The subject matter that started way back in Chapter 11, verse 1 deals with "The Pious and ungodly; Their Advantages and their Disadvantages. Then in Chapter 12 we studied this subject with reference to domestic and other vocations, and in the prior chapter we just finished it was the "Temporal and Eternal" good. Now we will take a look a the advantages and disadvantages with respect to the wise and foolish, the rich and poor.

Proverbs 14:1 "Every wise woman buildeth her house: But the foolish plucketh it down with her hands."

This applies to both men and women, for in a marriage the two become one. For if you are ever going to get ahead financially or domestically, both the husband and the wife must work together for their goals. That is if what the foolish woman or man continues to allow what they are doing to the end. However the foolish person, whether man or woman will tare up her own household, by his or her own efforts. The reason that the woman is mentioned here, I see, is that even in nature, it is the female bird, animal, or any part of nature that the responsibility of holding the household, or flock together falls on mother. When the woman has the wisdom to hold it together, there will be strength in the family unit. If not, the family will see some rough times. That is the nature of the beast or animal instinct in us, and of course there are exceptions to the rule. This is why a woman must use great wisdom when there is cause, as to whether she will leave him or not, for the sake of the family. However, in many cases, it is always easier to repair the faults of the existing home, than to start over.

Proverbs 14:2 "He that walketh in his uprightness feareth the Lord: But he that is perverse in his ways despiseth Him."

A person that loves the Lord shows reverence to the Lord, and you can see that respect in everything that he or she does. If you continually receive the blessings of the Lord, how can you not help but love Him, that gave you so much. However, when there is no respect for Father, you can see them blaming everything that happens to them on God. They simply cannot see their own faults.

Usually when bad things happen, when kids are molested, and there is much trouble in the neighborhood, it is the people that have turned their backs on God's Word and His Ways. When they see wrong they do nothing about it. God gave us His set of rules in His Word, and when we abide by those rule, things go right and people are blessed. When a murder takes place, after the trial that finds him guilty, that is the time to send that person to meet his maker for judgment. When people see that the results of their sin is capital punishment, they will think twice before committing such an act. God told us how to clean up the neighborhood, but when we fail to follow God's Ways, perversion take place. Don't blame God for the faults that you see going on around you, when you are not willing to make a stand when trouble comes.

Proverbs 14:3 "In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride: But the lips of the wise shall preserve them."

When a foolish person speaks of himself with too much boasting in his pride, most of the time it turns people away from him. Self pride will always come rolling off the lips of the fool. Their own words will cause their downfall. Stop and listen to political speeches, and it doesn't take long to see that he or she is throwing a smoke screen around you.

Proverbs 14:4 "Where no oxen are, the crib is clean: But much increase is by the strength of the ox."

What this is saying, is that the better tools that you can utilize, the more work can get done, and product can increase. A farmer that has no tractor or farm equipment, will not be able to plant a crop and take in the harvest. A logger without a chain saw, or the equipment to get the logs out of the woods and into the market place simply is out of business. A ministry without the proper tools to get the word out to the people, simply is not a ministry. You have to have the tools to get what ever job you intend to do done, to meet the end results that you are striving for; [to the farmer, it is putting the corn in the corn crib]. To the preacher, it is teaching the Bible book by book, chapter by chapter, and verse by verse, rightly dividing the "Word of Truth".

This applies to whatever your vocation is, for it is through that vocation that your family is fed and the bills are paid. Strive to be the best that you can be, in the field that you are in. Learn to use the tools of the trade, and do the job safely and efficiently. Your true value to your employer come from what you know, and your attitude in the work place.

Proverbs 14:5 "A faithful witness will not lie: But a false witness will utter lies."

The faithful witness is one that would not tell a lie no matter what the cost to him or his family. However false witness are everywhere, they find pleasure in telling their lies.

Proverbs 14:6 "A scorner seeketh wisdom, and findeth it not: But knowledge is easy unto him that understandeth."

