The Inheritance

For Friday, January 11, 2008
Proverbs 28:10

Whoever misleads the upright into an evil way
will fall into his own pit,
but the blameless will have a goodly inheritance.

Consider the consequences of our actions. This is where the wicked miscalculate. He digs his pit and cleverly leads the upright to fall in it. Perhaps he does so through temptation causing the upright to walk off the righteous path; perhaps the concealment of the pit causes the upright to fall in even as he is walking in obedience. Either way, the upright who possess the righteousness of Christ will be delivered and the wicked will find himself trapped in the very pit he prepared.

The blameless in Christ will receive his goodly inheritance. It is an inheritance "that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for [him]" (1 Peter 1:4). But can he be waylaid from receiving that inheritance by the pit dug by the wicked? No, for he is "by God's power guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time" (1 Peter 1:5).

Can he stumble and fall into a pit? Yes. For he can be lead into temptation. He can rest from being alert to the "adversary the devil [who] prowls around like a roaring lion" (1 Peter 5:8). And so he needs to be delivered out of sin and trouble. Thank God that receiving the promised inheritance lies in the strength and faithfulness of our Savior to carry us through. All the more then, we are to strive to walk in obedience to our Lord, looking to him each day to guide us, protect us, and deliver us from evil. Let us be thankful to the "God of all grace, who has called [us] to his eternal glory in Christ [and who] will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish [us]. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen" (1 Peter 5:10-11).