by Bruce Billington

Weekly Devotional 31st of July, 2026

In this session, we will continue examining Proverbs Chapter 12. This chapter presents a recurring contrast between the Wise and the Foolish, and between the Righteous and the Wicked. 

Proverbs 12:24-26 – “The hand of the diligent will rule, but the slack hand will be put to forced labour.25 Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down, but a good word makes it glad.26 The righteous is a guide to his neighbour, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.”

Verse 24 – the writer tells us that diligence (hard work) leads a person to authority and power, whereas being enslaved is the lot of the lazy. The diligent people of any community will be able to govern themselves and retain their independence and self-rule. 

People who are lazy or don’t care about life and society will find themselves enslaved to those who do. This may not be meant literally, but it does mean they will be beholden to the diligent in one way or another. It is ironic that those who don’t want to work end up doing the most burdensome and demanding work for those who have been diligent, hard-working, and wise in their way of life. As one commentator said, 

The diligent rise to the top and the lazy sink to the bottom.

Verse 25 – A friend of mine used to say, “Life is tough in a fallen world.” There is much truth in this. It is easy to become discouraged as we realise that life has its share of troubles, anxieties, and fears, even when travelling on a righteous path. So much so that it has caused people to collapse—even strong believers. 

For this reason, Satan seeks to use discouragement to sideline as many of God’s people as possible. For example, both Moses and Elijah became so despondent that they asked God to let them die (Numbers 11:15; 1 Kings 19:4). 

Everyone needs encouragement in life somewhere along the way, to the point where the Bible teaches us to encourage one another daily (Hebrews 3:13). Although some symptoms of depression need special care, the power of a comforting, uplifting word can be a tremendous help. It can energise a discouraged person and assist them to continue on for the Lord. And for someone who is struggling with deep depression, it can mean the difference between life and death.

Verse 26 - The third hazard identified here is deceitfulness. Although the translation of the first line of this proverb is considered difficult (and has led to disagreements among translators), it makes sense when read alongside the second statement. 

Simply put, many people are prone to deceit and should not be readily trusted. Those who are wicked long to lure the godly off the right path and lead them astray. Nowhere is this more obvious today than in internet scams and online banking fraud. 

As a result, the righteous must be very careful in choosing their friends and in entering into commercial and sales transactions. Sadly, this does not apply only to those we meet outside the Body of Christ. Many so-called believers are carnal and live according to the flesh, making them a bad influence. Therefore, we must be careful—very careful—in choosing our friends and business associates. 

Although we are called to love everyone, we are not called to trust everyone. At the same time, we should be the most trustworthy people anyone can meet. 

God bless you.