If a king judges the poor with truth,
his throne will be established forever.

Proverbs 29:14

It should not be a surprise that Solomon has a lot to say about being a king. 

We’ve discussed many of these verses. Things like what makes a great king, what types of attitudes will topple a king, how a king’s actions effect his countrymen and, how a king can either have his throne established forever or have his throne cut off completely. Interestingly, we have seen often that pursuing The Truth benefits both king and kingdom and how forsaking The Truth causes nothing but chaos and heartache.

Today, we read a very specific trait of kings who have successful kingdoms: proper engagement with the poor. God actually has a lot to say about our commitments with the poor or the lack thereof. We will see that He has little patience with those who trample on the poor or use them unjustly.

From the very beginning of the establishment of the Nation of Israel with the exodus from Egypt, God has set in place the provision for the poor.

Exodus 23:10-11

You shall sow your land for six years and gather in its yield, but on the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow, so that the needy of your people may eat…You are to do the same with your vineyard and your olive grove.

But, the people of Israel did not heed this command and did not let their land rest every seven years and thus give extra provision to the poor. And God judged Israel for this (and other sins) and sent them into captivity for 70 years.

One year for every Sabbath year rest they ignored. [2 Chronicles 36:20-21]

Levitical law established practical provisions of food for the poor with the instructions to land owners to not glean their fields empty, but to save with purpose sections of their fields and vineyards for the poor to glean and gather for themselves. (Leviticus 19:10 and 23:22) In the book of Ruth, Boaz obeys this command and we find Ruth in his fields gleaning when their love story begins.

When Nathan, the prophet, confronts David with his sins of adultery and murder; he uses the story of an unrighteous rich man defrauding a poor man of his one and only ewe lamb. You will remember David was indignant hearing of this wicked treatment and demanded the man’s soul. It was this clearly presented injustice of the poor that God used to convict David of his own sin.

In Psalm 10 David gives the detestable portrait of the evil man who tramples the poor and he then pleads the case of the poor before God and affirms God’s judgement against those who oppress the poor. I never really noticed this Psalm before and quite frankly, it is one to heed concerning our own treat of those less fortunate than ourselves. I don’t when David wrote Psalm 10, but my best surmise is that he wrote it after Nathan’s challenge to him. And I challenge you to read Psalm 10.

In the New Testament, Jesus told the rich young ruler to sell all he had and give it to the poor and then he could follow Jesus. This man was not willing to do that and went away sorrowful. Neither God nor Jesus condone entitlements or sects or communal living of forced giving away of all of one’s worldly goods. Forced “generosity” is never a solution to society’s needs. 

But being a generous person within one’s circle of influence is a first fruit of our testimony that we are Christ-followers. And, when we think about it, every disciple of Jesus is a prince or princess of The King! So, this and other admonitions to kings, truly applies to us. Of all the people in the world, Christians should be the most willing to be ridiculously generous to those we can aid and serve in time of their need.

I truly believe many of western culture’s societal problems are partially due to the fact that the local church has abdicated their responsibility for the poor to big government instead of meeting these needs through the local church and in Jesus’ name! Our lights are dim and do not shine on top of a hill because we, as The Church, have turned our backs on those in need. They get in the way of our personal American Dream!  So let the government deal with them.

Just Sayin’…