Proverbs 14:21 Commentary and Bible Study

The proverb has three points of comparison: ‘he that despises’ is compared with ‘he that has mercy’; ‘his neighbour’ becomes ‘the poor’; and sinning is contrasted with happiness. Taking the middle of these three, both ‘his neighbour’ and ‘the poor’ are those who have a natural call on our help, but the poor have a stronger call, and so they strengthen the force of the whole proverb. The first man despises his neighbour in the sense that he refuses to help him when he is in trouble; he hardens his heart against any feelings of pity and shuts his ears against any cries for relief. This man may be his neighbour but he is not going to be inconvenienced by him, and he will justify this behaviour by all manner of false reasoning. But here is another man who is moved by a far more distant call on his kindness. This poor man is not his neighbour and is scarcely known to him at all, but nevertheless, he pities the poor man in his situation and comes to his aid. It is providence that chooses our neighbours for us, and no detail of our lives is chosen carelessly. He that despises his neighbour sins, for the second commandment is expressed precisely in these terms: that we love our neighbour as ourselves. Nothing is said in the commandment about the character of our neighbour nor are any conditions mentioned. So important is this responsibility that he that despises his neighbour sins against God, for our neighbour’s need is God’s call for us to help. Charity’s first responsibility is to those who are closest, and to the extent that we can provide beyond this, we should do so according to our ability. Conversely, those who have mercy and show kindness to the poor and needy without any prospect of getting anything in return are happy. It is obvious that this happiness does not come from material gain, for the poor cannot repay them, but the joy they have is based on faith and is the joy of knowing that they have treasure in heaven. This treasure is proof against all earthly corruption and theft, guarded for believers by their heavenly Father who does not forget any act of kindness. How welcome this is in a world where men worry constantly about protecting their earthly wealth and know that they fail constantly to preserve riches that are passing away. They fail because their possessions grow old and decay, because they themselves are ageing and losing the ability to enjoy or even remember what they have. The Christian is looking to limit his responsibility to others, but to maximise the good he can do to all around him.