He who has pity on the poor lends to the LORD, And He will pay back what he has given. (Proverbs 19:17)
This verse really touched me and I wished I read it before I gave the sermons on "God Loves a Cheerful Giver". It's just that God doesn't need anything and for Him to say that we lend Him something. It just kind of breaks my heart a little because everything we have is His anyway. How can we ever lend to Him?
A fool has no delight in understanding, But in expressing his own heart. (Proverbs 18:2)
I think this is so true. And I think it gets worse with age. So this is a note to self - do not become a fool! It's always a good time to learn no matter our own age and no matter the age of our teacher.
Why is there in the hand of a fool the purchase price of wisdom, Since he has no heart for it? (Proverbs 17:16)
This is a sad truth. If we're a fool then what is the advantage if we have the ability to have wisdom? I am sometimes confused by members who hear really good sermons week after week but never seem to improve. Maybe they just have no heart to improve themselves and internalize that wisdom.
Commit your works to the LORD, And your thoughts will be established. (Proverbs 16:3)
This kind of struck me because of the order of events. It says to commit our works to the Lord and then our thoughts will be established. So if we're having a thought-life issue, this may help.