Wisdom Does Right and Heeds Correction

Proverbs 17:1-14

1 Better is a dry morsel with quietness,
Than a house full of feasting with strife.

2 A wise servant will rule over a son who causes shame,
And will share an inheritance among the brothers.

3 The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold,
But the LORD tests the hearts.

4 An evildoer gives heed to false lips;
A liar listens eagerly to a spiteful tongue.

5 He who mocks the poor reproaches his Maker;
He who is glad at calamity will not go unpunished.

6 Children's children are the crown of old men,
And the glory of children is their father.

7 Excellent speech is not becoming to a fool,
Much less lying lips to a prince.

8 A present is a precious stone in the eyes of its possessor;
Wherever he turns, he prospers.

9 He who covers a transgression seeks love,
But he who repeats a matter separates friends.

10 Rebuke is more effective for a wise man
Than a hundred blows on a fool.

11 An evil man seeks only rebellion;
Therefore a cruel messenger will be sent against him.

12 Let a man meet a bear robbed of her cubs,
Rather than a fool in his folly.

13 Whoever rewards evil for good,
Evil will not depart from his house.

14 The beginning of strife is like releasing water;
Therefore stop contention before a quarrel starts.

These seemingly separate sayings all are united by warnings of comparison between doing what is right and what is against God’s will for us according to His word.  Godliness with contentment begins the list, being satisfied with the bare necessities over possession of so much that a feast is ruined by contention instead of contentment.  Servants correct and guide the shameful child to bring back honor to the family and share in the inheritance, a shadow of the faithful servants in the church who guide and enact church discipline as required for restoration.  This earns them an eternal inheritance with the saints.  God is the one who tests our hearts to purify us in holiness (1 Peter 1:7, 5:10) as the dross of our sin is worked out of us in the fire of His sanctifying hand of grace.  Those who resist God and reject wisdom and understanding will only continue to listen to lies and hate aimed at others such as we see in the political realm in these perilous times of this present evil age.  They accept and revel in false narratives filled with chants of hate against their opponents instead of loving and praying for them, to their own shame.  They even mock the poor such as the refugees and disadvantaged and are happy at other’s misfortune; by doing so, they do not do to the least of these and so do against their Maker (Matthew 25:40, 45).  They dishonor God when they dishonor the persecuted, the downtrodden, and the deceived, and certain punishment of His displeasure follows (1 Timothy 5:24-25).  The children and grand should be able to look back and up at their fore-bearers with joy and not sorrow.  If our lives do not match our truthful speech with righteous actions, then the words ring hollow and bring no honor or glory to God or us.  If we then give good gifts as God gives us, then they have something precious to hold to as valued as the gift and we prosper in the return of righteousness.  This means that we also should not broadcast other’s failures to their shame and friendship, but keep a close hold on shared secrets of struggles and failures to demonstrate love and care for them (Leviticus 19:16, Proverbs 11:13).  However, when the correction of rebuke is required, it should only be given to one who is teachable (Proverbs 9:9, 12:1), for the wise man accepts correction originating from God’s word and delivered by humble servants who correct and guide in love.  Those whose hearts are in the darkness only want to rebel against all authorities until they receive the consequences sent to them by the ones given to watch over them by God (Romans 13:1-2, 4-5).  The example of a fool living in folly is as a man approaching a mother bear who just lost her cubs; the end of that foolish approach is their end.  So is it when defying and rejecting God’s counsel and correction of loving discipline.  If someone chooses instead to repay good with evil in return when corrected will end up living in the consequences of that evil himself.  Yes, when the rebellious begins opening strife and contention find it most difficult to stop it from continuing, so wisdom understands it is best not to start something in the first place.  Doing what is right according to His word as heard humbly listens to wise correction and avoids the consequences of sin.  Wisdom does right and heeds correction when we do wrong.