Better is a little with righteousness Than great income with injustice. Proverbs 16:8

One of the things that personally grieves me as a pastor and as a believer is the focus of the health, wealth, and prosperity movement.  Their focus is too often on how God wants us to be rich and wealthy - and too little on how God wants to make us holy and His above all things.  This particular proverb let us know that a little with righteousness is something to be desired.

It is better to have just a little if we have God's righteousness.  This statement is not glorifying being poor.  It is saying that if the choice is between having a little and God's ways - or having a lot and injustice and ungodliness - the choice for little is far better.  The "little" mentioned here is just that - a small amount.  But the righteousness speaks of doing righteous acts and deeds.  It refers to the possibility that doing the right thing might even cost us.  But if it does - it is better to embrace God's ways and doing right than to have the wealth and prosperity that might come if we set God's ways aside. 

To have great income, yet to have injustice, is a mistake of monumental proportions.  There are too many who sell their souls to make a buck.  There are even more who do this if a large amount of money is involved.  But there is no amount of money on earth that merits selling your integrity and your godliness.  Some would not even think of selling themselves if it is a little money - but would seriously consider it if the amount would make them rich.  But think of this before you consider doing this.  A prostitute is a prostitute whether she sells herself for a little or for a million dollars.  The fact that she would sell her purity and be a prostitute is the key fact - all else is just a matter of setting the price.  When we sell our integrity for any amount, we simply prove that we are not people of integrity and honor.  After that fact has been established everything afterward is simply negotiating the price. 

Hold fast to the Lord - and to your integrity as a believer.  There is nothing worth selling out that one wonderful thing.  Realize that there is no asking price for who you truly are.  To do so would be to infinitely cheapen something that cannot be regained once you give it up for something.  Therefore - even if you have to be poor as a result - keep your integrity and a righteous direction in life.  There is a wealth that consists of integrity and honor that no amount of moeny on earth will ever restore or merit.

How long will you lie down, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep? 10 "A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to rest"— 11 Your poverty will come in like a vagabond And your need like an armed man. Proverbs 6:9-11

Everyone needs sleep to be able to function in life.  If you don't think this is true - try going without sleep for a few days.  But there is a problem that comes with too much sleep.  Too much sleep leads to laziness.  That is the problem that is pointed out in these 3 verses of Proverbs.

The question is put to the sluggard, "How long will you lie down?"  The writer of Proverbs asks when he is going to rise from sleeping.  Here is the problem - we have a man who is more interested in sleeping than in getting up and doing something.  There is not an illness involved here.  Neither is there a situation where someone has been up all night working or dealing with a child.  This is simply a man who does not want to get out of bed.  He doesn't want to do this because he is lazy. 

It is good to have a routine for yourself that includes a time when you are going to wake up in the morning.  For the vast majority of us who have jobs - this problem is solved by our employer, who expects us to show up for work each day when he dictates.  We have a choice to sleep in . . . it is just that this choice also involves not having a job, food, a place to live - you get what I'm saying.  Because of this fact of life - we wake up and get out of bed. 

If you want to rear a child well - you will also teach your child to get up and get out of bed as well.  For this reason it is good for your child to have a job - even if it is one that is around home.  I remember hearing a story about a farmer who taught his children to wake up and get working on the farm.  His sons were with him in the corn early one morning when a neighbor commented about this practice.  His comment was that he sure was working his boys hard to raise corn.  I love the comment the farmer gave in return.  He said, "Sir, I'm not raising corn - I'm raising sons." 

What a wonderful statement.  We teach our children to wake up and get going each day because we want to train them and teach them how to live in this world.  It would be far wiser for them to learn this lesson young and maintain it throughout life - than to learn it only because necessity demands it when they get a job.  When we leave it to necessity to educate them - they often learn the hard way.  They also resent having their laziness interrupted with something so harsh as . . . reality. 

Sleep is not the real problem here.  It is what comes with too much sleep.  There is sleep and slumber that is perfectly fine.  If we go to bed on time - we can get plenty of sleep every night.  Our problem usually is discerning between a regular night in life - and one that is special.  I know some will scoff at this - but it is also wise to teach children (and some adults as well) the difference between a school night - and a weekend or vacation night.  For big people reading this - that can also be said this way.  We need to discern the difference between a night when we have responsibilities the next day - and one where we do not. 

