Christ With Coffee On Ice - your choices don't just affect you

Episode Date: September 30, 2026

Hey y'all ! Welcome to another Wednesday with CWCOI ! In this week's episode, our host, Ally Yost continues reading in Proverbs reading through chapters 10 and 11. These chapters highlight the difference in the lives of those who are righteous with those who are wicked.  We are encouraged to live wisely and honor the Lord through all that we do. So grab your Bible if you're able to and let's read along together :) "The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed." Proverbs 11:25 _____________________________________________ ☆ PRE-ORDER 'LOVE THAT LASTS' HERE: https://allyyost.com/en-usd/pages/book ☆ OUR NEW MERCH IS LIVE! SHOP AT: https://allyyost.com ☆ MY BIBLE (code 'ALLYYOST' at checkout) ➤ https://hosannarevival.com/collections/beautiful-bibles/products/nlt-notetaking-bible-belfast-theme ☆ TUMBLER LINK ➤ https://allyyost.com/products/cwcoi-glass-tumbler-white _____________________________________________ Connect further with us ! TikTok ➤ https://www.tiktok.com/@christwithcoffeeonice  Instagram ➤ https://instagram.com/christwithcoffeeonice  _____________________________________________ Connect further with Ally ! TikTok (2M) ➤ https://www.tiktok.com/@ally_yost  Instagram ➤ https://www.instagram.com/ally_yost/  ShopMy ➤ https://shopmy.us/allyyost  Pinterest ➤ https://www.pinterest.com/ally_yost1/_created/

Hello, everybody. Welcome to another episode of Christ with coffee on ice. I am your host, Ali Yost. It is a joy and honor to be here with you guys today. Happy Wednesday, everybody. I am very excited to be here today. I got my nails done. Literally today. You guys are seeing my nails just two hours after they were dead. We got Funny Bunny on the my fingers and my toes, but now I'm afraid to show my toes on the podcast, unfortunately, because I got one creepy comment and now I'm afraid. I'm like, do I just start wearing shoes? I know I've done that a couple times, but it just didn't feel normal. It felt weird, actually, to sit on my couch in my home with shoes on. Also, I've kind of become a little bit more aware

of, like, outside germs. I, like, never used to be that kind of person who would acknowledge that there were like outside germs and things that could like be on your clothes, so on and so forth. And so I have kind of turned into the, I never was like this aware before. And I don't think it's a bad thing. I think obviously there's extremes where maybe it can be a little too much. But like I don't really like to lay in my bed or sit on my bed if I know I've been wearing my clothes like out in public, out and about all day. And so yeah, I don't know.

like the idea of wearing my shoes on this couch feels creepy. I just start wearing more socks, I guess. It's been too hot to wear socks in California still. Like I am still doing a lot of flats and sandals and flip-flops. It's just been too hot, guys. It's been so humid. It's been so hot. Anyway, guys, hi.

Hi. I am very excited for today's episode. I'm expectant for what God has for us today. Today is another classic Allie Day where I don't really know what we're going to talk about. I have an idea. And that is I would love to continue to read in the Proverbs. I've been eating it up. Like I don't know about you guys.

I've been eating it up. I've been loving it. I think you guys have also been loving it too. So I personally would love to continue to read in the Proverbs and touch on some commentary and thoughts and feedback throughout reading it. I am excited to learn from Jesus today, as I know all of us are. So we are going to be doing that. One thing I do want to say, that might be a little off topic. Because again, I don't know what God has planned for us in the Proverbs today, but sometimes he really does love to do a full circle. So you never know. But something that I do feel heavy on my heart to share with you guys is, and it's really simple. This isn't going to take long. But today my sister had FaceTimed me and was showing me some old home videos from our childhood growing up.

And I mean, like, she's probably four years old and I'm six. Like we are just little beans running around in the kitchen, like outside playing in the snow, building snowmen. There was this one point in the home movie where I'm outside with my sister playing in the front yard in the snow and my dad. is filming. He's recording on the camcorder. And I found a fly in the snow. And I was, I like ran up to my dad and I showed him. And I was like, dad, this fly. Like he was like, he got stuck in the snow and he like couldn't get out and I saved him. And I like had so much compassion for this little fly in the snow. And my dad was like, is he alive? And I was like, yeah, look, he's moving. Like he's alive. And as I walk. And my dad was like, okay, we'll go put him on the pavement so he can warm up.

