Proverbs 19:7 Commentary and Bible Study

Coming in a block with the theme of false friendships, it is not hard to interpret. Even the blood brothers of a poor man who ought to be expected to have a natural bond with him; even they find it hard to like him. He has dishonoured their good name by his poverty and brought shame on his family, or at least done nothing to commend it. If even these find it hard to love the man though he is their brother, how much more will his general associates shun him? The proverb presents the pitiful scene of a poor man, who knows that he is not popular, chasing after those who have turned away from him. He tries to persuade them to show him some kindness, some human friendship, and yet all his efforts go unrewarded. They only harden their hearts against him because they do not want anything to do with the man.Again, the proverb is saying that there are many who love only those who they think will do them some good in return, and since the poor man has little prospect of doing them any good, they cannot see why they should bother with him. How different this self-centred attitude is to that of Christ who was the friend of publicans and sinners, and who told his disciples, ‘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’ (Luke 14:13-14). This is the principle by which missionaries have gone out into all the world and sacrificed their comfort, familiar surroundings, safety, health, wealth, lives, for the sake of those they seek to reach with the gospel, who are unable to reward them in this life, so that they do this for a reward in the world to come from God.The poor in spirit come to God with their pleas and he is not ashamed of them but gives them more than they are able to ask for or even imagine. He does not give according to what we can pay back, but allows us to be debtors to grace for all eternity.