Proverbs 22:1-16 – Wisdom and Money

Reverend Leo H. McCrary II

Gaining money and building generational wealth is often valued more than gaining favor with God. Proverbs 22 teaches why it’s better to be favored in God’s eyes than lovig riches.

Introduction

Which is better:  Being highly favored in the eyes of God or silver and gold–living for the world?

Throughout this fall quarter of lessons, we have taken a look at the way that is good, and the way that seems right.  The way that is right begins with fearing the Lord’s judgment.  When one fears the Lord’s judgment, one wisely lives in a manner to remain in God’s good graces by heeding His instructions.  

So, do you fear the Lord’s judgment or do you not care that God is going to judge?  This question is at the center of this week’s Sunday School lesson.  This week’s Sunday School commentary covers Proverbs 22:1-16.

Do You Value Your Name

Proverbs 22:1 opens with a statement that all should agree with, yet many will say it is up for debate.

The proverb first states, “A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, loving favor rather than silver and gold.”  

Which do you love more:  the favor of God or silver and gold?  I’d much rather have the favor of God over silver and gold.  As we saw in a lesson earlier this quarter, the power of silver and gold is limited in comparison to God’s power.  God can heal the wounded spirit, while silver and gold can do nothing for the soul.

Now, it is taught that the word ‘good’ can be omitted in this proverb since it was added later.  So, the proverb states, “A name is to be chosen rather than great…”

The proverb essentially asks, which is of more importance to you:  Your name or riches?  I am one who is of the belief that how you choose to answer that question will say a great deal about you.

In ancient times, one’s name carried great weight.  If you or your family had a bad name, in ancient times, it could hurt trade and business; it could even hurt marriages.  

Not so long ago, people cared about their name.  Yes, what was said about you when your name was brought up mattered.  Reputation mattered.  Nowadays, I’m not so sure people really care about their reputation, especially if they have made it big.  How many of you value your name?

Comparing what is of more value, one’s name or riches reminds me of what Jesus asked when He asked:  “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul (Mark 8:36)?”

How little does one think of their name to put riches over their name?  Such a thought speaks volumes as to why the world is the way it is today, as it is consumed with the love of riches.  And because one does not properly value themselves, one’s soul is being lost, and that truly is a said thing to consider.

Why Your Name Should Matter to You

The believer ought to value having a name that’s faithful and loyal.   The believer ought to value having a name that is honest, trustworthy, and truthful.  The believer ought to value having a name that is helpful and uplifting.  The believer ought to value having a name that is filled with grace and mercy rather than a name that is known to tear down and destroy.

Would you agree with those statements?  Do you know why the believer ought to value having such a name?  The proverb points to God.

Proverbs 22:2 states that the rich and poor have this in common: the Lord is the maker of them all.  God made mankind in His image, according to His likeness (Gen. 1:26).  God breathed into mankind’s nostrils, and mankind became living souls (Gen. 2:7).  

Yet, while God made mankind and we share that in common, there is separation amongst us; we are not all the same.  When I say that there is separation amongst us, I don’t mean by nationality, nor do I mean by race or gender.

The separation amongst mankind is pointed out in Proverbs 22:3, which states, “A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself, but the simple pass on and are punished.”

God is the maker of mankind.  In Ezekiel 18:4, the Lord stated, “Behold, all souls are Mine.”  Now, I reiterate this point to you because Solomon certainly had God’s judgment of the soul in mind.

Do you know that your soul has a name with the Lord?  When God looks at our soul, He will either see the name prudent or simple.  

The prudent fears God’s judgment, and in that fear, they foresee evil and stay away from it.  Why?  The prudent does not want to face God’s judgment of evil!  God will not permit evil to inherit His eternal kingdom, but will cast evil away from His presence for everlasting life.

The simple won’t turn away from evil but will continue in it – this is what separates mankind.  The simple continue in evil, having no fear of the Lord.  This puts me in mind of the devil tempting Christ; he offered Christ the kingdoms of the world if He would bow down and worship him (Matt. 4:8-9).

Don’t give up your name for the temporary riches of this world.  Your name matters with God!  As Paul said to the Galatians, “For do I now persuade men, or God?  Or do I seek to please men?   For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ (Gal. 1:10).”

Paul moved to be approved by the Lord, not by man.  Paul didn’t necessarily care what man thought of him; he was more concerned about how God would judge him.  This is the mindset that all believers should move with.

As the proverb states, “By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches and honor and life.  Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse; He who guards his soul will be far from them  (Prov. 22:4-5).”

The proverb encourages us not to lose our soul for the riches of a temporary world.  The proverb encourages us to live faithfully, and God will reward us in this world and in the world to come.

Training for Future Generations

In Proverbs 22:6-9, we will see teaching that should be taught to upcoming generations.  

In today’s world, generational wealth is on the tongues of everyone, but when we speak of generational wealth, Solomon really highlights loving God.  Is there anything wrong will building up financial stability?  Not at all.  However, teaching a future generation to know God, building up generational favor, is even greater.

Love God’s way over money

The proverb says, “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.”  When the proverb speaks of the way that a child should go, the proverb is talking about going in the way of wisdom, not a way that is worldly.  

I remember when I was a child how most kids would say they wanted to be rich whenever teachers would ask what we wanted to be when we grew up.  When I think back on that, I think how sad it was/is that being rich was everything to us as children.  Many of us are still driven to be rich, and yet life has been so cruel, and many are fighting despair and depression.

Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with desiring to live a life where you can live comfortably – the word of God does not teach against making a living.  However, what the word of God does teach against is putting all of your hopes and trust in riches over the Lord.  

Putting all your hopes and trust in money over the Lord takes us back to the discussion in the lesson – The Folly of Trusting Riches.  While money does help to put food on the table, clothes on our back, and keep a roof over our heads, there is a limit to its power.  Money cannot satisfy nor can it heal the soul.  I truly hope that more and more of those who are of my generation and younger will value the health of their soul over the satisfaction of fleshly desires.

With the soul in mind, we’ll see that the proverb warns, “The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender (Prov. 22:7).”  The love of money will get you into all kinds of trouble that can make life miserable.  In fact, Paul said to Timothy, “The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows (1 Tim. 6:10).”

This is what we are to teach future generations:  “He who has a generous eye will be blessed, for he gives of his bread to the poor (Prov. 22:9).”  You see, it is better to depend on God and move according to His way, rather than move out of greed and covetousness.  In God’s way is the blessing, but in the way of greed and covetousness is the way of destruction for the soul.

How to Find Favor in God’s Eyes

The training of the future generation, and wise words for all, continue from Proverbs 22:10-16 as Solomon turns his attention to helping one find favor in God’s eyes.

Keep good habits

Solomon begins by saying, “Cast out the scoffer, and contention will leave; Yes, strife and reproach will cease (Prov. 22:10).”  This is a thought that we have seen repeat itself throughout this season of lessons.

The scoffer is one who mocks the Lord and His instructions.  Rather than heeding God’s instructions, the scoffer, like a fool, despises the Lord’s instructions, believing the way in which they live to be better than God’s way.  Keeping such company in your presence is incredibly dangerous because such company corrupts good habits and will therefore corrupt the soul (1 Cor. 15:33).

Scripture repeats time and time again about removing (or fleeing from) such company.  Again, the key here is to keep a healthy soul, rather than a soul that is filled with strife (conflict).  So, again, regardless of your age, it is better to cast out the scoffer so that you may continue in keeping good habits.

Walk with grace

To find favor in God’s eyes, Solomon said, “He who loves purity of heart and has grace on his lips, the king will be his friend (Prov. 10:11).”

In John 15:14, Jesus said to the disciples, “You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.”  Clearly, the proverb goes hand in hand with Jesus’ words, as Jesus is the king.  Let us keep in mind that Jesus commands that we love our neighbor as we love ourselves, and who is it that is our neighbor?  Everyone around us.  

We are to move with grace and sincere love towards everyone around us.  To be clear, you’re not supposed to move with ill intent, pretending to move out of love while inwardly moving begrudgingly.  No, God loves a cheerful giver; one who moves to help others sincerely.  

Those who move to fulfill God’s command of love are certainly loved by the Lord.  In the Beatitudes, Jesus said that the meek, the merciful, the pure in heart, and the peacemakers are blessed (Matt. 5:1-12).

Move in truth

God loves those who worship Him in spirit and in truth.  As shown in Matthew 23, hypocrites do not please the Lord.

We’ll see that our lesson comes to a close with Solomon calling for the reader to move in truth.  Solomon said, “The eyes of the Lord preserve knowledge, but he overthrows the words of the faithless (Prov. 22:12).”  The words of the faithless prosper no one, as they are lies and unhealthy.

Solomon then said in Proverbs 22:13 that the lazy man will come up with excuses for why they won’t move, and as I was told growing up, ‘an excuse ain’t nothing but a lie!”  Jesus said that we must let our ‘Yes’ be yes, and our ‘No’ be no.

Solomon then said, “The mouth of an immoral woman is a deep pit; He who is abhorred by the Lord will fall there (Prov. 22:14).”  To abhor means to be despised, and God despises the immoral because they choose to live in a lie rather than live in the truth.  It is better to live in truth than to lie and to deceive oneself, as living in lie leads to the path whose end is death.

Proverbs 22:15 is a proverb that I heard all the time growing up.  The proverb states, “Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; The rod of correction will drive it (foolishness) far from him.”  

This was/is a proverb that many used to justify whooping children.  Whether you spank or whoop your child is up to you.  However, the key point of this proverb is that of rebuking (or correcting) a child who errs.  One must not continue down the path of wrongdoing, and again, we must certainly not let children develop bad habits without correction.

Again, Proverbs 22:6 speaks to training up a child in the way he should go so that as he grows older he will continue down that path.  One cannot be afraid to correct a child, as, again, that is the responsibility of a parent.  Now, should a child choose to go in a different direction when they are older, that is something they will have to take up with the Lord when He judges.

Walking steadfastly in truth is how one finds favor in the eyes of God.  And lastly, Proverbs 22:16 reminds us that it is better to give to the poor, those who are in need, and lift them up.  Those who love and help those who are in need are those whom the Lord will favor, as they are being true to His word.

Proverbs 12:2 states that a good person obtains favor from the Lord.  When one is favored by the Lord, they truly are blessed.  The Lord shields and protects those whom He loves.  The Lord supplies the needs of those whom He loves.  Yes, the Lord gives to the desires of the heart to those whom He loves and favors.

Surely, you would agree with me that it is better to be favored in the eyes of the one who is Sovereign, right?  Surely, you would agree with me that it is better to be favored by the Lord than to have all of the world’s silver and gold.  God will heal and protect your soul until you rest with Him for everlasting life, but what is silver and gold going to do for your soul?