Proverbs 12

One of my favorite television programs to watch is Judge Judy. Judge Sheindlin is a no-nonsense judge who doesn’t hold back what she’s thinking from the litigants who come into her courtroom. And one of the things she says often (especially to people who have lied or are trying to lie to her!) is, “If you tell the truth, you don’t have to have a good memory.”

Of course, what she means is that if you are honest, you’ll never have to worry about what you’ve said in the past. You’ll never have to try to keep all your lies straight in your mind. You’ll never have to worry about falling into a trap of your own making. If you simply tell the truth in life, your life will be much simpler.

I think that has a connection to today’s chapter. Solomon said, “No one can be established through wickedness, but the righteous cannot be uprooted.” (vs 3) If security, peace, and simplicity are what you’re after, may I suggest you walk in the path of the righteous? If you don’t, you’ll always be looking over your shoulder, wondering if you’re going to get caught at whatever game it is you’re playing.

If you choose a life of wickedness and deceit, you definitely might get ahead in life—for a while, that is. You may reach high and lofty places using crooked methods, but they will be very slippery places. When you decide to base your life on wicked ways, you’re building for yourself a house of cards that will, in time, blow over.

You might have seen the 2002 film Catch Me If You Can, which was the true story of Frank Abagnale, Jr., who—all before his 19th birthday—successfully defrauded banks of millions of dollars while pretending to be a Pan Am pilot, a doctor, and a lawyer. Successfully, that is, until he was eventually caught and thrown in jail. His deceit may have led to temporary wealth and prosperity, but it could never have lasted.

In contrast, the righteous may not have much (although some do), but whatever they do have is secure. Or, perhaps it’s more accurate to say that they are secure. They cannot be uprooted. Their trust is not in their money, nor did they employ devious means to gain what they have; thus, if they lose it all (like Job), they are not destroyed. Though it may not be easy, they are able to stand no matter what.

They are like the wise man Jesus talked about, the man who built his house on the rock: “The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.” (Matt 7:25) By contrast, the wicked build their house on sand: “The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” (Matt 7:27)

God doesn’t plant trees. God plants people. When we turn our lives over to Him, He gives us peace, confidence, and security—irrespective of what we own, how much is in our bank account, or whether we even have a job. When the storms of life rage all around us, we cannot be blown over. Oh, we may twist and sway in the winds. It might even feel violent at times, but the better we know God, the deeper our roots extend. Knowing Him is what brings lasting peace and security.