Like, my dad was so funny about it. Anyway, as I'm walking away to put this poor fly on the pavement to hopefully warm up, I was like, it probably misses its mom and dad and its family. Like, I already have, like, this whole thing in my... I'm six years old, and I have all this compassion for this little fly. And the thing that I want to remind you guys today, because this was the thing that I was reminded to when I was watching these videos that my sister was sharing with me is that it is so easy to lose compassion.

for ourselves when we forget where we've come from and we forget that we were once a child and it's easy to get really hard on ourselves and it was so funny because I was watching that alley and I had so much compassion for her and it was almost like in that compassion that I felt really convicted where I was like why do you have compassion for that version of alley but you don't have just as much compassion for this version of Alley because that version of Alley is still this one. She's just older now. But like that is still the same girl that you're critiquing every day. Yeah, I don't know. It's just been like a humbling thing for me today and kind of got me in my feels, kind of got me to go sit with Jesus and be honest with myself about how I actually genuinely see myself on a day-to-day

basis and I think I've talked about this on the podcast already a couple times but like I'll I'll see versions of myself from the past and I almost like remove that alley like it's not still me like that version of me is not still the version I am today obviously this version today has had many more experiences and she's grown up in a lot of ways and you know she's grown into who she's continuing to grow into, but at the core of who I am, like, that's still me. And so this is just your reminder today to watch old home movies. If your family still has some, like take the time to go back and or look at old photos. And remember who you were and who you still are actually and where you've come from.

Because yeah, I think when you're like swept away in adulthood, you like kind of just think that you were an adult. This sounds so silly. But sometimes I like am like, I've been an adult the whole time. Like you forget that you used to be a kid, innocent and like having compassion for flies in the snow in the middle of winter in upstate New York. Assuming that it has a family that it really misses. And I'm like, that little girl is so sweet. Like there's in my eyes, there was nothing that she actually could do wrong. And I'm like, why is that changed?

just because I've grown up. Anyway, have compassion for yourself today. Be kind to yourself today. And remember that that same little child that you used to be is still living inside of you in a way. You know, like there's parts of you that was that little kid and still is. That little kid is still living inside of you. Okay, that's my little reminder to you today.

But to move on into this episode, we do have our Christ, of course, we have our butter yellow Bible here from Hosanna Revival. It has been going out of stock and sold out on and off. I have no idea where they're at right now. You might have to set like an email alarm reminder for when it's in stock again because I heard that it keeps selling out. But I do love it. I think it's so beautiful. And Hosanna Revival in general, like even if it's not the yellow one, y'all, all their Bibles, I think I have like four other Bibles.

they are so beautiful. The quality is incredible and they're just like honestly in my opinion timeless I think these Bibles would last literally a lifetime or two. They're so beautiful. And so I do have a code with them if you guys are ever curious if you're on the market for a Bible or if you want a new Bible. It's just my first and last name, Allie Oest. And then today as we are reading scripture, I am going to be reading the new living translation that is NLT. And I really love this translation. I feel like it's pretty easy to understand. And I think that if you want a translation that isn't super intimidating, I would highly recommend NLT or NIV.

The new international version is also very good. That was the version that I started reading the Bible on. And I honestly still love it. I think that they're very similar in ways. But that is the translation that we will be reading today. So we have our Christ. And of course, we have our coffee on ice. Ooh, I really packed it with ice today, actually.

It's not really clanking, but because we got our nails done again, we can at least do that. Okay. These are our glass tumblers that we launched just a couple of months ago, a few months ago now. When was launch? I don't know. A few months ago. We have Jesus on the back. He's perfect. So yeah.

So that's available. All right, guys. Let's do this thing. Lord, thank you for today, God. I thank you for the wisdom that you have ready for us. As we read the scripture, Holy Spirit, I pray that you convict us. I pray that you encourage us. I pray that you give us clarity on maybe some of the things that we need more clarity on.

And we thank you for the gift of your word, Lord. And so Holy Spirit, we invite you into this moment, God. We invite you into our environments. We ask that you actually fill the spaces that we're in right now and that you comfort us. Lord, if there are any anxieties that we are feeling, God. I just pray that through this scripture it goes in the mighty name of Jesus. All anxiety and fear has to bow to the name of Christ. And so we say fear and anxiety, you have to bow to the name of Jesus.

And we plead the blood of Christ over our minds today. Lord, I pray that if there's anything that is taking up our mental space that is not of you, Lord, we pray that you just rebuke it, let it fall, and overcome it right now in this moment, God. Jesus, I thank you that you tell us in scripture to fear not. for you have actually overcome the world. You have overcome every evil thing, including fear and anxiety. And so, God, we lean on you even more today. God, we ask that you show us what it means to be even more dependent on you and to trust that you are sovereign over our lives and that ultimately you are the one who is in control. And so as long as we are surrendered to you, we are in safe hands.

Thank you, God, that you tell us in scripture that we are actually safe in the palm of your hands under the safety of your wings and that you love us so much that you've written each and every one of our names on the palm of your hand. And that is not going anywhere. You will never abandon us, God. You are with us. And so we thank you for your promises that are in this book. And we ask for more of those reminders today, Lord. In your mighty name, Jesus. Amen. So I believe that the last time that we were reading Proverbs, we had left off ending chapter 9. Is that right? Because I'm reading chapter 10 and I'm like, I don't think that we, I don't think that we read this together. I have been reading the Proverbs a bit on my own, but I don't think that we did. So I believe that we

will be picking up here on chapter 10 of Proverbs. Chapter 10 verse 1. If you do have your Bibles nearby, or if you already have them with you, amazing. I think it'd be great for us. us to read this together. If you're not in a place, though, to read your Bible, totally get it. I'm happy to read it to you. And I really like what we were doing last time, where after every chapter, we kind of take a second to pause and do a recap. And I'm going to read a little bit of commentary and just kind of process the scripture even further. I really liked that. So we're going to keep doing that. We're going to read scripture, pause, reflect, digest, read scripture, pause, and then see where we're at with time.

