Knowledge is Life, Therefore Choose Life (Proverbs 18:15)

A good question to ask ourselves is what are we seeking after in this life? What drives us on everyday?

"The mind of the prudent is ever getting knowledge, and the ear of the wise is ever seeking - inquiring for and craving - knowledge." Proverbs 18:15, Amplified

To be prudent is to show care for your future. It is one thing to seek after pleasure that lasts for a few minutes or even days, but what about that substantial stuff? It is sort of like choosing between steak and sugar. One choice is very beneficial and has sustenance to it. The other choice is not detrimental, but does not have the ability to sustain like the other. So the prudent man must then seek after knowledge and the wise has a craving for knowledge.

If we are truly the Lord's, then there will be within us a desire to seek after better things. Not only are we seeking after knowledge, but there is a hunger for such things. What are you hungry for? I guarantee you are hungry for whatever you have been putting inside your body, or mind, or soul.

Remember one thing, however. Knowledge equals death; death of ignorance. The ignorant might not understand the benefits of steak when all they have had is sugar. But once we have had the steak, our eyes are enlightened to that which is good and that which is not so good. So not only is knowledge death, but it is a birthing of choice. We can choose steak. We can choose sugar. We can choose Jesus. We can choose sin. We are surrounded by choice. "I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; that you may love the Lord you God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give them." (Deuteronomy 30:19-20, NKJV)

Strength of Spirit (Proverbs 18:14)

We all need something to sustain us. But what happens when we become unsustainable? When our spirit us broken, this is when we are most vulnerable.

"The strong spirit of a man will sustain him in bodily pain or trouble, but a weak and broken spirit who can raise up or bear?" Proverbs 18:14, Amplified

AS we commune with the Lord on a daily basis, our spirit is strengthened. Even those who choose a different path other than Christ can have a strong spirit, because of their resolve. But those of us who choose Christ above all else have that outside influence, that strength that does not involve ourselves.

This is why we need this outside influence because when our spirit becomes broken how are we to be sustained? Thank you Jesus for your strength.

Hearing the Whole (Proverbs 18:13)

It is very important to listen to a whole story, or testimony, before rendering judgement.

"He who answers a matter before he hears the facts, it is folly and shame to him." Proverbs 18:13, Amplified

I work on a playground with elementary children during their recesses and lunches. It is important that I listen to them when they come to me with a grievance. When I have heard the whole matter, then I can dole out punishment, or discard it as a useless tattletale. But I must hear the whole thing.

The same can be said about our laws. Now I believe our judicial system to be totally dysfunctional. But in the beginning it was not so. Our system was designed to find a person either guilty or not guilty by reason of trial which included evidence and testimony. Nicodemus even stated so in favor of Jesus when questioned by the religious leaders. The whole story can be found in John 7:45-52, but the verse I want to focus on is 51. "Does our law judge a man before it hears him and knows what he is doing?" (John 7:51, NKJV)

It will be to our own condemnation when we answer before the whole matter is heard

Pride and Humility 2 (Proverbs 18:12)

I love the dichotomies of the Bible. Her is yet another one dealing with pride and humility.

"Haughtiness comes before disaster, and humility before honor." Proverbs 18:12, Amplified

Haughtiness is an archaic word pertaining to pride. Pride will always precede disaster. The captain of the Titanic was a very prideful person who was warned about the possible dangers. Instead of heeding to the advice of less distinguished persons, he proceeded the way he felt best. What happened next is a piece of tragic history that everyone one knows about.

When it comes to pride, it becomes a sin when it eclipses everyone around you as well as the Lord. I am proud of my kids. I am also proud of certain achievements in my life. However, my focus is not diverted from the Lord. I still have a clear understanding of who He is in my life.

The second part of this verse deals with humility. If we are to humble ourselves, then we will be honored. Jesus Himself stated, "When you are invited by anyone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in the best place, lest anyone more honorable than you be invited by him; and he who invited you and him come and say to you, 'Give place to this man,' and then you begin with shame to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go sit in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes he may say to you, 'Friend, go up higher.' Then you will give glory in the presence of those who sit at the table with you. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." (Luke 14:8-11, NKJV)

Pride and humility are the antithesis of each other. If you are one, you cannot be the other. The throne of the heart has room for one king. Is it you or Jesus?

