Better to be an ordinary person with a servant
than to be self-important but have no food.Proverbs 12:9 from New Living Translation
The NIV states that second part as “than pretend to be somebody and have no food”.
The main culture that is changing in the USA is one from 100% focused on “being somebody” with that defined as lots of people know who you are and value you or appearing to have it all together. Look at politicians for a great example, they attempt to “be” who the electorate wants a politician to be & spend millions to do so.
At the same time there is a group of people who have focused on other things, like employing people – that is one modern equivalent to “with a servant”, maybe not all employees, but the fact is that all employees do something at the behest of the employer. This in turn causes more people to be able to provide value to others, and afford the goods and services of others.
If the culture changed to value taking care of the basics (food, shelter, clothing, transportation) and then keeping themselves strong, not only in the area of personal finance, but also, physically, mentally, spiritually, family, community & socially, and productivity – then we would have a stronger economy.
We would have less boom and bust cycles – and the ones we have, would be less bust because of more prudence.
Now, this verse is not discouraging excellence, or gathering wealth, or employing people (or even being an employee), but it is discouraging two things:
- living beyond your means
- focusing on what others think, believe, know of you
Eliminate the no food part (or living beyond your means) and you change the whole focus of the saying, same with eliminate the aspect of “putting on a show for others”.
Part of the Proverbs Challenge series
