Whoever walks in integrity walks securely,
but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out.
Whoever winks maliciously causes grief,
and a chattering fool comes to ruin.
The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,
but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
Hatred stirs up conflict,
but love covers over all wrongs.
Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning,
but a rod is for the back of one who has no sense.
The wise store up knowledge,
but the mouth of a fool invites ruin.
The wealth of the rich is their fortified city,
but poverty is the ruin of the poor.
The wages of the righteous is life,
but the earnings of the wicked are sin and death.
- Proverbs 10:9-16
“Proverbs 10:11 well of life ”The Lord is the source of this fountain (Ps. 36:9), which then springs up in the wise man as wise speech (10:11), wise laws (13:14), the fear of the Lord (12:27), and understanding (16:22).”
- John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)
Many of these proverbs are similar. On the wise side, we have integrity, righteousness, love, discerning lips, storing up knowledge and the wages of a righteous life. On the other hand, there is the earnings of sin and death, the mouth of a fool inviting ruin, baring one’s back for the scourge for having no sense, concealing violence, malicious winks, chattering, and a crooked path.
But in the midst of these is the one, 10:15. A rich man with strong walls has a fortified city to maintain his wealth, but a poor man is set to lose everything and be left with ruin.
My parents had a turkey farm. The business was growing and booming. Then the government changed the regulations about a silly thing, water capacity and water flow. The proposed bill would allow us to move the processing plant into town. My Dad sunk into debt to build the new plant, but as the bill went into law, they had changed the numbers and our hometown’s water supply was not sufficient. My dad, in a last ditch effort, bid on property in the nearby larger town, but a rich man out bid him. We often wondered if the rich man’s bid was one dollar more than what the poor man could bid.
I say this to illustrate that the proverb is true in many cases, but who was at fault here? Was the money that makes the rich person’s city fortified earned in a legal manner? Okay, if so, in a moral manner?
Yet, the rich man relies upon his fortified city, while the poor man relies upon God. The loss of the turkey business humbled me, in grade school at the time. And I have spent my life trying to rub two pennies together, but the experience has allowed me to learn how to trust in God.
And now let us sing.
The following hymn is Trust and Obey. It is sung by Vagle Brothers. We used this hymn in the Spurgeon Catechism series, but I said I might repeat songs every now and then. The righteous man gains for having trust in God and obeying. The poor man knows that he has little choice, that is if he is wise.
“When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.
Refrain:
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.
Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,
But our toil He doth richly repay;
Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,
But is blessed if we trust and obey.
But we never can prove the delights of His love
Until all on the altar we lay;
For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows,
Are for them who will trust and obey.
Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet,
Or we’ll walk by His side in the way;
What He says we will do, where He sends we will go;
Never fear, only trust and obey.”
- John H. Sammis, Trust and Obey
Closing Prayer
Dear Lord,
We need Your wisdom. Lord, we know the benefits of following You and trusting in You. Help us keep our eyes on You and help us stay humble.
In thy Name we pray.
Amen
Soli Deo Gloria. Only to God be the Glory.
Thoughts from Mark "Hat" Rackley 
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