Proverbs - Envy Not the Oppressor

Proverbs 3:31-35

 Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways.

For the froward is abomination to the LORD:

but his secret is with the righteous.

The curse of the LORD is in the house of the wicked:

but he blesseth the habitation of the just.

Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly.

 The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools.

                        We can look at others and wish we had what they had.  The problem is we don’t see all that they have.  They might have the nice house and nice cars but they also may have the nice child-support payments, tax-liens against that nice house, bitterness that makes them angry at the world and no faithful friends in their lives.  Our homes will be blessed as we do those things that are right.  When we make our children’s training a priority over our own career or education, when we make our husbands the object of our respect and affection, when we don’t think life consists of an abundance of possessions, this will result in a blessed habitation. 

                        Wisdom will give us a glorious life but foolishness will bring shame.

Proverbs - Sharp Teeeth

Proverbs 30:14

There is a generation, whose teeth are as swords, and their jaw teeth as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men.

There are people who look at others only as a means of gain.  They can see the desperate conditions some are living in and take advantage of this to make money.  They want to make these people the source of their food and devour them with their plans.  They may put liquor stores in depressed areas or deal drugs where lifestyles are full of pain and emptiness.  They may offer prostitution jobs to the young girl alone and hungry or hire the illegal immigrant for slaves' wages seeing their hunger and need.  In an evolution based society there is nothing wrong with this sort of strategy.  Darwin was clear that the fit should survive and the weak are to be taken advantage of.  We should not be surprised that the generation around us may in fact be doing such things because they do not believe in the value of the individual created by and in the image of God.  It will grieve us.  It should grieve us.  Let us pity the poor and seek to help them.  Let us show the needy that Christ desires to be their Shepherd in and through the things they face.  Let us never be like this generation that treats the downcast as a means for gain.

Proverbs - Don't Be Hasty to Get Rich

Proverbs 28:22

He that hasteth to be rich hath an evil eye, and considereth not that poverty shall come upon him.

The Lord never intended us to operate in a hasty way to make money.  This could lead to gambling, risks, criminal activity and getting involved with people to our own demise.  Money can lure us down a dangerous road.  We should never labor to get rich and we must not love money.  If we do love money we will be serving another God.  We cannot serve both God and money.  The Lord can bless us and He might choose to give us riches but we must not pursue such schemes.  This is usually rooted in a bit of slothfulness and impatience.  It might even be rooted in covetousness and a lack of gratefulness.  When we feel the pull to be hasty to get rich, consider that poverty most likely will come out of it.  If it seems too good to be true it probably is.  Seek first His kingdom.  Work for your Lord.  He will add those things that you need.