Proverbs 27

Proverbs 27 has much to say about human relationships – things we should do and things we should not do. It concludes with tremendous teaching about being a shepherd which we draw heavily from for teaching on how to be a leader.

1. Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth.

*A sobering warning and a sobering thought. Do not cocky concerning what you WILL BE DOING!

2. Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips

*Practical advice for living a life of humility.

3. A stone is heavy and sand is weighty, But a fool’s wrath is heavier than both of More information about the pain of a fool: The fool’s actions just weigh us down.

4. Wrath is cruel and anger a torrent, But who is able to stand before jealousy?

Proverbs deals with all types of sin – here the sin of jealousy. Jealousy can be so destructive.

5. ¶ Open rebuke is better than love carefully
6. Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But the kisses of an enemy are

There needs to be frankness between friends. I am not helped when my friends don’t tell me the truth.

“A friend does not condone my sin – they confront my sin.”

7. ¶ A satisfied soul loathes the honeycomb, But to a hungry soul every bitter thing is

Is contentment a characteristic of your life?

I have this verse on my list of what I call “scary verses” because of the first part of the verse. It is scary because if I allow this to happen I can become apathetic – I will act like a spoiled child– I will become critical – I will be more judgmental.

As you ponder this verse think about how you perceive things. One who gets to the place of being full gets picky – though they have enough it is not enough – though it was good it was not good enough – However the one who is hungry is just glad to have something to eat.

Are you hungry to achieve for the Lord?

8. ¶ Like a bird that wanders from its nest is a man who wanders from his place.

This verse speaks of commitment.  A bird that leaves it nest leaves the eggs or the baby birds to be destroyed – a man who leaves his responsibilities leaves others to be harmed.

To the male readers: DILIGENCE IS A MAN’S PRECIOUS POSSESSION!

If you decide to get married then you are to be a faithful husband. If you have children you are to be a faithful father.

We are to provide and protect our families!

9. ¶ Ointment and perfume delight the heart, and the sweetness of a man’s friend gives delight by hearty counsel.

A friend lifts his friend up with encouragement!

10. Do not forsake your own friend or your father’s friend, nor go to your brother’s house in the day of your calamity; Better is a neighbor nearby than a brother far

A friend is loyal – a definition of friendship is “one who comes in when the whole world just walked out.”

As we get older friends may be more encouraging (and reliable) to us than family members whose affections may have waned over time and distance.

11. ¶ My son, be wise, and make my heart glad, that I may answer him who reproaches

Inserted again is the desire of the father to have a wise son – this time the father has a personal reason as he knows his enemies will at times bring up how his children may be living. I take from this verse the reminder that how I live does affect more than just me.

12. A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself; The simple pass on and are punished

IS ANYONE LISTENING? The book of Proverbs is trying to get us to be prudent – not simple. The simple believe anything – they are naïve and they will walk right into a trap. The prudent will be discerning – they will carefully consider the consequences of a choice and with that consideration move themselves away from temptation.

13. ¶ Take the garment of him who is surety for a stranger, And hold it in pledge when he is surety for a seductress

*We will have people who want to borrow money from us and we have to make decision about it – this verse tells us that we need to get a solid security for a loan or else we should expect never to see that money again.         I take from this verse that a person’s character determines how much we can trust them – the lower the character, the lower the trust.

14. ¶ He who blesses his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it will be counted a curse to him.

When it comes to what we say to people there are several things to note: It matters not just what we say to them but when we say it, how we say it, where we say it and why we say it.

Even in giving a blessing we should think before we speak as it may not have the desired results.

15. ¶ A continual dripping on a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike;
16. Whoever restrains her restrains the wind, and grasps oil with his right hands

Oh the irritation of an irritating woman. The picture is of one who just continually hits on your nerves. Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip.

17. ¶ As iron sharpens iron, So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.

The power of friendships – they make each other better!

18. ¶ Whoever keeps the fig tree will eat its fruit; So he who waits on his master will be honored

Whatsoever you sow that will you also reap. Hard work has its rewards.

19. ¶ As in water face reflects face, So a man’s heart reveals the man

The heart of the problem is the problem of the heart. If we take care of the heart we take care of our lives! Guard your heart (Prov. 4:23) for out of it spring the issues of life.

20. ¶ Hell and Destruction are never full; So the eyes of man are never satisfied. The lust of the eyes must be dealt with or we will never know contentment

21. The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, and a man is valued by what others say of him.

We all face the test of popularity. Some of that is good and some of that is bad. Peer pressure can motivate us to do good as we want to be thought of in a positive light but peer pressure can cause us to choice the wrong thing in order to stay in the group.   Can you stand on your own?

22. ¶ Though you grind a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with crushed grain, Yet his foolishness will not depart from him

We want to believe that the right correction – punishment – discipline – will cause a person to change. If they have not had a heart change, you will not see a change.

