Proverbs 11

It's probably been years since I've really sat down to read the book of Proverbs. Perhaps, when I was younger we worked through some of the more "famous" proverbs during Bible class. In any case, it's a challenge to find one area within chapter of 11 to focus on. It's as though Solomon jumps around on numerous topics and honestly, I find it hard to connect all of his thoughts. So that made me think of Solomon and who he was as he wrote this book.

Solomon was the son of King David and Bathsheba. Immediately, I think, "Wow, God could use such a terrible act/sin (adultery) to bring about a man of such great wisdom and still use it to glorify God and believers for generations to come." Of course, Solomon was not perfect like the rest of us, but through Proverbs, he uses the gift of wisdom, he asked the Lord for, to bless future generations with a closer look into the wisdom of God.

Proverbs 11 may jump all over the place, but throughout it I get the sense that God is speaking about righteousness. I love verse 23, "The desire of the righteous ends only in good but the hope of the wicked only in wrath." It's just what we were talking about at study last week! DESIRE. RIGHTEOUSNESS. If we believe God we are considered blameless and have the righteousness of Christ. 

It says in verse 19, "Truly the righteous attain life, but whoever pursues evil finds death." I want to be found righteous in Christ today, tomorrow and at judgement day. We have to continually wrestle with our flesh to fight our own desires to take on the desire of righteousness, that of Christ. Today, I pray that each one of us will challenge our fleshly desires for those of the holy, righteous God who loves us.