Benefit or Trouble

DEVOTION
PROVERBS
BENEFIT OR TROUBLE
Prov 11:17
17 A kind man benefits himself,
but a cruel man brings trouble on himself.
NIV
Is this not much the same as a kindhearted woman in the last proverb? Yet she gained respect and here the man, or me, does a good thing for himself. So the question is how I benefit myself by being kind. Maybe the benefit can be seen clearer in contrast to what kind of trouble a cruel man brings on himself. Certainly if I were a cruel man, I would have little to no friends. If I were a cruel man I suppose I would be treated with distain and maybe even hatred. If I were a cruel man I suppose my heart would be filled with so much pain and anguish, as well as a great deal of anger. If I were a cruel man I would I would lack self-respect and dignity. If I were a cruel man I would not have any self-confidence. I would think all these things certainly would be trouble and would have been brought on me, by none other than myself. But, praise God, I am not a cruel man. Therefor I have to agree with God in that I am a kind man. Now being a kind man, again I have to ask how I benefit myself. I would think being kind would benefit those I am around. But then in contrast to cruel, I have friends. I am not treated with distain and hatred, but I am treated with care and love. I have no pain and no anguish nor even anger in my heart. I even respect myself because I know I am a child of God and that he does not make any junk. My Lord considers me of great value, so much so he died on a cross for me. I do have confidence in myself especially when I am serving him as I know he Spirit anoints me. There are times I seem to lack confidence in doing the simple tasks of this world, but at those times he has directed me to do a certain thing; I am bold and filled with confidence. So then when I think of these things as being a kind man, they do in fact, add to my own being. There is no doubt benefit is better than trouble.