November 12

Nov 12 – Today from Proverbs 12 we look at verse 3
"A man cannot be established through wickedness, but the righteous cannot be uprooted."

The twelfth chapter is loaded with counsel on the value of integrity – a very common theme in the book of Proverbs. In our verse for today we are given a clear and defining picture in the original Hebrew. The word used for established draws a picture of an object that is perfectly perpendicular to its base. One can think through the implications the Teacher is making here. The object needs no visible supportive attachments to remain standing. There is no stress at the foundation, and no fear of toppling. In contrast, consider the Tower of Pizza. The foundation has settled on one side to where it is precariously leaning. The situation has given it world-renowned attention – but it also has caused the Italians a great amount of anxiety, effort, and money to keep it standing. Even today, after all that has been done, it is fearful that it might topple at any time. It has no integrity.
The wicked may appear to be established, but there is something terribly askew at the foundation. Even the most ‘prosperous’ (sic) of the wicked have no rest for their souls. They are constantly watching over their shoulder, worried about who might topple them. It takes a lot of effort for the wicked to remain standing, there is constant stress somewhere at the foundation of their personal security. Their temporary confidence lies in temporary things that help to support and stabilize their position in life – but in the deep corners of their souls, they know how fragile the balance is. No one fears toppling more than do the wicked.
The contrast is the security of the righteous. The righteous are those who practice moral values in light of God’s Word. Where the wicked devise their own moral code, which becomes the unstable ground like the Tower of Pizza was built upon, the righteous accept the moral code of the Creator. This code is the unchanging and stable bedrock of God’s purposes for life itself. Jesus condensed the entire moral code down to this, "Love the Lord your God with all of your heart, soul, mind and strength, and your neighbor as yourself." It is the great commandment – the royal law. Without the objective source of truth that God reveals in His Word, man quickly begins to build his life on the shifting sands of philosophy, opinion, and circumstances. Such a structure will never stand the test of time – much less eternity. The key to living the righteous life is to trust God explicitly – even above current philosophies, opinions and cultural trends. The man who does this does not fear toppling. When the storm is passes, even he is amazed that God’s Word is bedrock, and he still stands. God is able to make the righteous stand.
Jesus may have alluded to this proverb when He shared His own illustration in the parable of the wise and foolish men who built their houses on two different bases; the wise on the rock, and the foolish on the sand (Matthew 7:21-27). The lesson is as timeless as God’s Word.
Where does your house stand? Is it as secure as you would like it to be? Unlike the Tower of Pizza, there is a solution.