**Proverbs 17:3-24**
V3: "Fire tests the purity of silver and gold, but the Lord tests the heart."
In order for silver and gold to be purified to its maximum and most brilliant state, it has to be burned and tested by fire. That burning process may seem extreme, but the results are beautiful. The same thing goes for us as believers: we go through hard and testing times to purify and refine our hearts towards the Lord. Even though the seasons of life we encounter may seem trying, we can take hope in trusting that the Lord is using that place to refine us.
VS 4-5: "Wrongdoers eagerly listen to gossip; liars pay close attention to slander. Those who mock the poor insult their Maker; those who rejoice at the misfortune of others will be punished."
People who constantly sin and do wrong listen to and fill their souls with gossip. Now, gossip is not good. It brings nothing beneficiary to one's life and it is something that the Lord hates. Same thing for slander and bad and dishonest speech: liars are the ones who pay close attention to these things. The people who speak ill of others, lie, mock the poor, and rejoice at the troubling times others are in will be punished. It's truly as simple as that: if you choose a path of sin, you will be judged and punished accordingly.
V9: "Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends."
We are a people that love to hold grudges. We would much rather cause drama and not forgive, than "let down our guards" and forgive another for their wrongdoing. The flip side shows us that we are hypocrites: we want Jesus to forgive us any and every time we fall short, but as soon as someone wrongs us, we struggle to show them that same love and forgiveness Jesus showed us. Love is best shown through forgiveness. The ones who choose to dwell on mistakes and faults risk separation. This is why it is so important that we not only look like Jesus in the way we live and we love, but also in the way and willingness we have to forgive each other.
V17: "A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need."
In each and every one of our lives, people will come and go. It is the ones who stay and are there to hold you up when you can't even hold up yourself that are good friends. Good friends are always there for you and have your back no matter what. That kind of loyalty is the kind you rely upon when in need.
V19: "Anyone who loves to quarrel loves sin; anyone who trusts in high walls invites disaster."
The spirit of strife and disagreement is not of the Lord. In fact, it is the polar opposite and farthest thing away from what God stands for. Those who love to quarrel love sin, and that is not okay! The wisdom of God gives us guidance on how to keep peace and rebuke the spirit of strife and quarrel.
V20: "The crooked heart will not prosper; the lying tongue tumbles into trouble."
Foolishness oftentimes will trap us into straying from the right path. It can lead our hearts to turn away from the tenderness of God's Presence to become crooked. It can control our speech into becoming a mouth that can no longer proclaim the goodness of God, but only trouble. Godly wisdom is what gets us off of this path of evil, and back onto the path the Lord has laid out for us.
V22: "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength."
Our hearts are the roots of everything that flows out of us. If our hearts are in check and have a joyful and cheerful manner, we are then blessed! The same thing goes with our spirits: a broken spirit drains our strength, but we are renewed and put back together when Jesus mended the gap and put together all that the enemy had left in shambles.
V24: "Sensible people keep their eyes glued on wisdom, but a fool’s eyes wander to the ends of the earth."
Wisdom tells you which path to give your undivided attention to. Sensible and wise people keep their gaze locked on wisdom from the Lord. They can rest secure in all of His plans and leadings and question nothing. It is those of us who are foolish, that tend to wander and search for something that just might satisfy. The truth is that nothing will allow us to rest easy the same way Jesus does.
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