Daily Devotional
Betty Miller shares her daily
devotionals which are based on the book of Proverbs in the Bible.
The Wisdom
of God
Verses for the Day:
22 Rob not the
poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate:
23 For the LORD will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled
them.
Proverbs 22:22-23 (AMP):
22 Rob not the poor (being
tempted by their helplessness), neither oppress the afflicted at the gate (where
the city court is held),
23 For the Lord will plead their cause, and deprive of life those who deprive
the poor and afflicted.
Thoughts for the Day:
These verses in Proverbs
warn us not to rob from those who are poor, as the Lord will take up their
cause, and the robber himself will be afflicted. God has a concern for the poor
and has instructed His followers to help them; therefore, people who exploit
them are very detestable in the eyes of God. In these verses we are told that those
who would do such a thing will reap affliction themselves. The poor are
vulnerable, and do not have the means to protect themselves, as do the rich; so
to hurt them in any way, has a penalty that will cause the evildoer to despair of
his own life.
On the positive
side, God also makes special promises to those who help the poor and reach out
to them. If we give to those who are needy and helpless, this is what the Lord
says He will do for us:
Psalm 41:1-3:
1 Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the LORD will
deliver him in time of trouble.
2 The LORD will preserve him, and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed upon
the earth: and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies.
3 The LORD will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing: thou wilt make all
his bed in his sickness.
Just by helping
the poor and considering their plight, the Lord says He will deliver us when we
have trouble, and He will preserve us and keep us alive. These verses tell us
that we will receive a blessing, and that we will not be given over to the will
of our enemies. Then, to top it off, He promises to heal us, as in verse 3
of Psalm 41, when we are languishing on a sick bed. Our promise is
that we will be able to get up and make our own bed. What a wonderful promise
from God's Word!
Historically, when true Christianity came to any region, those who were
practicing Christ's commands would begin to reach out to help the poor,
the oppressed, the sick, and needy. Most of our present day hospitals,
charity centers, orphanages and rescue missions were all founded by
Christians in keeping with the Biblical commands of Christ to
demonstrate His love to a needy world. God has always been interested in
helping the weak, the feeble and afflicted. Ungodly societies destroy
their weak, helpless and burdensome members. That is why eventually they
come to destruction themselves.
In the
last part of verse 22 of our study, we are also told not to
oppress the poor in court. Our present-day judicial system has now
drifted away from its original intent of protecting the innocent and
unjustly accused, while convicting the wicked, so they will not harm
others. Today, it is being exploited by many lawyers, as well as people
who want to use the legal system for personal gain, beyond what would be
a fair settlement. They are seeking outlandish judgments that, in the
end, all the people will pay for. Through unfair settlements in these
kinds of suits, the lawyers are the ones most rewarded. Protection of
the innocent, in many cases, has been overruled while criminals are not
justly dealt with. Quick punishment for the guilty has been abandoned,
as court appeals and delays stretch into costly and lengthy trials that
last for years at the public's expense. We need to return to Biblical
principles and once again shape our laws accordingly, if we desire to
see justice in our land. We must pray for godly judges to rule in our
courts, and we should vote for men of character who would make good
judges.
2
Samuel 23:3: The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He
that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.
The Lord wants justice to reign for all
men, rich and poor. When we are referring to helping the poor, we
are not talking about helping the lazy, as the Bible declares
that those who do not work should not eat. Lazy busybodies and those
that engage in disorderly conduct should be instructed to change their
ways. However, the truly needy and helpless should not be neglected; and
to do so is sin. We must not harm or neglect the poor.
2
Thessalonians 3:10-12:
10 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any
would not work, neither should he eat.
11 For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly,
working not at all, but are busybodies.
12 Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus
Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.
Psalm
37:14-15:
14 The wicked have drawn
out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy,
and to slay such as be of upright conversation.
15 Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be
broken.
Prayer for the Day:
Dear Heavenly Father,
I do appreciate all that You have done for me. You have taken care of all my
needs. Lord, we, as Americans, have so much abundance, that by the world's
standard, we are rich. Lord, help me to be more sensitive to the needs of the
poor. Lord, help me to reach out and help them, and also give to those
ministries that support them. Strengthen and meet the needs of those who are
working in orphanages, and in some of the poorest areas of the world. Let me not
turn my eyes away from suffering, but may I alleviate the pain of those that You
want me to help. I ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen.
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