Beware the Auditor

(Pro 28:8 KJV)  He that by usury and unjust gain increaseth his substance, he shall gather it for him that will pity the poor.

The second half of this verse is a bit obscure but that makes it frightening.  Obviously God is not happy with the idea of loaning money at interest.  Owing money is a form of slavery and it is a bondage that can keep us from being responsive to the leadership of God.  The second part takes this a step further.  It seems to make God the auditor and tax man.

It seems to me that this is saying God will find a way to pass the wealth of the money lenders on to the poor.  I don’t know how that will work but there it is.  

So?  God expects us to earn our bread by the labor we contribute.  That can be as a field hand or as a merchant.  Each contributes something to the process.  It would seem doubtful that people who make their money on the misfortune of others are in a different category. 

Give God an Excuse

(Pro 3:10 KJV)  So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.

I don’t have a barn and I don’t own any “presses” (3342), or “vats” as the NASB calls them.  I think I am free to take these as figurative language for me as a city slicker of the twenty first century.  If you are one of those who reject the idea of tithing then notice that in the previous verse it is talking about your substance and your first fruits.  It is talking about an attitude.

Keep in mind that the attitude is not just yours.  It also includes God’s attitude.  I think it is safe to say that God wants to bless His people.  It would seem to me that He wants to bless those who are faithful and righteous even more.  What kind of attitude do you have that you want God to bless?  Are you committed to holding back or to giving?  

So?  Don’t tithe.  I can live with that.  You probably can to but I don’t think you will live as well as you would if your were a joyful giver.  Please notice that there is no pay pal for you to click.

Consequences of Foolishness

(Pro 27:13 KJV)  Take his garment that is surety for a stranger, and take a pledge of him for a strange woman.

Have you ever had someone ask you a question and you frustrate them by answering, “It depends.”  This verse reminds us that when you develop a response based on the Bible you need to take what is called “the whole counsel of God.”  That means you need to understand what the verse actually says and know the qualifications that are given other places.  An example of the first is the KJV translation of “Thou shall not kill” which is really “Thou shall not murder.”  See the difference?

An example of the second would be isolating verses that deny free will and ignoring all the ones that say God gives us choices.  This verse is in that category.  If you read the Bible you find cautions about taking someone’s coat for an unpaid debt.  Here it seems to be acceptable.  You need the context.  The previous verse seems to draw the line for this verse with those who are in debt because they refuse to grow up and be responsible.

So?  In many cases it is better to err on the side of compassion.  In others, like this, doing that can cause them more damage because they refuse to learn the lessons.  We are all teachers in some way and our lessons can be life changers. 

Property Values

(Pro 23:10 KJV)  Remove not the old landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless:

I would imagine that most people have not bothered to read the Communist Manifesto.  If they had they would realize that Communism is the enemy of Christianity.  It is also the enemy of ordinary people owning property which might be less of a big deal if the Bible did not endorse the practice.  Here is one of the places.  In ancient Israel the land was divided up first among the tribes and then among families.  You were not to sell your family property.  If you did then it was to be returned in the year of jubilee.  

The Bible recognizes the importance of private property.  It does not demonize profit, just the wrong methods of achieving it.  The Bible is not a book on economics but it has a lot to say about economics.

So?  Be aware of the differences between the teachings of the Word of God and your friendly neighborhood professor.  There will be little overlap. 

Not Nap Time

(Pro 23:21 KJV) For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.

“Drowsiness” (5124) strikes home on me lately.  I always seem ready to fall asleep.  The root word of this term has to do with sleep and it literally means sleeping but the figurative implication is being lazy.  It is one of those chicken-and-egg questions about which comes first.  Are drunks inclined to laziness or are sluggards more open to drinking.  The danger being mentioned here is poverty.

This theme is not confined to the Bible.  One of the books I read during the virus lockdown was obtained from Project Gutenberg and titled “Thrift”.  It was published in the 19th century and one of the points he makes repeatedly is the role of alcohol in keeping the working classes poor.  The man who stopped to have a few pints on the way home continued to live in poverty.  The man who went straight home and started a savings account often ended up buying cottages to rent out to others.

So?  Walking with Jesus reaches into how we spend out money.  Pay attention.  It will make a difference in the long run. 

Giving Credit

(Pro 28:8 KJV) He that by usury and unjust gain increaseth his substance, he shall gather it for him that will pity the poor.

One of the building blocks of our modern prosperity and consumer culture is the existence of easy credit.  I recently talked to a college student who was getting his first credit card.  I think he is alert enough to use it wisely and control his spending.  I can’t say that for most people.  Our system is based on people buying a lot of things.  That in turn creates a lot of demand for goods which makes for more jobs.  In one sense it is a cycle that raises everyone’s ability to support their families and live a secure life.

