Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi
I have to keep reminding myself that it doesn't matter how long it takes....although I do admit to being kind of ready to hit some continuity again. But, Proverbs jumps around so grab your pogo stick and jump with me...we are in the last third of Proverbs, looking at verses containing 'Heart/ hearts'.
The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD; he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases. -- Prov. 21:1; 'heart' is the familiar Strong's H3820, Leb - inner man, mind ,will, heart, understanding.
At first glance, this sounds like God just pulls puppet strings to make kings behave as he wishes...which flies in the face of the doctrine of free will. But it could be that this passage is referring to THE king...likely Solomon...who, at least at the moment the proverb was written, had committed his heart to God. That could easily be a prayer of my own...that God would direct my heart according to his desires. But it could also be referring to the fact that God does direct history towards his purposes, ultimately, even allowing for free will of individuals. We can see in the accounts of the history of the Israelites that when the king's heart was turned towards God, coming judgement was delayed.
All a man's ways seem right to him, but the LORD weighs the heart. -- Prov. 21:2; 'Heart' is the literal Hebrew word for 'heart', Strong's 3826, libbah. It's crazy but that's only the 5th time we've seen this word used so far in the whole study...
This is another reference to self-deception, I believe. God knows the true motives...regardless of how each of us spins our own actions to make them seem reasonable to us.
Haughty eyes and a proud heart, the lamp of the wicked, are sin! -- Prov. 21:4 'Heart' is, again, H3820.
However, the word translated 'lamp' is H5215, nir, which means 'untilled or fallow ground'...it's the same word used in Hos. 10:12 'break up your fallow ground'. That throws a whole different spin on that verse. Before I checked the interlinear, I was going to talk about the 'Lamp' of the wicked meaning the light by which they see; their pride distorting everything. But the haughty look and proud heart as fallow ground...untilled, unprofitable, unbroken ground...that carries the connotation of a stubborn refusal to work that soil. Whichever way that comparison goes, there is no mincing of words here... it is sin. With an exclamation point in the NIV.
He who loves a pure heart and whose speech is gracious will have the king for his friend. -- Prov. 22:11 ; 'Heart' is H3820 again.
This is a person of integrity...pure heart, gracious speech. If you read this from the viewpoint of the king, who likely wrote it...this is the kind of person the king wants for his friends; it's the kind of friends anyone would want, but especially those in positions of power. This is a trustworthy individual.
Oh, this one is a hot potato:
Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline will drive it far from him. -- Prov. 22:15; 'Heart' is H3820 again.
Let's take the, um, least controversial approach here and just say that the 'rod of discipline' represents unpleasant consequences...you can interpret that as you will. The truth is that, unpleasant consequences will bring about changes in behavior...if applied consistently and fairly. Unfair or inconsistent discipline results in...rebellion. The degree of ...unpleasantness...needed depends on the child. Some very sensitive kids respond to a stern rebuke; others need a more emphatic consequence. But the point is that, without discipline, that foolish bent will never be corrected.
Pay attention and listen to the sayings of the wise; apply your heart to what I teach, for it is pleasing when you keep them in your heart and have all of them ready on your lips. -- Prov. 22:17-18; 'Heart' is H3820 in verse 17, and, in verse 18, H990, beten (belly, womb, body.) ...'heart' was clearly selected as 'center of the body', which is a very minor stretch.
I get the notion of acting out of the gut feeling...which is influenced by the teachings of the wise. If one pays attention, listens, considers well wise teachings, then those teachings get down deep into the individual...to use a common illustration, when the pressure's on, those teachings are what will come out. And NOTHING is as gratifying to a teacher/ mentor as hearing those wise teachings applied in a timely fashion by the student. It is, indeed, pleasant to hear those lessons repeated back in real time.
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