Postings on Proverbs 12:20

"Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil, but those who plan peace have joy" (ESV)

"You are what you eat" is a modern proverb, meant to get people to make sure they're eating well. However, biblical writers would modify that proverb to "You are what you think." Jesus said this best: "what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart" (Matt 15:18) and "out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks" (Matt 12:34).

Notice, this idea is at the core of Proverb 12:20, but remember, it's not just written to show us how sin works itself out in peoples' lives. It's written to give us a skill to live by. What's the skill? How does this proverb help us live a beautiful life God's pleased with?

Who? Anyone
What? Devise evil vs. Plan peace
Where? Anywhere
When? Anytime
Why? deceit in the heart vs. have joy in their heart
How? ???

I struggled filling out the 5Ws & 1H above because the parallelism seems off. My question is Does 'have joy' refer to what's in their heart that produces the plan that leads to peace, or is joy the result of planning peace? Does 'have joy' go with What? Does it go with Why?

Waltke answers my question by calling this proverb an "imprecise parallelism," which "suggests that deceitful plotters do not have real joy, and counselors promoting peace are not deceitful" (538).

Before devising and executing evil, a person has to lie, ultimately, to themselves, that the evil they're planning is actually good for them. Once he's deceived himself, his victim is next.

The young son must be careful around those who are plotting evil -- stealing, lying, cheating, partying, etc. With deceitful hearts, they cannot be trusted. They've already convinced themselves that evil is good, so there's nothing stopping them from betraying you if they think it's in their best interest. Keep those people far from you!

However, though maybe less fun and exciting (don't fall for the fool's advice that all people, places and choice are to be determined by whether or not something is fun), those who "plan peace" have your best interests in mind. Bring those people close to you!

And, if you are the kind of person who "plans peace" for others, you'll experience what all the worshipers of fun really long for, joy.