Pro 17:1-28 (NLT)
1 Better a dry crust eaten in peace than a house filled with feasting—and conflict.
2 A wise servant will rule over the master’s disgraceful son and will share the inheritance of the master’s children.
3 Fire tests the purity of silver and gold, but the LORD tests the heart.
4 Wrongdoers eagerly listen to gossip; liars pay close attention to slander.
5 Those who mock the poor insult their Maker; those who rejoice at the misfortune of others will be punished.
6 Grandchildren are the crowning glory of the aged; parents are the pride of their children.
7 Eloquent words are not fitting for a fool; even less are lies fitting for a ruler.
8 A bribe is like a lucky charm; whoever gives one will prosper!
9 Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends.
10 A single rebuke does more for a person of understanding than a hundred lashes on the back of a fool.
11 Evil people are eager for rebellion, but they will be severely punished.
12 It is safer to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than to confront a fool caught in foolishness.
13 If you repay good with evil, evil will never leave your house.
14 Starting a quarrel is like opening a floodgate, so stop before a dispute breaks out.
15 Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent—both are detestable to the LORD.
16 It is senseless to pay to educate a fool, since he has no heart for learning.
17 A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need.
18 It’s poor judgment to guarantee another person’s debt or put up security for a friend.
19 Anyone who loves to quarrel loves sin; anyone who trusts in high walls invites disaster.
20 The crooked heart will not prosper; the lying tongue tumbles into trouble.
21 It is painful to be the parent of a fool; there is no joy for the father of a rebel.
22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.
23 The wicked take secret bribes to pervert the course of justice.
24 Sensible people keep their eyes glued on wisdom, but a fool’s eyes wander to the ends of the earth.
25 Foolish children bring grief to their father and bitterness to the one who gave them birth.
26 It is wrong to punish the godly for being good or to flog leaders for being honest.
27 A truly wise person uses few words; a person with understanding is even-tempered.
28 Even fools are thought wise when they keep silent; with their mouths shut, they seem intelligent.
How we are perceived is closely connected to how we conduct ourselves in maturity and wisdom. Simply growing older, however, does not guarantee wisdom or the honor that should come with long life. The careful choice of words—and knowing when to speak them—comes from disciplined learning, faithful mentoring, and a deep respect for the Source of all wisdom.
Yet perception is not only the responsibility of the one being observed; it is also shaped by the eye of the beholder—by what it focuses on and what it values. When someone becomes infatuated with what is insignificant, what is truly significant will appear unimpressive and may be ignored.
Still, perception is both the starting point and the outcome of wisdom and its fruit in righteousness. When a person lives according to the truth and principles of godliness, their life forms an image and likeness that naturally inspires favorable perception and its accompanying benefits.
What the eye delights in ultimately shapes how things are perceived, and this determines whether one reaches the fullness of their potential. Therefore, when we ask for wisdom, it must include these principles of perception, because wisdom shapes both how we see and how we are seen.