Many a man proclaims his own loyalty, But who can find a trustworthy man? Proverbs 20:6

I love it when one of the proverbs has a perfect biblical example in the New Testament.  This is the case with today's proverb.  It speaks of those who declare their own loyalty - but then asks the question of whether anyone can even find a trustworthy man. 

The situation we learn of in the New Testament is the history of Peter.  He declared that though all the other disciples would abandon Jesus - he would not!  Peter made this statement during the Last Supper - and it was followed by strong declarations made by all the rest of the disciples.  But what we saw at the crucifixion was a very different situation.  Peter followed Jesus at a distance and eventually denied he even knew Jesus.  The others did not even make it that far - abandoning Christ in the garden when the mob came to arrest Him.  So much for the prideful declarations of those who proclaim their own loyalty.

There is something fundamentally wrong with a man who trumpets his own loyalty.  Filled with pride - he makes boasts of how loyal and trustworthy and faithful he is.  Such declarations really should be made by those whom he serves.  They are the ones who have evidence of his loyalty - and they should be the ones who speak of it.  Yet this passage states that this guy is blowing his own horn.  Be careful then with those who boast of how faithful and true they are.  And if you are one who has done this in the past, take the advice of another proverb and, "Let another praise you, and not your own lips." 

The question that is asked in the second part of this proverb is also interesting.  "Who can find a trustworthy man?"  Let us take a look at that for a few moments.  There are trustworthy men found in the history of the Bible.  Solomon knew of one because of his own mother.  She was married to a man named Uriah.  Now he was a trustworthy man.  He was faithful to God and to David.  When David brought him home under the guise of asking about the battle, he would not go to his home and sleep with his wife.  That was what David desired so that he could cover his own adultery with Bathsheba.  But Uriah was a trustworthy man.  He said he would sleep in the open like his fellow soldiers - and not go to his home and to his wife.  His faithfulness eventually cost him his life.  David, who was not being a trustworthy man, had Uriah killed by taking him too close to the wall - where the archers were able to kill him.

The history of the world is a history of men being unfaithful.  When Solomon asks if anyone can find a trustworthy man - he is asking a very poignent question.  There are actually no trustworthy men on the face of the earth - except one.  All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.  All have turned aside and become worthless.  There is a sin nature that is in every man and woman alive that will eventually prove they are not an absolute trustworthy person. 

There has only been one trustworthy man - the man Christ Jesus.  God testified to that at His baptism where He declared, "This is my beloved Son, in Whom I am well-pleased."  Near the end of his time on earth - God allowed James, John, and Peter to see Jesus' inner nature at the Mount of Transfiguration - where the absolute purity and trustworthiness of Jesus was allowed to shine forth.  And His resurrection from the dead was absolute proof that He was the only trustworthy man ever. 

Solomon's question is a good one.  There is only One Who is trustworthy.  That man is Jesus Christ - the God-man.  He was trustworthy and faithful in all God's commandments.  That is why He was able to go to the cross and die for all our sins and rebellion.  It is also why God can now declare us righteous.  It was because of the One Man Who was a trustworthy man.  Although it was said in a different context - Pilate was right when he declared, "Behold the Man!"  Even Pilate could not find any fault in Jesus.  The only sentence Christ was declared guilty of - was the fact that He said that He was the Christ.  The Pharisees and Saducees on the council declared Him a blasphemer - but God declared Him the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead!  The truly wise cling to the resurrected Jesus Christ as the only faithful and trustworthy Man.  He alone is trustworthy to save to the uttermost those who come to Him in repentance and faith!

Many a man proclaims his own loyalty, But who can find a trustworthy man? Proverbs 20:6

I love it when one of the proverbs has a perfect biblical example in the New Testament.  This is the case with today's proverb.  It speaks of those who declare their own loyalty - but then asks the question of whether anyone can even find a trustworthy man. 

The situation we learn of in the New Testament is the history of Peter.  He declared that though all the other disciples would abandon Jesus - he would not!  Peter made this statement during the Last Supper - and it was followed by strong declarations made by all the rest of the disciples.  But what we saw at the crucifixion was a very different situation.  Peter followed Jesus at a distance and eventually denied he even knew Jesus.  The others did not even make it that far - abandoning Christ in the garden when the mob came to arrest Him.  So much for the prideful declarations of those who proclaim their own loyalty.