Where to Run (Proverbs 18:10-11)

It is interesting to see what a person believes to be his refuge in times of trouble. Is it something tangible like money or possessions? Or is it something ethereal like the Lord?

"The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the [consistently] righteous man - upright and in right standing with God - runs into it and is safe, high [above evil] and strong." Proverbs 18:10, Amplified

If you have ever read the book of James, you would find that the entirety of the book is a dichotomy. A dichotomy is a comparison between two things. For James that comparison is between the flesh and the spirit. In these to verses this morning, we have laid out for us a dichotomy. What are we to trust in? More than that, however, is not really who or what to trust in, but who we are. Are we the righteous who trust in the Lord, or are we something else?

The righteous man makes the Lord his strong tower. Not even the Lord really, but just the name of the Lord. Once we understand who the Lord really is in our lives we can understand the true power of His name alone. Sometimes it is who you know that counts. There is so much power in the name of Jesus alone. All we need to do is run to the Lord in those times of trouble. I have some really good friends who are going through a very turbulent time in their lives. I talked to one of them for a long time the other day and she described life like having the Titanic dropped on them. After discussing with me all the things that they had been and are going through, I couldn't believe the strength of her faith still. She and her family truly understand that the Lord is the strong tower in their lives. A great man once said, "We have no control over the wind in adverse times, but we can always adjust our sails." How do we do this? Keeping an eye and our focus on Jesus. Allowing for Him to be our protection. My friends understand this concept, "We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not in despair; struck down, but not destroyed..." (Second Corinthians 4:8-9a, New King James) He is our strength and our strong tower.

"The rich man's wealth is his strong city, and as a high protecting wall, in his own imagination and conceit." Proverbs 18:11, Amplified

Or there is the rich man who places his trust in his riches. Being rich is not a sin. Trusting in riches is misguided. These are turbulent time that we live in. This recession is devouring our country and this is not time to trust in the all mighty dollar. Before one makes money his strong city, there are a few concepts that he must understand first.

Money runs out: the money that one person has will always have an end. Even Donald Trump's fortune is not bottomless. There is an end to his wealth. The more common people have found this to be truer today than before. Money does not last forever. But the Lord has no end. There is no cap to His power and might.

Money's value is uncertain: everyday the value of the dollar changes. Today it is not worth what it used to be. But the Lord's value is inexhaustible. Though the market tumbles through these uncertain times, His value will never falter of fail. He is the same yesterday, today and forever.

I once had someone question one of my entry's about money. I want to stress that I do not think that money is evil, or that having money makes one less of a believer. Riches do not make one's chances of going to heaven any less. I would love to have more money to take care of my family and be a little more comfortable. But there is one verse that I would like to close with today. "For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed form the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." (First Timothy 6:10, New King James)

The Brothers (Proverbs 18:9)

What do laziness and destruction have to do with each other?

"He who is loose and slack in his work is brother to him who who is a destroyer [and he who does not use his endeavors to heal himself is brother to him who commits suicide]." Proverbs 18:9, Amplified

I want it to made very clear this morning that the latter half of the verse is unique only to the Amplified version. I do not understand why they felt the nee to go further with the verse. So I will not be commenting on the latter half of the verse since what I am about to say about the first half can be applied to the second.

In the New King James, instead of "loose and slack" we find the word lazy. He who is lazy in his work is a brother to him who destroys. What does laziness have to do with destruction? I always read ahead the day before and mull the verse or verses over in my head. This one was a little harder to make the connection from laziness to destruction. Then I had an epiphany. It is easier to destroy than it is to build up. When one builds, there is an effort put out; organization, time, sweat, blood. Do not misunderstand me, I am not trying to talk down the science of demolition. But a building can be brought down in a day, whereas it went up in months. Laziness is not the same as destruction, but they are similar in the effort they put out: very little.

God has called us all to be builders. We need to build up our faith, we need to build up our brothers, we need to build churches. Are faith is not a lazy faith. It needs to be an active faith. Even James states that faith without works is dead (James 2:26). If our faith becomes lazy, then it also becomes a selfish faith without the desire to see anyone else ushered into the kingdom. Let us build together, brick by brick an stone by stone. We may not see the fruits of our labors but we will leave a structure for others to continue building. What are we building? The faith. Who are we building it for? Other Christians and the rest of the world. Faith in the Lord Jesus is a safe haven for the saved and the unsaved alike.

