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22 A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches,
and favor is better than silver or gold.
The rich and the poor meet together;
the LORD is the Maker of them all.
The prudent sees danger and hides himself,
but the simple go on and suffer for it.
The reward for humility and fear of the LORD
is riches and honor and life.
Thorns and snares are in the way of the crooked;
whoever guards his soul will keep far from them.
Train up a child in the way he should go;
even when he is old he will not depart from it.
The rich rules over the poor,
and the borrower is the slave of the lender.
Whoever sows injustice will reap calamity,
and the rod of his fury will fail.
Whoever has a bountiful eye will be blessed,
for he shares his bread with the poor.
Drive out a scoffer, and strife will go out,
and quarreling and abuse will cease.
He who loves purity of heart,
and whose speech is gracious, will have the king as his friend.
The eyes of the LORD keep watch over knowledge,
but he overthrows the words of the traitor.
The sluggard says, “There is a lion outside!
I shall be killed in the streets!”
The mouth of forbidden women is a deep pit;
he with whom the LORD is angry will fall into it.
Folly is bound up in the heart of a child,
but the rod of discipline drives it far from him.
Whoever oppresses the poor to increase his own wealth,
or gives to the rich, will only come to poverty.
Words of the Wise
Incline your ear, and hear the words of the wise,
and apply your heart to my knowledge,
for it will be pleasant if you keep them within you,
if all of them are ready on your lips.
That your trust may be in the LORD,
I have made them known to you today, even to you.
Have I not written for you thirty sayings
of counsel and knowledge,
to make you know what is right and true,
that you may give a true answer to those who sent you?
Do not rob the poor, because he is poor,
or crush the afflicted at the gate,
for the LORD will plead their cause
and rob of life those who rob them.
Make no friendship with a man given to anger,
nor go with a wrathful man,
lest you learn his ways
and entangle yourself in a snare.
Be not one of those who give pledges,
who put up security for debts.
If you have nothing with which to pay,
why should your bed be taken from under you?
Do not move the ancient landmark
that your fathers have set.
Do you see a man skillful in his work?
He will stand before kings;
he will not stand before obscure men.
(ESV)
Proverbs 22 Commentary
by Brad Boyles
“The rich and the poor have this in common: the LORD made them both.”
Proverbs 22:2 HCSB
The truth of the matter is that our world has rich, poor and everyone in between. If we believe in the sovereignty of God, then we believe that He allows for both of these situations to exist. We must believe that he allows for both to share a meaningful, glorious, joyful life of knowing Him. Social status, wealth and popularity neither increase or decrease our privilege of knowing God, though it could be argued that when one has less, they rely on God more.
The point this verse is getting at is simply that God created and allowed for both to happen. He is the maker of all. The poor must trust that what they have is more than enough and that God has dealt graciously with them in sending His Son to the cross. The rich must trust that the only reason they have anything at all is because God allowed it and nothing they have can replace the gracious act of sending His Son to the cross.
Different situations, but the same God. In an age where we clamor for prosperity, we must realize the truth. When we show favoritism to those who are wealthy, we are insulting the God who created and allowed for both. He is over all things, all people, and all situations. Sometimes we play the comparison game and wonder why we don’t have what others have. God has been more than gracious with each one of us who know His Son Jesus. His sacrifice supersedes all social, economic, and racial barriers!