Proverbs 11.16-19 says....

Today's verses are Proverbs 11:16-19, which read,

v.16 - A gracious woman attains honor, and ruthless men attain riches.

Solomon will give us some characteristics today and of course the genders can be switched.  Some times the men get the good part and the women the bad and sometimes vice a versa.  This verse gives the good to the ladies.

A gracious woman attains honor.  Another way to say this would be that a woman who shows good favor to others grasps a glorious or abundant life.  The ruthless men attain riches.  Another way to say this would be that a man who oppresses others with fearful tactics grasps material wealth.  One grasps a life and the other grasps things.  One is focused on others and the other is focused on self.

v.17 - The merciful man does himself good, but the cruel man does himself harm.

The merciful man does himself good.  Another way to say this would be that a man who shows goodness and kindness to others gains what he is dispensing to others.  The cruel man does himself harm.  Another way to say this would be that a man who is fierce toward others troubles himself with the experience of the same.  You reap what you sow would be a good parallel proverb here to use.  The focus is how we are treating others.  Are we gracious and merciful or are we ruthless and cruel?  What you give is what you are going to get.

v.18 - The wicked earns deceptive wages, but he who sows righteousness gets a true reward.

Both the wicked and the righteous are receiving something.  The wicked earns this, or works toward a false payment.  It looks like something to desire but it really isn't something to desire at all.  The righteous gets this or is affirmed by his actions with a true payment.  It doesn't just look like something to desire but it is truly something that is worthy to behold.  One works to receive something that is really nothing while the other gives a faithful firm life to receive something affirmed to be true.  One is working and the other is sowing.  One is focused on getting and the other is focused on giving.  One ends up with something that is false and the other ends up holding onto something that is true.  

v.19 - He who is steadfast in righteousness will attain to life, and he who pursues evil will bring about his own death.

One is standing firm on a life that brings glory unto God and focuses on the service of a righteous life onto others.  The other is going after a life that doesn't bring glory unto God and focuses on the service of self.  The one who is firm and established in the Lord will attain to life.  This is a promise of God.  The one who is running after being evil or bad will bring about his own death.  This is also promise of God.

Which promise to you want?  The one that attains life or the one that brings about your own death?  If we put these characteristics together it would look like this.  The gracious, merciful, righteous and steadfast person who has a focus on others as he or she lives for God will attain honor, good, true reward and life.  The ruthless, cruel, wicked and running after evil person who has a focus on self as he or she lives for themselves will attain material riches, harm, false wages and his or her own death.  

It is amazing in that list that material riches that really are false wages gets so much weight in our world.  It gets so much press and becomes a qualifier to being a successful person.  God is not looking at your money.  God is looking at your character.  God wants you to receive those things that will last forever and to receive them you need to imitate His graciousness, His mercy, His righteousness and His steadfastness.  You need to reject Satan's ruthlessness, Satan's cruelty, Satan's wickedness and his desire to do evil.  We are back to the "who are you following" question.  Look at your actions toward others and you will be able to figure it out.  Let's pray.

"Lord, what a difference there should be for the person who calls themselves a follower of You.  There should be such a visible difference to the world around us that gives so much focus to self and material riches.  We should beam with Your qualities and by Your promises receive rewards from You that are true and eternal.  May this be what we be today.  Amen."

Pastor Adam