Help Yourself
Scripture Reading: Proverbs 11:17
A man who is kind benefits himself, but a cruel man hurts himself.
Kindness and cruelty are directed towards others. If you are kind you are kind to someone else. If you are cruel you are cruel to another person. We act with kindness or cruelty either because we have some animosity or affection towards the other person, or because we have a bent toward being kind or being cruel. Maybe it can be a little of both.
Nevertheless, there is someone receiving kindness or cruelty from us and we, therefore, primarily think in terms of how it benefits or hurts that person. What the writer of this proverb wisely points out is that our kindness or cruelty isn’t just about that other person. We also become either a beneficiary or victims of our kindness or cruelty.
The proverb doesn’t explain how this is so. Maybe because it is not a simple formula. It could be that we benefit from kindness by the response we receive back from those to whom we are kind. Possibly he has in mind the blessings that God Himself will give to those who show kindness. Or it could be that we benefit merely by the peacefulness of soul that comes through being a kind person.
The point is, that there are multiple potential ways that being kind can bring benefits to our lives, and there are multiple ways being cruel can cause us harm. Kindness helps those to whom we are kind. It also is beneficial to you. Help yourself. Be kind today.
