6 Blessings are on the head of the righteous, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence. 7 The memory of the righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot. 8 The wise of heart will receive commandments, but a babbling fool will come to ruin. 9 Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out. 10 Whoever winks the eye causes trouble, and a babbling fool will come to ruin. 11 The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence. — Proverbs 10:6-11

This section of text represents a great use of an inclusion and parallelism. Either side of this text is bookended by an inclusion and then the lines sandwiched between run parallel to each other. For example, if you reread this section, you will notice that verses:

6 and 11 are the inclusion or the bookends.
7 and 9 are parallel to each other.
8 and 10 are parallel to each other.

When we read the text this way, we will see that Solomon is showing us a comparison between two men and their activities. The two men are — a righteous man and a wicked man. And the three activities are:

The talk of the righteous man compared to the talk of the wicked.
The actions of the righteous man compared to the actions of the wicked.
The heart of the righteous man compared to the heart of the wicked.

And if we organize it this way, we will see a list of outcomes develop. One for the righteous man and one for the wicked man. The righteous man's outcomes include blessing, a lasting name, wisdom, security, and abundant life. The wicked man's outcomes include violence, decay, ruin, and crookedness. So the point is if you want different outcomes in your life, then maybe it's time to address the inputs. But it isn't just about the inputs. It's about being a different man. And the way to becoming a different man is found right in the middle of the parallel. Right in the center of the text, Solomon says, "The wise of heart will receive commandments." Thus we discover we need a new heart to become a different man. We need a heart that will receive God's commandments. A heart that results in new talk, action, and different outcomes.

So today, I want you to think about all the things you're putting into your heart. But I want you to focus on one that might be negatively affecting your heart, talk, and action. One that you and others don't like. And then I want you to name it and eradicate it from your heart. Confess it to God. And never let it enter your heart again. And let's strive to be righteous men that talk and act differently.

ASK THIS: What is one item you need to stop subjecting your heart to?

DO THIS: Confess it below. And eradicate it.

PRAY THIS: God, purify my heart of all ungodliness.

PLAY THIS: Purify My Heart — Jeremy Riddle.

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