“The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour: but the way of the wicked seduceth them.” (Proverbs 12:26)
Young’s Literal Translation translates Proverbs 12:26: “The righteous searcheth his companion, And the way of the wicked causeth them to err.” The phrase “more excellent” in the above translation is the Hebrew word “tuwr” which means to “search” or “spy out.” Most of the usages refer to those that spied out the land of Canaan.
The contrast in this verse is between a wicked person who expresses interest in us only to lead us into evil, and the righteous whose involvement in our life is with the intention of seeing us more firmly established in God’s way.
Be grateful for righteous people who would question you, search you out, want to know how you’re doing, for the purpose of making sure you are walking uprightly. Don’t resent their involvement in your life. They are truly “more excellent” than those who would stand by and watch you walk into a ditch; or even worse, lead you into it.