Wisdom Principles: It
is Human Nature to Treat the Poor Poorly (but that’s wrong)
Deuteronomy 15:7-11
If there is among you a poor man, one of your brethren, in any of your towns within your land which the Lord your God gives you, you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand against your poor brother, 8 but you shall open your hand to him, and lend him sufficient for his need, whatever it may be. 9 Take heed lest there be a base thought in your heart, and you say, ‘The seventh year, the year of release is near,’ and your eye be hostile to your poor brother, and you give him nothing, and he cry to the Lord against you, and it be sin in you. 10 You shall give to him freely, and your heart shall not be grudging when you give to him; because for this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake. 11 For the poor will never cease out of the land; therefore I command you, You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in the land.
If there is among you a poor man, one of your brethren, in any of your towns within your land which the Lord your God gives you, you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand against your poor brother, 8 but you shall open your hand to him, and lend him sufficient for his need, whatever it may be. 9 Take heed lest there be a base thought in your heart, and you say, ‘The seventh year, the year of release is near,’ and your eye be hostile to your poor brother, and you give him nothing, and he cry to the Lord against you, and it be sin in you. 10 You shall give to him freely, and your heart shall not be grudging when you give to him; because for this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake. 11 For the poor will never cease out of the land; therefore I command you, You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in the land.
Proverbs 14:20
The poor is detestable even to a friend, but many are they who love someone rich.
The poor is detestable even to a friend, but many are they who love someone rich.
One who despises the needy
is at fault, one who takes pity on the poor is blessed.
Proverbs 19:6-7
The nobleman has many to court his favor, to a giver of gifts, everyone is friend.7 The poor man's brothers hate him, every one; his friends -- how much the more do these desert him! He goes in search of words, but there are none to be had.
The nobleman has many to court his favor, to a giver of gifts, everyone is friend.7 The poor man's brothers hate him, every one; his friends -- how much the more do these desert him! He goes in search of words, but there are none to be had.
Sirach 13:3
The rich does wrong and takes a high line; the poor is wronged and has to beg for pardon.
The rich does wrong and takes a high line; the poor is wronged and has to beg for pardon.
Sirach 13:4-7
If you are useful the rich will exploit you, if you go bankrupt he will desert you.5 Are you well off? - he will live with you, he will clean you out without a single qualm.6 Does he need you? - he will hoodwink you, smile at you and raise your hopes; he will speak politely to you and say, “Is there anything you need?”7 He will make you feel small at his dinner parties and, having cleaned you out two or three times over, will end by laughing at you. Afterwards, when he sees you, he will avoid you and shake his head about you.
If you are useful the rich will exploit you, if you go bankrupt he will desert you.5 Are you well off? - he will live with you, he will clean you out without a single qualm.6 Does he need you? - he will hoodwink you, smile at you and raise your hopes; he will speak politely to you and say, “Is there anything you need?”7 He will make you feel small at his dinner parties and, having cleaned you out two or three times over, will end by laughing at you. Afterwards, when he sees you, he will avoid you and shake his head about you.
Sirach 13:21-23
When the rich stumbles he is supported by friends; when the poor falls, his friends push him away. 22 When the rich slips, there are many hands to catch him, if he talks nonsense he is congratulated. The poor slips, and is blamed for it, he may talk good sense, but no room is made for him. 23 The rich speaks and everyone stops talking, and then they praise his discourse to the skies. The poor speaks and people say, “Who is this?” and if he stumbles, they trip him up yet more.
When the rich stumbles he is supported by friends; when the poor falls, his friends push him away. 22 When the rich slips, there are many hands to catch him, if he talks nonsense he is congratulated. The poor slips, and is blamed for it, he may talk good sense, but no room is made for him. 23 The rich speaks and everyone stops talking, and then they praise his discourse to the skies. The poor speaks and people say, “Who is this?” and if he stumbles, they trip him up yet more.
1 Corinthians 1:26-29
Consider, brothers, how you were called; not many of you are wise by human standards, not many influential, not many from noble families.27 No, God chose those who by human standards are fools to shame the wise; he chose those who by human standards are weak to shame the strong,28 those who by human standards are common and contemptible -- indeed those who count for nothing -- to reduce to nothing all those that do count for something,29 so that no human being might feel boastful before God.
Consider, brothers, how you were called; not many of you are wise by human standards, not many influential, not many from noble families.27 No, God chose those who by human standards are fools to shame the wise; he chose those who by human standards are weak to shame the strong,28 those who by human standards are common and contemptible -- indeed those who count for nothing -- to reduce to nothing all those that do count for something,29 so that no human being might feel boastful before God.
1 Corinthians 11:22
have you such disregard for God's assembly that you can put to shame those who have nothing? What am I to say to you? Congratulate you? On this I cannot congratulate you.
have you such disregard for God's assembly that you can put to shame those who have nothing? What am I to say to you? Congratulate you? On this I cannot congratulate you.
James 2:1-7
My brothers, do not let class distinction enter into your faith in Jesus Christ, our glorified Lord.2 Now suppose a man comes into your synagogue, well-dressed and with a gold ring on, and at the same time a poor man comes in, in shabby clothes, 3 and you take notice of the well-dressed man, and say, “Come this way to the best seats”; then you tell the poor man, “Stand over there” or “You can sit on the floor by my foot-rest.” 4 In making this distinction among yourselves have you not used a corrupt standard? 5 Listen, my dear brothers: it was those who were poor according to the world that God chose, to be rich in faith and to be the heirs to the kingdom which he promised to those who love him. 6 You, on the other hand, have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who lord it over you? 7 Are not they the ones who drag you into court, who insult the honorable name which has been pronounced over you?
My brothers, do not let class distinction enter into your faith in Jesus Christ, our glorified Lord.2 Now suppose a man comes into your synagogue, well-dressed and with a gold ring on, and at the same time a poor man comes in, in shabby clothes, 3 and you take notice of the well-dressed man, and say, “Come this way to the best seats”; then you tell the poor man, “Stand over there” or “You can sit on the floor by my foot-rest.” 4 In making this distinction among yourselves have you not used a corrupt standard? 5 Listen, my dear brothers: it was those who were poor according to the world that God chose, to be rich in faith and to be the heirs to the kingdom which he promised to those who love him. 6 You, on the other hand, have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who lord it over you? 7 Are not they the ones who drag you into court, who insult the honorable name which has been pronounced over you?
1 John 3:17
If anyone is well-off in worldly possessions and sees his brother in need but closes his heart to him, how can the love of God be remaining in him?
If anyone is well-off in worldly possessions and sees his brother in need but closes his heart to him, how can the love of God be remaining in him?
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