NOTES for Pro 10:12

It often appears to us that, in general, we are initially well-disposed toward everyone in every situation, and that the way our attitude changes is determined by developing events. Thus, if our partner in a situation, our conversation partner, begins to disagree with us and argue, we begin to treat him worse, eventually reaching hatred. And if the partner is good toward us, then our goodwill toward him grows, reaching love.

The aphorism we have read today turns everything completely the other way around. The source of how events develop is in our heart. If hatred for our conversation partner "sits" there, it will certainly break out in quarrels, in a break of relations. And if love lives in us, then we are ready to forgive the harshest and most unpleasant words and deeds, even not to notice sins. The beloved person is the dearest no matter what, while the hated person has no chance even for dialogue. And the matter is not in the situation, but in ourselves.

At times it seems to us that hatred or simply hostility arises as a result of quarrels. In essence, when we think this way, we are trying to justify ourselves. The word of God says the opposite: the source of hostility and quarrels is found in our heart. If there is hatred in it toward the person we are speaking with, it will inevitably break out in quarrels, in the rupture of relationships. And if love lives in us, then we are ready to forgive the harshest and most unpleasant words and actions, even to overlook sins. A beloved person is dear to us no matter what, while a hated person has no chance even for dialogue. And the issue is not the circumstances of the relationship, but ourselves.

The short proverbs begin. They look like a scattering of individual aphorisms and sayings and may seem like an unsystematic and chaotic collection of unrelated phrases. But if we look closely, we can see a picture emerging from their diversity as from a mosaic.

At first, some judgments may seem overly straightforward, and counterexamples can be offered to the examples of the benefits received by the righteous, apparently testifying to the contrary. First, however, we should not become so absorbed in them that we fail to notice that the wicked have by no means always enjoyed the fruits of their crimes. Then we realize that Scripture says the same thing while also revealing the meaning of what is happening: “The labor of the righteous leads to life, the success of the wicked to sin,” and “the hope of the wicked will perish,” even if for the moment their paths appear successful. This will pass, and much sooner than it seems...

The Genesis reading is preceded by the Lord's promise not to destroy the earth and every living thing. And Isaiah's words "You were angry with me, but You turned away Your anger and comforted me" precede the coming of Christ. Comfort for people lies in Salvation and the path of Resurrection, and everything will be resolved on the day of Judgment.

And in Proverbs we find the words: "The blessing of the Lord makes rich, and He adds no sorrow with it". The Lord blessed us for life, for work, for happiness. But with Him and in Him, in His blessing. The whole world is now saved only through Christ and judged through our deeds.

And as the Lord restored the world after the flood, so through the Church and Christ each person will be restored. And each receives the whole world and bears his own burden of responsibility before the Lord.