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13. My son, eat honey, for it is good,
and the drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to your taste.
14. Know that wisdom is such to your soul;
if you find it, there will be a future,
and your hope will not be cut off.
You like honey – enjoy it! When you use wisdom it for the soul is as good as honey for the body.
15. Lie not in wait as a wicked man against the dwelling of the righteous;
do no violence to his home;
16. for the righteous falls seven times and rises again,
but the wicked stumble in times of calamity.
Ultimately you’re stupid if you centre your life on evil and wickedness.
17. Do not rejoice when your enemy falls,
and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles,
18. lest the LORD see it and be displeased,
and turn away his anger from him.
19. Fret not yourself because of evildoers,
and be not envious of the wicked,
20. for the evil man has no future;
the lamp of the wicked will be put out.
Being glad when your opposition, your enemy fails is pretty natural. But the advice here is don’t walk down that path. God sees everything, and remembers it.
21. My son, fear the LORD and the king,
and do not join with those who do otherwise,
22. for disaster will arise suddenly from them,
and who knows the ruin that will come from them both?
Fearing God isn’t something that leads to shaking knees and a destroyed spirit. Fear of God leads to a healthy respect; an ear that listens for His word; to humble worship. And respect for the earthy authority isn’t quite the same but we are discouraged from being revolutionary. We are challenged to be law abiding, even when some of the laws seem plain stupid. But God is greater than the Queen, the Prime Minister or the President. Occasionally there are times when we need to choose as the ways are diametrically opposed, and then we are to choose God.
Prayer: These days we elect our leaders, so please God give us insight and wisdom when voting. Often it is not easy, Lord, but help us to choose wisely.
As I read it! 