Okay, the top of 10 says, The Proverbs of Solomon, A wise child brings joy to a father, a foolish child brings grief to a mother. Tainted wealth has no lasting value, but right living can save your life. The Lord will not let the godly go hungry, but he refuses to satisfy the craving of the wicked.

Lazy people are soon poor. Hard workers get rich. A wise youth harvests in the summer, but one who sleeps during harvest is a disgrace. The godly are showered with blessings. The words of the wicked conceal violent intentions. We have happy memories of the godly, but the name of a wicked person rots away.

The wise are glad to be instructed, but babbling fools fall flat on their faces. People with integrity walk safely, but those who follow crooked paths will be exposed. People who wink at wrong cause trouble, but a bold reproof promotes peace. The words of the godly are a life-giving fountain. The words of the wicked conceal violent intentions. Hatred stirs up quarrels, but love makes up for all offenses. Wise words come from the lips of people

with understanding, but those lacking sense will be beaten with a rod. Wise people treasure knowledge, but the babbling of a fool invites disaster. The wealth of the rich is their fortress. The poverty of the poor is their destruction. The earnings of the godly enhance their lives, but evil people squander their money on sin. People who accept discipline are on the pathway to life, but those who ignore correction will go astray. Hiding hatred makes you a liar. Slandering others makes you a fool. Too much talk leads to sin. Be sensible and keep your mouth shut. The words of the godly are like sterling silver. The heart of a fool is worthless. The words of the godly encourage many, but fools are destroyed by their lack of common sense. The blessing of the Lord makes a person rich,

and he adds no sorrow with it. Doing wrong is fun for a fool, but living wisely brings pleasure to the sensible. The fears of the wicked will be fulfilled, the hopes of the godly will be granted. When the storms of life come, the wicked are whirled away, but the godly have a lasting foundation. Lazy people irritate their employers, like vinegar to the teeth or smoke in the eyes. Fear of the Lord lengthens one's life, but the years of the wicked are cut short. The hopes of the godly result in happiness, but the expectations of the wicked come to nothing. The way of the Lord is a stronghold to those with integrity, but it destroys the way. The godly will never be disturbed, but the wicked will be removed from the land.

The mouth of the godly person gives wise advice, but the tongue that deceives will be cut off. The lips of the godly speak helpful words, but the mouth of the wicked speaks perverse words. Okay, so that was the end of chapter 10. That was all 32 verses. So just as a little bit of a refresher on all of the chapters that we've already read, which obviously were chapters 1 through 9 until this point is in chapters 1 through 9 Solomon gave longer speeches about why we should pursue wisdom, right? He often spoke like a father instructing a child and wisdom and folly were presented almost like two women inviting us to follow them.

So that was the theme that we've been reading up until this point. But in the beginning of chapter 10, the writing kind of changes, right? instead of one continuous teaching we receive short memorable sayings usually one or two sentences at a time so the style of chapter 10 definitely changes a lot in comparison to the other chapters like almost poetic kind of where it's just like short sentences many of them contrast two different kinds of people the wise and the foolish or the righteous and the wicked the diligent and the lazy, right? So in every sentence there is like a very harsh contrast or we're shown one side of the coin and then the exact opposite to that. And so this chapter was essentially showing us what wisdom and foolishness look like once they become a way of life. I feel like chapters

one through nine was a lot of Solomon being like, hey, don't be a fool because the path does not lead to life. In chapter 10, it's really showing us what wisdom and foolishness look like once you actually choose one of those paths. And so I think the overall kind of theme here in chapter 10 is that the direction of our lives is actually revealed through our everyday choices. Like in the mundane and the normalcy of our lives, but the choices that we make in those places actually does determine the direction of our lives. And so wisdom is not merely knowing what is right. I think what's being shown here is that it actually affects our behavior, our work, our words. It affects our relationships, our response to correction, and even the kind of influence that we leave behind.

And so I think the goal here of what Solomon is also trying to show us is that over time, our choices can really produce different fruits, you know? I think what's important to also realize is that wisdom and foolishness affect more than just ourselves. I mean, the chapter begins by saying a wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish son brings grief to his mother. And so I think that the truth, even in that is that this reminds us that our choices rarely affect only us. Wisdom can bring peace, joy, security, and honor to the people around us, and foolishness can bring pain and grief into relationships. So that verse isn't just about being like, hey, don't be a disgrace to your family. Don't embarrass your parents. Don't make the wrong decision and bring shame to your family.

I don't believe that that's what that verse is saying. I think the verse, when you really read the verse for what it is, it's actually showing how your decisions can affect the people closest to you, especially the people closest to us is our own parents, like our own blood. And Solomon is not only describing young children. He is establishing a principle. The way we live has relational consequences. Our choices affect our families, our friends, our communities, and the people who trust us. So wisdom considers that impact.

