Proverbs 17:23-26 NOT Good
Solomon continues to share proverbs to lead and guide his people and us. Today adds to the list of NOT good behaviors. What God calls sin.
My bible helps puts these verses together because they “speak of perversion of justice” in beginning and ending. I can go along with that reasoning. It seems to me that all of these verses are reinforcing earlier proverbs of the same topic. I know we saw the “foolish son” one yesterday.
The majority of these verses focus on the “wrong path” with little mention of those who are on the “right path.” Maybe Solomon finds it easier to list the wrongs than the rights. I have a feeling the ‘wrongs’ list is much longer than the other.
In this list we revisit the bribe and give an opinion on God’s judgment of it. Last time we visited this topic, God didn’t weigh in on it. The last part of verse 23 leaves us with NO DOUBT concerning its intent or the character of the participants. It is “to pervert the ways of justice.” We knew that already but it’s good to see it in print too. I like knowing specifically what God thinks. That’s why we should search ALL of His word, not just the part that support our point of view or leave enough ambiguity that we can twist it to suit our purposes.
The next stop on our list today is lust and greed. We can throw in idolatry on this list too. But none of these words are listed, you might say. I agree, but the fact that the “eyes of the fool are on the ends of the earth” (verse 24b) says it for us. We simply have to interpret what this means. Here we don’t have clear words like we do for bribery. So let’s pick it apart.
“The discerning man sets his face toward wisdom” (verse 24a) brings us our first clue. From all the previous proverbs we know that wisdom comes from God and desiring wisdom is to learn more about God and to lean into a relationship with Him. A “discerning man” is also the opposite of a “fool”. We know that the “fool” is the one who refuses to follow God. So a discerning man is learning ALL he can of God. He has his “set his face towards wisdom”, meaning NOTHING is more important to him and he will NOT be swayed from his purpose.
The “eyes of a fool” are focused solely on all the world has to offer. Whatever he sees he also wants. Like the man who “set his face towards wisdom”, the “fool” is determined to get what he sees. Power, prestige, wealth, the perfect body and the perfect clothes, ALL the things the world sees as valuable or desirable. Being he wants it all, we can conclude that “greed” is implied here. The fact that he wants it desperately, we can apply the word “lust” to his behaviors. And the fact that it is replacing God as his focus, we can add “idolatry” to the growing list. Hence, the “fools” greed is all encompassing and his heart lusts after ALL the things of the earth, which he will try and quiet his thirsty soul with instead of God, thereby making them idols.
Our next stop along Solomon’s list is how the “foolish” person’s attitudes and behavior reflects on his parents. They would be accused of not training him in the ways of the Lord. Or failing to discipline him as a child. His actions bring shame and blame to his parents. They cannot escape this association, even if they cut themselves off from him. They bore him, they raised him, and now they are labeled because of him. Quick note: the opposite is true too. The parents of a wise man are honored and rejoice in their child’s accomplishments. Their heart is full of joy where the parents of the fool is filled with bitterness. I would guess that have a BIG case of the “if only….s”.
The last stop on our journey brings us back to perverse judgments. I’m reminded of a television show I recently watched. It was from the series Deep Space Nine (yes, I admit it. I’m a fan of Star Trek). I this episode an innocent man is grabbed and accused of a crime. He is taken to court where he is immediately judged guilty without even the benefit of a trial. The do hold a trial but no evidence is allowed to be presented concerning his innocence. In their minds he is guilty and they will accept no other verdict. He does escape punishment as the judge decides to be merciful AFTER the real guilty party is brought into the courtroom. She knows the truths but won’t admit it because it would reflect badly on her government.
Translated into our reading she was striking a righteous man while letting the guilty go unpunished; perverted justice. God does NOT approve of this behavior. We could also conclude this is God’s heart in all the proverb about perverted justice.
Thank You Father God for sharing Your heart with me. Thank You that I CAN point to places in Your word that clearly tell me Your will for my life. Thank You for giving me enough content to reasoned conclusions when I don’t see the answer written out specifically. Keep me searching searching Your word Father.
Holy Spirit, lead me in this process every day. Speak to my heart in words and pictures that I can understand God’s heart.
