Proverbs Chapter 13
Proverbs
Chapter 13
1. A wise son heeds his father's instruction, but a mocker does not listen to rebuke. Such a wise son was Solomon himself. The link between instruction and rebuke points to the fact that instruction is obtained by discipline. Here we turn to our great Example. Was he not a wise son when his ears were opened to his Father's discipline? Remember how he descended to this painful school in order to learn obedience (Hebrews 5:8). How good it is in our daily practical walk to keep our eyes steadily fixed on him, following him closely in this childlike habit.
But the proud spirit does not easily bend. He never heeds his father's instruction. He soon sits with the mocker. When rebuke is necessary, he does not listen to it. Let me remember, if I am reluctant to heed the faithful rebuke of men, that I will also resist God's rebuke. How soon will this stubborn rebellion bring his patience to an end and my soul to destruction. "From hardness of heart, and contempt of thy word and commandment, Good Lord, deliver me" (Litany).
2. From the fruit of his lips a man enjoys good things, but the unfaithful have a craving for violence. If a Christian is walking with God, his mouth will be full of godly words. Whatever effect this has on others, at least his own soul will be warmed, refreshed, and edified. From the fruit of his lips a man enjoys good things. Never will we carry on our lips that beloved name to our fellow sinners in a base way, but its savor to our own souls will be like ointment poured out. We will feed ourselves in the Christian distribution of the heavenly manna.
The unfaithful man also enjoys the fruit of his lips, but they are not good things. His soul sets his tongue on fire. He loves violence and therefore eats to his own ruin. Let us make sure that our tongues are under the control of divine grace, restrained from evil, and disciplined for usefulness.
3. He who guards his lips guards his life, but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin. The last proverb contrasted a fruitful tongue with an incautious tongue. We know that the heart guards this citadel. When we guard our lips, we set a watch at the gates of the city. If they are well guarded, then the city is safe. If they are unguarded, the city will become like Babylon and will be captured. "He who looks carefully to his tongue takes a safe route for preserving his life, which is often in danger by much and wild talking" (Bishop Hall). We must think before we speak. We must think about our words—their substance, manner, time, place, and audience. The unruly member needs a strong bridle and a strong hand to hold it.
"Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips" (Psalm 141:3) was the prayer of one who knew the danger of an unruly tongue and knew about the only way to control it. Will we not call on God's help so that our unguarded tongues never give place to the devil?
4. The sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied. Here is another vivid contrast between the sluggard and the diligent (see also 10:4; 12:24). The sluggard craves the fruit of diligence without the diligence that gains it. His religion has the same heartless character. He desires to overcome his bad habits and to enjoy the happiness of God's people. So far so good. Desires are part of religion. Nothing can be gained without them. Many people do not even have this desire. They ridicule it as enthusiasm. Yet the sluggard ... gets nothing because he desires but puts forth no effort. "He always desires, but he takes no pains to get anything" {Reformers' Notes). He would like to go to heaven if a morning dream could carry him there.
If you are going to be industrious about anything, be industrious about religion. Eternity is at stake. Hours, days are lost. Soon they become years, and for lack of energy everything is lost. Heartless wishes do not give life. The halting step will not bring us to God. To expect the blessing without diligence is delusion.
5. The righteous hate what is false, but the wicked bring shame and disgrace. Observe the accuracy of Scripture. This does not mean that a righteous man never lies. David lied. Peter lied. But the child of God, although always a sinner, has a holy antipathy against sin (Romans 7:15, 19).
On the other hand, just because someone does not lie does not mean he is righteous. Selfish motives may dictate restraint without having any hate of sin as sin. But true religion brings in a new way of life—conformity to the mind of God. The righteous hate what is false. Such a man would prefer to suffer for the truth rather than sin by lying.
And yet how often, even in the church, is this feature of godliness obscured. Is not truth often sacrificed to courtesy? Is not lying sometimes acted, insinuated, or implied when we should be speaking in a straightforward way? We need to abstain from every appearance of evil (1 Thessalonians 5:22 [kjv]). This is the rule for the man of God. Commit the tongue to the restraint and guidance of the God of truth.
The wicked indeed take pleasure in deceit. Their base acts often bring shame and disgrace on this side of the grave. And shame will be their everlasting reward (Daniel 12:2; Revelation 21:8).
