Chapter 11
We all admire people who are honest in business, loyal in friendships, and humble when they succeed, and let’s be honest, we roll our eyes at people who lie, gossip, or treat life like one big bragging contest. Proverbs 11 helps us understand why: because what we do on the outside reveals what’s going on inside. Character isn’t just a good habit, it’s a big deal to God.
This chapter lays it out clearly: honesty or dishonesty, generosity or selfishness, humility or pride. Pick your path, because they don’t end in the same place. Proverbs doesn’t beat around the bush. It basically says, “Live right or crash hard.”
Take Proverbs 11:1 for example: “The Lord detests dishonest scales.” In today’s terms, that’s like saying God can’t stand it when people rig the system; whether it’s cheating customers or fudging the truth to make yourself look better. And let’s be real, we’ve all “adjusted the scale” at some point. Maybe not in business, but maybe in relationships, arguments, or social media captions that were… let’s say, optimistically edited.
But this isn’t just about business ethics. This is about the weight of sin. We need to recognize our lives are out of balance from the start, and no amount of good behavior can even the scale. The world system tries all the time. But it often ends up trading one injustice for another. “They did this, so now we’ll do that to balance it out” Round and round we go, still off-kilter, trading one bitterness for another.
Jesus does something better. He doesn’t try to rebalance the scale, He becomes the weight that makes it right. He took all the sin, all the mess, and placed it on Himself. In return, He gave us His righteousness, His perfect record. Talk about a trade deal!
And now that the weight’s been lifted, He says, “Go live right.” Not by showing favoritism, not by cutting corners, and definitely not by trying to impress God with polished behavior. Just be real. Be honest. Be generous. Be humble. Remember the grace that was shown to you. Basically, live like someone who doesn’t have to carry the weight anymore.
Because you don’t. Jesus already did.
1 The LORD detests dishonest scales, but accurate weights find favor with him.
2 When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.
3 The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.
4 Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.
5 The righteousness of the blameless makes their paths straight, but the wicked are brought down by their own wickedness.
6 The righteousness of the upright delivers them, but the unfaithful are trapped by evil desires.
7 Hopes placed in mortals die with them; all the promise of their power comes to nothing.
8 The righteous person is rescued from trouble, and it falls on the wicked instead.
9 With their mouths the godless destroy their neighbors, but through knowledge the righteous escape.
10 When the righteous prosper, the city rejoices; when the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy.
11 Through the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, but by the mouth of the wicked it is destroyed.
12 Whoever derides their neighbor has no sense, but the one who has understanding holds their tongue.
13 A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy person keeps a secret.
14 For lack of guidance a nation falls, but victory is won through many advisers.
15 Whoever puts up security for a stranger will surely suffer, but whoever refuses to shake hands in pledge is safe.
16 A kindhearted woman gains honor, but ruthless men gain only wealth.
17 Those who are kind benefit themselves, but the cruel bring ruin on themselves.
18 A wicked person earns deceptive wages, but the one who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward.
19 Truly the righteous attain life, but whoever pursues evil finds death.
20 The LORD detests those whose hearts are perverse, but he delights in those whose ways are blameless.
21 Be sure of this: The wicked will not go unpunished, but those who are righteous will go free.
22 Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion.
23 The desire of the righteous ends only in good, but the hope of the wicked only in wrath.
24 One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.
25 A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.
26 People curse the one who hoards grain, but they pray God’s blessing on the one who is willing to sell.
27 Whoever seeks good finds favor, but evil comes to one who searches for it.
28 Those who trust in their riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf.
29 Whoever brings ruin on their family will inherit only wind, and the fool will be servant to the wise.
30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and the one who is wise saves lives.
31 If the righteous receive their due on earth, how much more the ungodly and the sinner!
