The wicked man fears what might happen if he is found out and brought to justice. As a result, he has to cover his tracks and stay constantly on the alert, one step ahead of the law. He is not a happy and contented person, no matter what he might say.

The righteous, law-abiding person, on the other hand, has nothing to fear, and so can remain calmly confident in his integrity as a young lion in repose is in his strength.

Do you undermine your self-confidence by doing things of which you are later ashamed? Do you create antagonism by being an oddball? Do you court criticism and so undermine your self-confidence by the way you dress, by poor grooming or lack of personal hygiene?

Human failings undermine the effectiveness of individuals and organizations. The wise manger analyzes problem situations in order to identify the root causes, and then takes the creative action required to solve them. He is tenacious and determined to sort things out. He is resolute, and deals firmly with trouble makers in order to establish orderly routines and procedures.

The ineffective manager, on the other hand, is weak and superficial in his approach, and so never gets to the bottom of things. Consequently, he busies himself with less important matters that appear to him to be more urgent. As a result, the problems become chronic and remain for somebody else to solve.

Torrential rain can destroy a good crop and create hardship. Likewise, poor people who compete and cheat each other are destroying the potential wealth they could create by the synergistic power of working together in harmony for a common good.

A crop consists of many plants all growing together, and helping shield one other from the elements. Although the contribution of any single stalk of grain is insignificant, together they produce valuable food. Similarly, the principle of banking is that many insignificant amounts of money taken together can create the capital required to undertake a major project.

What opportunities do you have to create synergy by working harmoniously with other like-minded individuals in your community or in other businesses? Are there organizations that you should join in order to work with others for a common goal?

The theme of community and morality continues from the previous proverb. When many people indulge in criminal conduct, anarchy may follow and everybody suffers as a result. Each of us has a responsibility to stand up for right against wrong, no matter how unpopular that may be at the time. Taken together, our seemingly insignificant individual contributions build a strong society, just as the small stalks of wheat combine to form a valuable harvest.

The Ten Commandments are foundational, and whole nations now racked by poverty and disease would be totally transformed by the keeping of them.

The theme continues. In bringing order out of chaos, clear standards of right and wrong, of acceptable and unacceptable conduct have to be established. Evil men do not understand righteous judgment because their decisions are not based on what is right, but on self-interest and the vagaries of human reason.

Paul reproves Christians who took grievances to court rather than sorting them out themselves, saying: "Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases? Do you not know that we are judge angels? How much more matters pertaining to this life?" (1 Corinthians 6:2-3). How can you cultivate the mind set of a judge?

Do you get the real facts before making a judgment? Jesus says: "Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment" (Matthew 7:24).

Judgment is about making sound decisions – choices based on relevant criteria. Your present life is the result of millions of decisions, small and big, made in the past. What meaningful decisions need to be made now in order to make a difference in the future?

The theme continues. Decisions often require us to choose between two possible options, on the basis of our values. Would we favor the case of a rich, beautiful, successful and supposedly more important person, over that of a poor and less articulate one? What factors tend to warp our judgment?

Solomon identifies criteria that characterize the opposing ends of a spectrum of values. How do we identify the appropriate criteria in any situation?

Can money be the measure of all things? Can market forces be allowed to rule supreme, at the expense of moral values?

Gluttons or riotous men and profligates reject God’s law and indulge even their baser appetites to excess, in any way they please, without restraint. By associating with them, we expose ourselves to their powerful influence.

Paul says: "Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted" (Galations 6:1).

Can we identify unhealthy influences in our lives? How can we protect our children from harmful influences at school, in books, magazines and other mass media?

Lending money on interest to people in distress was prohibited by the Law of Moses, although making loans for business purposes would seem to be different matter altogether. Those who see people in distress as a lucrative business opportunity will be dealt with by God, says Solomon.

Jesus seems to recognize two ways of helping the poor with money – first, by giving to those who cannot repay, and, second, by lending to those who hopefully can. He says: "Give to him who begs from you, and do not refuse him who would borrow from you" (Matthew 5:42).

How can we assist those in distress? How can we help them escape poverty?

The theme continues. The essence of God’s law is that we love our neighbor as ourselves, and John says: "Let us not love with words or tongue but with actions" (1 John 3:18). Religion is a practical matter of how we live our daily lives.

If we turn a deaf ear to those who cry out to us in their distress, how can we expect God to listen to us when we pray? He treats us as we treat other people.

The cynic says that he tried praying but it did not work. This proverb offers a possible reason why.

Perhaps the theme of exploitation continues. The evil person who seeks to snare the innocent, perhaps by the fine print of an unfair contract, is actually trapping himself, condemning himself to death in the long term, like an animal struggling in a pit dug by a hunter.

Jesus speaks continually of eternal life and entry to the Kingdom of God as the only enduring goal of any wise person. The righteous shall inherit the earth and many good things, as Solomon also says, the whole universe in fact.

So great is that inheritance that Paul says: "Our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us" (Romans 8:18).

Almost inevitably, a successful person acquires a degree of over-confidence, even arrogance. As he becomes wise in his own eyes, the learning process stops and complacency sets in, like a disease. His vision fades and he fails to value new opportunities -- and since he is rich he may lack the motivation to exploit them anyway. As a result, once-dynamic corporations often develop fatal weaknesses that can be taken advantage of by vibrant new companies led by ambitious young men bent on making their fortunes.

Are you becoming complacent? Is your mind still open to new ideas and radical suggestions?

The fact that a person is poor does not mean that he lacks ability and potential. How can society or a business discover, encourage and develop the untapped human potential of the poor – the huddled masses yearning to breathe free?

Perhaps the theme continues. Wealth and success sometimes bring out the worst in a person, making them very temperamental and hard to work with. When this happens, colleagues try to avoid them, communication suffers and they become isolated from the real world. As a result, wrong decisions are made and problems develop.

How do we exercise whatever authority we possess? Are we approachable? Do we listen? Are we fair? Are we predictable? Do people avoid us because of our manner? What kind of working atmosphere do we foster by our attitude and actions? Do we empower people and encourage their growth?

Perhaps the theme continues again. Are we prepared to acknowledge our mistakes and correct them? If we are, most people will be happy to forgive and forget and try to be helpful. If, on the other hand, we try to lay the blame elsewhere, things will not go well.

Do we create an open and honest working atmosphere where people are not afraid to admit mistakes and seek help to put things right, rather than trying to cover up?

Solomon is describing a learning process that leads to success. For some reason, some people simply refuse to accept criticism and forsake the bad habits and attitudes that hold them back. For them, personal pride is more important than progress, it seems.

The person described in the previous proverb is proudly confident and boldly set in his foolish ways. His heart is hardened and closed to any kind of constructive criticism, but that is his personal choice. He does not have to be like that.

The wise man, on the other hand, is always cautious, conscious of his fallibility and wary of dangers. He learns from his mistakes, asks questions, makes changes and keeps himself out of trouble.

The Spirit of God can soften a hard heart, just as water soften parched ground so that it can be tilled and put to productive use.

Despite their great strength, lions and bears are motivated by fear. When they feel threatened, they fly into a rage and attack viciously with claws and teeth.

A wicked ruler is similar, says Solomon. He uses this authority to dominate and oppress the weak, thinking not of their welfare but his own. He has a very short temper and any perceived threat to his position, real or imagined, triggers a violent reaction.

How do you exercise whatever authority you possess, even if only over animals and children? Are you a tyrant or a servant? Jesus says: "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. But you are not be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and one who rules like the one serves" (Luke 22:25-26). Do we serve and lead by example?

The theme continues. Perhaps the ruler who lacks understanding is worse than the tyrannical one in the previous proverb. Instead of occasional fits of rage, which people may learn to avoid and deflect, the foolish actions of a prince who lacks understanding may well burden his subjects every day in all their dealings. Worse still, he fails to appreciate the suffering he is causing. He may even mean well, and probably thinks he is a good ruler. Perhaps the word prince signifies a person who lacks the experience and maturity required to properly administer the office he has been given.

Perhaps, on the other hand, the foolish prince is motivated by covetousness, so that economic considerations are paramount, no matter what the human consequences. However, by putting money before justice and mercy he is actually undermining his own position because, sooner or later, his subjects will turn against him.

Are we unwittingly creating pain and suffering for people around us? Do we understand the impact of our actions on other people, children and even pets? Are we too hard and insensitive to notice?

The guilt over a misdeed can stay with a person for the rest of their life, and nobody can take it away. They become mental fugitives.

Are you burdened by the past, by foolish or wicked things you have done? Do you feel a failure because you have not lived up to the expectations of parents or other people? Are you still trying to be something you were not cut out to be? Do you feel bad because of opportunities you missed or responsibilities you failed to shoulder? Does it still hurt to think about these things?

God forgives the things you have done wrong – but can you forgive yourself? Remember, the Bible says to love yourself as much as you love your neighbor, not less. Perhaps it would help to sit down and discuss your feelings and experiences with a friend rather than trying to suppress them and suffer needlessly.

Perhaps the theme continues. Do we walk in wholeness, stability and sound-mindedness -- or are we confused, wavering back and forth, unable to make firm decisions, and bewildered by our feelings, perhaps of guilt? Can we get our head together, forget the past, and go forwards with confidence and purpose in our lives?

Perhaps James has this verse in mind when he encourages people to pray for God’s help in sorting out very specific situations their lives, saying: "If any lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does" (James 1:5-8). Perhaps the first thing to pray for is resolution and definiteness of purpose.

One way to sort out your life, occupy your mind and find emotional stability, is to find productive work that you are gifted to do, then do it well and aspire to excellence.

