Pro 11:28 | KingComments | STEP | Wanting to get rich and abusing wealth are to be condemned. There is another evil associated with riches and that is trusting in riches ( ). “Who trusts in his riches” will be shamed with it. He will find that to his shame when he “falls”. Riches do not provide a firm foundation for life. To fall means that his life will end in a mess. The cause is that he does not give God a place in his life ( ). For “the righteous” the opposite is true. They trust in God and “flourish like the [green] leaf”. Their life is rooted in Him and characterized by prosperity and fruitfulness (cf. ; ). The life of those who trust in riches is like a fallen and withered leaf, while that of the righteous is like a greening leaf full of vitality that continues to grow. One who in his greed thinks only of himself plunges his house into troubles ( ). There is no interest at all in fellow householders, whom he regards only as a nuisance in the pursuit of evil. What remains of his efforts is only wind, nothing he can grasp. From the way he has managed his home, it is clear that he is a fool. The second line of verse assumes that he has lost everything and has incurred so much debt that he must rent himself out as a “servant to the wise-hearted”. What the righteous brings forth ( ) contrasts with the fool of . His life as a righteous man shows that he has life. He does not have that life in himself. What comes out of him, what becomes visible of the life that is in him, comes forth from the true Tree of life, the Lord Jesus. Therefore, the life of the righteous person resembles the life of Him, the perfectly Righteous One. This similarity is also reflected in the relationship to other people. One who brings forth a tree of life as fruit is seeking to bring others into connection with the true Tree of life. The primary concern is about attracting and winning others over to wisdom. Whoever does that, whoever wins souls in this way, is wise. We can also apply it to the gospel. We can become fishers of men and catch them ( ) by winning them over to Christ, that they may go after Him. Paul is a special example of such a wise man (cf. ). His entire ministry is a source of life and spiritual food for generations to come. “The righteous” has as much to do with the government of God as “the wicked and the sinner” ( ). God in His righteousness must deal with every sin regardless of who commits that sin. A righteous person who sins must suffer and bear the consequences. Moses is an example of this. Because he sinned, he was not allowed to bring the people into the promised land. David’s life also shows the truth of what is written here. This retribution happens on earth. One comfort in this is that the righteous may know that Christ helps him bear the consequences of his sins because He bore the judgment of his sins on the cross. “The wicked and the sinner” equally faces and will have to bear the consequences of his sins on earth. But there is a “how much more” for him – this is the first of the four “how much more” sayings ( ). He will have to bear the burden alone because he lives without Christ and, if he does not repent, dies without Him. It seems that Peter quotes this word in his first letter when he writes: “And if it is with difficulty that the righteous is saved, what will become of the godless man and the sinner?” ( ).

‏ Proverbs 11:28

The Growth of the Righteous

Wanting to get rich and abusing wealth are to be condemned. There is another evil associated with riches and that is trusting in riches (Pro 11:28). “Who trusts in his riches” will be shamed with it. He will find that to his shame when he “falls”. Riches do not provide a firm foundation for life. To fall means that his life will end in a mess. The cause is that he does not give God a place in his life (Lk 12:16-21).

For “the righteous” the opposite is true. They trust in God and “flourish like the [green] leaf”. Their life is rooted in Him and characterized by prosperity and fruitfulness (cf. Psa 92:12-15; Jer 17:7-8). The life of those who trust in riches is like a fallen and withered leaf, while that of the righteous is like a greening leaf full of vitality that continues to grow.

One who in his greed thinks only of himself plunges his house into troubles (Pro 11:29). There is no interest at all in fellow householders, whom he regards only as a nuisance in the pursuit of evil. What remains of his efforts is only wind, nothing he can grasp. From the way he has managed his home, it is clear that he is a fool. The second line of verse assumes that he has lost everything and has incurred so much debt that he must rent himself out as a “servant to the wise-hearted”.

What the righteous brings forth (Pro 11:30) contrasts with the fool of Pro 11:29. His life as a righteous man shows that he has life. He does not have that life in himself. What comes out of him, what becomes visible of the life that is in him, comes forth from the true Tree of life, the Lord Jesus. Therefore, the life of the righteous person resembles the life of Him, the perfectly Righteous One.

This similarity is also reflected in the relationship to other people. One who brings forth a tree of life as fruit is seeking to bring others into connection with the true Tree of life. The primary concern is about attracting and winning others over to wisdom. Whoever does that, whoever wins souls in this way, is wise.

We can also apply it to the gospel. We can become fishers of men and catch them (Mt 4:19) by winning them over to Christ, that they may go after Him. Paul is a special example of such a wise man (cf. 1Cor 9:20-22 ; 1Cor 10:33). His entire ministry is a source of life and spiritual food for generations to come.

“The righteous” has as much to do with the government of God as “the wicked and the sinner” (Pro 11:31). God in His righteousness must deal with every sin regardless of who commits that sin. A righteous person who sins must suffer and bear the consequences. Moses is an example of this. Because he sinned, he was not allowed to bring the people into the promised land. David’s life also shows the truth of what is written here. This retribution happens on earth. One comfort in this is that the righteous may know that Christ helps him bear the consequences of his sins because He bore the judgment of his sins on the cross.

“The wicked and the sinner” equally faces and will have to bear the consequences of his sins on earth. But there is a “how much more” for him – this is the first of the four “how much more” sayings (Pro 11:31 ; Pro 15:11 ; Pro 19:7 ; Pro 21:27). He will have to bear the burden alone because he lives without Christ and, if he does not repent, dies without Him. It seems that Peter quotes this word in his first letter when he writes: “And if it is with difficulty that the righteous is saved, what will become of the godless man and the sinner?” (1Pet 4:18).