Just Get Real Already

If the righteous are rewarded here on earth, what will happen to wicked sinners? [Proverbs 11.31]

Have you ever asked someone a question and failed to listen to their answer? This is exactly what far too many people do when they read Proverbs 11.31.

Our biggest problem is that we do not survey our own lives with any candidness. It is as if we read the Bible with no concept whatsoever that it is speaking directly to us.

The question above could quite possibly be the most critical question any person could ever ask in front of their own mirror! It should naturally lead to a personal inventory answering the next question: "What is happening in my life?" Then this question should be further defined by these qualifier questions: "Is my life being rewarded? Or, is my life NOT being rewarded?" 

And then, the big question: "Why?" or "Why not?" The key to answering this is also found in Proverbs 11.31. Reward follows righteousness. If there is no reward, there is no righteousness - in other words, if there is no reward, it is because of wicked sin.

Now, before getting all puffed up in self righteousness (which is sin, by the way), let us be clear that anything that is not faith is sin. Yes, since Jesus paid the price for our sin, the only thing that stands between any person and reward is a lack of faith. I am not making this up:

And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him. [Hebrews 11.6]

I am left then with only one monumental goal: to believe in Jesus. And yes, there is reward here on earth (read Proverbs 11.31 again to be sure) contradicting any delayed reward theology ("in the sweet by and by..." and "when we all get to heaven...").

By the way, the simple answer to Solomon's question in Proverbs 11.31 is this: "Wicked sinners will receive their just reward on earth too."

Yes, what I am saying here is quite an indictment on most, but if all eternity is at stake here, shouldn't we give it proportionate attention? Shouldn't we stop pandering to mamby-pamby Christianity and just get real?

Father, help us to quit justifying ourselves when our circumstances say something is wrong! Help us to just get real and get repentant so we might enjoy the rewards of righteousness HERE ON EARTH!