Proverbs

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Proverbs Chapter 17

 

  • Proverbs 17:1 Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than an house full of sacrifices with strife.

Outward religion is a poor substitute for a heart that has the word of God within it. Christ brings us a changed life, and gives us through the Holy Spirit, an ability to keep the spirit of the law rather than do things as a ritual or as a religious work. This is why God sent Jesus Christ to us, not only as a sacrifice for sin but to teach us that God brings us something better than religious rituals.

Keeping the sacrificial part of the law pointed to the perfect sacrifice to come, Jesus Christ. However, they still had to do it by faith in order for it to count on their behalf. The law did not take sin out of the heart though but only pointed to the one to come that would take the sin out of our inner being when we become covered with the righteousness of Christ. That is why they needed to make sacrifices continually to keep reminding them of the salvation to come. Jesus came with the power to forgive sins, cleanse sins and give us victory over sin by filling us with the Spirit of God. It is a better way. The moral law is then written upon the tables of our heart.  

The Proverb here tells us that it is better to have only a piece of bread than a house full of meat and plenty of food if we are full of strife.  It is vain to have religion on the outside for a show and have a heart full of envy, strife, hate and fear.  

  • Proverbs 17:2 A wise servant shall have rule over a son that causes shame, and shall have part of the inheritance among the brethren. 

If a faithful and wise servant that is diligent and placed over the care of a rebellious son, he may receive part of the inheritance the same as the sons have.  

  • Proverbs 17:3 The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the LORD tries the hearts. 

If we let the Lord speak to us through the riches of His word, we will be refined as the fining pot for silver or the furnace for gold. We do not have to abide in sin and error. The Lord gives wisdom to those that seek Him. He is the source. Our trouble is that we go to everyone and everything except to the source of all wisdom and knowledge to get direction.  

  • Proverbs 17:4 A wicked doer gives heed to false lips; and a liar gives ear to a naughty tongue. 

Those that are wicked have already listened to the wrong people rather than those that live righteous so it makes sense that they continue to do so. They will love to hear gossip and hear evil about another person because it makes him feel justified. 

  • Proverbs 17:5 Whoso mocks the poor reproaches his Maker: and he that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished. 

Never should we desire to see evil happen to someone else even if we think they deserve it. God tells us that vengeance is His and His alone. He knows the heart and can make righteous judgments. We are never to gloat or mock at those that do not have as much as we do or that are living in poverty. We are to help the poor. 

  • Proverbs 17:6 Children's children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers. 

Good people will love children and care for them, bringing them up in the fear of God. They are really to be considered a blessing and a sign of God's blessing rather than a burden. 

  • Proverbs 17:7 Excellent speech becomes not a fool: much less do lying lips a prince. 

A fool will seldom speak with excellence but if they did it would be like a pig with an expensive jewel in their mouth. A prince or someone in high esteem is like a fool if he is given to lying.  People will learn to trust in those that have a reputation for telling the truth. 

  • Proverbs 17:8 A gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it: whithersoever it turns, it prospers.

A bribe is a precious stone in the eyes of him that possess it. Those that have money and use it to wield their power think it is a good thing like a precious stone. Those that take bribes believe in what they do and that it will benefit them. However, it harms innocent victims. 

  • Proverbs 17:9 He that covers a transgression seeks love; but he that repeats a matter separates very friends.

This one is hard for us to learn but it is so true. I don't believe this is meant for us to allow people to break the law and get by with it with no consequences but there are some things that we can keep quiet about if a person makes a mistake and does not want to repeat that mistake. If someone says something negative about someone else and we repeat it to the person spoken about, we will cause trouble between the two people. 

It is evil to be a gossip, be a whisperer and attempt to sow discord among brethren. However, this is not written for us to allow false teaching to be taught without reproof or allow someone to harm another without rescuing the innocent victim. 

  • Proverbs 17:10 A reproof enters more into a wise man than an hundred stripes into a fool. 

Those of us who want to be wise and who love righteous living will accept correction much more than a fool who is whipped for his transgressions and usually does not change his heart in any way. 

  • Proverbs 17:11 An evil man seeks only rebellion: therefore a cruel messenger shall be sent against him. 

We reap what we sow. If we break the law for instance by robbing or stealing, the same thing will be done to us. Evil will come upon those that sow evil. A messenger or avenger will find an evil one sooner or later. 

