A gray head is a crown of glory; It is found in the way of righteousness. Proverbs 16:31

Hooray for the "hoary-headed!" Sorry, a brief return to KJV language. This means the grey-haired man is the wise man. But before we equate wisdom to everyone with grey hair - and wicked motives to everyone who uses "Just for Men" to get grey out of their hair and beard - maybe we should examine everything in this proverb.

What is the second half of this verse referring to . . . an older person - or a crown of glory? It refers a little to both - but mostly to the crown of glory. There is only one other key passage where this admonition is given in connection with being older. It is found in 1 Peter 5:1-4 - and the admonition here refers to "elders" in the church. Oh, but there is much we can learn from it.

Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed, shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. 1 Peter 5:1-4

Note that this passage speaks of older me who do the following. First, they are active in the local church - serving at the highest levels of leadership - which means that they also exhibit the highest levels of servanthood to others.

Second, they voluntarily lead a life of giving and serving others - certainly a wise thing to do - and a godly thing to pursue. What do you VOLUNTEER for in working at the church? Where do you serve God and others there? Do they have to beg you to serve - or do you joyfully volunteer - even to clean toilets if that is necessary. This is wisdom on display!

Third, they serve according to God's will - not their own ego. Older men who learn to do this will be a blessing for hundreds of years in God's church - because younger men see powerful men who subdue their ego in preference to God's will. Too many churches have been destroyed because unwise men tried to serve God in the power of their own ego - thus serving the church became all about them and their desires for what THEY wanted the church to become. These men turn more into church "bosses" than churchmen who are servants of God's will first and foremost.

Fourth, they serve the church and others without thought of money. They are selfless men who do not desire salary and benefits - just blessing to God's people.

Fifth, This do this with eagerness - they LOVE serving God and His people. This goes back to serving God joyfully - even chomping at the bit to help in some way . . . or . . . being dragged griping and moaning because you have to sacrifice in some way your own wants to serve others - who honestly - ought to be serving you! Yeah, this way of living is the fool's way. A wise man knows a little serving in this life - means blessing in the next.

Sixth, older, wiser men serve God as examples to the rest of the flock. They don't lord it over those they lead - they lead in such a way that others follow - because they see the example of servanthood in their leaders.

So . . . this is most likely the way this old dude got his horey-headedness - or grey hair. He got it learning to serve God - not himself. He also knows that the one who does this will be rewarded by the "Chief Shepherd" - read Jesus - Who will give him the "crown of glory" when He comes. Not a bad way to be rewarded - but then again - not a bad way to live our lives either!

The wicked is thrust down by his wrongdoing, But the righteous has a refuge when he dies. Proverbs 14:32

God is going to deck the wicked. That is the basic idea that is being communicated here in today's proverb. The word wicked describes those who are law-breakers. The Law spoken of by this word is God's Law. The wicked have no regard for God's law - and honestly for any other law as well. They are rebellious and find themselves resisting and standing against any law that tries to restrict their freedom to do whatever they want. This is what will deck them in the end.

The second half of this proverb points us in a very interesting direction. We are told that the righteous has a refuge when he dies. Thus the proverb is not just dealing with things here and now - it is pointing us to when we die. What is going to happen to the wicked and the righteous when death comes? The righteous man will have a refuge in that day. His hope is in God's remedy for sin - the Lord Jesus Christ. His refuge is Jesus. He looks to Jesus Christ to give Him a righteousness that will stand on that day - and he rests in that as His salvation. The wicked will find that all they have on that fateful day is their own wickedness. What they will learn too late is that that evil will deck them on jugdment day. They will be accountable for their choices and their actions - which were wicked. What a horrifying day that will be for all those who trusted in themselves and their own righteousness. They will not have a refuge, but their very own doctrines will cast them to the ground.

In what are you trusting to stand on that day? Are you trusting that there won't be one - because that is a vain and empty choice. Are you thinking your good works will be weighed against your bad ones - and if there is more good you will make it? That is a foolish choice for it is not by our works that we are saved. Are you trusting that God is mercy and good and will overlook all your evil? That is unwise for it ignores the righteousness and justice of God. The righteous man knows the way - because he knows first and foremost of all that the righteousness upon which he stands is not his own. He gains that righteousness by faith, not by works. He looks to the Lord Jesus Christ to be his righteousness. Therefore he will stand and will have Christ's gifted righteousness as his refuge on the jugdment day. Again I ask, "In what will you be trusting on the great day of God's judgment. Trusting in anything or anyone other than Jesus Christ crucified, buried, and risen from the dead will not stand. Take refuge in Jesus - in the One Who makes you righteous by grace.

If the righteous will be rewarded in the earth, How much more the wicked and the sinner!  Proverbs 11:31

One thing that is absolutely certain in life is that there will be a judgment once our life is over.  Some may deny this truth - but their denial will not keep it from happening.  This chapter of Proverbs that has often contrasted the righteous and the wicked, will do it one last time before closing.  But the contrast here is in the reward or recompense that they will receive. 

