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Proverbs 10

1The proverbs of Solomon: A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish son grief to his mother. 2Ill-gotten treasures profit nothing, but righteousness brings deliverance from death. 3The LORD does not let the righteous go hungry, but He denies the craving of the wicked. 4Idle hands make one poor, but diligent hands bring wealth. 5He who gathers in summer is a wise son, but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son. 6Blessings are on the head of the righteous, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence. 7The memory of the righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot. 8A wise heart will receive commandments, but foolish lips will come to ruin. 9He who walks in integrity walks securely, but he who perverts his ways will be found out. 10He who winks the eye causes grief, and foolish lips will come to ruin. 11The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence. 12Hatred stirs up dissension, but love covers all transgressions. 13Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning, but a rod is for the back of him who lacks judgment. 14The wise store up knowledge, but the mouth of the fool invites destruction. 15The wealth of the rich man is his fortified city, but poverty is the ruin of the poor. 16The labor of the righteous leads to life, but the gain of the wicked brings punishment. 17Whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life, but he who ignores reproof goes astray. 18The one who conceals hatred has lying lips, and whoever spreads slander is a fool. 19When words are many, sin is unavoidable, but he who restrains his lips is wise. 20The tongue of the righteous is choice silver, but the heart of the wicked has little worth. 21The lips of the righteous feed many, but fools die for lack of judgment. 22The blessing of the LORD enriches, and He adds no sorrow to it. 23The fool delights in shameful conduct, but a man of understanding has wisdom. 24What the wicked man dreads will overtake him, but the desire of the righteous will be granted. 25When the whirlwind passes, the wicked are no more, but the righteous are secure forever. 26Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is the slacker to those who send him. 27The fear of the LORD prolongs life, but the years of the wicked will be cut short. 28The hope of the righteous is joy, but the expectations of the wicked will perish. 29The way of the LORD is a refuge to the upright, but destruction awaits those who do evil. 30The righteous will never be shaken, but the wicked will not inhabit the land. 31The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom, but a perverse tongue will be cut out. 32The lips of the righteous know what is fitting, but the mouth of the wicked is perverse.

Life is short. Where are you going?

You just read God’s own words, and one day every one of us will stand before Him. “What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes” (James 4:14). This life will be over sooner than you think — do you know where you are going when it is?

The Bible says, “Man is appointed to die once, and after that to face judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). If you died today, would you be ready?

Are you a good person?

Most of us think we are. But God doesn’t measure us against other people — He measures us by His Law. Look honestly at the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:3–17):

  1. You shall have no other gods before Me.
  2. You shall not make for yourself an idol.
  3. You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.
  4. Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
  5. Honor your father and mother.
  6. You shall not murder.
  7. You shall not commit adultery.
  8. You shall not steal.
  9. You shall not bear false witness.
  10. You shall not covet.

Have you ever told a lie — even a small one? Have you ever taken something that wasn’t yours? Have you ever used God’s name as a curse word? Have you ever wanted what belongs to someone else? Jesus said that anyone who looks with lust “has already committed adultery … in his heart” (Matthew 5:28), and the Bible says “everyone who hates his brother is a murderer” (1 John 3:15).

If we’re honest, we have all broken God’s Law — and “whoever keeps the whole law but stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it” (James 2:10). “There is no one righteous, not even one … there is no one who does good, not even one” (Romans 3:10–12).

That leaves every one of us guilty before a holy God. “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23), and “whoever rejects the Son will not see life. Instead, the wrath of God remains on him” (John 3:36). This is why our world is full of tragedy — and without Christ, every life ends in the greatest tragedy of all.

But God made a way

“God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Jesus lived the perfect life we never could, and on the cross He took the punishment we deserved: “God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21). Three days later He rose from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:3–4).

It’s like standing guilty in court when the judge steps down and pays your fine himself. Forgiveness is a free gift — you can’t earn it: “It is by grace you have been saved through faith … it is the gift of God, not by works” (Ephesians 2:8–9). “The gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come that they may have life, and have it in all its fullness.” Jesus — John 10:10

What will you do with Jesus?

“Repent and believe in the gospel!” (Mark 1:15). Turn from your sin, and put your trust in Jesus alone — “if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9). Don’t put it off — “now is the time of favor; now is the day of salvation!” (2 Corinthians 6:2).

And when you turn to Him, you won’t be met with a frown — you’ll be met with a celebration. Jesus said, “there is joy in the presence of God’s angels over one sinner who repents” (Luke 15:10). God says, “I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked should turn from their ways and live” (Ezekiel 33:11). He is “mighty to save. He will rejoice over you with gladness … He will rejoice over you with singing” (Zephaniah 3:17). Like the father who ran to embrace his lost son, He is waiting with open arms — and heaven throws a party when you come home (Luke 15:20–24).

If you died today, where would you spend eternity? Today you can be forgiven, made new, and have real, abundant life — now and forever.

Join the Party — give my life to Jesus Find a Party — a church near me

Scripture quotations are from the Berean Standard Bible (BSB), which is in the public domain.