Chapter 17

House with strife

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

If we have material possessions earmed by us by way of sacrifices, we would have to manage the same with a lot of difficulties which may result in strife. But if we have less possessions even with a dry morsel, we can enjoy guietness. A laborer after his hard work and with a dry morsel has a peaceful sleep but a rich man with his much possession finds strife in his house.

Many ministers of God with their big establishments have no quietness or peace in their personal, family lives because they have to run these establishments with much strife leading to mental tension and ill-health. The early apostles had no strife in their ministries because they did not have any building or any establishments but co-workers were their assets.

Wise servant

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

Servants serving their masters or employees working in organizations have to be wise in their services. Their being wise would help their disobedient children tide over their problems. It would also help get their shares of inheritance among their brethren. Wise servants by virtue of their dedicated services to their employers are able to earn not only for their livelihood but also help them inherit their master's part of the estate or gratuitous reward for their honesty and hard work.

Lord trying hearts

The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the Lord trieth the hearts (Proverbs 17:3).

in our life, our faith is tested like silver being tested in the fining pot and like gold being tested in the furnace. It is the Lord who testes our hearts through trial and afflictions. At times, we do not get what we need in answer to our prayers though the Lord has promised to us through His word. After testing our faith for a long time, the Lord grants our desires. The period of waiting is the furnance or the fining pot. First, our faith becomes first silver and then gold. God wants our faith to be gold.

Wicked doer versus liar

A wicked doer giveth heed to false lips; and a liar giveth ear to a naughty tongue (Proverbs 17:4).

A person who does wicked things gives heed to lies because he acts on false reports. A liar heeds to a person with a naughty tongue. Lie and naughtiness (mischief) go hand in hand. A wicked person believes in lying and mischievous tongues. Human tongues are not straightforward and truthful but emit lies and mischiefs.

Even saints become wicked doers when they listen to lying or mischievous statements and act on such reports.

Mocking poor and being glad at calamities

Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker: and he that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished (Proverbs 17:5).

At times, we do not treat the poor people with compassion. In our churches, we do not bother to talk to new comers who are poor. Mocking the poor does not mean our abusing or our deriding them. Even if we consider them as low in our mind, we mock them and reproach their Maker.

We should empathize with those who suffer calamities. At times, when we witness natural calamities, we come to the conclusion that God is judging these people and we become glad. But one day God will punish us.

Glory of children

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

The crown of old men is not money or possession but their descendants and the glory of their fathers is transmitted to their children. Fathers should lead righteous lives so that their children inherit their glory. The righteousness of old men being their crown is transmitted to their grand children.

We should not own assets through illegal income because such assets to be inherited by our children or grand children would bring curse on those who would enjoy such assets. Our crown of glory would be transmitted to our posterity.

Speech of fool

Excellent speech becometh not a fool: much less do lying lips a prince (Proverbs 17:7).

A fool can deliver an excellent speech by his oratorial skill but the fool devoid of wisdom cannot help others by his or her deeds. Similarly, a prince cannot serve his or her people by deceitful means. The prince or the ruler becomes a fool before his or her people when he or she is not able to fulfill what the former has promised.

Bribe as precious stone

A bribe is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it: whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth (Proverbs 17:8).

A gift or a reward earned through illegal means or illegal favour may appear precious in the eyes of one who has it. It prospers wherever it goes. But it produces death or destruction in its trajectory.

Covering transgression

He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends (Proverbs 17:9).

When a transgression is committed, we should cover it by love. By love we minister life to one who committs transgression. We counsul the evil doer so that he or she repents. But if that person repeats his mistake or mischief, then he loses the confidence of his friends who cover his mistake or mischief. The friends forsake him ultimately.

Reproof of wise man

A reproof entereth more into a wise man than an hundred stripes into a fool (Proverbs 17:10).

A reproof helps us grow spiritually and a wise man is ready to accept it. A fool is worth receiving a hundred stripes. The wiseman who gladly receives reproof is better than the foolish man who receives the hundred stripes for his foolishness.

Nowadays, we covet praises, not reproof. Many servants of God do not accept reproof from other members of the Body of Christ. They have fallen spiritually due to sheer arrogance.

Evil man seeking rebellion

An evil man seeketh only rebellion: therefore a cruel messenger shall be sent against him (Proverbs 17:11).

A man who becomes evil seeks only rebellion, not peace. As he cannot control his self, he indulges in rebellion. He rebels against good people because his deeds are evil. God sends a cruel messenger to teach him a lesson. The cruel messenger can be a police official or a law enforcement official.

Those who rebel against the law of the land are also evil. Those who rebel against the word of God are also evil. A saint may become an evil man if he does not obey the word of God.

Fool in his folly

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

We should avoid meeting fools who are not amenable. A fool is worse than a bear robbed of her whelps. The bear robbed of her whelps becomes violent and no one can tame it easily. When you deal with a fool who does not listen to you, you would face grave consequences. The fool remains in his folly and does not want to repent or to come out of his folly.

In your life, you have to discern who a fool is. A fool is one who does not think reasonably but acts in an abnormal manner. Education can change a fool to some extent.

A fool becomes wise when he comes to Christ and accepts Him as his Lord and Saviour.

In this world, we at times behave foolishly. Our acts may become foolish. It is not the foolish act but the innate nature that proves a fool. This nature changes when a fool is born again in the spirit of God.

God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty (I Cor.1:27). The foolish things of the world need not necessarily be the handiwork of fools. A fool commits folly and abides in it.

Rewarding evil for good

Whoso rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house (Proverbs 17:13).

If you reward some one who helps you with evil, then evil shall stay permanently in your house. If in your house you have not received any blessing from God in answer to your prayers, you have to just examine your life to find whether you have harmed anyone who had helped you in any manner.

Beginning of strife

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

A small breach in a reservoir if not plugged will result in a deluge which may destroy a town. Likewise, a strife that begins in a house or in a church or in an organization, if not resolved amicably, may result in a great disaster.

In a big denominational church in India, a strife begun with usurping of property by a senior pastor and this strife could not be solved amicably. The matter further escalated and the aggrieved people went to a court of law and finally this strife became a disaster for the whole church.

Justifying wicked

He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the Lord (Proverbs 17:15).

We should not justify the wicked, be it a believer or a minister of God. We have to rebuke the wicked on his or her face. Similarly, we should not condemn any just person when we do not know the entire picture concerning the latter. Today we just condemn the righteous people by hearsay or without bothering to find out the other side of the picture.

Both the categories of people are abomination to the Lord.

Fool and wisdom

Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, seeing he hath no heart to it (Proverbs 17:16).

No one can buy wisdom by acquiring knowledge. A fool cannot get it by paying a price for it. Wisdom comes from God. The fool who does not believe in God cannot get wisdom even if he or she acquires knowledge by spending money. The wisdom is far away from the heart of the fool.

Friend and brother

A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity (Proverbs 17:17).

A friend is better than a brother. The brother may hate you but a true friend loves you at all times. Jesus calls us friends. Jesus said that one could lay down his life for his friends.

Man void of understanding

A man void of understanding striketh hands, and becometh surety in the presence of his friend (Proverbs 17:18).

Becoming surety for some one who knows that he is not in a position to pay back the loan is not a wise decision. At times, we are deceived to stand surety for people who would take bank loans and would then disappear.

A man void of understanding strikes deals and becomes a surety for a person who intends to cheat by not repaying the loan. A wise friend who is a witness to this deal would not give his consent to such a deal.

Loving transgression

He loveth transgression that loveth strife: and he that exalteth his gate seeketh destruction (Proverbs 17:19).

We should not encourage violation of the rules or the law of the land by unscrupulous elements. We should not side with them. If we do so, we are considered to love strife. At times, we raise or widen our gate in business or profession to get more customers whom we may not be able to hand in the absence of adequate infrastructure. When we are not able to produce more goods or services to cater to these large number of clients, our business may end in recession because we compromise on quality in order to increase large-scale production.

Froward heart

He that hath a froward heart findeth no good: and he that hath a perverse tongue falleth into mischief (Proverbs 17:20).

Possession of a froward heart and a perverse tongue would not do good for any person. A froward heart designs evil things. A perverse tongue results in mischief.

Begetting fool

He that begetteth a fool doeth it to his sorrow: and the father of a fool hath no joy (Proverbs 17:21).

The words for "fool" in the two clauses are different. Here it is kesil, which implies bold, self-confident folly, the worst form of the vies; in the second hemistich it is nabal, which rather denotes dulness and stupidity, a want of mental power. (Pulpit commentary).

A man begets a child, who may turn out to be a fool. And then he would find no joy in his foolish child. A child becomes a fool not by birth but by the environment in which the child is brough up. It is for the parents to create such environment for the child to grow. If the father is a wicked person, his son will also become wicked. The child imbibes the character of his/her parents.

Merry heart

A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones (Proverbs 17:22).

Our heart has to be cheerful always and this serves as a medicine against any disease. We have to keep those who are sick in good humour and in good cheer. A person with a broken spirit is prone to diseases. It is always the worries and fear that lead to increased tension. Such diseases attack our bones causing bodily infirmities.

Wicked man taking bribe

A wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosom to pervert the ways of judgment (Proverbs 17:23).

One who gives a gift out of the bosom to pervert the ways of judgment is wicked. The giver of a bribe is wicked as the receiver of the bribe. The intention of the giver is to pervert the ways of judgment. In doing so, he entices the receiver to commit a crime.

Eyes of fool

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

He or she who understands the true God and His ways gets wisdom but a fool goes blindly in search of the vanities in this world instead of God.

Foolish son

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

A son who has become a fool in this world without seeking God causes grief to his father and bitterness to his mother. No body is born as a fool but becomes a fool because of the environment in which he is brought up. Parents have to take care of their children by their own good behaviour.

Punishing the just

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

In this world, the just is punished by unrighteous and false judgment. It is against the justice and equity of God. It is also not good to attack princes or rulers who are just and righteous. We can overthrow a ruler who is unjust and unrighteous.

Man of understanding

He that hath knowledge spareth his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit (Proverbs 17:27).

He who has knowledge of what he has to do does rightly without speaking much. His actions speak more than his words. He has an excellent spirit.

Fool as wise man

Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding (Proverbs 17:28).

Even a fool when he gets hold of his peace in face of adverse circumstances is counted wise. If he shuts his mouth even when he is provoked, he becomes a man of understanding. Peace makes even a fool wise. If a violent group armed with weapons seeks peace, they become wise.

Next....Chapter 18