Read Proverbs 18:22–19:7
Questions from the Scripture text: What might a man find (Proverbs 18:22a)? What else does he find? What does he obtain (verse v22b)? From whom? Who speaks in what way (Proverbs 18:23a)? Who else speaks in which other way (verse 23b)? What is required of a man, with “ordinary” friends (Proverbs 18:24a)? But what other sort of friend is there (verse 24b)? How might the poor walk (Proverbs 19:1a)? Whom is he better than (verse 1b)? What is not good for the soul (Proverbs 19:2a)? What does the one hastening with his feet do (verse 2b)? What twists a man’s way in Proverbs 19:3a? What does such a man’s heart do in verse 3b? What makes many friends (Proverbs 19:4a)? Who is separated from his friend (verse 4b)? What will surely happen to a false witness (Proverbs 19:5a)? And to whom else (verse 5b)? Whose favor do many entreat (Proverbs 19:6a)? Who are friends to a briber (verse 6b)? Who hate the poor (Proverbs 19:7a)? Who go far from him (verse 7b)? How does he pursue them (verse 7c)? But with what success?
What is worse than financial poverty? Proverbs 18:22–19:7 looks forward to the midweek sermon. In these ten verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that spiritual poverty is infinitely worse than financial poverty.
Good favor from God. One of the benefits of a godly tongue is that one has good hope of finding a wife who is similar (Proverbs 18:22a). This is not, ultimately, because wise speech obtains her, but because God gives one as well as the other (verse 22b), just as we saw with wisdom and life in Proverbs 8:35. Let the young seek from God to be such prospects, and to find such prospects, for marriage.
The friendless poor. This thought leads naturally to consideration of how one evaluates others. Not all poor “deserve” it, and not all rich “deserve” it. Indeed, earthly riches can expose spiritual poverty, which must be the case of this rough-answering man (Proverbs 18:23), considered in light of the rest of chapter 18.
Though the poor man desperately needs friends, not all friends are beneficial. NKJ relies on other translations for Proverbs 18:24a, but the original reads, “a man who has friends is about to be broken.” One must be selective, seeking that “friend who sticks closer than a brother” (verse 24b). The implication, as with the wife in Proverbs 18:22, is that while the exercise of wisdom is prescribed and instrumental, such a friend is, ultimately, a gift from God. The chief instance of this wise friend is the Lord Jesus Himself (cf. John 15:12–17). Seek Him as your first Friend, in the great favor of the Lord!
Something worse than financial poverty. If we are poor, we might be tempted to misuse our mouth (Proverbs 19:1b) to obtain our objective, but it is better to walk in integrity (verse 1a). Whatever his outward or societal status, such a fool’s soul is in trouble (Proverbs 19:2a), as his uninstructed (verse 2b) and twisted (Proverbs 19:3a) way puts him at odds with YHWH Himself (verse 3b). The poor have some misery for a moment, but the wicked have great misery forever.
Living before the verdict of God. In the culture into which this was written, the place of greatest difficulty for the poor was the courtroom. Proverbs 19:5-6 establish this as the context of Proverbs 19:4-7. In the courtroom, the wealthy has many who will speak for him (Proverbs 19:4a, Proverbs 19:6), but the poor cannot count upon his friends, or even brothers (Proverbs 19:4b, Proverbs 19:7). What is the solution to this? Will the wealthy always go unpunished and escape? Justice and judgment ultimately belong to God, so the false witness and the liar will not escape punishment (Proverbs 19:5). Rather than trusting in wealth, one must hope in Christ, in Whom alone, we may be counted righteous—and in Whom, and through Whom, we will escape condemnation. Whenever the pressure of the earthly situation, and possibly our friendlessness in it, squeezes us, let us remember that we are ultimately before the judgment seat of God. And let us put our trust in Christ; none who trust in Him shall be put to shame.
How are you pursuing a good spouse for yourself or your dear ones? In Whom are you hoping, as you do this? In what situations are you tempted to put too much emphasis upon your financial condition? From what ultimate Friendship do you derive your hope and your help? To whom, and how, are you seeking to be a true friend?
Sample prayer: Lord, thank You for giving us Jesus Christ as the Friend, Who sticks closer than a brother. Grant that we would trust in Him, rather than in uncertain riches, we ask in His Name, AMEN!
Suggested Songs: ARP11 “My Trust is in the Lord” or TPH456 “Jesus! What a Friend for Sinners!”
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