Proverbs 11

Proverbs 11:22

Like a gold ring in a pig's snout is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion.

I couldn't let that one slip by.

Three proverbs of common theme appear back-to back-to back in this chapter -- 11:24, 25, and 26: "One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed. People curse the man who hoards grain, but blessing crowns him who is willing to sell."

Said in three different ways -- the man who puts other people's needs above his own will receive even greater blessing than what he is giving up. That's a hard lesson for men in the 21st century of the United States. It has been a hard lesson for me personally.

A couple of other thoughts. While Solomon uses the word "man" here, I doubt this is a proverb intended for men only. On the other hand, I think the theme of these verses is harder for men to adopt than women. Generally speaking, aren't women more generous than men -- with their time, their money, their kind words. It may be an extension of the notion that women seem to be more relational-oriented, while men are task-achievers.

The most inspiring of these proverbs for me is the middle one: "A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed." "Refreshing others" is not about giving away your house, or even a $20 bill. Instead, it denotes something more emotional, more personal. How do we refresh others? With words of encouragement, expressions of gratitude, acknowledgements of effort, and praise. Again, a hard teaching for most of us men to consistently follow. We've got to really go out of our way to do this, because it probably doesn't come naturally.

Not coincidentally, these proverbs fit pretty snugly with what we call the Golden Rule -- treat others as you would like to be treated. How many of us love to receive words of praise and gratitude? Is it possible that the more we hand out these expressions to others (genuinely, of course), the more we receive back?