We can talk about reforming a person but what we really need to talk about is a person being reborn!!

Did you hear what the little boy said the other day to his teacher who had punished him by making him sit in the corner? He said, “teacher, I am sitting down on the outside but I am standing up on the inside.”

His foolishness had not departed!

23. ¶ Be diligent to know the state of your flocks, And attend to your herds; Those who lead must know this verse! 

24. For riches are not forever, Nor does a crown endure to all generations
25. When the hay is removed, and the tender grass shows itself, And the herbs of the mountains are gathered in,
26. The lambs will provide your clothing, And the goats the price of a field;
27. You shall have enough goats’ milk for your food, For the food of your household, And the nourishment of your maidservants

Leaders are diligent to know their people and then take the actions needed to meet their needs. They don’t get caught up in salaries and awards – they stay focused on helping their people. In the long run those they have helped will help them.

Bonus – ten 4 letter words for shepherding: starts on next page

 

We are SHEPHERDING People

God’s Word refers to His leaders many times as Shepherds

Ps. 78:70 He also chose David His servant, And took him from the sheepfolds; 71 From following the ewes that had young He brought him, To shepherd Jacob His people, And Israel His inheritance.

72 So he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart, And guided them by the skillfulness of his hands.

Acts 20:28 “Therefore take heed to yourselves, and to all the flock among you which the Holy Spirit has made your overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He has purchased with His own blood.”

I Peter 5:1-4 “The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion, but willingly, not for dishonest gain, but eagerly, nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock, and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.”

John 10:1 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 2  “But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3  “To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 “And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.

5 “Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6 Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them.

7. Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the

8. “All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear

9. “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture

10. “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. 11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. 12 “But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. 13  “The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. 14 “I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.

Eze. 34:1 ¶ And the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2 “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD to the shepherds: “Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flocks? 3 “You eat the fat and clothe yourselves with the wool; you slaughter the fatlings, but you do not feed the flock.  4 “The weak you have not strengthened, nor have you healed those who were sick, nor bound up the broken, nor brought back what was driven away, nor sought what was lost; but with force and cruelty you have ruled them. 5 “So they were scattered because there was no shepherd; and they became food for all the beasts of the field when they were scattered. 6 “My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and on every high hill; yes, My flock was scattered over the whole face of the earth, and no one was seeking or searching for them.”

Ps. 23:1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. 3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the LORD Forever.

Luke 15:4 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? 5 “And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 “And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’

Prov. 27:23-27 “Be diligent to know the state of your flocks and attend to your herds; for riches are not forever, nor does the crown endure to all generations. When the hay is removed, and the tender grass shows itself, and the herbs of the mountains are gathered in, the lambs will provide your clothing and the goats the price of a field; You shall have enough goats milk for your food, for the food of your household and the nourishment of your maidservants”

1. KNOW you people

Three things to know that are essential – how many sheep (number) What are their names? And what are their needs?

2. CARE for your people

Matt. 9:36 But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.

Caring will mean being interrupted.

Ps. 23:3 He restores my soul;

Caring will take something out of you.

Three words for the shepherd as they interact with the sheep:

HANDLE WITH CARE.

3. FEED your people

Scary verse: Hos. 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.

Ps. 23:2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.

Eccl. 12:9 And moreover, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yes, he pondered and sought out and set in order many proverbs.   10 The Preacher sought to find acceptable words; and what was written was upright—words of truth.

11. The words of the wise are like goads, and the words of scholars are like well-driven nails, given by one Shepherd.

Choose your topics and your words carefully.

Speak to be remembered.

Know also that well fed sheep flourish and are fruitful!

Prov. 27:25-26 When the hay is removed, and the tender grass shows itself, and the herbs of the mountains are gathered in, the lambs will provide your clothing and the goats the price of a field; You shall have enough goats milk for your food, for the food of your household and the nourishment of your maidservants”

4.     LEAD your people.

Ps. 23:3 He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.

Lead by example.

Be out front –   you lead – not push!!

You lead by having a vision for your students.

5. PRAY for your people

Luke 22:32 “But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.”

Col. 1:9 For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy;

6. WARN your people

I Thess. 5:14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all.

Col. 1:28 Him we proclaim, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man mature in Christ.

Part of warning starts with WATCHING

Luke 2:8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.

Luke 2:8 That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep.

7. FIND those persons that are
8. HELP your people

Prov. 11:14 Where there is no counsel, the people fall; But in the multitude of counselors there is safety.

Be a Most Valuable Counselor

9. GROW your people

The mission is to train champions for Christ.

To be a champion will mean moving them from being comfortable and complacent – challenge them – stretch them – give them exercises that will strengthen them.

I Tim. 4:7 But reject profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise yourself toward godliness.

10. LOVE your people.

Make sure they are more than a name.