the king smiles, there is life; his favor refreshes like a spring rain. How much better to get wisdom than gold, and good judgment than silver! The path of the virtuous leads away from evil; whoever follows that path is safe. Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall. Better to live humbly with the poor than to share plunder with the proud. Those who listen to instruction will prosper; those who trust the Lord will be joyful. The wise are known for their understanding, and pleasant words are persuasive. Discretion is a life-giving fountain to those who possess it, but discipline is wasted on fools. From a wise mind comes wise speech; the words of the wise are persuasive. Kind words are like honey— sweet to the soul and healthy for the body. There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death. It is good for workers to have an appetite; an empty stomach drives them on. Scoundrels create trouble; their words are a destructive blaze. A troublemaker plants seeds of strife; gossip separates the best of friends. Violent people mislead their companions, leading them down a harmful path. With narrowed eyes, people plot evil; with a smirk, they plan their mischief. Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained by living a godly life. Better to be patient than powerful; better to have self-control than to conquer a city. We may throw the dice, but the Lord determines how they fall.“
Proverbs 16:1-33 NLT
Arrogance and pride ruin everything and shut our hearts off from the correction of God. Foolish people are pure in their own eyes, make their plans without fear of the Lord, and resist any attempt to help them. Pride goes before the fall; over-confidence is like closing your eyes while you are climbing a cliff. God doesn’t want us to hate ourselves; humility is not self-loathing. God also doesn’t want us to be arrogant, thinking higher of ourselves higher than we really are.
We all are leaders in some way in our lives. We may lead our home, business, employees, or even “lead” ourselves. The proverbs have a lot to say about leading with wisdom. In this chapter, the emphasis is towards being wise in the presence of a king. The king has been given power, so we need to live godly lives so that we earn favor and have a better life (vv.12-15). Verse 12 talks about ruling with justice. Injustice is all around us. If you have kids, don’t play favorites. In our work decisions, be fair with how we evaluate others. Even how we judge ourselves is usually unfair—we are either too easy or too hard on ourselves (the goal is to see yourself the way God sees you). Injustice is everywhere—there are huge inequities in the world—rich and poor, powerful and weak. God has given us leadership and power to make a difference and work for justice. This can be on the big scale of things, but more often it is simple acts of love that go the furthest.
As you follow Christ, how will you lead today and work for justice? The goal is to see ourselves the way God sees us. What does that mean for you?
