Portrait of a Good Man

The proverbs describe a good man. He “loves discipline” and “listens to advice.” He is not a know-it-all, but realizes he has much to learn. His thoughts “are just”; that is, his thought life is honest, not like the wicked whose thoughts are “treacherous.” His words are true but also gracious, so that they “bring healing” in the relationships of human beings to each other. He “ignores an insult”; he does not allow the unkind words of others to disturb him. He “has regard to the life of his beast”; he treats animals kindly and therefore human beings with even greater kindness. He “tills his land”; that is, he is not lazy and does not “follow worthless pursuits” as does the person who has “no sense.” He “acts faithfully” and “turns away from evil.” These are the practical applications of the commandments of God which were revealed to us earlier in the Old Testament story.

Just as that earlier law said that obedience would result in blessing, so also here. A man who lives like this “obtains favor from the Lord.” Being rooted in righteousness, he will “never be moved.” He escapes from the trouble which befalls the evil man, for there is a just God in heaven. He is “satisfied with good.” Such people “have joy.”

Proverbs portrays the good person so as to call us to live such a life with its resulting rewards.