Introduction⤒🔗

In the Book of Acts (20:35) there is recorded this familiar teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” In our next topical study from the Book of Proverbs we will consider how this teaching applies to the subject of righteousness. Lead a righteous life, and be a blessing.

Lead a Righteous Life, and Be a Blessing to Your Children (Prov. 20:7)←⤒🔗

A righteous man walks in his integrity—blessed are his children who follow him. (Prov. 20:7)←↰⤒🔗

A righteous man who “walks in his integrity” is one who is committed to the righteousness of God not just in principle, but also in practice. He “walks in his integrity;” his commitment to the LORD and His commandments governs his life in all aspects: his decisions, his lifestyle, his conduct.

Proverbs 20:7b declares, “blessed are his children who follow him.” They are blessed because their father leaves them a legacy of righteousness and godliness. He has not only taught them the way of the LORD, he has personally led them in that way; setting an example before them; as the godly father testifies to his son: “I have instructed you in the way of wisdom, I have led you in the paths of uprightness” (Prov. 4:11).

His righteous and godly lifestyle is the blessing he himself has been to his children and that he has left for his children. Furthermore, and most importantly, his children are blessed if they appreciate the blessing of a godly father’s godly example and make his lifestyle their own. In the Hebrew, the latter part of this proverb reads, “blessed are his children after him.” This statement means more than merely “his children who descend from him,” it also means “his children who follow in his footsteps.”¹

It is the responsibility of the father to set a godly example, and it is the responsibility of the children to follow that example. The godly father who has set an example for his son expects his son to follow in his father’s footsteps: “Listen, my son, and accept what I say, then the years of your life will be many. ¹¹I have instructed you in the way of wisdom, I have led you in the paths of uprightness” (Prov. 4:10-11).

Lead a Righteous Life, and Be a Blessing to Your Parents (Prov. 23:24)←⤒🔗

The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice, and he who has a wise son will take delight in him. (Prov. 23:24)←↰⤒🔗

There is nothing more joyful and satisfying to a Christian father or mother than to see their sons and daughters walking with Christ in the way of righteousness; note 3 John 4, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” Nothing can compare with it, no amount of fame, fortune, or worldly success.

Proverbs 23 spells out in specific terms how a son can be a blessing to his father:

Do not let your heart envy sinners, but live in the fear of the LORD all day long; ¹⁸for surely there is a future for you and your hope will not be cut off.Prov. 23:17-18The father urges his son not to envy those who sacrifice everything, including integrity, in their pursuit of wealth; the son must not make the pursuit of wealth his first and overruling priority in life.

Listen, my son, and be wise, and keep your heart on the right path. ²⁰Do not associate with those who drink too much wine or those who gorge themselves with food, ²¹ for the drunkard and the glutton will become poverty-stricken, and drowsiness will clothe a man in rags.Prov. 23:19-21The son is urged not to be a companion of drunkards and gluttons; he must not waste his income on partying and he must not lose his work ethic.

My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes delight in my ways, ²⁷for a prostitute is a deep ditch, and an adulteress is a narrow well. ²⁸She lies in wait like a bandit, and increases the number of the unfaithful among men. Prov. 23:26-28The father counsels his son not to live an immoral life; on the contrary, lead a morally pure life and be wise in your selection of a spouse.

Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaints? Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes? ³⁰Those who linger over wine, those who go to taste mixed wine. ³1Do not gaze at the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly. ³²In the end it bites like a serpent, and stings like a viper. ³³Your eyes will see strange sights, and your heart will utter perverse things. ³⁴Indeed, you will be like him who lies down in the middle of the sea, or like him who stretches out on top of the ship’s rigging. ^35'They hit me,' you will say, 'but I was not hurt! They beat me, but I did not feel it! When will I wake up so I can find another drink?' Prov. 23:29-35The father urges his son not to become a drunkard.

Lead a Righteous Life, and Be a Blessing to Your Neighbor (Prov. 12:26)←⤒🔗

The righteous man is a guide to his neighbor, but the way of the wicked causes them to go astray. (Prov. 12:26)←↰⤒🔗

As a Christian, by your conduct and your counsel, you should be setting a godly example for your neighbors. Are you living a life that reflects the righteousness of God by keeping His commandments, (as they are summarized in the Ten Commandments)?

And God spoke all these words: ²I am the LORD your God... ³You shall have no other gods besides me. ⁴You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any replica of anything that is in heaven above or that is on the earth beneath or that is in the water below the earth. ⁵You shall not bow down to them or serve them... ⁷You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not regard anyone who misuses his name as being guiltless. ⁸Remember the Sabbath day, remember to keep it holy. ⁹Six days you shall labor and do all your work; ¹⁰but the seventh day is a Sabbath dedicated to the LORD your God... ¹²Honor your father and your mother... ¹³You shall not murder. ¹⁴You shall not commit adultery. ¹⁵You shall not steal. ¹⁶You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. ¹⁷You shall not covet... Ex. 20:1-17

“The righteous man is a guide to his neighbor.” By his life, the righteous man shows his neighbor the lifestyle that is pleasing to God, and points him to Christ the Savior, the One who is the true Source of that righteous life,

Do all things without grumbling and arguing, ¹⁵so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without blemish, in the midst of a perverse and depraved generation, among whom you shine like stars in the universe, ¹⁶holding forth the word of life. Phil. 2:14-16a

Lead a Righteous Life, and Be a Blessing to Your Community (Prov. 11:11)←⤒🔗

By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted, but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked. (Prov. 11:11)←↰⤒🔗

The city “is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.” By the counsel the wicked give, the course they advocate, and the causes they champion, the community is overthrown. This is so because what the wicked counsel is a departure from the divine standard of God in favor of a man-centered, secular standard.

Isaiah 5:21 warns, “Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!” Proverbs 3:7 counsels, “Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and turn away from evil.” In light of these passages, “to be wise in one’s own eyes” means to forsake a life that is governed by godly fear, which respects and honors the commandments of God, in favor of pursuing one’s own course of conduct and setting one’s own standard.

The result of the wicked man’s counsel is a travesty of morality: true, fundamental morality is replaced by perversity, note Isaiah 5:20, “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil, who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness, who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!” This travesty of morality in turn causes the community to disintegrate and become liable to the righteous judgment of God, as Isaiah 5:24-25 goes on to indicate:

²⁴Therefore, as tongues of fire lick up straw, and as dry grass sinks down in the flames, so their root will decay and their blossom will blow away like dust, because they have rejected the law of the LORD of hosts and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel. ²⁵Therefore, the anger of the LORD burns against his people; his hand is raised against them and he strikes them down. The mountains shake, and the dead bodies are like filth in the streets. But even after all this, his anger is not pacified; his hand is still raised against them.

But Proverbs 11:11a declares, “by the blessing of the upright the city is exalted.” Not only by their counsel, (calling upon the community to build itself upon the foundation of the divine moral standard of God’s commandments), but also by their very presence, (as God-fearing, law-abiding citizens), the righteous are a blessing to their community. Note Psalm 15:2-5, a description of a citizen of Zion, a truly Christ-like, righteous man:

He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks truth from his heart ³and has no slander on his tongue, who does his neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellow man, ⁴who despises a vile man but honors those who fear the LORD, who keeps his oath even when it hurts, ⁵who lends his money without usury and does not accept a bribe against the innocent.

Lead a Righteous Life, and Be a Blessing to Your God (Prov. 15:9; 11:20)←⤒🔗

The way of the wicked is detestable to the LORD; but he loves those who follow righteousness. (Prov. 15:9)←↰⤒🔗

How frequently we fail to appreciate the repulsiveness of sin in the sight of God and how morally repugnant it is to Him: “Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate perversity” (Hab. 1:13a). Let us consider and take to heart these statements of Scripture:

A dishonest scale is detestable to the LORD, but a just weight is his delight. Prov. 11:1

Lying lips are detestable to the LORD, but he delights in those who deal truthfully.Prov. 12:22

Everyone who has a proud heart is detestable to the LORD. Be sure of this: they will not go unpunished. Prov. 16:5

He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous—both of them are detestable to the LORD. Prov. 17:15

But Proverbs 15:9b goes on to say, “[The LORD] loves those who follow righteousness.” The emphasis is on the persistent practice of righteousness: following the course of righteousness in all of life, at all times and under all circumstances.

In John 15:10-11a, the Lord Jesus declares, “If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love; just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. ¹¹I have told you these things so that my joy may be in you.” Our Lord is informing us that we, in our obedience to Christ our Savior, become a source of joy to our Savior, we bring joy to Him, this is what the Lord means when He says, “so that my joy may be in you.”

Conclusion←⤒🔗

The Book of Proverbs teaches us that by leading a righteous life we will not only receive the blessing of God, we shall also be a blessing. We shall be a blessing to our family, to our community, and even to our God.

Discussion Questions←⤒🔗

1. What is the relationship between a righteous man who walks in his integrity and his children? See Prov. 20:7 Does this proverb simply mean that his children who form the next generation benefit from their father’s integrity? Or does it mean that the children who follow their father’s example of integrity shall reap the same blessing as their father? As a Christian father, (or simply as a Christian man), what example are you setting for your children, (or for fellow believers)? See Prov. 4:11,

A righteous man walks in his integrity—blessed are his children who follow him. Prov. 20:7

I have instructed you in the way of wisdom, I have led you in the paths of uprightness. Prov. 4:11

2. According to Proverbs 23:24, how can you, as a Christian, be a blessing to your father? To be a righteous son, what is one fatherly admonition you should take to heart? See Prov. 23:17-18 What might cause you to “envy sinners”? See Psl. 73:3, 7 What might such envy cause you to do? See Prov. 1:10-11a, 13 When it comes to his spiritual children, what is the Apostle John’s greatest joy? See 3 Jn. 4 When it comes to your children, as a Christian father, what is your greatest joy?