There is something fundamentally wrong with a man who trumpets his own loyalty.  Filled with pride - he makes boasts of how loyal and trustworthy and faithful he is.  Such declarations really should be made by those whom he serves.  They are the ones who have evidence of his loyalty - and they should be the ones who speak of it.  Yet this passage states that this guy is blowing his own horn.  Be careful then with those who boast of how faithful and true they are.  And if you are one who has done this in the past, take the advice of another proverb and, "Let another praise you, and not your own lips." 

The question that is asked in the second part of this proverb is also interesting.  "Who can find a trustworthy man?"  Let us take a look at that for a few moments.  There are trustworthy men found in the history of the Bible.  Solomon knew of one because of his own mother.  She was married to a man named Uriah.  Now he was a trustworthy man.  He was faithful to God and to David.  When David brought him home under the guise of asking about the battle, he would not go to his home and sleep with his wife.  That was what David desired so that he could cover his own adultery with Bathsheba.  But Uriah was a trustworthy man.  He said he would sleep in the open like his fellow soldiers - and not go to his home and to his wife.  His faithfulness eventually cost him his life.  David, who was not being a trustworthy man, had Uriah killed by taking him too close to the wall - where the archers were able to kill him.

The history of the world is a history of men being unfaithful.  When Solomon asks if anyone can find a trustworthy man - he is asking a very poignent question.  There are actually no trustworthy men on the face of the earth - except one.  All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.  All have turned aside and become worthless.  There is a sin nature that is in every man and woman alive that will eventually prove they are not an absolute trustworthy person. 

There has only been one trustworthy man - the man Christ Jesus.  God testified to that at His baptism where He declared, "This is my beloved Son, in Whom I am well-pleased."  Near the end of his time on earth - God allowed James, John, and Peter to see Jesus' inner nature at the Mount of Transfiguration - where the absolute purity and trustworthiness of Jesus was allowed to shine forth.  And His resurrection from the dead was absolute proof that He was the only trustworthy man ever. 

Solomon's question is a good one.  There is only One Who is trustworthy.  That man is Jesus Christ - the God-man.  He was trustworthy and faithful in all God's commandments.  That is why He was able to go to the cross and die for all our sins and rebellion.  It is also why God can now declare us righteous.  It was because of the One Man Who was a trustworthy man.  Although it was said in a different context - Pilate was right when he declared, "Behold the Man!"  Even Pilate could not find any fault in Jesus.  The only sentence Christ was declared guilty of - was the fact that He said that He was the Christ.  The Pharisees and Saducees on the council declared Him a blasphemer - but God declared Him the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead!  The truly wise cling to the resurrected Jesus Christ as the only faithful and trustworthy Man.  He alone is trustworthy to save to the uttermost those who come to Him in repentance and faith!

The righteousness of the blameless will smooth his way, But the wicked will fall by his own wickedness.Proverbs 11:5

There is a way of living that will "smooth" our lives and the way which we walk - but there is another way of living that will guarantee that we will trip and fall.

We learn from today's proverb that the righteousness of the blameless will smooth his way.  Righteousness here is "sedaqah" which means integrity or blameless conduct.  It refers to someone who acts with justice - in having right attitudes and living out right actions.  This right way and right thinking come from knowing and walking with God.  So we have a man who desires to live right before God.  He is also described as "blameless" - which means someone whose life is filled with truth, virtue, and uprightness.  This is wisdom - to walk in what God says is right - so others can look at our lives and see that we are walking blamelessly when it comes to God and His view of who we are and what we are doing.  This "smooth" what that is promised is actually the word "yashar" which means to be smooth, straight, or right.  When we want to live in what is right in God's sight - He will grant that ethically we will walk in a way that is prepared for us - a smooth and straight way.  This is the lifestyle of the godly - and whether men realize it or not - this lifestyle is one where men bless you - and want you around. 

The wicked however is said to fall by his own wickedness.  He does not walk right - or true - or with integrity.  Thus in time his sins catch up with him and he finds himself drowning in his own lifestyle.  This is the way that men are brought down.  They simply truth in themselves rather than trusting in the Lord. 

There are two paths in front of us every day - there is the path that leads us to righteousness and God's way - and then there is another path.  It is a path that will lead a person to the point where they want to question God and His work in their lives.  In the end - the wickedness of the human heart overwhelms us - as we walk in our flesh and seek to please ourselves.  May God give us great wisdom to choose the path that embraces godliness, righteousness, and blameless living.  That is truly the path that will lead upward for us until Christ comes again to take us home.