Introduction
Before getting into the meaning of Proverbs 11:27, here’s different Bible translations:
King James Version
He that diligently seeketh good procureth favour: but he that seeketh mischief, it shall come unto him.
American Standard Version
He that diligently seeketh good seeketh favor; But he that searcheth after evil, it shall come unto him.
World English Bible version
He who diligently seeks good seeks favor, but he who searches after evil, it shall come to him.
Proverbs 11:27 Meaning & Commentary
Whoever diligently seeks good seeks favor, but evil comes to him who searches for it. – Proverbs 11:27 (ESV)
This verse says that seeking good is seeking favor. So, although someone may not directly be seeking favor, in seeking good, they will find it. Look at another verse elsewhere in The Bible: Proverbs 3:3-4 – Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man.
Faithfulness and diligence are somewhat similar. They can both be equated to constantly and consistently doing something. For example, if someone attends Church every Sunday without fail, it could be said that they attend Church faithfully or are diligent in their Church attendance. Therefore, looking again at Proverbs 11:27, we can paraphrase this to say that whoever is consistent and committed to doing what is good, right, and pleasing to God will find his favor.
Although we are all loved by God, He is not necessarily pleased with all of us. The Bible says that we need faith to please God: Hebrews 11:6 – And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. Also, if The Bible makes it clear that we should walk in a manner pleasing to The Lord, which means that we can walk in a way which is not pleasing to The Lord: Colossians 1:10 – so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.
Favor is something that we grow into, as it was with the life of Jesus Christ: Luke 2:52 – And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man. Evil, on the other hand, is not hard to find; it lurks on every corner, ready to trip us up, but doing the right thing will take a lot more effort!
Application
How can we practically apply Proverbs 11:27 to our lives?
We must set our hearts towards pleasing God and doing good while turning away from evil at all costs. This is not a once-off thing, but a constant and committed attitude and heart towards it. The meaning of the word diligence is as follows: having or showing care and conscientiousness in one’s work or duties.
This means that wherever The Lord has placed us, and whatever he has called us to do, we need to stick at it, not give up and be consistent and unrelenting in that: Galatians 6:9 – And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. Our focus should never be on getting favor, things, or blessings. Our focus should always be on God, and He should be the center of our lives. Proverbs 11:27 is very similar to what Jesus told us to do; rather than worry about material things, place our focus on God firstly: Matthew 6:33 – But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. To paraphrase this, if your focus is on God, doing life His way, according to His principles, and living in a manner pleasing to Him, you will have everything you need in this life. If we get off-center, we can constantly re-focus our lives back on God and put Him at the center of our lives.
If we recognize that our focus is off, we can always refocus our lives and set our hearts to serve God diligently and be faithful with everything he has entrusted us. As we do this, he will take care of us, and his favor will hunt us down and surround us all the days of our life: Psalm 5:12 – For you bless the righteous, O Lord; you cover him with favor as with a shield.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I thank you for Your Word which again inspires and challenges me to always be better in Christ. Help me to recognize where you have planted me and help me to be faithful and diligent there so that I may please you with my life. Thank you that as I put you first and seek your Kingdom and Your ways of doing things, I will grow in favor with you and with men. I pray this all in Jesus’ name. Amen!
