by Bruce Billington

Weekly Devotional 12th of June, 2026

In this session, we will now look at Proverbs Chapter 12. This chapter produces a constant contrast between the Wise and the Foolish, and between the Righteous and the Wicked. 

Proverbs 12:1-4 – “Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, But he who hates reproof is stupid. 2 A good man will obtain favour from the LORD, But He will condemn a man who devises evil. 3 A man will not be established by wickedness, But the root of the righteous will not be moved. 4 An excellent wife is the crown of her husband, But she who shames him is like rottenness in his bones.”

Have you ever asked a businessperson what their secret to success is? Although you may get many answers, the key fact we should always keep in mind is that without God's blessing, we will ultimately fail. Whatever success we achieve in this world is only temporary. It does not last forever—nor is it permanently fulfilling. God’s Word is clear: no one achieves true success apart from His blessing and help. In fact, He causes the human soul to be restless, questioning and wondering about life until it trusts and rests in Him.

Verse one teaches us that those who love knowledge demonstrate it by willingly putting themselves in the place of a disciple, keen to learn and embrace a disciplined life.  

It then goes on to say that he who hates reproof is not only foolish but will also push back against any form of discipline that seeks to guide them towards a different way of life. They count those who tell them the truth, whether by way of grace or reproof, as enemies. 

Verse two tells us that one way our Father judges us is by our conduct towards one another. A good person, who is merciful, charitable, and does good, gains favour from the Lord; but a bad person who devises wickedness against their neighbours will be condemned as unworthy of a place in His kingdom.

Verse three – sometimes it seems the wicked are winning. They appear to have success, money, and a host of material possessions, often gained through unscrupulous means. But these apparent successes are only temporary. They are bought at the expense of character. Cheaters grow more dishonest, and those who hurt others become callous and cruel. In the long run, bad behaviour does not lead to success; it leads to further wickedness. 

But, as noted above, real stability and success come only to those who do what is right. True success preserves personal integrity and stands the test of time.

Verse four contrasts wise and foolish wives through the metaphors of a crown on the head versus decay in the bones. The crown is high, outward, and highly visible to the community; the rottenness is deep, inward, and invisible. This example suggests that the shameful wife robs her husband of social standing, whereas the noble wife strengthens his very being by granting him social honour and empowering him to rule the community.

The fact that she is the crown of her husband means she is her husband’s most prominent social adornment and symbolises her empowering him to lead or rule. Obviously, this proverb must assume that her husband is pious and prayerful, wise, and righteous, kind and generous, and self-sacrificing for her good rather than self-serving (cf. 1 Peter 3:7). 

A wife can shame her husband by being unfaithful, contentious, lazy, and incompetent. As this decay in the marriage progresses, he is steadily undermined in his inner happiness and outward usefulness, “till at last the part of the body which the bones bear and the whole life of the man falls to ruin.” Marriage is no light matter; the wife either makes or breaks a man in his home and in the community.

This is not just an attack on wives. Husbands are also called to account and to model the character of Christ in other parts of Scripture. Marriage is always a two-way street. 

God bless

Bruce Billington