The Architecture of Blessing, The Demolition of Deceit Text: Proverbs 11:11
Introduction: Two Civic Blueprints
Every city, every town, every nation is built on a foundation of words. We are verbal creatures, made in the image of a speaking God, and so it is no surprise that our societies are constructed or demolished by what comes out of our mouths. The book of Proverbs is intensely practical, and it refuses to allow us to separate our private piety from our public life. Your faith is not a quiet, personal hobby that you cultivate in the prayer closet, only to emerge as a functional mute in the public square. No, your faith speaks. It blesses. Or, if you are wicked, your mouth spews a corrosive acid that dissolves the very foundations of a city.
This proverb sets before us two blueprints for civic life, two architectural plans for the future of any society. There is the way of the upright, whose words are like carefully laid foundation stones, like sturdy beams and soaring arches. Their words build, strengthen, and exalt a city. Then there is the way of the wicked, whose mouths are wrecking balls and demolition crews. Their words do not build; they only know how to tear down. They are experts in the art of ruin.
We live in a generation that is drunk on the words of the wicked. We are inundated with a constant stream of lies, flatteries, grievances, and blasphemies from our televisions, our universities, and our halls of government. And we are surprised when the walls start to crumble? We are shocked when the roof caves in? We have listened to the demolition crew, and now we are living in the rubble. This proverb is therefore not just a quaint piece of ancient wisdom; it is a desperately needed diagnosis of our current civic disease. And it is also the only prescription for a cure.
The central issue is this: who will you listen to? Whose words will you heed? The answer to that question will determine whether your city is exalted or overthrown. It is a matter of life and death, of blessing and ruin. And God does not stutter.
The Text
By the blessing of the upright a city is raised up,
But by the mouth of the wicked it is torn down.
(Proverbs 11:11 LSB)
The Upright as Master Builders (v. 11a)
We begin with the first clause:
"By the blessing of the upright a city is raised up..." (Proverbs 11:11a)
The word for "blessing" here is not just a polite sentiment, like saying "have a nice day." In the Scriptures, a blessing is a potent, creative force. When God blessed Adam and Eve, He commanded them to be fruitful and multiply, and that blessing had the power to make it happen. A blessing is a word of favor, a word that imparts strength, health, and prosperity. The upright are those who are rightly aligned with God, and because they are, their words are aligned with reality. They speak truth.
So how does this work? How does the blessing of the upright exalt a city? First, the upright bless God. They lead the city in public worship, acknowledging that the Lord is the source of all good things. A city that honors God is a city that God will honor. When the righteous are in positions of influence, they create a culture of gratitude and dependence on God, not on the state. This is the ultimate foundation for civic health.
Second, the upright bless their neighbors. They speak words that build up, not tear down. Their business dealings are honest. Their counsel is wise. They defend the fatherless and the widow. They teach their children the fear of the Lord. Their "yes" is yes and their "no" is no. This creates a high-trust society. When you can trust the words of your neighbors, your merchants, and your magistrates, the entire city is lifted up. Commerce flourishes, justice is swift, and families are secure. This is the social capital that makes everything else work.
Third, the upright speak blessings in the sense that they offer wise and righteous governance. The preceding verse says, "When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices" (Prov. 11:10). When men who fear God are making the laws, the laws tend to be just. They understand they are governing under God, and so they do not try to become gods themselves. They punish evil and reward good. They understand that their authority is delegated, and this humility is a source of immense stability and prosperity for the city. Their words of governance are a blessing because they align with the grain of God's created order.
The Wicked as a Demolition Crew (v. 11b)
The contrast could not be more stark. Where the upright build, the wicked destroy.
"But by the mouth of the wicked it is torn down." (Proverbs 11:11b)
Notice the instrument of destruction: the mouth. The wicked man does not need a battering ram or a catapult to overthrow a city. He just needs a platform. He needs a microphone, a television camera, a university lectern, or a seat in the legislature. His words are his weapons of mass destruction.
How does the mouth of the wicked accomplish this demolition? First, through lies. The wicked man is a slanderer, a flatterer, and a propagandist. He calls evil good and good evil. He tells the people that slavery is freedom, that theft is justice, and that perversion is love. He promises them bread and circuses, paid for with money he has stolen from their children's future. He undermines trust at every level. When you cannot believe what your leaders say, the social fabric unravels. A city built on lies is a city built on a sinkhole.
Second, through blasphemy and mockery. The wicked man despises the law of God. He mocks the sacred things. He sneers at the institution of marriage, he scoffs at the idea of sexual purity, and he redefines life to suit his own murderous agenda. By stripping the city of its fear of God, he removes all the moral restraints. He unleashes the beast of human depravity, and the city begins to devour itself from within. He tears down the walls of self-control, and the city becomes defenseless against its own worst impulses (Prov. 25:28).
Third, through foolish counsel and destructive policies. The wicked man's mouth issues decrees that are contrary to God's design. He promotes economic policies that punish thrift and reward sloth. He passes laws that undermine the family and subsidize immorality. He stirs up strife and division, pitting one group against another for his own political gain. His words are poison to the body politic. He is the charlatan who sells snake oil that he promises will cure all ills, but which only hastens the city's demise.
Building on the Rock
So we are presented with a choice. Every society, in every generation, stands at this crossroads. Will we build our common life on the blessing of the upright, or will we hand the keys over to the demolition crew with their lying mouths? Our nation for many years has been listening to the sweet-sounding promises of the wicked, and the structural groaning you hear all around you is the sound of a civilization being torn down.
What is the solution? It is not first and foremost a political strategy. It is a matter of repentance and faith. The ultimate blessing of the upright is the gospel of Jesus Christ. The most destructive lie of the wicked is that we can save ourselves.
The gospel is a blessing because it is the truth about our condition. We are sinners, and our own mouths have contributed to the ruin. "For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned" (Matthew 12:37). We have all spoken wickedly, and we are all under the sentence of demolition.
But God, in His mercy, has spoken a better word. He has sent His Son, Jesus Christ, who is the Word made flesh. Jesus is the ultimate upright man. His mouth spoke only truth, only blessing. And on the cross, He took upon Himself the curse that our wicked words deserved. He was torn down for our sakes, so that we might be raised up.
When we repent of our sin and trust in Christ, God does two things. First, He silences the accusations of the wicked one against us. The lies of Satan have no more power over us. Second, He puts a new song in our mouths. He makes us upright in Christ, and begins to teach us how to speak words of blessing. He enlists us in His construction project.
Therefore, the task of the Christian is to be a builder. We are to be the upright whose blessings raise up the city. This means we must speak the truth of the gospel without compromise. It means we must bless our neighbors in tangible ways, through honest work and faithful service. It means we must insist on righteousness and justice in the public square. We must refuse to listen to the lies of the wicked, and we must refuse to repeat them. Our mouths must be fountains of life, not agents of demolition.
The choice is simple. A city built on the Rock of Christ's word will be exalted. A city built on the shifting sands of wicked lies will be torn down. And make no mistake, it is being torn down. The only hope is to return to the Master Builder, to heed His blueprint, and to become the kind of upright men and women whose very presence is a blessing to the city.