HONESTY vs. WICKEDNESS
“The godly are directed by honesty; the wicked fall beneath their load of sin. When the wicked die, their hopes die with them, for they rely on their own feeble strength.” – Proverbs 11:5, 7 New Living Translation
In these last few verses Solomon has stressed the importance of ‘honesty’. Just what exactly IS honesty? Being honest has to do with one’s integrity. An honest person is genuine. They are truthful. They are sincere and of good reputation. They are also humble. (The complete definition is in the footnote section below) These are all traits attributable to Almighty God. So a person who is honest in all situations and at all times is displaying a godly characteristic.
The wicked are not those who do the most heinous deeds known to man. A wicked person is one who is immoral and highly offensive. He or she is malicious and sinful. These are the characteristics of the evil one, Satan. So you see there are very clear lines drawn between the righteous and the unrepentant. The godly proceed thru life with the power of God at their disposal at any and all times. The wicked only have “their own feeble strength” to rely on, therefore any hopes they may have will die with them for those who see no need to have their sins forgiven have no hope.
God is patient and kind, slow to anger, abounding in love and mercy (Exodus 34:6-7; Psalm 85:15 and Psalm 103:8). However, there is a time when calling on God will be a futile gesture to those on the outside looking in. One day the hands of time will stop forever and the plan for man’s salvation shall come to a close. Woe to those who don’t surrender their hearts and will over to the creator of all life. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!
HONESTY defined …
1. Marked by or displaying integrity; upright: an honest lawyer.
2. Not deceptive or fraudulent; genuine: honest weight.
3. Equitable; fair: honest wages for an honest day's work.
4.a. Characterized by truth; not false: honest reporting.
b. Sincere; frank: an honest critique.
5.a. Of good repute; respectable.
b. Without affectation; plain: honest folk.
6. Virtuous; chaste.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016
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