Proverbs 10-14
Righteousness Pays
Solomon teaches his son how to pick the righteous out of a crowd and make good choices for who he will associate with in life. Our associations bring us added wisdom or lead us to destruction. Solomon does this through a series of comparisons.
Additionally, he tells his son how a wise son behaves and then reminds him of the actions of a foolish son. The comparison is based on attitudes which lead to actions. Proverbs 10:28 gives us the same wise counsel as Job 8:13. The expectation of the wicked perishes….expectations destroy relationships. In Proverbs 11 we read “the righteous will be delivered,” five times! Each infraction (foolish choice) is followed by the resulting consequence. The king wants his prince and princesses to understand righteousness pays off!
Truth or Consequences
The next comparison is found in Proverbs 12. The wise father implores his son to have integrity. Any deception: lying, cheating, and stealing all find their origin in Satan’s realm for he is the father of lies. (John 8:44) Truth is found in God alone. The consequences for deception are a lack of security; it sets a trap to ensnare the liar, and is an abomination to God. All deceit ends in destruction for “nothing is concealed from God.” (Luke 12:2. Matthew 10:26) Not even the actions of a king (any leader).
An example of even kings facing consequences is seen in Kings Saul, David, and Solomon. They suffered from depression, anxiety, and neurosis from time to time. Solomon writes to his offspring to live righteously for it yields emotional health. This is something the son witnesses first hand.
The “good person” speaks health and hope. They have wealth, are honest, and best of all they are SATISFIED! The wise listen to instruction and bring honor and joy to their family. The foolish have insatiable want, sickness, contention, violence, poverty, and bring shame to the father and sorrow to their mother. These are the criteria for picking the righteous out of a crowd.
Moral men are highly thought of while men of “contrary” behavior are despised. Men of integrity honor God in two distinct ways: First, they love God first and they love others as themselves. Morality brings a full life to men and leaves a legacy. (Mark 12:30-31) Contrary is a good word for selfish behavior. Selfishness creates contention and is condescending toward others. Proverbs 14:11 sums it up well: “The house of the wicked shall be overthrown; but the tabernacle (place where God dwells) of the upright shall flourish.”
Our Choice
Finally, Proverbs 14:12 sums up why we mortals struggle and the rationale is repeated often in scripture. “Man did what was right in his own eyes,” (Judges 21:25) and this ends in death. “Righteousness exalts a nation but sin is a reproach to any people.” (Proverbs 14:34). Have we learned how to pick the righteous out of a crowd?
This is the mature version of “everything I needed to know about life, I learned in kindergarten.” Who in your circle is “righteous?” Who is foolish? Is it time to cull the friend group? Job 28:28 says, “Behold, the fear of the LORD, that is wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding.” Remember, our mothers told us, “You are the company you keep.” They were not judging our friends; they were desperately trying to teach us to be selective so we would be held in high esteem. It is not too late to change! Jesus did not shun people, He invited them to join Him in His example of how to live a righteous life. Not ONE fault could anyone find in Him. (Luke 23:4, II Corinthians 5:21, Hebrews 4:15, I Peter 2:22, I John 3:5).
Yvonne Jones
Additional reading:
Another great lesson from Proverbs! If only we would pay attention, especially the young folks!
God bless!