The Proverbs of Social Media: Part Eight

Don't Envy the Wicked

Photo by Kyle Glenn on Unsplash

As I go through Proverbs, I’ll begin skipping passages that repeat themes I have already discussed. Verses 13-18 of chapter three discuss the blessings of wisdom. Which we have covered a few times. Verses 19 and 20 are an aside about God founding the earth on wisdom. And verses 21-26 discuss how wisdom allows us to sleep soundly without fear of the wicked, a theme that resonates with fear of cancellation on social media, which I have previously covered. That brings us to Proverbs 3:27-35:

²⁷ Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,
    when it is in your power to do it.

²⁸ Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come again,
    tomorrow I will give it”—when you have it with you.
²⁹ Do not plan evil against your neighbor,
    who dwells trustingly beside you.
³⁰ Do not contend with a man for no reason,
    when he has done you no harm.
³¹ Do not envy a man of violence
    and do not choose any of his ways,
³² for the devious person is an abomination to the Lord,
    but the upright are in his confidence.
³³ The Lord's curse is on the house of the wicked,
    but he blesses the dwelling of the righteous.
³⁴ Toward the scorners he is scornful,
    but to the humble he gives favor.
³⁵ The wise will inherit honor,
    but fools get disgrace.

This section includes a series of five “do not”s, warnings against unjust behavior. The first is a warning against withholding good from those to whom it is due. A basic definition of the virtue of justice is giving each person what they are due, so verses 27 and 28 are directly about the virtue of justice.