Proverbs 15:18-24

Proverbs 15:18-24
English Standard Version
​18 A hot-tempered man stirs up strife,
    but he who is slow to anger quiets contention.
19 The way of a sluggard is like a hedge of thorns,
    but the path of the upright is a level highway.
20 A wise son makes a glad father,
    but a foolish man despises his mother.
21 Folly is a joy to him who lacks sense,
    but a man of understanding walks straight ahead.
22 Without counsel plans fail,
    but with many advisers they succeed.
23 To make an apt answer is a joy to a man,
    and a word in season, how good it is!
24 The path of life leads upward for the prudent,
    that he may turn away from Sheol beneath.

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The man who can't control his anger and lets his anger control him is a hot-headed fool who stirs up strife.  The one controlled by the Spirit who has the wisdom of God will be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to anger (see James 1:19--a book that seems in the "Wisdom literature" genre in the New Testament).

The sluggard or slothful person is like a hedge of thorns that chokes out all the life of the good plants around it, but doesn't bear any good fruit, is prickly, and just makes fuel for the coming fire.  However, the path of the upright is the level highway which is well tended to.  There are good boundaries that are maintained to help keep the road clear, and it is guarded to keep travelers safe.  Much work is done to maintain highways, but you would much rather travel the highway than through the briar and thicket.

The wise son makes his parents glad because he has listened to their instruction and, more importantly, followed the LORD's instruction.  It blesses the heart of the parents to know that their children are saved and are protected by God.  The fool despises his parents though and the trouble he gets into makes the final days of his parents' lives troublesome and worrisome.

The foolish son is only out to satisfy his hedonistic pleasures, thinking only of today.  The wise man however plans for the future and makes a straight path towards those goals.  Along these lines, it takes the wisdom of other wise men many times for plans to succeed.  The wise man knows how and when to ask for advice from those who will give wise and godly counsel (and when to ignore counsel that is foolish or ungodly), but the fool tries to depend only on himself so that he doesn't have to share the credit with anyone else.  Because of this, the plans of the fool fail, because our biggest goals and dreams in life are too big for us to accomplish alone.  We need the help of God and God's people to accomplish these goals--that's by design.

It is good to think before giving an answer so that you can make sure to give the right answer.  You may not always have the chance to go back and fix things if you give someone bad information, especially if they act on the bad information, you gave them before you can fix it.  Learn to say, "I don't know yet, but I'll find out for you" instead of just making something up that you think may be right.  It's also important to know what is behind the question being asked and to know when the person really needs an answer and when they simply need someone to listen to them.  Sometimes, the best answer is silence.  Know when someone is asking for a solution, and when they are simply looking for a friend to listen to them.  A wise person will be able to discern the difference.

The path of the wise person is the path of sanctification, being make holy and more and more into good image-bearers of God.  Solomon says this path leads upward, as the final destination for those on the path of righteousness, those following the Way, is heaven.  Jesus said in John 14:6, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no man comes to the Father except by Me."  However, the path of the wicked leads to the Grave, that is the Hebrew word for Hell--the place of the dead who were unrighteous and are awaiting their day in court.  We still talk this way today pointing up to refer to heaven and down to refer to hell.  Those of us who are in Christ look forward to the day He will return for us, and we will be resurrected to meet him in the air, and we will be with Him forever and ever.