Tag: True North

A Reflection on Proverbs 22

Proverbs 22 shows that truth shapes reputation, responsibility, and direction over time. This chapter reminds us that truth is not about momentary success, but about the kind of life and legacy we are building. Truth leaves a name behind.

Truth Values Character Over Riches

“A good name is more desirable than great riches…” (Proverbs 22:1)

Truth measures life by character, not wealth. What people know us for matters more than what we possess. Integrity outlasts money.

Truth Walks Humbly Before God

Rich and poor share the same Creator. Truth levels the ground and removes pride. Humility keeps truth accessible and corrective.

Truth Anticipates Danger and Acts Wisely

“The prudent see danger and take refuge…” (Proverbs 22:3)

Truth is not reckless. Wisdom responds early, avoiding harm rather than cleaning up consequences later.

Truth Produces True Security

Humility and the fear of the Lord lead to life, honor, and peace. Truth provides security that circumstances cannot remove.

Truth Trains the Next Generation

“Train up a child in the way he should go…” (Proverbs 22:6)

Truth is meant to be passed on intentionally. What is planted early shapes direction for years to come.

Truth Rejects Oppression and Injustice

God defends the poor and resists those who exploit others. Truth aligns with justice and refuses to benefit from harm.

Living This Truth

Proverbs 22 reminds us that truth must be:

– Rooted in character

– Lived humbly

– Practiced wisely

– Passed on faithfully

Truth shapes both life and legacy.

Truth to Carry Forward

Truth builds a name that endures beyond success.

A Reflection on Proverbs 19

Proverbs 19 reveals truth lived patiently. This chapter emphasizes integrity, responsibility, compassion, and trust in God’s sovereignty. Truth here is not hurried or loud…it is steady, humble, and secure. Truth rests instead of rushing.

Truth Values Integrity Over Advantage

“Better the poor whose walk is blameless…” (Proverbs 19:1)

Truth measures life by character, not comfort. Integrity matters more than outcome or appearance.

Truth Moves With Patience and Understanding

Rushing into something without knowledge leads to mistakes. Truth slows down, choosing wisdom over impulse and patience over urgency.

Truth Accepts Responsibility

Proverbs 19 exposes our tendency to blame God for the consequences of our own choices. Truth owns failure honestly and learns from it.

Truth Reveals Genuine and Authentic Relationships

Prosperity attracts many companions; hardship reveals true friends. Truth discerns loyalty based on faithfulness, not convenience.

Truth Responds With Self-Control

“It is to one’s glory to overlook an offense.” (Proverbs 19:11)

Truth is not reactive. Wisdom expresses itself through restraint, patience, and grace.

Truth Trusts God’s Sovereignty

“Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.” (Proverbs 19:21)

Truth releases control. Peace comes from trusting God’s purpose rather than forcing our own plans.

Living This Truth

Proverbs 19 reminds us that truth must be:

– Rooted in integrity

– Practiced patiently

– Owned responsibly

– Lived compassionately

– Trusted to God

Truth is steady because God is faithful.

Truth to Carry Forward

Truth rests in God’s purpose rather than rushing to control outcomes.

A Reflection on Proverbs 18

Proverbs 18 reveals how deeply truth is connected to listening, speaking, and where we place our confidence. This chapter shows that truth is not loud or rushed…it is careful, humble, and secure.

Truth shapes both our words and our refuge.

Truth Rejects Isolation

“Whoever isolates himself pursues selfish desires…” (Proverbs 18:1)

Truth invites counsel and connection. Isolation may feel safe, but it often protects pride rather than wisdom. Truth grows in community.

Truth Listens, Then Speaks

Proverbs 18 warns against answering before understanding. Truth values listening more than being heard. Wisdom slows down long enough to grasp the full picture.

Truth Recognizes the Power of Words

“The tongue has the power of life and death…” (Proverbs 18:21)

Words are never neutral. Truthful speech brings life, healing, and clarity. Careless words create harm and division. Truth speaks with intention.

Truth Walks in Humility

Pride closes the heart to truth; humility opens it. Truth is received by those willing to be corrected and taught.

Truth Evaluates All Sides

Truth resists quick conclusions. It listens fully and considers perspective before forming judgment. Truth seeks understanding, not victory.

