Proverbs 12:12-14

The wicked person desires a stronghold,
but the righteous root endures.
The evil person is ensnared by the transgression of his speech,
but the righteous person escapes out of trouble.
A person will be satisfied with good from the fruit of his words,
and the work of his hands will be rendered to him.

Do you ever have that dream where you’re falling from a tall building or a bridge or something? I haven’t had that dream in a long time (which means I’m probably due…), but I had it a lot early in my life. Thankfully, we always wake up before we hit the ground. But, when you’re falling, you’re desperately looking around for something to grab, something to stop your fall. And of course, there is nothing there.

That the image I get from today’s proverb. You’re falling and just have nothing to grab to save your life. The more literal version is – picture yourself caught in a flash flood going down stream toward a water fall. The wicked person is desperately reaching for something to grab and hold on to that will save their life. However, the righteous root endures. They are firmly planted by the water and will not be washed downstream.

When you speak the right words and do the right work – you will find yourself living s fruitful life. The kind of life you get as a tree planted by a continual water source. Your roots run deep and provide a secure footing for you to build your life upon. You won’t be washed downstream because your roots are deep into the bank .

When you don’t speak the right words and don’t do the right deeds, the opposite is true. You will not reap fruit from your words, you will not receive payment for the word you do – instead you will find trouble. You will be trapped by the words you say and find nothing to grab onto when the river of your bad decisions carries you downstream.

So, the next time your have that dream, let it be a checkpoint for you and the kind of life you’re living. If you see any areas of speech or work that you need to improve on, do them while you still have something to grab onto and before you get washed downstream – before you hit the ground.