Proverbs 21:13 – If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor
In this post, we will be sharing with you Proverbs 21:13 meaning which says “If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be answered.” This Bible verse speaks about God’s desire for us to help the poor, especially those in need, and not to ignore them when we can help them. The Bible makes it clear in this verse that if anyone turns a deaf ear to the cry of the poor, then the day he too cries out for help, God will not answer such a man.
If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor
We already know that God is a just God, and He shows no partiality to anyone (Acts 10:34). So when you treat the poor poorly, then you will receive equal treatment. Remember, God forgives when we also forgive those who hurt us. The same applies here; God will treat us the same way we treat others or the poor in this case.
We live in tough times, so many people are struggling to survive. We have seen a sharp increase in the poverty rate around the globe. You can not turn on the news nowadays without seeing so many displaced people suffering due to endless wars, natural disasters, pestilence (COVID-19), and many more. So much of the time, we turn a blind eye to these things making no effort to find a way to help.
How do I know if I am shutting my ears to the cry of the poor? It is not like I can do anything to help every poor person in the world. If I choose to make donations to charities, how do I know my donations will go to helping the poor? Many charities are known to be corrupt, and not all donations go to those desperately in need of help. It’s in times like this I draw near to the Lord for guidance.
12 ways to help the poor and needy
- Regular donation to a reputable charity organization
- Organize outreach programs
- Visit care homes and offer prayers apart from gift donation
- Donate old usable items you no longer need
- Setup gofundme page to raise funds
- Buy items as a gift to individuals in need or group through 3 parties like churches, charities etc.
- Use social media to spread the awareness of need to help the less privileged once
- Conduct a fundraising event like walking, selling items, or even concerts where possible
- Organize free training to help develop their career so they can secure a good job
- You can sponsor someone through his or her education
- Offer scholarship program to students from low income family
- Encourage those with talents and help them to fulfill their dreams
Proverbs 21:13 Translations
- “Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor will himself call out and not be answered.” – Proverbs 21:13 (ESV)
- “Those who shut their ears to the cries of the poor will be ignored in their own time of need.” – Proverbs 21:13 (NLT)
- “Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.” – Proverbs 21:13 (KJV)
- “Whoever shuts their ears to the cry of the poor will also cry out and not be answered.” – Proverbs 21:13 (NIV)
- “One who shuts his ear to the outcry of the poor Will also call out himself, and not be answered.” – Proverbs 21:13 (NASB)
- “The one who shuts his ears to the cry of the poor will himself also call out and not be answered.” – Proverbs 21:13 (CSB)
- “Whoever stops up his ear at the cry of the poor shall cry himself and not be heard” – Proverbs 21:13
What does God say about helping the needy?
There are several Bible passages that talks about what God expects from us as His children with regards to helping the poor. Below are just but a few of these Bible verses:
Proverbs 22:9
The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor.
Proverbs 19:17
Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed.
Proverbs 14:21
Whoever despises his neighbor is a sinner, but blessed is he who is generous to the poor.
Proverbs 16:19
It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor than to divide the spoil with the proud.
Proverbs 14:31
Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker, but he who is generous to the needy honors him.
What does the bible say about helping others too much?
Galatians 6:10 – So then, as we have opportunity, let us work that which is good toward all men, and especially toward them that are of the household of the faith.
Mark 14:7 – Jesus says “The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me.”
There is no such thing as helping others too much as far as the word of God is concerned. Rather, God encourages or expects us to help those in need as many times as humanly possible. A good example in the Bible is the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37).
If you are in a position of authority and can help, then God expects you to provide help when the need arises. Also you do not need to be in a position of authority to help the needy. You can help in many ways and as many times as possible.
What is the meaning of Proverbs 21 14?
Proverbs 21:14 says, “A gift in secret pacifies anger, and a concealed bribe, strong wrath.”
This verse talks about how giving gifts, especially in secret, can help to calm down someone’s anger.
Giving gifts is a common way to show someone that you care about them. When we give gifts to others, it is a way of showing our love and appreciation for them.
So, if you’re trying to calm someone’s anger, it’s best to give a gift in secret. This way, the person will feel appreciated, but they won’t be angry about it.
What does the Bible say about turning away the poor?
The Bible says a lot about how we should treat the poor and needy. In Matthew 25:40, Jesus says, “Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.“
This verse shows us that when we help the poor and needy, we are demonstrating the love of God to them. In James 2:15-16, it says, “If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,’ and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that?”
This verse teaches us that we should not just say that we will help someone, but we should do something to help them. If we see someone in need, we should take action and help them in whatever way we can. This is what it means to truly love our neighbor.
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