An Idea Borrowed

Years ago on a radio program someone shared that they read a chapter in Proverbs every day. Since there are 31 chapters and the longest month has 31 days it allows you to read through Proverbs on a regular basis. I use it as the launch pad for my personal worship time and branch out from there. On this blog I will try to share some of the insights I have in the Word. I will try to organize them in the archive by reference.

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Lexus or Kia?

(Proverbs 25:21 KJV)  If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:

Do we give our enemies the Cadillac Treatment or the VW Experience?  For those of you who are younger I might ask Lexus or Kia.  It means the same.  First, note that we are not supposed to let even our enemies starve to death.  This might justify some of the food programs offered as welfare and the poor are not our enemies.  Feed the hungry.  Clothe the naked.  Okay, got that.

But notice what you give them:  Staples.  The “food” (3899) of the NASB is “bread” in the KJV.  “Water” (4325) is water.  Bread and water sounds like the menu in solitary confinement but understand that bread was the basic food of the day.  Where we might talk about meat and potatoes, they spoke of bread. 

So?  We have a responsibility to make sure that people have the basics.  We do not owe them anything fancy, prime cuts of beef and Perrier, but it needs to be nutritious and balanced.  This might be a word we could share with those who are against all welfare and also to those who think it is okay to use their EBT cash cards at high priced markets and liquor stores. 

No comments: