Wisdom from the Proverbs

I was reading from Proverbs 17 this morning, these verses popped out at me.

Fighting is ever so tiring, and it's so true, that a house with hardly anything in it, is so much better for a person than a house that is anger filled.

1Better is a dry morsel with quiet
than a house full of feasting with strife.

Hmm.... was talking with my brother Bill the other day. He mentioned some of his struggles at work and how he deals with it. My brother is a man who doesn't tolerate fools wisely and has yet to learn that sometimes bosses want foolish things done. He struggles with that. So when I read this verse, I still had him in mind. I want for my brother to be wise in how he deals with his boss(es). I wish for him to think through carefully what he does at his job so he has a good reputation, and promotes the name of Christ in a good way. Not just so gets something out of it, but so that he shows his wisdom and he shows who God is when faced with difficult times.

2A servant who deals wisely will rule over a son who acts shamefully
and will share the inheritance as one of the brothers.

Hmm.....this verse puts things into contest. Everything has it's task. Don't put things in the wrong place or expect something to do a job it isn't meant to. For instance...it's not up to me to judge the hearts of others...it's up to GOD!

3The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold,
and the LORD tests hearts.

Everytime Justin is with Gramma, or Oma and Papa, I see this. When Justin does something new or learns a new word or is able to figure something out, the look on Jim's face shows this verse ever so clearly. How he will do in life will reflect to a certain extent on Jim. How and what I do in life reflects upon my father. Interesting how God set that all up eh? Interesting how what we see in life is what God wants from us as his children. We are his glory too!

6Grandchildren are the crown of the aged,
and the glory of children is their fathers.

A bribe here, a bribe there and like magic, things open up! Bribe are like magic. I have to admit, sometimes it seems a bit underhanded. The greasing of the well....is it something that as Christians we aught to do? This verse doesn't tell me.

8A bribe is like a magic stone in the eyes of the one who gives it;
wherever he turns he prospers.

Later on we read that

23The wicked accepts a bribe in secret
to pervert the ways of justice.

But that seems a different sort of bribe. So what are we as Christians to do? Do we bribe in order to prosper? Is bribing okay if everything is out in the open?

People don't have to know everything. So someone does something wrong once, ah well, it doesn't have to be known, letting them get away with it twice though....that can be a different story. We aught not cover recurrent sin. We need to let that been seen, if only so we don't separate bonds between people.

9Whoever covers an offense seeks love,
but he who repeats a matter separates close friends

Ah... this verse speaks to what I have seen. I am sure you have seen it too. How one word can stop a man in his tracks and change the course of his life, while others....can be sent to jail and still no change is manifest in their life.

10A rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding
than a hundred blows into a fool.

Did you know there is wisdom in not getting into a fight? Just stop. Hear words of wisdom:

14The beginning of strife is like letting out water,
so quit before the quarrel breaks out.

How often haven't I found this to be true? It can be so hard to talk with depressed people, or people who are angry and/or blaming the world.

22A joyful heart is good medicine,
but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

Makes me think, what do I set my face toward? What is my hope, my desire? Is it just the things of this world or do I truly look for something more?
24The discerning sets his face toward wisdom,
but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.

One thing that I struggle with is keeping my brain on-top of what comes out of my mouth. the number of times I have to in Barry's words "open mouth, insert foot" is amazing. Jim often says too...what did you just say? Did you say _______________? My first response is "No, I couldn't have said that!" Leads to lots of apologies and explanations of what I really meant to say. It's very frustrating. I hope it doesn't make me look foolish, though I fear it does. Oft times I think it is best if I just keep quiet. Here's the words to prove it too!

27Whoever restrains his words has knowledge,
and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.
28Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise;
when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.