This is talking about seeking wisdom for the wrong reasons; they will not find it. Knowledge and wisdom are both tied together when you use common sense.

Proverbs 14:7 "Go from the presence of the foolish man, When thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge."

When you hear somebody talking about any subject, you don't have to listen very long before you know whether the man is a fool or not. The Word that come from the man's mouth will tell you what is in his mind, whether it is sound advice or just babel. If you need advice, go to the person or place where you know wisdom is.

Proverbs 14:8 "The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way: But the folly of fools is deceit."

The "prudent" person is capable of exercising sound judgment in practical matters; especially as it concerns one's own interests. This prudent one is cautious or discreet, not rash in making a judgment, and wisely manages the affairs of his or her wealth and relationships. So the prudent person takes great care in everything that he or she does or says. However to the fool, what they do and say brings folly down on their own head. The prudent person will cautiously use common sense, thinking and planning ahead in all matters.

Proverbs 14:9 "Fools make a mock at sin: But among the righteous there is favour.

At first, this verse doesn't make sense, for fools do take pride in their sins, so something is missing in the translation. The word "sin" as it is used in the Hebrew text is from the prime # 816; "Asham, to be guilty, to be punished or perish, be (come, found, made) desolate, or guilty." However as used in this verse, 817 is used; "a sin offering". So what this is saying is; "A fool makes a mockery even in his sin offering" when he gives it. The sin offering is what is given to pay back the one that the fool has harmed. God ordered in His Word that the reward would be twice the amount that the damages were to the innocent person. There is no remorse to the fool in his giving, but the only reason he does it, is to stay out of prison. You see it all the time, bragging over plea bargaining and fines, the price of being a fool. On the other side of the subject, that money wasted in fines could have gone for things for the family. The righteous man is always coming out ahead when there is no fines to him.

Proverbs 14:10 "The heart knoweth his own bitterness; And a stranger doth not inter-meddle with his joy."

Your "heart" is your mind, and within your own mind, you know what troubles yourself. You know when trouble enters your life that you have to work those troubles out yourself. The stranger, as given here is not "nakar", of another religion, but "zur" an religious apostate. One that was in Christ at one time, but left the faith for a form of idolatry. One of an apostate religion, or false tradition of men can not take the joy of our Lord away from you. So what this is saying, is that you in your mind know the things that trouble you soul and gives you joy, but a "zur" an apostate or "know it all" of religion cannot take that joy from you. No one can take God's blessings from you.

Proverbs 14:11 "The house of the wicked shall be overthrown: But the tabernacle of the upright shall flourish."

If you plan wickedness from your home, such as drug dealing, in time you wicked deeds will catch up with you. You may get away with wicked deeds for a while, but in time it will all come down on your head.

Proverbs 14:12 "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, But the end thereof are the ways of death."

This is not in reference to God, but to a man. There are ways which may seem right to you to do something, to get rich, or to obtain some wealth, and it may seem pleasing and easy. By going after that wealth or position, in the end, it may cause your spiritual death. When you follow the ways of the world, those paths do not lead to God's kingdom, but to Satan's. You will follow Satan right into the fire following judgment, for that is where all the paths of this world lead.

Proverbs 14:13 "Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful; And the end of that mirth is heaviness."

This "laughter" is in reference to the laughter and joy you get from earthly ways of doing things. That laughter is very short lived and our Heavenly Father is left out of those things, and when you look back on those times it is not uplifting, but degrading. This is why people without God, and Christ in their heart have such a hard time finding peace of mind. It is impossible to have peace of mind and be biblically illiterate.

Proverbs 14:14 "The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: And a good man shall be satisfied from himself."

The wise man knows enough to avoid evil, and the damage evil can bring down on him. However the backslide or fool gets over confident in his ways, and in the process, loses his common sense. That is what self confidence from pride will do to you.

Proverbs 14:15 "The simple believeth every word: But the prudent man looketh well to his going."

