Probing Proverbs 13:7-8 Some who are poor pretend to be
rich; others who are rich pretend to be poor. The rich can pay a ransom for
their lives, but the poor won’t even get threatened.
Human beings are very interesting creations. I knew a
very wealthy man living outside of the city. He had a driver that would drive
him in a very expensive Mercedes to work every day. At one point, the area of
his office became a major hot bed for kidnapping. Many executives were being
nabbed from their cars, primarily based on the kind of vehicle they drove. The
traffic moves less then 2 mph during rush hour in this part of the city. (That
is why I lived on a motorcycle for the majority of my time in Manila.) What my friend
began doing was having the driver stop right before he entered the city, and he
would switch places with his driver. He would put on the driver’s hat and have
his driver sit in the back seat reading the paper. (I don’t know if he really
read, I would spend my time praying!!)
Though I do not agree with what my friend did, he is a prime
example of wrestling with “Image” vs. “Reality.” He was rich, and there is nothing wrong
with that, he also understood the complications that are attached to that. I have
found that most people that condemn the rich are either driven by jealousy,
because they have deluded themselves into believing that being rich would make
their life perfect and bring them joy; or they are driven by guilt, because
they are also rich and find solace in attacking the rich…deluding themselves
that they are not part of that group!
The Wisdom communicated in this section of Scripture is
profound! Why would some pretend to be rich when they are not? When we think of
“rich” we
assume power, knowledge, attraction and a general superiority. Having a lot of
material wealth actually communicates nothing but that! You possess a large
quantity of “stuff!” The quality of life comes from within, not the external
possessions you have. However, if you can convince others that you are a part
of this elite club, many will give you authority over their lives. They will
try to impress you and even serve you. The sinful nature loves being served,
thus some that are poor will endeavor to cast themselves as rich.
With that being true, why would some that are rich pretend to
be poor? Again, when we think of “poor” we
assume humility, needy, in the same boat as most people in this world. This
image would remove this person as a target to be approached for help
financially. That is one of the greatest fears of the rich because many times
they are made targets of greed and manipulation. This reality was a difficult
one for me to wrestle with when I ministered in the “depressed”
areas of Manila. As I began to minister I found the majority of fellow
missionaries would tell the folks they were working with that they were also
poor. That infuriated me! Nothing was further from the truth. Every missionary
I have ever met…including me… was “lower income” compared to their USA peers, which made
us rich compared to the folks we worked with along the rivers in Manila. 
What I wrestled with is my disdain I felt toward my brothers
for such pretence. The Holy Spirit used this emotion to first, not judge,
second, be responsible only for my words, and third, use this reality to
minister truth to those I was reaching out to. God did use the Truth in a
powerful way. All I ministered to and especially those I discipled received
from me this thought: Compared to you I am rich, but you need to understand
that riches do not bring joy and contentment in life. They do make you
comfortable. But I would rather be full of joy and loving life…and
uncomfortable, than comfortable and miserable! God is the one that blesses His
children with their level of economic comfort. Pursue Him, and let Him give you
the financial position He knows is best for you. 
I also pointed out the plus of not being a target, especially
for kidnapping, which all that lived in Manila knew was a serious problem.
The so what?
If there is a pot of gold at the end of your rainbow, there are two
things you need to consider: 1. Am I rich in spirit and character, because only
those go with me into eternity? 2. If God has supplied material wealth what
does He desire me to do with this pot of gold, i.e. how much do I keep and what
do I do with the rest? God makes it clear we will be called to account for all
the “stuff” He gave us. Have you taken the time to evaluate who you are? How
much of your riches are inward versus outward? How are you handling your
outward riches?
