The are two passive pictures here.

The first is a picture of the narrow way. The righteous stay on the straight path, but the wicked fall to the sides. It is walking the knife’s edge. The second is more passive, where the actors are righteousness, who saves, and schemess, who capture. This echoes many of the psalms, and even Proverbs 1, where the wicked lie in wait to capture the righteous. In their waiting they are preparing their own pit to fall in.

It also reflects Jesus’ “I am” statement: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). For the Christian it is Christ that saves us. We are passive in our justification. God is the actor, through Jesus, and we receive the gift of grace. We only become actors of grace after Jesus has cleansed us. Thus we are kept on the path and saved.

Though Proverbs talks about life and death, it is not known for talking about eschatological judgment. However, this verse points to the day of wrath, known as The Day of the Lord to some of the prophets.

This proverb is the culmination of 11:1-3. They began with false scales being an abomination to the Lord, and drew a line between the righteous and wicked. Here, the wicked are only suggested. They are those who seek riches through dishonest means, drawing the Lord’s wrath them. Riches, though useful in life, are worthless in the overall scheme of things (Ecclesiastes). They are especially worthless before God, who blesses and judges. Only righteousness is worth anything before God, and even righteousness is a blessing from God. Oh, how we must depend on God for life.

The word “guides” catches my attention. Wisdom literature uses the metaphor of a path to represent the life of wisdom. But here wisdom is not mentioned specifically. Instead it is integrity and uprightness. Integrity takes the place of wisdom in guiding someone. I believe this is possible because integrity is cultivated out of wisdom.

Integrity guides, but towhat end? It is juxtaposed against crookedness that destroys. If crookedness destroys, then integrity keeps from destruction. It has been stated countless times now, the choice is life or death. But this is key to wisdom. The choice of wisdom is life or death.

“Pride comes before the fall.” We have taken the warning without the promise. It is true that pride is the flag bearer for disgrace. When one builds him/herself up, like the golden calf of Exodus 32, they will fall and his/her pride will be ground to bitter dust which he/she must drink. it also follows along with the proverbs about being “wise in one’s own eyes,” (3:7; 26:5, 12; 30:12).

But the promise is that wisdom is with the humble. The beatitudes echo behind this promise. Those who are humble will find wisdom, the helper of God.

And yet, why is it shard for us to be humble?

This proverb is very practical, and yet very metaphorical. A weight and balance was used to conduct any business. It weighed the amount of goods that someone would receive in a transaction. Thus, an imbalances scale meant that one was trying to cheat the other out of goods, making more profit. This could also be used against the vulnerable, the widows, and the poor, cheating them out of their livelihood. Thus, an accurate weight keeps things in balance and ordered.

The scale can also be a symbol of justice. Balance is needed for justice to work. Bribes and human pride distort the scales of justice, tipping them in favor of wrongful accusations and injustice. Those who have the means to tip the scales are the “just” and those who do not are the “unjust.” Yet we know that God is not swayed by bribes, but that God looks at the heart. Thus, God’s scales are balanced, and justice is fair in the end.

There is a movement in chapter 10 about the mouth. It begins with vs. 6

Blessings are on the head of the righteous, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.

to vs. 11

The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.

to vss. 20-21

The tongue of the righteous is choice silver; the mind of the wicked is of little worth.
The lips of the righteous feed many, but fools die for lack of sense.

The mouth of the righteous is static. It is the source of life, feeding many, and now it plainly provides wisdom. Wisdom is the foundation of life. In even more plain language, the wisdom of the righteous knows what is acceptable. But acceptable to whom? To the rules of the community? To the Torah of God? Luckily, the community rule is the Torah of God. So, to know what is acceptable is to know the Torah, the giver of life.

However, the foolish are not static, they are on a constant decent. They conceal violence, making them of little worth, and leading to their tongues being cut off. However, being cut off is a threat in the Torah. If you do not live by the Torah you are cut off from the people of God, the promised land, and to be cut off from the life of God. There is no hope for the fools.

Why? Because the righteous know what is appropriate to the Torah, whereas the wicked are perverse against the Torah, turning to other gods: themselves.

This set of proverbs centers on “the way of the Lord.” This is what decides the fate of the wicked and the righteous. It is the sure hope of the righteous, and the Torah promise of permanence in the Land. Thus, the “way of the Lord” is not some vague wisdom discovered through special means. It is easy to discover, for it is the religious way of life given in Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. Even Deuteronomy affirms the ease of access to the way of the Lord:

11 Surely, this commandment that I am commanding you today is not too hard for you, nor is it too far away. 12It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will go up to heaven for us, and get it for us so that we may hear it and observe it?’ 13Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will cross to the other side of the sea for us, and get it for us so that we may hear it and observe it?’ 14No, the word is very near to you; it is in your mouth and in your heart for you to observe.

