Proverbs 10.6-7
“Blessings are on the head of the righteous, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence. The memory of the righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot.”
OK, let’s continue with Proverbs chapter 10.
There are two kinds of blessing that God bestows. The first are temporal blessings, which are the benefits that anyone receives from consistent, skillful work. When a person follows Natural Law, they will (most of the time) experience success.
The other kind of blessings that God bestows are eternal. It is what Paul talks about in Ephesians 1.3 when he says we are “blessed in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.”
Temporal blessings in this world are bestowed on those who align with Natural Law. The eternals blessing of the kingdom are bestowed only on those who have repented of sin and trusted in Christ.
*Note: The blessings of the temporal and eternal will merge and be united at Christ’s second coming, when Jesus brings the fullness of the kingdom to earth.
In contrast to the blessings received by those who align with rightness, verse 6 says that “the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.” The point is that wicked people hide their true intentions. They are deceitful. They speak lies. They talk in a way that conceals their motives.
Sadly, this is where we are today with regard to much of the rhetoric and narrative that dominates our society. Some people directly and openly declare their spiteful, hateful words; many others conceal it behind deceitful rhetoric. In either case, we have far too many people saying far too many hateful and hurtful things.
For the followers of Jesus, the rule is always: Speak the truth in love. Truth is your message … what you say. Love is your motive and method … why and how you say it.
Verse 7 contrasts those who act rightly with those who act wickedly. Those who act rightly build a strong personal brand. They establish a reputation worth remembering. They sow seeds of rightness, and they bear the fruit of rightness. People have fond memories of the positive impact of those who act rightly.
“A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches,” it says in Proverbs 22.1, “and favor is better than silver or gold.”
In contrast, the reputation of the wicked is remembered for the wrong reasons. In vivid language, Proverbs 10 says “the name of the wicked will rot.” Their reputation stinks. Such is the legacy of those who act wickedly. They sow from the old sinful nature, and they reap the “rot” that the old nature produces.
Walk in truth today. Bear the fruit of the kingdom. Be a blessing. Be someone who is remembered for rightness.
