Text: Prov 3:27-35 ESV
27 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it.
28 Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come again, tomorrow I will give it”—when you have it with you.
29 Do not plan evil against your neighbor, who dwells trustingly beside you.
30 Do not contend with a man for no reason, when he has done you no harm.
31 Do not envy a man of violence and do not choose any of his ways,
32 for the devious person is an abomi...
Text: Prov 3:27-35 ESV
27 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it.
28 Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come again, tomorrow I will give it”—when you have it with you.
29 Do not plan evil against your neighbor, who dwells trustingly beside you.
30 Do not contend with a man for no reason, when he has done you no harm.
31 Do not envy a man of violence and do not choose any of his ways,
32 for the devious person is an abomination to the Lord, but the upright are in his confidence.
33 The Lord's curse is on the house of the wicked, but he blesses the dwelling of the righteous.
34 Toward the scorners he is scornful, but to the humble he gives favor.
35 The wise will inherit honor, but fools get disgrace.
Prov 3:27-35 ESV
TREAT OTHERS RIGHT
Solomon has directed our attention towards treating others. We are not to "withhold good" to others. And this "good" is something we're obligated to give others. It’s like saying, "treat others right." For that reason, this first instruction touches on the modern use of the word "honor," as used for meeting an obligation. Especially when something good is expected, or owed, we should actively seek to fulfill that command. This is re-emphasized in the following verse (Proverbs 3:28) This doing good, or honoring, can take many different forms – child to parents, servants to employers, young to old people, members to church leaders, etc.
Moreover, doing good for others, especially when it's something expected or owed, is not to be delayed [v.28]. To say "Go, and come again, tomorrow I will give it" when help is available now is unloving and hypocritical. The same idea James is condemning to those offering words to the poor without backing them up with charitable giving (Jas 2:15–16).
Taking advantage towards unsuspecting neighbors should not be done [v.29]. He should treat him respectfully. Ex 20:16-17 says, "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's." Instead. He is to love his neighbor as himself.
A wise person should not be contentious. He does not pick fights. Verse 30 allows that some conflicts are justified or reasonable. What’s condemned is strife without a compelling reason. Paul exhorts in Rom 12:18, "If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all." Common sense says that it's better not to start fights and arguments than to be constantly embroiled in them.
Solomon moved on to warn us not to be jealous to violent person. Those who are selfish, cruel, plotting, or greedy towards others might seem to gain material wealth. In Psalm 37:1, David, gives similar advice; "Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers." Instead of envying them, believers should trust in the Lord. For David says, "Better is a little that the righteous has than the abundance of many wicked." Asaph almost stumbled for he became envious to the wicked who were oppressive to the poor and rich.[Psa 73]
It’s not worth to envy those detestable people before God. But God befriends the upright [v.32] There is a huge difference. Why? The Lord curses the house of the wicked, but he blesses the home of the upright. The Lord mocks the mockers but is gracious to the humble. The wise inherit honor, but fools are put to shame!
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