Proverbs 18:13-18

Proverbs 18:13-18
English Standard Version
​13 If one gives an answer before he hears,
    it is his folly and shame.
14 A man's spirit will endure sickness,
    but a crushed spirit who can bear?
15 An intelligent heart acquires knowledge,
    and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
16 A man's gift makes room for him
    and brings him before the great.
17 The one who states his case first seems right,
    until the other comes and examines him.
18 The lot puts an end to quarrels
    and decides between powerful contenders.

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First things first.  Sorry for missing the past few days while I was sick, but I'm starting to feel better.  In today's passage, Solomon will have much to say about the wisdom of hearing a matter and examining it thoroughly before jumping to a conclusion.  In fact, Solomon starts off this part by saying that the one who wants to be the first to answer when he doesn't have all the facts is a fool and acts shamefully (especially if he is the king whose decisions affect all of his subjects).

Solomon then contrasts a sick body with a crushed spirit.  Solomon says a sick body is preferable because the man knows that the sickness will come to an end.  A crushed spirit however seems like there is no end in sight and that there is no escape from it.  For those that have experienced depression, you probably understand exactly what Solomon is describing.

The wise person loves to learn from other people.  This is in contract to the fool that was described in verse 13 who cared about no one's opinion but his own.

In the context of this passage, I think verse 16 speaks of bringing a peace offering to make peace with an offended party, or the offering or gift that one might bring when visiting someone of higher status (especially the king).  In some cases, the king may be willing to give you an audience, even if his calendar is full, because the gift you bring shows how important the issue is and how much you value his time.  I think Solomon is speaking mostly about giving a good first impression and that you should not approach someone "empty-handed" and expect a handout from them.

We then come back to making sure to completely examining the case before making a decision.  When only one side of the story has been heard and examined, of course that is the version that everyone believes is right, but a wise person will want to learn the truth and will seek out all the facts and testimony available, which may eventually lead them to a different conclusion.

We don't cast lots anymore to make decisions, but in truly difficult cases, the matter was brought before the high priest to inquire of the LORD as the LORD Himself controlled the outcome of the lot (a seemingly random event).  The last time we see lots used to make a difficult decision in the Bible is in the book of Acts when the Eleven are choosing someone to take the place of Judas Iscariot in the book of Acts.  After that, they receive the Holy Spriit at Pentecost, and we never again see them cast lots to figure out the will of God as God the Holy Spirit is indwelling them.  However, the principle remains that there may be decisions that are too hard for even the wisest among us and that we trust God to give us the correct answer.  He always knows the right answer, even if we don't.