Hebrew Word Study – Poor – Rush = Resh Vav Shin

Proverbs 28:6:  “Better [is] the poor that walketh in his uprightness, than [he that is] perverse [in his] ways, though he [be] rich.”

Ronald is a good-hearted soul. He is in his early sixties, he lived all his life in his parents’ home and when they passed away he and his brother inherited the house Since his brother was married and had already owned his own home he let Ronald live in the house as if he owned it.  His brother would quietly pay the taxes and the upkeep of the house so his brother had a decent place to live. 

Ronald is on the autistic spectrum but he gets along quite well on his disability income and living in his house.  In fact, Ronald even has a job.  He tells all about his enterprise when I take him to his biweekly physical therapy.  Every day Ronald gets on his bicycle his brother equipped with a little wagon on the back and he goes out to collect aluminum cans.  He has a regular route that he takes and travels around Cicero collecting all the discarded aluminum cans.  Ronald is proud of his vocation, not only does it provide a little livelihood for him but he also performs a service for the town picking up the discarded cans thrown on lawns street curbs, alleys, and other areas where such debris creates an unsightly image for our town.  

Many local businesses even have a special container for people to throw their cans and Ronald is faithful to pick up the cans every day. When the town holds special functions or churches hold special events like a carnival Ronald really cleans up as there are special containers that people toss their empty cans into and Ronald is allowed to empty these containers.

There is not a soda or beer can that Ronald is not familiar with.  He can name every brand of soda and beer that is sold in the town.  He knows his business picks up during warmer weather as more people purchase refreshments and he knows when local businesses run specials that involve soda as the volume of his cans picks up during these times.

After a day of doing his rounds of picking up cans, Ronald then returns home where he takes each can and crushes them with a crusher that his brother purchased for him. He then places no more than fifty cans in a plastic bag. He is careful to be sure that each bag has fifty cans, no more or no less. That is one of those autistic things he just does. 

The local scrap yard calls Ronald when the price of Aluminum is at its highest value and when it is Ronald calls his brother who brings out his pickup truck they load his bags of cans onto the pickup and take them to the scrap yard where it is weighed and Ronald is given a check for all his labors.  Ronald’s first order of business is to pay his brother $20.00 for the use of the pickup truck. His brother is a valuable part-time employee in the firm.

This is a lucrative business, Ronald told me that his last check came to around $300 dollars.  Not bad for six months of work.

Ronald may be looked up to as poor living off a disability check and his brother’s goodwill but Ronald is happy, content, and proud. He is a law-abiding citizen in a free country that allows him to carry on his little enterprise.  

Solomon said it best in Proverbs 28:6: “Better is the poor who walks in uprightness.”  The word for poor that is used here in the Hebrew is rush which means to be in want, to lack, to be hungry. It also means to be impoverished or destitute.  Well, Ronald is not really hungry or destitute, but by the standards of many in this country, he really is.  However, he does not feel that way.  Yet, he is poor but he does walk in uprightness.  The word in the Hebrew for uprightness is tome which means integrity but it is also used to express the idea of innocence and simplicity.  That sounds like Ronald.  People may think his conditions and situation are pitiful and miserable. But you know what? It doesn’t matter what people think, Ronald is so contented and happy he doesn’t realize how pitiful his situation is. 

Solomon compares this to one who is perverse in his ways and rich.  The word perverse is ‘iqqish which means to be twisted, distorted, crooked, and false. Such a person may be rich as a result of his perverse ways.  The word rich is ashar which refers to material wealth and luxuries.  

The key word in all this is the first word in this verse which is the word better. In the Hebrew that word is tov which means to be in harmony in tune with God, the world, and those around you. Ronald may be poor yet in his tome that is his innocence and simplicity he is at peace with himself, those around him, and God.  He is tov.  A rich man who gains his wealth through ‘iggish or false ways will have no peace and will be out of harmony with himself, others, and God.

Note that God does not say a rich man is out of harmony with everything and everyone only those who acquire their riches through perverse ways. There is nothing wrong with being rich but the more wealth you accumulate the more there is a temptation to perverseness, but it does not have to be.  However, if you acquire your wealth through twisted, distorted, crooked, and false ways, you will end up with a lot of enemies and will always be looking over your shoulder fearful of a lawsuit or someone taking your wealth away. 

So who really has it better the man who is wealthy and living in fear or Ronald who is poor but also is innocent and simple going about his business collecting cans and being at peace with himself, those around him, and God? 

Solomon is only repeating an old proverb heard in every culture and every religion around the world.  It is better to live in poverty and be at peace than in wealth and living in fear.

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