Wise Up: Proverbs 17
Proverbs 17 (NIV)
1 Better a dry crust with peace and quiet
than a house full of feasting, with strife.
2 A prudent servant will rule over a disgraceful son
and will share the inheritance as one of the family.
3 The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold,
but the Lord tests the heart.
4 A wicked person listens to deceitful lips;
a liar pays attention to a destructive tongue.
5 Whoever mocks the poor shows contempt for their Maker;
whoever gloats over disaster will not go unpunished.
6 Children’s children are a crown to the aged,
and parents are the pride of their children.
7 Eloquent lips are unsuited to a godless fool—
how much worse lying lips to a ruler!
8 A bribe is seen as a charm by the one who gives it;
they think success will come at every turn.
9 Whoever would foster love covers over an offense,
but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.
10 A rebuke impresses a discerning person
more than a hundred lashes a fool.
11 Evildoers foster rebellion against God;
the messenger of death will be sent against them.
12 Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs
than a fool bent on folly.
13 Evil will never leave the house
of one who pays back evil for good.
14 Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam;
so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.
15 Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent—
the Lord detests them both.
16 Why should fools have money in hand to buy wisdom,
when they are not able to understand it?
17 A friend loves at all times,
and a brother is born for a time of adversity.
18 One who has no sense shakes hands in pledge
and puts up security for a neighbor.
19 Whoever loves a quarrel loves sin;
whoever builds a high gate invites destruction.
20 One whose heart is corrupt does not prosper;
one whose tongue is perverse falls into trouble.
21 To have a fool for a child brings grief;
there is no joy for the parent of a godless fool.
22 A cheerful heart is good medicine,
but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
23 The wicked accept bribes in secret
to pervert the course of justice.
24 A discerning person keeps wisdom in view,
but a fool’s eyes wander to the ends of the earth.
25 A foolish son brings grief to his father
and bitterness to the mother who bore him.
26 If imposing a fine on the innocent is not good,
surely to flog honest officials is not right.
27 The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint,
and whoever has understanding is even-tempered.
28 Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent,
and discerning if they hold their tongues.
Better a dry crust with peace and quiet,
than a house full of feasting with strife.
Proverbs 17:1
Peacefulness, tranquility, and harmony mark a happy home and a joyful life. On the other hand, wealth and possessions are only outward trappings and adornments which, on their own, never fully satisfy. Only through Christ do I have access to a full life. Only by the Spirit of Christ am I empowered to both seek and obtain peace, joy, love, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control. So what will be my life’s goal, wealth and the means to obtain comfort or God and the means to obtain contentment?
May I recognize what has eternal value. May I seek the blessings that bring true joy and not trade your truth for the lie of worldliness.
Whoever would foster love covers over an offense,
but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.
Proverbs 17:9
I’m going to consider this passage with my closest friend in mind, my wife. She is the person I share my life with and she is the person I love the most. Yet, she endures me at my worst and is the person I take offense at most often. My natural reaction is to fight back when offended and this does nothing to promote our love, it only encourages us to be more separate. But an offense overlooked and forgiven stops the hurt and allows love to flourish. I admit that this loving attitude runs counter to my natural inclination which demands my rights and defends myself against any and all perceived wrongs. But this need to see an offense never builds a relationship, it only tears it down. Love absent grace isn’t love, it’s selfishness. Love needs a humble spirit. It is patient, it is kind, it keeps no records of wrongs. Love takes Christ.
Lord may I love as you loved me, willing to sacrifice myself for love. May my words develop unity and not separation. May my actions build up and not tear down. Lord lessen my pride and give me a humble heart.
Well said!
Thank you for sharing and explaining this powerful truth.
One whose heart is corrupt… Verse 20
This verse is convicting me today. God is telling me the small ways that my heart is corrupt. They are tiny corruptions that I can only notice in retrospect – too late to prevent small lapses in judgement. They are not inherently sins, but they distract me from living fully committed to a life in Christ that makes a difference. Like, this week a friend who sells Native American jewelry showed me her new collection and I suddenly just HAD to have a necklace. Such a childish impulse!
So I’m praying that God will create in me a clean heart, one so clean that it can get ahead of distracting impulses.
6 Children’s children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children.
21 He who sires a fool does so to his sorrow, And the father of a fool has no joy.
25 A foolish son is a grief to his father And bitterness to her who bore him.
Verse 6 talks about grandchildren being a joy to us while verses 21 & 25 talk about how our children can bring us grief and sorrow. It seems so contradictory but in reality happens frequently. We must ask God to give wisdom to our children and heal any wounds in our relationships. We need to make sure we raise our children teaching them about Jesus and what he has taught us. There is one thing that is true, if you haven’t raised your children in the ways of Christ when they were young, it’s never to late to start. I can’t think of anything that is more satisfying than knowing your children know Christ.
Amen to that !!