# 23 2023 Dev. Prov.17:3 Works of Silver, Gold and God! Read all of chapter seventeen first. We invite you into God’s space, to read His Word, to think on and interact with. This is God’s story! Do you believe that this is also our story, in our time? All passages are taken from the NIV.
Proverbs 17:6 “Children’s children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children.”
Proverbs 17 are series of couplets about the way God wants us to live. In this chapter of couplets almost all lines complement each other, one line reinforcing the other, both negative and positive statements. Proverbs is about a way of being and a way of becoming, either good and better or bad and worse. For Christians, our lives are preparation for our work in heaven.
Vs.1-5 Are negative couplets. “Peace and quiet” better than strife. “A prudent servant will rule… but the Lord tests the heart… a liar pays attention to a destructive tongue… Whoever mocks the poor… who ever gloats over disaster will not go unpunished.” Hate Loses!
Vs.6-10 are both positive and negative couplets. “Children’s children are a crown…and parents are the pride of their children.” Children are God’s gifts. “Eloquent lips are unsuited to the godless fool – how much worse lying lips to a ruler!… Love covers over an offense, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends. A rebuke impresses a discerning person…” Love wins!
Vs.11-16 Are negative couplets. “Evildoers foster rebellion against God…a fool bent on folly…one who pays back evil for good.” Don’t Start a quarrel… drop the matter before a dispute breaks out. “Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent – the Lord detests them both. Fools… are not able to understand it (wisdom).” This is a word for today. Rebellion and injustice is all around us!
Vs.17-25 are both positive and negative couplets. “A friend loves at all times… One who has no sense shakes hands in pledge… whoever builds a high gate invites destruction. One whose heart is corrupt does not prosper… there is no joy for the parents of a godless fool… A cheerful heart is good medicine… The wicked accept bribes in secret.. A discerning person keeps wisdom in view… A foolish son brings grief.” A word to the wise and the foolish!
Vs.26-28 sums up the admonitions of this Proverb; “If imposing a fine on the innocent is not good,surely to flog honest officials is not right.”
“The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint, and whoever has understanding is even-tempered.”
“Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues.” We all need to think, twice, before we speak and allow the Spirit to guide our ways!
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