Our problem is that we not only sleep and slumber - but we also get the idea that we can fold our hands and not work.  When we decide that we don't have to be diligent - we don't have to be hard working - we don't have to be our best for work and our employer each day - we are making a big mistake.  The Scriptures teach us that God desires us to work hard - as if we are working for Him.  When it is time to work - God wants us to work.  This folding of the hands to rest is a picture of a man who values sleep and rest far more than he does hard work.  This may sound fine to most - but God made it clear to us from the Law that for six days we are to labor and do our work.  Work was not a part of the Fall of man into sin.  Work is something God had Adam do in the garden. 

When we don't work there will be troubles and problems for us in life.  First, we won't earn money with which to pay for food and other living items.  Second, if we have a job and don't work hard - we will eventually lose that job.  Finally, God calls us to work - and when we don't we often find ourselves doing things that we will regret later.  Too much free time - plays right into the hands of the devil.  I believe the old phrase is, "Idle hands are the devil's workshop."  No work and all sleep makes Johnny a sinful boy. 

When we don't work something is coming - and it would be wise if we were warned of what that is.  Poverty is coming if you don't wake up and work hard. 

The warning here from Solomon is that poverty is coming to us.  Two descriptions of how poverty is coming are given to us to warn us that this visitor is not welcome in our lives.  First, poverty is coming in like a "vagabond."  The word here means one who walks back and forth on a highway - and it referred to a highwayman.  These were people who walked about on the highways and roads who desired to rob those passing on the road.  They were thieves and robbers.  Thus what Solomon is saying here is that poverty is going to come upon you like a thief hiding near the road.  He will rise up suddenly and attack.  Usually this comes without a lot of warning.  That is the way it is for the sluggard who loves his sleep.  He thinks everything is fine - and then suddenly poverty hits him without him being ready for it. 

The second picture Solomon uses here to describe how poverty is coming is that of an "armed man."  What is fascinating about this word is that it actually refers to a man with a shield, and the same word is used of the protective scales of a crocodile.  Most commentators figure that this refers to an armed man with shield and with a sword.  This one comes upon you for the purpose of taking what you have.  I take a different tack on this word.  I think it refers to how hard it is to get out of poverty - especially a poverty caused by laziness, lack of discipline, and being a sluggard.  You can try to fight a man with a shield - but it is difficult.  He is going to be able to ward off all your attempts to harm him.  He will prevail more than once - so you have to be wise and fight hard to vanquish him.  When a man is lazy and in poverty - he is hit with the proverbial double-whammy.  He not only is poor, he is poor and unwilling to work hard to get out of poverty.  All of the stories I've heard about those overcoming poverty had to do with those who worked hard to do so.  I can't ever remember one where the man or woman slept in every day and barely worked when they did apply themselves. 

Laziness is a difficult thing to overcome.  Someone who loves their sleep does not train easily.  They want to relax and NOT work.  Thus they face a very daunting future.  They don't want to work - but they do want to eat.  They don't want to apply themselves - but they do want the stuff that comes from applying yourself.  Unfortunately, our government often gives no incentive to get out of this state as they offer welfare programs and far more incentive NOT to work than TO work.  Welfare to those who are just lazy is not a help - it hurts them and society as well.  Those truly in need can and should be helped by society - but we've gone well beyond that in our nation.  We've subsidized far too much laziness and lack of discipline.  That is why our growing socialism, and the laziness it encourages by punishing the successful and rewarding those who stick their hand out to the government, is going to receive a visit from these verses one day.  One day even nations will be visited by the highwayman and the man with the shield.  Unless we encourage work - hard work - and things like industry and frugality and discipline - we will continue to destroy the work ethic in our country.  When that work is completed, we will have put the finishing touches on a sleep-loving, work-hating society.  Oh, may God give us wisdom to wake up, work hard, make wise financial choices, and honor Him in it all.  May He have mercy on our country and help us to see that laziness, self-indulgence, and the thought that our government owes us a living are not helping us - these things are destroying us. 

Great wealth is in the house of the righteous, But trouble is in the income of the wicked. Proverbs 15:6

There are those who take verses like this and use them to promise riches and possessions to those who walk with God.  They are also used to speak judgment and condemnation on those who are poor and needy.  If that were the case, then Jesus should have been the richest man who ever walked on the earth.  Yet Jesus Himself said that He had no place to lay His head - and He was ultimately betrayed by a disciple who saw that Jesus' kingdom was not going to be of this world - or at least consisting of this world's goods.  There is a prosperity that comes from Godly circumspect religion though.  It comes from being wise with money - and from knowing the blessing of God in financial endeavors.  There is great wealth in the house of many of those who use right principles in dealing with money.  Proverbs itself is filled with excellent financial counsel, which, if followed, would ensure blessing on those who heed it. 

