Proverbs 17:15-28

Proverbs 17:15-28

Perhaps you have noticed that there are some people who are always in the midst of conflict. These folks enjoy the conflict for their own perverse reasons. Conflict is a part of life and maybe unavoidable. But there are some people who love a fight: such a person loves sin (verse 19). The person who loves conflict has found that in some way they can manipulate people by conflict to their advantage. What is the sin they love? Perhaps it is a financial gain; it could be the psychological power to control. In this context it is classically pride. The second half of the proverb doesn't make much sense to us because of culture. The raised door, exalted gate, or high wall, as this word is translated, is about ostentatious intimidation. For us, the picture might be the regal trappings and attire of executive privilege for a CEO. More than a few business leaders have used their executive suite environment to bully their way and will in the company. Anytime someone uses appearance to get their way, they set themselves up for destruction.

There is more than one kind of fool. The nuanced difference is presented for us in verse 21. The word "fool" appears in both halves of the proverb, but they're entirely different words. In the first half, the fool is "Keseel," and in short, it means "fat, dumb, and silly." It means a person who is lazy of mind and body and is lacking the self-discipline to expand their capacity. They are content with cynical mocking humor to respond to the challenges of life. Since people are not born this way, how does one beget or bring forth this kind of fool? This is a picture of a spoiled grown-up child. 

The fool in the second half is “Nabal.” This is not a mentally deficient person; in fact, they may have a high IQ. But when it comes to ethics, morals, and especially virtues or piety, they are without any understanding. They like any sense of righteousness or even right and wrong. It is only and always about them and their desires. Such a son leaves a hollow place in a parent's heart.

“Lord, protect me from both kinds of foolishness. “AMEN

Proverbs 17:1-14

Proverbs 17:1-14

Sometimes the depth of the Proverbs is lost on us because we may not grasp the cultural background of the original context. Such may be the case with the first proverb of this passage. In some translations, there is a footnote that reflects a literal translation, “a house full of sacrifices with (of) strife.” We live in a day of almost constant feasting. The caloric intake in our nation and the epidemic of obesity indicate we feast almost all the time. In the world of the Bible, most people had a more subsistence diet. Feasting occurred rarely, and even what they called a feast would seem meager to us. In that time, feasting was, for most people, reserved for the sacred feast, where the sacrifices were central to the meal. This gives us the context to understand this passage. We might expand or paraphrase this proverb this way: “It is better to have a small, humble religious meal with hearts that are content and peaceful than to be part of a great religious mealtime production and show while in conflict with God and others.” This has special application for our day, where we have received the idea that big churches with big productions and big personalities are inherently superior to less grandiose congregations. We must be careful of the outward trappings that are appealing but may not reflect an inner righteousness.

Verse 3 is an occasion for us to think of things a little deeper and a little more carefully. We look at the end results of the refined gold or silver and admire and appreciate their beauty. We say we want the same thing in our hearts; agreed! But have we considered the refining process from the perspective of the raw ore? Every part of the process of refining silver or gold into the finished metal would be what we call unpleasant. From pulverizing to a blast furnace to chemical treatment, every step is harsh. If the ore could speak, it would, no doubt, plead to stop the process at every step. Do we want to be genuinely pure and good and have a righteous heart? Be prepared for refining. It is painful but so worth it.

“Lord, grant that my sincere worship expresses a pure heart. “AMEN