And foolishness often lives as though personal decisions. happen in isolation or like you are the only person that will be impacted by your decisions and I think foolishness lacks consideration for impact consequences and the rippling effect of our choices good or bad but there is right I think that even if we were to look at our own lives at maybe the people closest to us and reflecting on either positive or negative decisions that people have made in our own lives and how that impacted you, we obviously know what it feels like to be on the other end of that, you know? And so a wise person is somebody who considers impact, considers the fact that there is a rippling effect to every decision that we make. And I don't think that that should paralyze us.

I don't think that that should give us anxiety around making decisions. I think ultimately that should just encourage us to really discern with the spirit more. And in every decision that we make, we consider Jesus and we consider the Holy Spirit and we consider His wisdom, you know, because I think the truth is, is that any decision that we make on our own is probably not going to be made with wisdom. Because, again, as we've already discussed in prior chapters of the Proverbs, is that true wisdom actually comes from the Lord. And so if we want to make choices that are rooted in wisdom, we got to go to the man who created it. Like, nothing was actually made without starting with the wisdom of God. Like, even us reading, I don't know where it was in

Proverbs, but knowledge and wisdom existed before the earth did, because it actually took those things for God to create the earth and to create the universe. And so we should be going to the source himself if we want to make decisions out of wisdom. Now that doesn't mean that we are going to make every right decision. It doesn't mean that we're never going to hear God wrong. And it doesn't mean that we have to be perfect in our discerning. But our goals should always be to discern and make decisions with the Holy Spirit. Because without him, I can bet you that 10 out of the 10 times that you try to make the right decision, there probably would have been something that Jesus would have done differently had you gone to him first. And I hate to keep using.

her as an example. Sorry, Eve, but Eve is a great example. At the very beginning of Genesis, the first two humans to ever exist messed it up from the beginning and we're still doing it today, and that's all right. God was prepared for that, but it's true. I mean, with every decision that we make, it's probably good to take it up with God first. And again, not in like an anxious way. You don't have to be afraid of making the wrong decisions, but discerning with the Lord first is acting in wisdom. And I think that God not only has a heart for us, but he has a heart for everyone. He has a heart for every person in your life too. And so if you are seeking his wisdom in your decisions, there's a very, very, very, very good chance that he is also considering all of the people in your life. You know,

there's perspectives and things that he's considering that you probably can't even see. And so wisdom starts where fear of the Lord begins, right? And so I think a good question that we can ask ourselves, and some of you guys might already be doing this, which is amazing. But the question is, do I consider how my choices affect the people God has placed around me? Maybe sometimes you do, maybe sometimes you don't. Maybe you always do. Maybe you never do. But I think that's a good, that's a good, humbling question to really reflect on and be honest with ourselves about.

Another thing that I think that this chapter is really pointing out to us is that righteousness is actually more valuable than dishonest gain. And verses 2 through 3 contrast wealth gained through wickedness and the security that comes from righteousness. And so the chapter is not teaching that money itself is evil. Okay. I don't believe that money is evil. I think that God obviously created money and it's a resource.

like the Lord uses money, it's something that we need. Money isn't the thing that's actually evil necessarily. What this chapter is actually teaching us though is that nothing gained through sin can ultimately provide the security we hope it will. And so I think what's being said here is someone may gain money, attention, or influence through dishonest means, but whatever has been gained cannot rescue the soul or produce genuine peace. The world, like having like more of a worldly mindset, typically asks, did it work? But wisdom actually asks what is right, though? God is not only concerned with the things that we accomplish, but I actually think he's more concerned with how we've accomplished it. A successful outcome does not make a sinful method

righteous. And so it's funny, I think that two people could have the same exact outcome, but it's like, what were the means to get that outcome? What did they have to sacrifice? What did they have to give up? And like, I really think there are two paths to that. It could either be the path of righteousness and honesty and obedience to the Lord or sin, dishonesty, cutting corners, cheating. Like ultimately, both of those people could end up with the same results. Now, granted, one could be quicker than the other. Was it in, what was I reading the Psalms? Or was it Proverbs?

Where it was like quick money. Something about getting quick money or like schemes of the sorts, like quick success shortcut things. It was talking about that somewhere. But I think that the reason why it would be so tempting to take the route of like lying, maybe partaking in things that are sinful, cheating, cutting corners. just doing things that honestly wouldn't honor God or he wouldn't be proud of just to get to whatever it is that you're desiring wealth, attention, influence, whatever gain that is. I think a reason to why that would be a more tempting route is because of maybe the quick

outcome that could come from that, which I think is why the enemy is so good at convincing us in a lot of ways because he knows that we are impatient and he knows that I think it's actually in our sinful nature and in our human nature that we just don't want to take the harder route, you know? Like, we don't want to do the hard work. We don't want to go through the character growth. We don't want to have to go through the labor and the pain and to have simply patience. I think patience has to be one of the most challenging fruits of the spirit to, I guess, get better at. And I think that even in this time that we're in right now, I mean, with technology and how things have become so instant at our fingertips that it's made it even harder for us to actually

