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Day 29 Proverbs 10:15 Proverbs 10:15 The rich man’s wealth is his strong city: the destruction of the poor is their poverty. 16 The labor of the righteous tends to life: the fruit of the wicked to sin. Nobody wants to be poor wondering where their next meal is going to come from, how their bills will be paid, or even how they are going to get decent clothes and shoes to wear. People want to be rich and have it all, never worrying about anything in their lives. Solomon knew people who were wealthy, he was one of them, rubbing shoulders with other people of wealth and seeing how they conducted their lives. He also saw the difference between himself and them and how they treated those inferior to themselves. 1 Kings 10:1 And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to prove him with hard questions. 2 And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bore spices, and very much gold, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart. 3 And Solomon told her all her questions: there was not anything hid from the king, which he told her not. 4 And when the queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon’s wisdom, and the house that he had built, 5 And the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel, and his cupbearers, and his ascent by which he went up unto the house of the LORD; there was no more spirit in her. Sheba saw how Solomon treated his servants with dignity. They were not impoverished but had everything they needed to take care of their lives. She was humbled by everything she saw, and told Solomon it was more than she had heard about in her land. 1 Kings 10:6 And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom. 7 Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceeds the fame which I heard. 8 Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom. 9 Blessed be the LORD thy God, which delighted in thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel: because the LORD loved Israel forever, therefore made he thee king, to do judgment and justice. 10 And she gave the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of spices very great store, and precious stones: there came no more such abundance of spices as these which the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon. People tend to be happiest in their work if they are treated with fairness and have enough wages to take care of their lives. One thing God told Moses when the children of Israel came out of Egypt was that they were to treat all people as equal and not demean them as they had been as slaves. Leviticus 25:39 And if thy brother that dwells by thee be waxen poor, and be sold unto thee; thou shalt not compel him to serve as a bondservant: 40 But as a hired servant, and as a sojourner, he shall be with thee, and shall serve thee unto the year of jubilee: 41 And then shall he depart from thee, both he and his children with him, and shall return unto his own family, and unto the possession of his fathers shall he return. 42 For they are my servants, which I brought forth out of the land of Egypt: they shall not be sold as bondmen. 43 Thou shalt not rule over him with rigor; but shalt fear thy God. 44 Both thy bondmen, and thy bondmaids, which thou shalt have, shall be of the heathen that are round about you; of them shall ye buy bondmen and bondmaids. 45 Moreover of the children of the strangers that do sojourn among you, of them shall ye buy, and of their families that are with you, which they begat in your land: and they shall be your possession. 46 And ye shall take them as an inheritance for your children after you, to inherit them for a possession; they shall be your bondmen forever: but over your brethren the children of Israel, ye shall not rule one over another with rigor. Solomon followed the law of God, just as his father, David had done, and treated all men, servant or not as equal. As Christians, we too are to treat all people as equal, not as though we were better than anyone else because we have what others don’t, be it wealth or salvation. We need to remember where our wealth comes from. Deuteronomy 8:10 When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the LORD thy God for the good land which he hath given thee. 11 Beware that thou forget not the LORD thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day: 12 Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein; 13 And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied; 14 Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the LORD thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage; 15 Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint; 16 Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end; 17 And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth. 18 But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he swore unto thy fathers, as it is this day. 19 And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the LORD thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish. 20 As the nations which the LORD destroys before your face, so shall ye perish; because ye would not be obedient unto the voice of the LORD your God. Jesus also told us how we are to treat our fellow man. We know it as the Golden Rule. Matthew 7:12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets. (KJV) Solomon said that those who treat people in a mean and inferior manner would see their own destruction. When we treat others in the same way we want to be treated, we will have life and people will see the difference between us and the way the world treats people. It should not be a dog eat dog world, but one where we live in harmony with one another. Let’s pray: Father, help me treat others as equal and not inferior. Help me give to those in need just as you taught me through your Word. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen. Copyright © 5 October 2016 by Valerie Routhieaux Image courtesy of Pixabay