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- What attributes of God’s character does this passage reveal?
- How does the passage point to Jesus?
- How should the truth of this passage change me?
- How do the events of today’s reading help you better understand the grand narrative of Scripture?
Prov. 19
There are many proverbs dealing with the poor. Some warn that we should not show bias for or against the poor in legal matters. After all, a person’s financial and / or social status has nothing to do with truth and justice. Several of the proverbs in this chapter deal with the outcast status of the poor. Nobody wants to be friends with a poor person, and even his own family disregards him. We humans are fickle beings, giving preference to what we think benefits us, and we just can’t see the benefit in someone who has nothing to bring to the table.
Then we see a few like the ones we saw yesterday. Those proverbs told us that when we insult the poor, we insult their Maker. We see the other side of that same coin in this chapter. “Kindness to the poor is a loan to the LORD, and He will give a reward to the lender.” (Prov. 19:17).
This takes my thoughts to a couple of things Jesus said. In one of His Judgment Day parables, He talked about caring for strangers, prisoners, the sick and the needy. He said, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” (Matt: 25:40). Also, in His Sermon on the Mount He said, “If you love those who love you…If you do what is good to those who are good to you…And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? (Luke 6:32a, 33a, 34a).
So the “poor” would be those who have nothing of value to offer. Whatever the reason, they cannot earn and do not deserve whatever it is you might do for them. Loving, helping, and giving to such as these is genuine love and charity. This is the example Christ gave us of letting God’s character live not just in us but through us. Because guess what? We have nothing of value to bring to God’s table. We cannot earn and do not deserve whatever He might do for us. And yet Christ died for us.
Prov. 20
“The slacker does not plow during planting season; at harvest time he looks, and there is nothing.” (Prov. 20:4). I’m sure this was fully intended with a literal, physical interpretation. However, the Bible is full of physical representations of spiritual things. In fact, I’d say all of creation is a physical representation of our Spiritual God in some form or fashion. So why not see the spiritual implication of this proverb? While we exist in this span called time, we are in planting season. So what are we doing to ensure that at the end of our lives here in time, we will have a harvest for eternity?
Prov. 21
Here is a good one to remember…”No wisdom, no understanding, and no counsel will prevail against the LORD.” (Prov. 21:30). We can’t outsmart God! Nor can we overpower or out-do Him in any way. It is sheer foolishness to try. On the flip side, though, when we recognize this and rightly humble and surrender ourselves to Him, we know that we are secure indeed. Because nothing can prevail against God and, “If God is for us, who is against us?” (Rom. 8:31).