Jump Start # 231

Proverbs 19:22 “What is desirable in a man is his kindness, and it is better to be a poor man than a liar.”

  One of the common characteristics of the Proverbs is contrasts or comparisons. And to help us make sure we get the point, the writer often tells us which one is better. This is what we find in our verse today.

  The contrast is between a poor man and a liar. It is assumed that the liar is not poor. So what we have is an honest poor man and a rich liar. The inspired writer tells us it is better to be the poor man in this case. The contrast isn’t between poverty and wealth, but rather the qualities of honesty verse dishonesty. What is on the inside is more important than what is on the outside.

  That’s easy to say, but we have trouble with that. A sharp looking car drives by and it steals our attention. We plod along in our clunker wishing that we had a car like that. A big house, the latest expensive fashions, a designer watch—they are attention grabbers. They often say, “Look at me! I am something.” These things can discourage a poor man. It can make him wish that he wasn’t poor. Sometimes it tempts the poor man to do dishonest things to get them. Now, a fine house, car and clothes are acceptable if someone has gotten them honestly, they have worked hard for them, been generous to others and kept a heart of righteousness. They are not right if they are gotten to be flaunted, or gained through dishonest means.

  The writer wants the reader to avoid being a liar. Dishonest lips come from a dishonest heart. We live in lying times. Recent statistics indicate that the AVERAGE person tells four lies a day. Amazing! Lying at home, to the boss, to our mates, to the neighbors, to our friends, to ourselves and to God. Some are so used to all of this that it is hard for them to tell the truth. Lying is more than just telling something that isn’t so, it is a breech of trust. And relationships are built upon trust. Once the lying begins, and it starts early in our life, it is hard to become believable.

  Jesus wasn’t like this. He not only told the truth, He was the truth (Jn 14:6). He always spoke what was right. Often a person will tell a liar to avoid trouble. The lie only puts them in deeper trouble. After they have told lie # 1, they have to tell lie # 2 to cover lie # 1. Then comes lie # 3. After a while this gets the best of him and he is caught and trouble comes.

  Honesty and integrity is the way of God’s people. Tell the truth, even if it puts you in a difficult place. Remember Jacob and Esau? Esau was so hungry that he sold his birthright to his brother for a bowl of food. The birthright was the most sacred thing he had. After that, he had nothing of value. He traded it for a common meal! Our character and soul is our most valuable possession. When we trade it for a lie, there is nothing else of value.

  Better to be poor and honest. Better to be poor and a person of your word. Better to be poor and content. Better to be poor and please God. Better to be poor and go to Heaven. After you die, all you take out of this world is who you are. There are no U-haul’s following the hearse to the cemetery. All the stuff stays here. What goes, is who you are. Honest or a cheat. Truthful or a liar. Righteous or ungodly. That’s it. That’s why one is better than the other.

  Do these things sound interesting to you? Sunday night I will be preaching a lesson on telling the truth at Charlestown Road church of Christ. Come join us at 5:00 pm and learn more about the call to be honest.

Roger