Morning Manna | Proverbs 11:30 | A Tree of Life

Proverbs 11:30

30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.

My reading this morning was from Proverbs 10-12. The righteous man, or person, comes up many times throughout these chapters. Some things said about the righteous are his characteristics, and others are blessings promised to the righteous. Righteousness is a treasure of far greater value than any earthly treasure, "Riches profit not in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivereth from wrath."  Righteousness is guaranteed to bless its practitioner, "The righteous shall flourish as a branch." Righteousness is a lifeline amid life's troubles "The righteous are delivered out of trouble." Righteousness guarantees success "The righteous shall never be removed." In short, righteousness tends to life, and wickedness leads to death. As Norman Macleod said, "Trust in God and do the right."

Men usually don't have to be convinced that righteousness is the best way to live, but we struggle to live that life because we are so bent toward unrighteousness. That is where our verse today comes in. A righteous life is begotten not worked for. Righteousness in a man's life comes from a seed planted by another righteous man. It isn't something that we start up on our own accord. Our verse says the fruit of the righteous is a tree of life." A righteous man bears fruit and by the nature of fruit, it bares its seeds. Those seeds fall to the ground and find good soil and that fruit that once hung from the branches of the tree, having fallen into the ground springs forth into more trees that will eventually bear fruit and the cycle continues. Who was the first rightoues man who bore these fruits of a rightoues life? Jesus was the first righteous man. He came into this world and his fruits of righteousness hung low and the seeds of his gospel message fell into the hearts of men and they bore fruits and others heard and were begotten of the same message and so the gospel has continued unto this day. The Cross of Calvary may have looked like a tree of death, and it was for our Savior, but for us, it is a tree of life. Falling from its branches was the blood that makes all that will come righteous. 

Righteousness and wisdom are never far apart, the one who made us righteous also has in him "The treasures of all wisdom and knowledge." Here is what the wise man will do, "He that winneth souls is wise." This is not speaking of a Saturday evangelism campaign, although if done properly that could be soul-winning. Rather it is speaking of winning the unrighteous to the side of righteousness. Abraham gathered souls at Haran, Daniel spoke of the wise that turned many to righteousness, and Jesus told his disciples that if they would follow him he would make them fishers of men. Jesus Christ the righteous begot us and now we are to follow him and beget others. By preaching, living, and righteousness, we are to win others to our Lord. In so doing our Lord is glorified and the souls of men are saved from eternal destruction. This is the path of righteousness that tendeth to life. Win souls in your business dealings by your uprightness, win souls in your conversations by your kind words, win souls in your family by your testimony among them. Soul winning is much more than a few hours on a given day, it is a lifestyle lived by those who have been made righteous.