The true wealth, though, of the righteous is in things that cannot be stored in a bank or lock box.  These things consist of forgiveness, joy, peace, and love.  They come when we choose to walk consistently in God's ways and adhere to the paths into which His Spirit guides us.  To the one who does NOT have them - they are utterly invaluable.  Many a rich, ungodly man would give his entire fortune for these things - but usually only later in life.  This wealth is even more wonderful than earthly riches because moth and rust cannot corrupt nor thieves break in and steal them.  They will last forever - and they are the true currency of heaven.  To spend a lifetime building up a treasure of this kind is to be rich indeed.  To live without them is to know nothing but poverty of spirit here and now - and damnation throughout eternity. 

The income of the wicked is often desired by those in this world.  Occasionally, as we see in Psalm 73, even the godly at times wish for a life without trouble and hardship.  They wish for a life bathed in butter and human delicacies.  This longing stops though, when we see that their income is filled with trouble.  Their riches come with problems.  First there is the trouble of keeping what you've already got when the world desires it too.  Men stay up late and rise early to protect their income - they lose sleep trying to keep what they have.  There is also trouble in getting such income.  Too often riches are gained to the damage of those who get them.  They resort to ungodly tactics and ungodly ways to garner more and more wealth for themselves.  In the end - the trouble they face is trouble from two sources.  First there is those whom they have cheated.  Leaders like Sadaam Hussein lived a life of opulent luxury most of their days - but in the end - those whom he cheated and stole from hated him fiercely.  He wound up hiding in a hole - and hanging from the end of a rope - as crowds ultimately cheered his execution.  Biblically, Haman had it all - but in the end lost it all when his greed and hatred caused him great trouble.  The last we see of the great and wealthy Haman is him escorted from the king's presence with a black bag over his head.  In the end . . . his wealth was used to construct a gallows from which he himself hung.  There is certainly trouble when those whom we have hurt and bilked come for their revenge.  But there is a great trouble awaiting the wicked rich.

Scripture speaks of a wealthy farmer who thought life consisted of his possessions.  Trying to keep a bumper crop as his crowning achievement led to God's final sentence upon him.  God considered him a fool.  He thought his life consisted only of his wealth and goods.  Yet the true riches were knowing God and being prepared to face Him on the day of judgment.  "You fool!" was the way God addressed this wicked, rich man on the eve of his death.  "Today your soul is required of you - and what is going to become of all your wealth."  The only term accurate to his situation was the term, "fool." 

Live for true riches and you will be wise.  Live for the wealth that comes from knowing, loving, and obeying God.  Nothing else matters when you leave this world and enter into eternity.  The wealth of the righteous will be stored up for them in heaven all their days.  It will never pass away.  But the troublesome income of the wicked . . . it will burn them like fire all their days.  It will be part of the everlasting trouble that will afflict their souls for all eternity. 

Poor is he who works with a negligent hand, But the hand of the diligent makes rich. Proverbs 10:4

Work . . . to some this is a dirty word.  Biblically it might be helpful to know that work existed BEFORE the fall.  God always intended for us to work.  The fall just ensured that this work would be much harder due to mankind's sin.  But work is good.  When we do not want to work - that is bad.

There are those who work with a "negligent hand."  These are those who treacherous in their work.  They are deceitful in what they do.  They may look to others like their are working, but therein lies the deceit.  They actually are NOT working - at least not with a steadfastness and dedication to what they are doing.  They are lazy, slothful and lack any kind of diligence.  This word is also used to speak of those who have a loose character and are slack in far more than just their work.  Their lifestyle is slack - their morals are slack - everything they do is slack. 

The Word tells us here in Proverbs that those who work like this will become poor.  Think about this for a moment.  Consider all the automobile recalls and problems we've seen in recent years.  These are due to a slack-ness somewhere along the line.  It may have been an engineer who was slack in his calculations and who took shortcuts in designing parts and systems.  It may have been an assembly line worker who just slacked off over time in what they were doing.  It may have been management who decided that their bottom line meant everything - and cut quality to the level that they could no longer put out quality parts.  Whatever it was - slack work cost the company millions. 

