Monday, August 31, 2026 ▫ Read Proverbs 27:1–10
Questions from the Scripture text: What shouldn’t we do about tomorrow (v1)? Why not? About what else should we not boast (v2a)? What should we do instead (v2b)? What are bad things to get buried under, and why (v3a)? What is worse (v3b)? What can sweep a man away (v4a)? What is worse (v4b)? What is difficult but good (v5a)? What seems pleasant but is worse (v5b)? What are painful but faithful (v6a)? What are pleasant but harmful (v6b)? What will lead to lack of appreciation for these good things (v7a)? What will lead to properly enjoying them (v7b)? What would happen to the baby bird in v8a? And what happens to the man in v8b? What tactile and olfactory sensations does v9a describe? What should give us the same enjoyment (v9b)? To whom should we be loyal (v10a)? And to whom should we go when we are in trouble (v10b–c)?How should we navigate friendship? Proverbs 27:1–10 looks forward to the opening portion of morning public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these ten verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that humility, gentleness, discernment, and loyalty are essential to making proper use of God’s good gift of friendship.
The vocabulary of v1–22 hold the whole together, striking the theme of counsel about friendship. The same pattern repeats twice (v1–10 and v11–22), telling us to heed a good friend (v1–2, 11–12), then warning us about the harm of bad friends (v3–6, 13–16), then giving some general truths about friendship (v7–10, 17–22).
Heed a good friend, v1–2. The friend to heed has especially been the parents. The beginning of the parallel section (v11–12) indicates this using similar language to the first part of the book (ch. 1–9). But the friend in this case (v1–2) is not specified. Humility and heeding others go hand-in-hand. Here, it is specifically with respect to praise. The “day” in v1 is described as pregnant with its events; we do not know if it is a boy or a girl or what the characteristics or successfulness of the offspring will be. So, we should have the humility not to boast about that day. Similarly, there are ways in which our friend has the perspective to know whether we are praiseworthy and whether it is an appropriate time or reason to praise us. Humility and wisdom both tell us to let another man be the one to praise us.
Spare yourself the harm of bad friends, v3–6. The imagery of what one suffers from a bad friend is vivid. Anyone who has suffered betrayal in friendship can attest to how greatly painful that is. So, v3 compares what one suffers from a hot-tempered friend to being crushed by a stone or buried under an avalanche of sand. And, v4 changes the image to a raging river, or a flood, or a tidal wave, indicating that the jealous friend, who is in it for what they can get out of you, is even more dangerous than the hot-tempered friend. Then there is the friend whose “love” does not make an appearance when you are in danger and need to be rebuked. Though we mustn’t take v5 as an excuse for a censorious spirit, it reminds us that love must not be unwilling to rebuke when required. When a friend is like a surgeon, cutting out an infection or a cancer, his wounds are kind and faithful (v6a). But there are kisses that have more to do with ingratiating themselves to you than with doing you good. Such kisses seem to say “friend,” but actually come from an enemy.
General truths about friendship, v7–10. Thinking especially about rebuke, then, it is important that we develop an “appetite” for it. If we are out of appetite, then we will not want the nourishing rebukes of our friends (v7a), but if we have an appetite for the help that God gives us by such sharpening (v7b), we will find them sweet; the soul-counsel of a man’s friend should be soothing to us like ointment to our skin, or delightful to us like perfume to our nose (v9).
Finally, our friends are a good providence of God. If we disregard those whom He has placed around us, because we are ambitious to attain a higher class or social standing, then we are like a baby bird that leaves the nest before it is ready (v8). We should be content with our divinely-appointed station in life. Similarly, we owe loyalty to those who are generational friends (v10a), and those into whose proximity providence has put us (v10c). Since this brother is “far away,” there is an implication here that he is a wealthier, or perhaps less embarrassing, option. But we must not let pride get in our way. We should establish good relationships with our neighbors, since providence has put them near us. And we should have the humility to receive their divinely-appointed help when needed.
Of course, the greatest Friend that providence has assigned to us is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, Who laid down His life for His friends. He is the One Who sticks closer than a brother. To Him we must be loyal, and to Him we must go with every care, because He cares for us. Particularly when crushed or overwhelmed by the betrayal of earthly friends, we may find comfort, strength, wisdom, and gladness in Jesus.
Much of our life is bound up in relationships and interaction with those whom God has placed around us. Let us embrace friendship as a gift from God and heed His wisdom in it.
What good friends do you have, to whom you can leave it, if you are going to be praised? How are you in danger of being a dangerous friend? Who might be a danger to you as a friend? How is your “appetite” for the rebukes of a friend? Who is someone who has been a friend to you for generations? How is your relationship with your neighbors?Sample prayer: Lord, we thank You for the gift of friendship. Give us humility to heed their wisdom. And give us discernment to recognize who would be a dangerous friend to us. We thank You for giving us Christ as our greatest Friend. Please give us to enjoy His friendship, and to be a friend like Him to others, we ask in His Name, AMEN!
Suggested songs: ARP15 “Within Your Tent, Who Will Reside” or TPH520 “What a Friend We Have in Jesus”
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