“A wise son responds to his father’s discipline, but a mocker doesn’t listen to rebuke. From the fruit of his mouth, a person will enjoy good things, but treacherous people have an appetite for violence. The one who guards his mouth protects his life; the one who opens his lips invites his own ruin. The slacker craves, yet has nothing, but the diligent is fully satisfied.” (Proverbs‬ ‭13‬:‭1‬-‭4‬ ‭CSB‬‬ – Read the chapter)

We used to garden. It was a big garden too. At least it was for two people from the suburbs who had never really gardened before. We had a member who had been a farmer plow it up for us, and then we did everything else. It was a ton of work that we had to commit to doing each day, but we enjoyed it thoroughly. And, after a few weeks, we enjoyed the fruits of our labors with delight. Eventually life got busy enough and kids got big enough that we couldn’t do it anymore, but it was a good season. Solomon said the wise person experiences something like this, but because of her words. Let’s take a look at this and more as we get into Proverbs 13 today.

My parents got discipline right pretty much all the time. Now, I don’t remember ever doing too much that required a lot of discipline, but when I did, their approach was measured to the situation and never flew off the handle. Instead, I learned right from wrong. More than that, I learned to respond to discipline by changing my choices to make better ones. I learned to accept correction quickly and mostly graciously. I don’t always get that right, but the lessons I learned growing up have definitely made things easier for me now than they could have been.

Solomon says that “a wise son responds to his father’s discipline.” When someone in a position of authority over you offers you correction when you have drifted off the path of righteousness into some territory you shouldn’t inhabit, your best bet is to listen to them. Take their counsel into serious consideration and adjust your behavior accordingly.

Do this same thing when the correction comes from your heavenly Father. His correction can come by way of other people who seek to hold you accountable for walking in righteousness, but it comes at least as often through His word. When you read something in the Scriptures (which assumes you are regularly engaged with the Scriptures) that points you in a direction other than you are walking in, take the hint and change directions.

The mocker doesn’t listen to rebuke. We’ve met the mocker more than once on this journey. This isn’t just a person who makes fun of other people. He looks with derision and cynicism on the way that is right. He looks at the path of righteousness and declares it so much nonsense. He delights in going the wrong way just to show…someone…that it isn’t really wrong at all. And he does his level best to get others to join him in thinking and living this way. The judgment awaiting the mocker will be severe. The “mocker doesn’t listen to rebuke.” Don’t be like the mocker. There’s no life or joy awaiting you on that path. Oh, he tries to sell it as otherwise, but in the end it will only be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

“From the fruit of his mouth, a person will enjoy good things, but treacherous people have an appetite for violence.” If you words are good, if they are sweet and life-giving, your life will generally be filled with good things. The more you plant seeds of blessings with your words, giving hope and encouragement to the people around you, the more you will enjoy a harvest of blessing in return. When you constantly build people up, they will eventually return the favor. You always have a choice regarding what comes out of your mouth. Choose to make sure it is always what is beneficial for the situation you are in and you will reap a reward of goodness.

On the other hand, Solomon says, someone who is treacherous has an “appetite for violence.” They desire what is going to be harmful for the people around them. These are folks who look to betray those around them in some way. They look to put their interests above and before the interests of their neighbors, and look to their neighbors as little more than stepping stones to getting what they want. In fact, that’s their desire. They are hungry for it. If it takes violence of some kind to get there, so be it. This path doesn’t end well for anyone – those who walk it or the people around them.

“The one who guards his mouth protects his life; the one who opens his lips invites his own ruin.” Jesus’ brother James was fairly pessimistic on our ability to control what comes out of our mouth. He wrote about the great harm something so small as our tongue can cause us. We can set ablaze the equivalent of a raging forest fire with just our words. Consider the fiery chaos that is now spreading from France to other European nations. Those fires are being kept alive and fed to grow ever larger by words. The violence is merely the enacted result of words meant to incite it.

We have to take great care to guard and regulate what comes out of our mouth. If we do that wisely and well, we will protect our lives against all sorts of trouble. We will protect the lives of those around us to the extent we are able as well. To open your mouth without that care is to invite ruin. I suspect you can call someone to mind quickly whose filter between brain and mouth is thin. The trouble that person has likely unleashed in their own life is profound. You have perhaps even been a recipient of trouble because of the words they’ve spoken. Guard your tongue. Watch your words. Make sure they are set to give life only and never to take it.

“The slacker craves, yet has nothing, but the diligent is fully satisfied.” To want something without a willingness to work for it is a waste of time. A culture that encourages that kind of a mindset among its people is setting itself up for its own ruin and destruction. When a slacker craves and finds himself able to get what he wants without having to work for it, guess what he’s not going to be very inclined to do? Work! When someone learns they can do nothing and receive something for it, they’ll keep right on doing nothing.

If your kids want something, make them work for it. They won’t be happy with you at the time, but they’ll feel a lot better about what they receive in the end. They might even come back around to thank you for it when all is said and done. Giving them something for nothing only encourages them to develop an entitled, selfish, lazy mindset. That won’t serve them well in any arena of life, and it will make them a burden to everyone around them. And, while you’re at it, don’t vote for policies or politicians that aren’t willing to demand work in exchange for resources. Those who won’t are sowing the seeds of ruin for the entire culture. Anything worth having is worth working for. Because of sin, work doesn’t come naturally. Laziness is often our default. Do what you can to embrace and encourage an ethic of work. That’s what built this nation, that’s what builds strong families, and it will sustain them into the future.