Rich Man - Poor Man
Proverbs 10:15,16
For some reason I remember winters being more wintery when I was a kid. I have great memories of snowmen, sledding down the streets, snowball fights and of course snow forts. One winter we decided to build the ultimate snow fort in my backyard. We packed snow into square tubs to make blocks then stacked the blocks to make the walls. We used boards to cover the top then piled snow on top of the boards. Inside we had carpet on the floor and a few items of furniture. The final touch was to pour buckets of water on it to freeze into a solid block. It was great.
When spring arrived, of course the snow melted away. I remember looking out and seeing that all the snow was gone except for the fort. I have clear memories of looking out each morning before school to see if the fort was still standing. Day after day it stood strong but eventually it began to lose its shape and eventually it collapsed. Soon enough there was nothing left but a pile of wood and carpet. It was a gallant effort but in the end we all know it can’t last.
We do know that don’t we? Stuff doesn’t last. It’s here today and gone tomorrow. Skillful living requires that we are clear that snow forts eventually melt. They always do. That shouldn’t be unclear. Yet, the truth is many people live as if their fortress will last. The rich man’s wealth is his fortress. The ruin of the poor is their poverty.
Why would anyone intentionally do harm to others simply to advantage himself? What is the great gain that justifies the devastation of another member of the tribe? What is so valuable that we ruin others to benefit ourselves? According to the proverb, we do this to build our fortress. Apparently, we believe if we accumulate lots of money and stuff the fort won’t melt away come spring.
But here’s the hard reality, the fortress can’t last. Imagine a ten-year-old child standing at the window with an adult who has put every waking hour into building a snow fort. The adult is standing tall and proud admiring his work convinced it’s the best snow fort ever. He should offer classes on snow fort building he muses. Yes, the rest of the snow is melting away, but the fort remains. Well done. About that time, the child looks at him and says, you do know it’s going to melt away. They always do. And with that the child turns and walks away totally unimpressed.
Yes, the wicked are determined to advantage themselves at the expense of others in the community. But for them, the end goal is worth it. They win and that’s what matters. “And what a fortress it is,” he convinces himself. Should we tell him it’s all going to melt away or just let him learn the hard way?
All this selfish fort building comes at a great cost. Take a few hours this week and drive around town noticing the difference between the rich and the poor, winners and losers. Notice the people. Look into their eyes. These are all people made in the image of God. They all have value and dignity. Do they look like they’re flourishing to you?
Now I understand these issues are complicated with lots of factors. Many of the poor contribute to their demise by disadvantaging others to advantage themselves. Wickedness permeates both the rich and the poor but the consequences of our choices are clear. The winners build snow forts, and the losers live in ruin. Neither wins.
But the Proverbs offers a solution. The wages of the righteous is life, the income of the wicked punishment.The righteous is the Tzadik. He or she sees all this differently. It’s not a competition with winners and losers. It’s the pursuit of shalom. It’s striving to create a community where everyone flourishes together. It’s about us not just me.The righteous aren’t interested in snow forts nor are they indifferent about poverty.
The wages of the righteous is life. Life here means flourishing. Last week we learned that ill-gotten gains do not profit, but righteousness delivers from death. The righteous are not motivated to build the best snow fort ever. They know it will melt away so they focus on things that will last. God is their fortress. He is the source of their security, significance, and value. He is their safe place in times of need. The end goal of the righteous is not to crush the competition for self-glory but to promote the dignity and flourishing of others. The righteous deliver a community from death to life.
This is not a rich or poor thing. The righteous can be rich or poor. The wicked can have lots or little. It’s about clarity around what matters. It’s rooted in whether I truly believe God’s way is best or my way is best. It’s about whether you believe God tells the truth when He says snow forts will eventually melt or whether you think you can beat the system and build the first non-meltable fort.
Proverbs continually reminds us of the importance of listening and learning. Skillful living requires that we fear the LORD and keep His commandments. In short, that we be numbered amongst the righteous. Next time you see or hear someone of great wealth and power standing at the window admiring his great snow fort, imagine that ten-year-old saying, you do know it’s going to melt, don’t you?
The reality is any ten-year-old can live more skillfully than most people in our culture do if he or she is willing to listen and learn what God has to say. It’s easy to convince ourselves we live as the Tzadik but is that true? What is the evidence? Are you contributing to shalom in the environments where God has placed you? Are you seeking to advantage others more than yourself? Are you really part of the solution more than part of the problem? These are good questions for anyone seeking to live skillfully in a world operated by the wicked.