Our minds are frail in comparison with our heavenly Father's. When they stray from the wisdom of God's Word we can see why men get themselves in the trouble they are in. When you follow the ways of the world you pick up all sorts of foolishness and end up heading in many directions. Go back and review the eighth verse to see what a prudent person is; for he or she is one that uses common sense in planning before he makes a move to speak of do something. The prudent person knows the outcome of what they say or do before it is said or done.

Proverbs 14:16 "A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil: But the fool rageth, and is confident."

The wise man knows enough to stay clear of all evil, but fools rushe into judgment, not giving a second thought to the outcome.

Proverbs 14:17 "He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly: And a man of wicked devices is hated."

When a person has a temper and reacts without thinking, of course their words and deeds will be foolishness. The man of wicked devices or schemes is hated by those people dealing with him. The one follows the other.

Proverbs 14:18 "The simple inherit folly: But the prudent are crowned with knowledge."

Knowledge is a crown to the one that wears it. People look up to you when your advice is good and sound, and you don't even have to tell others that you have it. The "prudent" is the one that uses good common sense cautiously in all his or her dealings.

Proverbs 14:19 "The evil bow before the good; And the wicked at the gates of the righteous."

This verse makes no sense until you go back to its original Hebrew writing. Its telling us that the wicked never win, and when they lose, they are back at the gates of the rich seeking help. This is true when that gate is the judgment seat; the courts.

To take this to a prophetic sense, we know that on the first day of the Millennium age, every knee will bow to Christ, or they will not exist.

Proverbs 14:20 "The poor is hated even of his own neighbour: But the rich hath many friends."

When a person has a lot of money, people like to flock to him for help. But there are not many that come to a poor man when it is known he can't give much. A wise [prudent] rich person gives help when it is needed. All rich persons are not all bad, for to be rich with God's blessings by following His rules, is to be rich with a clear conscience, and peace of mind. That person is successful by doing it God's Way, and should enjoy his blessings.

Proverbs 14:21 "He that despiseth his neighbour sinneth: But he that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he."

Here it is, if your neighbor is poor and you hate him for that reason, God is telling you that that is a sin. Each of us sinners come to the cross for forgiveness and mercy from Father, and we received mercy and forgiveness at Christ's expense. How could you not have mercy on others when they come to you for help, when you have it to give? It should be from mercy and not pity, for we have received the greatest gift in the forgiveness of our sins, giving us eternal life by Christ's love and mercy. There is no sin in being poor, but that is when it is time to work for a better life.

Proverbs 14:22 "Do they not err that devise evil? But mercy and truth shall be to them that devise good."

Of course those that devise evil are in sin. What goes around, comes around. When you plot evil it comes back to you; but when you follow truth and mercy in your life you can expect the blessings of God. You set the direction in your life and the choices that you make determines the life you will live.

Proverbs 14:23 "In all labor there is profit: But the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury."

Did you get what this is saying? There are no free rides in life, but in your labor comes the wage to buy the food and pay the bills. Your profit comes from your labor. But the talk of idle lips leads you to be penniless, impoverishment.

Proverbs 14:24 "The crown of the wise is their riches: But the foolishness of fools is folly."

Never apologize for being rich with God's blessings. Sure Matthew 19:24 says; "And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God." However this was speaking of being rich with ill-gotten gains. But the riches from God's blessings are your crown, something to be respected.

The results of being a fool will always bring folly to the fool.

Proverbs 14:25 "A true witness delivereth souls: But a deceitful witness speaketh lies."

The true witness from the Word, will deliver souls to the kingdom of God. But the one that bares false witness, peddling traditions and lies are using one of Satan's methods, by using deception.

Proverbs 14:26 "In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence: And His children shall have a place of refuge."

Strong confidence comes to you by your given reverence to the Lord. You give that reverence by studying His Word and following the instructions within it. Naturally the person that follows God Proverbs and Word will live a better life and give refuge to his children. Your children will gain by your riches and the example you set for them. More than likely they will live their lives as you have taught them to live.

Proverbs 14:27 "The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, To depart from the snares of death."