In another sense it drives people to overspend and buy what they can’t really afford because they can make it to the next paycheck.  One summer my children kept demanding to eat so I took a third job selling encyclopedias door to door.  The only reason I did it was because they guaranteed a certain minimum if I would make a specified number of calls.  One thing I remember being told was to not talk about the total cost of the product but to emphasize how low the monthly payment would be and how a few dollars a month would help their children.  

So?  Debt is evil.  Maybe we would be better off if we had mothers home without the second car and the constant eating out.

Loan Stewardship

(Pro 27:13 KJV) Take his garment that is surety for a stranger, and take a pledge of him for a strange woman.

When it comes to borrowing and loaning money you need to put your thinking cap on.  It is not as simple as it seems.  We see repeated statements in Proverbs that borrowing is bad news.  That is a simple truth but there are times when people have their backs against the wall and have no choice.  That applies to this verse because the simple minded fool being talked about here borrows when he doesn’t have to.  He does not know the difference between want and need.  In that situation, take his coat in payment.

In cases of genuine need the rule is different. 

(Exo 22:26 KJV) If thou at all take thy neighbour's raiment to pledge, thou shalt deliver it unto him by that the sun goeth down:

The context here is a genuinely poor person in desperate need.  In fact the previous verse tells you that in situations like that you can’t charge interest.

(Exo 22:25 KJV) If thou lend money to any of my people that is poor by thee, thou shalt not be to him as an usurer, neither shalt thou lay upon him usury.

So?  If you are the one needing money, make sure it is a need and there are no other avenues.  If you are the one with a little extra, discernment is also required.  Either don’t loan because the “need” is imagined or loan with no interest and no foreclosure.  It demands responsibility on both sides.  It is called being upright, both for the poor and the wealthy.

Savers and Spenders

(Pro 21:20 KJV)  There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up.

Some people are spenders; some savers.  That would seem clear but it is not always that simple.  I am a saver.  If I was living hand to mouth I would still have a stash that was put together one penny at a time.  My wife is a spender, sort of.  She has an emotional reaction to money sitting in a bank.  It permeates her whole life.  When she was working she never accumulated any sick leave.  When she had earned a day she was struck by a mysterious illness.  At the same time she is awesome at getting bargains.  She has the ability to find the lowest price on anything.

I, of course, like the inference that I am wise because I save.  I think it involves more than that but I will take what I can get. 

So?  Don’t be a spender.  Eventually you end up using up what others have saved and you learn nothing in the process.  It is probably too late to remind you about that this Christmas. 

A Winning Lottery Ticket

(Pro 21:17 KJV) He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.

I think this is a principle rather than a law.  It is illustrated in life by lottery winners.  I have not researched it but the popular wisdom is that most people who win millions in the lottery are poor again within a short period of time.  When I am on vacation punishment and forced to watch TV shows I saw one that had a real estate agent hustling lottery winners and getting them to buy extravagant homes.  I don’t think there was ever a reference to how much it would take to keep the places up.  I would imagine that the HOA fees on some of them were multiples of what the people were used to living on.  It made for good TV for the oil and wine crowd but set my teeth on edge.

This does not mean that some who chase wealth will not achieve it.  The question is, will it bring that inner satisfaction that says, “Well done.”  It may in some cases but keep in mind that some people are deliberately going to hell.  They joke about heaven sounding too boring.

So?  We need to stop every once in awhile, not to smell the roses but to look up and see if we are still heading toward the goal we really want. 

Pretend Money

(Pro 13:7 KJV) There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches.

This verse is not about money.  It is about attitude.  The second reference “poor” (7326) is the clue.  It generally means poor in the sense that we think of it but in this form of the Hebrew, called the Hithpolel, evidently means to “impoverish himself”.  It is a deliberate act.  That is why the translations include “pretends” in the NASB And “maketh himself” in the KJV. 

I would take from this that if money is your god and you set your cap on it, the attitude will eventually ruin your life.  If you use your wealth to serve others without being consumed by dollar signs, you will be blessed.

So?  I am not sure how that works out in our mortgaged, car payment, college tuition world, but I think we need to do some serious thinking as Americans about what our priorities are. 

Package Deal

(Pro 8:18 KJV) Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness.

Wisdom produces life with a package deal.  That means that the wise person is not out of balance.  So, often as we set our goals we limit our vision.  Sometimes the limitation is based on our ability.  Sometimes it is lack of imagination.  Too often it is not done in consultation with the standards and power of God.

