Day 168: How will you be remembered? - Proverbs 10 vs 6 - 10

6 Blessings are on the head of the righteous, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence. 7 The memory of the righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot. 8-9  The wise of heart will receive commandments, but a babbling fool will come to ruin. Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out. 10 Whoever winks the eye causes trouble, and a babbling fool will come to ruin. Proverbs 10:6-10 English Standard Version (New Living Translation link)

I won't know the age of anyone reading this but, whether you're still quite young or a much older person, I suspect you will have memories of people who affected your life in one way or anther. Thinking of some will bring back happy memories, but others you just want to forget. That's what today's reading is about. The New Living Bible gives verse 7 as: “We have happy memories of the godly, but the name of a wicked person rots away.” Good people touch the lives of others in ways that make them remembered even long after they have passed away.

What is one of the things that wicked people are known (and remembered) for in vs 6?

Basically, it's their lies. Their words are a cloak for evil intentions in their hearts. Whether it's promises they make to family, but never keep - or business deals they do that rip you off, they are always deceiving people. It's what leads to some divorces and is at the root of child abuse. In the political world it's what led to wars and genocides. But it's not only such extreme things that are evil. A life of deception in even small matters will have unhappy results eventually. What are two more things (in vs 8-9) that lead to a life no-one wants to remember?

People who are not willing to take advice and correction from anyone but babble on with their own self importance, and who reject integrity and choose crooked ways, are sure to come to ruin. Their real character (not the false one they put on) is found out. People recognize them for what they are. What is one big 'give-away' sign of such people? (vs 10)

There is such a thing as a friendly wink, perhaps even a flirtatious wink - but that's not what he is getting at here. You may have heard the expression of 'wink-wink, nudge-nudge'. It's used to describe a situation where lies are involved and people are being deceived. It's the body language of those who've chosen crooked ways in all their relationships. Again, the writer of Proverbs says that such people will come to ruin. Their memory will rot away even as their bodies do in the grave. Does that sound harsh? It's not as harsh as what happened to the people whose lives were painfully affected by smooth talkers who were full of selfish intentions.

But what about the positive things these verses recommend? What two words would you choose from them that describe the happy outcome of people who are willing to receive instruction, and who always try and live honestly and kindly with others?

The words that struck me were 'blessing' and 'security'. Blessings are on the head of the righteous and their integrity brings security. There are no lies or guilty secrets that can turn their world upside down. No skeletons in the cupboard to haunt them as they grow older. But remember, Proverbs is a book showing us the path of wisdom for life. It doesn't mean that good people will never go through hard times. Experience also shows that very often wicked people get away with so much of their wrongdoing.

But there is an end result to life. Few people look back with affection on those who did evil. But we do look back with gratefulness on the lives of people who did good. And that's just the human side of it. There's still the judgement of God to come. Jesus said “A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak.” (Matthew 12:35-36) How will people remember us when we are gone?