The Bryce Crawford Podcast - Proverbs Series Chapter 16 (EP 116)

Episode Date: July 16, 2025

Proverb 16

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fall. What's going on, guys? Welcome back to another episode of the Bryce Crawford podcast. I'm Bryce and today we're on Proverbs 16 out of 31 days of Proverbs. Guys, we're following along in the ESV version. We're going to be reading through all of Proverbs. Let's just dive right into it. You guys know the drill. First one, the plans of the heart belong to a man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord. What does this mean? This means that a man has to exercise his own reason and making plans, but it says that the answer of the tongue is from the Lord. so that means that the man, you and I, have to be dependent on the Lord for the answer when it comes to reasoning through life, which means you don't have to lean on your own understanding. Proverbs 3 says, trust the Lord with all your heart, do not lean on your own understanding.

In life, decisions will need to be made. In life, trials will come. And in order for us to navigate life, decisions, and trials, we have to lean on the wisdom of the Lord and be dependent on him for the answer to our problems and circumstances and situations. verse two all the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes but the lord weighs the spirit the lord looks at the heart commit your work to the lord and your plans will be established the lord has made everything for its purpose even the wicked for the day of trouble there are ultimately no loose ends in god's world everything will be put to use in some way shape or form romans tells us that all things

work together for the good for those who are in christ jesus but this doesn't mean that god is the author of evil. God doesn't cause evil. God isn't causing suffering and pain, but because God is a loving God that believes in free will, he has allowed human beings the choice to choose number nine because we chose to say screw off to God, sin entered into the world. But because God loves us, Christ is a sacrifice in the redeeming factor for our sin. Verse five, everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord, be assured he will not go unpunished. By steadfast love and faithfulness, iniquity is atoned for. Listen to this verse, the gospel in this verse. By steadfast love and faithfulness, iniquity is atoned for. And by the fear of the Lord, one turns away from evil. God's mercy

actually prompted the great sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who is the Messiah that took away the sins of the world. His truth made it necessary to make atonement in such a way that it honored the righteousness of God. perfect life lived on this earth, the word became flesh and dwelt among us, John was, showed us that it wasn't impossible to achieve righteousness through faith in Christ, that he lived out this life that he represents. And then he died on the cross to set us free from sin and to put us in unity back in God. So what it means to live in fear of the Lord, it means to depart from evil. When we live in fear of the Lord, we flee from evil.

Verse 7, when a man's ways please the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues with injustice. The heart of a man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps. What a beautiful popular verse. An oracle is on the lips of a king. His mouth does not sin in judgment. The same lips that must speak wisdom and discernment, we shouldn't use that to cross a boundary to go beyond God's wisely appointed boundaries of judgment. So what that's saying is like we shouldn't overstep our boundaries when it comes to the role we play as a vessel in God's kingdom. Be careful what you say to people. Verse 11,

adjust balance and scales are the lords. All the weights in the bag are his work. All of God's measurements and assessments are fair and true. God is a just God. But verse 11 is saying, the proper measure doesn't come from the king, nor does it belong to the king. Adjust balance and scales are the lords. so the Lord is the one that does the judging. The Lord is the one that brings to justice because the right measure comes from God and it belongs to him.

Not anyone else. Verse 12, it is an abomination to kings to do evil for the throne is established by righteousness. Righteous lips are the delight of a king and he loves him who speaks what is right. A king's wrath is the messenger of death and a wise man will appease it. So when a king or man of authority is angry,

his reaction can bring death or can bring a death-like fear to other people because their reaction is out of anger and frustration, like verse 14 says. And this is really popular amongst earthly kings, right? Earthly leaders, presidents, but this is true, much more important for the king of kings. A wise man will appease it.

Verse 15, In the light of a king's face, there's life and his favors like the clouds that bring the spring of rain. In the light of a king's face, there is light, and his favor is like the clouds that bring the spring rain. Verse 16.