6. Righteousness guards the man of integrity, but wickedness overthrows the sinner. May this repetition of the aphorism (11:3, 5-6) deepen its impression on us. Righteousness is steady conformity to God's mind. We do not exalt it by any meritorious efficacy or put it in the place of simply looking to Jesus for life and salvation. When a Christian lives as a man of integrity, he never loses his sense of sin or forgets his needs of mercy. This righteousness is not perfection. Yet, blessed be God, the uprightness is accepted, and the fault is covered (2 Chronicles 15:17).
But while "saints are secured from ruin, sinners are secured for ruin" (Henry). The sinner's own wickedness overthrows him. He is bent on his own way, the sure road to destruction. "Let him not blame the Lord or any mortal man beside himself, inasmuch as he is the author of ruin to himself" (Muffet).
7. One man pretends to be rich, yet has nothing; another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth. What bubbles are the world's riches! Yet some will ruin their lives in order to gain the respect usually linked with them. One man pretends to be rich, yet has nothing. Others pretend to be poor and live as if they were so, yet have great wealth. In all cases riches are more accurately judged by their use than by their possession. Both of these types of people are being deceitful before God. One pretends to have received what he has not received, and the other person virtually denies his gracious gifts. Both dishonor God's wisdom and goodness.
The true path of simplicity is to renounce all dependence on the flesh and to gladly welcome the Gospel of grace. Such disciples, rich in their holy poverty, are honored by the Lord. "O blessed Lord, who resists the proud and gives grace to the humble, give me more humility, that I may receive more grace from you. And as your gracious rain runs down from the steep mountains and sweetly drenches the humble valleys, depress my heart more and more with true lowliness of spirit, that the showers of your heavenly grace may sink into it and make it more fruitful in all good affection and all holy obedience" (Bishop Hall).
8. A man's riches may ransom his life, but a poor man hears no threat. The former proverb rebukes us for not being content with our lot, whether we are poor or rich. The wise man here strikes the balance between these two conditions. A man's riches may ransom his life. Extortion of money may prompt false accusation, and riches may be a ransom cheerfully paid. But what can a person give in exchange for his soul (Matthew 16:26)? It is too precious to be redeemed with corruptible silver and gold (1 Peter 1:18). When all the treasures of earth were insufficient for this ransom, the riches of heaven were poured out (1 Peter 1:19; Hebrews 10:5-8).
9. The light of the righteous shines brightly, but the lamp of the wicked is snuffed out. Who can evaluate the worth of a Christian's bright shining light (Matthew 5:14-16; Philippians 2:15; Proverbs 4:18)? Happy in his own soul, like his counterpart in the heavens, he sheds a joyful light around him.
Sin can bring a cloud to this light. Do we hope to shine in the heavenly firmament? Then we must shine with the present glory in the firmament of the church.
The wicked have their lamp, a cold profession of the name of religion. But as it has no oil, it quickly goes out (Matthew 25:8). But even while it lasts, they do not rejoice. Their lamp sheds no light on the soul. It guides no fellow pilgrim with its light. Its end will be dreadful.
10. Pride only breeds quarrels, but wisdom is found in those who take advice. Here quarrels are accurately traced to their correct source. All the evil things in the world, all the novel doctrines, produce quarrels, which originate in a proud mind (Colossians 2:18; 1 Timothy 6:3-5). Men scorn the beaten track. They feel they must strike out a new path. Individuality and extravagance are primary charms. They are ready to quarrel with everyone who does not value their opinions as highly as they do. Here pride takes over under the cover of giving glory to God. Truly "it is the inmost coat, which we put on first and put off last" (Bishop Hall).
This mischievous principle spreads in families and among friends. "Some point of honor must be maintained; some affront must be resented; some rival must be crushed and eclipsed, some renowned character emulated, or some superior equaled and surpassed" (Scott). Even in trifling disputes between relatives or neighbors, perhaps between Christians, each party argues vehemently for his rights instead of satisfying himself with the testimony of his conscience. He does not prefer to be misunderstood or misjudged rather than break the bond of the divine brotherhood (1 Corinthians 6:7).
