The wages of the righteous leads to life, the gain of the wicked to sin. Proverbs 10:16
“The contrast in this proverb is between the consequences of the gain of the righteous and the wicked respectively. The righteous and the wicked are the wise and the fool, described by their ethics. The term “wages” is a noun form of the verb, “to act, do, make, accomplish”; but in it’s nominal form (here) it can mean wages or payment. This verse assumes that both the righteous and the wicked may gain some material substance, but contrasts the value that it has for them. Money in the hand of the righteous person is a positive thing, but money in the hand of a wicked person is a negative thing. The contrast in consequences is interesting and somewhat unexpected.”
Tremper Longman III in Proverbs (BCOTWP; Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2006) 236.
Consider the message of this proverb. For the righteous (think: those who follow God’s design for life and living), gain becomes a positive thing. For the wicked (think: those who do not follow God’s design for life and living), money contributes to their destruction. It resources the virtues or vices present in their lives.
How does this relate to generosity? Those who follow God’s design for life and living will exhibit the fruit of the spirit of generosity. Those who don’t will not. Essentially, the proverb shows that our fruits reveal our roots. That leads those who desire to live generous lives to aim only at to aim at being rightly rooted in Christ. Hear and do what He says.
Today at Family Camp we are teaching on “The Trap Every Family Must Avoid” from the Parable of the Rich Fool in Luke 12:13-21. Are you blessed with abundance? Steer clear of the trap of greed by serving as a distributor. Jesus calls it being “rich toward God.” In the parable, the fool pridefully failed to play his part with gain and was relieved of his distribution duties.
Does your life reveal that gain a positive or negative for you?