Proverbs 17:1-14
Peace in a home is more important than all kinds of riches and prosperity (v. 1). V. 14 teaches us how quarrels start. Unfortunate words are allowed to escape just "as one letteth out water" (v. 14). What hope is there then of retrieving it? But when the quarrel has begun and threatens to become heated, the wise attitude, let us remember, is to move away from it. Without being one of the quarrellers, one can sometimes be the source of a misunderstanding – for example by repeating something instead of keeping it to oneself (v. 9). "Love covereth all sins," (Proverbs 10:12; 1 Peter 4:8). Keeping quiet about others’ faults is not condoning them; rather it is bearing with them to the point of being ashamed to repeat them.
The wise man is the one who, in order to make progress (v. 10), knows how to make use of any lesson including a reproof.
Faith in the believer’s heart is much more precious than gold. It cannot perish. But testing is necessary for it to be entirely pure. God uses testing like the refiner of Malachi 3:3. His work purifies His own from everything that is not compatible with His holiness (Job 23:10).