Tag: Proverbs 17:16-21

Tuesday, July 12, 2022

What’s this? Fools out shopping for wisdom!

    They wouldn’t recognize it if they saw it!

One Who Knows Much Says Little

17 Friends love through all kinds of weather,

    and families stick together in all kinds of trouble.

18 It’s stupid to try to get something for nothing

    or run up huge bills you can never pay.

19 The person who courts sin marries trouble;

    build a wall, invite a burglar.

20 A bad motive can’t achieve a good end;

    double-talk brings you double trouble.

21 Having a fool for a child is misery;

    it’s no fun being the parent of a dolt.

-Proverbs 17:16-21 The Message

16 Why should a fool have money in his hand to buy wisdom

    when he has no sense?

17 A friend loves at all times,

    and a brother is born for adversity.

18 One who lacks sense gives a pledge

    and puts up security in the presence of his neighbor.

19 Whoever loves transgression loves strife;

    he who makes his door high seeks destruction.

20 A man of crooked heart does not discover good,

    and one with a dishonest tongue falls into calamity.

21 He who sires a fool gets himself sorrow,

    and the father of a fool has no joy.

Verse 16 study: Buying wisdom: A fool can’t buy education and expect to have wisdom. You can’t cheat on a test by buying it or having someone do it for you and hope your skills will be good.

Verse 17 study: Friend: Strong, companion, neighbor, fellowman, a familiar person. The word friend comes up as a noun more than 180 times. The root verb of the word friend is “ra’ah,” also known as an associate or associate with a friend. It’s a healthy friendship, and they should always love it. The question today is, “what kind of friend are you?” Knowing someone well and being a true friend are two different things. You can always see a true friendship based on loyalty or love. It is about availability and wanting to help in times of distress or personal struggles. Many people are what are called fair-weather friends. They stay around when the relationship helps them and leave when they don’t get anything out of it. Think about your friends and study what your loyalty is to them. Be a kind and true friend, as the Bible encourages you to do.

7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

-1 Corinthians 13:7 ESV

Verse 19 study: Exalts his gate = glorifies his position. The parallel lines of this proverb relate to pride and wrongdoing. These two are fighting destruction and giving readers material for reflection.