今天的經文包括了各種常識，在在都說明了面對智者與愚人的危險，窮人與富戶的個性，事情好壞的判斷，透過這一切，所羅門看到上帝管理人心，也管理世事，幫助人遠離諂媚阿謏、虛偽不實，而以順服的行為代之。

        什麼因素使你對自己的看法與實際的你有所差異？什麼因素使別人看到你和你希望被別人看到的有所不同？是什麼使上帝無法幫助你，使你成為你所希望的樣子？
        當你深思這些問題的時候，不妨看看箴言十八章十二節說些什麼（它太重要了，在箴言十六章十八、十九節也會發現類似的經文）。
        驕傲──為你自己、為你的財富、為你的能力、和你的社會地位──結果導致滅亡；謙卑──在上帝與別人面前──則會帶來尊榮，上帝樂於提升謙卑的人（15：33），卻輕看驕傲的人（6：16,17；16：5），驕傲的人和自己（8：36）、和別人（13：10）、和上帝（16：5）不斷的爭戰，結果顯然就是死亡！就像驕傲使撒旦企圖篡奪上帝的榮耀（賽14：12-14），結果落在刑罰裡（提前3：6），足見驕傲會毀壞你的生命。在今天找機會學習謙卑，找個人問問他有什麼需要，然後把你有的與他分享，也可以跟一個人表達你衷心的感激。記住，你所有的一切，都是上帝賜給你的（林前4：7）
        如果這樣做使你十分為難，可千萬記住：驕傲掩蓋了你的罪；驕傲遮蔽了別人的意見；驕傲阻攔了對上帝的服事。

印地安諺語論「謙卑」
        「謙卑」在印地安話的意義是「塵埃」，這個解釋幫助我們了解他們的一個諺語：「你可以永遠踏在灰塵之上，而它永遠不會頂撞你。」

主耶穌的軛絕不會放在不順服的脖子上。

English

        The varied statements of common sense in today's reading are descriptions of the perils facing the wise and the unwise, character sketches of the poor and mighty, and value judgments upon things which appear to be good and things which are good. Through it all, Solomon sees God at work in the hearts and affairs of people, helping them to avoid flattery and falsehood, and to display obedient behavior instead.

        What is it dial keeps you from seeing yourself as you really are, others from seeing you as you wish you really were, and God from helping you become what you would really like to be?
        As you ponder that riddle, take a look at the lesson contained in 18:12. (It's so important, you'll find it also in 16:18-19.)
        Pride—in yourself, your possessions, your abilities—brings destruction. Humility—before God, before others, before yourself—brings honor. God delights in raising up the lowly (15:33), but He despises the proud (6:16-17; 16:5). A proud person fights himself (8:36), others (13; 10), and God (16:5), and eventually his end is destruction. Just as pride caused Lucifer to want to be greater than God (Isaiah 14:12-14), resulting in condemnation (1 Timothy 3:6), so pride can ruin your life. Look for opportunities today to exercise humility instead. Nothing is as hard to do gracefully as getting down off your high horse—and nothing is as necessary! Look for one person whose needs and interests you can place above your own today. Go out of your way to express a word of sincere appreciation. Remember, all you have and are is given to you by God (1 Corinthians 4:7).

An Indian Proverb on Humility
        One Indian word for humility literally means "dust," a fact which helps to explain the significance of this Indian proverb: "You can walk on the dust forever and it never answers back."

The yoke of the Lord Jesus will never fit on a stiff neck.