Proverbs are for Wisdom

For Friday, September 16, 2005
Proverbs 12:21

No ill befalls the righteous,
but the wicked are filled with trouble.

What do we think when we read this text?

What about Job?

What about Habakkuk 1:4 ("So the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; so justice goes forth perverted.")

What about the innocent who suffer though no fault of their own.

What about well-meaning (?) Christians who accuse me of sin if there is unusual suffering in my life?

We can remind ourselves that there are no innocent before the eyes of God.

We can ask if the troubles we face are worthy to be compared with the glory that will be revealed in us.

We can know that Christ, the only one who was righteous before God, was not overcome by his death.

We can even say that 'in general', we should understand that many evils and sufferings will be avoided by one who follows God's commands, and that wickedness brings much more trouble into life.

And we can ask about Job, and recall that he said

Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand,
things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.