Proverbs 14:20-21
As
you read about the rich having many friends, don’t you just want to say to the
writer of this proverb, “Duh, tell me something a little less obvious!” It can
seem as if the rich have it so easy, and in some ways you are correct. But I want
to dig a little deeper.
Take
both proverbs together. Read them as though they were written at the same time
on the same subject. (Oh, they were!) The first half of each proverb speaks
about neighbors. The second half speaks about the rich. It is here that we get
some insight into why the rich have many friends. The rich are kind to the
needy.
In
the Bible, the rich are often maligned. But not all rich were the same. Some
recognized that their wealth was not theirs to keep, but theirs to distribute.
When the rich are obedient they see their wealth as something temporary and use
it to help others. I don’t see a righteous wealthy person passing on billions
of dollars to their families. Wealth is just a tool, like a screwdriver. It can
be used for good or evil.
It
can be easy to despise the rich. They are an easy target. But despising them
isn’t right. You see, we each have responsibilities to each other. The rich
have the responsibility to be a good steward of the wealth entrusted to them.
The poor have the responsibility to not despise the circumstances of the rich.
I
also hear some correction aimed at the poor. They are not to be beggars,
unwilling to work for their wages. The poor can develop an attitude that can
cripple them. They can appear as though they always have their hand extended,
always asking for a handout. Of course we don’t see any of this in our country!
We
now have a record number of people living on government money, money taken from
those who work and given to those who don’t. I know there are things broken
about our system, but robbing the poor of their dignity by making them
dependent on the government is a disgrace. We are failing as a culture to act
responsibly. But then again, our culture has rejected the wisdom and the Giver
of Wisdom, so we get what we deserve!