Proverbs 16:7 Posers
There is one who makes himself rich, yet has nothing; And one who makes himself poor, yet has great riches. Proverbs 13:7 NKJV
Or Rotherham’s translation: There is, who feigns himself rich, yet has nothing at all, and who pleads poverty, yet has great substance.
Solomon is talking about appearances. Something that is actually a purposeful deception — is one better than the other or are they both lies? Men often make preliminary judgements based on a quick exterior assessment of what he sees — why are theaters and movies so compelling to watch? So is it wrong to play with that tendency and manipulate perceptions? Let’s be honest — all humans do that constantly, whether intentional or not. I project the Marc I believe that I am. What others see is another thing entirely.
To puff oneself up and appear wealthy — why? Except to receive the treatment or deference that comes with it. A sense of power and acknowledgment. This is pride. And it is false.
Yet if I have great wealth and hide it, is it better or somehow more noble to put on a ruse? Knowing that people judge by exteriors, if I want to fit in and be like others, not stand out, allows me to be treated for who I am rather than with false respect and deference.
The one who has nothing but boasts differently is a pretender — and Satan is the greatest pretender of all. He claims to have more that he does. To be clear, he has quite a bit and no human could compete with his beauty and gifts. Then there is Christ who has been given everything, yet he came as a servant of all. He chose not to appear as the king and heir that he really was. Only to a select three did he show his majesty, his effulgent, radiating light on the mountain.
In life, Satan is the poser. Christ is the wealthy one. Appearances deceive. It’s better to know the one that we see and understand their heart and intent. Authenticity is the most important thing. I behave like the person I really am. And that begins with genuine humility, littleness. Money or possessions do not make me a different person. God’s blessing, principles, and proverbs align me with poverty or wealth.. but they still come from Him. And it is that character within me that differentiates me from others. The one who feigns wealth is just another sluggard (v4) looking for a shortcut to something that can only be established with diligence.
But maybe the one who feigns poverty is simply trying to make himself approachable to those without much — those who are subject to the tyranny that comes with wealth. Is it wrong to become approachable? Even Christ after his resurrection before anyone had heard feigned to be someone else on the road to Emmaus. Maybe it wasn’t a ruse but rather it was a blindness of those who were traveling. Without faith, it’s impossible to see the kingdom of God for what it is. And without willingness, there will be no faith.
See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.
1 John 3:1-2 NIV