And yet, it is this way that provides life for the righteous and death for the wicked. You may live long in the land that God has given you, or be spewed out.

Truly?

We return to the proverbs contrasting the finiteness of both the righteous/wise and the wicked/fool.

So, we must ask why vs. 26 was placed oddly in the middle. For what reason is the fool addressed in the middle of the Proverbs on mortality? I must leave this question open until another time, because it is still perplexing.

However, proverbs once again lays before us the concrete dichotomy of the short life of the wicked and the long life of the righteous. And yet, I’ve read in Ecclesiastes 7-8 a lament that this is not the case. Ecclesiastes knows that some of the wicked prosper with a long life, and that some of the righteous die quickly. Yet, Ecclesiastes knows the truth, that the wicked die in not fearing God, and that the righteous live in the fear of God. And the righteous are wiser and better for it. The problem is that neither Proverbs, nor Ecclesiastes addresses the hope of the life to come. They leave us within this first life, in the sinfulness of the world. But, is this talk of the fear of God a glimmer of hope that life means something other than existing in the present state of things? Does it point to the hope of the life to come? The wicked may live long now, but in the reality of the life everlasting, their days will be cut short. The righteous may die quickly, but in the reality of our baptized life into the resurrection of Christ their days will be many.

And so the tone switches quickly from the wicked/righteous to the lazy. Here, laziness stings like irritants. It causes discomfort and irritation to others while the lazy person enjoys perpetual leisure. It would seem that the lazy person is fermenting or smoldering.

It is good to have leisure. It is not good to have perpetual leisure. We are called to create in the same fashion that God creates, toward life abundant. We are to work the land, work with each other, and produce life. We are also to rest, and to let all of creation rest. For someone to live in perpetual rest is to cause another to live in perpetual work. And it will not end well for either of them. Sloth forces others into a sort of non-sabbath slavery to make up for the lazy person. Let us respect our brothers and sisters and share the burden of work.

My father used to have me work in the garden, and I hated it. However, when we shared the burden of work, it allowed us to fellowship with each other and enjoy the fruits of our labor together. This was a blessing beyond the rest I would receive alone.

The proverb carries echoes of Noah (Gen. 6), the flooding of the Reed Sea (Ex. 14), and even of Job’s confrontation with God (Job 32-39). Though there is littlew in wisdom literature about everlasting life, this proverb certainly has behind it the hope for the righteous. They are established forever, whether it is an earthly kingdom, or the kingdom of God. The Israelite hope was that Israel and the kingdom of God were one and the same, even as they were exiled and occupied. Many have this hope for Israel even today, but the hope is misguided. Israel has been re-established, but in their new establishment I’m afraid they have forgotten that they were once slaves in Egypt. Instead of treating the aliens among them (Palestinians) with compassion (see Deut.) they wall them off and deny them rights. Israel has become Egypt, creating a Goshen for Palestinians.

This proverb follows vs.24 as the final word to all who are trying to save their lives. The wicked will pass like chaff in the fire, or like the OT wicked in floods of water. The Righteous will pass through the fire and the flood (Is. 43:2). This is our hope in Christ, that we may live in the Kingdom forever. Not an earthly kingdom, but truly the kingdom of God.

And so the sage answers the pleas and fears of the psalmist. The wicked, those who curse us, those who have evil intentions, they will get what they fear. Usually this fear is the loss of their own life. That is why they are against everyone else, because anyone could cause them harm or loss of life. Yet in their clamoring for life, they will lose it (Matt. 16:25, Mark 8:35, Luke 9:24).

And yet the desire of the righteous will be granted. The righteous seek life for all people. They understand their place before God,and desire for God’s will to be done. They desire life, but they understand that life comes from God alone, and that God uses the righteous to give life to the suffering. Even though the psalmist prays for vengeance against the enemies, he/she depends on God’s will for judgment.

This proverb uses a little humor in the comparison. The sport of doing wrong…is this a team sport, or is it for singles? What are the rules for doing wrong? It would seem to be a sport completely based on fouling others, so if there are rules they are only there to be broken. Really, this means that doing wrong is fun for fools. Now, we must not let our imaginations run wild. It is just doing wrong, not doing violence or lying in wait to ambush a person. The question we must ask is how many actions does Wrong cover?

For the wise, it is wise conduct that is pleasing, even sporting. They delight in doing what is right. Tis involves no fouls, but knowing the rules so well that one knows all of the options and how to use them. Being wise is being shrewd, but for the good of all. One knows how to navigate the order of society and creation in order to do the best things. Thus, one should learn wisdom like one learns the rules of a sport, so that he/she can play within all the options.

