Road rules

Here’s what the Proverbs say about the power of the tongue.

Okay, truth game. I am going to ask you a question. Be honest with your answer. Ready? What do you trust in? What do you really trust in? Let me offer what I think are some of the top answers.

Self-counsel. It will get you into trouble every time. Left to ourselves, we can rationalize just about anything…even sin. Here are some examples of self-counsel that did not end well.

Here's how the Proverbs describes the action of a wicked person in contrast to the person who is upright.

During a tough economy, his company was making money hand over fist. While others were struggling, he was thriving. His success was not surprising. The shrewd businessman had a long string of profitable years. He was wealthy…and he liked his money. The only thing he liked better than the money was making more money.

One problem with the consequences of sin is that you never know when the consequences will show up. The apostle Paul says that the sins of some people are clear and evident, “going before them to judgment” while “the sins of others appear later” (1 Timothy 5:24). But whether the consequences of sin show up now or later, make no mistake, “your sin will find you out” (Numbers 32:23).

Several years ago, a southern governor announced his presidential campaign, which was widely endorsed by conservative Christians. They felt they had their candidate until…news came out about the governor’s year-long affair with a former television reporter from Argentina. It turned out that the conservative governor was leading two lives.

Plans are like nouns; they involve people, places, and things. Our personal plans always impact others. The time spent carrying out a plan means time away from people in your life. The money invested in a plan leaves a smaller amount to invest in other things. The energy you put into one thing means less energy for something else. Today’s passage says it this way:

Have you ever heard of Bernard Lawrence Madoff? Maybe you know him better by Bernie Madoff. He confessed to his sons on December 10, 2008, that the asset management arm of his securities investment firm was a giant Ponzi scheme or, as he put it, “one big lie.” That “big lie” cost his clients $65 billion. But before it was exposed, the “big lie” provided a lavish lifestyle for the Madoff family.