Integrity

DEVOTION

PROVERBS

INTEGRITY

Prov 19:1

Better a poor man whose walk is blameless than a fool whose lips are perverse.

NIV

It seems right to consider this as a contrast saying. If then the poor man who walks blameless or we could say with integrity, as the Hebrew word implies, the fool is the rich man, as the Hebrew word implies the fat, has lips which are not filled with integrity. There is the contrast between the poor and the rich. Although wealth alone does not make a person a fool, or speak with perverse lips, it is implied that in the course of seeking wealth it can be obtained through ill-gotten gain. It might be said among the abundantly wealthy in this country, some have gotten that way through varied forms of perverse lips. In contrast those who are not wealthy have at least the ability to have some integrity and dignity in their lives. In contrast to the preserve lips, they are the honest working souls that make this country as great as it is. Their work is honest, giving their best to whatever endeavor they are engaged in. This reasoning is again because of the contrast. The poor is not implying the beggar, the indigent, but those who work, supporting themselves through honest methods. It is also true honest methods can develop a certain amount of wealth. So then this speaks more to the contrast of those who use honest methods for gain to those who use dishonest methods for gain. Whenever we take advantage of others for our personal benefit it is ill-gotten gain, whether that be materially or socially. Hard work always prevails. Although some would say it is better to work smart then hard. We then should say honest work always prevails, at least in the eyes of God. It might seem those fools who use perverse lips to their gain are not wise in the eyes of God. It is better to have less of this world and more of God than vice versa. God will always reward our honest work, that which is done with integrity. In working in this manner we honor God, we bring him glory. The fool who uses other than honest methods for gain, does not bring honor to God, but in fact shows himself to be unwise in Godly matters. Let us always be pure in our endeavors, as we have already known that we should do our work as onto the Lord, which would have to be with honesty or integrity thus blameless.