.15:1-33.

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Bringing joy to others (Prov 15:1-33)

Words can easily cheer others or enrage them, help them or hinder them. Therefore, people should think carefully about what they say (Prov 15:1-5).

In addition to being wise in their speech, they must be honest in the way they earn their income (Prov 15:6-7).

In fact, they must be upright in all aspects of their daily lives. Only then will God, from whom nothing can be hidden, accept their sacrifices and prayers (Prov 15:8-11).

Another matter concerning habits of speech is that those who readily criticize others are usually offended when others criticize them (Prov 15:12).

Inner joy enables believers to be outwardly cheerful, even amid afflictions. Because they fear God and love others, they are truly contented even though not wealthy (Prov 15:13-17).

A series of warnings shows that wrongdoing creates its own hardships: bad temper causes arguments (Prov 15:18); laziness means harder work in the long run (Prov 15:19); folly creates family tensions (Prov 15:20); ignorance results in plans going wrong (Prov 15:21-22).

Those who bring joy to others can be assured of God’s goodness to them (Prov 15:23-24), but God opposes those who plot evil and use their positions of power to exploit the poor and the defenceless (Prov 15:25-29).

A cheerful face, like good news, brings refreshment to others (Prov 15:30).

Again the book records that to gain wisdom, people must be willing to learn, reverent towards God and humble in spirit (Prov 15:31-33).