The beauty of these popcorn Proverbs is that you can pop some in the mouth of your heart and really get chewing to get the juice out of it. As you chomp through it and meditate on it. Chapter 11 keeps that going and there were three particular verses that struck me as worth developing briefly.
Problem with Pride
When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom. (Proverbs 11:2)
The wisdom of this verse becomes more profound the more I read it, however much it is based on common sense (which as we know isn’t that common and in the eyes of many doesn’t make that much sense at all). Consider the role pride plays in society today, whether explicitly branded or subtly implied in attitudes and approaches to life’s issues. Pride is about self-worship where confidence and faith is solely located in something either about the qualities and gifts we have or our own inflated self of worth. Yet this is exactly what is promoted when we see those who are full of pride making boastful claims and showing their luxurious lifestyle to back their claim. Pride in their work, pride in their accomplishments, pride in their character, pride in themselves. Yet it is so evidently leading to disgrace – when all that we banked on turns out to be transitory, when it all turns out to be temporal, when it turns out to have no substance and no worth, when in the light of the glorious God the self-worship is exposed for the sham that it is, disgrace is the polite way of putting the outcome of such a foolish endeavour.
Then we compare it to the humble. Now the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom as we’re told often through the Proverbs. This verse gives further illumination on what we mean. Back to the power of the but – the contrast, the opposing quality of the proud are those who choose not to worship themselves because of their awareness of the one who is deserving of worship. So the focus is not on self, the focus is on God, the realisation that all that we have to offer is only made possible by the Creator of the universe. The celebration of our complete dependence on Him for all things takes the focus from us and all on Him – where it rightly belongs. That recognition that we are nothing without Him stops us in our tracks before we get ahead of ourselves and seek to do this living thing without He who gave it to us in the first place. That is why humility is such a desired quality for those who truly look to enjoy their lives.
Got You Covered
Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets, but he who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a thing covered. (Proverbs 11:13)
I’ve worked for organisations and the been around certain other social environments and the tendency towards gossip and character assassination is so rife it is sickening. Not only that but the mask of acceptability behind this norm should be disturbing to anyone who loves God. That propensity to be as indiscreet as a tabloid newspaper depicts the fact that the reason why the tabloids behave as 
they do is because salacious gossip is something that titillates the taste-buds. Discretion is not admired when getting a glimpse of what’s going on through the paparazzi and the inquisitive reporters makes an effort to satiate the hunger for slander and disgracing others. No better is this seen than in the kiss-and-tell exposes that make up a lot of the press.
How wonderful, then, it is to know that we can develop that trustworthy character that has us covered. This is the quality that defends our friends against people’s attempts to take their name through the mud. This is the quality that chooses to display the positive aspects of the friends we hold dear even in the light of unremitting criticism. True friends do challenge, rebuke and reprove, but all done with the utmost discretion, whilst to all others any flaws are covered by that great quality of love. This truth is so much more powerful than the alternative that although it appears to be holding sway, the greater truth will always triumph.
Giving and Getting for Giving
One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.(Proverbs 11:24)
There is someone I know who typifies the truth behind this proverb. Faithfully week after week she would be fruitful in her generosity. Whatever her own circumstance, she took pleasure in being so generous and so it was no surprise that
in as much as she gave, she was given more to give. Indeed I am certain that her self-less act of friendship and generosity has been noted above. This is in line with the encouragement towards generosity shared by Paul to the church in Corinth where he suggested that each should give as they have decided in their heart without compulsion, because God loves a cheerful giver. This friend was so humble and joyful in sharing it really lifted my spirit and I have every confidence that this quality will rub off on me and that her own needs will be met both externally and internally because of her choosing to invest in the lives of others. That is because those who give generously can expect to receive in the same measure. Often people take that as a hint to give money so they can get more money, what they miss out though is the heart condition that would allow those who give their time, their compassion, their fruit, whatever they have to share with a pure heart to reap in so many diverse ways that material comeback is a small bonus.
Funnily enough those who look to be stingy complaining about economic climates and recessions seem to be the last out of it, whilst others who live oblivious to it due to a greater knowledge of that which really matters are able to walk through it because of who they love to give to. This again is about what happens when our eyes are on the prize of God. We seek to be like Him, loving and generous as He is, knowing that we cannot out-give Him, but we can definitely be like Him in desiring to give rather than merely hoard, protect and not look to be bountiful. There is such a truth and release in life by this approach to life that this truly is the better way.
Just some of the nuggets worth chewing on in the kernels of popcorn proverbs we find in God’s Holy Word.
For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
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