Those who are kind benefit themselves. Proverbs 11:17
Two friends were shopping for a laptop in an electronics store when they ran into basketball great Shaquille O’Neal. Aware that O’Neal recently suffered the loss of his sister and a former teammate, they empathetically offered their condolences. After the two men returned to their shopping, Shaq approached them and told them to pick out the nicest laptop they could find. He then bought it for them, simply because they saw him as a person going through a difficult time and was moved by their kindness.
Millennia before that encounter, Solomon wrote, “Those who are kind benefit themselves” (Proverbs 11:17). When we consider others’ needs and do what we can to help and encourage them, we’re rewarded ourselves. It may not be with a laptop or material things, but God has ways of blessing us that this world can’t measure. As Solomon explained just one verse earlier in the same chapter, “A kindhearted woman gains honor, but ruthless men gain only wealth” (v. 16). There are gifts from God that are worth far more than money, and He measures them generously in His perfect wisdom and way.
Kindness and generosity are part of God’s character, and He loves to see them expressed in our own hearts and lives. Solomon summed up the matter well: “Whoever refreshes others will be refreshed” (v. 25).
How has God shown kindness to you? In what ways can you show His love to others today?
Dear God, I love Your kindness. Please help me to become more like You so that I may share Your love in practical ways.
INSIGHT
Proverbs 11 contrasts the righteous, those in alignment with God’s ways, with the wicked who choose evil and cruelty. This chapter emphasizes that wickedness and evil are self-destructive: “The wicked are brought down by their own wickedness” (v. 5); “the unfaithful are trapped by evil desires” (v. 6); “the cruel bring ruin on themselves” (v. 17). The principle that living as God intended results in flourishing is at the heart of the book of Proverbs. Other portions of Scripture like Job and Ecclesiastes nuance the picture to recognize that often the righteous suffer greatly even as the wicked seem to flourish. But Proverbs emphasizes that pursuing evil is shortsighted and self-destructive. Following God’s ways, however, leads to deep joy and abundance. Proverbs 11:19 puts it this way: “Truly the righteous attain life, but whoever pursues evil finds death.”