Proverbs 16:27-33

Proverbs 16:27-33
English Standard Version
27 A worthless man plots evil,
    and his speech is like a scorching fire.
28 A dishonest man spreads strife,
    and a whisperer separates close friends.
29 A man of violence entices his neighbor
    and leads him in a way that is not good.
30 Whoever winks his eyes plans dishonest things;
    he who purses his lips brings evil to pass.
31 Gray hair is a crown of glory;
    it is gained in a righteous life.
32 Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
    and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.
33 The lot is cast into the lap,
    but its every decision is from the LORD.

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There are two main subjects in this last passage in this chapter.  There is a section on the "worthless" man from verses 27-30, and then a portion about a man who is self-controlled, wise and understands the LORD's Providence.  Let's start off with the person who is the poor example--the worthless person.  That person uses their tongue as a weapon to harm others.  Solomon compares their speech to a scorching fire.  James says that the tongue is set on fire by hell itself.  It is hard for a man to control his tongue, but the Spirit helps us to be self-controlled and not revile or curse even when we are reviled, and people curse us.  The dishonest man spreads strife and discord.  They are unhappy when other people are happy.  They also gossip and spread rumors to try to separate close friends.  They wish to steal, kill, and destroy with their words, just like their father the devil.

The worthless man does not value the life of anyone else and is a man of violence to his neighbor.  Where he should be loving his neighbor as he loves himself and watching out for his neighbor, he instead does violence towards his neighbors and sets a bad example for them--leading them in the way they should not go.  This is especially harmful to children who look to others for examples and follow the paths laid out for them by the wicked among them.  God says he's going to hold everyone responsible who causes one of the children who are precious in His sight to stumble and fall into temptation or sin.  The worthless man also calls evil good and good evil.  He gives a free pass to his own evil acts and to those who are like him and do the same evil he does.  When he daydreams, he is doing so to plot evil against someone.

Now e change gears and look at the ones that God has blessed with long life and wisdom.  Their grey hair is to be seen as a crown that adorns their heads.  It should be accompanied by years of experience that bring wisdom to share with the next generation.  Solomon seems to indicate that at this time those who lived long enough to have their hair turn grey were blessed by God with long life as a reward for right living for many years.  I would say this is one of those general principles that is not necessarily factual for everyone.  In general, the LORD allows the righteous to live longer lives, but we all know of some wicked people who have lived a long time (many times they hang on because this life is all they hope for as they have no hope of heaven).

The righteous man who is controlled by the Spirit will not be given to fits of rage and be controlled by his emotions.  While it's only natural for sin to make the righteous man angry, our anger does not work the righteousness of God, and it is not our place usually to punish evil.  When we are in a position to punish evil, we should not do so to seek our own vengeance or to try to bring the wrath of God on someone through our own hands.  Vengeance belongs to the LORD and He will repay in His way and His time whether that is in this life or in the judgment to come after this life.  "It is appointed man once to die, and after that the judgment."  The man who can control his anger is strong in spirit and be honored above the man with physical strength.  The one who is self-controlled is more honorable than the one who conquers cities in military battles.

Finally, there are many things in life that seem like they are left up to random chance, but in reality, the LORD controls even the outcome of these "random" events to work His purposes and will.  There is no such thing as the Fates, and the people of God should be careful to not speak in Fatalistic terms.  Instead, we should always be speaking of the LORD's Providence as we recognize that He is in control of everything in all places at all times.  While He does not tempt people to sin or cause them to sin, He does allow them to be tempted by their own flesh and by the devil, and He knows how they will respond to that temptation, but He has always made a way of escape for those of us who are His children so that we need not be caught up in that temptation.  Every decision is from the LORD.  The wise man will recognize this and give glory to the LORD in the "good" and "bad" times like Job did.  "The LORD giveth, and the LORD taketh away.  Blessed be the Name of the LORD."