Morning Wisdom Proverbs 17

It's been my practice for years to read a proverb in the mornings. A very easy way I learned is to look at whatever the day of the month it is and read the corresponding proverb. For instance this is November 17 so I will read the 17th chapter of Proverbs. Since Proverbs has 31 chapters, it goes very well with each day of the month. So I'll make comments on Proverbs 17 for some morning wisdom.

This chapter 17 deals a lot with fools, gossip and arguing. As I read through it there are several verses that stand out to me such as verse 9. It tells us that for a friend to cover an offence, it promotes love. If that friend however turns around and repeats the matter to someone else, it seperates that friendship. We have to hold our friends close because it's difficult to have very many real close friends even in a life time.

Verse 27 tells us to be careful with our words and to listen and be understanding because we will be more even tempered instead of flying off the handle every time something happens or "we think we know" what happened. If we don't say a whole lot, even scripture says that people will think we're wise. I've known people who love to tell you what they think they know and what they think you need to hear. However, the more they talk the more evident it becomes that they know less and less about more and more!

Verse 1 starts out by stating how peace is much more valuable than gold. And even a dry crumb with peace is much more desirable than a house full of riches and feasting with strife. I remember the line of an old country song that says, "...this successful life we're living has us feuding like the Hatfield's and McCoys..." Peace with little is better than riches with strife. That makes me think of another song, a gospel song that says, "Little is much if God is in it. Labor not for wealth or fame, there's a crown and you can win it, if you go in Jesus' name."

The Lord knows our hearts, what we do and why we do it (Proverbs 17:3). Our duty is to love God and serve our fellow man. how wonderful it is when Proberbs 17:17 is true: when we have a friend who loves us at all times and a brother or a sister who is there for us in times of adversity. Maybe you can be that friend for someone who is going through a tough time.

To be there for someone, just the presence of "being there" or even to cheer them up is so valuable. After all Proverbs 17:22 says "a cheerful heart is a good medicine."

Just a thot,
Pastor Dan