Marks of Godly Living - Proverbs 10:1-14

by David Woods

Last night I was listening to the news on the radio and heard some coverage of Billy Graham's final crusade. One reporter made a remark about people holding their hands in the air. She said something like, "It is if they are beckoning their god to them."

Maybe she was just having an awkward moment of trying to describe the scene before her, but it seemed to me another example of how foreign Christianity is to many in our society (especially the media).

Increasingly, it seems like Christians are being made fun of. They are one group you can assail in our politically correct world.

Godly living is not very popular. Maybe it never has been.

Discussion: Why do you think godly living is unpopular among many people?
(Can't live it, not worth it, uncool, etc.)

I think one of the main reasons why godly living is in disfavor with many is because godly living seemingly doesn't pay. You can't have fun and be a Christian, many would say. You can't do the things that allow you to succeed in life as a Christian, others would say.

But the main idea behind our scripture passage is that:

Big Idea: Godly living has wonderful benefits.

Our job as the Church of God and individually as Christians to basically to advertise Christ and Christian living to those in the world.

Discussion: If you were to develop a media advertisement for "Godly living", what are the benefits or rewards of godly living that you would promise?

Our lesson title is the "Marks of Godly Living." There are four characteristics of godly living that are presented in our scripture text. But these characteristics are not presented so much in the form of: "Do this and you will be godly" as they are presented as, "This way of godly living will help you in _____ area of life."

1. Righteous living gains us favor from God, vv. 1-3.

Discussion: Why do we have such a strong desire for affirmation from our parents?

Discussion: How does honoring our parents gain us favor in God's sight?

Discussion: List different ways righteous living can deliver us from death.
(Avoiding alcohol decreases several risks to our health, including the risk of being in a fatal car accident while DUI. Righteousness keeps us running with the right crowd; away from the brawling of the rough crowd, etc.)

Discussion: What do the words "The LORD will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish" say to you?
(It says to me that it would grieve God's heart to allow His dear friends to starve and suffer deprivation. This is not to say God's people will never suffer want or even starve to death. Nor does it say we will be wealthy. But it does say that God looks upon us with favor.)

2. Diligent work gains us a reasonable lifestyle, vv. 4-5.

Discussion: Is an emphasis on hard work (diligence) just a manifestation of "greedy" capitalism? Why or why not?

Discussion: What character problem(s) does laziness reveal?

Discussion: When does a proper reinforcement of the principle of hard work become perverted by greed and/or idolatry?

3. Integrity gains us a good reputation before others, vv. 6-10.

Discussion: Why is the just person blessed by others?

Discussion: How is accepting authority (v. 8) a sign of integrity?

Discussion: Why and/or how does a babbling tongue (see "prating fool", v. 8) destroy our influence with others?

Discussion: What lie(s) of the devil does verse nine debunk?
(Nobody will ever know. You can do what you want and then just ask God's forgiveness afterward, etc. Note: I think this would be a good verse to suggest that the people memorize.)

4. Tactful speech gains us grace in the eyes of others, vv. 11-14.

Discussion: How can wise speech (tactful speech) be a "well of life"? To us? To others?

I realize the simple reading of verse twelve would suggest that because we love others we overlook their sins. I would like to suggest, however, that this could also mean that our loving others (and their reaction of love to us) also covers over sins, in that when we hurt them (especially unintentionally) they will overlook the offense because of our love for one another.

This idea could be abused by one who acted lovingly in order to hurt others and yet be forgiven. But I think such duplicity would be found out eventually, and the hypocrite would live to regret his actions.

Discussion: Why is the "mouth of the foolish" said to be "near destruction"?

Discussion: How does "wise men lay up knowledge" relate to tactful speech?