have patience. But yeah, I think the enemy knows that, which is why it can be tempting to take that route. And that route seems easier. But the truth is, is God isn't always concerned with what we accomplish. It's actually, he's more concerned about how we do it. He's more concerned about our heart posture. He's more concerned about our character. And yeah, God just cares more about what's side versus anything we could actually accomplish on the outside. Not saying he doesn't care about those things, but it's definitely not going to come before character and heart posture. These verses contrast lazy hands with diligent hands and describe the wisdom of working during

the proper season. This actually teaches us that wisdom recognizes both responsibility and timing. A wise person understands that some opportunities must be. acted upon while they are available. But foolishness continually postpones what needs to be done and then feels surprised by the consequences. Okay. Are we all guilty of that? The principle here is that wisdom does not continually avoid responsibility. It faithfully tends to what God has placed in front of it. Diligence is often spiritual before it is impressive. And these could honestly look simpler than we may even be thinking right now. A diligence could look like keeping your word, showing up constantly. So when you say

you're going to be there, you're going to be there. Finishing what you actually begin. That is quite literally exactly what God does and it's exactly what he calls us to do is to finish everything that we start preparing before the opportunity even arrives, which is amazing. That is such an incredible quality to have. Like having the faith to prepare for the very thing that you know is coming. Like whether this is something God has promised you in that preparation, which God will do, God is always going to prepare you for the next opportunity that arrives or the next season that you're walking into, but again, it does take like your yes of being like, okay, God, let's do this. I'm ready to prepare. I'm ready to go through whatever you have me going through to get me

ready for whatever next season you have for me. But preparing before the opportunity arrives. That's so good. And it can also look like doing ordinary things faithfully. So just being faithful, being honest, being a person of your word. Wisdom understands that the life we desire is often built through small acts of faithfulness that nobody else sees. And so a lot of these things are actually probably going to be things that people don't see on the day-to-day basis, that God is actually the only one that sees them, which is actually what makes it faithful. You're not doing it for an applause. You're not doing it for other people to witness it, but you're actually doing it in obedience and faithfulness to God. This personally was one of my favorite parts of chapter 10. This is verse 9.

It says people with integrity walk safely, but those who follow crooked paths will be exposed. And so integrity actually means that who we are privately agrees with who we present ourselves to be publicly. So having integrity just means that you are consistently who you say you are, even behind closed doors. When we walk honestly, we do not have to exhaust ourselves hiding, manipulating, remembering different stories, or worrying that the truth will eventually be exposed, there is actually freedom in having nothing to conceal. This does not mean an honest person will never face hardship. It means deception creates its own instability. And so if you think about it, like if you feel like you are always having to cover up or to cover up your footprints or, again, to keep track of all the different

stories that you are telling or living by, that is actually an exhausting place. to be in. And it doesn't have to mean that you are an evil, manipulative person. But for whatever reason, you've believed at one point in your life that that was the safest way to live. And the truth of what Proverbs is actually exposing in this moment is that that kind of lifestyle actually only creates instability. And it puts you in bondage. And you are constantly stressed and under anxiety all the time because you're trying to keep everything straight. A crooked path may appear to be a shortcut. but it eventually makes life more complicated. Integrity may feel costly in the moment, but it allows us to walk without constantly looking over our shoulder.

I think it also would be helpful to maybe go into some examples of what that could actually realistically look like on a day-to-day basis. Because if that confuses you and you're like, no, I'm not a liar. Like, I don't, I think I walk with integrity. Like, I think I'm an honest person. I don't think I'm like trying to keep a bunch of different stories straight. Like if that is something that you're unsure about, some examples of how that could manifest in relationships or at work or even with money. And I think especially this is very tempting for a lot of us, but even online. Well, firstly, in relationships, someone walking in integrity communicates honestly about where they have been, who they have spoken to and how they feel.

someone taking a crooked path may hide messages, tell partial truths, or intentionally leave out information. Even if the deception remains hidden, they cannot feel fully secure because they know discovery is possible. At work, a person with integrity admits when they made a mistake instead of blaming somebody else, that might feel uncomfortable temporarily, but it builds trust. Someone who covers the mistake may need to tell additional lies to protect the original lies to protect the original one. With money, integrity could mean reporting income honestly, paying what you owe, or refusing a financial opportunity that requires deception. But a crooked path may create short-term gain, but it carries the ongoing fear of exposure and consequences. And then lastly, for online, as an

example, someone walking in integrity does not manufacture a false image of their character, lifestyle, beliefs or success for approval. This doesn't mean sharing every private detail of your life because there obviously is another side of that spectrum. You don't need to show everybody every single detail of your life to be honest. But I think all this means is that what you do share though isn't intentionally deceptive. So with what you are sharing online, it really is yourself. You're not trying to manipulate the narrative. You're not trying to prove to anybody that you are somebody that you're not. So again, I think that there could be a bad habit online of oversharing. I've been there. That does not prove honesty. I think there's a balance of like having boundaries and discerning

what is supposed to live on the internet forever and what isn't. But for the things that are supposed to live on the internet forever, you're honestly just being yourself and you got nothing to hide. Another really good example, and I think this feels very appropriate considering what this podcast is all about, is in faith too. So there is a way to also have integrity in our relationships with God. Integrity means your relationship with God isn't only something you perform publicly. You pursue him privately as well. You may still struggle and fail, but you are honest with God, willing to repent, and not intentionally maintaining a double life. And I think that the reality of this as well is that sometimes telling the truth actually does cost us something.

