Proverbs 11:29

The book of Proverbs gives us insights into so many different areas of life. The book gives us instruction on how to live our lives for God. Here is a proverb that gives us insight about what happens when we ignore God and His commands:

Proverbs 11:29 (NASBStr)

He who troubles his own house will inherit wind,

And the foolish will be servant to the wisehearted.

Proverbs 11:29 (ESV)

Whoever troubles his own household will inherit the wind,

and the fool will be servant to the wise of heart.

The above proverb might fall into the category of synonyms-parallelism.   In this type of parallelism the first line and the second line are saying the same thing, but in different ways.   The first line is easy to see.   The man who is so focused on the wrong things that he brings trouble on his home, will, in the end be left with nothing.   So, the man who drinks himself to death, that his family leaves him in the end.  So, too, the man who hunts the world for the game of life only to find out upon his return he bagged the biggest game but lost his incredible family.  The wife who pursues the desires of life and forgets her motherhood will be left alone in the end.   Solomon is telling us that when you bring sin into your family you will, at the end of life, inherit not their love, support and favor, but be abandoned with nothing ... the wind.   So, the second line states the same thing, but in different terms.  A man who acts foolishly in life with his affairs will be left only to serve the one who is wise in heart.   A man who squanders his earnings, his talent, his inheritance has nothing left but to be servant to the person who, by faith, pursued God in wisdom.   The prodigal son might be the good example here.   He might have been tossed a party upon his return (remember, in that story, Jesus was only talking about God's love for the lost), but would, the next day, be the servant of his brother.   As the proverb states, when you bring trouble to your house, or act foolishly, with what God gives you in your home, you will end up with nothing by servanthood:  Nothing.

Solomon uses the word "Trouble" in the above proverb.   This Hebrew word is used thirteen times in the Old Testament.  It is never used in a good sense.  Always it is used to demonstrate the results of bad behavior.   Note the way Solomon uses the word in Proverbs:

Proverbs 11:17 (NASBStr)

The merciful man does himself good,

But the cruel man does himself harm (trouble).

Proverbs 15:6 (NASBStr)

Great wealth is in the house of the righteous,

But trouble is in the income of the wicked.

Proverbs 15:27 (NASBStr)

He who profits illicitly troubles his own house,

But he who hates bribes will live.

We can trouble our own house by simply not being merciful or gracious; or, by not being good stewards of our money.   Notice what he is telling us.  Trouble comes to the home of those who put their faith in their wealth and who fail to show God's grace to others.   Those who are foolish (choosing to not follow God or His commands) will eventually have the wind in their hands (nothing) and serve those who have made the Fear of The Lord their food.   We will NEVER be wrong to show mercy and grace to others.  We will NEVER be wrong to share our wealth with others.   We are ALWAYS wrong to hoard our goodness and be selfish to others.    IF we wish to avoid brining trouble onto our house we need to be gracious with the material goods we have and with the grace God gives us.