Proverbs 17:9-10, Loving Wisdom

November 9, Proverbs 17:9-10

1 Corinthians 13 “Love suffereth long and is kind.”

Loving Wisdom

Preserving “peace among friends” and “a word to the wise is enough” is the sum of our next two proverbs, reinforcing the wisdom that is still too often ignored. Peacemakers are the children of God; peace-breakers are the children of the devil.

1. Loving Saves but Harping Severs (vs.9): This means that a loving heart hides faults, but tattling tongues divide closest friends. One graciously conceals what the other spitefully reveals. This does not mean it is ever right to deliberately deceive, and certainly not one’s friends. There are proverbs that teach the right and wrong covering of faults (10:12; 16:28; 27:5). It is never right to cover-up our sins from God, even if we could! Also, we must be honest with those who wrong us or whom we have wronged. This proverb deals with how we are to conceal what is “offensive” to us in others, and “injuries” received by us from others. Never recall them or brood over them! When “wounded pride” arises, knock it down fast. If only we would take no notice of what is said or done against ourselves! How regally Joseph covered-up the sins of his brothers. Our supreme example is, of course, the Lord Jesus. Behold, how He forgave (Lk. 23:34)! Behold, how He loved (Jn. 13:1)! We must seek opportunities to express His love by our actions. How beautifully Peter puts it, Have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins (1 Pt. 4:8). Paul challenges us to walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us (Eph. 5:2), and John expresses it this way, He that abideth in him ought himself also so to walk even as he [Jesus] walked (1 Jn. 2:6).

2. Tender Hearts and Tough Hides: A wise man (vs.10), literally, is one who understands, with whom reproofs, moral or spiritual, go deeper than a hundred stripes, corporal or physical, with a fool, a stupid one. The wise person has a tender heart and is sensitive to and humbly accepts corrections. Truly, tenderness and manliness go well together, but a fool is ever stubborn. “Stripes only scourge the fool’s back. They never reach his heart” (Bridges). He receives no benefit even from the severest punishments. Thus he remains forever a fool. Where only a look shames the one, as in the case of Peter (Lu. 22:64), many lashes won’t improve the other (27:22). Where one is fearful at the sight of a whip, spurs won’t budge the other. Be careful how you correct lest you provoke to wrath. Are stripes the best way to deal with a sensitive soul when love would prevail? Eli wasted words on his sons, for they deserved many stripes. Will an Ox be moved by loving pleas? Some fools have learned by reproofs, but then, they are no longer fools. How comforting to know “all our past mercies are tokens of future mercies” (CHS).

Be patient! These severe afflictions not from the ground arise,
But oftimes celestial benedictions assume this dark disguise.

Thought: “Dip the pen of the tongue into the ink of the redeemed heart.”

Prayer: Help me to love as Christ loved though they killed Him for it.