1 Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than an house full of sacrifices with strife.
What good are all the finest foods on
earth when you have contentions and arguing?
This is a warning about getting caught up in the materialistic
philosophy of life. The reference to
“dry morsel” is likened to a fragment of dried bread vs. the finest meats,
which were offered as “sacrifices” to God.
Another way to look at this is to say, given a choice, would we take
peace over fighting? Of
course we would. Then consider
the price we are willing to pay for the things in life we so often think we
need. In other words, in order to have a
nicer house or car, how much contention are we willing to deal with. I have
known where people have spent their lives living on the outside of peace so
much so they cannot even recognize peace.
2 A wise servant shall have rule over a son that causeth shame, and shall have part
of the inheritance among the brethren.
First, let me show you what a “son that
causeth shame” is so you might understand what this
verse is teaching us. In Pr. 19:26 “He that wasteth his father, and chaseth away his mother, is a son that causeth
shame, and bringeth reproach.”
In the time of this writing many families had servants. Especially if they were well off. When the son would become unruly
they were put under the strict rule of one of the servants to watch their every
move. Painstaking attention was given to
the son to recapture them and bring them back into the family. The compensation to the servant for
performing this act was to participate in the wealth of the family. From the perspective of the unruly son, he
would have reduced his or her inheritance due to their disobedience and shame
and that portion would have gone to the servant. What we need to understand here too is that
the value and effort of raising sons and daughters is of the highest priority.
3 The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold:
but the LORD trieth the hearts.
God gives us many examples of the
physical realm in order to convey the principle and to impart the insight to
our soul and spirit. Here, the “fining
pot” is the method used to make the impurities of silver rise to the top then
be scrapped off. The temperature is
intense because it has to be above the melting point
enough for the impurities to rise. The
melting point of silver is 1,763ºF, and the boiling point is over 4,000ºF. The melting point of gold is 1,948ºF and the
boiling point is 5,173ºF. That is
incredibly intense heat. I think what
the LORD is saying here to us is that “trying” hearts is intense and we should
leave it to HIM! At the same time be
comforted when we are being tried because the result is always purification.
While we are under this intense heat it
will never be easy. If we are paying attention we should see our weaknesses and impurities as He
sees them because the impurities come to the top. Then the LORD becomes the motivation for
dealing with them. It strikes me too
that the purest of a persons are found in the deepest
part of the fining pot and not at the surface where the impurities are. Oh, and one other thing, if they are down in
the pot they are probably not easily seen.
After being tried there will always be a larger stake in guarding our
hearts.
4 A wicked doer giveth heed to false lips; and a liar giveth
ear to a naughty tongue.
A “wicked doer” is one that seeks to
cause affliction. It is part of their
character to listen for opportunities to either cause or assist in bringing
destruction to others. Be not dismayed
at this evil when it reveals itself in us.
It is there lurking in the darkness, waiting for an opportunity to
commence its dastardly intentions. You
think not? Consider this. Have you ever said to yourself, “I’ll show
you?” Have you ever felt you were
wronged somehow and desired to get even or somehow even the balance? Remember how Christ pointed out that when we
hold a thing in our heart it is as though we have done it? Look at Matthew 5: “21 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou
shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:
22 But I say unto you, That
whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the
judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca,
shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be
in danger of hell fire.” One having Wisdom will be able to
clearly discern and remove themselves from these treacheries.
“Naughty” in this verse is referring to
a fallen state of desiring ruin and destruction. Therefore, it makes sense that a liar listens
to a “naughty tongue” for he himself is in ruin.
5 Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker: and he that is glad at calamities
shall not be unpunished.
You may read this next statement and
crumble this work into a ball and heave it out a window and leap out the window
to stomp violently upon its pages but take heed lest you fail to
understand. There is purity in the poor
that many may never see. Many have been
poor and by the grace of God been able to find a means of providing excess for
themselves. Having found that excess
they mock or ridicule those less fortunate.
The word “mocketh” means to ridicule. This verse is teaching us that ridiculing
someone who is poor is wrong. I have
witnessed many a Christian take the elevator to the top floor of judgment and
pass sentence on the poor. This is the “reproacheth” part, where we think we need to take charge of
running the universe for God just for a moment.
The word “reproacheth” simply means to
blaspheme or defy. There is no way we
can ever know what is going on in a person’s life to the point where we can
ridicule anyone who is poor.
