July 10 - Prov. 10

The man of integrity walks securely, but he who takes crooked paths will be found out.
Prov. 10:9

I'm interested in the many comparisons in this chapter. They all beg the question of me: Which one are you? How do I want to be known? What is the end result of such a life? Consider these:

The wise son vs. the foolish son. (v. 1)
Lazy hands vs. diligent hands. (v. 4)
The wise son vs. the disgraceful son (v. 5).
The righteous vs. the wicked (v. 7).

The entire chapter follows this pattern, touching on themes like our work ethic, how we use our words, and the reason we make the choices that we do. They are all a matter of our heart coming to the forefront, and underline the main verse from which I will speak later this morning - Above all else guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life (Prov. 4:23).