Some people repeatedly do dangerous things, fail to follow safety procedures, for example, and stubbornly ignore warnings. As a result, sooner or later, catastrophe strikes – yet it was easily avoidable.

A stubborn person is not in control of his emotions – they are in control of him. Even if his error is repeatedly pointed out, he simply cannot acknowledge it. Although he may not say a word, there is a strong emotional reaction inside as he hardens the muscles of his neck and bristles with anger, like a dog does perhaps.

Are we emotionally mature and in control of our feelings, or do we react instinctively, like a wild animal? Are we being held back in our careers by this kind of chronic weakness, so that individuals with less ability than us are more successful?

Might we provoke others, especially young people, to harden their necks by constantly rebuking them when it is not really necessary? Paul says: "Fathers, do not exasperate your children" (Ephesians 6:4). Is there a difference between pointing out a mistake and giving a rebuke?

Perhaps the theme continues. How wisely do we exercise whatever authority we possess? Are we overbearing and tiresome? Do we provoke other people, or encourage and motivate them in a positive way? Do we facilitate their achievement and personal development? What is the purpose of our authority anyway – what precisely is our intended function?

In his instructions to Timothy, Paul says: "Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters" (1 Timothy 5:1).

The theme continues. What makes children wise? Must they go out like the prodigal son and learn wisdom by suffering (Luke 15:11-32), or can they acquire it at home?

Do our children rejoice, or do they groan under heavy-handed rule and constant lecturing? Are we driving them away into the outstretched arms of evil influences waiting to ruin their lives? A harlot offers a man affection that may be lacking elsewhere.

Do we talk to our children at mealtimes and stay close? Do we discuss the real issues of life? Do we encourage wholesome interests, and take great care to provide constructive activities and hobbies? Do we spend serious time with them? Do we impose unnecessary restrictions, or do we teach them to think for themselves, learn to analyze situations, and make sound decisions?

Do we keep company with harlots? Are we ruled by harmful desires and appetites?

Who or what pulls our strings and dictates our behavior?

Do we treat people fairly? Are we consistent? Do people know where they stand with us? Can they rely on us to do the right thing – or do we act out of self-interest, motivated by personal gain? Do we play favorites? Young people are especially sensitive to such injustices and inequalities.

Do we value stability, or does chaos reign in our little kingdom? Do we establish sensible procedures, and follow them? Do we carefully consider potential consequences before making changes?

The king does not establish his land by force, but by wise judgments that encourage loyalty – by empowering his subjects to go about their business in safely, confidently and enthusiastically with a minimum of regulation.

Flattery can encourage people to act unwisely, and suffer badly as a result. It is like a spreading net, says Solomon, a method still used to snare birds and entangle them today. The bird does not see the fine mesh of the net until it is too late, just as the neighbor fails to see the avoidable trouble he is walking into.

How does flattery stop us seeing the loops of netting, even though they are actually visible if we look carefully? How does a net work? Does the speed and eagerness of the prey have any effect?

Perhaps the theme continues from the previous proverb. If we respond to flattery, for example, we fall into a snare that may be difficult to escape from later, when other people find out what actually happened. If we are virtuous, however, we can be happy with our decisions, and rejoice because we have been fair and honest and done the right thing.

Solomon says that the snare, the covered pit, is actually under the feet of the evil man, so he has to tread very carefully, hoping it won’t give way. In other words, he is walking on it, but it has not yet collapsed – although one day it will do, and suddenly. Meanwhile, he appears to be getting away with something, and people may envy him. However, the virtuous man can run along with confidence.

Have we been snared by evil? Are we trapped and entangled by foul habits?

Righteous people are concerned for the welfare of the poor. Reporting on a meeting with the Church leaders James and Peter, Paul says: "All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do" (Galations 2:10).

Do we consider, or meditate on, the cause or rights of the poor? Can we identify the various root causes of poverty? In what specific ways can we help? What influence can we have?

Scornful men create problems for a city, an organization and themselves because they lack diplomacy and stir up antagonism on occasions where cooperation is sorely needed. Wise men know how to defuse difficult situations, and pour oil on troubled waters. Do we?

Perhaps scornful men lack respect for other people’s ideas because they have made premature value judgments as to their expertise on the basis of superficial factors such as the way they dress or speak. Do we?

Perhaps the theme continues again. Avoid arguments with foolish and scornful individuals, says Solomon. Their minds are closed to reason, and they will either get angry or try to make fun of you. It is a waste of time and you will get nowhere.

Successful salesmen understand the importance of gaining access to the real decision maker and presenting their case to him, rather than getting involved in detailed discussions with the gatekeeper in the outer office who is immune to reason and finds satisfaction in being obstructive.

Perhaps the theme continues, as Solomon identifies a root cause of illogical and unreasonable behavior – namely the hatred of good people by bad ones. Truth will not always triumph, because emotion interferes with logic and warps people’s thinking. The good salesman understands the importance of making himself likable and eliminating annoying mannerisms.

