Proverbs 22:22-29 – Four things to avoid in life

There is a saying that if you choose to sleep with dogs, you must expect to have some fleas. The dogs referred to are not those well-groomed pets but those stray dogs we see running in the wild. This is also true with habits we cultivate in life. If we don’t want a troublesome life we don’t want to invite anything that will bring trouble. When we cultivate good manners, we become attractive to others. But when we are uncouth and uncivilized we become repulsive. To be uncouth is to be depleted of refinement, good manners, cultivation or taste. In Proverbs 22:22-28 are four uncouth manners we are admonished not to cultivate in life.  

The first admonition found in Proverbs 22:22-23 is a call not to oppress the poor. One must never wrong the poor just because of his circumstances. The afflicted here refers to people who are defenceless because of their social status. The context of verse 22 is about the poor being taken advantage of, especially in court proceedings. The judge in this case could have been bought and would judge unfairly and oppress the poor. A just judge, of all people, should exercise godliness in his judgements, and not exploit the circumstance of the poor. The fallen tendency of man makes people take sides with the people well disposed. The reason why the poor should not be exploited is given in verse 23. It is because the LORD will be their advocate and defender. They will be divinely protected. The unjust judge will be dealt with severely. We must never be oppressive people, especially with people whose circumstances in life left them disadvantaged.  

The second admonition given in verses 24-25 is not to associate with aggressive and violent people.  People who are impetuous are usually impulsive, hasty and rash. They tend to act unthinkingly and become reckless in decision and action. Hence, they are easily snared in their souls. People who lack self-control are usually very quarrelsome, ending up in disastrous consequences. It is wise, therefore, to keep one’s distance from them to avoid picking up their harmful habit of aggression.  

The third admonition found in Proverbs 22: 26-27 is to avoid being a guarantor. It is unwise to undertake to write off someone else’s debt, especially when one does not have the means to do so. To be a guarantor in this circumstance is to lift a burden that one may not be able to fulfil and end up losing everything one has. The advice here is not to make one’s own bed too hard for oneself, or it will become difficult for that person himself to lie on it. To be a co-signee will not only encourage debt but nurture someone else’s bad habit. It is better, if we are able, to give to that person rather than help him incur a debt.

The fourth admonition given in Proverbs 22:28-29 is a call not to be covetous. People who are covetous can be enticed to act deceitfully. They have no qualm shifting the goal posts just to exploit others. A person who commits such an act commits a despicable crime. An honest man full of integrity will make room for himself to stand before great people. Their uprightness makes them appealing and attractive people to do business with.  Let us live out our life wisely. Abraham Lincoln puts it best when he said, “In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.”