April 25, 2022

Passage Read: Proverbs 14-17
Meditation Verse: 16:19

Thought

Verse 5 says that everyone proud in heart is disgusting to the Lord, and this one says that it is better to be of a humble spirit with the poor than to divide the spoil with the proud. The verse links wealth with pride and robbing others, but puts contentment together with humility and the appearance of poverty. Those who have their heart set on being rich will make every effort to gain it, even if it means hurting those around them. By definition, they care nothing for others, but only of themselves; they want to get rich, they want to have good things, they perhaps even want the envy of others. They don't care about the Lord and His priorities, which is to care for the needs of those around them. But the humble in heart don't care about gaining wealth, but are content with what they have because they are more concerned about the needs of those around them. They are not necessarily poor, but they identify better with the poor.

Application

The Lord is more pleased with those who care about the poor and care for the poor, who are happy to spend time with the poor, than he is with those who want to join with the rich, to be with them and be like them. The rich are usually very arrogant and certainly selfish, and the Lord is disgusted by them. But the Lord cares for the lowly, and those who care more about people than wealth will know His heart and be like Him. So my goal in life must always be people and helping them know the Lord and know them better; a life purpose to get rich and have lots of stuff is truly meaningless, a waste of energy, and most likely to lead me into sin and arrogance against God and men.