This is a comfortable proverb. It’s nice to hear that the blessing of the Lord makes one rich without sorrow. However, I look at the world and wonder if this is just wishful thinking. Often, the blessing of the Lord does provide for people, but it does not make them rich I n the worldly sense, nor does it alleviate all sorrow.

Instead, I think of the words of Jesus.
Matthew 6
19 ‘Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust* consume and where thieves break in and steal; 20but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust* consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Matthew 13
44 ‘The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

Matthew 19:21
Jesus said to him, ‘If you wish to be perfect, go, sell your possessions, and give the money* to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.’

The trashed that we know is the gospel and the kingdom of God. The treasure of God is life abundant through daily bread. It is not worldly riches, but the riches of true life with God. It may not look glamorous, but the riches of God’s blessings add no sorrow, instead they give what we need to live and help others live to the glory of the kingdom.

The Hebrew translates (correct me if I’m wrong) “The judgments of the righteous feed many, but fools with lacking heart die.”

This builds from the previous proverb. The silver tongue of the righteous can afford to feed and sustain themselves as well as others, many others. Yet, the worthless heart cannot afford sustenance, and thus a fool will die from lack of heart. Again, this comparison means that the righteous is the opposite of the fool, having an abundance of heart for the tongue to speak its judgments. So we are still driven to ask: what is behind the righteous person that allows them to be sustained?

The obvious answer from proverbs is both the fear of the Lord and wisdom. But is there anything more specific?

The tounge is compared to the mind, or, in Hebrew, the heart. This proverb begins on the surface with the tongue of the righteous, and then moves inward to the heart of the wicked. The tongue, the most dangerous tool of a person which conceals violence, is like silver. But, in order for the tongue to be worth silver, the heart behind the tongue must also be refined like silver (Job 28). However, the very essence of the wicked is worthlessness. Thus, this proverb highlights the disparity beteen the righteous and the wicked.

How often do we find this to be true. An American phrase is “digging yourself into a hole.” When we talk too much, or even when we think we know more information than others, we tend to spew words to show off. But, when we say something wrong, we attempt to justify ourselves, which makes us look desperate, naive, and somewhat stupid. Instead, we should learn from the wise, and know when to speak, avoiding moments of backpedaling and digging holes.

Trust me, I have dogs, and when they dig holes it’s hard to fill them back in with the dirt that came flying out.

What is the violence and destruction hidden in the mouths of the wicked (10:6, 11)? It is lying and slander. It is the opposite of righteousness and wisdom.

When I was a teenager, I prided myself on being honest. However, in deep anger, I used that honesty maliciously. My rule was, “I cannot freely spread rumors. I also cannot lie. So, if someone asks, I must tell the truth.” This was how I “avoided” lying and slander. I was “obligated” to tell the truth. Yet, even the truth can be slander. In my gut I knew this. I hurt many people by only telling the truth, because I told it with concealed violence.

I had not developed a rule of grace. Grace would have instructed me that sometimes silence is best. Our words are to be honest. But more than honest, they must be in love, building up the other person. Rebuke and discipline are acts of grace, for they are direct words between the parties involved, and not just talking about the people. Rebuke, in grace, helps to fix the blemishes in our relationships and in our relationship to God.

Instruction (musar in Hebrew) means both teaching and discipline. Thus, one should heed discipline. We heard a similar saying in v. 8, the wise of heart will heed commandments. For one to heed Commandments, they must be disciplined, because the commandments themselves are discipline. Put how is one truly disciplined? It is by practicing a teaching over and over until it becomes a habit and a disposition. This rigorous training will lead to life, like exercise leads to health.

But the one who rejects any teaching, even rebuke (or correction), goes astray, like the man chasing a strange woman (Prov. 7). We know that this going astray is the path to death.

I put two proverbs together today, because the reflect each other.

The first is of the rich and the poor. At face value it is correct, the rich are protected by money, and the poor suffer without. The danger is when the rich rely on their money as a fortress. They hoard their wealth, trying to protect their futures, and don’t rely on God. Plus, this rich hoarding contributes to the ruin of the poor.

Who hears the cry of the poor?

The righteous.
The wage of the righteous leads to life, both for the righteous person, and for those who suffer in poverty. For the righteous give with God’s grace, supporting those in ruin and redeeming them. But the wicked and rich only hoard up wealth and sin, because it is focused on the self.

Wealth, in scripture, is a communal matter.

We can hear a faint echo of 10:8- the wise of heart will heed commandments, but the babbling fool will come to ruin. Here, however, the wise and fool are working. The wise, like a harvester, is storing up the fruits of his/her labor, but the fool is like a violent storm in harvest, bringing ruin.

There is a comparison between obeying commandments and laying up knowledge. To act out the commandments is to practice them, try them, and to gain knowledge from them.