I am reminded of that movie "Field of Dreams". Kevin Costner is a farmer who hears voices from his fields encouraging him to build something. "If you build it they will come." If we build, they will come. Everyone is curious about a new construction site. Let them also become curious about our Lord.

The Mouth (Proverbs 18:6-8)

The mouth can be a golden gift that an orator can use to captivate an audience, or it can be a very destructive tool used by a fool.

"A [self-confident] fool's lips bring contention, and his mouth invites beating." Proverbs 18:6, Amplified

Have you ever witnessed this kind of event? I know when I was still in school there were those who just could not keep their mouths shut and were constantly in fights. This is exactly what this verse is referring to. The wise man knows when to stop talking, but the foolish man never knows when to quit. Without wisdom, one never learns certain things, such as the holding of the tongue. I have never hit anyone because of this, but the thought has run through my mind on occasion.

"A [self-confident] fool's mouth is his ruin, and his lips are a snare to himself." Proverbs 18:7, Amplified

The fool will never quit talking. Since he has not learned the value of silence, he will destroy himself and become his own worst enemy.

"The words of a whisperer or talebearer are as dainty morsels; they go down into the innermost parts of the body." Proverbs 18:8, Amplified

The Bible takes a slight turn in subject matter at this point. We are no longer talking about the fool, but the mouth is still in frame. A talebearer is a gossiper. Not only does he like to give, but he likes to receive as well. Little bits of gossip are like delicious treats that sustain him. But the life of a gossip is a life of misery, for there is nothing to gossip about other than misery, misfortune and mistakes. Sin will always be a delicious treat whether it is another persons or our own, and either one has the possibility of snaring us.

Partiality (Proverbs 18:5)

Favoritism is never going to be a good thing.

"To respect the person of the wicked and be partial, so as to deprive the [consistently] righteous, is not good." Proverbs 18:5, Amplified

If you are following along in the New King James, it may seem that this verse differs drastically from one version to the other. This is not the case. The Amplified simply makes its point faster and in a single thought.

The respecting of the wicked is what the New King James refers to as partiality, or favoritism. If we are to more favorable to the wicked, then we naturally shirk the righteous from his rightful place. The Lord will never look favorably on the wicked or wicked deeds. In fact we are called to be holy as He is holy (First Peter 1:16). If we are more partial to the wicked, maybe we should check our own hearts, for like minds tend to seek out each other. I am not trying to judge anyone, but I know my own heart and what it thinks and feels.

Cleansing & Refreshing Words (Proverbs 18:4)

Counsel is a gift given to us by the Lord.

"The words of a [discreet and wise] man's mouth are as deep waters [plenteous and difficult to fathom]; and the fountain of skillful and godly Wisdom is as a gushing stream [sparkling, fresh, pure and life-giving]." Proverbs 18:4, Amplified

One of the descriptions and typologies of the Word of God in the Bible is water. In the Tabernacle of the Old Testament, we find through study that it too is a typology of the Word of God. The Word of God is a cleanser, it washes us thoroughly and more completely than any soap. As we develop a closer relationship to the Lord, we too can have the same effects as His Word. Filling ourselves more and more with Him, our words come more into line with who He is. It feels so good to be that refresher for someone instead of being that diuretic. Water like this is not convoluted nor is it polluted.

To be this man described in the verse above may mean a drastic revamping of social behavior for oneself. I know that for myself I have had the occasion to be that spring of life but rather decided to pollute my conversation with things that were not of God. I, myself, have more work to correct my conversation because I desire to be that person who refreshes. Each day is a journey to that new place in my relationship with the Lord. I hope that you too will take the steps in your own life to be that well spring of life for humanity. The world is thirsty and all Satan is serving is diuretics, we must be the one's to refresh the world, however, we ourselves must be refreshed daily in the Word.

Haters (Proverbs 18:3)

There are certain aspects to the character of a person that bring about reactions in other persons but more so in himself for anything that is the antithesis of who he is.

"When the wicked comes in [to the depth of evil], he becomes a contemptuous despiser [of all that is pure and good], and with inner baseness comes outer shame and reproach." Proverbs 18:3, Amplified

When a man immerses himself so far into that which is evil, he will have no choice but to despise all that is good and godly. God is not the antithesis of Satan, that needs to be understood; nor is He the antithesis of sin. To call Him such would be to place Him on an equal or lower level than Satan or sin. It is what God represents that becomes the antithesis of the sinner. The character of God threatens the sinner in that He wants to depose the sinner from the throne of his own heart. Shame and reproach come upon the wicked one because he has no part with God, he brings the shame and reproach upon himself and he wants to blame the One he wants nothing to do with. To be evil and wicked seems to be much more work than serving the Lord. Surrender is the only choice for humanity. God will eventually depose humanity, but not from the throne of his heart. God will come again and rule on this earth just as it should have been in the beginning.

