Christian Devotional – September 11, 2019
Good verses evil. It’s the classic story if struggle between those two opposing forces. Read Proverbs 10.
Characteristics of Righteousness vs. Characteristics of Evil – Proverbs 10:1-32
The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son makes a father glad, But a foolish son is a grief to his mother. Ill-gotten gains do not profit, But righteousness delivers from death. The Lord will not allow the righteous to hunger, But He will reject the craving of the wicked. Poor is he who works with a negligent hand, But the hand of the diligent makes rich. He who gathers in summer is a son who acts wisely, But he who sleeps in harvest is a son who acts shamefully. Blessings are on the head of the righteous, But the mouth of the wicked conceals violence. The memory of the righteous is blessed, But the name of the wicked will rot. The wise of heart will receive commands, But a babbling fool will be ruined. He who walks in integrity walks securely, But he who perverts his ways will be found out. He who winks the eye causes trouble, And a babbling fool will be ruined. The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, But the mouth of the wicked conceals violence. Hatred stirs up strife, But love covers all transgressions. On the lips of the discerning, wisdom is found, But a rod is for the back of him who lacks understanding. Wise men store up knowledge, But with the mouth of the foolish, ruin is at hand. The rich man’s wealth is his fortress, The ruin of the poor is their poverty. The wages of the righteous is life, The income of the wicked, punishment. He is on the path of life who heeds instruction, But he who ignores reproof goes astray. He who conceals hatred has lying lips, And he who spreads slander is a fool. When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable, But he who restrains his lips is wise. The tongue of the righteous is as choice silver, The heart of the wicked is worth little. The lips of the righteous feed many, But fools die for lack of understanding. It is the blessing of the Lord that makes rich, And He adds no sorrow to it. Doing wickedness is like sport to a fool, And so is wisdom to a man of understanding. What the wicked fears will come upon him, But the desire of the righteous will be granted. When the whirlwind passes, the wicked is no more, But the righteous has an everlasting foundation. Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, So is the lazy one to those who send him. The fear of the Lord prolongs life, But the years of the wicked will be shortened. The hope of the righteous is gladness, But the expectation of the wicked perishes. The way of the Lord is a stronghold to the upright, But ruin to the workers of iniquity. The righteous will never be shaken, But the wicked will not dwell in the land. The mouth of the righteous flows with wisdom, But the perverted tongue will be cut out. The lips of the righteous bring forth what is acceptable, But the mouth of the wicked what is perverted.
Proverbs 10:1-32 NASB
https://bible.com/bible/100/pro.10.1-32.NASB
Lots of verses there, but in each and every one we see a contrast between the righteous and evil. As we look through all these characteristics and actions and attitudes that make up what is a righteous person, it becomes very clear that we can only accomplish this through Jesus Christ. None of us are capable of being that person on our own. All of us fail and fall short and it is only by his grace that we can experience and display the righteousness of God. Which set of characteristics describes your life? As you read through the list do you identify more with God working his righteousness through you? Or, are you trying to do it on your own and falling short? God gives us these lists so that we recognize our need for him every single day.