Proverbs 12:12

The book of Proverbs gives us a lot of instruction on a lot of different subjects. One subject that can keep us in God’s wisdom is Godly Follower-ship. Who we follow; where we follow; how we follow are all spoken about in Proverbs. Here is one of them about what we desire and produce in our lives:

Proverbs 12:12

The wicked man desires the booty of evil men,

But the root of the righteous yields fruit.

This is a contrasting proverb.  It contrasts the desires of the wicked for what others have with the fruit that is naturally produced by the righteous.   Could there be a more contracting dichotomy?   The wicked, according to Solomon, doesn't work for what he/she has, but simply desires the totality of what others have produced.   The reason for this type of approach to life is because they only have desire.  They won’t achieve things on their own.  They simply desire the booty of other evil men and will take it by hook and by crook.   They don't desire Godliness.  They desire the booty of evil men.  This proverb is about what they desire.  They want what other evil men have.    However, the righteous person is said to yield fruit.   The fruit comes from where the righteous person has planted his/her roots.  Righteous people yield fruit because they have good roots.   The wicked have nothing because they desire nothing (the booty of evil men is truly worthless) and produce nothing with their desire.    When we plant our roots in Christ we can truly yield fruit.  We see good come from us.  Fruit is wholesome and good for others.  Fruit can only happen as our roots go deep into the right soil.   God's word is soil.  God's Son is soil.  God's Spirit is soil.   Let's go deep into the soil and yield fruit.  You can walk around and desire what evilness produces.  But that is dead fruit.  It yields nothing good for us.  The righteous yields food that others can enjoy.