A Bold Face

For Monday, May 28, 2007
Proverbs 21:29

A wicked man puts on a bold face,
but the upright gives thought to his ways.

Wickedness does take a certain courage. After all, the wicked man risks getting caught and punished. He is willing to incur the wrath of others. He takes these things upon himself all for greed and spite. And so he puts on his bold face to deceive and to mock, and to show his bravado. But a bold face can do little more than buy some time. Justice will come, either through the law or vengence of his enemies, and ultimately when he stands before God. At that time there will be no bold face.

A bold face is no replacement for wisdom and righteousness which win favor with God and man, and which provide true security. It is not the bold face, but the upright heart that wins the day. Better to be strong than to feign strength; better to be wise than to pretend cleverness; better to give thought to what pleases God than to act with bravado.