God Instructs the People of God
Listening for God in Changing Times:
Proverbs 22:1-9
The Message
The Cure Comes Through Discipline
1 A sterling reputation is better than striking it rich; a gracious spirit is better than money in the bank.2 The rich and the poor shake hands as equals—
God made them both!
3 A prudent person sees trouble coming and ducks;
a simpleton walks in blindly and is clobbered.
4 The payoff for meekness and Fear-of-God
is plenty and honor and a satisfying life.
5 The perverse travel a dangerous road, potholed and mud-slick;
if you know what's good for you, stay clear of it.
6 Point your kids in the right direction—
when they're old they won't be lost.
7 The poor are always ruled over by the rich,
so don't borrow and put yourself under their power.
8 Whoever sows sin reaps weeds,
and bullying anger sputters into nothing.
9 Generous hands are blessed hands
because they give bread to the poor.
For Reflection
No, Ben Franklin didn't write these! There are a lot of ways to be poor. My mother's folks came to this country around 1900 from Germany. They had no money. I have pictures of the house in Bower Hill which looked typically European -- picket fenced and a cow and chickens in the back yard. They may lacked wealth, but they were not poor in spirit. And neither were the other Central Europeans that settled in the same steel mill town. There was work and they took advantage of it. They were rich in their strong Lutheran heritage.
The poor will always be with us. Being poor is bad enough, but being also poor in spirit is worse. The fact that people are poor in wealth and spirit for whatever reason should not alter the fact that they need help. We who have wealth need to share it. We who are rich in spirit should invite others to share in the Spirit.
Pray
that we learn to respond in humility to the needs of the poor. Help us to find ways to enable the poor in spirit to find meaning in their lives. Pray for generous hands.
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