Meditations at the Mercy Seat Proverbs 27:15-18 Dealing With People, Part 3

Tuesday, September 12, 2023

Proverbs 27:15–18

[15] A continual dripping on a rainy day

and a quarrelsome wife are alike;

[16] to restrain her is to restrain the wind

or to grasp oil in one’s right hand.

[17] Iron sharpens iron,

and one man sharpens another.

[18] Whoever tends a fig tree will eat its fruit,

and he who guards his master will be honored. (ESV)

Dealing With People, Part 3

v.15-16 This two-verse proverb is a warning against marrying a wife whose temperament makes her constantly aggressive and quarrelsome. Compare this with Proverbs 19:13. No one can hide a contentious wife from public view, and she always has the potential to embarrass her husband. Restraining such a person is like trying to hold olive oil in your hand.

v.17 Our relationships with one another work both ways, frequently benefiting both parties. Skilled debaters are like master swordsmen—they practice their skills on one another, each honing the others’ skills to be better than they were before.

v.18 This proverb compares life in the court of a king to a farmer. Raising figs takes care and skill, but the payoff is well worth it. So also, working for a leader can be difficult and demanding, but it offers great rewards to those who persevere and excel.