The wicked man does deceptive work, but he who sows righteousness will have a sure reward. As righteousness leads to life, so he who pursues evil pursues it to his own death. Proverbs 11: 18,19, NKJV.
Gracious God, Your Word is so plain. There are only two ways – life and death, and each person, by the way he or she walks, is choosing one. Please help us to choose life, and live eternally!
On Wednesday, as I sat waiting for the train to arrive, realizing I would be there for a while, I opened my Bible to see what the LORD might want to say to me while I waited. I opened my Bible and the first text at the head of the page was Proverbs 11: 18. So I read it, and then went on to verse 19. I realized, that there was much affinity between the two verses – so much so, that they could be put together to comprise one proverb. Therefore, I became creative, and began reading them this way: “The wicked man does deceptive work, so he who pursues evil, pursues it to his own death. But he who sows righteousness will have a sure reward, as righteousness leads to life.” Let me share with you some of the thoughts that resulted from this rearrangement:
Sin deceives the very persons who practice it. I have asked this question before, or maybe not: “Have you ever wondered why some people, knowing that what they are about to do is wrong, and could bring pain and disgrace to themselves, and even to the ones they love the most, do it just the same?” I believe that happens because, at the moment of temptation, the Adversary does not disclose all the facts. We need never forget that that is his nature to be deceptive (John 8: 44)! Therefore, he gives just enough information to make sin attractive, while hiding all, or its true results. He did not tell Adm and Eve, that they would become aware of their nakedness in a way that would make them ashamed. He did not tell them that they would begin to fear the LORD (Genesis 3: 8, 10). He did not tell them that they would begin to blame God, and each other (12). He did not tell them that their beautiful garden home would begin to produce thorns and thistles, and that it would become more difficult for the earth to produce their food (17-19).
He certainly did not tell them that one of their sons would hate the other, and would eventually lift up his hands and take his brother’s life (4: 6-8)! Maybe if he had, at the time, they would not have understood what he was talking about, anyway. Do not forget, that it was obviously not God’s plan for them to know evil (Genesis 3: 5, 22)! So, as we are deceived, we deceive: “The wicked man does deceptive work[!] And the result is death, “so he who pursues evil pursues it to his own death.” Listen to this word of advice from the author of Hebrews: “But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness” (Hebrews 3: 13). Deception produces spiritual rigor mortis! When we do not allow the blood of Jesus to circulate throughout our lives, we become hardened by the deceitfulness of sin! Lord, help us!
Righteousness produces its own blessing.Every act of kindness first blesses the originator. Have you noticed how happy you feel after you have done something kind for someone? It does not matter if it is a total stranger or a loved one! Just to see the person’s smile, or to hear him or her say something to this effect: “How did you know that I wanted this . . .?” Or, “What an answer to prayer this is!” It produces such a moment of joy, that makes every effort you made to do what you did, worth it! And the effect lasts for a long, long, time! It not only produces joy, but it also produces health! “A merry heart does good like a medicine: but a broken spirit dries the bones” (Proverbs 17: 22, emphasis provided).
This is also true in spiritual things. In the book of Daniel we read the following: “Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever (Daniel 12: 3, emphasis provided). Those who spend their lives leading others to a saving knowledge of Jesus, not only let their lights shine here on earth, for the glory of God; but they themselves, will shine like stars, for eternity! (It will be interesting to see this text illustrated!) Righteousness brings double blessings: here, and in the hereafter! As we are busy helping others to get ready for the coming of Christ, we are also being prepared by the Holy Spirit, for eternity. Our lives tend to take the direction of our actions, and vice versa. We become what we think, and our thoughts shape our actions. We have nothing to lose, when, by the grace of God, we live our lives for His glory, because “[H]e [or she] who sows righteousness will have a sure reward, as righteousness leads to life.”
There are really only two ways: life and death, why not choose life today?