Introduction

During the time we've been reading Proverbs, I'm sure we have been a bit smarter, a bit better at living, a bit less angry, and a bit happier. That would be wonderful if everyone had the knowledge to live well.

Unfortunately, many people only have the knowledge which leads to illnesses and suffering, rather than making them healthy, happy, and joyful. I often hear People say: "If you see something like this, you will be miserable just like me." I feel sorry watching him live like that. If I were him, I would not be able to live like that. People think they are right, and they think that others are just as foolish as him.

People who have spent time with me know that it's really difficult to make me unhappy or feel uncomfortable. Someone like me is not easily influenced by ordinary people or even ghosts because I know that others can't make my life difficult.

There are not many people who use the way we study Proverbs. It will not hurt to revisit Chapter 1. I am a scientist and expert in the study of human life. I read the Bible more deeply and better than others. If I publish the things I have researched, I will not be angry even if they do not give me the Nobel Prize. As long as someone lives better because of my research results, overcoming things like depression or cancer, I would be very happy. This is a joy that no one can stop.

Foolish people have double standards

The theme of this chapter is: Two kinds of weights are detestable to God. We need to ask ourselves, do we often use two types of weights? One day, my former co-worker and his wife came to my house for tea. Before I could even drink the tea, I noticed tension between them. They glared at each other like frogs. Upon further inquiry, it turned out that they had been arguing from home until they reached my doorstep.

But when they came in, they pretended like nothing happened. But this kind of pretending won't last long, and soon they will both start fighting each other again. The two of them complained to each other, using a magnifying glass to see each other's flaws and look at their problems very vaguely.

Many people, like this couple, used two different weights to measure things. But they think that what they are saying is very reasonable.

Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise. (Proverbs 20:1 NIV)

What does alcohol have to do with double standards? As soon as a person drinks a little alcohol, their true character shows. Before drinking, they pretended to be someone in front of others, but as soon as they drank a little alcohol, they forgot what they should pretend to be. The wine revealed everything inside. What used to be arrogance inside is now displayed on the outside, what used to be loudness inside becomes apparent as gentleness.

If a person does not know that they are using double standards, not only it is useless, but it can also harm them.
They might think they can deceive people and ghosts. But drinking a little wine reveals the entire person. It turns out that their mind is full of this.

It is to one’s honor to avoid strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel. (Proverbs 20:3 NIV)

We need to reflect on whether we are a person who loves to fight. As soon as we are scolded, we will burst into tears and start to get angry. Someone told me that they became distressed after making a phone call to their loved ones on the phone. Both of them are selfish people who think they are right. When they talk, they get angry and fight each other. There is no glory in them.

Foolish people love to fight, but fighting cannot solve any problems. There is one thing that everyone needs to think about clearly, What have we actually solved, Crying and fighting are not effective. Many people are self-righteous and use double standards and feel that it is often someone else's fault, but can this solve the problem? Some people are easily influenced by emotions, which will affect their judgment.

The purposes of a person’s heart are deep waters, but one who has insight draws them out. (Proverbs 20:5 NIV)

If we don't have wisdom in our hearts, and it's just confusion. I will work hard to be a wise teacher, to dig out your inner confusion, and turn pain into happiness, hard work into joy, and illness into health. That's how simple it is.

Over the past week, I've been pondering what I've been up to and what I'm talking about. Hurry up and repent. We should have more wisdom, knowledge, and intelligence in our hearts. Don't feel like you’ve done it all right, blame yourself for all those problems from the past.

Many claim to have unfailing love, but a faithful person who can be found? (Proverbs 20:6 NIV)

People always talk about the small things they have done right, and they feel like they are righteous people. But actually, you have done many wrong things. Even if you have done some things right, there are many other things that you haven't corrected yet.

A king’s wrath strikes terror like the roar of a lion; those who anger him forfeit their lives. (Proverbs 20:2 NIV)

Don't provoke God. Some people may feel dizzy, become sick, or feel pain. Do you want these? If you don't want them, can you listen to my advice? If we get angry, that means we did not get it right. Why can’t we be happy? Please take my advice. Maybe according to age, I am not as old as you, but in terms of knowledge, I am much more knowledgeable than you. Listen to my advice and learn to correct your bad habits.

