but ruthless men gain only wealth.
17 A kind man benefits himself,
but a cruel man brings trouble on himself.
18 The wicked man earns deceptive wages,
but he who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward.
19 The truly righteous man attains life,
but he who pursues evil goes to his death.
20 The LORD detests men of perverse heart
but he delights in those whose ways are blameless.
21 Be sure of this: The wicked will not go unpunished,
but those who are righteous will go free.
22 Like a gold ring in a pig's snout
is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion.
23 The desire of the righteous ends only in good,
but the hope of the wicked only in wrath.
24 One man gives freely, yet gains even more;
another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.
25 A generous man will prosper;
he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.
26 People curse the man who hoards grain,
but blessing crowns him who is willing to sell.
27 He who seeks good finds goodwill,
but evil comes to him who searches for it.
28 Whoever trusts in his riches will fall,
but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf.
29 He who brings trouble on his family will inherit only wind,
and the fool will be servant to the wise.
30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,
and he who wins souls is wise.
31 If the righteous receive their due on earth,
how much more the ungodly and the sinner!
Questions to consider:
- What do your actions reveal about the basic qualities of your life?
- What themes do you see in this passage?
- Again, try to memorize a proverb from this passage that has some relation to your own life.
Possibilities for prayer:
Sometimes when we are living lives that involve a lot of giving to others-- physically, emotionally, mentally, financially-- it feels like we are pulling from what we no longer even have. But verse 25 is encouraging in that regard--not only are the generous people going to prosper, but there’s a promise that those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed. We’ve probably all experienced that warm feeling that comes from doing something good for someone else, but there may come a time when that warm feeling just doesn’t seem like enough anymore. I think the key to the refreshment is to be constantly going to God for re-fueling sessions. Let’s ask God to re-fuel us so that we don’t feel over-spent and over-weary, and thank God for the promise that even in being refreshers, we can find refreshing for ourselves.
Posts
