Proverbs 11 - Introduction

NOTICEABLE GROUPINGS IN CHAPTER 11

What are you doing to yourself?

The wicked will fall by his own wickedness (Proverbs 11:5).

The merciful man doeth good to his own soul (Proverbs 11:17).

He that is cruel troubleth his own house (Proverbs 11:17).

He that pursueth evil doeth it to his own death (Proverbs 11:19).

He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind (Proverbs 11:29).

Abomination and delight

A false balance is an abomination to Jehovah; But a just weight is his delight (Proverbs 11:1).

They that are perverse in heart are an abomination to Jehovah; But such as are perfect in their way are his delight (Proverbs 11:20).

Destruction

The perversness of the treacherous shall destroy them (Proverbs 11:3)

With his mouth the godless man destroyeth his neighbor (Proverbs 11:9)

The city....is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked (Proverbs 11:11).

He that pursueth evil doeth it to his own death (Proverbs 11:19)

He that trusteth in his own riches shall fall (Proverbs 11:28).

Deliverance

Righteousness delivereth from death (Proverbs 11:4).

The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them (Proverbs 11:6).

The righteous is delivered out of trouble (Proverbs 11:8).

Through knowledge shall the righteous be delivered (Proverbs 11:9).

The seed of the righteous shall be delivered (Proverbs 11:21).

Righteous

The integrity of the upright shall guide them (Proverbs 11:3).

The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way (Proverbs 11:5).

The righteous is delivered out of trouble (Proverbs 11:8).

Through knowledge shall the righteous be delivered (Proverbs 11:9).

When it goeth well with the righteous, the city rejoiceth (Proverbs 11:10).

By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted (Proverbs 11:11).

He that soweth righteousness hath a sure reward (Proverbs 11:18).

He that is steadfast in righteousness shall attain unto life (Proverbs 11:19).

The seed of the righteous shall be delivered (Proverbs 11:21).

The desire of the righteous is only good (Proverbs 11:23).

He that diligently seeketh good seeketh favor (Proverbs 11:27).

The righteous shall flourish as the green leaf (Proverbs 11:28).

The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life (Proverbs 11:30).

The righteous shall be recompensed in the earth (Proverbs 11:31).

PRIDE IS A TROUBLE-MAKER

He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife (Proverbs 28:25), and Proverbs 13:10 says, Only by pride cometh contention.

When one is proud, he is going to try to have his own way no matter what. He will not concede that he has been wrong or that he could even be wrong. He is a self-centered, conceited man who is going to ram-rod his way through anything (or anybody) that would resist him.
It should be easy to admit error when one sees his mistake, but pride will not permit a person to make such an admission. He would rather defend himself though in error than to concede the truth. Thus, trouble arises through pride. And there are other ways too in which pride causes trouble.

PRIDE LEADS DOWN-NOT UP

A man's pride shall bring him low (Proverbs 29:23). There is a lot in that simple statement. A man's pride is actually self-exaltation. A proud man lifts himself up. But, this proverb so wisely says that his pride will actually bring him down in time. And it will. As Proverbs 16:18 says, Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.

Haman's pride brought his destruction. So did Nebuchadnezzar's make a beast of the field of him for seven years. Peter's trusting in his own moral strength led to his downfall, for he didn-'t watch and pray as he should have done. And the persons of the Bible, as well as the persons of any community, give one ample examples of this sad fact.

PRIDE CONTRASTED WITH WISDOM

A proud person glories in his exalted or inflated thoughts of himself. He thinks he is it, or she thinks she is it. But, Proverbs lists pride as foolish and in a number of passages contrasts it with Wis. 14:3 says, In the mouth of the FOOLISH, is a rod of pride: but the lips of the wise shall preserve them. Proverbs 11:2 says, When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom. And Proverbs 13:10 says, Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom. One is not well advised who is proud in heart. He has been using the wrong standard of measure. He is viewing himself in the light of his own thoughts, and they are warped. Anyone is foolish who views himself primarily in the light of his own thoughts. What God thinks of us is always right, and the common consensus of thought concerning us is also to be taken into consideration.

Let us see, then, that pride has no chance to get a start in our hearts. Let us pull out the first appearance of it lest it grow and take possession of our hearts.