the Third Week after Easter
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Daily Devotionals
Day by Day Devotional - Year 5 of 5
Proverbs 27:14-27
These verses deal particularly with domestic life and friendship. Let us choose a friend with great care. We should be sure that he or she shares our faith, that we will be free to kneel down in prayer together, that he or she will be capable of sharpening our mind (v. 17). But friendship is not one-sided. When we complain of lack of love from others it is always proof that we are showing very little love ourselves. For love answers to love (v. 19).
V. 20 reminds us that a characteristic of the eyes is that they are never satisfied (1 John 2:16), and v. 22 tells us that foolishness is always inextricably linked with human nature (see also Proverbs 22:15; Ecclesiastes 9:3; Romans 3:11). No force exists which can drive it away for ever. Is this too pessimistic a statement? Unfortunately not! Man is in a permanent state of revolt against his Creator; he refuses grace which is offered to him; he never ceases to act in opposition to his eternal interests . . . surely that is foolishness. How then can one become wise? By receiving divine life through Christ.
Vv. 23-27 speak to us of human foresight, of earthly wealth and of a perishable crown. Christians, let us be far-sighted, but only to secure for ourselves wealth which will last (Proverbs 8:18; Luke 12:33) and an incorruptible crown (1 Corinthians 9:25).
