THE RIGHTEOUS ADVANTAGE
Proverbs 11:3-6 CSB
3 The integrity of the upright guides them,
but the perversity of the treacherous destroys them.
4 Wealth is not profitable on a day of wrath,
but righteousness rescues from death.
5 The righteousness of the blameless clears his path,
but the wicked person will fall because of his wickedness.
6 The righteousness of the upright rescues them,
but the treacherous are trapped by their own desires.
This eleventh chapter of Proverbs is fascinating from the standpoint that it offers so many contrasts. The contrast is between the righteous versus the treacherous, wicked, and the ungodly. The kind as opposed to the cruel. This chapter has much to say regarding those who are purposefully living for God and those who are not.
The verses we are looking at today list the advantages for those living righteously. And there are some great advantages. Guidance as opposed to falling. A clear path versus stumbling. Rescue as opposed to being trapped. Take the time to read this proverb again in a different translation than what you typically use. You’ll begin to see more clearly the advantages and see what to avoid.
Verse four stood out to me as an advantage of the righteous, although this verse does not use a contrast. The idea is that wealth does not profit in some situations. There is a delusion that having enough money makes problems disappear. If this were the case, then the wealthy enclaves of our nation would be free from stress and pain. But there are thriving psychologists and numerous mental health resources in the wealthiest parts of America. And that is what this verse is speaking to. There is a day of wrath. We often say the day when all hell breaks loose. And in many of those situations, money can’t fix the problem. But there is rescue for those who make the effort to live for the Lord.
It’s important to remember that we who have put our faith in Christ have an advantage that the Old Testament saints did not have. The book of Galatians that we are reading during the week is devoted to informing Gentile believers that our righteousness is not established by our works but by faith in Christ Jesus and what He did for us through His death and resurrection. We have been made righteous through faith in Christ. This truth was established by Paul in the first four chapters, and then how to live is the subject of chapters five and six. We have the advantage of being made right with God through faith in Christ, and now we have the ability to live as the righteous. When you read the Proverbs speaking to the righteous, don’t be discouraged, you are already on the right side of righteous. The challenge is living out what has been done within. Thank God that when we do miss it and mess up, we can go to God and ask for forgiveness, as we talked about yesterday. God is faithful to forgive, and we can get back on track.
Just endeavoring to live for the Lord and please Him will keep us out of the way of a lot of wrong and evil things. People often joke about living right and how it helps. It’s no joke. Living for God, living righteously, is the best long-term strategy for life.