Text: 6 Blessings are on the head of the righteous,
but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
7 The memory of the righteous is a blessing,
but the name of the wicked will rot.
8 The wise of heart will receive commandments,
but a babbling fool will come to ruin.
9 Whoever walks in integrity walks securely,
but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out.
Sermon: People of God, we continue our examination of the second collection of Proverbs in chapter 10. Proverbs 10 summarizes what the rest of Proverbs is accomplishing. Proverbs is training sons and daughters to make their Father glad. Solomon argues that we please our Father by living and possessing wisdom.
And if there is such a thing as wisdom, there is such a thing as foolishness. In our circles, we talk a lot about antithesis and the myth of neutrality. Proverbs confirms this idea. In the Scriptures, you are either a wise person or a fool. But wisdom, like everything else, does not come at once. We must work hard to mature it in our own lives. Just as the Christian works hard to grow in wisdom, the fool works hard to develop in foolishness.
We read in verse 6: “Blessings are on the head of the righteous, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.” Proverbs trains us in wisdom by taking our bodies and changing our habits, table manners, etiquette, etc. That’s why blessing in the Bible is very much connected to the reshaping of your rhythms and rituals. The work of the Spirit is through the body; if this is the case, we need to learn to use it wisely and appropriately. In fact, you will see that in this section of Proverbs, there is an emphasis on body parts: “head” and “mouth” (vs. 6), “heart” and “lips” (babbling vs. 8), “eyes and lips” (babbling vs. 10), “mouth” (twice in verse 11), “lips” and “back” (vs. 13).[1] The body and how we use it becomes central in gaining and growing in wisdom. The fool, on the other hand, prostitutes the body. He gives it away and uses it without ever considering what is right and wrong in God’s eyes.
In these verses, there is a strong play on the idea that our words will carve out a particular eulogy in our funerals. Our use of language will paint a picture of who we are and what people will say when we die. Funerals are not made for flattery but for Christian legacy, which is why Proverbs says that blessings are on the head of the righteous because he uses his tongue with wisdom. Words are powerful.[2] Words constantly change the people around you. Consider that when God spoke, things came into being. His words are transformative. We don’t bring something into existence but we do shape our surroundings with words. So a wise man does not pretend that his words and actions are insignificant. He carries his words and actions like sacraments; like holy things.
Continue reading “Studies in Proverbs 10, Part 3: Walking in Integrity”