Who can say, “I have kept my heart pure; I am clean and without sin”? (Proverbs 20:9 NIV)

No one dares to say that they are already clean. How are you clean? Your heart is so dirty. People should purify their hearts according to God's standards, and use God's methods to clean their sins. There are double standards within us. We don't even realize it anymore. The pain of your illness can only prove that you are too evil inside.

Loving God should not have double standards

When a king sits on his throne to judge, he winnows out all evil with his eyes. (Proverbs 20:8 NIV)

Even if someone learns how to live, who can decide whether they live well or not? Ultimately, they must seek the favor of God. Many people feel good about themselves even if they have different diseases. But, all the problems within people are because they don't love God, and not loving God is what makes you very painful.

People who fall in love do not know how to get along with each other. When they get married, they do not know how to manage the relationship and just make their homes a mess. This is all because we don't love God.

I once served a cancer who was a pastor of a large church. I asked him how he got cancer. He told me that being a pastor is hard work so it was easy to burn himself out while doing it. This is very strange to me. I have never found the word 'burned' in the Bible.

If a person has to do something they don't like, of course, they will burn out. If I play computer games, I will feel bored and tired for a short while. But those who enjoy playing mahjong and those who enjoy playing video games all day long can pass many hours quickly. It's all because they don’t have to work or do anything and there are no problems. People don't burn out when they do what they like.

I haven't rested a single day since I was 28 years old. And I have never experienced the feeling of being burnt out. Why? Because I enjoy what I do every day. When I was in school, I loved studying. When I was working, I loved working. When I was a Christian, I was also very happy. When I became a pastor, I was still happy to work. The pastor wondered, "Why am I so burdened, and why are you so joyful?".

The reason behind this is very simple. If you don't love God, you will feel that serving God is a difficult task. People who love God are always happy when they serve God.

Differing weights and differing measures—the Lord detests them both. (Proverbs 20:10 NIV)

They feel that they have cleaned their hearts, and their sins, and feel that they have been saved. However, they don't know they have been using double standards. They don't use their heart when they serve, but they use their heart when they travel on vacation. They hope to be served with one set of scales, and when serving others, they use another set of scales. They hope that God will set a standard for them, but when they serve others, it is another standard. This is a double standard.

Their customer service is a mess. If someone needs to serve, they just say, "Sorry, I'm very busy." When they need to be served, God says, " Little one, I'm also very busy." Human tragedies are all created by ourselves, so we need to change ourselves. Normally, the relationship between a daughter-in-law and mother-in-law is not good. Why? Because the woman has one set of standards when she is daughter-in-law. When she is mother-in-law, she has another set of standards when she treats her daughter-in-law.

Everyone close to me knows that I am someone who knows how to live. Many people think that I have lived a happy life, they never see me busy because I never cover up my problems and solve them every time I encounter them.

Ears that hear and eyes that see—the Lord has made them both. (Proverbs 20:12 NIV)

We need to train our eyes to see well and our ears to listen well. The ears are meant for hearing, and the eyes are meant for seeing. However, sometimes, our ears hear but don't really listen, and our eyes see but don't really perceive. Yet we think highly of ourselves. Everyone should strive for personal growth and progress. You should have ears to hear and eyes to see because it is created by God.

Even small children are known for their actions, so is their conduct pure and upright? (Proverbs 20:11 NIV)

Some people have loved to cry since childhood, while others have not loved to cry since childhood, which is natural. We need to start learning to have knowledge and wisdom, and relying on our nature is useless. ****We need to learn to fear God in the future, learn to use God as the standard, and not to use our standards as the standard.

Some children love learning. Some children don't love learning. It is hard to explain. After listening to my sharing, the one thing you need to know is that natural things are not very useful. But no matter what, making people smarter is the only way.

Do not love sleep or you will grow poor; stay awake and you will have food to spare. (Proverbs 20:13 NIV)

We need to learn not to be lazy, and avoid poverty. Keep our eyes open and become a perceptive child.

Gold there is, and rubies in abundance, but lips that speak knowledge are a rare jewel. (Proverbs 20:15 NIV)

If people have knowledge and can explain it well, that is good.