The proud man thinks that he is wise enough. He does not ask for advice and so proves that he lacks wisdom. But Christian wisdom will keep us within our own limits. Whatever our gifts are, we will be humble, loving, and thankful.
11. Dishonest money [kjv: wealth gotten by vanity] dwindles away, but he who gathers money little by little makes it grow. This proverb does not imply the means by which wealth is acquired, but the impoverishing use to which it is applied. However large the wealth may be, it soon dwindles away. Frivolous and expensive pursuits, empty amusements, and the vain pomp and show of dress will soon show that riches have wings (23:5).
On the other hand, God blesses Christian industry. Only let us remember that the way to make money . . . grow is the dedication of oneself and one's substance to the Lord, readily acknowledging that one is not his own but is God's property for God's glory (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). "All that man can have, we have on this condition: to use it... to lay it out, to lay it down unto the honor of our Master, from whose bounty we received it" (Swinnock). May the Lord deliver us from the guilt of wasting on vanity what is due to him!
12. Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life. The first sign of hope is a pleasurable sensation, even though it is often mixed with pain. It is hunger that makes our food acceptable. But hope deferred, like hunger prolonged, brings a kind of torture. It makes the heart sick. Yet when a longing is fulfilled, that is so invigorating.
We must, however, limit this application to the spiritual world. Elsewhere the fulfillment of the desire, instead of a tree of life, is vanity (Ecclesiastes 2:11). In this world, the child of God is often tried in his faith but is never disappointed by his hope. We may have to wait a long time, but never let us despair. The patience of hope results in the full assurance of hope. What was it to Abraham that after long deferred hope, what he desired arrived, and he called the child of promise "Laughter" (Genesis 15:3; 21:3-6).
Time may seem to drag, trials may be heavy, and hearts may fail. But in a little while Christ will return (Hebrews 10:37-38; Revelation 22:7, 12, 20). The first moment of the glorious manifestation will blot out the memory of all the labors and trials.
13. He who scorns instruction will pay for it, but he who respects a command is rewarded. God as a God of holiness will not be trifled with. The one who scorns instruction will pay for it. He will not escape. The world before the Flood was the object of God's patience. A preacher of righteousness warned them of the danger, but those who despised God brought ruin on themselves.
May we hold God and his word in reverence, so that we may not be terrified by it. Because of our faith in Christ, we fear a Father, not a Judge.
14. The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, turning a man from the snares of death. Reverence for God's commands have just been highlighted. Now the blessing of the law or instruction, the teaching of the wise, is shown. It is a fountain of life to a teachable and thirsty heart. There is no safe path to tread except God's way. The Word of God gives the necessary warning (Psalm 17:4; 119:9,11). Let the young take care not to become entangled in the snares of death. Let the instruction of your God and his ministers be the teaching of the wise to keep your path safe. Where there is no actual law given, let the spirit of the law keep your heart and life. Do not do anything that is questionable in the law. Think of everything that upsets your praying and your communion with God as unlawful. Never go into any company, business, or situation in which the presence and blessing of God cannot be conscientiously asked and expected. "By the help of these . . . rules, I soon settle all my doubts and find that many things I have hitherto indulged in are, if not utterly unlawful, at least inexpedient, and I can renounce them without many sighs" (Dr. Payson). Such rules are the spirit of the law and are well worth adopting.
15. Good understanding wins favor, but the way of the unfaithful is hard. This good understanding is not a cold and dry apprehension, but the glow of heavenly light and love in all the discipline of Christian habits. Natural conviction is often constrained to do homage to it, as the image of God is stamped on his servants. Joseph in this way acquired many of those valuable rules that won him favor and were essential for him in his various and important responsibilities. Being trained in this school of understanding benefited himself, his people, and the whole church of God.
Can we say this of the way of the unfaithful? They dream of a flowery path, but they make for themselves a hard way. "Wicked men live under a hard taskmaster" (Caryl). "I was held before conversion," said Augustine, "not with an iron chain, but with the obstinacy of my own will." Voltaire, judging from his own heart, pronounced, "In man is more wretchedness than in all other animals put together. Man lives life, yet knows he must die. I wish I had never been born." Wretch, indeed, must the person be who cannot endure to commune with himself and to whose peace it is necessary that he should rid himself of every thought of God and his soul.