And so the security mentioned in this verse doesn't mean an honest person will never be misunderstood or face consequences. Being honest can still cost us something. Like an example was when I hit my neighbor's car and I called them even though they were out of town and even though there was nobody on the street. street that witnessed it. Like I could not, I had too much integrity. Thank you, Holy Spirit. But I could not just continue to live my life and not tell them that I had hit their car. Now, did that honesty still come with consequences? Yeah. Like, I'm still going to have to pay for whatever damage I made on their car. And that's the consequence of the mistake that I made. But it was so much better to be honest about that. I know that God was proud of me in that moment, even as silly and little as it may feel,

but like that kind of integrity and honesty is important to God. And yeah, it sucks that I have to pay for it, but it was the mistake that I made. So why wouldn't I pay for the consequences of the mistake that I made? The crooked path that I could have chose of keeping my mouth shut and not telling my neighbors and smiling at them every morning and going, oh, yeah, crazy. I don't know what happened. That crooked path that I could have taken is exhausting because one hidden choice often requires another hidden choice to protect it. Integrity allows you to live as one whole person

rather than constantly managing different versions of yourself. Because the truth is, is when we lie and we kind of choose a more crooked route, it doesn't just stop there. Like usually there's a lie to cover up the lie and then there's another lie to make sure that you cover up that lie. And it is exhausting. And I think eventually it's all revealed in the end. Like God actually also promises us in scripture that everything that is done in the dark will be brought to the light. And that's his way of promising us that like anything that we do in the dark, a.k.a. anything we do with icky motives is eventually going to be revealed. Like whatever act that we try to keep up with doesn't last forever. Like even the act of you, you know, going online

and trying to perceive yourself as somebody that you're not. Like how many times have we seen people exposed for the actual person that they are versus the person that they were pretending to be four years. Like, we've seen that happen to people, you know? And so the route that is honestly the least heavy is the route of integrity and honesty. But typically that route isn't as tempting because it means that we actually have to face the music and we have to face our consequences a bit quicker versus picking a different route where maybe that's a little bit more delayed or for whatever reason in our minds we think we'll never

have to face it. But that's not true. We will all have to face our consequences. In one way, shape or form, we will. Whether that's in this life or if it's at the face of God and we have to own up to every decision we've ever made. That's also in scripture. So there is no avoiding our consequences. There is no avoiding the reality of our choices. And so we might as well have integrity and be honest up front and face them now, then to keep on picking the path that's exhausting and trying to continue to hide everything. Okay. You guys get it. Okay, another thing that I really loved that was talked about here in this chapter. Sorry guys. I mean, there was just so much in this chapter. Another thing that's really important that Solomon is showing us is that our words reveal whether

wisdom is actually living within us. Solomon describes the mouth of the righteous as a fountain of life the lips of the wise as nourishing others, the mouth of the foolish as bringing destruction, and the righteous as knowing what is fitting to say. And so I think what is clearly being shown to us is that our speech reveals what has been growing inside of us. There's another verse somewhere in the Bible that says, whatever is stored up in our hearts is what flows out of our mouths. A fountain does not struggle to produce what it contains. It naturally releases it. So in the same way, when our hearts are being formed by God's wisdom, life should increasingly flow from our words. This obviously does not mean that we are going to speak perfectly because we are still flawed humans, but it does mean that the

overall fruit, okay, more fruit than not of our speech should become more truthful, loving, discerning, and life-giving, especially life-giving. Verse 19 teaches that when words are many, Sin is not absent. This is obviously not saying that talking is sinful. Okay? It is warning us, though, that the more careless that we speak, the more opportunities we create to exaggerate, to maybe gossip, to criticize, to manipulate, or say something we have not properly considered.

I've done that. It's the times where you are just kind of letting, and I usually feel like it's when my emotions are going kind of crazy. And I'm no longer considering the things that are coming out of my mouth because I'm just letting my emotions take over. And so I'm just word vomiting. And I'm saying all of these things that I'm probably eventually going to regret saying, even sometimes minutes later. Because I wasn't properly considering them. I wasn't taking the time to just take a deep breath and discern what was actually coming out of my mouth at that moment. Wisdom does not only teach us what to say. it teaches us when to speak, how much to say, how we are saying the things that we are saying,

whether our words will actually bring life, when silence is actually the wiser response. So wisdom obviously teaches us what to say, but wisdom also teaches us how to say things, and wisdom teaches us when to not say things at all. And so I think wisdom is a voice that says, okay, before speaking, am I saying this to help? heal, clarify, or protect, or am I saying it merely to release what I feel? And then in verse 12, it goes on to say hatred stirs up quarrels. Why am I saying that wrong? AKA, it just stirs up conflict, okay?