Money is pointless if it is not “enduring” (6276).  Recently we walked through the floor of a casino and I watched people punching buttons on slot machines.  One of the problems with gambling is that when you win you just put the money back into the system hoping to win more.  It isn’t like taking the gain and investing it in a home or something else that will be around for a few years.

So?  If you want to throw away a dollar on the lottery, who am I to stop you.  I am not sure God would bother either.  If you want to throw away the groceries hoping to get the gold ring then you have a problem that needs to be dealt with. 

Advice that is Not New

(Proverbs 20:16 KJV)  Take his garment that is surety for a stranger: and take a pledge of him for a strange woman.

I like the way that sage advice in our uncertain times is often just a repetition of Biblical wisdom.  My wife likes the conspiracy folks.  One of them was giving advice on how we should be positioning ourselves in the coming crisis.

The three basic recommendations were own land, get out of debt and stock up on supplies.  What always amazes me about these gurus is that we have always had those items as our goals.  What is new?  One that is easy to overlook it the repeated warnings in the Bible about borrowing money.  We should not loan or borrow.  I never actually loan money.  If someone wants a loan and I can afford to lose it I will consider it a gift, even if I don’t tell them. 

So?  Money and how we handle it is a big issue in the Bible.  Ignore what God has said and you will be more regretful than if you don’t pay attention to the latest guru. 

Target Practice

(Proverbs 11:24 KJV)  There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.

Generosity is a character trait that is consistent with being a spirit filled Christian.  There are numerous references to giving to the poor and sharing with those in need.  We are told to be generous givers when it comes to the needs of the church.  What came to mind was the parable of the sower and soils that Jesus told.  It starts like this,

(Matthew 13:3 KJV)  And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;

The picture of the sower is scattering the seed.  I imagine taking a hand full and sweeping my arm around and trying to produce an even spread.  I am sure that it takes a lot of practice to do it right. 

Solomon is probably aware that we need more practice in scattering, whether it be slipping a few dollars to a struggling family in the church or speaking up about Jesus in a public meeting.

So?  Practice takes place two ways, planned and spontaneous.  I need to improve in both.

Family Money

(Proverbs 22:26 KJV)  Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts.

This verse reminds us of the relationships we have in the body of Christ.  We are family, not business.  I am sure you have seen the references to rich and poor, powerful and weak.  People have differences and they are recognized.  We are not told to do away with those differences but to function together in mutual consideration that goes beyond them.  The issue here is money.

We are told to not get into financial bonds with each other.  It does not say we should refuse to help.  It does say that we are not to give help for our personal gain.  In a business relationship you agree on terms, sign a contract and hold people accountable.  If one party breaks the contract then the other demands the consequences because it is their due and right.  In a family you may agree on terms and hold people accountable but you do it for the benefit of the family which includes both members.  Parents may assign their children tasks and provide consequences but they do it to benefit the child, not to line their own pockets.

So?  Generally I give when there is a need.  I don’t loan.  That way if I don’t get any money back I don’t feel let down.  People in real need probably can’t afford to pay back.  People who are not in real need don’t need the money. 

Types of Capitalists

(Proverbs 11:16 KJV)  A gracious woman retaineth honour: and strong men retain riches.

The differing translations here make me wonder how “strong” (KJV), “violent” (NASB), “ruthless” (Updated NASB) a Christian can be.  The range of definitions ranges from “awe-inspiring” to “ruthless”.  It has the sense of being very aggressive in trying to reach goals.  The goals are implied to be self-seeking.  The problem is not in being strong.  This is the only place the KJV uses that positive translation of the word.  All other places it is used of people that God is destroying or people that God is using to destroy.

So?  This does not condemn riches but those who use the wrong methods to attain riches.  This condemnation would not apply to the capitalist starting a new company and building it up.  It would apply to the corporate raider who bought out companies, liquidated the assets and fired all the people.  Method and attitude do make a difference. 

Motive Power

(Proverbs 11:15 KJV)  He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it: and he that hateth suretiship is sure.

One of the issues with loaning money is motivation.  I am at a point where I don’t “loan” money.  I might give it to someone and encourage them to pay me back but I don’t loan it because I am sure I am not getting it back.  To some people, like my students, I tell them that I will be glad to loan them a dime when the guy I loaned one to in 7th grade pays me back.

What is destructive as a motivation is speculation.  Often people will “invest” in get-rich-quick schemes.  They think they are clever enough to make a big profit based on being smarter than everyone else.  What often results is a lesson in stupidity.  The Bible has no problem with honest business.  It encourages hard work.  Wealth can be a blessing.  It all depends on how you get it and whether it is done in righteousness or by cutting corners.

