7 KJV Bible Verses About Money That Are Paradoxes (II)

Yesterday I shared with you 3 bible verses about money that seem either self contradictory, or non-commonsensical (to prevailing reasoning) at first sight. Here is the concluding part.

4.       Prov 11:24 (KJV)  There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.

This bible verse talks about giving and stinginess. It is commonsense to hold on to your money and not give it out at all in order to be rich. But the bible is teaching us that when we give generously, we get blessed in return and become bigger. But when we are stingy (hold more than is meet), we become smaller. The NLT actually says ‘…the stingy will lose everything’. So now you know that being overtly frugal isn’t biblical.

5.       Prov 22:16  He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he that giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want. This bible verse speaks against injustice to the poor, while favoring the rich. On the surface, cheating the poor and helping the rich should make a person richer since you will make friends with the rich, and who needs the poor?! But the bible condemns favouring the rich, especially at the expense of the poor.

6.       Prov 22:22  “Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate….”  Who would rob a poor person? And why would you want to rob the poor, especially because he is poor? But the bible says it is possible and we shouldn’t because God will not be happy. The Message translation says “Don’t walk on the poor just because they are poor, and don’t use your position to crush the weak.”

7.       Prov 23:4-5  Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom. Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? For riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven. Definitely this scripture endorses laziness you might want to say. Oh, I can just sit back, relax and laze around since riches can grow wings and fly away, anyway. But on reading some other translation, you soon find out that the bible is admonishing us not to stress ourselves out because of riches. Why? Because all you worked for can still disappear regardless of your best efforts. It is just to let us see, like in the second paradox example yesterday, that God is the one that truly keeps a man rich and his blessings add no sorrow (Prov 10:22). That does not mean we should do nothing. Far from it. It just means we should know the limitations of our efforts, and acknowledge and trust him with the rest (Prov 3:5-6).

Ok, that is my list. If you have some other verses, please feel free to share them in the comments section below. Or if you agree or disagree with any of my explanations, please let me know. Thank you.