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Sowing Righteousness

Proverbs 11:18 Updated American Standard Version (UASV)
¹⁸The wicked man earns deceptive wages,
but the one who sows righteousness, a reward of truth.^[1]

The wicked man earns deceptive wages: The Hebrew word rendered wicked (רָשָׁע rasha) here is an unrighteous man that is evil, with the focus on his guilt of violating God’s standards. The Hebrew verb (עָשָׂה asah) that is rendered earns means to do or make. Deceptive (שֶׁקֶר sheqer) wages are being fraudulent, misleading, and utterly false. In other words, the wicked man’s wages, rewards, or income is not what it seems to be, for his wages are misleading, illusory, valueless, insignificant, and so are not what the wicked had expected to receive.

but the one who sows righteousness, a reward of truth: This person, in contrast, who sows righteousness is one who is doing good, walking with God, living an upright life, and acts justly in all of his dealings. A reward of truth is a true reward, a sure or genuine reward. These ones spend their entire lives chasing money and riches, looking for the one big score. These ones gamble both figuratively and literally. These ones are piling on debt, believing that there are riches just around the corner.

What we have here is a contrast between the lazy man and one who is diligent, hardworking, and productive. The lazy person is taking on debt by doing risky, short-term, immediate gratification work, trying to acquire something for nothing. The man sowing with righteousness, on the other hand, gives an honest day’s work for an acceptable wage. This righteous man of God, in his sincerity, sows righteousness in helping others to come to a knowledge of the truth of God’s Word, taking care of his loved ones, and making an effort on behalf of God’s people. He does not take on deceptive wages through short-term earnings that have no real basis in the reality of a long life of happiness.

With his deceptive wages, the wicked man has no moral compass and does not accept any authority except himself. For him, there is no giving glory to God. His earnings are his own glory. He has his own rules and moral standards, which are at odds with the rules, principles, and moral standards set out in God’s Word. These ones live by their ruthless business practices. They gamble with other people’s money, they cheat and steal, using false scales in all that they do, deceiving all who come to buy what they are selling.

[1] That is, a sure, certain, or genuine reward