Our Favorite Proverbs: Proverbs 18:17

by David Chadwick

“The one who states his case first seems right, until the other comes and examines him.”

Proverbs 18:17

Have you ever heard the phrase, “There are two sides to every story?” Or what about this one, “There are three sides to every story: your side, my side, and the truth.”

Today’s proverb says something similar: “The one who states his case first seems right; until the other comes and examines him” Proverbs 18:17.

If you have lived life for any amount of time, you have most likely found yourself in perplexing situations where the truth has been hard to discern. One side says one thing and the other side says something different. More than ever, we are living in times where this seems to be common.

We should all be able to easily see how true today’s proverb is! You hear one person’s perspective on an issue and it seems accurate. This person tells you what he or she has seen and it seems right. In fact, his or her account sounds like the truth in every possible way. You might even nod in approval as you listen to his or her perspective.

But then you hear the other side of the story from another person. Until this other perspective is given to you, you would have never thought it existed. Suddenly you realize that there is another side. All of the sudden, things don’t feel quite so clear.

This proverb’s truth often plays out in a court of law. One lawyer asks a witness to give his perspective, and it seems right until the other lawyer has a chance to respond and cross-examine that witness. Many situations require tremendous wisdom in order to accurately come to a wise conclusion.

So what does this mean for us today?

Always make sure you hear both sides of a case before drawing a conclusion. People often examine an issue from their own perspective and even personal pain. Or, if directly involved in the dispute, people often listen with a bias and may be looking to build their own case.

More often than not, there is another side to hear. Make sure you hear both, asking the Holy Spirit to give you wisdom and discernment for where the actual truth lies (1 Corinthians 12:10).