What does Proverbs 15:17 teach about the value of relationships?

The Verse in Focus

“Better a dish of vegetables where there is love than a fattened ox with hatred.” (Proverbs 15:17)

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Key Observations

• The comparison contrasts “a dish of vegetables” (simple fare) with “a fattened ox” (lavish abundance).

• The deciding factor is not the menu but the atmosphere: love versus hatred.

• Scripture labels the vegetable meal “better,” establishing relational warmth as superior to material plenty.

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The Heart over the Table

• A wholesome relationship turns the simplest meal into a feast.

• Abundant provision loses its appeal when resentment, rivalry, or bitterness fill the room.

• God’s design prioritizes the condition of the heart, not the size of the spread (cf. 1 Samuel 16:7).

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Love as the Real Feast

• Love communicates acceptance, safety, and honor—nutrients no steak can supply.

• When love is absent, even the richest food feels hollow; hatred starves the soul (Proverbs 11:17).

• Genuine fellowship fulfills the deeper hunger of the human spirit (Acts 2:46–47).

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Practical Takeaways

– Cultivate affection over appearance: set the tone before setting the table.

– Evaluate gatherings by the warmth around them, not the weight of the plates.

– Guard the home from strife; unresolved conflict spoils every course.

– Practice generosity of heart first, generosity of portions second (Romans 12:10).

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Supporting Scriptures

• Proverbs 17:1: “Better a dry morsel in quietness than a house full of feasting with strife.”

• 1 Corinthians 13:3: “If I give all I possess to the poor … but have not love, I gain nothing.”

• 1 Peter 4:8: “Above all, love one another deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.”

• John 13:35: “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.”

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Closing Thoughts

Proverbs 15:17 elevates relationships above resources, proving that true richness is measured not by what sits on the plate but by who sits around it—and how we treat them. Choose love; everything else tastes better when you do.