“Better a poor man whose walk is blameless than a rich man whose ways are perverse.” (Proverbs 28:6, New International Version)
In reading through the Bible one might get the impression that God has a preference for the poor over the rich. In fact, many have come to that conclusion. I would like to respectfully suggest that it is a mistaken conclusion that may lead to some bad decisions.
Some thoughts on that:
- God certainly cares about the rich/poor concept. A quick search (thank you Bible study software) reveals that, in the New International Version of the Bible, the word “poor” occurs 177 times, “poverty” – 20, “rich” – 98, “wealthy” – 10, “wealth” – 117, “riches” – 51, “money” – 123, “possessions” – 38. That’s 634 times the concept is mentioned, just with those 8 words.
- While God does not have a preference for the poor, He does have a particular concern for the poor. Those with wealth are called to give special attention to the needs of the poor.
- Rich and poor are relative terms. In some countries, a person may be considered “rich” if he or she has enough money to buy food for today and has a permanent structure to live in. In the United States, a person who is considered “poor” may still have cable TV, a cell phone, and a car to drive to work.
- “Wealth” does bring particular temptations. One may put faith in possessions rather than in God. One may mistakenly believe that possessions are a sign of God’s favor. One may neglect the poor, or even blame them for their condition.
- “Poverty” may also bring some temptations. Certainly no poor person puts his faith in his poverty, but one may be tempted to steal or to see the “rich” as greedy and self-centered. He may begin a cycle of expectation that it is someone else’s responsibility to take care of him.
I could go on, but I want to get to the bottom line: It’s not about the stuff!
Proverbs 28:6 does not say it is better to be poor than to be rich. It says that it is better to have integrity than to be crooked. I have observed poor people without integrity. I have observed wealthy people with impeccable integrity. I have observed Christ-followers that have honored the Lord in both wealth and poverty.
Perhaps the greatest risk among Christ-followers is that our views on “stuff” will divide us and we will begin to accuse those with different views of being “unbiblical.”
Possessions are transitory. They can be lost or stolen. They can be used for good or evil. We are responsible before God for how we use them.
Integrity cannot be lost or stolen. It can only be abandoned. Integrity is what determines how we will use what God has entrusted to us.
Question: What is your view of “wealth?”
Leave a comment. I’d love to hear your perspective.
