Proverbs 11

“The desire of the righteous ends only in good” (v23).  The proverbs focus on the power of our heart’s desires.  The “righteous” are those who desire God’s kingdom, trust that His ways are best, and orient their lives in His direction (v19).  The wicked have evil hopes, and their desires result in “deceptive wages” (v18) and in wrath (v23). The proverbs teach that what we really want, our end goal, matters. 

“The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and whoever captures souls is wise” (v30). We pour our energies into what we believe is important. When Jesus fills our vision, our lives point in His direction, and the result is “a tree of life.”