Proverbs 28

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Dave Burnette's Commentary

Proverbs Chapter 28

Written By: God through Inspiration

Penned By: Solomon, Agur, and Lemuel

Date Penned: (970-931 BC)

Overview: Wisdom to Teach People to Live Godly (c 1-31)

Theme: Wisdom for Leaders (c 25-31)

Message: Characteristics of Godly Leadership (v 1-28)

Proverbs 28 Commentary

(28:2) Godly Leadership - For a government or a society to endure, it needs wise, informed leaders--and those are hard to find. It is easy to find leaders who go along with "transgression" or moral decay, but a decadent nation cannot long survive. Each person's selfishness quickly affects others. A selfish employee who steals from their company ruins its productivity. A selfish driver who drinks before taking the wheel makes the highways unsafe. A selfish spouse who has an adulterous affair often breaks up multiple families. When enough people live for themselves with little concern for how their actions affect others, the resulting moral rot contaminates the entire nation. Are you part of the problem or the solution?

(28:5) Justice - Because judgment-justice-is part of God's character, a person who follows God treats others justly. Justice begins with concern about what is happening to others. A Christian cannot be indifferent to human suffering because God isn't. And we certainly must not contribute to human suffering through selfish business practices or unfair government policies. Be sure you are more concerned about justice than merely your own interests. You can't claim to follow God and ignore your neighbor.

(28:9) Repentance - God does not regard our prayers if we intend to go back to our sin as soon as we get off our knees. When we forsake our sin and follow him, however, he willingly listens--no matter how bad our sin has been. What closes his ears is not the depth of our sin but our secret intention to do it again. God hears our intentions as clearly as he hears our words.

(28:11) Dependence - There is a temptation for rich people to think they are unusually smart and self-sufficient. If they aren't careful, they can get to the point where they depend on no one and take credit for all they do. But that shows hollow self-esteem. Through dependence on God in their struggles, people who are poor may develop a richness of spirit that no amount of wealth can provide. A rich person can lose all his or her material wealth, but no one can take away a poor person's character. The point of this proverb is that money has no relation to a person's character. Don't be jealous about the money some people have; money may be all they will ever have. Learn from those who are poor, even as you help them.

(28:13) Learning from Our Mistakes - It is human nature to hide our sins and overlook our mistakes. But it is hard to learn from a mistake you don't acknowledge making. And what good is a mistake if it doesn't teach you something? To learn from an error you need to admit it, analyze it, and make adjustments so that it doesn't happen again. Everybody makes mistakes, but only fools repeat them.

(28:13) Confession - Something in each of us strongly resists admitting we are wrong. That is why we admire people who openly and graciously admit their mistakes and sins. These people have strong self-images. They do not always have to be right to feel good about themselves. Be willing to reconsider--to admit you are wrong and to change your plans when necessary. And remember, the first step toward forgiveness is confession

(28:14) Stubbornness - This proverb warns against stubbornness. We become stubborn when we rationalize the wrong that we do or cut ourselves off from God's Word, church, friends, and other Christians who might challenge our ways. Over time we become insensitive to God's leading and lose the desire to change. Respecting and fearing God means keeping an open mind and open heart toward him.

(28:17-18) Acknowledgment - Helping a murderer feel better is not an act of kindness. The more guilt a murderer feels, the more likely that person is to turn to God and repent. In the same way, if we console or comfort someone in some other serious sin, we may make the way easy for them to continue sinning. Guilt can lead to repentance.

(28:26) Humility - Many people treat rugged individualists as heroes. We admire the bold, self-directed people who know what they want and fight for it. They are self-reliant, neither giving nor asking for advice. But what a contrast to God's way! No one can know the future or predict the consequences of his or her choices with certainty. Therefore, the totally self-reliant person may be doomed to fail, while the wise person who depends on God walks a safer and surer bath.

(28:27) Generosity - God wants us to identify with those who are in need, not ignore them. The second part of this proverb could be restated positively: "Those who open their eyes to poor people will be blessed." If we help others when they are in trouble, they will often do whatever they can to return the favor (see 11:24-25). Plus, we have the satisfaction of making a difference in another person's life. Paul promises that God will supply all our needs (Philippians 4:19); he usually does this through other people. What can you do today to help God supply what someone needs:

Dave Burnette's Life Application

Confess Your Sins

Each day we walk through the Bible chapter by chapter making an application of our text to help us grow in the Lord. Many applications can be made from each day's text. Today we continue with the Book of Proverbs with Chapter 28. In our text today, we continue with wisdom for leaders who focus on integrity being a key to having the Lord hear our prayers and work in our lives. What catches my eye is verse 13, which says that those who confess their sins will obtain mercy while those who hide their sin will not prosper. In making application we se that we must stay humble and repentant before the Lord to walk and talk with the Lord. How about you? Have you confessed your sins before the Lord? Let us learn from our text today to confess our sins before the Lord, have Him hear our prayer, and walk with the Lord.

Proverbs 28

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Proverbs 28

¹The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.

²For the transgression of a land many are the princes thereof: but by a man of understanding and knowledge the state thereof shall be prolonged.

³A poor man that oppresseth the poor is like a sweeping rain which leaveth no food.

⁴They that forsake the law praise the wicked: but such as keep the law contend with them.

⁵Evil men understand not judgment: but they that seek the LORD understand all things.

⁶Better is the poor that walketh in his uprightness, than he that is perverse in his ways, though he be rich.

⁷Whoso keepeth the law is a wise son: but he that is a companion of riotous men shameth his father.

⁸He that by usury and unjust gain increaseth his substance, he shall gather it for him that will pity the poor.

⁹He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.

¹⁰Whoso causeth the righteous to go astray in an evil way, he shall fall himself into his own pit: but the upright shall have good things in possession.

¹¹The rich man is wise in his own conceit; but the poor that hath understanding searcheth him out.

¹²When righteous men do rejoice, there is great glory: but when the wicked rise, a man is hidden.

¹³He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.

¹⁴Happy is the man that feareth alway: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief.

¹⁵As a roaring lion, and a ranging bear; so is a wicked ruler over the poor people.

¹⁶The prince that wanteth understanding is also a great oppressor: but he that hateth covetousness shall prolong his days.

¹⁷A man that doeth violence to the blood of any person shall flee to the pit; let no man stay him.

¹⁸Whoso walketh uprightly shall be saved: but he that is perverse in his ways shall fall at once.

¹⁹He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread: but he that followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough.

²⁰A faithful man shall abound with blessings: but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent.

²¹To have respect of persons is not good: for for a piece of bread that man will transgress.

²²He that hasteth to be rich hath an evil eye, and considereth not that poverty shall come upon him.

²³He that rebuketh a man afterwards shall find more favour than he that flattereth with the tongue.

²⁴Whoso robbeth his father or his mother, and saith, It is no transgression; the same is the companion of a destroyer.

²⁵He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife: but he that putteth his trust in the LORD shall be made fat.

²⁶He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.

²⁷He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack: but he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse.

²⁸When the wicked rise, men hide themselves: but when they perish, the righteous increase.

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