Homilist Proverbs 14:31 He that oppresses the poor reproaches his Maker: but he that honors him has mercy on the poor. Piety and philanthropy are essentially one. Wherever there is piety or godliness, there is philanthropy. Philanthropy is the offspring of all true religion. The text teaches — I. THAT INHUMANITY IS UNGODLINESS. There is a great deal of inhumanity in the world, the poor have to endure a great deal of "oppression." Superior force is exerted to exact their labours for the most inadequate remuneration, and thus to "grind their faces." All this oppression of the poor is a reproach of God; he who does it "reproacheth his Maker." He reproaches his Maker — 1. By disregarding that identity of nature with which our Maker has endowed all classes. 2. By disregarding those laws which our Maker has enjoined concerning the poor (Leviticus 25:35, 36; Deuteronomy 15:11). II. TRUE HUMANITY IS GODLINESS. "He that honoureth Him, hath mercy on the poor." He that honoureth God, by loving Him supremely, and serving Him, will have mercy on the poor. There is, it is true, a fickle, sentimental, natural mercifulness for the poor, which has no connection with godliness, but this is not true humanity. True humanity is that which sympathises with man, as the offspring of God, the victim of moral evil, the child of immortality, and which consecrates itself in the Spirit of Christ to ameliorate his woes and redeem his soul, and this is godliness in its practical development (Isaiah 58:6, 7). (Homilist.) Parallel Verses KJV: He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker: but he that honoureth him hath mercy on the poor.WEB: He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for his Maker, but he who is kind to the needy honors him. |
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