The diligent though, are made rich.  They may not always have the greatest profit margins - but they do what they do with quality always.  Thus their works come back upon them - and as a result of their attention to detail - their godly work ethic - and their desire to glorify God in all that they do - they are rewarded.  Work ethic unfortunately is something that we no longer focus upon in our nation as we should.  The quick money stories have so much more traction to us.  We don't want to hear that slow and stead wins the race.  We don't want to hear that a lifetime of wealth and riches come usually from a lifetime of hard work and diligent effort.  The lack of such things are costing us more than we realize.

Where no oxen are, the manger is clean, But much revenue comes by the strength of the ox. Proverbs 14:4

This is an interesting proverb for those of us who have little or no knowledge of farming or animal husbandry.  There is the first and most obvious meaning - which is that when you don't have an oxen you don't have the mess.  There is no need to have a manger filled with hay for them to eat.  No oxen means no work to take care of them.  But - no oxen also means no real revenue.  You can work by yourself in the fields - but with an ox or two, you can plow several times the amount of land you do alone.  The result is that you have more crops - and more crops means more revenue!  This proverb carries over to applications outside of the agricultural world.  If you don't have any employees - don't have any labor-saving machines - you don't have the problems of taking care of them.  You don't have to deal with people issues - with the cost of insurance - with benefits - with repairs.  But . . . if you don't have them - you also don't have the revenue and the profits that they can help generate.  The proverb has great application to the business world as you can see.

There is a second level of meaning in this proverb though - one that goes past the agricultural or business application.  The New Testament uses the ox to speak of how the man of God, who teaches in the church, should be treated.  Paul does this in 1 Corinthians 9:9 and 1 Timothy 5:18.  Both passages have to do with those who minister the Word - especially in teaching and preaching.  Paul is saying in both passages that the man of God who labors hard at teaching and preaching can be financially provided for in the church.  Now let's look at what Proverbs says to us about the ox and apply it this way.  Where there are no oxen the manger is clean.  When you decide not to take care of the man of God who teaches the Word - there is less expense to the church.  This is very true - it usually is one of the highest costs in any church.  But when God gives a fellowship a man of God who truly labors to teach and present God's Word - there is also great benefit.  Much revenue comes by the strength of the ox.  There is much benefit to having a pastor or a teacher who labors hard in the Word.  There is the growth that happens in individual believers - there are those who come to Christ because the gospel is taught and presented.  There is the blessing of God that comes through the ministry of having a Word-based church.  There a tremendous benefits to feeding the ox and having him around.  So, next time you are tempted to think that it's not financially worth having your ox around (apology to all pastors and teachers for this parallel) just think of the benefit that comes from the labor he puts into bringing you the Word of God. 

My son, if you have become surety for your neighbor, Have given a pledge for a stranger, 2 If you have been snared with the words of your mouth, Have been caught with the words of your mouth, Proverbs 6:1-2

Surety . . . this is a topic that Proverbs spends a decent amount of time discussing.  We are told very clearly that we are not to become surety for anyone.  But maybe we're getting ahead of ourselves.  What does it mean to be "surety?"

Surety is giving a pledge or a guarantee.  It means we take responsibility for debt of someone else.  The Bible makes is clear to us that this is not a wise thing to do.  In fact, what is said here is that if we have become surety for a neighbor, or have given a pledge to pay a debt for them - that we've put ourselves in very serious danger.  It is referred to as being caught in a snare. 



The snare mentioned here is one that was used to capture birds.  The word figuratively means to catch a person or persons in an undesirable situation.  The bait for this trap is usually a desire for something that is outside of God's will.  It can be pride, a desire to please others more than pleasing God, or any number of other things, but whatever it is, it lures us into a trap. 

Why is this a trap though?  Surety is a trap because we are putting ourselves into a position where we are guaranteeing the actions and character of someone else.  If they do not pay - we are on the hook for whatever they don't do.  Thus, with a promise or a simple signing of our name on a dotted line, we've placed ourselves in bondage for someone else's debt and responsibility.  That is not wise - because we have our reputation on the line until that debt is paid.  No wonder God says for us to stay clear of situations where we place ourselves as surety for someone else.  It puts us into an unnecessary jeopardy regarding our reputation - and because we are seen as representatives of God - His as well.