Session 28 • Proverbs 28
Courage, Integrity & Confession — Theme 6: Identity & Outcomes
Proverbs 28 contrasts the boldness of the righteous with the fear of the guilty, hidden sin with confession and mercy, and steady integrity with shortcuts to riches. It presses you to walk in the open before God and people.
Scripture should always be read first in your own Bible, with prayer and dependence on the Holy Spirit for understanding. North & Narrow’s notes are created with the help of technology and reflect a fallible, interpretive layer. Use this program as a supplemental guide, not a replacement for Scripture itself.
What today is about
Proverbs 28 shows that your inner stance before God eventually shows in courage, habits, and how you handle money and mistakes. The righteous walk with a clean conscience and growing boldness. Those who hide sin, chase quick gain, or oppress others live under quiet fear and instability.
- The righteous are bold like a lion; guilt makes people run when no one is chasing.
- Hiding sin keeps you stuck; confession and forsaking it opens a path to mercy.
- Quick riches and crooked gain bring trouble; steady work and integrity are safer.
- True identity is shaped by how you respond when you are tempted, afraid, or caught.
Section 1 — Boldness, Guilt & Listening to the Law (vv. 1, 4–5)
Proverbs 28:1, 4–5 (KJV)
Proverbs 28:1 The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.
Explanation (v.1): Guilt and a troubled conscience create fear even when there is no visible threat. In contrast, those who walk uprightly before God can stand with a settled, lion-like courage.
Proverbs 28:4 They that forsake the law praise the wicked: but such as keep the law contend with them.
Explanation (v.4): When people abandon God’s ways, they end up supporting or excusing evil. Those who stay faithful to His law cannot simply applaud wrongdoing; their loyalty to God puts them at odds with it.
Proverbs 28:5 Evil men understand not judgment: but they that seek the LORD understand all things.
Explanation (v.5): Those set on evil become dull to justice and right judgment. By contrast, those who seek the LORD gain growing clarity about what is truly right, even when culture is confused.
Section 2 — Integrity, Work & Quick Riches (vv. 6, 19–20)
Proverbs 28:6, 19–20 (KJV)
Proverbs 28:6 Better is the poor that walketh in his uprightness, than he that is perverse in his ways, though he be rich.
Explanation (v.6): Uprightness is weighed as more valuable than financial success gained through crooked ways. It is better to have little with clean hands than much with a twisted path.
Proverbs 28:19 He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread: but he that followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough.
Explanation (v.19): Steady, ordinary work (“tilling the land”) leads to provision. Chasing empty schemes and shallow company leads to lack, even if it looks exciting at first.
Proverbs 28:20 A faithful man shall abound with blessings: but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent.
Explanation (v.20): Faithfulness over time attracts blessing; rushing to get rich pulls you toward corners cut and damage done. “Making haste” suggests a willingness to compromise innocence for speed.
Section 3 — Confession, Mercy & Flexing Conscience (vv. 13–14)
Proverbs 28:13–14 (KJV)
Proverbs 28:13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.
Explanation (v.13): Covering sin—hiding it, denying it, or dressing it up—blocks true progress. The path to mercy runs through honest confession and a real turning away, not excuses.
Proverbs 28:14 Happy is the man that feareth alway: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief.
Explanation (v.14): This “fear” is a tender sensitivity—a heart that stays responsive to God and conscience. A hardened heart, unmoved by warning or conviction, heads toward trouble and harm.
Recap — Proverbs 28 (Key threads)
- Righteousness grows a lion-like boldness; guilt breeds fear, even in quiet rooms (v.1).
- Those who abandon God’s ways drift into praising or excusing evil (vv.4–5).
- Integrity with little is better than wealth gained crookedly (v.6).
- Steady work and faithfulness beat “get rich quick” paths that erode innocence (vv.19–20).
- Hiding sin blocks true flourishing; confession and forsaking it open the way to mercy (v.13).
- A soft, responsive heart is safer than a hard one that refuses conviction (v.14).
Today’s practice — Walk in the open, reject shortcuts
Aim: Take one step out of hiding and one step away from “haste to be rich.” This session supports the Identity & Integrity • Wood/Silver (living openly before God) and Finance • Wood (no new entangling shortcuts) medallions.
Quick — Today (5–10 minutes)
- Sit quietly and ask: “Is there one area I’ve been covering sin or compromise?” Name it honestly in prayer before God (no excuses, no softening).
- Write one simple sentence of turning: “Today I will forsake this by doing ______ instead.”
- If your conscience points to a money shortcut (impulse debt, risky gamble, dishonest gain), redraw the line today: “I will not step over this line again.”
Medium — 7 days (“Open & Steady”)
- Choose one area where you’ve been tempted to “make haste to be rich” or get ahead: side deals, risky spending, or cutting corners at work.
- For 7 days, practice a simple replacement: when you feel the pull toward the shortcut, do one faithful, ordinary action instead (honest work, a needed conversation, or a small act of generosity).
- Once this week, share one struggle honestly with a trusted believer and invite them to pray for your integrity and courage.
- At week’s end, write 5–7 lines: “How confession, steady work, and avoiding shortcuts changed my sense of boldness before God and others.”
Deep — 30 days (“Mercy & Integrity Track”)
- Identify one pattern of hiding (in speech, money, or private habits) and one pattern of “haste” (rushing for gain, image, or approval).
- Build a 30-day rule of life around Proverbs 28:13: Daily confession before God, weekly check-in with a trusted person, and one concrete act each week that moves you toward integrity (e.g., making something right, closing an account, or correcting a lie).
- Track each day with one line: “Where I walked in the open today was…” or “Where I chose steady faithfulness over haste today was…”
- At the end of the month, write a short reflection: “What boldness, freedom, or mercy looks like in my life now compared to 30 days ago.”
Comparative lenses — Other wisdom echoes
Aristotle — Character Over Wealth
Aristotle treats virtue as more central to a good life than external goods. Proverbs 28:6’s “better is the poor that walketh in his uprightness” aligns closely: both insist that who you are matters more than what you own, and that rushing for gain at the cost of character undercuts true flourishing.
Confucius — Straight Dealing & Proper Fear
Confucius emphasizes upright conduct, appropriate fear of disorder, and honesty in relationships. The call in Proverbs 28 to avoid crooked ways, to stay soft-hearted, and to walk openly before God parallels his concern that inner integrity and proper “awe” are essential for harmony and trust.
Socrates — Facing the Truth About Yourself
Socrates presses people to examine their lives and not hide from uncomfortable truths. Proverbs 28:13–14 leans in the same direction: covering sin blocks growth, while bringing it into the light is the path to mercy. Both challenge self-deception and invite a more honest, examined life.
Buddha — Craving, Attachment & Restlessness
Buddhist teaching links suffering to craving and restless grasping. While the foundations differ from Scripture, the warning about “making haste to be rich” and never-satisfied desire resonates: chasing more at any cost does not lead to peace. Proverbs redirects that energy toward integrity, confession, and trust in God’s provision.
Closing prayer (optional)
Lord, thank You that You invite me to walk in the open with You. Expose where I have been hiding sin, chasing quick gain, or hardening my heart. Give me courage like a lion to do what is right, grace to confess and forsake what is wrong, and patience to choose faithful work over shortcuts. In Jesus’ name, amen.