15 Like a roaring lion and a rushing bear
Is a wicked ruler over a poor people.
16 A leader who is a great oppressor lacks understanding,
But he who hates unjust gain will prolong his days.
17 A man who is laden with the guilt of human blood
Will [f]be a fugitive until death; let no one support him.
18 He who walks blamelessly will be delivered,
But he who is [g]crooked will fall all at once.
19 He who tills his land will have plenty of food,
But he who follows empty pursuits will have poverty in plenty.
20 A faithful man will abound with blessings,
But he who makes haste to be rich will not go unpunished.
21 To [h]show partiality is not good,
Because for a piece of bread a man will transgress.
There are a lot of ways to make a living, and though we don’t have the same sort of rulers as they did in Solomon’s time, we have a whole host officials in our government today. Just as in those days, there is nothing wrong with making your living through ruling or leading people, making laws, etc. But there are plenty of ways to do it wrong, and that is definitely not limited to the realm of politics.
In the first couple verses, we see wicked rulers and great oppressors. Solomon contrasts this with someone who hates unjust gain, yet this is the trap many fall into, politicians and ordinary worker alike. There are more examples, in v. 18 we have someone who deals crookedly, and in v. 19 one who follows empty pursuits.
We finally see two key principles in vv. 20-21, with the one who makes haste, and one who shows partiality (or chooses unjustly). Or rather, the opposite of what we should do. How many times have you seen someone trying to make a quick buck, or falling for some “get rich quick” scheme? We may not fall for those, but do we take shortcuts in other areas, all in an attempt to get ahead faster than we ought?
Instead, Solomon tells us to be like the “faithful man” who will abound with blessings. Much like God knows what we can be tested with, he also knows what we can be trusted with. When we try to short-circuit that, we often find ourselves resorting to dishonesty or transgression. Some things seem so benign, like showing favoritism or sometimes even nepotism. Yet that’s a quick way to alienate the very people we need to get the job done right.
Instead, we may be left with someone who is barely half-qualified, or worse. So it is in all our dealings, whether hiring someone for a home repair, or finding the right person for a job at work. Be faithful, put in the hard work of tilling the fields, and don’t try to take shortcuts. Follow God’s plan instead, and know that He will reward your diligence and patience.