Proverbs 16:17-33: a reflection

17The highway of the upright is to depart from evil. He who keeps his way preserves his soul. 18Pride goes before destruction, and an arrogant spirit before a fall. 19It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor, than to divide the plunder with the proud. 20He who heeds the Word finds prosperity. Whoever trusts in the LORD is blessed. 21The wise in heart shall be called prudent. Pleasantness of the lips promotes instruction. 22Understanding is a fountain of life to one who has it, but the punishment of fools is their folly. 23The heart of the wise instructs his mouth, and adds learning to his lips. 24Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones. 25There is a way which seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death. 26The appetite of the laboring man labors for him, for his mouth urges him on. 27A worthless man devises mischief. His speech is like a scorching fire. 28A perverse man stirs up strife. A whisperer separates close friends. 29A man of violence entices his neighbor, and leads him in a way that is not good. 30One who winks his eyes to plot perversities, one who compresses his lips, is bent on evil. 31Gray hair is a crown of glory. It is attained by a life of righteousness. 32One who is slow to anger is better than the mighty; one who rules his spirit, than he who takes a city. 33The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.

Among these proverbs is one that reverses our usual estimate of strength: One who is slow to anger is better than the strong, and one who rules his own spirit than one who takes a city. We tend to admire the conqueror, the one who takes a city, as strong; but the proverb says that the one who rules his own spirit, who is slow to anger, master of himself, is greater still. Self-mastery is a greater conquest than conquering a city.

Notice the comparison the proverb draws: ruling one's own spirit is greater than taking a city. The world admires those who conquer, who overcome others, who take cities; and counts this strength. But the proverb points to a greater strength, harder and more valuable: the mastery of one's own spirit, being slow to anger, ruling oneself. To conquer a city is one thing; to conquer oneself, to master one's own anger and spirit, is greater. The truest strength is self-mastery, not the conquest of others.

That reversal is worth taking to heart, for we can admire and pursue the strength that conquers others, while neglecting the greater strength of self-mastery. We may value the ability to overcome others, to win, to conquer; but the proverb points to a greater conquest: ruling our own spirit, being slow to anger, mastering ourselves. This is harder, and greater, than conquering others. Do not prize only the strength that conquers others, while neglecting the harder, greater strength of self-mastery. To rule your own spirit, to be slow to anger, to master yourself, is a greater conquest than taking a city. Pursue that greater strength: the mastery of your own spirit and anger, which is harder and more valuable than conquering others. The one who rules his own spirit is greater than the one who takes a city; seek that self-mastery, the truest strength, rather than prizing only the conquest of others while your own spirit goes unmastered.

Lord, among these proverbs is one that reverses my usual estimate of strength: one who is slow to anger is better than the strong, and one who rules his own spirit than one who takes a city. I tend to admire the conqueror as strong; but the proverb says that the one who rules his own spirit, who is slow to anger, master of himself, is greater still. Show me the comparison: ruling one's own spirit is greater than taking a city. The world admires those who conquer others; but the proverb points to a greater strength, harder and more valuable: the mastery of one's own spirit, being slow to anger, ruling oneself. To conquer a city is one thing; to conquer oneself is greater. Take that reversal to my heart, for I can admire and pursue the strength that conquers others, while neglecting the greater strength of self-mastery. I may value the ability to overcome others, to win; but the proverb points to a greater conquest: ruling my own spirit, mastering myself. This is harder, and greater, than conquering others. Keep me from prizing only the strength that conquers others, while neglecting the harder, greater strength of self-mastery. To rule my own spirit, to be slow to anger, is a greater conquest than taking a city. Help me pursue that greater strength, Lord: the mastery of my own spirit and anger, the truest strength, rather than prizing only the conquest of others while my own spirit goes unmastered. Help me rule my own spirit.