For the month of October, we are answering the challenge John Goldwater, pastor of Christ Community Church in Grenada, MS, laid out — the #DailyWisdomChallenge. Each day, we are going to read through a chapter of Proverbs corresponding to the day of the month.
This fits with what we have studied in Colossians, specifically Colossians 3:1-2, namely that we should seek “the things that are above, where Christ is” and set our minds like a thermostat “on things that are above, not on things that are on earth”. Imagine what a month meditating on God’s Word daily can do for us.
Won’t you join us on this #DailyWisdomChallenge and set your minds on Christ?
Proverbs 11:7 is kind of blunt and honest and relates back to what was written about Proverbs 10:27-29 yesterday.
So often, there is a temptation for “church folks” (notice I did not say saved folks or those who have put their faith/trust/belief in Jesus) to want to take passages like this and point to those they know to be “wicked” at the expense of seeing their own sin. I have fallen into this sad state of affairs too many times over the years, and as bad as I hate to say it, I will again. In those times, it does not take long for the Holy Spirit to convict me by reminding me of the grievous sin in my own life. Sometimes, it will be past sins that He has already forgiven, but often, it will be sin that I currently am needing to repent of and ask Him to forgive.
When we talk about the “wicked” here in Proverbs, this ain’t that. This is not me defining wickedness or pointing out the way that wicked people live. This is written plainly in God’s written Word and illuminated by His Spirit. He defines wicked, and only He can make one righteous (Romans 3:10, 23; 2 Corinthians 5:21).
Proverbs 11:7 speaks of the reality of sin and death for people who do not trust in Jesus for salvation. If one does not trust in Jesus/have faith in Him to save and give eternal life, the only hope to be had is what is in this world. As David wrote in Psalm 20:7, some “trust in chariots” and some “in horses”, meaning that some put their trust in possessions, status, or even military or national strength and identity. When you die, all of those eartly hopes die, too. That’s part of what is pictured in the hope that comes from God in the rest of Psalm 20:7-8: “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. They collapse and fall, but we rise and stand upright.” When all else falls and this world — or we first — passes away, we can stand on the hope that comes from God, the living hope in the death and resurrection of Jesus (1 Peter 1:3).
This verse reminds me of an illustration I heard a preacher give many years ago.
There was a man who was rich beyond measure. Late in life, he was saved, but one struggle, one temptation, he still dealt with was trusting in his money instead of trusting fully in Jesus. As it happened, his health began to dwindle, drawing him nearer to the Lord because all of the money he had and all of the doctors and medical treatments and trials he could afford were offering no relief. It was clear that he was going to die.
In the days leading up to his death, he had his lawyer come and he drew out his will. Large portions of his wealth were to go to his children and family, but he also divided it up so that the earthly kingdom of wealth he had built up would go to advance God’s Kingdom. He allotted a small amount of money for a funeral so that he would leave this world with only his trust in the Lord. Well, only his trust in the Lord and two gold bricks just in case there was a need for currency when he got to heaven.
He died and found himself in heaven. He was amazed when he got there and was making his way as quickly as he could through the gate made out of a giant pearl and along the street made of gold to see Jesus. As he walked, though, he noticed people pointing and staring at him. He couldn’t make out their whispers to one another and was confused and a little disheartened. He finally made his way to Jesus, falling at His feet. When Jesus lifted him up, the man asked him why folks had been pointing and talking about him as he walked in.
Jesus told the man that they were asking why he had his pockets filled with gravel.
That is a quippy story that makes a joke of how insignificant earthly riches are to the lavish wealth and trappings of heaven — especially how all of it pales in comparison to Jesus, but there is a kernel of truth in the story that points us back to Proverbs 11:7. Just as surely as earthly hope dies when we die, so does our wealth. Everything we earn goes to someone or something once we die.
If that is all we hope in, we will go to stand before the LORD hoping that the gravel we have filled out pockets and lives with will buy us eternal life. Let me tell you some good news: Jesus has already paid for eternal life by His blood for all who put their trust in Him (John 3:16)!
The only question is in whether you will put your hope with Him rather on fickle, fleeting, perishable hopes here on earth instead.
Just Keith Harris 
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