Truth Finds Refuge in the Lord

“The name of the LORD is a fortified tower…” (Proverbs 18:10)

Truth recognizes that real safety is found in God, not in wealth, influence, or self-reliance. Truth rests securely.

Living This Truth

Proverbs 18 reminds us that truth must be:

– Heard through listening

– Spoken carefully

– Lived humbly

– Rooted in God

Truth listens well, speaks wisely, and stands secure.

Truth to Carry Forward

Truth listens before it speaks and rests in the Lord for security.

A Reflection on Proverbs 17

Proverbs 17 reveals how truth shows itself most clearly in moments of tension. This chapter focuses on relationships, speech, and emotional restraint, showing that truth is not proven when life is calm, but when pressure is applied. Truth is tested in how we respond.

Truth Values Peace Over Winning

“Better a dry crust with peace than a house full of feasting, with strife.” (Proverbs 17:1)

Truth does not need noise, abundance, or victory to validate itself. Peace is evidence of wisdom. Truth chooses harmony over pride.

Truth is Refined Through Testing

Life’s pressures reveal what is genuine. God uses difficulty to refine the heart and expose motives. Truth remains after the test.

Truth Guards Words Carefully

Proverbs 17 emphasizes restraint in speech. Truth knows when to speak and when to remain silent. It covers offenses rather than spreading them and seeks restoration instead of escalation.

Truth Produces Faithful Relationships

“A friend loves at all times…” (Proverbs 17:17)

Truth shows itself through loyalty and consistency. Genuine relationships are not conditional or convenient…they endure.

Truth Walks Humbly and Calmly

Truth rejects pride, recklessness, and emotional reaction. Wisdom is revealed through patience, restraint, and self-control.

Living This Truth

Proverbs 17 reminds us that truth must be:

– Tested under pressure

– Expressed with restraint

– Lived through loyalty

– Protected by humility

Truth is most visible when emotions run high.

Truth to Carry Forward

Truth tested under pressure reveals the heart.

A Reflection on Proverbs 16

Proverbs 16 exposes a humbling reality: what feels right to us is not always true. This chapter reveals how easily self-deception can masquerade as confidence, and how truth ultimately belongs to the Lord, not to our intentions or plans. Truth begins with God.

Truth Weighs Motives, Not Just Actions

“All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the LORD.” (Proverbs 16:2)

Truth looks beneath behavior and examines the heart. Confidence in our own reasoning is not proof of truth. God’s perspective alone reveals what is actually right.

Truth Requires Humble Submission

We may plan carefully, but Scripture reminds us that God directs our steps. Truth grows when plans are surrendered, not when control is tightened.

Humility keeps truth accessible.

Truth Exposes Pride

Proverbs 16 warns that pride ushers in destruction. Pride blinds us to correction and distorts perception. Truth, however, thrives in humility and restraint.

Truth Governs Words and Influence

Truthful speech brings life and healing. Deception spreads harm quietly. Proverbs 16 shows that truth shapes not only personal character, but leadership and relationships as well.

Truth Chooses God’s Way Over What Seems Right

“There is a way that seems right to a person, but its end is the way to death.” (Proverbs 16:25)

What seems logical or reasonable is not always true. Truth submits reasoning to God’s wisdom rather than trusting appearance.

Living This Truth

Proverbs 16 reminds us that truth must be:

– Surrendered to God

– Examined honestly

– Lived humbly

– Trusted over self-confidence

Truth is not something we own…it is something we submit to.

Truth to Carry Forward

Truth belongs to the Lord; wisdom is submitting my heart to His view.

A reflection of Proverbs 13

Proverbs 13 reveals how truth quietly shapes the future. This chapter shows that truth is not proven in a moment, but over time…through teachability, discipline, words, and influence. Truth here is steady, not dramatic. Truth builds what lasts.

Truth Listens Early

“A wise son heeds instruction…” (Proverbs 13:1)

Truth listens before consequences force attention. Wisdom welcomes correction early, knowing that prevention is better than repair.

Truth Guards Words and Actions

Proverbs 13 connects speech and self-control to life itself. Truth restrains the mouth and aligns effort with desire. Wanting something is not enough…truth honors discipline and faithfulness.

Truth Values Integrity Over Appearance

This chapter repeatedly contrasts what looks successful with what is truly secure. Truth is not impressed by image, shortcuts, or quick gain. It values honesty, patience, and substance.

