By Minister Felicia Day
Proverbs Chapter 25
These also are proverbs of Solomon which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied:
2 It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, But the glory of kings is to search out a matter.
3 As the heavens for height and the earth for depth, So the heart of kings is unsearchable.
4 Take away the dross from silver, And it will go to the silversmith for jewelry. 5 Take away the wicked from before the king, And his throne will be established in righteousness.
6 Do not exalt yourself in the presence of the king, And do not stand in the place of the great; 7 For it is better that he say to you, “Come up here,” Than that you should be put lower in the presence of the prince, Whom your eyes have seen.
8 Do not go hastily to [a]court; For what will you do in the end, When your neighbor has put you to shame? 9 Debate your case with your neighbor, And do not disclose the secret to another; 10 Lest he who hears it expose your shame, And [b]your reputation be ruined.
11 A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold In settings of silver. 12 Like an earring of gold and an ornament of fine gold Is a wise rebuker to an obedient ear.
13 Like the cold of snow in time of harvest Is a faithful messenger to those who send him, For he refreshes the soul of his masters.
14 Whoever falsely boasts of giving Is like clouds and wind without rain.
15 By long forbearance a ruler is persuaded, And a gentle tongue breaks a bone.
16 Have you found honey? Eat only as much as you need, Lest you be filled with it and vomit.
17 Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house, Lest he become weary of you and hate you.
18 A man who bears false witness against his neighbor Is like a club, a sword, and a sharp arrow.
19 Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble Is like a bad tooth and a foot out of joint.
20 Like one who takes away a garment in cold weather, And like vinegar on soda, Is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.
21 If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; 22 For so you will heap coals of fire on his head, And the Lord will reward you.
23 The north wind brings forth rain, And a backbiting tongue an angry countenance.
24 It is better to dwell in a corner of a housetop, Than in a house shared with a contentious woman.
25 As cold water to a weary soul, So is good news from a far country.
26 A righteous man who falters before the wicked Is like a murky spring and a [c]polluted well.
27 It is not good to eat much honey; So to seek one’s own glory is not glory.
28 Whoever has no rule over his own spirit Is like a city broken down, without walls.
King Hezekiah
Proverbs 25: Were collected from Solomon by the Advisers of King Hezekiah of Judea
• (v) 2: It’s God privilege to conceal things and the king’s privilege to discover them
• (v) 3: No one can discover the heights of heaven, the depts of the earth, or all that goes on in the kings' mind!
Verse 2 & 3 demonstrate that the wisdom of God and the mind of a King is unknown to us. Why do you think God would allow the King to have the privilege of Wisdom?
How leaders' staff should & should not behave
Proverbs 25:4-10
• (v) 4-5 Removal of evil from the inner circle to rule with justice.
• (v) 6-7 Approach leader with respect
• (v) 8-10 Don’t be eager to testify what you may have seen your neighbor do. Speak to them privately and don’t discuss it with anyone. If you tell someone one you may be perceived as a gossip,
Verse 4-10 demonstrate the behavior follower should have and how a leader should deal with people who behave badly. When a follower is seen as a being a gossipper how does that reflect on the leader?
Leaders should offer advise & criticism
Proverbs 25:11-15
• (v) 11-12 Reveals how good advice and criticism from a leader can be as valuable as silver and gold
• (v) 13-15 Demonstrates that faithfulness to leaders can be refreshing to leaders. A person that does not fulfill a promise has created false expectancy. Patience can persuade leaders and soft speech can crush strong opposition
Do remember a time when you received some good advice from your leader and how was did you feel or respond.
Leaders should offer advise & criticism
Proverbs 25:16-28
• These verses outline several things that should not be done as it will reflect poorly on your leader.
Let’s take a moment to discuss each verse and identify how to apply this wisdom to our everyday lives as leaders.
About the Author
Minister Felicia Day a servant of God became a Minster in 2015. She is passionate about Prison Ministry. She currently serves as the Executive Director of Glorious Angles 501c3 which is a Re-entry Housing Program. She is the CEO/Founder, of NDAMIX Music Group & Executive Producer NDAMIX Entertainment based in Jacksonville, FL. Her favorite scripture is Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.