Proverbs 11:2-3
"Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. Honesty guides good people; dishonesty destroys treacherous people."
Out of all of the things that sin brings into the lives of us individuals, the one thing that God detests and opposes are those who are proud (James 4:6). Verse 2 tells us that pride leads to disgrace, but humility brings wisdom. The opposite of pride is humility. When we live humble lives, we are blessed with wisdom from the Lord! The same goes with honesty: honesty guides good people onto paths of life and righteousness, but on the flip side, dishonesty brings nothing but destruction to our lives.
Proverbs 11:4
"Riches won’t help on the day of judgment, but right living can save you from death."
Our salvation does not come from wealth or our earthly riches. At the end of the day, all material things will fade away. The only thing that will last the final days is our faith and hope in Jesus. Living rightly for Him will save us from death and an eternity without Him!
Proverbs 11:8
"The godly are rescued from trouble, and it falls on the wicked instead."
The favor of the Lord rests upon those of us who choose to make Him Lord and Savior. The Godly have a hope of being rescued from the troubles life throws our way. This means that no scheme of the enemy can ever separate us from the saving grip of the Lord, and we can rest assured that we are always going to be safe.
Proverbs 11:12-13
"It is foolish to belittle one’s neighbor; a sensible person keeps quiet. A gossip goes around telling secrets, but those who are trustworthy can keep a confidence."
Our words hold so much power in them. Foolishness entices us to belittle those around us and spread rumors and gossip about one another. Wisdom encourages us to build each other up and live lives that are honest, trustworthy, and glorifying to the Lord. Choosing the path of wisdom is always the best thing we can do.
Proverbs 11:16-23
"A gracious woman gains respect, but ruthless men gain only wealth. Your kindness will reward you, but your cruelty will destroy you. Evil people get rich for the moment, but the reward of the godly will last. Godly people find life; evil people find death. The Lord detests people with crooked hearts, but he delights in those with integrity. Evil people will surely be punished, but the children of the godly will go free. A beautiful woman who lacks discretion is like a gold ring in a pig’s snout. The godly can look forward to a reward, while the wicked can expect only judgment."
As Christians, we are called to live set apart and different from the world. We are called to be gracious to those around us. We are called to show love and kindness to our neighbors. We are called to be generous and have hearts rooted in integrity. We are called to be a people who are set apart and different! Living this way means that we will find life anew in Christ. We also have hope in knowing that instead of anxiously anticipating judgement, we have a reward that we can look forward to!
Proverbs 11:24-26
"Give freely and become more wealthy; be stingy and lose everything. The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed. People curse those who hoard their grain, but they bless the one who sells in time of need."
A generous person is called blessed by the Lord and becomes even more wealthy. Those who hoard their wealth for themselves and are stingy will eventually lose everything. It is so important that we as changed people are not selfish, but instead, lead selfless lives where we put the needs of others above our own and embody the heart of a servant who gives freely.
Proverbs 11:27-31 "If you search for good, you will find favor; but if you search for evil, it will find you! Trust in your money and down you go! But the godly flourish like leaves in spring. Those who bring trouble on their families inherit the wind. The fool will be a servant to the wise. The seeds of good deeds become a tree of life; a wise person wins friends. If the righteous are rewarded here on earth, what will happen to wicked sinners?"
What you seek after is what will follow you: if you seek after goodness and righteousness, that's the kind of life you'll lead. If you pursue evil, that is what you will ultimately reap. We need to follow after the things of the Lord, not earthly pleasures, titles, or materialistic gains. If we search for a reward here on Earth, what will we gain in Heaven? At the end of the day, our gaze needs to be fixed on the things of the Lord so we can live lives that are honorable to Him.
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