Pro 10:17 | KingComments | STEP | He who is rich feels himself thereby as secure as one who is in a fortress ( ). He can equip himself with all kinds of means to protect himself from evil. The poor do not have that and easily fall prey to evil-doers. This is what the wise perceive in the world. A person can be rich or poor, which gives a person a certain invulnerability or vulnerability. Spiritually, we can apply this to being rich or poor in faith. The one who realizes how rich he is in Christ knows himself to be in a fortress. But the believer who has no awareness of this has a poor and vulnerable life of faith. The rich believer is safe from error; he will not let his wealth be taken from him. The poor one is prey to “every wind of doctrine” ( ). A person’s reward depends on his moral character, that is, whether he is a righteous or a wicked one ( ). What a righteous does promotes life; what a wicked acquires, his income, leads to sin and death. Put in New Testament language: “For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace” ( ). Above all, “the wages of the righteous”, Christ, is a work that gives “life”. His work has the effect that “whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” ( ). If someone “heeds instruction”, listens to and accepts instruction, he will find himself on “the path to life” ( ). He will also hold fast to it and thereby remain on the path of life. Thus he is an inviting example for others to also listen to instruction. Those who do not have an ear for instruction, who ignores reproof, goes astray. He also makes others go astray. How we are does not only affect ourselves. We thereby set an example that leads others to act a certain way. Good example does follow well, bad example does follow badly.

‏ Proverbs 10:17

Security and Life or Ruin

He who is rich feels himself thereby as secure as one who is in a fortress (Pro 10:15). He can equip himself with all kinds of means to protect himself from evil. The poor do not have that and easily fall prey to evil-doers. This is what the wise perceive in the world. A person can be rich or poor, which gives a person a certain invulnerability or vulnerability.

Spiritually, we can apply this to being rich or poor in faith. The one who realizes how rich he is in Christ knows himself to be in a fortress. But the believer who has no awareness of this has a poor and vulnerable life of faith. The rich believer is safe from error; he will not let his wealth be taken from him. The poor one is prey to “every wind of doctrine” (Eph 4:14).

A person’s reward depends on his moral character, that is, whether he is a righteous or a wicked one (Pro 10:16). What a righteous does promotes life; what a wicked acquires, his income, leads to sin and death. Put in New Testament language: “For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace” (Rom 8:6). Above all, “the wages of the righteous”, Christ, is a work that gives “life”. His work has the effect that “whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (Jn 3:16).

If someone “heeds instruction”, listens to and accepts instruction, he will find himself on “the path to life” (Pro 10:17). He will also hold fast to it and thereby remain on the path of life. Thus he is an inviting example for others to also listen to instruction. Those who do not have an ear for instruction, who ignores reproof, goes astray. He also makes others go astray. How we are does not only affect ourselves. We thereby set an example that leads others to act a certain way. Good example does follow well, bad example does follow badly.