The proverb begins with a sure statement.  The righteous will be rewarded in the earth!  There will be a reward for God's people for their faithfulness to following and obeying Him.  Over and over God has given us promises that if we will do something, He will reward us for doing it.  Those deeds are characterized for us by the fact that God says the reward here is for "the righteous."  Therefore if we value as right what God says is right - there will be great blessing in store for us.  There is reward for doing right.

The flip side of this blessing and reward is punishment and recompense.  If the righteous is rewarded for his doing of what is right - how much more will we not also see the wicked and the sinner recompensed for their opposite behavior.  The Hebraism that is being used here is one that says - the right will be rewarded right, therefore of course the wicked and evil will be rewarded evil as well.  In a very Hebrew way the text is saying that we will reap what we sow. 

One last comment comes from the reading of the Septuagint, Syrian, and Arabic versions of the Bible.  They translate this verse as follows:  "And if the righteous scarecely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?"  This is what Peter quoted in 1 Peter 4:18 - and many Hebrew scholars believe he quoted it from Proverbs 11:31.

Judgment is coming . . . and the wise man will prepare for it over a lifetime.  He does so by turning his heart to the Lord.  We know from the New Testament that the only way a favorable judgment can be rendered to us is by receiving the forgiveness and grace offered through Jesus Christ.  That grace though, will change us so that we will embrace righteousness as a lifestyle.  That is what John tells us in 1 John when he writes, "By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God . . . "  (1 John 3:10)  We practice righteousness because we have been transformed by God's grace.  But is it that righteousness that we embrace and practice that proves that we are truly His.  The wise man will embrace this righteousness and receive a sure reward.  All that will be left for the wicked and the sinner is the surety of a terrifying end before a holy and just God. 

He who is steadfast in righteousness will attain to life, And he who pursues evil will bring about his own death.  Proverbs 11:19

Here we find life gained and life lost.  Both life gained and lost have to do with what we pursue and steadfastly desire in our walk on earth.  It is no shock to us to learn that those who are steadfast in their desire and pursuit of righteousness are those who receive life. The word "steadfast" here means to set something up so that it will be firm and established.  Here it refers to how someone views righteousness - and pursues it in their lives.  Are you building a life whose foundation is laid in God's view of righteousness - or more simply put, in what God says is right?  That is the life Christ referred to in Matthew 7 when He spoke about foundations.  The one who hears the Word of God and heeds it - he is the man who has built his foundation on a rock.  When the winds and storms of life come upon that man, as they surely will, his house will stand.  That is why the steadfast in righteousness will attain to life. 

The life lost is the one that is actively pursuing evil.  Consider King Ahab in the Old Testament, along with his wicked wife, Jezebel.  They pursued evil together.  They were the poster couple of pursuing wickedness and sin.  They excelled in it - and ran after it with an ever-growing lust for more.  They worshipped false gods, stole, killed, and plotted their way to the top.  When at the top they continued in their ways of evil - and heartily encouraged all of Israel to follow their foolish example.  It is no wonder then that they both brought about their own death. 

Ahab foolishly ignored the prophetic statements of Miciah, who warned him that God had allowed a deceiving spirit to move among Ahab's false prophets - so that he could be lured to his death in battle.  Ahab's response was to imprison the prophet - and have him fed with barely enough bread and water to survive until he returned from battle.  Miciah's fateful last words to him were, "If you return, the Lord has not spoken through me."  In another desperate but foolish move, Ahab then disguised himself and did not wear his royal robes into battle.  Thinking he had cheated death and God - he went into battle feeling safe.  We read in Kings that a random archer shot an arrow into the air - and God guided that arrow so that it hit a joint in Ahab's armor.  Badly wounded, he retreated to watch the battle from a distance until he died in his chariot.

Jezebel, having learned of a plot to destroy her family and their legacy in Israel, painted herself and called to her executioner from a tower.  Thinking herself safe there - her executioner called for the men in the tower to throw her down.  They did so and Jehu crushed her beneath his horses and chariot wheels.  These two who pursued evil so passionately both brought about their own death because of their rebellion against God. 

In Deuteronomy God reminded Israel that He put before them life and death.  There was a choice for them.  If they pursued evil and rebellion against God - they needed to know that their sin would find them out.  They would be pursued by the very One against whom they rebelled.  They would learn that He was not impotent as they thought.  They would learn that the One they defied is God - and that He will prevail.  They will also bring about their own death with the evil they think frees them from His authority.  But life is also available to us.  It is received by pursuing righteousness steadfastly.  What is amazing to those who receive that righteousness is that to pursue it, one must pursue by faith.  The just (righteous) man lives by faith.  Their steadfastness is gained by rejecting their own works - and turning to God who Himself will declare them righteous as a gift.  They will learn that the only way of being steadfastly righteous, is to steadfastly cling to God's gift of righteousness which comes only through His Son, Jesus Christ.  That, dear ones, is the only way we can be steadfast in righteousness - and thereby know life.