Ptoverbs 11:28 He that trusteth in his riches shall fall: but thr righteous shall flourish as a branch.
The contrast throughout proverbs is often between the “righteous” and the “wicked.” These terms are used for believers and unbelievers. There is a sharp, clear and vast difference between those who believe in Christ and those who don’t in both their earthly and eternal lives. The believer is accounted righteous by faith in Jesus, while the unbeliever remains in sin as a wicked sinner. “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him [John 3:36].”
The difference is black and white, simple, sharp, and clear-cut from God’s point of view, but we cannot see the difference in this life. And we are commanded not to judge the heart anyway. All will be sharply revealed on the Judgment Day. Until then, we have only the revealed Word of God to point us to Christ and show the Way.
The promise here says the one will fall and the other will flourish. This refers to the spiritual life, to spiritual wealth and poverty. It is not measured in worldly terms of money and possessions. “A man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” For if one trusts in them he will fall.
The righteous, on other hand, will flourish as a branch. Jesus picks up on this term when He gives this promise: “I am the vine; you are the branches; he who abides in me and I in him will bear much fruit.” Therefore, we may believe, confess, and affirm about ourselves that we are rich, flourishing, and bearing fruit. So we daily reaffirm our faith in the Gospel, and we enjoy a flourishing life.