The 17th chapter of Proverbs does not contain any proverb that has come to be widely known or quoted in daily use. Therefore I have chosen to comment on verse 14, which says (in the Jerusalem Bible translation), "As well loose a flood as initiate legal proceedings; break off before the dispute begins."

We live in a litigious society. Brooksville, Florida, where I live, has a population of a little more than 7,500 in the city proper and 46 pages of ads in the yellow pages for attorneys! One of the problems that has become a concern in Florida is that the law schools here are now producing more graduates every year than there are jobs in the legal field for the newly graduated young people.

God's Word, here and in several other places, counsels against being involved in legal proceedings with our fellow Christians and with people outside of Christ. Let us try to follow God's Word and God's will in our dealings with the people around us.

Which of the proverbs found in chapter 17 will you choose as your verse for today?

David Vignali