Proverbs 28

Read Proverbs 28

“The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion.” We understand from the New Testament that “perfect love casts out fear.” (1 John 4:18) Our God has made sure promises to us that have been secured through the death of His Son. The resurrection of Jesus provides evidence for us of the life that awaits us beyond this dying world. Even now the Lord is in perfect control of all the events in our lives. Because of our God, the righteous can be as bold as lions. We live in the certainty of the promises of our King.

This does not mean that everything that we experience in our lives will be morally good or pleasant. Wickedness, poverty, and oppression are still with us. Yet as we seek the Lord we can understand justice, beauty, truth, goodness, and order. We can pursue these with the confidence that the Lord will care for us even beyond this life.

“The one who keeps the law is a son with understanding.” May the Lord continue to grant to us listening ears. We need a life that is filled with the Word of God where the Almighty King of Creation and Providence hears us when we call out to Him. “If one turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination.”

This good life of communion with the Lord requires the humility of confession and repentance. “Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.” We also have this New Testament encouragement to bring our honest confession to the Lord: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9) Because of God's abundant grace, we can experience the joy of His mercy every day.

“Blessed is the one who fears the Lord always.” The righteous man will be as bold as a lion if he has learned how to live a humble life before the Lord. True reverence for the Lord is full of rewards. The life of stubborn rejection of Jehovah's commandments makes no sense for us. “He who is crooked in his ways will suddenly fall.” May God deliver us from evil decisions that will only invite further calamity into our lives.

We need to see the good provision that the Almighty has given to us through the work of Jesus Christ. In Him we not only find all that we need for salvation, we also discover true joy for living and the blessings that come from trusting God and giving generously to others in need. Greed will only poison our minds and it will never seem like we have enough. Trusting in the Lord will lead to an eternity of glorious bounty.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

O God, what will we do when the wicked come against us? Grant us powerful aid from heaven when the strong would oppress the poor. We will be generous to those in need. We will not lead the simple astray. Help us to guide Your people home to You through our words and actions. Keep us tender in our sympathies and our understanding. Teach us to walk in integrity. Make us faithful in every test by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. We thank You for those who have gone before us. We honor the memory of the godly, and thank You for Your grace in their lives and in ours.