Neither rich nor poor...

Just a reminder to self (and you)...

I have noticed that we as groups move between extremes when it comes to dealing with issues. It seems that finding the middle ground is difficult. Yes, I do realize that often people choose the boundaries themselves, so they look like they are moderate or fair. I hope I am being on point and not extreme today, and this brings me to what the scriptures say about the rich and the poor.

First, if we look at scripture being neither rich nor poor is a comment about the character of the person. We see both very rich and very poor who are faithfully serving God in the pages of the Scriptures. Being one or the other doesn’t make you a better or a worse person (Proverb 22:2).

Second, we also see both rich and poor people as being corrupt and evil. There are dangers in either, which could lead us astray. This is why Proverbs 30:8-9 records the prayer of a man who says, “First, help me never to tell a lie. Second, give me neither poverty nor riches! Give me just enough to satisfy my needs. For if I grow rich, I may deny you and say, “Who is the LORD?” And if I am too poor, I may steal and thus insult God’s holy name.”

Finally, we are commanded not to give preferential treatment to anyone poor or rich. Truthfully, the rich are frequently treated better but that is not because they are better but because people hope to get something from them. A poor person can’t give you what they don’t have. However, scripture makes it clear we aren’t to show preference because they are rich or poor. Nowhere is clearer than Leviticus 19:15, “Do not twist justice in legal matters by favoring the poor or being partial to the rich and powerful. Always judge people fairly” (NLT).

Depending on which group you are in I’m amazed at the people who condemn either the rich or the poor. You would think that the poor would condemn the rich and the rich the poor, but it isn’t always the case. I’m also amazed at how people define rich and poor. For most people in America or the West, we see rich as people who are millionaires or billionaires, whereas the rest of the world would see nearly all of us in the West as being rich. What is the difference between 10 million and 10 billion? If you’re the one with 10 million, you see a big difference. If you are making $2 a day, the difference between $35,000 a year and 10 million only means one has a little bigger house because both are rich.  

So, what does all this mean? How does this apply to us? We need to treat all people right no matter what is in or not in their bank account. We also need to be honest about ourselves. For me, CS Areson, in Western terms, I’m poor or perhaps in the low middle class, but in terms of wealth as history and most of the world looks at it, I’m rich. So, according to Proverbs 30:8-9, I need to watch out I don’t dismiss God and his teaching because it will be a danger.

Now look at yourself. If you can read this you’re probably rich too so watch yourself.