Proverbs 13 Summary - 5 Minute Bible Study
Proverbs 13 Short Summary:
Proverbs 13 continues the short proverbs of Solomon that began in chapter 10. Solomon’s proverbs are recorded in Proverbs chapter 10 through chapter 29. These proverbs are typically short and concise statements of wisdom for the medication of the reader.
Proverbs 13 Summary
DEFINITIONS:
Insolence (13:10) – Lacking respect.
Prudence (13:16) - Acting carefully; moving through life cautiously and thoughtfully.
HIGHLIGHTED PROVERBS:
PROVERB #1:
Proverbs 13:13 – “Whoever despises the word brings destruction on himself, but he who reveres the commandment will be rewarded.”
In Solomon’s day, the people of Israel had the instructions of God, which were revealed to Moses on Mount Sinai.
Today, we have even more of God’s words recorded for us in the Bible.
Solomon warns us not to reject God’s words or we will find nothing but destruction.
This is a very practical, but often neglected, piece of advice.
When the Creator of your world gives you instructions about how you’re supposed to live on His world, and you reject them, you shouldn’t expect things to go well for you.
PROVERB #2
Proverbs 13:20 - Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.
Wise friends will make you wise, but foolish friends will turn you into a fool.
The company you keep really matters. Paul wrote, “Bad company ruins good morals” (1 Cor 15:33).
Christian friends will worship with you, study with you, discuss God with you, fight temptation with you, and together you’ll grow wiser.
Worldly friends won’t do any of those things with you, in fact they’ll distract you from those things.
You may be able to keep your life pure when surrounded by unbelieving friends, but it will be a challenge.
The real question is, why would you choose to do that when you can walk through life with people who will support your purity, make you wiser, and draw you closer to God?
PROVERB #3
Proverbs 13:24 – “Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.”
The one who loves his child will discipline them and will be diligent in administering discipline. The one who doesn’t love their child will withhold discipline.
When done right, discipline is a positive corrective action. We learned this in Proverbs 12:1.
In many modern cultures, disciplining children has been framed in a bad light, as if it’s a tool only used by parents who have failed to understand their children’s emotional complexity.
Solomon and the writer of Hebrews reject this framing. In Hebrews 12:6-7, the author of Hebrews writes, “For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and chastises every son whom He receives. It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom His father does not discipline?”
I hope no one would suggest God disciplines His children because He fails to understand their emotional complexity.
God understands human nature perfectly and finds discipline necessary and healthy to the development of a soul.