The Fool 2 (Proverbs 18:2)

A fool does not want to hear the other side's story.

"A [self-confident] fool has no delight in understanding, but only in revealing his personal opinions and himself." Proverbs 18:2, Amplified

Have you ever come across that person who does not want to hear what you have to say but has no problem telling you what he wants to say? I have and there are plenty of those kind of people out there. This verse this morning really needs no interpretation. However, there is no one thing I do have to say. Steer clear from the foolish men of this world for they will only bring you down. The Bible gives an excellent description of who to look out for and what characteristics the foolish person has.

Isolation (Proverbs 18:1)

It has been said that silence is golden. However, when a man isolates himself from others he puts himself at risk.

"He who willfully separates and estranges himself [from God and man] seeks his own desire and pretext to break out against all wise and sound judgement." Proverbs 18:1, Amplified

To want to be alone is one thing. Jesus Himself often went off alone to pray and Paul went alone into the desert for a few years. These two men were in isolation in order to build a relationship or even strengthen their relationship. They were alone so they could communicate with their Father. There are those however, whose chief purpose it is to isolate because they do not want to communicate. These men and women do not want to communicate because they are seeking out their own desires. In the New King James this verse reads, "he rages against all wise judgment." In the process of communication one must open himself up to the possibility that he does not have all the answers, that he is not always right. In isolation he does not have to open himself up to the possibility.

Purpose Driven Communication (Proverbs 17:27-28)

Words are very powerful tools. However, a lack of words can be even more powerful.

"He who has knowledge spares his words, and a man of understanding has a cool spirit." Proverbs 17:27, Amplified

This man of knowledge spares his words unlike the fool who releases a verbal assault on all who have ears. Now a man of Knowledge and understanding has the know how and the words to explain how, so why would he spare his words? He is a direct opposite to "Where there are many words sin is not lacking." (Proverbs 10:19, NKJV) The man of knowledge and understanding can (and does) use his words to impart knowledge upon others, however, he knows when to keep his words to himself.

"Even a fool when he holds his peace is considered wise; when he closes his lips he is esteemed a man of understanding." Proverbs 17:28, Amplified

Even the foolish man can seem to be wise is he too holds his tongue. It is amazing how much we seem to think that words will take us places but the Bible encourages differently. So this now raises the question of the spreading of the Gospel. Jesus used many words to spread the Gospel as well as Peter and Paul. In their defense, they had focus in their speech and a purpose for their conversation. What these two verses are focusing in on this morning is idle chatter and verbal vomit. The Bible encourages us to have a purpose driven conversation, not communication riddled with course jesting and foolishness. I will be the first to tell you that I fall dreadfully short of these expectations. My conversation needs more focus and purpose at times.

Punishment for Righteousness (Proverbs 17:26)

There is a time coming soon when the righteous will be punished for being righteous. It is prophesied in the book of revelation and promised by our Lord. But it still does nor make it right.

"Also to punish or fine the righteous is not good, nor to smite the noble or their uprightness." Proverbs 17:26, Amplified

Though it is promised by our Lord, it still does not make it right in the spiritual scheme of things. It is not condoned by our Lord, in other words. The human heart as it strays away from the Lord is capable of so many different evils. We are coming into an age of tolerance. But this is code for intolerance of Christianity. Our Lord does not condone this and it is evident in the Book of Revelation. I have read the end of the book, we win. The Lord's intolerance of the punishment will not be quiet for long. Rest assured, if you feel like you are being smitten for your righteousness, the Lord sees and He will avenge.

The Foolish Son (Proverbs 17:25)

When a child acts inappropriately, he not only damages his reputation but also the reputations of his parents.

"A self-confident and foolish son is grief to his father, and bitterness to her who bore him." Proverbs 17:25, Amplified

There almost seems to be no need for explanation here. By reading the verse, one can come their own logical conclusion as to what the verse is saying. By acting like a fool, disgrace is brought upon the parents of that fool. I know that as I while I was a young man, I did not pretty vile and foolish things that brought some shame upon the heads of my mother and father. I am just glad that I had the opportunity to rectify my life and relationship with my father before his passing and be the son that he wanted me to be. A son that he could be proud of.