But love makes up for all offenses. Hatred actually searches for opportunities to revive an offense. Hatred can bring up old failures. It can, like, bring and tie other people into it. It assumes the worst and it keeps the wound open. But love actually has the opposite effect. When the verse says that love covers wrongs, it does not mean that love conceals abuse, avoids necessary confrontation, or pretends that sin does not matter.

And so biblical love does not require us to remain silent about serious harm. Instead, it means that love is not eager to expose, humiliate, or continually punish someone. love wants repentance healing forgiveness and restoration hatred actually asks the question how can i use this against them but love asks what response would honor god and move us toward what is right and i think unfortunately every single one of us is guilty of the feeling of hatred i think that we would all be lying if we said that we haven't unfortunately it's ugly it's really gross this is the evil that lives inside of us. This is why we need Jesus. This is why we need his blood. This is why we need the renewing of our minds. This is why we need the Holy Spirit. It's because I think in our default,

y'all, is that when we are hurt, all we want to do is ask that question of like, how can I use this against them? Well, how can I make sure that this time it hurts them so much more than it hurts me? And how can I actually use what they just did against them in the future so that whenever they try to come for me, I can weaponize their behavior against them. Like, it's just that really ugly urge and instinct in us to want to get back at people and to manipulate and to be right. I think ultimately we just want to, we just want justice. And I think that we forget who actually is the one that brings justice. And then it's not us that brings justice, but it's God. He's the judge. We aren't the judge. And so obviously there's a way to like hold people accountable for their

actions. But I think that it is also so important for us to be aware of our heart posture. And like, yeah, what are the questions or the things that are going through our mind when we want to hold that person accountable? Because are they questions? Like how can I use this against them? Because that isn't, that actually doesn't come from love. That comes from a root of hatred, which has got to go. Okay. Moving on to verse 21. It was the verse that said, the blessing of the Lord makes a person rich and he adds no sorrow with it. This verse can be misunderstood if we assume it promises that every faithful believer will become financially wealthy. And I think that that is probably naturally where a lot of our minds go when we read this scripture.

But the truth is when we continue to read scripture and we continue to read the Bible, throughout scripture, God's people still experience hardship. persecution, loss, and seasons of need. The truth is, is God's people are not always rolling in wealth. But the deeper point is that what truly comes from God does not carry the destructive sorrow attached to sinful gain. And so that's the part of the contrast here that we actually have to pay attention to. We can obtain things through striving, manipulation, compromise, or obsession, and discover that possessing them has cost us our peace, it can cost us our relationships, our health, or integrity. God's blessing is not limited to money. His blessing can actually provide things like peace, wisdom, contentment, purpose, healthy relationships, spiritual fruit, a clear conscience, closeness with him. Hello? What a gift.

The world may call something a blessing because it looks impressive, but the truth is, is that that if gaining it requires us to abandon God, to destroy or abandon ourselves, destroy ourselves, or compromise our character, it is not the kind of blessing Solomon is describing. I think this is interesting too. One of the largest themes in Proverbs is that choices become paths, and then paths form our character. And character eventually produces consequences. And so I don't think that the question here is like, oh my gosh, my coffee.

That's the thing about almond milk, y'all. Sorry, brief intermission. Oh, it gets so icky. It like separates like that. I don't love it. Anyway, so the question here, y'all, is it's not like, have I ever acted foolishly? Because the truth is, is we all have. Let's be so honest.

Obviously, we have all made foolish. foolish choices in our lives. You might have even done it today. I think that the better question is which direction am I repeatedly choosing? I think that's a really gracious question to ask yourself. That's one that does give yourself grace

to not be so hard on yourself because the truth is, is yeah, we're going to be fools sometimes. But like what is actually the path that you actively are choosing on a day-to-day basis. All right. Let's move on to chapter 11.

And then I have a feeling after chapter 11. We'll be wrapping up the episode, but this is good. Chapter 11's good, y'all. I took a little peek. I took a little peek. It's good. You ready? Verse 1.

The Lord detests the use of dishonest scales, but he delights in accurate weights. Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. Honesty guides good people. dishonesty destroys treacherous people. Riches won't help on the day of judgment, but right living can save you from death. The godly are directed by honesty, the wicked fall beneath their load of sin. The godliness of good people rescue them.

The ambition of treacherous people traps them. When the wicked die, their hopes die with them, for they rely on their own feeble strength. The godly are rescued from trouble, and it falls on the wicked. instead. With their words, the godless destroy their friends, but knowledge will rescue the righteous. The whole city celebrates when the godly succeed. They shout for joy when the wicked die. Upright citizens are good for a city and make it prosper, but the talk of the wicked tears it apart. It is foolish to be little one's neighbor. A sensible person keeps quiet. A gossip goes around telling secrets, but those who are trustworthy can keep a confidence. Without wise leaders,

