Proverbs 17

This morning I was in Proverbs 17. As I read through this chapter I wrote down thoughts that I had as I read it. Five verses were really challenging to me this morning. First was verse 3, “The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, But the Lord tests the hearts.” This reminded me that as silver and gold are refined and purified under intense heat, God uses the heat from trials to refine and purify me to be more like His Son. God wants me to be pure and untainted from sin. Second was verse 9, “He who covers a transgression seeks love, But he who repeats a matter separates friends.” When I choose to cover or overlook a sin done to me I am seeking to love the person who has wronged me. I love the person, but not their sin. I am promoting love at this point. But if I repeat, tell it to someone else out of frustration or anger, I am gossiping which may or will cause lack of trust in a friend at another time. Third was verse 22, “A merry heart does good, like medicine, But a broken spirit dries the bones.” A merry, joyous heart does good. The good it does is like medicine; it helps the medicine be even more useful to the body. A broken, discouraged spirit dries the bones and leaves a person done. I need to work on having a heart that is merry and joyous! Lastly it was two verses together 27-28, “He who has knowledge spares his words, And a man of understanding is of a calm spirit. Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace; When he shuts his lips, he is considered perceptive.” To be wise I need to have knowledge. A man who has knowledge knows when to speak and when to hold back his words. This same man has knowledge and understanding is of a calm spirit, he is not stressed or anxious and keeps his “cool”. A fool is considered wise when he is quiet, holds his peace/words. He is then considered perceptive, discerning when he is quiet. I need to love knowledge to where I am this man who knows when to speak and when to hold his words back.

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