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Friday! Proverbs!
Better is a poor person
who walks in his integrity than one
who is crooked in speech and is a fool.
Proverbs 19:1 ESV
What a strange comparison.
A poor person in our culture is never "better".
Solomon is clear though that being poor with integrity is better.
Integrity here carries these meanings:
"full, integrity, perfection, simplicity, uprightly at a venture"
To walk with integrity, even if it means to be poor (even if it costs), is more important than the opposite: to speak lies, to manipulate others for your own gain.
Interesting that when we say we are followers of Jesus, we are following someone who apparently had no earthly assets.
And walked in complete integrity.
Maybe Solomon was realising that some of the people who claimed to be his friends were really just after his stuff, that people weren't straight up with him because if his wealth and power.
Or maybe, he was looking forward to Jesus.
The one who walked in perfect integrity, who is our model and our guide.
#somethingtochewon
#proverbs
#wisdom
#jesusatthecentre

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