So?  Financial success can cost you your soul.  It can destroy your family.  It can drive away your friends.  It can also be the way in which God makes it possible for you to serve Him.  Examine your priorities and methods. 

You Don’t Need a Lawyer

(Proverbs 20:23 KJV)  Divers weights are an abomination unto the LORD; and a false balance is not good.

In some places the Bible deals with mystical concepts that will not be totally understood in this life such as the trinity.  Who knows, maybe we will not even be able to understand it when Jesus is in the pulpit.  At the other end you have simple, easy to understand directions such as the Ten Commandments that tell us not to lie, steal and commit adultery.  Here is another clear demand for people who follow Jesus:  Be honest in your business dealings.

It is really simple.  We want to cloud the issue with contracts and lawyer talk.  We want to set up all kind of “situations” that we might face.  The principle is simple.  If you say a dollar an ounce then make sure the dollar is good and the ounce is an ounce.  There is no wiggle room.

So?  Selling a house?  Selling a car?  Borrowing money?  Keep in mind that before you have your lawyer check the wording, God has already made a decision on your willingness to live in righteousness.  His opinion is the one that matters. 

It Isn’t a Sacrifice if Noone Is on Base

(Proverbs 15:8 KJV)  The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD: but the prayer of the upright is his delight.

“Sacrifice” (2077) is a wider concept than you might consider.  In our modern English ears it has the possible meaning of going without so that someone else may have their needs met.  Parents will sacrifice a new car in order to get their children braces for their teeth.  In a less serious mode we might think of going without dessert as being a sacrifice. 

In the Hebrew a sacrifice can cover a wide range of financial worth.  It could be a dove or it could be an ox.  From the outside one is worth much more than the other.  From God’s eyes they were the same because the offering was based on your ability to pay.  Thus offering up a dove for a poor person could be a bigger financial hit than an ox for a rich man. 

The point here is that it doesn’t matter how much you spend on trying to placate God.  If your motive and heart are wrong, God rejects your sacrifice.  If you are upright then the gift will be right.

So?  It matters what we do but it is a two sided coin.  A coin with just a face is counterfeit.  Our reason and inner motivation is also vitally important.  This is why we listen to the scripture as it calls us to repentance and renewal.  How are the ears working?  How is the heart working?

Spoil Sports

(Proverbs 31:11 KJV)  The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.

The KJV has two differences from the NASB in translating this verse.  The first is in inserting the word “safely” before “trust” (982) the second is in talking about “spoil” (7998) instead of “gain.”  I want to look at the second.  I must admit that I think the KJV is more accurate here.

In both translations the word is usually translated “spoils”.  It has a root of plunder and booty, not just simple profit.  Why it is “gain” here in many translations I do not know.  I think the point here is that a trustworthy wife can keep a husband from compromise.  How many times has a woman spent her husband into penury?  How many times has a need for a new car or the latest fashion caused a man to work extra hours, take a second job or cut corners that should not be cut? 

Reverse it.  How many times has a man forced his wife to work instead of staying home with the kids so he could have the new truck or more leisure?  How many men are slacking by putting their wives into the job market?  Financial responsibility is a matter that involves both spouses.

So?  Are you trapped into the financial rat race because you want more or is there genuine need?  I can’t call that one for you.  You can’t call it for me.  God is the judge and He knows the heart.

The Stewardship of Hoarding

(Proverbs 11:26 KJV)  He that withholdeth corn, the people shall curse him: but blessing shall be upon the head of him that selleth it.

Americans are an affluent people.  In fact, most people in the West live very well.  Our “poor” are the envy of the third world.  This is an instruction on how we are to manage our wealth.  This could be targeted on a group that used to be small but now has become large.  Think of the speculator and the hoarder.  This group “withholds” (4513) what people need, in this case “grain” (1250). 

I think of how this could apply to me at school.  At times we run short of paper and are limited in our freedom to make copies.  To my knowledge there has been no world wide shortage of paper and, in reality, I could afford to buy paper if I wanted to.  But the school supplies are sparse.  I find myself taking paper as often as it is offered or available and hiding it so no one can find it, or even know I have it.  I become a hoarder of sorts.  To be fair I am willing to share with new teachers that come up short, but the attitude of hoarding sets in.

I can’t sell my hoarded supplies, even at a reasonable price.  I can share.  This is about people with plenty acting in a generous and fair way with people in genuine need.

So?  Check your drawers and closets.  Are you hoarding or just being a good steward?