"The reverence [to love him] of the Lord is a fountain of life." It is from the Lord that eternal life come from. By your loving Father, it causes you to escape eternal damnation of your soul, as well as all those traps that Satan will set for you.

Proverbs 14:28 "In the multitude of people is the king's honour: But in the want of people is the destruction of the prince."

The kings honor is determined by the size of his kingdom. Whereas without people to fill his kingdom, the prince simply has no kingdom.

Proverbs 14:29 "He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding But he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly."

Being slow to honor is a reflection of great knowledge and wisdom. However those that are quick to anger and excitement leave themselves open to much folly. This is telling us to think clearly before you react on any matter, and we do that by using common sense. Anger to the point of wrath is a form of insanity, and comes from a lack of self confidence. Of course the answer to this problem is to get into the Word of God, and restore your confidence by following our Lord's instructions. When you are a child of God, and see all the wonderful promises that God has given to you, you will be blessed and gain self confidence. This type of "wrath" can not compared to righteous indignation, a just reaction from a righteous man or woman.

Proverbs 14:30 "A sound heart is the life of the flesh: But envy the rottenness of the bones."

A sound mind gives life to these flesh bodies: but coveting will destroy you right down to your health and spirit. If you know someone that has been blessed well, be happy for them, and praise God with them. Don't envy them but follow their ways as an example.

Proverbs 14:31 "He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker: But he that honoureth Him hath mercy on the poor.

When you help the poor, you will be respected both by the poor and by God. This applies to your works, and God is aware of those thing you do in His name, and you will be rewarded for those acts done in His name.

Proverbs 14:32 "The wicked is driven away in his wickedness: But the righteous hath hope in his death."

Sure, the wicked will be destroyed by their wickedness; but after death we have hope for living a righteous life. The wicked will fall by his own misfortune, for he just can't handle it; it brings on worry.

Proverbs 14:33 "Wisdom resteth in the heart of him that hath understanding: But that which is in the midst of fools is made known."

You must have understanding before you can have wisdom. Proverbs 3:5,6; "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; And lean not unto thine own understanding. [5] "In all thy ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct thy paths. [6]

A wise person uses common sense before making a judgment or doing something, but the when a fool gathers a little information he rushes out to make judgments without all the facts known. They take the few facts known and build a false image of the matter, then comes the talk but with no action following. In one case, the wise act on the knowledge that has been thought through, while the fool talks about it, but does nothing about it.

Proverbs 14:34 "Righteousness exalteth a nation: But sin is a reproach to any people."

Righteousness will exalt a nation: But unfortunately, our great nation stands in disgrace over the sins that are spreading across our land. It starts with people in high places, and goes all the way to the streets of neighborhoods. Righteousness makes a difference whether God blesses our land and people. How can God bless any nation when it's leaders are corrupt and perverted.

Proverbs 14:35 "The king's favour is toward a wise servant: But his wrath is against him that causeth shame."

This is only common sense, the king will favor those servants that are faithful to him and their work, and bring his wrath against those that bring shame to his kingdom. How can you expect our heavenly Father to react any different to those that cause shame to His kingdom. God does keep records and judged us on our faithfulness to His Word and work, and there are rewards to those that are found faithful in their duties. God is the one that blesses a nation or curses it. God gave us direction for our people way back in the wilderness, before entering into the promise land.

Deuteronomy 28:1 "And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all His commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set the on high above all nations of the earth:"

Deuteronomy 28:2 "And all these blessings shall come on thee, and over take thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God."

God then gave all the ways that he would bless the nation that would diligently follow God's Ways. We are a blessed nation because of God's blessing and the foundation of our forefathers, and the laws of our land. However there also are curses that God warned His people of, when they do not follow His ways, and they are laid out also in this chapter of Deuteronomy.

Deuteronomy 28:15 "But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to do all His commandments and His statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and over take thee:"

God continued to lay out all the curses that would come upon a nation for not diligently following His Ways. Stop and look around you and your community and see whether our people are being blessed or cursed. These promises are given to us and our nation.