Spiritual Law of Mockery (Proverbs 17:5)

There is a spiritual law that we must acknowledge in the verse selection this morning.

"Whoever mocks the poor reproaches his Maker, and he who is glad at calamity shall not be held innocent or go unpunished." Proverbs 17:5, Amplified

There are those in this world who are less fortunate than ourselves. The American society is tiered, this is called capitalism. Our economy thrives on this concept. This is why there can be three different gas stations on three separate corners with three separate prices and the highest priced gas station still operates just as well as the lowest priced one. If we all were the same and had the same income then this would be communism. There is no more USSR, simply because communism does not work.

I went off subject just a second so that we could get an idea of what it was that this verse is trying to teach. Just because there are those less fortunate in our capitalistic society does not mean that they are due less respect than the rich. It has been my experience that the poor tend to work harder than the rich because they need to get by from paycheck to paycheck. (This is not to say that the rich do no work at all.) When we take time out of our day to mock those who are less fortunate we reproach the Maker of all things. There is nothing ambiguous about whose Maker the verse is speaking about. The Lord has made all things for His own pleasure. He has made the poor man as well as the mocker. When we mock the poor man, we are mocking God's own creation.

Then second part of the verse I have to say I have participated in more than the former. There have been times that I have been happy for the demise of someone that I did not like, or simply wished for something bad to happen. Do you realize that when this stance is taken we will not be held innocent by any means? Being glad at the calamity of others is a violation of spiritual as well as moral law. This spiritual truth is laid out for us in the book of an obscure prophet. He was sent to a people who were happy about the fall of the Israelites. "But you should not have gazed on the day of your brother in the day of his captivity; nor should you have rejoiced over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction; nor should you have spoken proudly in the day of distress. For the day of the Lord upon all nations is near; as you have done, it shall be done to you; your reprisal shall be upon your own head." (Obadiah 12&15, NKJV) This prophecy was given to Edom who was descended from Esau the brother of Jacob. All are subject to this law.