I have fallen into this trap more than
once I can assure you. I think guys have a tendency to wish disaster upon their opponents more
so than woman. Whether it is golf,
sports cars or business, men tend to compete.
The right way to handle this is to do our best against their best. Something I have noticed in business over the
years is that often employees find a way to tare down those around them in
order to be seen as the better employee. They even go out of their way, working harder
at destroying someone than just doing their job. They will not go unpunished, that’s a
promise.
6 Children's children are the crown of old men; and the
glory of children are their fathers.
“Children’s children” are the
grandkids, which are a blessing to the grandparents. Make sure the heritage of your family is
shared with the entire family, especially the little ones. There is no bigger man on earth than a father
and grandfather to a child. They are
larger than life and the seeds of heritage become the harvest of dreams.
7 Excellent speech becometh not a fool: much less do lying
lips a prince.
When a foolish one speaks it is often
not taken seriously and there is always skepticism concerning what they
say. In fact it
is the characteristic they are known for most.
Any time a fool speaks at all there is little doubt that what is being
said is either a lie or a crafty plot being sewn. The word “excellent” here is also translated
as exceeding or plentiful which adds to the fact that this trait is out of
character. The opposite is true for a
prince. His words have
an effect on the livelihood of those around him. We expect lies from a fool and not from a
prince.
8 A gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath
it: whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth.
The gift is a wonderful thing; it is
precious to the one giving it and the one receiving it. The gift is a sign of charity and love when
given. Many times
the gift can be small and seemingly trivial but it still has the impact
intended. Remember too that it only
becomes a gift once given.
9 He that covereth a transgression
seeketh love; but he that repeateth
a matter separateth very friends.
Often it is difficult to forgive a
matter and let it go but this verse is telling us that is exactly what we
should do. If we continually bring up
the past eventually we will not have any friends.
10 A reproof entereth more into a
wise man than an hundred stripes into a fool.
A reproof can be as simple as a criticism but the wise man listens and considers. Where on the other hand a fool is consumed by
his foolishness to the point even a beating will not change him.
11 An evil man seeketh only
rebellion: therefore a cruel messenger shall be sent
against him.
I remember one time when I was in
school and several of my friends and I had shot some spitballs at one of the
teachers. While in another class, there
was a knock on the door and the principle was standing there with a list of
names in his hand. Suddenly, terror
struck. The cruel messenger was
informing the teacher that I was going to be leaving the classroom for some
well-deserved punishment.
12 Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man, rather than a
fool in his folly.
We all know that it would be a good day
if we did not meet up with a big momma bear looking for her cubs. The “fool in his folly” is more likely to be
torn to shreds. Notice it says “a fool IN his folly.” The fool is immersed in his activities of his
folly because it is the only place he finds
instruction. Pr. 16:22, “Understanding
is a wellspring of life unto him that hath it: but the instruction of fools is
folly.”
13 Whoso rewardeth evil for good,
evil shall not depart from his house.
This is an example of the principle of
sewing and reaping but in reverse.
Anyone who rewards someone who has done something good with something
evil, brings on themselves evil. Not
only is the evil dispensed on him that does the rewarding but his entire house
or family.
14 The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: therefore leave
off contention, before it be meddled with.
“Letting out water” is a term used in
irrigation back in the day of this writing.
Picture water being held back by a dike.
Making a furrow to begin allowing the water to pass on to the fields
would be hard to stop until the water was finished. Wisdom is telling us not to be contentious in
matters because when the strife starts it will run its course and not be
stoppable.
15 He that justifieth the wicked,
and he that condemneth the just, even they both are
abomination to the LORD.
Now and then when I see the news and
some guy is apprehended for doing something wrong, I can see how the poor guy
got himself in the mess he is in and I feel sorry for him. Depending on the crime of course, but
occasionally I justify what the guy did and even see where I could have or may
have done the same thing in that situation. Don’t fall into that trap. As you can see from
this verse the one that did wrong is condemned and the one that justified or
condemned the wicked is an abomination.
16 Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to get
wisdom, seeing he hath no heart to it?
The fool thinks there is a price for
Wisdom and given enough money or goods there is a possibility of gaining
Wisdom. The problem is the condition of
the heart. One of the best examples is
found in Matthew 19 starting in verse 16.
The story starts off where the rich young ruler comes to Jesus as asked what
he must do to have eternal life.
