The Righteous vs. The Wicked: Leaving a Lasting Legacy

We are moving into chapter ten of the book of Proverbs, which includes general words of wisdom from Solomon rather than those directed toward his son. While we could take almost any verse of this book and contemplate its depths, I want to sit on the seventh verse of chapter ten today. It has given me much to ponder, and I trust it will you as well.

The memory of the righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot. (Proverbs 10:7 ESV)

Contrasting impacts

We know from Scripture the fundamental differences and reasons for the label of righteous versus wicked, and I trust you are confident of where you fall between the two. Though we may not often think about our impact on others, we cannot deny that we each leave a legacy, for better or worse.

Solomon makes a clear distinction in how the righteous will be remembered in contrast to the wicked—their memory is a blessing. What does that mean? Well, try it out by thinking about a beloved relative or spiritual mentor in your life. When you think about them, do you smile? Can you look at a note in your Bible that holds their comments? Maybe you have their Bible now, and are blessed to hold such a treasure. How is your life better because of that person’s influence? This is the blessing of memory that a righteous person leaves on others.

This is not to say they were perfect, but we know they loved the Lord, served Him well, and cared for others to His glory. They made disciples who are now making disciples. They showed us how to live a godly life. We are blessed for having known them.

Not so the wicked. Though we are not to speak ill of the dead, when we do think of a person who refused to live for Christ, we prefer to put them out of our minds. It hurts too much to think of the painful relationship we had with them or the harm they did to others by word or by deed. As we push away thoughts of them, because they are painful, memories of them eventually fade. It’s like when we prefer a favorite flavor of ice cream over another—we eventually forget how the other even tasted. It’s like a song that’s not on our playlist and gone from our memory.

What about me? What about you?

When I consider the two options of this verse, I offer a prayer up to the Father: “Lord, may any memory of me by others be a blessing. Help me to live by your righteousness and in favor with God and man to the end of my days.”

What about you? Will you be remembered with favor? What needs to change to ensure your memory is a blessing to all who know you? What sins need confessing? What relationships need healing? Are you loving and living by the Word of God, so that it permeates every aspect of your life?

It’s not too late to be a blessing now to ensure a future blessed memorial for generations to come.

Grace and Peace

If you missed the last Friday Focus post, click HERE, or start this Walking in Wisdom series from the beginning.