Bible Commentaries
Proverbs 22

Verses 1-16

Great riches are not always a great blessing. When they are held in trust for God, they afford the opportunity of giving a vast amount of happiness to the benefactor as well as to those benefited. But we recall other riches, which do not consist in what a man has, but in what he is. There are four levels of human experience-to have, to do, to know, and to be-and these in their order are like iron, silver, gold, precious stones.

Some of these riches are enumerated here: a good name and loving favor, Proverbs 22:1 ; the faith that hides in God, Proverbs 22:3 ; true humility and godly fear, Proverbs 22:4 ; the child-heart, Proverbs 22:6 ; the beautiful eye and open hand, Proverbs 22:9 ; purity of heart and thought, Proverbs 22:11 ; alacrity and diligence, Proverbs 22:13 . If only we would cultivate the inward graces and gifts of our soul-life, all who feel our influence would be proportionately enriched.