You reap what you sow! (Proverbs series)

While reading through proverbs, I can across several verses that spoke to me in many different themes. Here is a repeating theme that stuck out to me. I just love reading the books of Solomon! His wisdom is straight from God, and the wisest words on earth.

Proverbs 11:17

"Your own soul is nourished when you are kind; it is destroyed when you are cruel."

I find this verse very interesting. It would seem that while a person may be acting cruel, their intention is to harm another, but in fact the harm is truly unto themselves. It is not others who are destroyed when you are cruel, only yourself. And similarly, when someone is being kind to another, while his intentions are to benefit someone else (valid intentions, by the way), he also benefits himself. He nourishes himself. When you are kind, it is not guaranteed that others are nourished-maybe so, maybe not-but for you, YES!

You get what you give; reap what you sow!

Proverbs 11:25

"Yes, the liberal man shall be rich. By watering others, he waters himself."

Here are some more words of wisdom that defy logic. How in this world of physics can some one possibly become rich by giving his things, his wealth away? Wouldn't he become poor? If you have ten dollars in your pocket, and you give one dollar away to every person you meet on the street, wouldn't you run out of money????? And quickly too? While logic says, "The more you give, the more you lose," GOD IS BIGGER!! You get what you give!

Something else to notice here...these words do not speak to the growth of the person getting watered. You can lead a horse to water, you can water a plant, but only God makes it grow. But you have guaranteed a watering for yourself.

Proverbs 19:17

"When you help the poor you are lending to the Lord-and he pays wonderful interest on you loan!"

This is the reason why the one who waters gets watered himself! It is counter-intuitive, against the grain, against our flesh. It is not a natural feeling; the flesh will not like it. What goes around comes around.

Proverbs 10: 22

"The Lord's blessing is our greatest wealth. All our work adds nothing to it."

While faith without works is dead, and we are called to be the hands and feet of God-doing his good works- our greatest wealth is not our works. His blessing is the only thing worthy to receive in this life. We cannot do anything on our own. All of our efforts are worthless, meaningless, nothing. It is only through Him, His power, His grace, His love that we can receive His blessings. And after receiving His blessing, there is nothing we can do to compare to that!

He is mighty! He is awesome! Trust in Him, He will never fail you!

Proverbs 10:24

"The wicked man's fears will all come true, and so will the good man's hopes."

Put your Hope in God, and it will come true!

(More on this verse later in another Proverbs series.)

To Him be the glory forever.

Amen.