Choose Discretion

Choose Discretion

December 8, 2013

Proverbs 4:10-15

Hook:  Memorize: If you take your neighbor to court, do not betray another’s 

confidence, or the one who hears it may shame you  and the charge against 

you will stand.  Proverbs 25:9,10

On December 18th, 2013, GQ Magazine[2] published an interview with Phil Robertson, 

a cast member of the A&E reality TV series Duck Dynasty and the head of his family-

owned hunting supplies business Duck Commander, for the January 2014 print issue. 

In the interview, Robertson was quoted as stating that homosexuality is a “sin" and 

condemned gay relationships as unnatural and illogical, citing his devout commitment

 to the teachings of the Bible.

What does the Duck Dynasty story have to do with our memory Verse, if at all?  

Did Phil act with discretion or not?

Book:  Proverbs 25: 1-10

These are more proverbs of Solomon, compiled by the men of Hezekiah king 

of Judah VRS 1

Read 1 Kings 4:32  How man proverbs did Solomon speak?  3000

There are two collections  in Proverbs of Solomon’s sayings: 10:1-22:16 & 25:1-29:27  

These total about 500 proverbs add maybe a few in Ecclesiastics and you can see we

 have lost most of Solomon’s writings.

Does it surprise you that Solomon did not write all of the book of Proverbs?

Solomon reigned from 970 B.C. to 930 B.C  Hezekiah Reigned about 727-696 B.C. 

About 270 later.  So for those 270 years these proverbs were oral tradition, until 

Hezekiah had them written down.

Interesting fact is a contemporary of Hezekiah is the prophet Isaiah and he may have 

headed this project and my why they were so easily  added into Old Testament scripture.   

This a look into how we arrived tohave the OT.

It is the glory of God to conceal a matter;

    to search out a matter is the glory of kings.

 As the heavens are high and the earth is deep,

    so the hearts of kings are unsearchable.  VRS 2,3

Verses 2,3 are called antithetic Parallelism means contrasting with similar elements.

How would you sum these verses up:  There is one God of the universe and even the 

best king is not it!

A king busies himself searching out a matter, looking into many things, finding out what 

there is to find out; he is a human being and must if he is going to know, and he can 

because he has the men, and the money of the kingdom at his disposal.  But God 

doesent have to search things out; He know all about everything.  

Pondering the Proverbs Donald Hunt

The last word unsearchable in verse 3 ties both verses together

What would it be important for the king to know?

As God is about king and king can not know all God knows, so a king is above and 

average man and can not know what the king knows.

Someone read Deut 2929

Remove the dross from the silver, and a silversmith can produce a vessel;  

remove wicked officials from the king’s presence,  and his throne will be 

established through righteousness. Verse 4,5

The key word is Remove it is what ties these two verses together.  It speaks to an 

active decision. When you are in leadership chief responsibility is to actively remove the 

wicked for righteousness towin.

The word picture is the following:  Raw silver ore has to be refined to be usable.  This is 

by discarding all of it’s alloy’s and impurities.  This was done by melting the ore and 

causing the dross to be scraped off the top.  Sometimes this was done seven times.  

Solomon is telling us whether it is a kingdom or a heart removing wickedness 

takes work.

As we approach the New Year, what areas does dross need to be removed from you life?

What are you going to do about it?  Would you share?

Do not exalt yourself in the king’s presence,

    and do not claim a place among his great men;

it is better for him to say to you, “Come up here,”

    than for him to humiliate you before his nobles.  Verse 6,7

Read Luke 14:7-10

Humility in these two passages means: not being a social snob.  Not making yourself more 

important than you are.  (Name dropping, Name accomplishment ETC) or only acquiring 

relationship for your own gain and status.  God honors those who have friends on the bottom 

and top rung;

What can we learn from these two passages?

1.       Let Others blow your own

2.       Do not be seeking fame

3.        God Makes Both poor and powerful let God sort out where you should be!

What you have seen with your eyes

  do not bring[a] hastily to court, for what will you do in the end

    if your neighbor puts you to shame? Verse 8

How do you initially tend to react when you witness something wrong

And do not know the details surrounding the event?  According to this text what should we do?

What is it called?

What have you  looked guilty, but actually quit innocent?

If you take your neighbor to court,

 do not betray another’s confidence,

 or the one who hears it may shame you

  and the charge against you will stand. 9,10

Sum it up?  Loose lips sink ships

Being discreet builds a good reputation

Can you think of a Court Case where this, verse fits here in Denver?

Fox News reporter and the Shooter in Aurora  theater shooting

Can you think of a situation where loose lips have caused Shame?

Look: Can you think of another Scripture that sums up the teaching of 

Proverbs 25:1-10?

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick 

to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 because human 

anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.  Therefore, 

get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly 

accept the word planted in you, which can save you.  James 1:19-21

Took: Discretion?

When we talk too much and listen too little, we lack discretion.

Choose Discretion

Student Notes

December 8, 2013

Proverbs 4:10-15

Hook:  Memorize: If you take your neighbor to court, do not betray another’s

confidence,or the one who hears it may shame you  and the charge against you 

will stand.  Proverbs 25:9,10

Book:  Proverbs 25: 1-10

These are more proverbs of Solomon, compiled by the men of Hezekiah king 

of Judah VRS 1

Read 1 Kings 4:32  How man proverbs did Solomon speak? 

Solomon reigned from 970 B.C. to 930 B.C  Hezekiah Reigned about 727-696 B.C. 

.

It is the glory of God to conceal a matter;

    to search out a matter is the glory of kings.

 As the heavens are high and the earth is deep,

    so the hearts of kings are unsearchable.  VRS 2,3

Verses 2,3 are called antithetic Parallelism means contrasting with similar _______________.

Someone read Deut 2929

Remove the dross from the silver, and a silversmith can produce a vessel;  remove 

wicked officials from the king’s presence,  and his throne will be established 

through righteousness. Verse 4,5

The key word is ___________________________

As we approach the New Year, what areas does dross need to be removed from your life?

What are you going to do about it?  Would you share?

Do not exalt yourself in the king’s presence,

    and do not claim a place among his great men;

it is better for him to say to you, “Come up here,”

    than for him to humiliate you before his nobles.  Verse 6,7

Read Luke 14:7-10

What can we learn from these two passages?

1.        

2.      

3.        

What you have seen with your eyes

  do not bring[a] hastily to court, for what will you do in the end

    if your neighbor puts you to shame? Verse 8

How do you initially tend to react when you witness something wrong

And do not know the details surrounding the event?  According to this text what should we do?

If you take your neighbor to court,

 do not betray another’s confidence,

 or the one who hears it may shame you

  and the charge against you will stand. 9,10

Sum it up? 

Look: Can you think of another Scripture that sums up the teaching of 

Proverbs 25:1-10?

Took: Discretion?

When we talk too much and listen too little, we lack discretion.