Living Life by Design

In Proverbs 10:31-11:8 the writer contrasts ‘the wicked’ with ‘the righteous’. Wickedness will lead to destruction – ‘the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity… the wicked are brought down by their own wickedness’ (11:3b,5b). Most significantly of all, wickedness is undone by death: ‘When the wicked die, their hope perishes; all they expected from their power comes to nothing’ (v.7).

On the other hand, ‘righteousness delivers from death’ (v.4b). This is one of the arguments the apostle Peter made about Jesus on the Day of Pentecost – righteousness cannot rot: ‘It was impossible for death to keep its hold on him’ (Acts 2:24).

Righteousness means having a right relationships, with God and with other people. You receive this righteousness from God as a gift by faith (Romans 3:22; Philippians 3:9) but you have to take possession of it. You have to live it out.

Have you taken possession of this gift?