The Wicked Hearts of Men Are Evident in Their Actions – (Proverbs 14:20)

Daily Bible Study
This verse should break the heart of every Christian who reads it! This is one of those verses God has placed in His word, not to condone such actions; but as a condemnation against our human sin-nature. This verse is a statement of fact, it's to show us the true heart of fallen mankind. People love the rich, because they have something we want, whether it be fame, material wealth, power or status. We love them because we hope that by doing so we too can have some of what they have, or because we want to be like them. But in turn we can despise the poor because they have nothing to offer. This is how man looks at the world. However, this is not God's viewpoint, this type of behavior is sin in God's eyes. We have to remember God, built into Israel's laws a form of social welfare and looking out for those in need, as well as to help those who were poor and destitute.

When God gave His laws to the nation of Israel, farmers were ordered to not harvest the corners of their fields, they were also told not to go through their fields and harvest a second time in case they missed something. They were only allowed to go through the field once. God did this on purpose! God had built into that society a means for the hungry, the widow and the fatherless to eat and take care of themselves. Moreover, God also required the forgiving of debt every seven years, and restoration of land sold every fifty years. God in His word tells us over and over again, help those in need, take care of the fatherless and the widow. To feed those who hunger and cry with those who are hurting. God blesses us so we can bless those around us who are in need, not to bless ourselves with abundance and more than we need. God never meant our wealth as a means to give ourselves extra. Moreover, every believer will have to give an account of what we did with the time, talents and resources the Lord has given us and how we used those to help those around us and further the Gospel of Christ Jesus our Lord.