Wisdom and Social Responsibility - Proverbs 19:1-8, 17, 22:16-23

by David Woods

In my current pastorate, I have received numerous requests for help during the four years I have been here. Some have asked for food. Some have asked for help with gas. Some have asked for help with rent money.

I have honored some of these requests, but many I have told the people that our church could not help. I do try to point them to one or two other local ministries that can help.

I have made my decisions on a variety of factors. Sometimes, it is the same people who are coming back every month or after a couple months asking for more help. Or, some just seem to want cash.

Our church is not in the greatest of financial situations and so I have generally said no to pleas for rent money. Another factor is that generally none of the people asking for help attend our church. I feel a responsibility to our own people first.

I am convinced that we have generally made right decisions concerning whether or not to help people who ask for money. Yet, it is always hard to turn down people who need help.

It is especially difficult in light of the many scriptures that instruct us to have compassion on the poor. We always should seek not to be snookered by insincere pleas for help, yet we should also desire to sincerely help those in need.

I recently read Perfectionist Persuasion by Charles Edwin Jones. This book talks about the holiness movement and American Methodism from approximately the 1820's to 1936.

One observation Jones made near the end of the book was that the holiness movement has often made claims about its desire to help the poor and various other social causes it supports. However, Jones noted that in fact the holiness movement has never really become dedicated to social causes.

I think that is disillusioning. I do desire to truly minister to those in need. I really appreciate the different ways our church has ministered to our own in the past few months. And, I want to see us be able to minister to those in need in our community, as we are able.

With this dilemma in mind - the problems of knowing whether or not a need is genuine and yet the biblical command to help the poor, let us look at our scripture:

Read Proverbs 19:1-8

Discussion: What are the temptations of the poor?
(Some temptations I would suggest include: stealing, excusing a lack of initiative to work, using what money they do have unwisely in get-rich-quick schemes such as the lotto or gambling, etc.)

The lesson comments on Proverbs 19:2 says, "This phrase may also mean that if we do not know our own souls, it is not good for us."

Discussion: What does it mean to "know our own souls"? Why is this important?

Discussion: How often do you perform a personal check-up?

I have found one of the best ways to know yourself is to cultivate the habit of journaling. Journaling allows you to reflect back on the days' events, note important events, and record life lessons learned.

Furthermore, I have found that journaling often is, or can be, a way of conversing with God. Personally, I will often be writing about something and then begin writing out a prayer.

Then, maybe I will return to writing about whatever the situation is. So, I would encourage each one, if you do not journal, to begin doing so. I think your spiritual life will be helped by doing so.

Concerning verse three, it is not clear to me if this is an instruction for the rich person or the poor person - or if we should regard it simply as a general instruction.

Discussion: How does verse three apply to the rich person? How does verse three apply to the poor person?

Discussion: What are some of the dangers for those who are rich? (see verses four through seven)
(Answers may include: disingenuous friends, slavery to wealth in order to keep one's friends and/or popularity, to equate human worth with one's wealth.)

Discussion: What attitude(s) should the godly person have toward the rich and the poor?

Discussion: Why do we tend to equate goodness and human worth with one's wealth? What problems accompany such a viewpoint?

Read Proverbs 19:17, 22:16-23

Discussion: Why should we give to the poor?
(Answers from these verses may include: we are giving to the Lord, 19:17; God's pleasure will be better than any personal financial loss, 19:17; giving sacrificially indicates great trust in God, 22:17-19; God pleads the cause of the poor, 22:23)

Discussion: How can our church become a champion of the poor?

Discussion: Can one truly have compassion on the poor without doing anything for them (other than becoming emotional)?

Discussion: Can one truly be a godly person without compassion for the poor?

Discussion: Can one truly be wise (live with Biblical understanding) without being godly?

Read Proverbs 19:8

The main principle I find that should guide our attitudes and actions toward the poor is:

Big Idea: Obtaining God's wisdom is more important than one's financial status.

Consider this idea for a moment. Do you value God's wisdom above material wealth and possessions?

Do you spend more time and energy seeking wealth or desiring to buy certain products than you spend in seeking after spiritual wisdom?
Do you spend more time and energy worrying about your financial status than you do worrying about your spiritual relationship with Christ?

Discussion: If our desire to please God became so controlling that our financial status became a much lower priority, how might that affect our attitudes and actions concerning those in financial need?