  • Proverbs 17:12 Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man, rather than a fool in his folly. 

Two legged evil men are more dangerous than wild beasts.  

  • Proverbs 17:13 Whoso rewards evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house. 

Believe it or not there are actually people who will turn and harm the very person sent to help them. Evil shall never depart from their home if they live like that. It is better to reward good for evil. 

  • Proverbs 17:14 The beginning of strife is as when one lets out water: therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with. 

A flood of water is hard to stop just like an angry word spoken without thinking. Its hard to get it back, once spoken the damage is done. 

  • Proverbs 17:15 He that justifies the wicked, and he that condemns the just, even they both are abomination to the LORD. 

That is why the Lord made the law in the days of Moses. He loves fairness and kindness to the weak, poor, widows, orphans and strangers. To cheat in business, to take advantage of the widows, orphans and such is very displeasing to God. He sees all that goes on and it will not go unpunished if the guilty does not change and repent. 

  • Proverbs 17:16 Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, seeing he has no heart to it? 

Fools do not want wisdom or good advice. It's a waste of time to give it to them. It's like casting pearls before swine. 

  • Proverbs 17:17 A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

A true friend is there in bad times or good to help and comfort. A brother that is not a true friend will help only when he has too as a duty rather than for friendship's sake. Its similar to "better a neighbor that is near than a brother that is afar off." 

  • Proverbs 17:18 A man void of understanding strikes hands, and becomes surety in the presence of his friend.

He makes a business deal without considering the cost or agrees to be a co-signer on a loan for instance without thinking first that he may not be able to pay it if his friend cannot do so. Think first before jumping into things. 

  • Proverbs 17:19 He loves transgression that loves strife: and he that exalts his gate seeks destruction. 

Troublemakers love to cause strife over words or things that cause division. Those who speak proudly and speak against God or His word bring destruction upon themselves. This doesn't mean that we don't go in the spirit of meekness to correct a brother who has fallen into error but to open our mouths in haste with wrong motives can cause trouble rather than godly correction. 

  • Proverbs 17:20 He that hath a froward heart finds no good: and he that has a perverse tongue falls into mischief. 

One of a froward heart and a perverse tongue devises evil and speaks deceit. He causes trouble and will end up falling into trouble himself. Froward means to not go along with what is required if what is required is good. Perverse is similar. Speaking that which causes trouble or evil instead of that which is fruitful and good.

  • Proverbs 17:21 He that begets a fool does it to his sorrow: and the father of a fool has no joy. 

If our children become fools out for evil, it brings us much sorrow for we blame ourselves to failing to teach them right and bring them up in the fear of God. 

  • Proverbs 17:22 A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit dries the bones. 

Being happy and full of the joy of the Lord, is healthier that worrying and fretting. There is a time of sorrow and repentance but afterward, we need to move on and return to the joy of the Lord which is truly our strength. 

  • Proverbs 17:23 A wicked man takes a gift out of the bosom to pervert the ways of judgment.

Only wicked greedy judges and leaders will take bribes to pervert judgment.  

  • Proverbs 17:24 Wisdom is before him that has understanding; but the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth.

For those that seek godly understanding, they will be filled with wisdom and be a teacher of righteousness to all that surround them. Where wisdom is not found in a person, he is never satisfied and is unsettled always looking for trouble. 

  • Proverbs 17:25 A foolish son is a grief to his father, and bitterness to her that bare him.

So true, but to have good children is a blessing indeed. 

  • Proverbs 17:26 Also to punish the just is not good, nor to strike princes for equity. 

We live in a day that we call evil good and good evil so to see someone punished for doing good does occur and will occur more in the days ahead if we don't turn back to God as a nation. Even now we see that those who speak out against the murder (abortion) of babies are called evil and those that support abortion rights called good.

  • Proverbs 17:27 He that has knowledge spares his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit. 

Think before we speak, do not be hasty with our words. He that is slow to speak and thinks first is wiser than the one who is the fast talker and quick to make comebacks. Yet we seem to admire the fast talkers and mistakenly think they are the wise ones. 

  • Proverbs 17:28 Even a fool, when he holds his peace, is counted wise: and he that shuts his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.

I remember the old sitcom "Mr. Ed". the theme song had a line in it which said, "Mr. Ed will never speak unless he has something to say."  Good advice to us. Speak only when we have something constructive to say.  -Dorna

 

 
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