Keep a Clear Mind

Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes? They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine. Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder. (Proverbs 23:29-32)

Proverbs 23:29-32 begins with a cautionary tone, explaining how the life of a person who ends up with woe, sorrow, and endless strife starts. This person has nonsensical babbling, wounds that came from nowhere, red eyes, and a heavy heart. What type of person has this as their future? It’s the person who seeks intoxication that comes from alcohol, drugs, or other things. Even if those things are legal where you live, that does not mean it is the will of God for you to consume them. The Bible tells us we must have 100% of our faculties about us all the time.

Proverbs tells us the consequences of becoming intoxicated are like a bite that pierces and a sting that lingers. It's a reminder that what starts as intoxication leads to enduring pain. I know people who got drunk or high and did things they never would have done sober and ended up in jail. They paid a huge price for their moment of intoxication. I also know others who continue to engage in alcohol and intoxicants despite the problems and pain they cause. They exist as slaves to their intoxicant.

As mature believers, we should stay clear of substances that cloud our clarity and spiritual discernment. Do not give the devil any place in your life.

Practical Application

You never know when a serious decision will need to be made. Many times, it’s when you least expect it. That is why you need to have a clear mind and clear discernment about you all the time. Refuse to allow anything to take your ability to focus on what the Holy Spirit is always saying to you.

Isaiah 28:3; Ephesians 5:18

Housetop Living

It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman in a wide house. (Proverbs 21:9)

Proverbs is a book of wisdom. Many of the proverbs have to do with relationships. Here, in Proverbs 21:9, wisdom is offered to those who are married or desiring to be married.

The Proverb says that even if you have an expensive, large house, it’s better to live in the corner of your rooftop with peace and solitude than to live in the chaos that comes from a wife that is always trying to start fights and keep them going.

Choosing who you will marry is one of the most important decisions you will make in life. When you’re dating, be aware! Someone who is prone to fighting and complains about others to you is telling you this is exactly what they will be like toward you when you get married.

In fact, Proverbs repeats this wisdom three times in its pages. Any time the Bible says something three times in the same book, you need to pay attention. What is the wise writing telling us? Avoid the contentious and the brawling because they will disrupt the peace of your life.

For our single brothers, this wisdom is significantly important. Choose carefully who you do life with. You may work hard at gaining a beautiful house with many things. But that abundance will be lost if discord is within its walls.

Seek people who choose peace over quarrels. Seek those who enjoy contentment over conflict. Seek relationships with people who are peacemakers, not complainers. In the right, godly relationship, you will have ups and downs, but you should always have peace.

Practical Application

Be mindful of warning signs that people show before you enter a romantic relationship or a friendship. Are they prone to conflict? Do they look for solutions to find peace or are they constantly complaining about others to you? Do not be in a relationship with someone who is blatantly looking to engage in and embrace chaos.

Proverbs 21:19; Proverbs 27:15

True Friendship

A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. (Proverbs 17:17)

Who you decide to keep close to you as friends is one of the most important decisions you will make. Proverbs has a lot to say about those whom we choose as friends.

The emphasis on all times in Proverbs 17:17 leaves no room for ambiguity. What does all times mean? It means every moment. How much is left after every moment? No moment and nothing is left after all times. This wording is a profound reminder that genuine friendship is not conditional.

Godly friendship flourishes in both the sunshine of joy and the storms of adversity. You really don’t know who your friends are until you aren’t popular, and people or situations are against you. A true friend is anointed to help you through the struggles of difficulty. An authentic friend will stand with you when no one else will.

When my kids were young, my wife made it a point to teach this concept to our kids. They would come home saying, “so-and-so is my friend,” and we had to get them to understand the difference between friends and acquaintances. You don’t need someone who is going to be a buddy when everything is good; you need someone who sticks closer than a brother during the difficult moments of life.

In fact, the second part of this verse talks about a brotherhood that extends beyond blood. This is friendship that is forged in the crucible of life’s challenges, in moments of adversity, and in the problems that we can’t seem to find our way around in the moment. In moments of crisis, real friends are God’s gift to us to show us support and love.

Practical Application

Reevaluate your friendships and consider who would continue to stand by your side when the applause fades and adversity comes. In a world where the term friend is often loosely, we must guard our hearts and guide our expectation toward those who we really should call friends.

Proverbs 18:24; 1 Samuel 18:3