Truth is Shaped by Influence

“Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise…” (Proverbs 13:20)

Truth recognizes that influence is never neutral. Wisdom grows in wise company, while poor influence quietly erodes direction.

Truth is Proven Over Time

Proverbs 13 reminds us that steady growth lasts, while quick gain fades. Hope may be delayed, but truth sustains perseverance until fulfillment comes.

Living This Truth

Proverbs 13 teaches that truth must be:

– Listened to early

– Lived with discipline

– Guarded in speech

– Reinforced by wise influence

Truth practiced consistently shapes a future that lasts.

Truth to Carry Forward

Truth practiced faithfully builds a future worth keeping.

A Reflection on Proverbs 12

Proverbs 12 reveals that truth is not merely something we accept…it is something we must love. This chapter shows how truth expresses itself through humility, speech, integrity, and faithfulness in ordinary life. Truth shapes who we become.

Truth Welcomes Correction

“Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge…” (Proverbs 12:1)

A heart that loves truth welcomes correction. Resistance to correction is not strength…it is refusal to grow. Truth refines those who value wisdom more than comfort.

Truth Produces Stability

Proverbs 12 contrasts lives built on truth with lives built on deception. What is rooted in truth endures; what is rooted in manipulation eventually collapses.

Truth creates a life that stands firm.

Truth is Revealed Through Speech

Words are a major theme in this chapter. Truthful speech protects, heals, and gives life, while deceit traps and harms. What lives in the heart will eventually be heard in the mouth. Truth speaks carefully and intentionally.

Truth Produces Peace

Truth Values Integrity Over Image

Proverbs 12 warns against pretending to be something we are not. Truth values faithfulness over appearance and substance over approval. Integrity removes the need to perform. Truth is content to be real.

Truth is Faithful in Ordinary Life

Truth shows up in diligence, responsibility, and consistency. Faithfulness in small, unseen moments reveals what truly governs the heart.

Truth Honors Steady Obedience

Deceit brings anxiety and unrest, but truth brings stability and peace. Honest, encouraging words have the power to lift heavy hearts and steady troubled minds. Truth calms rather than agitates.

Living This Truth

Proverbs 12 reminds us that truth must be:

– Loved, not resisted

– Spoken carefully

– Lived with integrity

– Practiced faithfully

Truth does not rush, but it endures.

Truth to Carry Forward

Truth loved and lived produces stability and peace.

A Reflection on Proverbs 10

Through the lens of truth, this chapter shows that truth is revealed not in theory, but in patterns of daily life. Truth becomes visible over time.

Truth is Revealed by Fruit

Proverbs 10 repeatedly contrasts outcomes. Wise choices produce life and stability; foolish choices produce loss and grief. Truth is not hidden forever…it shows itself through the fruit a life produces. Examples are if you eat unhealthy and lack discipline, your physical appearance will show…if you’re a salesperson and don’t prospect, your sales numbers will reflect it…if you claim to be a Christian, yet don’t connect with Adonai you cannot possibly live out the life you were called to live.

Truth Aligns With Integrity

Short-term gain achieved through dishonest means does not last. Truth aligns with righteousness, not shortcuts. What is built without truth eventually collapses.

Truth Values Diligence

Proverbs 10 affirms the power of steady, faithful work. Laziness is not neutral…it shapes outcomes just as surely as diligence does. Truth honors responsibility and effort over excuses.

Truth is Heard in Our Words

Much of this proverb focuses on speech. Words reveal what governs the heart. What is in the well, comes up in the bucket. Truth produces restraint, clarity, and life-giving speech, while careless or deceptive words expose inner disorder.

Truth Brings Security

“Whoever walks in integrity walks securely…” (Proverbs 10:9)

Truth removes the need to hide. Integrity produces freedom and confidence, while deception creates instability and fear.

Truth Welcomes Instruction

The wise receive correction; the foolish resist it. Truth remains teachable, knowing that growth requires humility.

Truth Leads to Life

Proverbs 10 reminds us that the fear of the Lord leads to life, endurance, and peace. Truth does not merely help us succeed…it helps us live well.

Living This Truth

Proverbs 10 teaches that truth must be:

– Lived consistently

– Revealed through actions

– Expressed through words

– Confirmed over time

Truth is not proven in a moment, but in a life.

Truth to Carry Forward

Truth lived consistently becomes visible over time.