Jesus said to him keep the commandments and the man responded, which
ones. Jesus mentioned murder, adultery,
stealing, lying, honoring thy father and mother and finally loving thy neighbor
as thyself. The young man said, “all
these have I kept from my youth, what lack I yet.” This is where the young man’s heart is
revealed. The young man in his heart
thought he was ready, perfect in every way.
The next statement is one of the most condemning statements in
scripture. Jesus said unto him, “If thou wilt be
perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have
treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.” Notice the way Jesus
said this to the young man, if you are perfect… The young man thought himself
to be ready to stand before a righteous and almighty God. He was in no way humble nor did he realize
there was no amount of money, even ALL of his that
would pay for the trip to Heaven.
17 A friend loveth at all times,
and a brother is born for adversity.
The word “friend” is also translated as
neighbor it means someone very close to us.
They know what we like and are there for life experiences. However, when it comes to life and death situations,
issues of the family or distress, the brother is there to come along side.
18 A man void of understanding striketh
hands, and becometh surety in the presence of his friend.
Basically, don’t become responsible for
someone else to pay back money. Surety
is a form of co-signing a loan. The
basic jest is that if the primary person on the loan defaults for any reason,
the co-signer is responsible for the debt.
Proverbs 6:1-2 "1My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, if thou hast
stricken thy hand with a stranger, 2Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken
with the words of thy mouth."
In essence the co-signer loans their name to
someone else whose name is not good enough to be granted the deal. This alone should be cause for caution. See the notes on Proverbs 6:1 and guard your
name.
19 He loveth transgression that loveth strife: and he that exalteth his gate seeketh
destruction.
Read this carefully now. The word “strife” in the Hebrew means
contention, the act or an instance of striving in controversy or debate. The verse clearly says, “He loveth
transgression…” if he loves “strife.” The word transgression in the Hebrew
means rebellion. The verse could read,
“He loves rebellion if he loves contention and controversy…” Be careful around those who seem to love
contention, controversy and rebellion.
There is nothing wrong with a heated discussion about a matter and even
some debate; however, consistent positions of contention may be signs of a
rebellious spirit.
The “gate” is a place where many would
gather to hear the latest news and share the events of the day. Normally it was a gathering place in the city
where travelers would listen and share the news of recent days. In this case however, this person exalts
himself (i.e. “his gate”) as having the latest and most factual news. He has to build
himself up in order to get listeners. He
has to portray himself in such a way that his
contentions are heard and make sense.
When someone has to put forth his or her own
credentials we should beware. They will
twist the facts in such a way everything they are saying makes sense.
20 He that hath a froward heart findeth
no good: and he that hath a perverse tongue falleth
into mischief.
Lets
start by looking at the word “froward.”
There is never a better way to define what is meant by a word or verse
than to use other words and verses from the Scriptures. In Proverbs 2:12-15, we are given the list of
things we are protected against once we receive Wisdom. In this case look specifically for the
mention of “froward.” "12 To
deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh froward things; 13 Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of
darkness; 14 Who rejoice to
do evil, and delight in the frowardness of the wicked; 15
Whose ways are crooked, and they froward in
their paths:” The word “froward”
clearly means perverse or perverted.
Webster defines perverse in the following manner: 1 a : turned away from
what is right or good : CORRUPT b : IMPROPER, INCORRECT c : contrary to the
evidence or the direction of the judge on a point of law <perverse
verdict> 2 a : obstinate in opposing what is right, reasonable, or accepted
: WRONGHEADED b : arising from or indicative of stubbornness or obstinacy 3 :
marked by peevishness or petulance : CRANKY synonym see CONTRARY
21 He that begetteth a fool doeth
it to his sorrow: and the father of a fool hath no joy.
First, the “fool” is
someone who is arrogant about his or her stupidity. The sad fact is they do not know they are
foolish. It has been said that a smart
man knows how much he doesn’t know and therefore keeps him mouth shut. In this verse the father is in grief over the
outcome of his son or daughter. Finding
them to be a fool reflects the parent’s prowess in raising a child. Unfortunately in
this day and age there is little respect among parents concerning their
responsibility in raising children. The
parents have too many outlets to offload their children to the so-called
professionals. It may be sports, Sunday
school, their education and the most damaging, friends and the types of
entertainment that are allowed. We tend
to be more concerned about where we drop-off and pick-up our children than what
is going on inside at the activity they are attending. I am afraid the distractions of this world
have become so enticing that we as parents are suffering from distractionitis.
