The Righeous - The Wicked

Proverbs 12:5-28

 In case you have missed this thought, all of the Proverbs are good counsel, but should not be taken as absolutes.  Example, verse seven, “The wicked are overthrown and are no more, but the house of the righteous will stand.”   We see wicked men all around us, one of the evilest men that has walked the face of the earth, in my opinion, is George Soros who reported he enjoyed selling out the Jewish people to the Nazis as a young man.

But if we are looking at it from heavens view, it is absolute.  The wicked will not stand but the righteous will stand, and you and I need to pray for the wicked to come to a place in this life where they bow a knee to our Lord Jesus Christ and ask for grace and forgiveness, or be lord of their own life.

But there is much to explore in the verses and a wise man will do such, this is my feeble attempt to do so.  Solomon gives us two significant players, first the righteous and then the wicked, shall we explore each.

The righteous man thinks just thoughts, and the speech of the upright rescues him.  An honest man is praised for his insight, and he cares for his animal’s health.  The righteous man goes to work each day and provides for his family.  A righteous man always seeks wise counsel, and he ignores an insult.  He is also a true seeker in his speech and actions and gives thought before speaking.  Note: I struggle in this area but that does not change the truth, and I’ve often paid a big price in speaking before giving thought to how it will be received.  Praise God, I’m doing that less, but it is always wise to give thought before speaking.

Back to the righteous man, he is not only a truth seeker but also a truth speaker, and his words bring healing to many.  A righteous man understands that at best this life is like a vapor, God has numbered each persons days, and the righteous set out to honor God and live in peace with their neighbors and they find joy in doing so.  A goal of a righteous person is, to tell the truth, let me share why that is so important; this is what Proverbs 23:22 says.  “Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD, but those who act faithfully are his delight.”  A wise man takes heed to this; something each of us needs to put into action, I do not want to be detestable to the LORD.

A wise man is slow to speak and does not try to impress others with his many words or what he believes is knowledge.  He gives thought to keep from having anxiety; he recalls Peter’s words in 1 Peter 5:7, “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”  He is careful in dealing with his neighbors, and he takes to heart Proverbs 12:28, “In the path of righteousness is life, and in its pathway, there is no death.”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice