Apr 28 - Today from Proverbs 28 we look at verse 1
"The wicked man flees though no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion."

I would like to share a passage from Leviticus 26:17 as an accompaniment to this verse; "I will set my face against you so that you will be defeated by your enemies; those who hate you will rule over you, and you will flee even when no one is pursuing you." This is a warning from God to His people Israel, should they ever decide to choose wickedness over obedience. It holds a sober principle for Christians.
The Leviticus passage contains a word picture that we in the West often have problems connecting with, yet in the Eastern culture it is extremely impacting. The picture is, "I will set my face against you." We are often confronted with the reality of the picture, it's just that we do not use expressions that include the use of the word face. Let me give you a for-instance:
You have offended a close friend and you realize how much your action has hurt him (or her). You go to him and begin to explain the situation and that you didn't mean for him to get hurt. As the feeble excuses come forth, your friend turns his face from you as though you weren't even speaking to him . . . you have been judged. You have just been cut off from all of the benefits of your relationship. You may as well go talk to the wall.
Circumstances may vary, but I am quite confident that there is not a reader out there who has not encountered such a situation with someone close at some time or other. It shakes you.
The face, particularly the area around the eyes, reflects the countenance of a person. In this countenance one often seeks support or approval. When things are going right for you in life, the countenance of others may not be that critical. You can feel quite self-sufficient, and have little concern whether others approve or not. It's when things begin to go wrong that you start to look for approval and support. That's what God was warning Israel about. He gave them the revelation of His Law to protect and to provide for them. Rebelling against His Law jeopardized that protection. In the deceitfulness of sin they would get self-sufficient and feeling prosperous and wouldn't really be looking for His approval. Things don’t always go wrong right away, but sin has consequences and things would eventually go wrong. When they came to God with whining explanations and feeble excuses in such times, His face would be turned against them. They may not have cared if they had His approval when everything seemed to be going well, but now that their lives began to unravel, they would discover that they didn't have His support. Their enemies would have their way. Having no assurance of His protection or provision, they would flee even from rumors of invasions -- even when no one was pursuing them. It would be a life of constant uncertainty and fear. When you have no assurance, you are ruled by unstable emotions. Such is the prospect for the wicked.
When a person is in a right relationship with God, and God's countenance shines upon him, it doesn't matter what the circumstances; that child of God stands as bold as a lion. There is nothing more valuable or more assuring to him than knowing that he stands approved of God. He can confidently say, "Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me." (Psalm 23:4). Sure, emotions can temporarily overwhelm even the most grounded believer -- but they will not rule. The Holy Spirit reveals God's countenance to the heart, and in the end, the heart will rule.
Israel appeared to enjoy some of their most prosperous times while living in wickedness. But, it never lasted. Sooner or later the consequences of their wickedness overtook them. It was in those horrible times that they discovered that they had their values terribly out of order. The glory of all the gold and self-indulgence in the world was nothing compared to the glory of God's countenance. When He turned His face, all that they thought would bring happiness and fulfillment had failed them.
Oh that we Christians might learn the lesson! When we live with and live out right values, we can stand as bold as lions -- in any circumstance. We can embrace the blessing God gave for His people. . . "The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace." -Numbers 6:24-26
Wisdom consistently seeks the face of the Lord above all else.