Are you ever close-minded and un-reasonable? Are your decisions ever influenced by envy and personal animosity? Can you accept the best idea or advice, irrespective of its source? Do you ever accept and act on bad ideas simply because you like the person suggesting them?

Do you return hate for hate, and so perpetuate it? "Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven" says Jesus (Matthew 5:44).

A fool may have a short fuse and let his feelings be quickly known. The wise man, on the other hand, keeps a lid on his temper and stays cool. James says: "Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires" (James 1:19).

Do you let your emotions show when it would be better not to? Does the look on your face show what you are thinking? Why should someone know they have angered or upset you, especially if it will weaken your position in future dealings? Can you contain and hold in your emotion when necessary?

When asked a question, the wise man listens and thinks carefully before answering, and often replies with a question that seeks to clarify the nature of the original inquiry before offering further information. The foolish man blurts out his unthinking answer.

Perhaps the theme continues again. Do people always tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?

Although some people will not listen to the truth, as we have seen, they may happily listen to lies. If a ruler does this, he encourages lying among his officials, and will soon be surrounded by yes men and lose contact with the real world.

Here is the psychological principle of positive reinforcement by which habits are formed. The animal trainer identifies the desired behavior and rewards it each time it is exhibited. In this way the animal’s behavior is "shaped" and may be elicited on cue. In the same way, the foolish ruler trains his servants to lie.

Do your hear what you want to hear? Do you believe what you want to believe – or do you seek out the unvarnished truth, no matter how unpleasant it may be? Do you question your sources of information and dig down to separate fact from personal opinion? Are you being told the whole truth, or simply carefully selected portions of it?

People are people, rich or poor, made in the image of God, and we should treat them all with respect. Perhaps Jesus has this proverb in mind when he says: "He causes his sun to shine on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get?" (Matthew 5:45-46). The rewards for righteousness do not all come in this present life.

The poor man and the wealthy usurer are both human beings, both capable of logical thought and creative action. Why, then, is the one poor and the other rich? The usurer has seen a need and filled it, even if his motives may not be the best. He has opened his eyes, looked for opportunities and found one.

Perhaps the theme also continues from the previous proverb. Has the poor man listened to lies – and filled his mind with false ideas of how the world really works? Has he passively accepted his lot in life, and entertained illusory limitations on his own potential? Has he closed his eyes to opportunity . . . has he asked the usurer if he needs any help collecting and counting his money?

Those in authority have a responsibility towards the poor. The king has to judge the poor, to look at their situation and find constructive ways to help them escape from poverty. By so doing, by providing education and opportunity, by kindling a vision and by helping them discover and develop their gifts and make a worthwhile contribution to society, he fulfills his God-given function and establishes his throne.

Although he may be tempted, like the king mentioned earlier, to feather his own nest by accepting political bribes and favoring the rich, his own best interest actually lies in the opposite direction, in caring for the poor – thereby building a stronger, more stable and prosperous society.

Does the theme continue? To what extent is a person’s poverty a natural consequence of emotional weakness and immature foolishness, resulting from parental neglect in childhood and permissive child-rearing methods?

The rod alone does not bring wisdom, although it may bring obedience. Reproof involves talking, explaining, discussing, helping the child learn to think through the cause and effect consequences of his actions for himself.

Leaving children to their own devices is a recipe for trouble, says Solomon. Proper supervision and daily contact and interaction with parents as teachers and role models is very important. Why will a child left to himself bring shame? What makes it happen?

Why does Solomon slip this comment on crime between two important proverbs about children? Perhaps he is saying that bad management, in the home or elsewhere, somehow creates problems that might otherwise be avoided.

In the home, adults are role models to their children, so how can bad parents hope to bring up good children? What kinds of habits, attitudes, vocabulary, speech patterns and emotional reactions and moral values are we modeling for them?

In business, the values of those at the top gradually permeate the organization they lead, for better or worse. What kinds of behavior are we rewarding and reinforcing? Sooner or later, bad managers will end up out of a job.

If Solomon’s advice is followed, children should bring delight and peace, even as teenagers. If children are a burden, then something is wrong, and only the parents can put it right.

What are our expectations? Why do people accept child tantrums and rudeness as being normal and inevitable? Who says it has to be that way? If you are a parent, what wrong things are you doing, and what good things are you failing to do? What advice might Solomon offer?

Perhaps the theme continues. Metaphorically, a vision is an ideal, a higher purpose, a dream of something better, an expectation. Parents, managers and all in authority need a vision to guide them, an ideal to live up to, a higher standard to reach for.

Literally, the word vision here signifies knowledge, instruction and warnings from God, as revealed through a prophet. Without that divine direction, a society tends to go the wrong way and degenerate.

Without a vision of excellence to aspire to, many people wander aimlessly through a desert of mediocrity and fall prey to evil influences.

