“It is better to be poor than
dishonest.” – Proverbs 19:22b New Living Translation
“A poor man who gives to one in distress
his sympathy and good wishes, even if he can afford no substantial aid, is
better than a rich man who promises much and does nothing, or who falsely
professes that he is unable to help.”1 A general truth from Buddhism says,
"Like a beautiful flower, full of colors, but without scent, are the fine
but fruitless words of him who does not act accordingly"2
What benefit does lying have in our life?
It seems to me that people find it incredibly easy to lie about an inordinate
amount of things, figuring if they were confronted they would simply deny the
accusation. The verse is telling us that we are a far better help to someone if
we give what we are able, even if it’s simply encouragement and emotional
support, than a person who promises much but delivers nothing. There may arise
an exception to that rule, but in general it’s never good to lie to anyone.
If we would emulate Christ in all our
thoughts, words and actions, then we’d have no problem being honest, with the
understanding that the Lord has promised to meet all our NEEDS. Therefore we
have nothing to be concerned about. It is better for us to live a life that is
pleasing to God than to be spiritually bankrupt. Dishonesty never leads one to the
truth, nor is it a way to please God. A dishonest person has no integrity,
which negates them being considered reliable or dependable. Each poor character
issue begets another until the person’s heart becomes calloused. Don’t be
fooled! Honesty is far more important than riches. Until next time, walk with
the King and be a blessing!
Resource: The Life
Application Study Bible.
1 & 2 – Pulpit Commentary.
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