Proverbs 15:16-17 Better is little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble therewith.
17 Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.
The measure of better differs with man and God. God sees beyond this present time and shallow thinking into future time of old age and into eternity. He sees history before it happens – He knows the end in the beginning and because He loves us so much He has given us guidance and warnings in His word concerning our present life in the form of comparisons and out right warnings. Eight times in the book of Proverbs is the phrase “better is” and they can be very helpful to all of us but especially to the young just starting out on life’s journey.
Fear of the Lord vs treasure – Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge – only the beginning; the rest comes to us as we continue to follow in the narrow pathway. This is better than GREAT treasure. Too often when we look for occupation we think money – lots of it – and not what are the gifts and abilities God has given me to glorify Him. Can I use these to honor God in this employment?
Better love and herbs than hatred and fancy food – This involves family relations. It is better to have simple meals with people you love and they love you than to have fancy feasts and hatred around the table. Choose well and Godly your life companion. Solomon says, “Don’t lust after her beauty.” There is more to people than the outward looks – their real beauty is on the inside.
Proverbs 16:8 Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right. It is better to have just a little of this world’s riches and be a righteous person that lives righteously and has attained his little by right means than to have great riches that were acquired by unlawful or shady means. It is better to live on a little or small income than worry about an IRS audit. God can make the little of the righteous go farther than the revenues of the unrighteous.
Proverbs 16:19 Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud. If we think our self to be more than we are we tend to try to promote our person by keeping company with the wrong type of people. A spoil is something taken from another because you conquer them, so being lowly and humble is better than persecuting or making fun of those less fortunate.
Proverbs 17:1 Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than an house full of sacrifices with strife. Again Solomon advises choosing well life’s companion. Prosperity at any price is a faulty reasoning. Feasting as they did after presenting a sacrifice is not better than little food and peace. A peaceful and tranquil and loving home is to be desired above great wealth and partying.
Proverbs 19:1 Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity, than he that is perverse in his lips, and is a fool. (rich – 28:6). God always count righteousness, integrity and satisfaction above riches. The fool has said there is no God and he lives that way. The poor man or woman who has integrity walks in the fear of God.
Paul instructed young Timothy that those who are destitute of the truth imagine that getting wealth is equal to be Godly; but Godliness with contentment is great agin – wealth. Being satisfied with using your gifts for God regardless of the riches. We are to withdraw from those who think that way. Then Paul warns that those who seek riches without God will fall into temptation and a sanre and experience many and hurtful lusts and in the end be pierced thru with many sorrows.
In Babylon the king found those who would not compromise 10 times better.
