Proverbs 19:15-29
Laziness, especially laziness in listening (Hebrews 5:11), has yet more disastrous consequences for "the idle soul" (v. 15). It can make a person who should be wide awake to listen to the Lord fall "into a deep sleep" (cf. Matthew 25:5). It produces soul hunger and spiritual poverty (Proverbs 20:13). Moreover, dear friend, if your soul is hungry, do not try to deceive it by "that which satisfieth not" (Isaiah 55:2). There is only one suitable food — the Word of God. According to v. 23 the insurance against being visited by evil is to be fed by Christ, the true Bread of heaven. Alongside these words of knowledge there is an instruction which "causeth to err" (v. 27; 1 Timothy 6:20-21); this is the fruit of the many thoughts of man’s heart (v. 21). To listen to this is to deviate from the path of obedience; it is then we need reproof (vv. 18, 25). We should not only give this word the sense of chastisement but think of the airline pilot who corrects his route and changes his course according to the instructions from the control tower. The correction of the Lord should have this effect on us. It is the son’s privilege (v. 18; Proverbs 13:24) and the one that has understanding knows how to profit from it (v. 25; Proverbs 9:8).