Proverbs 28:6-9 says,...

Today's verses are Proverbs 28:6-9, which read,

v.6 - Better is the poor who walks in his integrity than he who is crooked though he be rich.

This proverb is all about what you value.  If you value being rich over being poor then you will go for it even if it means being a little crooked in your ways and compromising your integrity.  If you value integrity over crookedness then you will hold onto it if you are rich or poor.  The proverb gives us what is "better" in these scenarios.  It is better to value integrity and let your financial situations be based on it rather than being crooked.  Another way to look at this is if you are poor in the world's goods because of integrity then you are rich in God's goods because you are following after Him.  If you want to be rich in something than be rich in God and that takes integrity.

v.7 - He who keeps the law is a discerning son, but he who is a companion of gluttons humiliates his father.

This is another comparison proverb or what you value more.  Do you value the law or do you value personal pleasure?  The discerning son who values the law brings honor to his father but the lack of self control son who values instant gratification humiliates his father.  What are you keeping?  Are you keeping what God has said or what your so called friends are saying?  

v.8 - He who increases his wealth by interest and usury gathers it for him who is gracious to the poor.

Usury is unfair interest charged for loaned money.  What the proverb is saying is that those who get wealthy by the immoral practices of charging more than they should for loaned money will eventually lose it all and it will go back to doing what it was suppose to be doing, caring for the poor.  Many times this practice is illegal and the con artist or corporation gets caught and the fine is very steep.  We do not have the resource of money to just have wealth but to use it for God's glory.  Those resources will eventually be put in the hands of the one who has the heart of God for others.

v.9 - He who turns away his ear from listening to the law, even his prayer is an abomination.

We all pray at times but is there any relationship with God backing those prayers?  Many pray because it is built into us to do so when something tragic happens but many also don't know who they are praying to.  The tragedy of this proverb is the turning away of God's ears to this prayer.  It is detestable to Him.  Isaiah 1:15 says,

"When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will refuse to look at you; even if you offer countless prayers, I will not listen.  Your hands are covered with blood."

The answer comes in verse 16 and 17, which read,

"Wash yourselves.  Cleanse yourselves.  Remove your evil deeds from my sight.  Stop doing evil.  Learn to do what is good.  Pursue justice.  Correct the oppressor.  Defend the rights of the fatherless.  Plead the widow's cause."

All that takes an ongoing relationship with God.  When you pray you are praying to someone you know.  He is attentive to the prayers of His children.  James 5:16 says,

"Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed.  The prayer of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect."

What do you value?  Do you value being rich even at the cost of your integrity or do you value your integrity with God no matter your financial situation?  Do you value personal pleasure even though it brings others disgrace or do you value what brings them honor by valuing the laws of God?  Do you seek only what your eyes see or do you value what God sees, those in need of someone to show His love?  Do you value your relationship with God so that you will spend time focused on Him or do you value yourself so much that when you get in a jam you have a God who you don't know doesn't respond?  A lot of value statements to think about this morning.  Let us pray.

"Lord, again we need these side by side statements to see what we are doing to ourselves.  We grab onto the fulfillment of being rich.  We latch onto the instant gratification at any cost.  We adopt the practices and priorities of the world to our own ruin.  We miss out on a relationship with You that brings real help to others in need.  So much goes wrong when we don't have Your value system.  Correct us Lord, I pray.  Amen."

Pastor Adam