15 By [j]forbearance a ruler may be persuaded,
And a soft tongue breaks the bone.
16 Have you found honey? Eat only [k]what you need,
That you not have it in excess and vomit it.
17 Let your foot rarely be in your neighbor’s house,
Or he will become [l]weary of you and hate you.
18 Like a club and a sword and a sharp arrow
Is a man who bears false witness against his neighbor.
19 Like a bad tooth and [m]an unsteady foot
Is confidence in a faithless man in time of trouble.
20 Like one who takes off a garment on a cold day, or like vinegar on [n]soda,
Is he who sings songs to [o]a troubled heart.
21 If [p]your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat;
And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink;
22 For you will [q]heap burning coals on his head,
And the Lord will reward you.
If the last couple verses sound familiar, they should, because Jesus would utter something very similar a thousand years later. No doubt he was familiar with Solomon’s writings, but it also reinforces the value of Old Testament writing when some in church culture would rather focus only on the what is “new and shiny”. Never mind that Jesus’ words are nearly two thousand years old, God’s word does not return void. Old, new, or anywhere in between, when He speaks, we better listen.
So let’s start again as Solomon, inspired by God and filled with His wisdom, gives us some fundamentals for life. First of all, we see that persistence pays off. I’ve heard many stories of people that were turned away, or thrown out, but they had a vision and they stuck to it. Eventually, the door opened, and their dreams were realized. What if they had quit the time before?
But yet Solomon reminds us to be self-controlled in vv. 16-17, so we aren’t to be overbearing in our determination, but consistent. We are also given examples of what not to do in vv. 18-20, and so in the reverse we must be faithful, and honest, and show discretion when our friends, family, or colleagues are troubled. Blind “happiness” is no balm for the heart filled with sorrow, but compassion and steadfastness win the day.
Finally, we have a lesson in how to treat our enemies, or opponents, maybe even our “competition” in business. When they need help, do it, when it is in your power to do so. Not so that they cry from the burning coals, but because God asks you to. He will take care of the reward, even if you don’t think the other party has it in them to do anything kind in return.
God has a plan through all these things, and we often think it doesn’t make sense. Help my competition, be kind to an ex-wife, smile at the co-worker who spreads gossip about you. Whatever you do, do it for the glory of God, not so that you can boast, or get all the accolades, but rather that others may “see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in Heaven.”