Proverbs 13:7

 The book of Proverbs gives us a lot of instruction on a lot of different subjects. One subject that can keep us in God’s wisdom is Godly Follower-ship. Who we follow; where we follow; how we follow are all spoken about in Proverbs. Here is one of them about discernment:

Proverbs 13:7

There is one who makes himself rich, yet has nothing, And one who makes himself poor, yet has great riches. 

 This is a peculiar proverb in that it seems to have more ambiguity than clarity.  This is an observation that Solomon is making and stating, without giving us any moral right or wrong ... not clearly, at least.   We are not told why the one who is poor is making himself look rich, nor why the one rich is making himself poor.   The words here for "pretend" are the way in which they are pretending, not indicating any particular deception.  The proverb is saying one man makes  himself to look rich and one makes himself to be poor, when the opposite is true.   Assuming evil motives, we would say the world is full of such deception.  People go out on any given night of the week and party as though they are something they are not.   Or, conversely, they look pious and they are not; inwardly they are full of evil.   If we think those spoken of here have pure motives we might think that the poor simply wants to be accepted and considered valued, while the rich doesn't want others to always take advantage of them ... preferring just to be one of the crowd ... pedestrian.   Perhaps, however, what Solomon is warning us about is that we should be careful to make judgments off appearances.  We might observe one who is something else and something else who is one.   The Spirit gives discernment.  The Proverbs are written that we might have wisdom and discernment.   We should not be persuaded by outward status.   God knows the hearts and wisdom will make us wise to what is real and not simply presented.