Proverbs 11.8
“The righteous is delivered from trouble, and the wicked walks into it instead.”
This is a very practical message. People who live rightly are delivered from trouble, precisely because they seek to do the right thing. It doesn’t mean that they never experience trouble, it simply means they don’t cause trouble by acting foolishly, and when there is trouble they are eventually delivered from it.
By contrast, the wicked walk into trouble. They do foolish things and say foolish things, and their folly leads them into all kinds of problems. Considering that fools are also arrogant and self-centered, they are often blind to the foolishness of their actions and words. Most of their problems are the result of their own behavior.
And when trouble comes, they do not take ownership — they blame it on someone else.
Proverbs 11.9
“With his mouth the godless man would destroy his neighbor, but by knowledge the righteous are delivered.”
The fool — here described as “the godless man” — seeks to destroy people through malicious gossip, slander, and the spreading of rumors. As I have commented earlier, this is on full display in our culture through all kinds of media platforms. Many people today revel in how critical — and even hateful — they can be.
The wise person — here described as “the righteous” — is able to escape this trap because they live by God’s standards. They know God, they know his principles, and they seek to be knowledgeable about the situations they face. They seek to do the right thing, not the emotionally impulsive thing. Even when there is a conflict, the wise person doesn’t seek to tear down the other person; rather, the wise person seeks to build up.
Proverbs 11.10-11
“When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices, and when the wicked perish there are shouts of gladness. By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, but by the mouth of the wicked it is overthrown.”
National culture is affected by the character of both its leaders and its citizens. When a nation or a city has a critical mass of wise and righteous people, it is a blessing and the nation prospers. But when there is a preponderance of people who speak and act foolishly, a nation will suffer.
We have a crisis of leadership in America, and we also have a crisis of citizenship. As Solomon says, “By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, but by the mouth of the wicked it is overthrown.” There is simply too much foolishness in our society, and it is growing. The Greek philosopher Plato said it this way: “A city is what it is because it’s citizens are who they are.”
We need repentance in our country, renewal in our culture, and revival in our communities. But it begins with each of us personally.
