10 Proverbs 29:1-3,12-20

SHAPED BY GOD

FOCUSYou may think of discipline as “getting in trouble” or being punished for a rule you broke that was set by your parents, caretakers, or teachers. In other words, you probably associate discipline with punishment. We tend to think of discipline as a bad or unfortunate thing. In this session, we will see that punishment is only one aspect of discipline. In fact, discipline is something God calls us to seek out. It is central to how He helps us grow and change. Even the punishment that believers face is designed by God for their good. God uses discipline from society, family, and others to shape His people.

God uses discipline from society, family, and others

to shape His people.

This week’s

TRUTHCentral

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10.01 WHAT IS DISCIPLINE? WHAT COMES TO MIND WHEN YOU HEAR THE

WORD DISCIPLINE?

.02 DO YOU TEND TO THINK OF DISCIPLINE AS A GOOD THING OR A BAD THING?

Talk it out

Begin by reading through the passage.

EXPLORATIONProverbs 29:1-3,12-20

1 Whoever remains stiff-necked after many rebukes will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy.2 When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice; when the wicked rule, the people groan.3 A man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father, but a companion of prostitutes squanders his wealth.

12 If a ruler listens to lies, all his officials become wicked.13 The poor and the oppressor have this in common: The Lord gives sight to the eyes of both.14 If a king judges the poor with fairness, his throne will be established forever.15 A rod and a reprimand impart wisdom, but a child left undisciplined disgraces its mother.16 When the wicked thrive, so does sin, but the righteous will see their downfall.17 Discipline your children, and they will give you peace; they will bring you the delights you desire.18 Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint; but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom’s instruction.19 Servants cannot be corrected by mere words; though they understand, they will not respond.20 Do you see someone who speaks in haste? There is more hope for a fool than for them.

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.03 WHAT DOES SOLOMON WARN AGAINST IN VERSE 1? HOW

SHOULD WE RESPOND TO CORRECTION AND DISCIPLINE?

.04 WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE IGNORE DISCIPLINE? WHAT DO

WE STAND TO GAIN FROM EMBRACING WISDOM INSTEAD?

.05 WHAT HAPPENS WHEN RULERS LISTEN TO LIES? WHAT

IMPACT MIGHT IT HAVE ON OTHERS IF WE LISTEN TO LIES?

.06 WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM VERSES 13-14 IN TERMS OF HOW WE RELATE TO

THOSE WHO ARE POOR? HOW DOES THIS RELATE TO US AS FOLLOWERS OF JESUS?

Proverbs 29:1-3

CONVERSATION

THEOLOGICAL CONTEXTSolomon warns that destruction can come instantly. This does not mean that God is not patient with people. God is both just and merciful. The fact that God’s justice is often swift does not mean that He delights in letting people face the consequences of their sin. 2 Peter 3:9 reminds us of this—our God does not take joy in people perishing but rather longs for them to turn from sin. The promise of destruction in verse 1 that comes from continually rejecting correction is meant to motivate those who read it to repent.

Reflect and respond.Proverbs 29:12-17

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10.07 WHAT BENEFITS COME FROM SUBMITTING TO THE

DIRECTION AND CORRECTION OF YOUR PARENTS

OR CARETAKERS?

.08 HOW CAN WE HELP KEEP REBELLION FROM INCREASING?

HOW CAN WE HELP ONE ANOTHER?

.09 WHAT IS REVELATION AND WHAT SHOULD WE DO WITH IT?

.10 WHAT DANGER IS THERE IN SPEAKING TOO SOON? HOW

MIGHT PATIENTLY AND REGULARLY STUDYING GOD’S WORD

HELP US AVOID THIS TEMPTATION?

Proverbs 29:18-20

CULTURAL CONTEXT

In verse 20, Solomon is not simply warning against speaking quickly, but against assuming you are right without looking to wiser people. We live in a culture where information is always at our fingertips through the internet and social media. While we have access to tons of information, knowledge doesn’t always make us wise. True wisdom is only found by those who fear God—who love and respect Him more than anything else. Whatever information we find by searching the internet should be filtered through God’s revelation—the truth of who He is and who He calls us to be as revealed in Scripture.

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NOW WHAT?

.11 HOW HAVE YOU BENEFITED FROM THE CORRECTION OR DISCIPLINE OF

YOUR PARENTS OR CARETAKERS?

.12 WHAT KEEPS US FROM SUBMITTING TO THE WISDOM, GUIDANCE, AND

DIRECTION OF OTHERS?

.13 HOW CAN WE HELP ONE ANOTHER SUBMIT BOTH TO THE GUIDANCE OF OUR

PARENTS AND TO THE GUIDANCE OF GOD? HOW ARE THE TWO RELATED?

.14 WHO HAS GOD PLACED IN YOUR LIFE TO GUIDE AND DIRECT YOU? HOW

COULD YOU SEEK THEIR HELP OR ADVICE THIS WEEK?

CENTRALTRUTH

God uses discipline from society, family, and others to shape

His people.

How does this apply to your life?

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Choose five days this week to set aside time to dig deeper into God’s Word with these devotions. We hope you’ll make this a priority and encourage others in your group to do so as well.

DwellIf you’re like most people, you don’t like being disciplined. Correction and punishment aren’t usually pleasant, and we are generally very good at making excuses for our actions, trying to convince others that we were in the right. But God doesn’t see discipline merely as punishment—good discipline is designed for our benefit, to help guide us back onto the right path. Ignoring discipline from God and the wise people around us leads to destruction.

.01 WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE

STIFF-NECKED? WHAT DOES THIS

VERSE SAY WILL HAPPEN TO A STIFF-

NECKED PERSON?

.02 HOW SHOULD WE RESPOND WHEN

WE RECEIVE DISCIPLINE FROM GOD OR

OTHER PEOPLE OUR LIFE?

MemorizeWrite Proverbs 13:1 on a Post-It note and stick it somewhere you’ll see it every day, like your bathroom mirror, a notebook, or inside your locker. Read it to yourself each time you see it.

PrayThank God that He disciplines us and sends others to discipline us so we can grow as followers of Christ.

PROVERBS 29:1

FOR BIBLE READING

Day One

7 Arrows

WHAT DOES THIS PASSAGE SAY?

HOW DOES THIS PASSAGE CHANGE

THE WAY I RELATE TO PEOPLE?

WHAT DOES THIS PASSAGE TELL US

ABOUT GOD?

WHAT DID THIS PASSAGE MEAN TO ITS ORIGINAL

AUDIENCE?

HOW DOES THIS PASSAGE PROMPT ME

TO PRAY?

WHAT DOES THIS PASSAGE TELL US

ABOUT MAN?

WHAT DOES THIS PASSAGE DEMAND

OF ME?

DEVOTIONSDaily

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DwellIt is the responsibility of a leader to treat those they lead fairly. You may not lead a government, but you regularly have chances to lead those around you: in group projects, on sports teams or in clubs, and even when you are in charge of making plans to hang out with your friends. If you listen to bad advice as you lead, the people you lead are in danger of following your bad example as well. Our choices to follow wisdom or foolishness affect all those around us.

.01 WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A

KING JUDGES THE POOR FAIRLY,

ACCORDING TO VERSE 14?

.02 WHO IN YOUR LIFE OTHER THAN

YOU MIGHT ALSO BE IMPACTED BY

YOUR DECISIONS TO ACT WISELY OR

FOOLISHLY?

MemorizeUse your phone or computer to record yourself reading Proverbs 13:1, and play it back to yourself throughout the week.

PrayAsk God for the wisdom to lead those around you wisely and to be a good example of godly living.

DwellThese verses compare rulers and individuals who live righteous lives and love wisdom with those who do not. Leaders who love wisdom create environments where those they lead can live good lives and bring joy to their families. In contrast, those who live foolishly and unrighteously bring ruin to themselves and to those who they are responsible for leading.

.01 HOW DOES RIGHTEOUSNESS HELP

A LEADER TO FLOURISH? WHAT DOES

IT MEAN TO FLOURISH?

.02 WOULD YOU RATHER FOLLOW

A LEADER WHO ACTS WISELY AND

FAIRLY, OR ONE WHO FOLLOWS THEIR

OWN SELFISH MOTIVATIONS?

MemorizeSet Proverbs 13:1 as a text or calendar notification to yourself one or two times a day. When you see the notification, read the verse silently or aloud a few times.

PraySay a prayer that God would bring wisdom and righteousness to the leaders in your life and in the world.

PROVERBS 29:12-14PROVERBS 29:2-4Day ThreeDay Two

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DwellVerse 18 reminds us that God’s wisdom is found through the revelation of His Word, the Bible. Verse 19 points out that when it comes to discipline, words alone are not enough—they need to be followed up with actions, specific consequences, and obedience. Finally in verse 20 we are reminded that wisdom involves using self-control and thinking before we speak.

.01 WHAT DOES VERSE 18 TEACH US

ABOUT HUMAN BEINGS AND WHY THE

WISDOM OF THE BIBLE IS IMPORTANT?

.02 WHAT DOES VERSE 20 SAY ABOUT

SOMEONE WHO SPEAKS TOO SOON?

HAVE YOU EVER EXPERIENCED THIS?

MemorizePractice reciting Proverbs 13:1 from memory with a friend or family member. Ask them to follow along as you recite, and prompt you with words from the verse if you need help remembering.

PrayThank God that He has revealed Himself to us through the words of Scripture.

PROVERBS 29:18-20Day Five

DwellWhen we act in ways that we know are wrong, we often hope that we will get away with it rather than suffer negative consequences. But these verses teach us that it is actually important for us to receive discipline when we act foolishly or wickedly. Through discipline, we learn wisdom, and bring peace of mind to our parents and caretakers who are responsible for bringing us up well.

.01 WHO BRINGS DISGRACE TO HIS

MOTHER ACCORDING TO VERSE 15?

.02 HOW DO THESE VERSES CHANGE

THE WAY YOU THINK ABOUT

DISCIPLINE?

MemorizeWrite Proverbs 13:1 on a notecard or piece of paper and carry it with you. Read it to yourself word by word until you can recite it from memory.

PrayPray that God would help you be more open to discipline as a tool to help you grow.

PROVERBS 29:15-17Day Four

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