“Like a gold ring or an ornament of gold

  is a wise reprover to a listening ear.”

Proverbs 25:12 ESV

This proverb provides a beautiful (and clear) word picture. Both a gold ring and an ornament of gold are items of significant value. Here, they represent the wise reprover, the one who is godly and wise in his correction. However, the reader should note the significant qualifier in this proverb.

The wise reprover is like a gold ring or an ornament of gold ONLY to a listening ear. “A wise son hears his fathers instruction, but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke” (Proverbs 13:1 ESV). The scoffer or fool does not recognize the value of wise reproof. In fact, the fool disregards it as if it is plastic or wood.

Do you have listening ears? Or, are you a fool? Those are the options.

“Do not say, ‘I will do to him as he has done to me;

  I will pay the man back for what he has done.'”

Proverbs 24:29 ESV

How many times have your heard someone say something similar to “Paybacks are twice as much.” Of course they mean if you hit me once, I’ll hit you twice. Here, the writer commands the reader not to say things like that, and it is clear that the prohibition includes the associated actions.

In the context of this book, the implication is that saying such things is akin to harboring these things in our hearts. Remember, he’s not talking about simply withholding the action, he’s talking about the heart and thoughts that support the action. The writer is getting to the foundation or heart issues.

Notice how Jesus addresses this issue: “The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks” (Luke 6:45 ESV). Simply put, what comes out of the mouth is what is in the heart.

How is your heart? Does your mouth support your answer?

“The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice; he who fathers a wise son will be glad in him. Let your father and mother be glad; let her who bore you rejoice.”

Proverbs 23:24-25

This proverb points to the multi-directional relationship of a parent and child. Often we think only in terms of what parents provide for their children, including, among other things, food and shelter and guidance for life. In fact, the scriptures make much of this obligation.

Here, though, the scriptures implore the children to make their parents glad … by being righteous and wise. The best gift children can give to their parents is not a good report card, a prestigious college degree on scholarship, or even grandchildren. All those would make most parents rejoice, but growing in wisdom and righteousness is more important and valuable.

This isn’t only about children, though. As parents, we have a tremendous obligation to influence our children in this direction.

Whether you are a child or a parent, how are you doing in this regard? Are you giving your parents joy by growing in righteousness and wisdom? As a parent, are you guiding your children toward righteousness and wisdom?

“Whoever oppresses the poor to increase his own wealth,

  or gives to the rich, will only come to poverty.”

Proverbs 22:16 ESV

Many may say there is no way this proverb can be true even if you hold the position that proverbs are not iron clad guarantees, but rather generally true or good principles for life. And the reason the critics say this is “because it so contradicts what I see; there are so many obvious examples of rich people oppressing poor people to increase their own wealth and of rich people giving to other rich people, then dying with lots of money.” So, what’s the answer?

The reader must recognize that God looks at things differently than humans generally do. That is to say God recognizes, even values non-material things like integrity and character and soul. Those things are real, but you can’t reach out and touch them. This is illustrated in 1 Samuel 16:7, “But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.'” That God looks on the heart (non-material) and not on the outward appearance (material) is the reason Proverbs 28:6, for example, can certainly be true even though it feels untrue when the bills are piling up: “Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity than a rich man who is crooked in his ways” (ESV). Understanding that we are both physical and spiritual beings is not only a challenge at times, it is an important key to understanding the book of Proverbs.

Now, back to our original verse: “Whoever oppresses the poor to increase his own wealth, or gives to the rich, will only come to poverty.” It seems that this proverb is saying the person will come to a poverty of soul not necessarily a poverty of the pocketbook. This type of behavior leads to or reveals an impoverished soul.

Lord, please help me to see thing as you see them, to not be so focused on material things that I don’t give true consideration of matters of the soul.

“It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife,

  but every fool will be quarreling.”

Proverbs 20:3

Here, the writer argues for being a peacemaker. While there is certainly a time for battle (Ecclesiastes 3:8), the point here is that one’s spirit ought to be one of avoiding strife, not running toward it. This is a character issue, and the person who revels in quarreling is a fool.

Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God” (Matthew 5:9). Those who strive for peace are certainly not fools.

How are you doing in this regard? Is your spirit one of peace or conflict? When someone is recounting a story do you jump in to correct them on the finer details of the story? “It was a red car. No, it was maroon!” And, then justify the tensions because “It was a maroon car!”