What is the meaning of Proverbs 22:24? Do not make friends with an angry man “Do not make friends with an angry man” (Proverbs 22:24a). Solomon begins with a clear prohibition: friendship with someone ruled by anger is off-limits. • Friendship is more than casual contact; it involves shared values, time, and influence. Proverbs 13:20 warns that “He who walks with the wise will become wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed.” If anger dominates a friend’s character, that anger will seep into us. • Angry people often erupt suddenly (Proverbs 29:11) and stir up conflict (Proverbs 15:18). Friendship draws us into their orbit, making us participants—willing or not—in their outbursts. • Scripture repeatedly pairs anger with folly. Ecclesiastes 7:9 cautions, “Anger resides in the lap of fools,” while James 1:20 reminds us that “man’s anger does not bring about the righteousness that God desires.” When choosing close companions, righteousness, not volatility, should set the standard. and do not associate with a hot-tempered man “and do not associate with a hot-tempered man” (Proverbs 22:24b). Solomon intensifies the warning: move beyond friendship and avoid even routine association with the hot-tempered. • “Associate” includes business partnerships, dating relationships, and habitual social settings. Proverbs 14:7 says, “Stay away from a foolish man, for you will not find knowledge on his lips.” • A hot-tempered person is one who flares quickly and habitually (Proverbs 29:22: “An angry man stirs up dissension, and a hot-tempered man abounds in transgression”). Exposure to that combustive spirit puts us in the blast radius of sin and its consequences. • Scripture calls believers to peace (Romans 12:18) and gentleness (Galatians 5:22-23). Consistent association with rage undermines those virtues and normalizes the very behavior the Lord forbids (Psalm 1:1; 1 Corinthians 15:33). summary Proverbs 22:24 is a straightforward safeguard: steer clear of intimate or ongoing connections with people whose lives are marked by anger. Such relationships corrupt character, multiply conflict, and pull us away from the peace and righteousness God intends for us. |
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