21 The talk of a good person is rich fare for many,
    but chatterboxes die of an empty heart.

22 God’s blessing makes life rich;
    nothing we do can improve on God.

23 An empty-head thinks mischief is fun,
    but a mindful person relishes wisdom.

24 The nightmares of the wicked come true;
    what the good people desire, they get.

25 When the storm is over, there’s nothing left of the wicked;
    good people, firm on their rock foundation, aren’t even fazed.

26 A lazy employee will give you nothing but trouble;
    it’s vinegar in the mouth, smoke in the eyes.

27 The Fear-of-God expands your life;
    a wicked life is a puny life.

28 The aspirations of good people end in celebration;
    the ambitions of bad people crash.

29 God is solid backing to a well-lived life,
    but he calls into question a shabby performance.

30 Good people last—they can’t be moved;
    the wicked are here today, gone tomorrow.

31 A good person’s mouth is a clear fountain of wisdom;
    a foul mouth is a stagnant swamp.

32 The speech of a good person clears the air;
    the words of the wicked pollute it. (The Message)

Whenever we come, from time to time, to the book of Proverbs, it’s worth ‘sucking’ each one like a sweet. Proverbs requires meditation. On the face of it, some of the sayings may seem inaccurate: untrue to experience. Take verse 30 for example. In this world God’s ”Good people…” don’t ”last”. They are regularly removed from the world by ”the wicked”. Yes, but look deeper and you will see that the righteous do endure. See things in eternal terms. Take the (very) long view. Ultimately, the godly come through the storm (25; see Matt.7:24-27). It is always true that ”God’s blessing makes life rich…” and ”The Fear-of-God expands your life” (vv.22,27). God-blessed people bless the world in many ways, not least in their speech (vv.21,31,32). They are ‘air fresheners.’