Probing
Proverbs 12:20-22 Deceit fills hearts that are plotting evil; joy fills hearts
that are planning peace! No harm comes to the godly, but the
wicked have their fill of trouble. The Lord
detests lying lips, but he delights in those who tell the truth.
When we read a Proverb we must remember that it is usually
communicating a principle, not a guaranteed, specific promise. God is bringing
forth truths that are the normal outcome, which makes sense because the readers
will be a variety of personalities and in many different situations. God does
not want us to commit intellectual suicide by ignoring that a principle is not
a promise, but it is solid, good advice that can guide us through this life
with it’s
trials and troubles. We must always consider that the principle has several
contexts, God’s and ours, also an eternal perspective and a temporal one.
There is also the condition of the reader that must be considered, is this
individual a child of God or a person that refuses to believe He exist? This
will impact the principle, though not the Truth of it. Let’s
look at this Proverb and consider how this works:
Deceit fills hearts that are plotting evil; joy fills hearts
that are planning peace!
This first portion is first based in fact. God has made it
clear that we humans have a problem with our heart!
Jeremiah 17:9
“The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can
understand it?
The principle is easy to get and will help guide us. When we
desire to sin…in other words we are plotting evil…we need to know that
our old dark heart is leading the way! This heart lies and is self-centered.
However, when we are seeking to be a person of peace, which begins with us and
God, our heart, which was created by God and has a “God shaped”
vacuum in it which can only be filled by God, that heart will be filled with
the peace and calm that Joy brings.
No harm comes to the godly, but the wicked have their fill
of trouble.
Here there are two very important principles, one for here and
now, the other in the context of eternity. In the normality of life, those that
live godly experience far less harm than those that live a life filled with
deliberate sin. Think about it, when you live close to God, He watches over
you, you do not put things in your body that can destroy it, you do not live
lawlessly, which will keep you away from criminals and let you live within the
law, which makes your life with governing authorities peaceful. In most places
in the world it is not the godly that fill the prisons, are in the rehabs and
die young because of their behavior. Obviously though, in this world harm does
come to those that love and live close to God. This is where the eternal
perspective defines this principle. Every child of God that has been martyred
or suffered on this side of eternity finds rewards and safety forever. Not so
with the wicked. In context that should be comforting. In this flesh we at best
have 100 years, and a lot of that is difficult due to age, either to young to
take care of yourself or too old to do so. Eternity NEVER ends! A real no
brainer as far as which is more important. Paul encouraged the believers in
Thessalonica in this: 
1 Thessalonians
4:13–14 And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will
happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who
have no hope.14 For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised
to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back
with him the believers who have died.
The Lord
detests lying lips, but he delights in those who tell the truth.
The last principle is simply a statement that should lead us to
understand what God values. In this world where fame and money carry so much
weight, heroes are heroes for “being known” – God let’s us know He has a different measuring
rod. As a sinner, I have felt the sting of lack of integrity. The Holy Spirit
weighs hard on our heart when we allow ourselves to indulge in lying. So many
believers ask me, “How can I please God?” The answer is right here…be a
person of integrity…God will delight in that!
What about you? Do you take truths from the Scriptures and
endeavor to live by them? When you begin your day, do you check to see which
heart is in control? If you have troubles in your life, what is the cause? Are
they caused by sin? If not, and you are suffering because you are doing right,
do you understand God honors that?
