Proverbs is an amazing book! It contains so much insight into how God feels about us and how we can live successfully during our days on earth. I can’t calculate how many times I’ve read this book, but it becomes more enjoyable during each reading of its 31 chapters.
Most of the verses in this book form couplets. That is, one phrase contrasts with the other or both phrases complement one another. For example, “Trust the Lord with all your heart” is complete by itself, but becomes more complete as you contrast it with “lean not to your own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5). So, I decided to decouple the contrasting phrases and concentrate on what Proverbs says about God’s people, the righteous ones. Remember–all these verses about the righteous apply to you and me even though we are totally imperfect. The righteousness spoken about here is Jesus’ righteousness which clothes those who love him. Let’s decouple a few of the verses in Proverbs chapter 10 and see what it says about you and me.
“Righteousness delivers from death” (verse 2).
“The Lord does not let the righteous go hungry“(verse 3).
“Blessings crown the head of the righteous” (verse 6).
“The memory of the righteous will be a blessing” (verse 7).
“The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life” (verse 11).
“The wages of the righteous bring them life” (verse 16).
“The tongue of the righteous is choice silver” (verse 20).
“The lips of the righteous nourish many” (verse 21).
“What the righteous desire will be granted” (verse 24).
“The righteous stand firm forever” (verse 25).
“The prospect of the righteous is joy” (verse 28).
“The way of the Lord is a refuge for the righteous” (verse 29).
“The righteous will never be uprooted” (verse 30).
“The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom” (verse 31).
“The lips of the righteous know what is fitting” (verse 32).
Apply all these statements about the righteous to yourself and your faith in God will grow and your self-confidence become stronger than ever!
Be greatly encouraged,
Pastor James Fields
