Proverbs 11:27-28 (ESV)
27 Whoever diligently seeks good seeks favor,
but evil comes to him who searches for it.
28 Whoever trusts in his riches will fall,
but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf.
Motivated by a desire to please the Lord, the wise work hard for the welfare of others, and they receive the blessing of God as a result. Those who enjoy seeing their neighbors suffer harm will find the distress they want others to suffer come back on themselves. The one who hoards finances, neglecting to help the poor, will have nothing stored up for in the end, but those who are generous will prosper. People recognize that those who look out for others end up doing well themselves, while the mean-spirited end up suffering loss. This principle isn’t the result of an impersonal force; it exists because God is directly involved in the affairs of men. God is extremely interested in how we treat people. All humans bear the image of God, so when we do good to others, we bless the Lord. And when we seek to harm others, we grieve the Lord.