Proverbs 14:20 Commentary and Bible Study

Solomon draws our attention to a phenomenon that is presented without comment but which obviously calls for enquiry: the poor man often has few friends, while the rich have many. The friendship of the world has little to commend it, for while it ought to be above considerations of wealth, it is too often influenced by desire for personal advantage. From the perspective of heaven so much apparent friendship has little to do with real affection, but is simply an indirect route to the advancement of self. We must draw our own conclusions about the quality of a friendship that can be so easily bought and so easily put off. The widespread alignment of friendship with riches is too unlikely for us to ignore its significance. Those who form friends for personal gain have never learnt what it is to be a true friend, and neither is this done in ignorance, for even the world knows that greater love has no man than he who lays down his life for his friend. How different is the love of Christ who is willing to be called the friend of sinners, who values those who are poor in spirit, and who loved us while we were still enemies. The character of our Lord sets the standard for the character of his kingdom and all who are in it. His kingdom, which on earth is represented by the true church, has a quite different kind of friendship within it, for his people love the poor and needy as their Lord does. They follow the example of their Lord who said,Luke 14:13-14 But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind: and thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.How much better to be a giver than a receiver (Acts 20:35), and this applies also in the area of friendship! The outlook of the believer to the whole of life is so completely different because he regards the true riches and not the riches that are passing away, and therefore he is set free from the tyranny of covetousness and all the false paths that it leads men to walk. It is indeed pitiful to see the rich surrounded by phoney friends, whether their riches consist in popularity, or power or earthly knowledge, or mammon itself, for they will be deserted if the wind changes. But a true friend sticks closer than a brother (Proverbs 18:24) and is faithful until death (Revelation 2:10).