Wealth or Relationships?

     Better is a dry morsel and quietness with it
     Than a house full of feasting with strife.
     --Proverbs 17:1

When we read the word ‘better’ we automatically recognize that one thing is more beneficial than another. The reader is given a comparison of the value of two things. A choice is presented.

Without knowing specific circumstances, one might reason that it is not really a sin to be in a house full of feasting with strife, but it is NOT better. The word ‘strife’ in this verse indicates complaining, arguing, and even fighting (probably verbally). So, there is nothing ‘wrong’ with a house of feasting (with strife). Of course, the strife part is not good.

We might be tempted to continue meandering around the words until we eventually wash out the meaning of the proverb. Let’s be reasonable; what do you think God expected us to learn by reading this proverb? What kind of response do you think He expects?

The ‘dry morsel’ and ‘feasting’ are contrasting terms that represent a measure of wealth. ‘Quietness’ and ‘strife’ describe human interaction. How often do we think about there being a relationship between wealth and human interaction?

Surely it is better to have plenty of food instead of going hungry. Feasting is better than starving. However, that is not an absolute truth; there are circumstances that might change the way we look at wealth. Solomon advises that if you are placed in circumstances in which you must choose between wealth and peace in human relationships, choose peace.

One might conclude that, in general...

The way you manage your relationships

IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN 

The way you manage your money!

Manage wisely!
Invest in friends and family.
Invest in people.

(As we approach the upcoming whirlwind of holiday fun, feasting and festivities, we would do well to remember that our relationships with friends and family and fellow believers are more important than finances and gifts.)