What is the meaning of Proverbs 11:18? The wicked man earns an empty wage The first half of the proverb shows that any profit gained through sin is ultimately hollow. • Proverbs 10:2 says, “Ill-gotten treasures profit nothing”, underscoring that dishonest gain evaporates. • Jeremiah 17:11 pictures the same emptiness: “He who makes riches unjustly… in the end he will be proven a fool”. • Jesus poses the sobering question, “What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world yet forfeits his soul?” (Matthew 16:26). However dazzling wicked earnings may look, Scripture insists they are a mirage—money without meaning, success without security, applause without permanence. But he who sows righteousness The image shifts from wages to seed. Righteous living is portrayed as sowing—an intentional, patient investment. • Hosea 10:12 urges, “Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap the fruit of loving devotion”. • Paul applies the same agricultural picture: “Whoever sows generously will also reap generously” (2 Corinthians 9:6). • Galatians 6:7–8 warns and assures at once: our moral planting determines our harvest. Planting righteousness involves daily choices: – speaking truth rather than deceit – acting with integrity instead of manipulation – showing compassion, not indifference – honoring God openly, not hiding faith for convenience Reaps a true reward Unlike the empty paycheck of evil, righteousness produces a harvest that is both real and lasting. • “There is great reward in keeping them” (Psalm 19:11) refers to God’s commands. • Jesus directs us to store up treasures “in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys” (Matthew 6:20). • Paul looks ahead to “the crown of righteousness” laid up for all who love Christ’s appearing (2 Timothy 4:8). God’s rewards can arrive: – Internally: peace of conscience, joy of fellowship with the Lord (Isaiah 32:17). – Externally: trustworthy reputation, healthy relationships, tangible blessings God sees fit to give (Proverbs 3:9–10). – Eternally: commendation from Christ and everlasting life shared with Him (John 12:26). summary Proverbs 11:18 contrasts two harvests. Wickedness pays in counterfeit currency—impressive now, worthless later. Righteousness, patiently planted, yields dividends that are genuine, satisfying, and eternal. The verse invites us to choose the field we sow in, confident that God’s promised reward is never an empty envelope. |
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