If you can follow what I'm saying, I can guarantee you one thing, which is that you will live a prosperous life. You don't have to love money, you don't have to love treasure, just love God. God is our knowledge, God is our wisdom. If you believe in this, I bless you in Jesus’s name and you will not have to worry because you will be healthy.

Plans are established by seeking advice; so if you wage war, obtain guidance. (Proverbs 20:18 NIV)

We need to learn to have strategy, knowledge, and wisdom. To live well, a person must rely on fighting spiritual battles, and they must use wisdom. To fight this spiritual battle, one must have wisdom, and rely on the word of God. If someone in the family is cursed, this demon will continue to be passed down in this family until the third and fourth generations.

You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me. (Exodus 20:5 NIV)

We need to solve problems, and loving God is the key. Loving God is the only way to solve problems. Loving our God with all our heart, soul, strength, and mind is the solution to all curses. We need to learn how to plan, understand how spiritual things work, and know how to fight spiritual battles.

Dealing with one's double standards

Plans are established by seeking advice; so if you wage war, obtain guidance. (Proverbs 20:18 NIV)

We should know that double standards and measures are detestable by God. Unknowingly, we may find that we are using our own sets of standards. But once we decide to love God, we always feel the continuing debt to love one another. Do you know why I put so much effort to serve? Because when I serve people, it is like serving God.

Take the garment of one who puts up security for a stranger; hold it in pledge if it is done for an outsider. (Proverbs 20:16 NIV)

We must take on the responsibility in front of God, that is to become blessings for those who we do not know. We need to be a mediator to them and do our best to bring these people before God. I may not explain this correctly, but this is the idea in my heart.

Food gained by fraud tastes sweet, but one ends up with a mouth full of gravel. (Proverbs 20:17 NIV)

What you originally think has no use, only the words of God can be effective.

Gossip betrays confidence; so avoid anyone who talks too much. (Proverbs 20:19 NIV)

People talk bad about each other thinking they've done something good. Such people should be kept away from.

If someone curses their father or mother, their lamp will be snuffed out in pitch darkness. (Proverbs 20:20 NIV)

Many people curse their parents because they think it's okay. Absolutely no. Even if their parents did something wrong to you, you should not think you're right because they are your parents. Some parents may have some bad habits, but you also want to change them because you love them, that's ok. There's nothing wrong with it. Don't fight back with evil and curse your parents.

An inheritance claimed too soon, will not be blessed at the end. (Proverbs 20:21 NIV)

We think money is important and acquiring property is important, but those are not blessings.

Summary

The Lord detests differing weights, and dishonest scales do not please him. A person’s steps are directed by the Lord. How can anyone understand their way? (Proverbs 20:23-24 NIV)

Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” (Psalms 119:105 NIV)

People take the path they think they are right, but they don't understand that they are taking the wrong path.
Only the words of God are the light in front of our feet and the light on the road. We must learn how to do whatever God says, no matter what.

A wise king winnows out the wicked; he drives the threshing wheel over them. (Proverbs 20:26 NIV)

If our God wants to punish the wicked, He will use the threshing wheel to crush them. We should keep our distance from such wickedness.

The human spirit is the lamp of the Lord, that sheds light on one’s inner being. (Proverbs 20:27 NIV)

Our spirit should unite with God’s spirit so God's spirit will illuminate the impurities and the evil inside of us.

Blows and wounds scrub away evil, and beatings purge the innermost being. (Proverbs 20:30 NIV)

If we are not living well and we have illnesses, it means God is punishing us for us to repent. God is trying to save us.

Love and faithfulness keep a king safe; through love, his throne is made secure. (Proverbs 20:28 NIV)

Our God, Lord and King is trying to save us, He wants to lead us to walk the path of God. If we think that God is not helping us and we do our things, then trouble will happen, we need to keep doing things that please God. May our spirit and God’s spirit come together and get rid of the evil in us, and to get rid of the double scales in our hearts. If you do this, it will be difficult to not have blessings.

If we have been disciplined, do not be sad, God knows you love him, it's just that you do not know. I know you want to love God, but you are lacking in knowledge. God is sitting on his throne and giving us his blessings, we should know that good things will happen to us because we are willing to repent. Amen!

May God bless you all!