a nation falls. There is safety in having many advisors. There's danger in putting up security for a stranger's debt. It's safer to not guarantee another person's debt. A gracious woman gains respect, but ruthless men gain only wealth. Your kindness will reward you, but your cruelty will destroy you. Evil people get rich for the moment, but the reward of the godly will last. Godly people find life. Evil people find death. The Lord detests people with the Lord. crooked hearts, but he delights in those with integrity. Integrity is coming up a lot, isn't it? Sorry, a little side note there. Evil people will surely be punished, but the children of the godly will go free. A beautiful woman who lacks discretion is like a gold ring in a pig's

snout. The godly can look forward to a reward, while the wicked can expect only judgment. Give freely and become more wealthy. Be stingy and lose everything. The dangerous will prosper. Those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed. People curse those who hoard their gain, but they bless the one who sells in time of need. If you search for good, you will find favor. But if you search for evil, it will find you. Trust in your money and down you go. But the godly flourish like leaves in spring. Those who bring trouble on their families inherit the wind. The fool will be a servant to the wise. The seeds of good deeds become a tree of life. A wise person wins friends. If the righteous are rewarded here on earth, what will happen to wicked sinners? Okay, if I'm being honest, now tell me if I'm wrong, but I feel like a lot of the themes in chapter 11 are very similar to the themes that are told in chapter 10. But one that I think that really stuck out to me at least when I was reading it was the verse about gossiping. Da-da-do.

Do do. Where is it? A gossip goes around telling secrets, but those who are trustworthy can keep a confidence. You. Wisdom does not mean sharing everything. Is personally how I interpret that verse. Being honest does not mean we are entitled to share everything that we know. Wisdom understands that some information has been entrusted to us, not given to us for public discussion.

And the truth is, is gossip often disguises itself as concern, especially in the church, prayer or simply telling the truth. But I think we should actually be asking ourselves, before we go telling too much truth, is this my information to share? Am I helping the situation or am I exposing someone unnecessarily? a trustworthy person knows how to protect another person's vulnerability and that really takes true wisdom and sometimes we aren't going to get that right and that's okay i think there have been times where my heart was pure in maybe sharing information and there have been times where i walked away from things and i've been like i don't know if that was actually entirely mine to share and so i just think that like there's a surrender in that and there's a learning with the Lord in that and saying,

all right, Holy Spirit, I just pray that like you just really put it heavy on my heart next time of what is actually appropriate to share because there is a truth to like sharing legitimate concerns, especially with other people in the body of Christ to gain knowledge or to gain wisdom even from other people of how to handle a situation with the things that you know. and there is opportunity absolutely for intercession and prayer but there is still discernment I think to be had in those situations of how much to share and what to actually keep to yourself in protection of that person because there is a responsibility for us when we have information or if we were told information in confidence by that person to protect.

that person's vulnerability in sharing that with you, you know? So sometimes it is a really tricky line to walk of being honest while also having integrity and keeping confidentiality between you and a person. Like, yeah, there's going to be moments where you're going to have to really discern with God of what you are actually just supposed to intercede and pray for with him versus what is actually something that is like a real concern to bring up to another person. I really, liked verses 24 and 25 as well this was when it says give freely and become more wealthy be stingy and lose everything the generous will prosper those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed i love that i think the thing that's sticking out to me the most in these verses is that when we allow god to use us

to refresh other people we often experience his refreshment too and i know that you guys know what this feels like it feels so good to go out of our ways and to be generous to refresh other people. And again, this doesn't always have to be financially. Yes, it absolutely can be. And I do think that God still calls us to be generous with our finances and with our money and to sacrifice, even maybe when it's hard to. Because I do think there's even a layer of like trust to have in the Lord when you're like, all right, God, I'm giving my last few pennies. This feels really scary. I technically can't afford to do this, but I feel like you're telling me to do this. There is that, but also there's generosity in our time. There's generosity in our words. There's so many ways to be generous with others. But whatever format that looks like,

it is so refreshing. Like, I feel a million times better after actually sacrificing and being generous to another person, like I feel like I've gained so much more. And obviously, like, that's not the motive. Like, I don't go into these moments and I don't think we should. That would be weird. If we were going into moments being like, how can I refresh another person so then I can feel even more refreshed? No, I just think that that's like the cherry on top of all of it actually is like in our acts of sacrifice and obedience to go out of our way to love another person and to refresh them in a way actually ends up blessing us even more. Like it's just like the cherry on top that God does for us.

It's like it is a reward where we then actually get to be refreshed by him in our acts of obedience and sacrifice and loving other people. Unconditionally, not asking for anything in return. Like it's in God's kindness that he then refreshes us. And that's such a real thing. Like when you've experienced that, I don't know. It just makes you want to do it more. It just feels good, you know?

It feels good to love people and to be generous and sacrifice for other people. You just, you feel the Lord's joy, you know, and his pride in those moments. And there's really nothing, like money can't buy that. It's the best feeling ever. So anyway, guys, okay, those were chapters 10 and 11 in Proverbs. Thank you guys for being here today. I hope that you enjoyed it. I hope that we all, I learned some things.

I hope that you guys did too. And before we go today, guys, can we do something really cool today? Can we show somebody how cool Jesus is? Can we walk more like him, talk more like him, be more like Jesus today? I hope you have the best couple of days until we see each other again. Bye.