Proverbs 11:26
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He that withholdeth corn, the people shall curse him: but blessing shall be upon the head of him that selleth it.
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In the American capitalistic system, it is common, even for Christians, to believe all "arm's length transactions" are morally right and good. For example, if you have a business advantage in a product or area, you charge any price you wish; if anyone doesn't like your price, they can forego the item or buy it somewhere else. Is this thinking right?
In fact, isn't it just good business to charge as much as you can and make as much as you can? After all, we are American capitalists simply using our free market economy to earn profits, right? But is this right? Is this good? Does God approve this thinking?
In the early 80's, a Texas billionaire almost corned the silver market. By buying futures contracts on the world's silver supplies, he drove silver from less than $5 an ounce to more than $50. If the commodity exchanges had not changed rules to stop him, he would have achieved his goal. He could have slowly sold his contracts with enormous profits. He could have made upwards of 150 times (15,000 %) the amount of his investment.
Is this right? Is this good? Does God approve this thinking? Wasn't it just a great deal?
No, God rejects making gains at the expense of others. It is wrong to corner a market in a commodity for profit. A farmer with an advantage in corn must sell it for reasonable and moderate prices. To hold it for higher prices, when the poor depend on it, is wrong.
The greedy silver speculator in Dallas forgot the small jewelry maker in Des Moines, who had to pay 10 times as much for his raw silver. But the Lord didn't forget him.
Gain at the expense of others is wrong (1:19); especially the poor (14:21,31), who depend on cheap commodities; and they that do shall lose their riches to merciful men (28:8). Oppressors may hoard silver as dust, but the just will end up owning it (Job 27:16-17).
You will never lose being generous, merciful, and kind (11:24-25), for those who give to the poor are lending to the Lord, and He always repays well (19:17).
What about our Lord Jesus? He had a legitimate corner on riches and glory, but He gave it up for you and me, so we might receive the gift of eternal life (Phil 2:5-8; II Cor 8:9).
Cursing or blessing? What a huge difference! And all from the selling of corn! Let us learn God's wisdom: holding back corn from the market to unjustly raise prices is wrong.
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