Meditationen am Gnadenstuhl: Wise Ways to Live III Clinging to Good Sense, Proverbs 13:13-19

Thursday, September 22, 2022

Proverbs 13:13–19

[13] Whoever despises the word brings destruction on himself,

but he who reveres the commandment will be rewarded.

[14] The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life,

that one may turn away from the snares of death.

[15] Good sense wins favor,

but the way of the treacherous is their ruin.

[16] Every prudent man acts with knowledge,

but a fool flaunts his folly.

[17] A wicked messenger falls into trouble,

but a faithful envoy brings healing.

[18] Poverty and disgrace come to him who ignores instruction,

but whoever heeds reproof is honored.

[19] A desire fulfilled is sweet to the soul,

but to turn away from evil is an abomination to fools. (ESV)

Wise Ways to Live III: Clinging to Good Sense

v.13 This is another general proverb. Here the wise son is exhorted to heed advice while being aware of the cost of ignoring it. One who is wise holds the Law in high regard and keeps it because this is the model of a God-pleasing life. Ignoring the Law puts one on the path which leads to eternal death. Of course, we are incapable of keeping the Law. Only Christ kept the Law perfectly, done in our stead so that His righteousness could be applied to our account. Thus justified, the Christian attempts to keep the Law not to merit salvation but in involuntary response to God's grace by the power of the Holy Spirit to live in service to his neighbor.

v.14 The wise person is a “fountain of life”—not mere human insight but Divine Wisdom that we are rescued from eternal death by the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ. This knowledge is granted by God alone, who alone bestows everlasting life.

v.15 What is the outcome of such Divine Wisdom? Wisdom brings the gift of grace. Iron sharpens iron (Proverbs 27:17 – this one is down the road a bit :) ). Those with God's grace attract others with God's grace, and the gifts of Wisdom work between them and through them for mutual benefit. Likewise, the wicked feed off each other's wickedness, leading them to persist in behavior that leads to a mutual descent toward death.

v.16 For the Wise, knowledge precedes action, though this might even be perceptible to an outside observer. On the other hand, a fool puts his foolishness on display for the world to see.

v.17 Messengers have a special responsibility to communicate their message. Their faithfulness dictates their success. The evil messenger falls into trouble which may harm both himself and those to whom he brings his message. Meanwhile, the faithful messenger brings the blessing of his message not only to those to whom he is sent, but those same benefits work on him in the telling.

v.18 In the material world, economic and social consequences follow when one fails to learn from the discipline he receives. The consequences of learning from correction, specifically the correction acquired in God's Word, and conforming one's behavior to the lessons taken, reap blessings both now and eternally.

v.19 Fools will never experience the sweetness of learning Divine Wisdom and feeling the release of doing that which is God-pleasing and of benefit to others. Instead, he refuses to turn from his evil ways and sets himself on a course that leads to destruction, not only for himself but potentially others as well.