This proverb observes — with a degree of realism about human nature — that a gift (or bribe) seems almost magical to the one wielding it, opening doors and finding success wherever it goes. This is not an endorsement of bribery (which is condemned in verse 23 and elsewhere in Proverbs), but rather a clear-eyed observation that gifts carry great power in human social life, for good or ill.
Memory phrase: Gifts carry great power.
Talk about it: What is the difference between a gift and a bribe?
Prayer: God, help me use gifts to bless others rightly.