Proverbs 10:1-16: a reflection

1The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son makes a glad father; but a foolish son brings grief to his mother. 2Treasures of wickedness profit nothing, but righteousness delivers from death. 3The LORD will not allow the soul of the righteous to go hungry, but he thrusts away the desire of the wicked. 4He becomes poor who works with a lazy hand, but the hand of the diligent brings wealth. 5He who gathers in summer is a wise son, but he who sleeps during the harvest is a son who causes shame. 6Blessings are on the head of the righteous, but violence covers the mouth of the wicked. 7The memory of the righteous is blessed, but the name of the wicked will rot. 8The wise in heart accept commandments, but a chattering fool will fall. 9He who walks blamelessly walks surely, but he who perverts his ways will be found out. 10One who winks with the eye causes sorrow, but a chattering fool will fall. 11The mouth of the righteous is a spring of life, but violence covers the mouth of the wicked. 12Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all wrongs. 13Wisdom is found on the lips of him who has discernment, but a rod is for the back of him who is void of understanding. 14Wise men lay up knowledge, but the mouth of the foolish is near ruin. 15The rich man’s wealth is his strong city. The destruction of the poor is their poverty. 16The labor of the righteous leads to life. The increase of the wicked leads to sin.

Among these proverbs is a quiet promise about the security of an honest life: He who walks blamelessly walks surely, but he who perverts his ways will be found out. To walk in integrity, honestly and blamelessly, is to walk on sure ground; there is a steadiness and security in an honest life that the crooked way never has. The one who lives with integrity has nothing to hide, nothing to fear being exposed, no tangle of deceit waiting to trip him up; he walks surely. But the one who perverts his ways, who lives crookedly, walks on unsure ground; his ways will be found out, and the deceit he has built will not hold. Integrity gives a secure footing; crookedness gives a precarious one. To walk honestly is to walk surely, on ground that will not give way beneath us.

Notice the security the proverb attaches to integrity: he who walks blamelessly walks surely. This is not a grand promise of ease, but a quiet one of steadiness. The honest life is a sure-footed life; there is nothing hidden to be exposed, no web of deceit to unravel, no fear of being found out. The one who walks in integrity walks on ground that holds. The crooked way, by contrast, is precarious; it may seem to gain an advantage, but it will be found out, and what is built on deceit does not stand. There is a real security in honesty that no cleverness or crookedness can match. To walk blamelessly is to walk surely; to pervert our ways is to walk on ground that will not hold. The steadiness of an honest life is one of its quiet rewards. Integrity gives a footing that crookedness never can.

That is worth taking to heart, for walking in integrity gives a secure and steady footing that crookedness never has. We can be tempted to crooked ways, thinking they will gain us an advantage; but the proverb promises that he who walks blamelessly walks surely, while he who perverts his ways will be found out. There is a real security in an honest life, nothing hidden to be exposed, no deceit to unravel; and a real precariousness in the crooked way. Do not choose crooked ways for a passing advantage; walk in integrity, which gives a sure and steady footing, as the proverb promises. Walk in integrity, which gives a secure and steady footing, rather than perverting your ways for a passing advantage, as the proverb says he who walks blamelessly walks surely but he who perverts his ways will be found out; for there is a quiet security in an honest life, with nothing hidden to be exposed and no deceit waiting to trip us up, and a real precariousness in the crooked way that seems to gain but will be found out, so that to walk honestly is to walk on ground that holds.

Lord, among these proverbs is a quiet promise about the security of an honest life: he who walks blamelessly walks surely, but he who perverts his ways will be found out. To walk in integrity, honestly and blamelessly, is to walk on sure ground; there is a steadiness and security in an honest life that the crooked way never has. The one who lives with integrity has nothing to hide, nothing to fear being exposed, no tangle of deceit waiting to trip him up; he walks surely. But the one who perverts his ways walks on unsure ground; his ways will be found out. Show me the security the proverb attaches to integrity: he who walks blamelessly walks surely. This is not a grand promise of ease, but a quiet one of steadiness. The honest life is a sure-footed life; there is nothing hidden to be exposed, no web of deceit to unravel, no fear of being found out. The crooked way, by contrast, is precarious; it may seem to gain an advantage, but it will be found out. There is a real security in honesty that no cleverness or crookedness can match. Take that to my heart, for walking in integrity gives a secure and steady footing that crookedness never has. I can be tempted to crooked ways, thinking they will gain me an advantage; but the proverb promises that he who walks blamelessly walks surely. There is a real security in an honest life, nothing hidden to be exposed. Keep me from choosing crooked ways for a passing advantage; help me walk in integrity, Lord, which gives a sure and steady footing, as the proverb promises that he who walks blamelessly walks surely.