Classic KJV - Proverbs 28:3

Imagine the disappointment of a farmer expecting rain from the clouds, getting his hopes up, then having them dashed by a devastating downpour. Torrential rains, floods, and hail only bring ruin. We want the blessings of a gentle rain, not the ruin of a destructuve deluge.

Translation: poor, lowly

There are two different Hebrew words for “poor” here. The first word, רָשׁ (rāš, pronounced “rash”), refers to those lacking enough for their daily needs, and—more broadly—members of the lower class. The second word, דּל (dāl, pronounced “dahl”), stems from the word “to languish” or “to hang down.” In Proverbs, ḏāl usually refers to “the poor” as in the lower class. The two, rāš and ḏāl, are similar, but the first sometimes implies people who are poor from their own choices. It’s subtle, but the message of the text is clear: It’s disgusting when a poor man uses his paltry strength to swindle or lord it over those even weaker than himself. He plays the big shark in a very little pond. It’s a terrible thing, but it happens. 

Analyzing Poverty

After carefully studying these two words throughout Proverbs, I’ve found that ḏāl has undertones of humility and weakness not present in the word rāš. It seems that ḏāl are poor through no fault of their own. They might have entered poverty by birth or disability. The poor—rāš—may also be poor through no fault of their own, perhaps from a natural disaster, political oppression, business fraud, or theft. The rāš may also be poor from their personal choices, both positive and negative. Some choose to be rāš rather than compromise their integrity. Others end up rāš because they choose to be lazy and foolish. Using another verbal form of rāš, Proverbs 13:7 refers to the one who “maketh himself poor.”

My point: There are different causes for poverty, just as there are different causes for sickness.

Prescribing Remedies

If we visited a doctor, told him we were sick, and he instantly replied, “Here take this medicine,” without examining us, we’d call that doctor a quack. Likewise, a wise financial advisor would first determine the financial problems before offering a plan. However, fixating on the causes of poverty can become an endless task, distracting from the simple, yet often difficult, solutions needed. So, back to the text.

Avoiding Conflict

There is a temptation in any profession, including business, to take advantage of those who don’t fight back, perhaps because they lack the strength, will, or temperament. Often the weak are exploited simply because they are weak. But when the weak are oppressed by one of their own it almost seems worse.  Poverty can humble a person, who then becomes more sensitive to the needs of others—more compassionate. But a new attitude is not guaranteed. Some respond to poverty with anger, bitterness, and a vengeful spirit. They “do it to others” whenever they get a chance. Even the poor can be tyrannical if tempted.

The Humanist/Socialist Solution

A socialist government appeals to the poor by offering the hope of “sharing the wealth”—as if wealth simply rains from the sky, and some have less, only because others take more. This appeal is fueled by envy and resentment. Unfortunately, once the poor empower their leaders to plunder the wealthy, the plundering never stops. The demolition reaches ever deeper into a once-productive economy. So, as Winston Churchill said, “The vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of its blessings; the virtue of socialism is the equal sharing of its miseries.” Ironically, many embrace socialism as a solution, only to find that conditions under a socialist state are worse than before. Both the rich and poor can abuse power.

The God Solution

The abuse of power is not determined by income. The only ones, rich or poor, who handle power properly are those who recognize God as the supreme authority. It is the Lord God to whom they must answer personally for all their words and deeds. So, to answer the question, “What does promote compassion?”, we should realize that compassion is a compound word; combining “com” (with) and “passion” (suffering/intense feeling). By first accepting Jesus’ sacrifice for us and receiving God’s compassion—“God is love” (1 John 4:8)—people are empowered to show compassion with other people.

Our Maker, Saviour, and Friend

Jesus gave us an example of a commoner abusing his privilege in the story of the unforgiving slave (Matthew 18:23-35).

Jesus was both poor and lowly. He had “nowhere to rest his head.” As He hung dying, his only earthly possessions were the clothes on His back. In the Gospels, Jesus described Himself as “gentle and humble of heart,” (Matthew 11:29), and He also referred to Himself as, “A battered reed he will not break off, and a smouldering wick he will not snuff,” (Matthew 12:20).

Jesus came, not to oppress and harass, but to rescue and help all those who want help.