The Moral Compass and God

A large part of Proverbs is about what might be called “natural laws of human behaviour.” As natural laws, they are neutral and apply to all without exception. There is nothing religious about them. The point Proverbs makes is that these natural laws make your life tick.

There is another aspect of Proverbs: the moral compass. Life is more than just making things work. You ought to do certain things because they are right; you ought to abstain from others because they are wrong.

Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man, but afterward his mouth will be full of gravel.
Proverbs 20:17

The Origin of Right and Wrong

The natural and obvious moral authority in Proverbs is God (usually called the Lord). You may be forgiven if you expect that involving God necessarily gets us into theology and religion. Proverbs is about practical matters, even when it comes to telling right from wrong.

As an example, this is what Proverbs says about double standards:

Unequal weights and unequal measures are both alike an abomination to the Lord.
Unequal weights are an abomination to the Lord, and false scales are not good.
Proverbs 20:10, 23

Double standards are something God gets upset about. So do people, more or less instinctively.

There are more examples.

He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous are both alike an abomination to the Lord.
Proverbs 17:15

It is reassuring to know that God supports this principle because it is very important. Sports offer a vivid illustration in its microcosm. Woe to the referee who errs in either direction! In real life flawed justice may cause serious trouble.

In Proverbs 6, there is a list of things that the Lord hates.

There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.
Proverbs 6:16-19

These things are neither religious nor controversial. Most people find every one of them disgusting without having to refer to religion.

On the whole, we as human beings share God’s opinion of right and wrong without a problem.

Theory Meets Real Life

As we have seen, Proverbs lays out a goodly number of fine principles for a wise person to follow. It is encouraging to know that in many cases our basic sense of right and wrong agrees with God’s standards.

Still, one cannot help wondering how God will react when we go off target. Does God watch us with a critical eye, ready to strike down on our mistakes?

To begin with, God is well-informed, no question about that.

The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good.
Proverbs 15:3

Before going further, we need a closer look at the righteous and the wicked.

The Righteous and the Wicked

In Proverbs, the righteous, the wicked, and the other personalities, are patterns and not individuals. The idea is not that some people are permanently righteous and certain others invariably wicked.

Near the beginning of Proverbs we find this admonition:

Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart.
Proverbs 3:3

Love and faithfulness thus are things you need to hold on to, because you might lose them. It may require a conscious effort. It also means that having been righteous yesterday does not guarantee a continuation today.

The fool is one of the personalities in Proverbs. Their problem is that they hold on to the wrong things.

Like a dog that returns to his vomit is a fool who repeats his folly.
Proverbs 26:11

There are things we should hold on to, and things we should let go of.

Righteous Does Not Mean Perfect

Proverbs says clearly that no one is perfect.

Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
Proverbs 26:12

for the righteous falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity.
Proverbs 24:16

Even the righteous can—and do—take a wrong turn. What is the difference that allows them to rise again?

Proverbs has two angles on this.

Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.
Proverbs 28:13

The key is not trying to cover up, but rather admitting to the mistake and being willing to change. This is the first angle.

The second angle is that we mature in the school of life. We may learn from others and from the various conditions where we find ourselves.

Does, perhaps, God himself create a “curriculum” for us through the people we meet and through the situations we face? Proverbs is not clear about that, probably intentionally. You may think what you like. In any case, we have free will, and it is perfectly possible to drop out from the school of life.

The ear that listens to life-giving reproof will dwell among the wise. Whoever ignores instruction despises himself, but he who listens to reproof gains intelligence. The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom, and humility comes before honor.
Proverbs 15:31-33

Reproof might not be a word pulling a crowd today. A catchier phrase would be building your competence profile. Proverbs is about actively choosing to keep building competence in life skills.

More Shades of God

How colourless God would be if telling right from wrong was his only aim! Proverbs actually presents a much fuller impression of God. Telling right from wrong is important, but after all, only a starting point. According to Proverbs, God is interested in all aspects of our lives and willingly helps make our lives worth living. Here is a selection.

In all your ways acknowledge [the Lord], and he will make straight your paths.
Proverbs 3:6

Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.
Proverbs 16:3

The blessing of the Lord makes rich, and he adds no sorrow with it.
Proverbs 10:22

The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe.
Proverbs 18:10

House and wealth are inherited from fathers, but a prudent wife is from the Lord.
Proverbs 19:14

In all these examples, there is an optimistic overtone of a supportive God.

Summary

In addition to making things work, Proverbs assumes a moral compass pointing out right and wrong. The final authority to tell right from wrong rests with God. God’s opinion turns out to be uncontroversial when it comes to practical life matters, the subject Proverbs majors on.

Proverbs does not expect us to be faultless. The way forward is not to sweep things under the rug but to acknowledge and learn from mistakes. This means that a righteous person is not necessarily perfect. Rather, it means to be candid towards God and fellow humans with a willingness to accept correction. Righteousness, therefore, is not a state but a path to walk.