How much better is it to get wisdom than gold, to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver? We've seen this echoed in multiple proverbs here, but saying that there is nothing material that can purchase wisdom. Wisdom can't be bought. Asked to be sought at with the intention of sincerity from the heart. Verse 17, the highway of the upright turns aside

from evil. Whoever guards his way preserves life. The upright man or woman knows that the path of their life is the highway. Is this a good life? And the good life that preserves their life should move them away from evil. So when you submit yourself to the wisdom of God, it will move you away from evil. Verse 18, pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. Verse 19, it is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor than to divide the spoil with the proud. Where else do we see a lowly spirit recognized? The only words in the Bible used to describe Christ's character was gentle and lowly at heart. And since pride is an abomination to God and it leads to destruction, it is important for us to have a humble spirit like Christ. And a humble spirit isn't

impossible to achieve because we look at the life of Jesus who was a man on earth, who was both fully God and fully man, but he lived in the same wicked temptation world that we live in, except he lived a perfect life and he was humble through it. And so we can too. We can reflect that life. Verse 20, whoever gives thought to the word will discover good and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord. Trust the word of God. The wise of heart is called discerning and the sweetness of speech increases in persuasiveness. So that is another reminder that wisdom is demonstrated in life. Wisdom is demonstrated in life. It isn't only about having good or true thoughts in one's mind. The phrase sweetness of lips actually refers to the wise and well-spoken words of wisdom. When we submit

ourselves to the wisdom of God, our life becomes sweet and beautiful. Verse 22, Good sense is a fountain of life to him who has it, but the instruction of fools is folly. Wisdom brings life to the wise man or woman like we've seen earlier reference. The heart of a wise man makes a speech judicious and adds persuasiveness to his lips. Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul, and health to the body. So in ancient biblical culture, nothing was as sweet as honey from the honeycomb. Okay, the honeycomb was very beautiful and important. And pleasant words have the same weight and importance from biblical times to now. Pleasant words can be just as sweet and wonderful as honey from the honeycomb. So honey from the honeycomb back in that time was a beautiful thing.

So are pleasant words and they are still today to be a pleasant thing to be enjoyed. How do you talk to other people? How do you use your speech when interacting with other people? Be kind and gracious and pleasant. verse 25 there's a way that seems right to a man but in the end it leads to death reiterated again from proverbs 14 a worker's appetite works for him his mouth urges him on a worthless man plots evil and his speech is like a scorching fire verse 28 a dishonest man spreads strife and a whisperer separates close friends twisted perverse people love to sow strife the way a farmer sow seeds okay so when there's a lot of strife there's a lot of perverseness being sowed somewhere by a perverse person a perverse person is sowing a lot when there's a lot of strife.

And that could happen by whispering gossiping words, like telling gossip to other people, lying to people, all these things that are an abomination to the Lord, a perverse person is sowing. And the strife that they sow, Proverbs 1628 tells us, is so strong and powerful

that it can separate even the best of friends. That's why you've got to be careful with your tongue. Gossip is so horrificallyly powerful that it can divide friendships like that. Be careful what you say to people. There's life and death and the power of the tongue. Verse 29, a man of violence entices his neighbor and leads him in a way that is not good.

Whoever winks his eye, plans dishonest things. He who pursues his lips brings evil to pass. Gray hair is the crown of glory. It is gained in a righteous life. You know, there's something beautiful about the wisdom of age. This is what Proverbs 31 is saying. Whoever slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who,

who takes the city. The lot is cast into the lap, but it's every decision is from the Lord. So this is something familiar to like rolling the dice. I don't know if you guys have ever played Yotsie, but you put the dice at the cup, you shake and roll it. This casting a lot is similar to rolling dice, right? To cast a lot

was using a tool of chance to make a choice, right? So if you guys have read the gospel before, and they stripped Jesus naked, and they took us close and they casted lots for it, they bet on it, they rolled a dice and took a chance on it. But the phrase, it's every decision from the Lord is to mean that this idea is not that every single event in life is a message

of God. To cast the lot was a way to commit a decision to the Lord back in that time period. And when we commit our decisions to the Lord, he guides us. And I truly believe that that verse 33, like casting a lot into the lap of the Lord, what that looks like is leaning on the peace of God in your life to make decisions when you have multiple options on the table. What does it mean to make a decision for the glory of God. It means to set yourself up best spiritually. And if you make a decision thinking that the Lord is leading you there, casting that lot, thinking the Lord is leading you there, and it was the wrong decision, there was a grace because you were learning and train yourself up in the way of the Lord. But if you make a decision, thinking God was leading there, casting that lot

in the lap of the Lord, and it was the right decision, you build that muscle on listening to the Lord. Guys, I pray that Proverbs 16 was a blessing to you guys. I'll see you guys tomorrow for Proverbs Chapter 17. Guys, thank you so much for watching and listen to this episode. If you guys like it, subscribe to us on YouTube, follow us on Spotify, Instagram, and TikTok. Bless you guys and see you guys next week for the next episode.