Text: Proverbs 11:5-8 (ESV)   5 The righteousness of the blameless keeps his way straight, but the wicked falls by his own wickedness. 6 The righteousness of the upright delivers them, but the treacherous are taken captive by their lust. 7 When the wicked dies, his hope will perish, and the expectation of wealth perishes too. 8 The righteous is delivered from trouble, and the wicked walks into it instead.   THE WAY OF THE RIGHTEOUS IS STRAIGHT   The bible often speaks of a truthful, godly life using the imagery of a straight, clear paths [Prov 3:6; Isa 26:7] In the New testament, they walk in a manner worthy of their calling (Eph 4:1). They walk in love and they walk carefully (Eph 5:1,15). Why? They walk in the Spirit[Gal 5:16] His uprightness will deliver him.[v.6] Sadly, the wicked ‘falls by his own wickedness.” It’s as throwing a boomerang. For what reason? He is deceived or self-deluded. For “there is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.”[Prov 14:12] The iniquities of a wicked man entrap him; the cords of his sin entangle him. [Prov 5:22]   The upright person has a lifestyle of righteousness which makes him safe from harm. Why? He is not engaging in the crooked and deceptive sins which lead to natural consequences. In contrast, the treacherous person is a captive to his own lust. For a person to claim that he is free to do anything, including evil, is not freedom at all. It’s slavery to one’s lust. As James says, “each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.”[Jas 1:14-15] One day, he will suffer the consequences. Moses has this warning, “But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against the Lord, and be sure your sin will find you out.” [Num 32:23] In short, the wicked, oblivious to it, walk into it while the righteous is delivered from it.[v.7]   At the end of the day, the wicked will suffer eternal loss. Solomon says, “When the wicked dies, his hope will perish, and the expectation of wealth perishes too.”[v.6] There is no hope for the wicked should he continue in his sinful lifestyle. Death ends his quest for wealth, and his hope of becoming rich dies with him. Worse, the evil person plunges into an eternity without hope or redemption (see John 3:36). Yet, today each one of us is given the offer to choose for Christ. Paul says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”[Rom 6:23]   Listen and FOLLOW us on our podcast ------------------------- Visit and FOLLOW Gospel Light Filipino on YouTube, Facebook and Instagram