When we awake, we turn and look at each other and ask the age-old
question “where did we go wrong?” when in fact, “why didn’t we spend more time
with them?” is the more appropriate question.
22 A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken
spirit drieth the bones.
The word “merry” here as it refers to
the heart means a deep and soulful joy accompanied by rejoicing. This is not a simple chuckle at something
funny. Wisdom makes herself clear here
by teaching us that by setting ones self on Her path
brings forth an inner medicine. Proverbs 3:1-3 “1My son, forget not my law; but let
thine heart keep my commandments: 2For length of days, and long
life, and peace, shall they add to thee. 3Let not mercy and truth
forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine
heart:”
The word “broken” means stricken and is derived from the Hebrew word
meaning to strike, scourge and smite.
This is a very serious condition in which the spirit finds itself
focused on itself in a very critical way.
The phrase is implying a self-inflicted punishment or self-criticism,
which in turn destroys the health of the blood.
See the notes on Proverbs 3:8 about how important the bones are to our
overall health. If the blood is not
healthy there is no other part of the body that can be healthy. The very source of nutrients for the entire
physiological subsystems means danger for every organ. A physical withering begins simply due to our
first succumbing to the pressures of brokenness. This is not the same brokenness of repentance
but instead the brokenness of allowing the external conflicts to join in and
form what seems like a hopeless condition.
Enough negativity,
bring your heart and spirit to Wisdom and beg Her for guidance, insight, health
and above all, oneness with the LORD.
23 A wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosom to pervert
the ways of judgment.
We have heard the saying, “every man
has his price.” This verse is talking
about the same thing. When the wicked
propagate their frowardness sometimes it requires bribes. Notice that it says
“to pervert the ways of judgment.” It is
interesting that Satan uses the same tactics on us today. In most cases we are not directly attacked
like Job was with such losses. Instead,
we are attacked with the subtleties of perverted judgment. The “gift” or bribe would not have its
tantalizing effect unless we have allowed our judgment to be diluted. Wisdom grants us clear judgment.
24 Wisdom is before him that hath understanding; but the
eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth.
Have you ever noticed that foolish
people seem to always have their sites set on the future
but their present conditions are complete chaos? That is what is being taught here. There is nothing wrong with setting
goals. In fact, setting goals is
good. Part of setting those goals is to
also identifying the things that need to get done to
achieve each goal. Without a roadmap to
goals there is little hope of ever attaining those goals.
25 A foolish son is a grief to his father, and bitterness to
her that bare him.
This is similar to
verse 21 and reiterates the importance of being an involved parent in the early
stages of a child’s life.
The word “grief” used here is a very
strong word in the Hebrew meaning vexed or provoked to anger and wrath. The word “bitterness” is only used in this
verse and nowhere else in the entire Bible.
It is a form of bitter grieving.
The grieving may be due to the desire shown here of the father to take
physical action to correct the child.
26 Also to punish the just is not good, nor to strike
princes for equity.
Punishment is meant to correct a wrong
behavior. Punishing someone who is right
to begin with is wrong. The phrase
“princes for equity” can be translated as someone willingly upright. To strike someone to make them upright when
they are already upright makes no sense.
We often do this with our words.
Instead of using whip or stick we choose all too often words with the
sting of a million bees. There is no
difference in the attack because the selfish motivation of sending a message of
pain was initiated.
27 He that hath knowledge spareth
his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit.
It is interesting how those who have
knowledge and insight use the fewest words.
When I run into someone expounding on some subject but take forever to make they’re point, it normally means they really don’t know
that much about whatever it is they are talking about. For myself, when I am asked about computers I generally ask for an explanation and spend the
majority of the time listening before I answer.
28 Even a fool, when he holdeth
his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his
lips is esteemed a man of understanding.
This is a good piece of advice as we
become filled with Wisdom. Keeping our
mouth shut is often the best way to listen to what is going on around us. Many of us may have heard the saying, “better
to be thought a fool than to open our mouth and remove all doubt.” I used to work with a man that would spout
some of the most off-the-subject statements I have ever heard. It was clear by the expression on his face he
was not listening to what anyone was saying but instead listening for where the
next break was in order that he could say something else. I have always found it interesting that God
gave us two ears but only one mouth.
Looking at it in computer terms that would equate to two input devices
but only one output device. If you count
the eyes and nose and touch that would make six input and one output.