The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice, and he who has a wise son will take delight in him.Prov. 23:24

Do not let your heart envy sinners, but live in the fear of the LORD all day long; ¹⁸for surely there is a future for you and your hope will not be cut off. Prov. 23:17-18

...I was envious of the arrogant, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked... ⁷Their eyes bulge with abundance; they have more than heart could wish. Psl. 73:3, 7

My son, if sinners entice you, do not give in to them. ¹¹If they say, Come along with us. Let us lie in wait for someone’s blood; let us ambush the innocent without a [just] cause [for doing him harm]... ¹³We will get all sorts of valuable things; we will fill our houses with plunder. Prov. 1:10-11, 13

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in [the] truth. Jn. 3:4

3. How are the righteous and the wicked contrasted with regard to their neighbor? See Prov. 12:26 How might you as a Christian be a guide to your neighbor? Note Josh. 24:15c; Phil. 2:15-16) and 1 Pet. 3:15-16 In what way does the wicked cause his neighbor to go astray?

The righteous man is a guide to his neighbor, but the way of the wicked causes them to go astray. Prov. 12:26

...as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.Josh. 24:15b

...become blameless and pure, children of God without blemish, in the midst of a perverse and depraved generation, among whom you shine like stars in the universe, ¹⁶holding forth the word of life... Phil. 2:15-16

...being always prepared with an answer for everyone who asks you for an explanation concerning the hope that is in you. ¹⁶But [do so] with humility and respect, maintaining a good conscience, so that [by the very thing] for which you are slandered, those who insult your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame. 1 Pet. 3:15-16

4. What affect does a righteous man have upon his community? See Prov. 11:11a How do righteous (i.e. Christian) men provide a blessed presence and example to their community? See Jer. 29:7 and Zech. 8:16-17 Conversely, how is the city overthrown “by the mouth of the wicked” (Prov. 11:11b)? Note Isa. 32:6-7,

By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted, but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked. Prov. 11:11

And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the LORD for it; for by its peace you will have peace. Jer. 29:7

These are the things you shall do: Speak each man the truth to his neighbor; give judgment in your gates for truth, justice, and peace. ¹⁷Let none of you think evil in your heart against your neighbor; and do not love a false oath; for all these are things that I hate, says the LORD. Zech. 8:16-17

...the fool speaks folly and his heart desires to do what is wicked so as to practice godlessness and to cause men to stray from the LORD; as a consequence, he empties the soul of the hungry and deprives the thirsty of drink. ⁷The scoundrel’s methods are evil; he devises wicked schemes [intended] to destroy the poor by means of lies, even when the plea of the needy is just. Isa. 32:6-7

The fool speaks “folly,” (the Hebrew word translated, “folly,” means that which is “impious” or “ungodly”), and “his heart desires to do what is wicked.” Consequently, the fool advocates that the nation “practice godlessness;” i.e. that it become secular, operating apart from God, and that it follow a course that ignores and is even contrary to God’s standard. The effect of the fool’s counsel upon the nation is acute oppression: “he empties the soul of the hungry, and deprives the thirsty of drink.” When a nation departs from God’s moral law as its standard, freedom under God is inevitably replaced with oppression and tyranny apart from God—and it is the poor and the helpless of society who suffer the most from the fool's folly when such folly is enacted into law. Verse seven describes the practices of the scoundrel, who thrives in the immoral environment created by the fool: “The scoundrel’s methods are evil; he devises wicked schemes [intended] to destroy the poor by means of lies, even when the plea of the needy is just.” Everything about the scoundrel is unscrupulous and deceitful, with a total disregard for justice or mercy.

5. How does Proverbs 15:9 contrast the LORD’s attitude towards the wicked with His attitude towards the righteous? What are some of the practices that the LORD detests? See Prov. 11:1; Prov. 12:22; Prov. 17:15 What are the righteous alternatives to such practices? In John 15:10, what does our Lord Jesus Christ exhort us to do? For what purpose does He do so? See Jn. 15:11a As a Christian, are you seeking to live a life that brings joy to your Lord?

The way of the wicked is detestable to the LORD; but he loves those who follow righteousness. Prov. 15:9

A dishonest scale is detestable to the LORD, but a just weight is his delight.Prov. 11:1

Lying lips are detestable to the LORD, but he delights in those who deal truthfully.Prov. 12:22

He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous—both of them are detestable to the LORD. Prov. 17:15

If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love; just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. ¹¹I have told you these things so that my joy may be in you and your joy maybe made full. Jn. 15:10-11