Proverbs 11:6 - In Everything, Go Straight

Proverbs 11:6

The righteousness of the upright will deliver them, but the treacherous will be caught by [their own] greed. 

Message: In everything, go straight

Time: Proverbs records multiple individuals as its author with Solomon as the principal author. Solomon died in 931 BC though most think the book was likely in its final form sometime before the end of Hezekiah’s reign in 686 BC. It is a book that instructs people on the path of wisdom. It speaks to all of life and living our lives under the authority and direction of God.

What the Lord is Saying: I heard the other day that Solomon wrote 3000 proverbs. I have been on a march to study Proverbs 10-24 as every verse is a different Proverb. It is amazing to think about the fact that he wrote all of these and God in his purpose believes each is important. The last lesson I did had a big impact on me in regards to the idea of living in a righteous manner. It helped me see that each of these statements are goals. They can not be accomplished all of the time and I suppose that is a little freeing. I am not expected to be perfect. I follow these proverbs because it makes life better and it also makes the trials of life easier to go through. Going through them trusting God has to be good for me. 

I think about the people I like to read, the ones that have commentaries on these verses, written in the 1800s often, prior to computers. Those individuals must have soaked themselves in the reading of these verses. And the reading of God's word. For they all pull up references in their comments. They knew God's word. It was supremely valuable to them. 

This verse and the previous have the same idea as Matthew Henry (1662-1714) states of verses 5 and 6, "The ways of wickedness are dangerous. And sin will be its own punishment." The idea is so simple. Wickedness is dangerous and sinning has a punishment. Conversely, righteousness is good and rewarding as it is practiced. 

I also look today at "Keil and Delitzsch OT Commentary" by Carl Friedrich Keil (1807-1888) – German Lutheran scholar, strong in Hebrew grammar and exegesis and Franz Delitzsch (1813-1890) – German Lutheran theologian, famous for Hebrew scholarship and interest in Jewish-Christian dialogue. For this verse they state:

6 The rectitude of the upright saveth them,

   And in their own covetousness are the faithless taken.

The integrity of those who go straight forward and straight through, without permitting themselves to turn aside on crooked ways, delivers them from the snares which are laid for them, the dangers they encounter; while, on the contrary, the faithless, though they mask their intentions ever so cunningly, are ensnared in their passionate covetousness: the mask is removed, they are convicted, and are caught and lost.

As in the last verse, the righteousness of a person will smooth his way and not permit them to walk crooked and be delivered from snares (trap that catches an animal) that are laid before them. This righteousness needs to transcend all of life, encompassing all of my choices and all that I do. I think of verses like, "A little leaven leavens the whole lump" (Galatians 5:9). Minor corruption or minor detours can have detrimental effects. And I Peter 5:8, "Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." There is a constant desire for Satan to lure God's people off their path. It is almost like we need to prepare ourselves always to be tempted to fall off course. 

I feel it is often sad how much we can criticize and critique and judge those that have gotten off track, that have fallen into sin. I have a family member that came forward to confess his sin and his going off track. It has been deemed an act of betrayal. To me at the heart of the sin was covetousness - wanting something others have and perhaps being scared that you would not get what you were hoping for. And now that one act has resulted in a spiral downward - impacting a wedding, ongoing relationship, and losing his job. It breaks my heart to watch the unraveling. And it is hard because the sin he committed he has not committed again. He has stopped. And yet, that sin has now resulted in a violent outburst that occurs at times. I just feel like his flesh is screaming out at times through those outbursts simply with a desire to be loved and accepted and wanted. 

So one hand we need to be careful, on the alert, on our guard at all times. But I really believe we need to always be forgiving and with a desire to heal and work past and improve. Yes, we can get off course and over time can even train ourselves in poor behavior. But we need to forgive. 

Prayer: Lord, I think you for these truths, to live righteously, and to realize that it is so easy to get off track. I see this in my life. Sometimes there is one need I don't get and because of that I start to veer off course - and fall into some of the sins that darken me because of anger and unmet expectations. Lord, continue to train me to choose wisely and to focus on righteousness throughout my life, in all my ways - reading, watching TV, what I view online, listen to and think about. Lord, I am susceptible to sin. I see it every day. And there are some things that cause more havoc in my life than other things. Help me. And help those around me. Help my family member that is spiraling down. Help him to rise up again and manage his life and find hope in his days. Give us hope Lord, not simply that things we don't want to happen won't happen, but center us on the hope of the riches you have in store for us. Let me hope that tomorrow is smooth and my roads are not crooked and the paths I walk on are straight. Center me on those things that honor and glorify You. Help me God and help those around me. 

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