Perhaps the theme continues. Even when people know better, like the disobedient servant, they may still choose to do wrong. Aristotle taught that men would always be good if they really understood the rights and wrongs of a situation, and much modern education has the same premise – so that better teaching rather than punishment is required. Solomon would seem to disagree. Words are not always enough.

Human beings have a talent for deceiving themselves and rationalizing their behavior. Do we do stupid things when we actually know better? Can we learn from mere words, from reading and hearing, or do we have to feel the pain first?

Some parents keep threatening their children when they are disobedient, but action never follows, and so their words soon lose their impact. The children take no notice.

Slow down! says Solomon. Pause. Think. Consider. Perhaps we can learn a lesson from the disobedient servant in the previous proverb who refuses to speak. He is slow to speak, because it might make his situation worse, but some people are too quick to speak, and do make things worse for themselves.

Are you sometimes too quick to agree to suggestions, requests, even apparently attractive and innovative ideas before asking enough questions and carefully considering the implications – possibly because you want to impress and be thought of as being very nice, helpful or even decisive?

When important matters are involved, make a habit of taking your time before answering. Perhaps you need to sleep on it and give your creative subconscious time to work out the wisest course of action. Give yourself a chance to be wise, and avoid unnecessary mistakes. More haste, less speed, goes the old saying.

Has the sloppy servant we read about earlier been taking advantage of his master’s slackness or unwise generosity, perhaps over a period of time? Now the master wants to tighten things up, but bad habits have been formed and will be hard to break. Familiarity breeds contempt, and prevention is better than cure.

Do we create serious problems by our inconsistency? Do we define standards and clear regulations, and stick to them, come what may? Do we establish clear boundaries of allowed behavior, and enforce them?

It is good to be pleasant and kind, but should that stop us being businesslike? Are we letting people take advantage of us?

Does the theme continue again? How often do we get angry because we find out that someone has taken advantage of our slackness, our weakness, our failure to spell out terms and conditions? Do we make ourselves a doormat, then get angry when people walk all over us? In such situations, the bad feeling that ensues is really our own silly fault. Perhaps we should be angry with ourselves.

Are you a bad-tempered person who easily gets angry? It can get to be a habit. Might it be that you have failed to develop more effective strategies for dealing with difficult people and situation? What triggers your anger? What other reaction might be more effective, and yet generate much less bad feeling? Can you devise and mentally rehearse better ways of resolving conflicts? Is your temper a fear reaction?

Pride will bring a man low, says Solomon, possibly because hurt pride and the ensuing humiliation easily lead to unwise displays of bad temper that stir up strife and harden opposition to his proposals.

The humble man, on the other hand, is more successful because his approach is gentle and inquiring, rather than forceful, arrogant, presumptuous, provocative and threatening.

Can we analyze the interpersonal mechanics of conflict situations and reprogram our approach by rephrasing our habitual speech patterns, adopting a different attitude and modeling more successful individuals? Can we experiment to find the best approach?

We have seen several situations where people are their own worst enemies, and create problems for themselves. Here is another example.

This man has foolishly made himself partner with a thief, obviously in hope of personal but dishonest gain. Do we let greed tempt us into making unwise decisions that will be very difficult to reverse later?

In entering into any kind of agreement, are we cautious enough? Do we look ahead and make provision for its termination if and when desired? Do we sign contracts that may have very painful consequences if things go wrong? Are there severe penalties? Do we let initial euphoria drown out the voice of reason?

As we approach the end of this section, Solomon seems to be reiterating some key principles for our consideration. To what extent and in what specific ways, for example, is our behavior shaped and influenced by fear of what other people may think, say or even do?

To what extent do you follow fashion and slavishly conform to social customs out of fear? Are you afraid to undertake potentially important projects in case you fail? Do you listen to the whisper inside your head that some successful businessmen describe as the Voice of Judgment – urging you not to try, not to take a risk, not to innovate, because you will only fail and look foolish, because, after all, you are just a loser! Do you have the courage to create?

Can you drown out the Voice of Judgment by repeating your own positive affirmations?

Trust in the Lord, says Solomon – and be confident. "I can do all things through Jesus Christ who strengthens me" says Paul (Philippians 4:13).

Perhaps the theme continues. Are we still worried about men, and desperately seeking their favor? Are we man-centered or God-centered? The wise man seeks God’s guidance first, not as a last resort when all else has failed.

No man, no ruler, no organization, no nation even, has power, except as God allows it says Paul: "There is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God" (Romans 13:1). We have direct access to the source of that authority. Remember, as Napoleon Hill learned from his study of America’s most successful entrepreneurs – Prayer is our greatest power.

Perhaps Solomon is reminding us as he concludes this section that no matter how wise we may become, we can never win favor with all the people, all the time, and that we should expect opposition to our plans and purposes from certain quarters.

There is a battle between good and evil, and human nature is rampant. As a result, the just are despised and opposed by the unjust, some of whom may be rulers and people of influence. All the more reason for the wise man to follow Peter’s advice, when he says: "Cast your anxieties on him, for he cares about you" (1 Peter 5:7).