Proverbs 22:11 - Meaning and Application

Here is the mark of a truly fit man for public service. He must be honest, a man who loves a clean heart and hates every kind of evil. He is not only free from lust, but also from deceit, pretend behavior, selfish gain, and hidden schemes. He cares most about being sincere, fair, and right in himself, and he wants nothing more than to keep his conscience clean and without offense.

He must also know how to speak well. That does not mean he flatters people or twists words to please them. It means he can say what he thinks in a fitting, wise, and honest way, with speech that is clear and gracious.

Such a man is the one a king should value. If the king is wise and good, and understands his own interests and the good of his people, he will count this man as a friend and may even place him among his close advisers, as David and Solomon each had a king’s friend in court. Some take this even higher and apply it to the King of kings, God himself. The person who has no deceit in his spirit and whose speech is always gracious will be God’s friend, and the Messiah, the Prince, will be his friend too. This is the honor shared by all the saints.