Postings on Proverbs 12:7

"The wicked are overthrown and are no more,
But the house of the righteous will stand" (NASB)

While doing errands today I listened briefly to a radio show about how to become a millionaire. It never actually said how to become one though. It just gave a bunch of success stories and cliff hangers that make people buy the discounted book with the free CD to the first 100 callers! However, one good thing they mentioned concerned investing now so that you have enough to retire -- bring the future into the here and now! That's actually what this proverb is teaching us about wickedness and righteousness.

We are surrounded in the news, or maybe even in our own lives, with injustice, pain, sorrow, anger, frustration, broken dreams -- all at the hands of other people. In our "I want it yesterday" culture, this proverb reminds us not to evaluate where people are at in the here and now.

Before I start digging into this proverb, one rule for clarification: Proverbs are not universal sayings or promises. They are statements that are generally true, though not 100% of the time.

The best way for me to explain this is with a clear case example like Proverbs 10:4b "the hand of the diligent makes rich." Many of us know many very hard working people who are no where near rich, but it's saying that in general, those who work hard and aren't lazy get rich and those who are rich worked really hard to get where they are.

Now, God built justice into the fabric of reality. "What goes around comes around" and "You reap what you sow" are common idioms we've had for centuries.

So, in the here and now it's easy for us to wonder "Why do the wicked prosper? Why do they get away with so much and live lives that seem so blessed?" but this proverbs says "The wise person knows their blessing will not last forever. Their wickedness will catch up with them."

Because of their wicked plans (12:5) and their wicked words (12:6) they will be "overthrown." Something, maybe unexpected, will turn their world upside down. The boomerang effect will be so thorough in fact that they will be "no more." They will not recover from their fall. I can't help but remember Haman in Esther 7 when I think about this proverb.

Notice, it doesn't say "the righteous will stand," but "the house of the righteous will stand." The word "house" is a metaphor for the future of the righteous person, and in particular, her descendents. Through her life, she gave them a solid foundation of integrity (12:5) and love for God and man (12:6) that will allow them to be pillars in their communities and weather the storms of life. They "stand" while the wicked are "overthrown and are no more." I think of John & Charles Wesley's mother here, a woman everyone should admire and emulate.

This proverb makes us wise by encouraging us to take the long view of what it means to be successful -- Saddam Hussein was wicked and successful until he as overthrown, captured and hung! -- and by suggesting that success is not measured by wealth or fame or influence or stuff, but by a family that is strong in the Lord.

"God, as I get married in a couple months, I am terrified of the responsibility of being a husband and a father. Please teach me how to love like Christ and to leave a dynasty that is strong in You. Amen."

I hope that helps! TII!!!