“The wicked are trapped by their own words, but the godly escape such trouble.” Proverbs 12 : 13
Lies are built upon lies… if we tell a lie, chances are that somewhere down the line, we have to tell another lie to cover up the first lie… and so on it goes. I’m pretty sure we’ve all been there at one time. Or maybe you know someone who twists the facts to support their claims. This verse tells me that those who do this will eventually be trapped by their own lies. But for those who always tell the truth, the facts—plain and unvarnished—give an unshakable defense. If you find that you are always having to defend yourself to others, maybe just maybe, you’re not being honest.
Throughout the Proverbs, God tells us that He really despises all forms of dishonesty. Not only does He hate dishonesty, but we are told that it works against us—others no longer trust us, and we cannot even enjoy our dishonest gains. It is wiser to be honest because “the godly escape such trouble.”
“A fool is quick-tempered, but a wise person stays calm when insulted.” Proverbs 12: 16
This one really speak volumes! When we get annoyed or insulted by someone, it’s the natural thing to want to blast them back so they hurt too. It doesn’t work out too well if we insist on retaliating. Retaliating solves nothing and only encourages trouble. We need to stay calm, think first, then answer slowly. Proverb 15: 1 says that “a gentle answer deflects anger.” You will catch more bees with honey as opposed to vinegar.
I love the way God’s Word is confirmed over and over…
“Truthful words stand the test of time, but lies are soon exposed.” Proverbs 12:19
Truth is timeless. It applies today, and in the future. Because it’s connected with God’s changeless character, it’s also changeless. Take a moment and think about how much time has passed since these proverbs were written by Solomon. I am thinking of a verse in Ecclesiastes. Remember when we studied Ecclesiastes? There is nothing new under the sun. Ecclesiastes 3: 15 says, “What is happening now has happened before, and what will happen in the future has happened before, because God makes the same things happen over and over again.”
The Bible has withstood the test of time. Because God is truth, we can trust His Word to guide us.