Focus (Proverbs 17:24)

It all comes down to focus. Where is our focus? Are we even focused?

"A man of understanding sets skillful and godly Wisdom before his face, but the eyes of a [self-confidents] fool are on the ends of the earth." Proverbs 17:24, Amplified

A man who has understanding not only know he needs to focus, but he also knows what he needs to focus on. He purposefully places the Lord in front of his face because he knows that where his focus should be. But the foolish man will not do so. His eyes are on the ends of the earth. In other words, he cannot decide where he wants to go or what he wants to do first. Sin is abundant here on this earth, but there is only one Lord. It is so much easier to focus on the One than on the many but the self confident fool does not understand this concept.

Keep your focus on the Lord.

Bribery (Proverbs 17:23)

There are many different things that a wicked man does. One of them is to accept bribes. Not only does he accept bribes but it is for the purpose of thwarting justice.

"A wicked man receives a bribe out of the bosom [pocket] to pervert the ways of justice." Proverbs 17:23, Amplified

In an earlier entry, I had stated that the Bible never condemns bribes. Though it never condemns the practice of bribery it does not condone the practice either. The whole purpose of a bribe is to steer a mind into your favor. In this case, the bribe is offered to pervert justice. In other words, if a crime is committed, the offender would offer the judge a bribe to either reduce sentencing or excuse the offender all together. Nothing good, or justified, comes out of bribery. The briber is never going to be repentant if he never sees the other side of justice nor will the offended ever have retribution if the judge accepts bribes.

Happiness is Not in a Pill (Proverbs 17:22)

The spirit of a person definitely has an affect on the well being of the person.

"A happy heart is a good medicine and a cheerful mind works healing, but a broken spirit dries the bones." Proverbs 17:22, Amplified

It is so true. Laughter truly does make the spirit of a person lighter. I was diagnosed with depression when I was in my late teens. So my therapist and psychiatrist conferred and felt that I needed to be placed on Lithium. Every morning I would wake up to take my medication. Every night I would take it before bed. My life revolved around this medication. I soon came to the conclusion that I did not want to kowtow to antidepressants. My shrink even went as far as to say that I would never truly be happy until my parents are dead.

I am happy to say that I am more than a decade off the antidepressants. Do I have my bad days? Sure. But I am learning more and more everyday how to live prescription drug free; I am learning more an more everyday how to be happier.

Focus your hearts on Jesus. He truly makes the heart happy and the mind cheerful. To focus on the world around us and the circumstances that beset us there is little hope for happiness. In a broken world we need an outside stimulus for happiness. I am not speaking of something external from ourselves within this world, rather something ethereal. Though it is searched for in drugs, and the opposite sex, and pornography, and drugs, happiness will continue to evade the searcher until the true source is tapped.

Fathers and Children (Proverbs 17:21)

Every father wants to be proud of the child that comes from his loins.

"He who becomes the parent of a [self-confident] fool does it to his own sorrow, and the father of [an empty-headed] fool has no joy [in him]." Proverbs 17:21, Amplified

Today the verse is pretty self explanatory. Yes, every father wants to take joy in the son that comes from his loins, but when that son is foolish then there is no joy for the father. It is the job, responsibility and privilege of the father to pass on wisdom to his son. This is why it is important to encourage spiritual integrity on children. Not only teach our kids the worldly wisdom that we have experienced, but also teach them about our God that we experience on a daily basis.

The Mind, Tongue and Heart (Proverbs 17:20)

Appearances are one thing, but it is the inside of the person that counts. We may be able to fool the world by how we look, but the Lord knows the heart of man.

"He who has a wayward and crooked mind finds no good, and he who has a willful and contrary tongue will fall into calamity." Proverbs 17:20, Amplified

There are two people being spoken of here in this verse. First the one with the wayward and crooked heart. He finds no good because his mind is perverse. He has filled his mind with so much evil that this is all that he can think about. He finds no good because he looks for no good. Then there is the man with the willful and contrary tongue. This is the man that has allowed for his tongue to control his life. "But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison." (James 3:8, NKJV) There is a difference between taming and subduing. There are man times that I want to say something, but my tongue is subdued. Imagine the man who does not have Christ; his tongue lashing out at everyone.

