Proverbs chapter 11

vs 21

Be sure of it. It's a promise. Not here, not really. Here it's a statement of wisdom. And this is generally how it works. But God takes that wisdom and eternalises it, to give it a lasting, meaningful truth. No wonder we see it reflected in our own lives.

vs 22

Hehehe. Breaking down a proverb like this is almost painful, because it's so awesome in its construction. It provides its lesson with so much palpable obviousness that it's funny. A small pretty thing in the midst of a big stupid ugly dirty thing. A lack of discretion is a pig.

vs 23

And overall I'm sure this is true. Another example of eternal truth speaking into our regular lives. As we've read already, even if you do get away with doing something wicked, people will fume about it.

vs 24

This is almost Ecclesiastical in its truth. It goes totally against what is to be expected, but it is so true. And that's the thing about proverbs. They have a ring of truth about them. They are the thing we either know about the world and how it is, or at the very least how we yearn for it to be more often. God's proverbs are pro-active in shaping that, I think.

vs 25

Jesus says similar things in his parables. The funny thing is that in a capitalist individualist society, we have so much trouble understanding how this works. In a communal society, it's easily understandable that one person who helps people out is seen as a valuable person, a friendly and helpful person, and so if they need help, you'd go out of your way to do so. But in modern society, the person who helps others is still a stranger, and so the idea that people would help him in return takes on an almost mystical sort of quality.

Oh, I'm not discounting the idea that if you refresh people, the very act itself will be refreshing to you. But I think this other point is also important.

vs 26

I guess when it comes to things like famine, you never know how long it's going to last. And good business practice will probably tell you to hold onto valuable commodities, or to raise prices according to value, rather than according to need. Today, most businesses don't see themselves as having any sort of social conscience. I wonder if this is perhaps because of the rise of public listing? So many people have a stake, you can just assume that what they all want is more money, because that's why they invested, so you must do whatever makes the most money, rather than anything charitable. The big four, especially Westpac, are an obvious example of this. People are losing jobs, struggling with money, the Reserve Bank cuts interest rates - but Westpac doesn't. The Reserve raises rates a little, Westpac raises them a lot.

Whereas a single person who owns a business can make a decision much more easily - people need grain to eat, I'll sell it at what they can afford, because their generosity affects no-one but themselves.

vs 27

Nothing worse than finding what you seek, when it's evil. That's an awful truth. The funny thing is, I don't know that the promise holds for good. You might seek good but never find the good you were seeking. Instead, you will find favour - that general sort of positive attitude towards you because at least you were seeking good.

vs 28

I wonder if this is even meant to reflect anything other than a richness of life which comes from knowing you are walking the straight and narrow.

vs 29

I assume this is talking to young people frustrating the family unit, rather than the father refusing to feed his children. I don't know about you, but I'd never hire a foolish servant. But I guess I could never afford a wise one.

vs 30

Win souls? What does that mean, I wonder? Oh, I think this is a good point to just point out how much I love the gender neutral language of the TNIV. I find it so much less distracting.

I need to get back to this 'win souls' thing. Perhaps it talks of people who get other people to live the righteous life, to turn back to their Jewish roots and serve the Lord?

vs 31

Tell me that this verse, and the one before, don't speak of some sort of eternity! Solomon is a wise bugger, I reckon, and he's figured it out. There is an eternal reward for righteousness, and so any reward that the righteous get on earth is just gravy. Of course, there is an eternal punishment for wickedness, but obviously God would want to get the message out that wickedness = bad, and so people should generally realise that it is by the fact that sin pays its due penalty on earth too.