Pro 13:7 | KingComments | STEP | People can pretend to be different than they are ( ). That is hypocrisy or stage acting, living behind a mask. It is being someone you are not in reality. The instruction in this is to be honest, without posturing. This is possible only if both the rich and the poor see themselves in God’s light. James points out to both the poor and the rich what attitude each should have before God ( ). Paul did not want anyone to think more highly of him than what was seen or heard of him ( ). Here it is about people pretending to be rich while they are poor and people pretending to be poor while they are rich. Pretending to be rich can be done to avoid losing face. For example, a person who has lost everything may want to hold up the status of wealth and, therefore, prestige among people, his neighbors or colleagues. He who pretends anything is living in falsehood. He who “pretends to be poor, but has great wealth” may do so out of fear of being killed for stealing their wealth. It may also be out of fear of having to give something away, having to perform an act of mercy. He who pretends to be poor for this reason does so to evade his obligation to be good to the poor and open his hand wide to them ( ). The motive then is avarice. What applies to wealth can also be applied to power and prestige and also to spiritual gifts. The church at Laodicea pretended to be spiritually rich, but it possessed nothing ( ; cf. ). Christ, Who stood outside, confronted them with this. You can also say that you are nothing and can do nothing, although you are rich in Christ, but have no desire to take responsibility. People who say something of themselves should not be believed without question. In phrases like ‘I am very good at this’, or ‘I really can’t do that’, it is about one’s own ‘self’. In both cases, the Lord as the Giver is denied. Paul was poor but made many rich ( ) both by preaching the gospel to unbelievers and by teaching the church (cf. ). Above all, the Lord Jesus, Who was rich and became poor for our sake, made us rich through His poverty ( ). connects to . There are disadvantages to having wealth. A person who is rich can become the prey of a kidnapper. Then he must give all his wealth as a ransom to stay alive. A poor person does not face such danger. He is not even threatened, because there is nothing to be taken from him. He cannot be blackmailed and in this respect he lives without worry. We see here that wealth creates difficulties for the rich, while a poor person does not suffer from them. Poverty has this advantage over wealth. The poor person can go to sleep peacefully, so to speak, without locking the door, because he has nothing that a burglar could be after.

‏ Proverbs 13:7

The Rich Poor Man and the Poor Rich Man

People can pretend to be different than they are (Pro 13:7). That is hypocrisy or stage acting, living behind a mask. It is being someone you are not in reality. The instruction in this is to be honest, without posturing. This is possible only if both the rich and the poor see themselves in God’s light. James points out to both the poor and the rich what attitude each should have before God (Jam 1:9-10). Paul did not want anyone to think more highly of him than what was seen or heard of him (2Cor 12:6b).

Here it is about people pretending to be rich while they are poor and people pretending to be poor while they are rich. Pretending to be rich can be done to avoid losing face. For example, a person who has lost everything may want to hold up the status of wealth and, therefore, prestige among people, his neighbors or colleagues. He who pretends anything is living in falsehood.

He who “pretends to be poor, but has great wealth” may do so out of fear of being killed for stealing their wealth. It may also be out of fear of having to give something away, having to perform an act of mercy. He who pretends to be poor for this reason does so to evade his obligation to be good to the poor and open his hand wide to them (Deu 15:11). The motive then is avarice.

What applies to wealth can also be applied to power and prestige and also to spiritual gifts. The church at Laodicea pretended to be spiritually rich, but it possessed nothing (Rev 3:17; cf. Hos 12:9). Christ, Who stood outside, confronted them with this. You can also say that you are nothing and can do nothing, although you are rich in Christ, but have no desire to take responsibility. People who say something of themselves should not be believed without question. In phrases like ‘I am very good at this’, or ‘I really can’t do that’, it is about one’s own ‘self’. In both cases, the Lord as the Giver is denied.

Paul was poor but made many rich (2Cor 6:10) both by preaching the gospel to unbelievers and by teaching the church (cf. Acts 3:6). Above all, the Lord Jesus, Who was rich and became poor for our sake, made us rich through His poverty (2Cor 8:9).

Pro 13:8 connects to Pro 13:7. There are disadvantages to having wealth. A person who is rich can become the prey of a kidnapper. Then he must give all his wealth as a ransom to stay alive. A poor person does not face such danger. He is not even threatened, because there is nothing to be taken from him. He cannot be blackmailed and in this respect he lives without worry.

We see here that wealth creates difficulties for the rich, while a poor person does not suffer from them. Poverty has this advantage over wealth. The poor person can go to sleep peacefully, so to speak, without locking the door, because he has nothing that a burglar could be after.