What are you doing with your life? Are you tilling and cultivating the psychological soil of your mind, discovering and developing your natural gifts, and diligent applying your God-given talents? Or are you trying to make money by vain pursuits, by some kind of get-rich-quick scheme that will not satisfy you even if it works?

Productive work, that is appropriate to your gifts, occupies the mind in a sound and sane matter. Perhaps that is why Paul says: "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things" (Philippians 4:8).

The theme continues. To be faithful means to persist, to endure. Do you fail to achieve your goals because you give up too easily? Are you always chopping and changing?

A farmer has to be faithful to his purpose. It takes time for the seeds to germinate, and for the plants to grow and the harvest to ripen. If he did not know better, he might be so disappointed with the results of his labor after a few weeks that he would plough up the field and start over with a different seed.

Some people, in effect, do just that with their lives. They are too hasty to reach their goal, and lack faithfulness to their purpose. As a result, they may resort to dishonest means to get what they want.

Are we impartial in our judgments: Do we make decisions on the basis of fact or favoritism? Partiality is the thin end of a wedge of dishonesty. Do our morals depend on the person to whom we are talking at the time, and the amount of money involved?

Given the right circumstances, such as personal adversity and loss, some men can be bought very cheaply indeed, and will willingly lie, cheat and steal in order to make money. What would it take to make us compromise the values we claim to hold dear? Do we have a price stamped on us?

In a Keystone Cops type of scenario, the miserly man -- "one of an evil eye" -- is chasing after wealth, but poverty is chasing after him. At first the miser appears to be winning, but then poverty overtakes him, so that, paradoxically, in the end he achieves just the opposite of what he set out to do in his life.

The miser’s stingy attitude is obvious to other people, and they despise him, and try to avoid dealing with him. The tight-fisted businessman is reluctant to spend money on advertising or be generous and give customers a good deal so that they will come back again. As a result, his business wilts like a plant that lacks water.

The economy consists of people buying and selling goods and services, and it thrives when people have the confidence to buy as willingly as they sell, so that money circulates and everybody has a job to do and a fair share of the common wealth. Miserly people strangle trade and create poverty and unemployment because they only want money to move in one direction.

Here is another paradox, and a lesson in assertiveness. If someone is set on a particular course of action and is about to make a serious mistake, it is better to speak up and try to change their mind rather than flattering them and encouraging their foolishness.

Although it may cause hard feelings at the time, they will thank you in the end, says Solomon, and respect you for having the courage to try and help at a time when they were not thinking straight. However, in the cold light of day, flattery will be seen as the foolishness it was.

Perhaps the theme of distorted thinking continues. We all deceive ourselves from time to time, and here Solomon describes someone who takes advantage of his parents in a manner that is tantamount to stealing, and then kids himself that he has done no wrong. Familiarity breeds contempt.

Perhaps this is illustrative of the previous proverb, a situation where a friend needs to speak up rather than smile and say nothing for fear of giving offense.

Do we take unwarranted and greedy advantage of parents and friends, even to their hurt, and then blind ourselves to our true motives? How can we deal assertively with friends or colleagues to try to take advantage of their familiarity with us?

The theme continues. The greedy man stirs up strife because he will in effect rob anybody he can, not just his parents, by grabbing more than his share of whatever is on offer.

We do not need to be greedy and grasping, says Solomon, in order to prosper and be secure. Far better to be generous and share, and trust in God to make things work out for us.

Why drives a greedy person to overindulge? Why are his appetites so hard to satisfy? How can we deal assertively with greedy behavior?

Do greedy people know they are greedy? Do misers know they are miserly? What about people who are rude, bad tempered, intolerant, impatient, ignorant, lazy? How do they justify their conduct? How do they convince themselves that black is white?

Do we unthinkingly trust the promptings of our minds and the excuses we offer for our selfish behavior, or do we pause, reflect and seek advice? Do we see ourselves as others see us?

We have been reading about greedy men and misers and those who even take unwarranted advantage of their parents’ generosity. Such people are self-centered and grasping, so perhaps that is why Solomon reminds us again of the importance of giving instead of getting, and having an active concern for the needs of the poor.

Here also is another paradox – that contrary to the dictates of human reason, those who help the poor actually help themselves. They will be blessed in their kindness, says Solomon, and never lack as a result. By giving, they get. Selfishness, on the other hand, is a curse that diminishes the lives of those who practice it.

Just as we can close our eyes, so we can close our minds. Although the mean man actually sees the suffering of the poor, he deliberately closes his eyes to it and wipes it from his mind.

There is a struggle in the world between good and evil. A society suffers when the wicked rule because people become de-motivated and withdrawn, and the creative synergy of cooperation in pursuit of a common good is lost. Poverty is one of the consequences.

Are we hiding our faces from the activities of the wicked, closing our eyes and turning our backs -- or are we prepared to step forward and oppose them? How and where can we get actively involved? What positive contribution can we make to the betterment of society and the elimination of evil?