There is a good deal in this chapter about the poor again. The ruler who oppresses the poor is like a driving rain that ruins the crops. This is interesting! It implies that oppression of the poor leads to deprivation of all. A poor man who lives right is better off than a rich man who lives wrong. Hard for us to believe this! But the scripture says it is true. And though such a rich man may prosper for a time, we know that in the end when God reveals his righteousness, they will receive the fruit of their perversity. Earthly riches do not follow us into eternity. Only that which is done for the Lord and pleasing to the Lord will last.
Verse 27 says that whoever gives to the poor will lack nothing and the person who “closes their eyes” to the poor will be cursed. Not too ambiguous! Though the proverbs do also speak of the wicked poor and the righteous rich, it is the exception, not the rule. The rule is that most often riches lead to pride and unrighteousness and poverty most often causes people to depend on the Lord and trust him for their reward.
More important the consistentmessage of the proverbs is that TRUE riches are not a result of how much money we have or how many possessions we hold. True riches are the product of being in a right relationship with our Creator and living according to that Creator’s wisdom.