Proverbs 27:13

The Bible says in Proverbs 27:13, “Take his garment that is surety for a stranger, and take a pledge of him for a strange woman.” This is a verse about strangers. It mentions “a stranger” in the first phrase, and it mentions “a strange woman” in the second phrase. Make sure that you understand human nature. There is good and evil in the world. Some people know the Lord and follow the Lord, but some do not. Be careful. Some people are liars. Some people will use you if they can. If only more children knew this truth. You cannot trust everyone in the world. You must know them before you can trust them. Shakespeare said the same thing in Hamlet: “Do not dull thy palm with entertainment of each new-hatched, unfledged comrade.”

The Bible says in Proverbs 27:14, “He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be counted a curse to him.” This is another verse about how to keep a friend after you have one. This principle is true for marriage. Surely your spouse is your best friend. There are things that irritate people. Do not do those things if you want to keep a friend. Do not do those things if you want your marriage to be more like it can be.

Concerning marriage, the next two verses tell us one thing that cause a lot of trouble: “a contentious woman.” The Bible says in Proverbs 27:15-16, “A continual dropping in a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike.[16] Whosoever hideth her hideth the wind, and the ointment of his right hand, which bewrayeth itself.” Peace in the home is very important. There is a certain type of woman who can destroy that: a contentious woman. To be contentious means to be argumentative or quarrelsome. Of course, to be near a person like that will not be pleasant. What do you do about it? Maybe you can “hide” the contentious woman: cause her to be some place where you are not. Her constant contentious words are like the wind that is always blowing, and she constantly bewrays herself, meaning that she reveals openly what she is like. Unfortunately, the problems that she causes are obvious. Why would a woman be like this? Perhaps she feels vulnerable, and has been hurt in the past; and so now she is determined to get ahead of the game, and so is contentious all the time.

The Bible says in Proverbs 27:17, “Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.” Human beings are social creatures because God is a social being, and we were created in the image of God. The right kind of contact with other people will help us to be better human beings. We get feedback from others that we need about our own words and behavior. We might get words of encouragement when we need them. We will learn things because everyone knows something that I do not know, and I will benefit from their knowledge. Friends are especially helpful because they care about us, and they will be honest with us, and we can trust them. Their spirit will lift up our spirit. Their zeal will urge us on.

The Bible says in Proverbs 27:18, “Whoso keepeth the fig tree shall eat the fruit thereof; so he that waiteth on his master shall be honored.” This verse elevates the principle of work. There is always work that needs to be done in this world. Things need to be built. Things need to be repaired and cleaned. Jesus said, “I must work the works of him that sent me while it is day. The night cometh when no man can work.” Jesus also said in Mark 13:34, “For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.” What is the work that God wants you to do? If you do the work, you will benefit from the results: that is obvious. If you do the work of serving your Master Jesus Christ, He will honor you forever. It says in Daniel 12:3, “And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever.”

The Bible says in Proverbs 27:19, “As in water face answereth to face, so the heart of man to man.” This is another verse that talks about the benefit of social contact for human beings. God will use other people in your life to help you and to give you clues on how to improve yourself. It is also a benefit that you should get from marriage. When you act a certain way and say certain things, you will get feedback from the people around you: sometimes negative feedback. If you are blessed and if you are wise, you will take these things as opportunities to learn about yourself so that you can improve your dealings with others.

The Bible says in Proverbs 27:20, “Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.” The word that is translated “hell” comes from the Hebrew word “sheol” which refers to the place of the dead. The place of the dead is divided into two categories: the place of punishment which we call hell, and the place of paradise that was evidently taken to heaven when Jesus died on the cross for the sins of the world. Unfortunately, most people go to the place of torment. That is what Jesus taught. Jesus said in Matthew 7:13, “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat.” There will always be room in hell for more souls, but you do not have to go there. You can turn to Jesus and find forgiveness of sins.

The last phrase of Proverbs 27:20 says, “the eyes of man are never satisfied.” No matter what you seek in life and no matter what you achieve or acquire, you will never be satisfied without Christ. Come to Jesus and you will find the longing of your soul.

The Bible says in Proverbs 27:21, “As the fining pot for silver, and the furnace for gold; so is a man to his praise.” One of the purposes of life is to improve as a human being, both in understanding and in behavior. If you do improve in following the Lord Jesus, you will gain in honor and respect. But the lessons will not always be easy for some of us sinful human beings. It will be similar to the refining of silver and gold: it will take a very hot fire to burn away the dross. The fires of trials and temptations will come to believers so that after the fire, there will be silver and gold. It says in First Peter 4:12, “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you.”

The Bible says in Proverbs 27:22, “Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar among wheat with a pestle, yet will not his foolishness depart from him.” Christians, who have the wisdom of God in them through faith in Christ, have the possibility of learning from the difficulties that come their way. But someone who is a fool, even if you reveal to them very clearly what they need to know about themselves, and even if they have a chance to learn like mortar in a pestle, they will not learn. Their mind continues to work the same way. They continue to interpret things the wrong way and to make the wrong decisions. You cannot help a fool because they have chosen to be a fool. This is just another proof that people need Christ.

The Bible says in Proverbs 27:23-27, “Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds.[24] For riches are not for ever: and doth the crown endure to every generation?[25] The hay appeareth, and the tender grass sheweth itself, and herbs of the mountains are gathered.[26] The lambs are for thy clothing, and the goats are the price of the field.[27] And thou shalt have goats' milk enough for thy food, for the food of thy household, and for the maintenance for thy maidens.” The key phrase in these verses is found in verse 24 that says, “riches are not for ever.” This passage is about one of the practical aspects of life: learn the value of a dollar, and thus learn to properly take care of the material possessions that you have. Life has its ups and downs and that includes money. God has promised to supply our needs, if we put Him first. Jesus said in Matthew 6:33, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.” But once the “things” are added unto us, we have certain responsibilities to take care of them. If you properly take care fo what God has given to you, then what is recorded in verse 27 will be the result: “And thou shalt have goats' milk enough for thy food, for the food of thy household…” Notice the word “enough.” God promises to meet your needs, if you seek Him and do the work He gives you to do. God does not promise to make anyone rich. But even if God does make you rich, to handle it properly you must understand the value of a dollar, and use your riches wisely for the glory of God because “riches are not for ever.” Riches can leave easily and quickly in this life, and no one will take their money with them when they leave this earth and stand before God to be judged. One of the negatives of being rich is that you will be judged for what you did with your riches. It says to Christians in James 5:1-8, “Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.[2] Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten.[3] Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.[4] Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.[5] Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.[6] Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.[7] Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.[8] Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.”

The Bible says in Proverbs 28:1, “The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.” When you turn to the Lord Jesus and start serving Him, He will make you a better person. Human beings are naturally cowards because of the flesh because human nature compels us to save our own skin. But when we trust in God, we have another motivation that can be much stronger: the desire to do the right thing. It is good to defend the innocent ones. It is good to stand up for what is right. Why was David willing to face the giant Goliath when the soldiers were afraid? For one reason David had faith in God. David knew that God could do anything. Jesus said, “With men it is impossible, but not with God. With God all things are possible.”

The Bible says in Proverbs 28:2, “For the transgressions of a land many are the princes thereof: but by a man of understanding and knowledge the state thereof shall be prolonged.” This verse is about the importance of leadership. The decisions that a leader makes affects everyone under him or her. That is the reason that we need to pray that God would give us the best leaders possible, so that the whole land can be blessed. That is also the reason that we should pray for whoever are leaders might be. We need God to bless them, whoever they are, and give them wisdom. First Timothy 2:2 tells Christians to pray “For kings and for all that are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.”

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