Meditationen am Gnadenstuhl: Proverbs 19:1-6 Avoiding Fools & Foolishness Pt.5
Thursday, January 5, 2023
Proverbs 19:1–6
[1] Better is a poor person who walks in his integrity
than one who is crooked in speech and is a fool.
[2] Desire without knowledge is not good,
and whoever makes haste with his feet misses his way.
[3] When a man’s folly brings his way to ruin,
his heart rages against the Lord.
[4] Wealth brings many new friends,
but a poor man is deserted by his friend.
[5] A false witness will not go unpunished,
and he who breathes out lies will not escape.
[6] Many seek the favor of a generous man,
and everyone is a friend to a man who gives gifts. (ESV)
Avoiding Fools & Foolishness Pt.5
v.1 Including this one, there are several proverbs that teach us it is preferable to be poor and a faithful Christian than be wealthy and wallow in sin (cf. 16:19; 19:22; 28:6). The second line of this verse equates the wallower in sin to a fool who lives by his crooked speech, the implication that his wealth was gained through dishonest means. God sees through all our dishonesty, and the fool incurs His punishment.
v.2 Without knowledge, a desire to gain things in life leads to a bad outcome. By knowledge, Solomon refers to faith in God’s Word, which bestows Divine Wisdom and insight into God's will. An example of a bad outcome is the person who is in a hurry to quickly receive rewards by cutting corners to achieve his goals by ethically ambiguous means.
v.3 Spiritual stupidity is equivalent to hatred of God (Romans 1:30; Revelation 16:9, 11). Spiritual stupidity distorts one's life choices and, by nature, rebels against God. Not said but implied, then, is that love for God is Wise and leads to good decisions (Deuteronomy 6:5; Psalm 31:24; 97:10).
v.4 When understanding this proverb, consider also verse one. Wealth influences friendships (Proverbs 18:23), and seldom for the good. The rich people of our society enjoy advantages over the poor (Proverbs 10:15; 13:8; 14:20; 18:23). This is not a condemnation of wealth per se, but a warning to the rich that those seeking friendship with them may have ulterior motives (Proverbs 18:24; 19:6).
v.5 This proverb describes false witnesses as those who breathe out lies. This type of liar will not be able to lie his way out of punishment by God. These liars will face everlasting punishment unless they repent and believe in Jesus Christ.
v.6 The person who can grant others favors by using his wealth or influence will have lots of friends. This is a warning that those who gain friends by these means may not be building friendships based on Christian love, nor may they be long-lived associations.