A wicked person earns deceptive wages,
but the one who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward.
Summary: Once again we are reminded that there are two ways to see life. Worldly vision is short-sighted, spiritual vision shows us the eternal horizon before us.
Who do you think of when you read the phrase “a wicked person?” Does someone, in particular, come to mind? Sadly, I think of lots of people, and I feel like I probably shouldn’t. After all, Jesus taught us, “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.” (Matthew 7:1) Yet there are certain wicked behaviors that the Bible is very clear about and it is difficult for me to separate the wicked behaviors I see from Solomon’s description of a wicked person.
And what do these people gain? The ones I am thinking about are often out for political and financial gain. You see it in their behavior, in their mysterious acquisition of wealth, and their personal life choices.
Are their wages deceptive? Here, as we so often find ourselves, we are looking at life through a split lens. One lens shows us the things of this world, the other lens shows us life through the light of eternity.
Wages that are all about the gratification of the flesh are deceptive. The flesh is susceptible to lies. The lie is that the flesh can be satisfied. It can’t. Hunger for something is always bubbling up in some form. Like a drug that creates a “high” that can only be experienced once, deceptive wages create a sense of achievement that lasts only for a moment.
To “sow righteousness” is a different kind of work from that which the wicked person indulges in. Sowing righteousness is planting God’s will into everything a person does. The righteous live for God rather than for themselves. Those who sow righteousness are inviting God into their lives. Doing what is right in God’s eyes is honoring the God who died for our sins so that we could be restored to a right relationship with him forever.
The wages of this world are deceptive because there is not enough money in all of creation to buy our way out of the Lake of Fire once we are there (Revelation 20: 15). The sure reward of righteousness, that is of pleasing God, is eternally being in the arms of our Father, our Lord.
Application: Do a self-check. What motivates you in your daily life?
Food for Thought: Define righteousness and explain how we sow it.
I like the cartoon. I have to admit, I have thought that exact same thought before!
Define righteousness and explain how we sow it.
Spiritual righteousness is living a life that pleases God. this includes our character, attitude, and actions. We can find the path to righteousness in obeying scripture. I can speak from personal experience that reading the scripture, meditating on how it applies to my life (how I do and don’t currently apply in to my life), and praying for the Holy Spirit to show to me how I should I apply it to my life is a great start. In my experience I have found that there is usually some sin in my past (or present) that has not been recognized. Usually it comes down to how my sin has affected others, and then I can see how that sin affects my walk with the Lord. Once I have a clear perspective of this, it becomes an easy choice.
Hosea 10:12 “Sow righteousness for yourselves, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the LORD, until he comes and showers his righteousness on you.”
Chris,
Thank you for explaining your PRAYERFUL approach to this topic. That is very helpful. God has been teaching me some things about prayer lately that align perfectly with what you are sharing.
Thanks also for the great reference verse!
You reap what sow!!! So true! 🙏
Amen!
One way we sow righteousness is to share and live the gospel. There are different ways to define righteousness, but if we are looking at being in a right relationship with God (what I am doing here from a narrow perspective), that takes Christ. What we are sowing then is His righteousness. This is a righteousness that comes from Him as opposed to self righteous. By sharing the gospel we are sowing His righteousness to reap an eternal reward.
Rich,
Wow! “… to share and live the gospel.” You have said a mouthful!
Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.
Galatians 6:7-9
“for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.” A nice reminder.
A –
Thank you for the encouraging words today. Great verse!
Yeah, the Bible always says it better than I do!
06-16-2022, Proverbs 11:18, Define righteousness and explain how we sow it.
2 Corinthians 5:2, He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
Christ is the perfect revelation of God’s righteousness, and our faith in Him leads us into living in His righteousness. This desire is placed in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, the moment we begin believing in Christ. We begin dying to self control and begin to living Christ controlled lives as we grow in His righteousness.
John 16:13, Romans 1:17, 4:5-6
We sow God’s righteousness as we present our bodies a living and holy sacrifice. We turn from conforming to this world, living by the power of our flesh. And to the process of being transformed by the Holy Spirit who renews our minds. We allow Christ in us to do what is good and acceptable and perfect before God as HE ministers to the world around us.
Romans 12:1-2
Ron,
Thank you! I like the way you explain how God’s righteousness wells up in us and lives through us. Our self-control dies like a weed that has been poisoned and Christ’s righteousness blossoms in us. Lovely!