The is also a comparison between coming to ruin and bringing ruin near. Those that are ruined, who live in ruin will bring ruin to others, inviting them to join in, or maliciously forcing ruin on people.

There is hope in this proverb. Sometimes one gets the sense that there is hope only for the wise and righteous, but the fool and the simpleton are left in hopelessness. Yet, the rod of discipline is applied to the wise and the simple alike, for it is the discipline of the teacher to the student. So, it seems that this is an educative proverb, where the one who has understanding is the teacher, and the one who lacks sense is the student. The hope is that the student will gain understanding instead of continuing to lack sense.

The rod has become very personal for me as I spend time in Korean schools. The teachers carry pointing sticks, or rods, as a teaching tool. They rap it against the podium to gain attention, they use it to point to what is to be learned, and they rap it against a students hands, back, or legs to discipline them. It is one stinging slap with the rod to get them to pay attention, and a series of rapings for more serious offenses. Yet the students would rather be slapped with the rod than made to write lines or do more homework. The rod is a quick reminder, whereas extra work takes more time.

Short, simple, beautiful. This proverb comes immediately after the first lengthy comparison of the wise/fool and righteous/wicked. I believe it gives us a lens to see the comparison. We should be wise and righteous, someone who fears God and obeys commandments, who walks in integrity. This person is summed up in Love. Though we encounter the violence and hatred of the wicked, we are to love them.

Matthew 5:
43 ‘You have heard that it was said, “You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.” 44But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous.

Luke 23:
34Then Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.’

With this proverb, we have closed a section of proverbs – 10:6-11 – bookended by the phrase, “the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.” Throughout these proverbs, the wicked person and the fool have been static, unmoving characters of hopelessness and destruction. The wise, on the other hand, have grown from receiving the blessings, to living out the commandments, to becoming the fountain of life. The blessings the righteous receive are poured out from their mouths to others, giving the same life they are blessed with. I don’t think it’s too much of a stretch to think that the blessing is wisdom herself, for we have read that wisdom is the fear of the Lord (1:7, 10:8) and the root of life:

13 Happy are those who find wisdom,
and those who get understanding,
14 for her income is better than silver,
and her revenue better than gold.
15 She is more precious than jewels,
and nothing you desire can compare with her.
16 Long life is in her right hand;
in her left hand are riches and honour.
17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness,
and all her paths are peace.
18 She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her;
those who hold her fast are called happy.

19 The Lord by wisdom founded the earth;
by understanding he established the heavens;
20 by his knowledge the deeps broke open,
and the clouds drop down the dew.

21 My child, do not let these escape from your sight:
keep sound wisdom and prudence,
22 and they will be life for your soul
and adornment for your neck.
23 Then you will walk on your way securely
and your foot will not stumble.
24 If you sit down,* you will not be afraid;
when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
25 Do not be afraid of sudden panic,
or of the storm that strikes the wicked;
26 for the Lord will be your confidence
and will keep your foot from being caught.
(3:13-26)

This verse involves the human person in the giving of life. It is not God’s intention to be the sole actor. Instead, God gives wisdom to the righteous, and grants them the blessed activity of giving life to others. This is the love of God in wisdom.

As a fairly easy going person, I tend to seek peace and avoid conflict at all costs. This means that rebuke is low on my list peace making attempts. Generally, I begin with the listening ear approach, then I attempt to non-aggressively address the other point of view as a viable option. But very little do I assert rebuke for someone being wrong. My way is the generally accepted way of tolerance. In my view both parties are right, and both parties are wrong.

And when I do rebuke, it usually comes off more as an attack, heightening the violence, than it does as peacemaking.

So, I leave this question open. How does rebuking make peace?

This is a challenge to nearly every teenager I know, and to the teenager I was. How often do we try to hide our perverseness along with our violence, in our mouths. We talk freely with friends and peers, trying to one-up each other in our daring and rebellious acts. The funny thing is that when I talked to my parents, they knew everything that I did as a kid. They knew because they had done it themselves when they were kids. They also knew because no person is as crafty as they think they are. We wear it on our sleeves.

Isn’t it a wonderful promise to know that one walks securely? That there is no threat to our lives as long as we walk in integrity. However, history tells us this is wrong. Many people of integrity have been persecuted and lost their lives. The faithful Jews who would not compromise their Torah laws in the face of the Helenistic kingdoms, Jesus whose very life was an affront to the brutal legalism of his day, Ghandi and Martin Luther King who both stood peacefully for the rights of the oppressed. Even the beatitudes of Matt. 5 show that those of integrity are often persecuted. But we do have the promise of the resurrection. We who are made righteous before God hold onto the promise that we secure in the gift of grace.