In every shape and form, the service of the merciless tyrant is a hard way. Men fight their way to hell as well as to heaven (Acts 14:22)— through much tribulation. This happens through the perverse will and rebellion of the conscience. "The pain of wickedness is grievous, and, apart from all other consequences, the most painful" (Cicero). "Nothing makes a man so wretched as impiety and crime" (Cicero). "His own iniquity and inner dread, remorse, and agitation of conscience—these are the untiring furies of the guilty mind" (Cicero). This philosopher, utterly ignorant of the spiritual character of sin, probably only intended this to apply to heinous crimes. But the admission of the principle is important, as the path of sin is a present misery.
Which way will I then choose? Lord, help me to choose for you. Help me, under your guidance, to choose the safe and pleasant path of wisdom, the rich portion of godliness for both worlds. The way of the unfaithful is hard, for it ends in death (Romans 6:21).
16. Every prudent man acts out of knowledge, but a fool exposes his folly. How often is even valuable knowledge frittered away from lack of prudent application. We must ponder the time, measure, helps, and means of behaving prudently. In daily life this protects against unseen dangers (22:3) and provides a way of escape in trying difficulties. In the family it shows how children should be brought up (Judges 13:8-12).
Lacking this prudence, a fool exposes his folly. He pours out his wrath, vaunts his vanity, exposes his thoughtlessness, and exercises no judgment.
Let us study the minute details of our Master's life. He acted prudently as he confounded his enemies (Matthew 21:24-27; 22:42-46), and in tender sympathy he dealt with his afflicted people (Isaiah 50:4). How good it is to have our knowledge disciplined by his teaching and consecrated to his service.
17. A wicked messenger falls into trouble, but a trustworthy envoy brings healing. A messenger proves his character by his neglect or fulfillment of his trust. A wicked messenger betrays his trust and damages his master. But faithfulness is the servant's glory and his master's gain. He brings and receives a blessing. Gehazi's unfaithfulness was his downfall (2 Kings 5:26-27). Eliezer was faithful and was blessed himself and brought blessing to his master (Genesis 24:1-56).
18. He who ignores discipline comes to poverty and shame, but whoever heeds correction is honored. We see here that discipline is one of God's ordinances. Little do those who ignore it realize what a blessing they are discarding. Poverty and shame are often the Lord's rod for his wayward children. Young people, learn to dread the liberty of being left to your own choices. Dread the first step in the downward path of refusing to be disciplined. If godly discipline is slighted, all may end in poverty and shame.
But here honor is contrasted with shame. If we are humbled under God's reproof, we will be raised to his throne. Pleasant indeed are his words to his well-disciplined child. To have our ears open to receive discipline is to walk in the path of life and happiness. This is the honor of being conformed to our divine Savior.
19. A longing fulfilled is sweet to the soul, but fools detest turning from evil. Can everyone enjoy this sweetness? All may, but all will not be happy. Holiness makes heaven; sin makes hell. So which place are the ungodly suited for? Hating holiness means that you are fit for hell. Oh, what a great change there must be to kill the enmity and make it an abomination for the soul to commit evil.
20. He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm. Everyone wants to influence his companions. We are, therefore, naturally molded by them. It is not up to us to determine if there will be any influence, only what that influence will be. Walking with the wise, under their instruction, encouragement, and example, makes us become wise. Note, young people, the responsibility of the choice of friends. The world may allure, the ungodly may mock, the evil heart may consent to their voice. But you must seek strength from God and resolve to walk with the wise.
If we can live among the worldly without feeling out of our element, if we can breathe a tainted atmosphere without awareness of infection, if we can familiarize ourselves with the absence of religion in ordinary life, unsubdued worldliness has us in its grip. The first warning to sinners just rescued from the fire was to save themselves from this wicked generation (Acts 2:40).
21. Misfortune pursues the sinner, but prosperity is the reward of the righteous. "Sinners are sure to find evil at last; the righteous good" Qermin). The lives of sinners—Cain, Achan, Abimelech, Ahab and his wicked wife—are solemn reminders that misfortune pursues the sinner, even when he seems to have found a refuge. The delay of centuries does not weaken the certainty of this (Exodus 17:14; 1 Samuel 15:3-7).
