Proverbs 10: 10-24

Whoever winks the eye causes trouble,
and a babbling fool will come to ruin.
The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,
but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
Hatred stirs up strife,
but love covers all offences.
On the lips of him who has understanding, wisdom is found,
but a rod is for the back of him who lacks sense.
The wise lay up knowledge,
but the mouth of a fool brings ruin near.
A rich man’s wealth is his strong city;
the poverty of the poor is their ruin.
The wage of the righteous leads to life,
the gain of the wicked to sin.
Whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life,
but he who rejects reproof leads others astray.
The one who conceals hatred has lying lips,
and whoever utters slander is a fool.
When words are many, transgression is not lacking,
but whoever restrains his lips is prudent.
The tongue of the righteous is choice silver;
the heart of the wicked is of little worth.
The lips of the righteous feed many,
but fools die for lack of sense.
The blessing of the LORD makes rich,
and he adds no sorrow with it.
Doing wrong is like a joke to a fool,
but wisdom is pleasure to a man of understanding

Comment: From the body parts listed it seems as if this good-bad, wise-fool issue affects the whole person. Eyes, mouth, lips, back, heart are all mentioned. And the passage lists the alternative results to a situation by your initial chosen stance for good or evil. The mouth, for instance can pour out what seems like a fountain of light or bring ruin; the fool, winking and babbling leads himself and others to ruin; the righteous with their wisdom bring pleasure and understanding. With broad strokes of his literary brush the author paints two side by side pictures – one dark with intertwined hatred, violence, poverty, foolishness, sorrow and one light with sparkling pleasure, wisdom, choice silver, love, understanding.

Prayer: Help me, having made the right decision, to realize that I am going to have to keep on making it again and again.