Bruce Waltke:
The righteous are willing to disadvantage themselves to advantage the community; the wicked are willing to disadvantage the community to advantage themselves.
Quoted by Ray Ortlund, Jr. on page 177 in
Proverbs: Wisdom that Works. Here's the context (emphasis added):
One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want. (Proverbs 11:24)
Someone selfishly hoards grain, to drive up the price. Grain was no luxury in the ancient world. It was basic to their diet. So holding back grain was a way to manipulate people at their point of real and daily need. ... (Waltke quote) ... Isn't that why we put blessing on the head of our Lord Jesus? He disadvantaged himself to advantage us by his selfless life and death. He does not drive up the price. His love isn't even for sale. He gives it freely.
This is grace. Grace at the center of Proverbs' wisdom. No wonder. Jesus is wisdom, and Jesus is grace.
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich. (2 Corinthians 8:9)
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