Proverbs 28:1-28
28:1 A righteous lifestyle provides security that an unrighteous lifestyle does not. A righteous person has more courage as they draw their strength from God and act with the promise of His defense in mind.
28:2 A corrupt system has a lot of turnover but a honorable and wise person prolongs righteousness.
28:3 The circumstances of our situation should cause us to become empathetic toward people in similar situations. Our personal experience should serve us in serving others rather than ignoring or further worsening the status of another.
28:4 Unrighteousness supports the endeavors of cruelty but righteousness defends justice from those who wish to pervert it.
28:5 An evil person is too self-absorbed, too owned by greed and temptation to understand the concept of justice. Students of the Lord however, are taught the intricacies of justice for all.
28:6 It is better to be poor and humble than rich and perverse; if wealth, fame and power come only at the cost of the quality of character, we must reject them.
28:7 God loves when we listen to and follow the law He left for us; He left instructions about life so that we would thrive here. When we use discernment, balancing everything, relationship and idea in accordance with God's will, we make Him proud. But we do the opposite when we surround ourselves with gluttonous behavior.
28:8 God has arranged the world such that the humble will receive what the arrogant procure.
28:9 There is no point trying to communicate with God if we are not receptive to what He is saying as well. It is a two-way relationship.
28:10 We are responsible for our influence on others: good and bad.
28:11 An arrogant thinks they are wise but only a humble man is able to understand the nature of wisdom.
28:12 Righteous behavior causes joy for the people around but cruelty causes people to hide.
28:13 God prefers us to be honest and to seek redemption rather than to lie and pretend we are perfect. Honesty allows us to change and improve our behavior.
28:14 A heart that remains open, faithful and hopeful in God is happy, but the stubborn and apathetic exist in chaos and strife.
28:15 Corrupt leadership tramples every good thing under its rule.
28:16 An unwise ruler causes much oppression and destruction. A humble person who lives with moderation extends his life.
28:17 A guilty person will live a life in hiding.
28:18 God preserves those who try their very best to live without harming others; but the cruel will be caused to fail.
28:19 Good, hard work-ethic will cause a person to have plenty of what they need. Laziness and a frivolous lifestyle causes a person to lack (in goods, needs and character).
28:20 Jesus told us that when we seek the kingdom of God, all the things we need will be added to our lives (Matthew 6:33). A faithful relationship with God will always cause blessings to abound. God loves to take care of His children and provide them with the things they need and the relationships and opportunities that make them happy and their life meaningful.
A person who hastily pursues wealth, fame and power, however, neglects God's righteous code and causes trouble for themselves. God wants us to steadily build strong, authentic things, ideas, businesses and relationships. To take the quick, corrupt route would be to disappoint Him.
28:21 God would like us to be objective, to not show partiality or take bribes.
28:22 The exclusive pursuit of material wealth, power and fame is a pointless, harmful lifestyle with no future.
28:23 It is better to be honest (and subsequently assist a person) than to flatter them (and ensure their ruin).
28:24 We must be respectful to the people in our lives; it is especially dangerous when we are not self-aware enough to realize when we are harming others with our behavior or choices.
28:25 Arrogance causes distress for the people around; an arrogant person neglects to be aware and empathetic to the people and situations they find themselves in. But to trust in God is to prosper; God helps us to recognize, appreciate and nourish the things in our life which provide us our needs and hopes.
28:26 Lean not on your own understanding, Proverbs 3:5-6. A righteous lifestyle is wise and a righteous person is saved and transported by God into blessing and even abundance.
28:27 God is generous to the people who are generous to others' in need. He is grateful and proud of His empathetic children, whose actions improve and influence the world and well-being of humanity. He blesses such behavior. But ignorance and neglect angers God for there are so many people and issues that need our attention.
28:28 Cruel behavior causes people to hide; cruelty stifles the joy and life out of humanity. But the destruction of the evil causes the righteous to finally prosper and increase... and such is the plan of God.
