Proverbs 21:21-24 says,...

Today's verses are Proverbs 21:21-24, which read,

v.21 - He who pursues righteousness and loyalty finds life, righteousness and honor.

Those who are wise following after God will receive more than what they pursue.  It is not that they are seeking to get more or like it is a formula to manipulate how God works but they are genuinely glorifying God with their actions.  They pursue righteousness and loyalty, two things, and the find life, righteousness and honor, three things.  

To pursue is to be behind and to follow after the practices of righteousness or a just life and loyalty or a kind, good and faithful life.  To find is to attain life or the sense of being alive, experiencing justice, and honor or weighted glory.  Those three words describe our Lord Jesus Christ.  He is life and He is right and just and provides justification and deserves all of our heavy honor to Him.

v.22 - A wise man scales the city of the mighty and brings down the stronghold in which they trust.

How is the city of the mighty and the stronghold brought down?  How are these physical things they trust in brought down to what they are just temporal physical things that will end some day?  It is brought down by a wise man following after God and living an active life for Him.  He is scaling and he is bringing down, both action words.  These are climbing terms of a hill or mountain.  The things that we trust in are like mountains in our lives but Jesus said some mountains are obstacles in our lives and to be thrown into the sea.  The wise climb up one side of that earthly security and down the other keeping after God.

v.23 - He who guards his mouth and his tongue, guards his soul from troubles.

Solomon can't get to far from saying something about the mouth and tongue and here he goes again but in the positive.  He is telling us what we are to do to keep our mouth and tongue protecting us rather than destroying us.  We guard it.  We keep guard and observe what we say.  We connect what we say with what we do and how it affects us and those around us.  This action allows us not to experience what we would have experienced and testify of God's protection through a life void of many evils.  Praise God for the troubles you haven't seen because you are following after His instruction to guard your mouth and tongue.

v.24 - "Proud," "Haughty," "Scoffer," are his names, who acts with insolent pride.

We end today with just the opposite of the previous proverb.  The one who does not guard his mouth and tongue takes upon names that have been said over and over in the Proverbs as not good.  Another three names could be "Arrogant," "Stuck Up," and "Scorner."  Who are called these names?  Those who act with insolent pride.  Notice the action here.  Those who live what their names say.  They are becoming defined by others by what they see in their lives being played out.  

Big question.  What would be on your sign as your name?  What would others put there?  "Oh he is...or she is..." and it wouldn't be your proper name but the name of your actions to God and others.  Those names could be "Humble," "True Friend," and "Encourager."  What is your name is what you act.  What are you pursuing?  What are you scaling and bringing down?  What are you guarding?  Pursue God.  Climb over earthly trusts.  Guard your tongue to glorify Christ.  Actions of the wise.  Let us pray.

"Lord, proverbs in the positive for the wise today.  Things we need to be reminded of to act upon.  May we not set these aside for another day but put them on the top of our 'to do' list and don't do anything else until these are in place.  Thank You for what You give us when we pursue a life that honors You.  Thank You for giving us what is lasting and seeing what we need to climb over that isn't.  Thank You for Your protection from troubles to our souls as we surrender our tongues and mouths to You.  May our name be one that points to You.  Amen."

Pastor Adam