Need Some Criticism?

Open your mouth, judge righteously,
And plead the cause of the poor and needy.  Proverbs 31:9

Do you need some criticism this morning? Is your tank of insults, derogatory speech, and harsh opinions a little low? Criticism these days is most often not about, "Here, that was a tough way to do it. Will you let me help by showing you a better way?" No, criticism today seems to be about questioning the means and methods of your childhood, applying crude names, and making sure that you personally know the shortcomings of your intellect in the worst possible terms. If you are missing that sort of criticism, just post a video of yourself attempting something new or making a little mistake in something you know well and like magic your tank of derogatory criticism will soon be full and overflowing. As we know, comments on social media these days are often harsh. 

In our verse for today the proverb speaks to pleading the cause of the poor and needy. That happens often on all sides of the political debates, but we seem to be caught up in a race to see how many government checks can be handed out; a race in how quickly and how large someone can make them. When a person stands up to ask, "Where will this money come from?" He or she will get a swift reminder of what we discussed in paragraph 1 up there. King David famously said that he would give no sacrifice that cost him nothing. When I set out to relieve the circumstance of the poor and needy by first stealing your wallet, you might do well to protest. The next time a person stands before us to tell of how much money he or she will give away to help out the poor and needy, you too might ask, "Hey! Where is that money you are promising to give away coming from?"  

Yes, we do have a research question hanging out there from yesterday, but I have not forgotten. 

Love in Christ Jesus!

Bucky