Thy Strong Word — Proverbs 11:16-31: Like a Gold Ring in a Pig’s Snout

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These proverbs contrast the gracious woman who gains honor with the ruthless man who gains only wealth, emphasizing that kindness, integrity, and righteousness lead to life and prosperity, while the pursuit of evil leads to destruction. This passage also highlights the importance of generosity, stating that those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed. It warns against deceit and the hoarding of wealth, promoting instead a lifestyle of generosity and righteousness that ultimately benefits both the individual and the community.

The Rev. Dr. Matthew Richard, pastor of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Minot, ND, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Proverbs 11:16-31.

Step into the spiritually rich landscape of the Book of Proverbs, a text divinely inspired and attributed to Solomon, the sage king endowed by God with unsurpassed wisdom. This ancient scripture begins with heartfelt lessons from a father to a son, laying a foundation of moral and ethical guidance before unfolding into a collection of timeless proverbs. It uniquely personifies wisdom and folly as two paths that stand before humanity, offering a choice between a life filled with virtue, fear of the Lord, and understanding, and one marred by shortsighted pleasures and foolishness. Proverbs serves as a compass for those seeking to walk in righteousness, offering insights that resonate deeply with the human experience, guiding us toward a life of purpose and discernment according to God’s will.

Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God’s Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations.

Thy Strong Word is graciously underwritten by the Lutheran Heritage Foundation. Through the mission gifts of people like you, LHF translates, publishes, distributes and introduces books that are Bible-based, Christ-centered and Reformation-driven. Learn more at lhfmissions.org.

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Proverbs 11:16-31

¹⁶ A gracious woman gets honor,
and violent men get riches.
¹⁷ A man who is kind benefits himself,
but a cruel man hurts himself.
¹⁸ The wicked earns deceptive wages,
but one who sows righteousness gets a sure reward.
¹⁹ Whoever is steadfast in righteousness will live,
but he who pursues evil will die.
²⁰ Those of crooked heart are an abomination to the Lord,
but those of blameless ways are his delight.
²¹ Be assured, an evil person will not go unpunished,
but the offspring of the righteous will be delivered.
²² Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout
is a beautiful woman without discretion.
²³ The desire of the righteous ends only in good,
the expectation of the wicked in wrath.
²⁴ One gives freely, yet grows all the richer;
another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.
²⁵ Whoever brings blessing will be enriched,
and one who waters will himself be watered.
²⁶ The people curse him who holds back grain,
but a blessing is on the head of him who sells it.
²⁷ Whoever diligently seeks good seeks favor,^[a]
but evil comes to him who searches for it.
²⁸ Whoever trusts in his riches will fall,
but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf.
²⁹ Whoever troubles his own household will inherit the wind,
and the fool will be servant to the wise of heart.
³⁰ The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,
and whoever captures souls is wise.
³¹ If the righteous is repaid on earth,
how much more the wicked and the sinner!

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Footnotes

1. Proverbs 11:27 Or acceptance

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. esv.org