No less certain is the prosperity of the righteous. This is the reward of grace. Not the tiniest act of kindness, even the giving of a cup of cold water, will be without its reward.
22. A good man leaves an inheritance for his children's children, but a sinner's wealth is stored up for the righteous. Here we have a particular example of the righteous receiving a reward (verse 21). This should not, however, be taken as a universal statement. Many a good man has no inheritance to leave, and some have no children who survive them, let alone children's children.
Yet Scripture gives many examples of this dispensation of providence that show the blessing of personal godliness to unborn posterity. Caleb's children inherited their father's possession. And if there are no earthly possessions to pass on, yet a church in the home, a family altar, the record of a holy example and instruction, and above all, a store of believing prayer will be an inheritance to our children. The value of such an inheritance is inestimable.
23. A poor man's field may produce abundant food, but injustice sweeps it away. The produce of the soil is the fruit of industry. Indeed, for lack of prudent management the richest harvest can be wasted. Egypt with her abundant crops would have been destroyed but for Joseph's judgment in preserving the abundant food (Genesis 41:33-36). Solomon's prudent administration of his household restrained waste and extravagance.
What should we learn from this proverb? If talents lie inactive, or if their activity is not directed in a wise way, they will be swept away. The same ruin flows from the neglect of religious privileges. The harvest of grace withers into a famine. Slothful believer, rouse yourself and till the ground, or you will starve for lack of food.
24. He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him. Among the many modern theories of education, how often is God's system overlooked! Yet this should be our pattern and standard. The rod of discipline is its main character—not harsh severity, but a wise, considerate, faithful application. Such discipline should always aim to subjugate the will and humble and purify the heart.
Man often spares the rod and calls this love. But is not our Father's love of his children inconceivably stronger than that of any earthly parent? And yet he spares not the rod. What son is not punished (Hebrews 12:7)? Does the rod demonstrate God's hatred? Certainly not! The Lord punishes the one he loves (Proverbs 3:11-12; Deuteronomy 8:5). Yet some say it is better for a child to be trained in the house of strangers than that he should be the unhappy victim of the cruelty of parental love!
The discipline of our children must, therefore, commence with self-discipline. Nature teaches us to love them a great deal. But we want a controlling principle to teach us to love them wisely. The indulgence of our children has its root in self-indulgence. We do not like inflicting pain on ourselves. Difficulties can only be known by experience. And even in this school one parent cannot measure the trials of another. But all our children are children of Adam. From the dawn of reason all choose the broad road of destruction. And can we bear the thought that they should walk in that road? We pray for their conversion. But prayer without teaching is mockery, and scriptural teaching implies discipline. Scripture combines discipline with instruction: Ephesians 6:4; Hebrews 12:5-6; compare with Psalm 94:12; 119:67, 71. So there must be discipline. All need the rod, some again and again. Yet it must be the father's rod, yearning over his disciplined child, even while he does not dare to spare him for his crying (19:18 [kjv]). The rod without affection is a dreadful tyranny.
Every vice commences in the nursery. The great secret is to establish authority in the dawn of life, to bend the tender twig before the knotty oak is beyond our power. A child who is trained by parental discipline will probably keep this wholesome influence to the end of his life.
25. The righteous eat to their hearts' content, but the stomach of the wicked goes hungry. Temporal blessings are assured, so far as they are really good for the righteous, whether they are many or few. They are enough to satisfy his needs, but not his lusts. Indeed, "he can never want [lack] a sufficiency, because his desires are moderate, and he makes a temperate use of God's blessings" (Bishop Patrick). Elijah was fed, first by ravens, afterwards by a widow, while the wicked country of Israel went hungry. And as for higher food and heavenly satisfaction, Christ is a substitute for everything, and nothing must be substituted for him. "If then," as the noble Luther declares, "we live here by begging our bread, is not this well recompensed, that we are nourished with the food of angels, with eternal life, and Christ himself?"
There is such a chaos of desires in the soul of the wicked that no abundance can satisfy his hunger. Ahab's crown could give him no rest without Naboth's vineyard. For the ungodly heart is full of insatiable cravings. But how intolerable will be this conscious lack throughout eternity, when a drop of water to cool the tormented tongue will be denied (Luke 16:24-26).