Proverbs 11.16, 18
“A gracious woman gets honor, and violent men get riches … The wicked earns deceptive wages, but one who sows righteousness gets a sure reward.”
“Gracious” is contrasted with “violent.” Someone who is characterized by grace is someone who acts for the benefit of others. It someone who gives without expecting anything in return. The reward that such a woman receives is honor. She is respected and loved by for her selfless actions.
On the other hand, men of “violence” are those who take what they want, by force if necessary. These people aren’t givers like the gracious woman; rather, they are takers. The gracious woman is selfless; the violent men are selfish.
The reward of such violence is riches, which sounds good on the surface, but it is ill-gotten wealth. It is wealth without honor.
This is precisely the point in verse 18. The wealth earned by the wicked is deceptive. It is wealth that looks good on the outside, but inwardly is corrupt and distorted. Solomon already said it in verse 4: “Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.”
The reward that the righteous receive is permanent. It is an eternal reward that goes far beyond any form of material wealth.
Proverbs 11.17
“A man who is kind benefits himself, but a cruel man hurts himself.”
This verse contrasts the person motivated by love versus the person motivated by cruelty. The word translated “kind” is the Hebrew hesed, and it is very close in meaning to the NT Greek word agape. It means selfless, sacrificial love. This is the kind of love that motivated God to send Jesus to die for us (see John 3.16). It is love that seeks the best interest of others.
The person who lives and works directed by hesed is someone who serves and brings value to others. He is a giver, not a taker. It’s interesting, though, that when you give to others, they in turn are motivated to give back to you. It is the law of reciprocity. People are motivated to help and do good things for good people. When your kindness benefits others, in the long run your kindness will also benefit you.
The cruel person ends up hurting himself because no one wants to help him. He is a taker, and people don’t like to help takers.
Proverbs 11.19-21
“Whoever is steadfast in righteousness will live, but he who pursues evil will die. Those of crooked heart are an abomination to the Lord, but those of blameless ways are his delight. Be assured, an evil person will not go unpunished, but the offspring of the righteous will be delivered.”
This is the core message of the Bible. Those who trust Jesus and seek to obey him are blessed with life, while those who reject Jesus and live in defiance of his standards will not experience the life he offers. In a fallen world, evil people will sometimes have a measure of success for a period of time, but in the end they will be punished.
Jesus is the Author and Giver of life. It is in relationship with Jesus that we find and experience the life for which God created us.
“But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ— by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:4-6)
“I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10)
Trust Jesus, receive the gift of life, be steadfast in what is right, and be a giver — not a taker.