Is there hope for either one? Of course. You and I both could easily have fit into the role of either before we came to Christ. We made a choice, however, to subdue the body and surrender to Christ.

The Results of Sin (Proverbs 17:19)

Shakespeare wrote, "Love is a many splendored thing." But is love really love when it is not pure? Can love be love when it involves sin?

"He who loves strife and is quarrelsome loves transgression and involves himself in guilt; he who raises high his gateway and is boastful and arrogant invites destruction." Proverbs 17:19, Amplified

We will break this verse down in its two parts. If you read the New King James you will find that "strife" and "transgression" are actually switched. It is my belief that in either context the verse remains true to itself. You can either love sin (transgression) and invite strife or you can love strife and invite sin. But it is not even inviting, the Bible says that if you love one then you love the other. So in essence, if one loves sin then he is out of the will of God and therefore strife in inevitable. And in the other instance, if one love strife (which opposes the fruit of the Spirit) then sin is sure to follow. There is a union between the two. If you love one, then you will love the other.

In the second part of the verse, we see pride. The gateway being alluded to here is the gateway to a city where the elders of the city would sit and become judges for quarrels. So what this verse is alluding to is making oneself seem more than what he truly is. After being spared his life, King Hezekiah exalted his own gate Babylonian envoys. He took Berodach-Baladan into the treasure houses of the kingdom. "And Hezekiah was attentive to them, and showed them all the house of his treasure - the silver and gold, the spices and precious ointment, and all his armory - all that was found among his treasure. There was nothing in his house or in all his dominion the Hezekiah did not show them." (Second Kings 20:13, NKJV) You see, Hezekiah was given a death sentence from Isaiah the prophet. After Isaiah had left, Hezekiah lifted his voice to the Lord, and before Isaiah could leave the Lord sent him back into the king. The Lord had granted Hezekiah a longer life. Hezekiah became prideful and arrogant and opened himself to the enemy and Isaiah soon returned to the king with a message of destruction and the captivity of Babylon.

You Never Know (Proverbs 17:18)

I know the I have written about surety before, but where the Bible repeats itself, we must become more attune.

"A man void of good sense gives a pledge and becomes surety for another in the presence of his neighbor." Proverbs 17:18, Amplified

When his verse speaks of putting up a pledge, I instantly went to a telethon in my head. This is not the kind of pledge that the Bible is referencing. It is taking about becoming the fall guy in a loan. As you sign your name on the dotted line as the cosigner, you are in essence telling the bank, "Hey, if this guy does not pay then you have every right to come after me." (Imagine a big Goofey laugh). In pledging for someone else you are not allowing them to buy the car of their dreams, you are only placing yourself as a secondary target. I am not saying that if you cosign, the initial payee of the loan is going to default. What I am saying is that you have no idea what may come of tomorrow and your friends financial status. How many people lost their homes during this current economic crisis? How many people lost their jobs during this current recession? You just never know.

Who is My Brother? (Proverbs 17:17)

This next verse in the Proverbs has been translated two different ways. I do not like the translation of the Amplified Version, but for the sake of continuity, I will continue to use it.

"A friend loves at all times, and is born, as is a brother, for adversity." Proverbs 17:17, Amplified

In the New King James the verse reads very differently: "A friend loves at all times and a brother is born for adversity." Quite a different translation. So which is correct?

It is my belief that there are two separate entities spoken of in this verse, a friend and a brother. What the Amplified seems to do is combine the two into one single being. Do friends fight? Yes, at times they do. Do friends love? Yes, more times than not.

The two different translations I spoke of in the opening statement are these: 1) that the friend loves at all times and brothers only fight (for example sibling rivalry). & 2) that a friend loves at all times but only a brother can truly love in times of adversity.

I am more drawn to the second translation because there is a certain bond that family has that cannot be replicated through friendship. There are different kinds of love and the love within the family unit is unique in itself. A friend cannot love (it is my belief) the way that family can, or should. As a Christian I have grown by leaps and bounds for I grew up in a very dysfunctional household. Nor did I have a brother that could love in times of adversity because he could not understand how for he is terminally mentally handicapped. So who is my brother? Brotherhood can exist within the bond of strong belief systems. My church is my brotherhood. they can love me in the hard times, they can console me in the sad times. In my definition, brotherhood is raw, rough and honest; friendship not so much.