God teaches us in Proverbs that our everyday decisions determine the paths we take and the outcomes we experience–both in eternity and in our life now.
Wickedness/Folly Leads to Falling Apart; Righteousness/Wisdom Leads to Flourishing
Whoever trusts in his riches will fall,
but the righteous will flourish like a green life. (Proverbs 11:28)
The wicked/foolish person eventually falls apart, like a poorly maintained house. In contrast, the righteous/wise person tends to flourish, like a well-cared-for plant.
How Do Wicked/Foolish People Fall Apart?
Whoever troubles his own household will inherit the wind,
and the fool will be servant to the wise. (Proverbs 11:29)
Here’s an example of how wickedness expresses itself in folly and results in a life falling apart. When someone causes distress and disaster for the people closest to him, often the consequences are destitution and servitude.
Destitution
Troublesome family members tend to inherit nothing, possibly because they drain their parents’ resources, get cut out of the family, or get written out of the will.
Servitude
As troublesome people destroy their resources and relationships, they become dependent on wiser people, which, in ancient times often meant becoming their servants.
Often, Not Always
Proverbs is not teaching that every time a life falls apart it is due to wickedness and folly or that no wicked person will ever flourish for a time. It is teaching that, generally, this is how reality works. Folly leads to instability. Wisdom leads to flourishing.
How Does Righteousness/Wisdom Lead to Flourishing?
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,
and whoever captures souls is wise. (Proverbs 11:30)
Like an apple tree produces apples, righteousness produces life. One way to discern who is wicked and who is righteous is to look at the effect a person has on the people around him. Fools tend to drag people down. The wise tend to lift people up.
The Falling and Flourishing Start On Earth
If the righteous is repaid on earth,
how much more the wicked and the sinner! (Proverbs 11:31)
Wise Christians connect the dots between their earthly outcomes and their character and decisions.
