A kindhearted woman gains respect, but ruthless men gain only wealth. Proverbs 11:16

This is an interesting set of contrasts. We have seen both in everyday life, and we have seen the genders switched and it’s still true.

Most of us know kindhearted men and women. These are the people we want to be around. Often they are humble and servant like. If they aren’t careful, others will take advantage of them.

Ruthless people, however, are polar opposites of kindhearted people. If wealth is their goal, they’ll use any means possible to achieve it. More often than not, they will be the people taking advantage of others, including the kindhearted folks.

Surprisingly enough, as we become cynical and uncaring, the jump to ruthlessness isn’t all that far. The Bible also says we should “above all else, guard our hearts for it is the wellspring of life.” Proverbs 4:23. That’s the key to maintaining a kind spirit.