The way I deal with those who do not have as much as me reflects my relationship with God. All that exists is God’s. All that I have was obtained and is maintained by God. “The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised,” quoting Job who was rich and became poor in one day. (Job 1:21)
God does not give directly the same amount of anything and everything to each person. Some have more than others, whether monetary or physical characteristics. And like Job throughout everyone’s life some are poor one day and later become rich and vice versa.
This proverb is about how the rich and the poor interact. The focus is the rich’s response to the poor. The person who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God. The closer my relationship with God the kinder I am. The farther my relationship with God the more selfish I am. Thus, God is good, gentle, kind, and generous at the core of his being. Humans are unclean, harsh, mean, and selfish at the core of their being. God’s core existence overpowers human’s core existence. The closer I am to him, the more his character affects me. Do I need and want to change? Then draw near to God.
How to be kind to others who have less takes wisdom. For he who is able in the body to work and yet is poor in wealth needs one kind of assistance while a person who is not able in body and yet is poor in wealth needs another kind of need.
