October 2, Proverbs 28
Whoever walks in integrity will be delivered, but he who is crooked in his ways will suddenly fall.
- Proverbs 28:18
The hospital patient's yellow wristband is no fashion accessory. It reminds the caregivers (and maybe the patient, too) that he is more likely to fall because of his physical condition or medication. The hospital doesn't want the patient to get hurt. They also don't want to be sued after someone falls during their stay. Infants have a reflexive fear of falling. Toddlers start out afraid of falling, but get over it after a few falls as they learn to walk.
Some fears from childhood recur in old age. Senior citizens might have deja vu when they feel no steadier on their feet than they did as toddlers long ago. They know that a fall paves the way to broken hips, pneumonia and death. So most older folks are careful to minimize their risk of falling.
I've only fallen a few times as an adult, but they were memorable. It seemed like the floor or ground got harder as the years passed. So far, I’ve had no broken bones or serious injuries, and only a time or two had bruises anywhere besides my ego the following day after.
Our text today and a couple of other verses describe a different kind of fall. The verses clearly describe risky behaviors that would lead to a spiritual fall and the awful consequences that would follow. The texts don’t only describe the negative aspects. They also suggest healthy, safe alternative actions that lead to a much better outcome. Let's look briefly at the three examples and learn from them.
Verse 18 warns that the person who is "crooked in his ways will suddenly fall." The alternative is that the one "who walks in integrity will be delivered." That's pretty clear. If we're open and honest and adhere to principles in our conduct, we're on the path that leads to deliverance. But if we're sneaky, deceptive and unprincipled, we're headed for a fall.
Now consider verse 10: "Whoever misleads the upright into an evil way will fall into his own pit, but the blameless will have a goodly inheritance." In this case, the fall factor is misleading an upright person into doing wrong. The alternative behavior to avoid this fall is being blameless, doing the right thing and not leading others to do wrong. The contrasted consequences are very different. There's a big difference in receiving a good inheritance and falling down into a pit designed to ensnare the gullible. The trap worked, but the one who set it was caught in it himself.
Then verse 14 has, "Blessed is the one who fears the LORD always; but whoever hardens his heart will fall into calamity." The one who is falling this time has a closed mind and a hardened heart toward God. He has no regard for God, and is not swayed by commands or warnings or encouragement from God's word. The safe course here is to "fear the LORD always." This person holds God in reverence. He listens to God's word and does what God says. He has deep respect for God, and sets aside his will to do God's will instead. His outcome is conveyed in a single word: he is blessed. He enjoys God's approval and the rewards that come from pleasing God. The fellow with the hard heart falls into calamity. His life turns into a disaster and he realizes his error too late.
People who have fallen sometimes look back on what they were doing that led to the painful fall. The common lament of the fallen is, "If I had it to do over again, I would not repeat the same mistake that caused me to fall."
Do we say the same thing about not doing the same foolish thing again that led to our spiritual fall? As sinners, we’ve all stumbled and fallen into sin. We're all wearing yellow "Fall Risk" wristbands, aren’t we? If God grants us mercy and opportunity to survive after we've suffered a fall like the ones we’ve talked about today, I hope we’ll be wise enough to not repeat the same risky behaviors again.
Today in God's Word—October 2024
East Tallassee Church of Christ
Copyright © 2021 by Michael B. McElroy. Used
by permission. All rights reserved.
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