The Pursuit of Wisdom and the Fear of the Lord: A 30 step devotional through Proverbs Sayings of the Wise.
Day 1
"Do not rob the poor because he is poor, or crush the afflicted at the gate; for the Lord will plead their case and take the life of those who rob them" (Proverbs 22.22-23, NASB)
And you may be saying: How can that be? Me, robbing the poor, no way! I wouldn't sink so low! The reality is that a poor man can hardly be robbed because they barely have anything worth stealing. In that case either the proverb is wrong or it is speaking of something other than what it seems at first sight. Since we know that neither God nor His word are wrong then we are inclined to think that it must be the latter.
How can a man rob another who that has little or nothing? It certainly doesn't sound like a good business idea to rob someone whose commodity is inferior to yours. The answer to this question lies in the proactive nature of God. For God to say "do not rob the poor" it is like saying "help the poor". What very little the poor has goes out very quickly, and without help he will lose everything and soon perish. In other words if we are not helping the needy we are robbing them of the very subsistence they need. Indeed, there is enough provision on earth for everyone to have more than enough. God has prepared an opportunity for every need to be met through the generous distribution of supplies by people to one another. Poverty and lack is the simple result of human rebellion against God's intentions. Every time you or I choose not to give where the Holy Spirit prompts us, there is a chance that the person will go without, as YOU may have been God's last best choice for that provision.
Just a few verses earlier in Proverbs 22:16 we see that "he who oppresses the poor to make for himself or who gives to the rich, will only come to poverty". This is indeed another way to rob the poor. Nowadays, some companies based in the financial districts of the main Western cities employ smaller companies in less developed countries. These smaller companies would hire people, especially very young people, to work beyond their physical and emotional capacity. The pay they receive is so tiny that very often they barely have enough for themselves, let alone for their families. This is indeed a form of oppressing the poor to make more for the "smaller companies" by giving to the richer ones. The interesting thing here is that history shows us that many companies who use these appalling practices have gone bust. Once more the Word proves to be right. As a Christian therefore we must seek to help the poor as best we can and never try to benefit at expense of others, especially the needy.
Instead of saying "Do not... crush the afflicted at the gate" in the Message translation we read "don't use your position to crush the weak". A human being is always in some place of authority. Perhaps you are thinking, I'm not a manager or a government leader so how can I use my position to crush anyone? The fact that you are a man puts you in dominant position as far as your physical strength goes over several billion women around the world. On top of that if you are a man in your twenties it is very likely you are stronger than all the world's children. Whether you are a man, woman or child, you will always find someone weaker than yourself. The bible teaches us not to crush the weak. We have to therefore use our position whether physical, governmental or managerial to assist the weak. Just think of how Jesus "did not think of equality with God as something to cling to" but instead gave up "his divine privileges" by taking the "humble position of a slave and was born as a human being" (Philipians 2.6-7).
Whether in this life or in the life to come the "Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted and justice for the poor" (Psalm 140.12). As followers of Christ we are also called to be imitators of God (1 Corinthians 4.16). Are you caring for the afflicted and the poor? If the answer is no, or you are unsure, I think it's time to ask God for forgiveness and pray to Him:
Our Heavenly Daddy, thank you for showing me your will today regarding the needy and the broken. Thank you that today I've learned that my passivity towards the poor is just as bad as oppressing them. Thank you also because You do not forget the poor and the afflicted so I pray that neither will I. May your Spirit empower me with the love of Christ that as I see or hear of a person in need I would be proactive to help him be restored, in Jesus name I pray! Amen.
