by Bruce Billington

Weekly Devotional 15th May, 2026

In this session, we will continue to look at Proverbs Chapter 11. 

Proverbs 11:18-20 – “The wicked earns deceptive wages, but he who sows righteousness gets a true reward. 19 He who is steadfast in righteousness will attain to life, and he who pursues evil will bring about his own death. 20 The perverse in heart are an abomination to the LORD, but the blameless in their walk are His delight.”

Wicked people may believe they are gaining what they want, but they will eventually realise they have been deceived. Whatever they earn will not be blessed. But the one who sows or invests in righteousness will reap a secure reward. What is it that they reap? 

Life! 

The mention of a sure or permanent reward in verse 18 suggests that this extends to eternal life. The wicked, in contrast, go to their death (Verse 19).

It is interesting that the illustration of sowing righteousness is mentioned. Whenever we sow anything, we have to wait until it matures before we can harvest it. This makes the point that although we are promised to be blessed or rewarded, we often have to wait for to show up - it may not come instantly. We have to be sincere in our ways and consistently walk in the Lord’s way to reap His blessing. 

To the contrary, dishonest, unethical people blatantly ignore the laws of sowing and reaping. They also disregard the fact that there is a just God in heaven who sees all and, in His timing, balances the scales. Those who sow wickedness may profit in the short term, but in the long term they will reap the evil they have sown. People who sow righteousness have a sure reward. Without question, they will reap the righteousness they have sown.

Verse 19 also makes the point that the rewards of righteousness and wickedness are reaped not only in this life but also in eternity. In other words, the pursuit of righteousness, or the lack thereof, is a matter of eternal life or death. 

Those who are on the path of righteousness, who genuinely fear the Lord, and have established a relationship with Him through faith in Jesus Christ, will always pursue the practise of righteousness in their lives. Although they do not attain eternal life because of their good works, but because of their true faith, yet such genuine faith always produces godly, righteous living. 

We should pause to consider this further. Jesus spoke often about money. Although money is not the most important part of our lives, it is important (Luke 12:15). Christian stewardship is built upon the principle that all we possess belongs to God. It is God who has blessed us with life and strength and allowed us to either earn or inherit whatever we have. Therefore, we are God’s stewards or managers of all we have. If we are faithful stewards of our finances, we will be trusted by the Lord with even greater responsibilities (Luke 16:10–11).

This also applies to how we manage our finances. We should practise godliness in every area of life, especially in our financial dealings. Too many professing believers mar the testimony of the gospel and hinder the cause of Christ through unwise financial practices and dishonest, unethical business dealings. Sadly, many people who do not know Christ are more honest than some who claim to follow Christ. We need to be diligent and determined in this vital area. The world is watching, and unbelievers rejoice when professing believers are unscrupulous in their business practices. This should never be the case. Not only do we bring disrepute to the Kingdom of God, but we also lose His blessing. 

We must recognise that material wealth and worldly success mean little if they come at the cost of our integrity, values, and true selves. This underscores the importance of prioritising inner fulfilment, morality, and spiritual well-being over the pursuit of external accolades or possessions. Ultimately, true happiness and purpose come from within, not from external achievements. Added to this is the warning Jesus gives in Matthew 16:26. He says, 

“For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”

God detests the person who is perverse, twisted, or crooked, while He delights in the straightforward truth of the blameless.

Let’s make sure that is where we live, breathe and have our being. 

God bless you.