Proverbs 11:30, The Fruit of Righteousness
May 29, Proverbs 11:30
Luke 5:1-11; 1 Peter 3 “He that converts the sinner shall hide a multitude of sin” (Jas. 5:20).
The Fruit of Righteousness
2. God’s Way: He that winneth souls is wise. The key word is winneth. What a comfort to know that in this sinful world God’s way is to win fallen souls! Christ has made sure of that. He came to seek and save that which was lost through the shedding of His precious Blood. Before His departure He gave His disciples, what has come to be called, the Great Commission: Go ye into all the world and make disciples. Jesus clearly taught that salvation is a universal need, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23). The early Christians did just that, and we must follow in their train.
a. Your Vocation: Consider the root meaning of this Hebrew word translated winneth. It appears over 960 times in the Hebrew Bible! Of that number, 798 times it means to take. It suggests three ideas: snaring birds, catching fish, or taking a city in battle. Did our Lord have this proverb in mind when He said to Simon, Fear not, from henceforth thou shalt catch men? These images create a different picture than many have on the subject of soul-winning. This text is not about the ardent evangelist, however valid, going about from place to place holding Salvation Meetings. It is directed to all who would be wise. You do not have the choice to be in the business of soul-winning. When Christ chose you, you were at once conscripted into the business, for a Christian is a man or woman possessed. You may not be called to be a foreign missionary, but you are called to be a missionary where you are. “God had only one Son and He made Him a missionary.”
b. Your Validation: The fruit of righteousness is a tree of life. “The object of the proverb in both its clauses is to lay stress upon the attractive power of goodness,” says Perowne. It has to do with outward conduct, with words and works, with motives and principles. It stresses the fruit not the tree (Mt.7:15-20). It speaks of the influences of a godly life. It calls for the highest character, not catchy slogans like the Four Spiritual Laws. The challenge before us today is that many Christians are disqualified by their inconsistent lives. The way to win souls is to live wisely. That’s your validation. Recall the words of Peter to, be ready always to give an answer to every man that asks you a reason (1 Pt. 3:15). What is often overlooked is how that verse begins and ends. First, it says, But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and ends, with meekness and fear. Soul-winning requires both holiness and humility. We too often suppose a person is wise because he or she wins souls. That is not the main thrust of this text. Rather it is this. A man (or woman) wins souls because he (or she) is wise. Such a person may never speak an audible word to a soul, yet may win that soul for Christ. The tree of life symbolises the influence of a godly life. What’s accented here is not, in the first place, doctrine, that’s the tree; but the life, that’s the fruit, the everyday flow of a person’s behaviour. In this case it is this fruit that leads many to righteousness (Dan. 12:3).
Thought: We have power with men in proportion to our power with God.
Prayer: Lord, give me more wisdom to know how to deal with souls.