SINFULLY SEEKING ADVANTAGE

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In Christ, Mark

The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

People curse the one who hoards grain, but they pray God’s blessing on the one who is willing to sell.

Proverbs 11:26

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

At the time of this writing, I’m two classes away from finally finishing my Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology at Old Dominion University, a quest that began back in 2002 and was stunted many times by my years of service in the United States Navy which placed me in situations where I had to put my education on hold.

Currently, I’m taking one of the two remaining classes on Sociological Theory and over the last two weeks, I have been reading a book by Karl Marx on Wage Labor and Capital, a work largely focused on the social impact of capitalism on society and, in particular, on the laborers who produce the capital through their labor power using provided equipment, materials, and their skills.

As capitalism is examined by Marx, he discusses the matter of competition between capitalists (or business owners) as they try and corner the market they are in to maximize profits through the functions of supply and demand. When demand is high for an item and one provider of that item exists, then the provider can name their asking price as high as they want because they know people who want the item will have to pay it. In other words, a provider will essentially get to a point where they are taking advantage of the public in order to make as much money as possible, even if it means they are placing the less fortunate at a disadvantage. An attitude that wouldn’t care about the people being impacted in exchange for becoming rich at their expense would be nothing short of a sinful approach to wealth by taking advantage of others.

Think about how often this happens in our society today. It happens a lot and it isn’t always financially grounded. There are plenty of examples of people intentionally, and often sinfully, seeking to take advantage of others. Think about all the fraud, deception, and deceit that exists today, seeking to dupe people to the advantage of the cheater. Rest assured that God will never honor this kind of behavior and will judge those who exercise it.

Solomon had something to say about practices in Old Testament times designed to sinfully gain an advantage over others. Look at this proverb:

People curse the one who hoards grain, but they pray God’s blessing on the one who is willing to sell. Proverbs 11:26 (NIV)

In order to better understand the verse, look at the same scripture in a few other translations:

He that withholdeth grain, the people shall curse him; But blessing shall be upon the head of him that selleth it. (American Standard Version)

He that withholdeth corn, the people shall curse him: but blessing shall be upon the head of him that selleth it. (King James Version)

The people curse him who holds back grain [when the public needs it], but a blessing [from God and man] is upon the head of him who sells it. (Amplified Bible)

Charge too much for grain, and you will be cursed; sell it at a fair price, and you will be praised. (Contemporary English Version)

People curse someone who hoards grain, waiting for a higher price, but they praise the one who puts it up for sale. (Good News Translation)

People curse those who hoard their grain, but they bless the one who sells in time of need. (New Living Translation)

Through these additional translations, we begin to see what Solomon is addressing here.

It’s obvious the proverb is written toward someone who would be a vendor for grain (corn is mentioned in several translations). It’s also obvious that the grain (corn) was something the people needed for subsistence.

In the marketplace then, just as it is today, people had to watch their money and didn’t want to spend anymore than necessary for the goods they needed. And so when a vendor withheld a product in demand like grain in order to drive up what people would be willing to pay for it, he found himself cursed (and I am sure despised) by the consumers he serviced. Worse yet, no vendor engaged in sinfully taking advantage of his fellow man would ever be favored or blessed by God.

Conversely, the ethical vendor who sold the grain when he had it for a reasonable price wasn’t hated but rather revered and praised, blessed by the consumers they serviced and the God who had provided them the opportunity to sell their goods.

Isn’t it that way today as well? Haven’t you seen prices escalate for no real reason on items you absolutely had to have to your detriment as the providers reaped exorbitant profits at the consumers' expense. Gas is one of the items that comes to mind right off the bat. Oil companies know we’ll buy it no matter how much we end up having to pay. We can’t go without transportation. And so we pay out the nose for fuel and then read how obscenely prosperous the oil companies become at our expense. Indeed, there is still sinful action being taken today intended to take advantage of those who are in need of services.

And so two words of caution come to us from God’s word today:

One, if you are in business, operate ethically and don’t profit anymore than what’s fair in dealing with your customers. This will bring you praise and blessing as you will not only be looked upon kindly by the people you serve but by the Lord as well.

and

Two, for all of us, whether vendor or consumer, we need to remember that God was, is, and will always be in control with nothing being done out of His sight. He sees motives before they are ever acted upon and He will never honor anyone who intentionally attempts to sinfully take advantage of another.

Thanks be to God for His word and for His watchful protection that ensures those who seek to violate us will be held accountable for their sinfulness.  

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.