Proverbs 13:23, The Tillage of the Poor

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July 22, Proverbs 13:23

Matt. 13:1-23; 1 Cor. 3:9 “I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinks upon me” (Ps. 40:17).

The Tillage of the Poor

Pastor J. C. Philpot preached on The Tillage of the Poor on Thursday, July 26, 1849 in Trinity Chapel, Southwark, England. In that sermon he makes some valuable suggestions that are still relevant that we will try to re-phrase here.

1. The Poor: They are those who now see themselves in the light of God’s Word. The Psalmist says, I am poor and needy. The message sent back to John the Baptist was, To the poor the gospel is preached. This should be the language of every truly God-taught soul, but it was not ever so. We all once thought we were quite rich, and in need of nothing, much like the Laodicean church. But when Grace began its work in our hearts, we were brought to see the poverty and hunger of our souls. It is in this state that the poor, like the returning prodigal, is in want of spiritual food. Are you among these godly poor?

2. The Plowing: Paul says, We are labourers together with God, and adds, Ye are God’s husbandry; ye are God’s building. When God works on man, man is passive, but by God’s working in him, man becomes active. What God works in, we work out (Phil. 2:12-13). God must plow up the heart with conviction, and soften it with the dews of His grace. The poor man must till his lot as the Lord tills him!

3. The Profiting: Every admonition God drops into the soul of the poor becomes food for it. Admonish and warn the ungodly all you like, but they will pay no attention to you. When God tills the poor, it is as treasure in his heart, and brings forth good fruit there. At first he does not see why this has come upon him, but it drives him to the footstool of Mercy, and stirs up the spirit of prayer in him. The poor says, How thankful I am that the Lord did admonish me and turn me back from the path of danger I was in.

4. The Proving: What poor man does not need reproofs from time to time (Pro. 17:10)? To the hungry every bitter thing is sweet (Pro. 27:7). Reproofs fall on the poor man’s conscience, and thus the Lord tills it, and it produces food, causing contrition, and grief of heart. It was very trying, but he has put his spade into it, digged it up, tilled it, and now sees that the reproof was from the hand of God. Now he is able to confess his sin.

5. The Promising: The promises of God must have a seedbed wherein to lie, and that’s the heart that God tills and cultivates by His own Hand. Promises received into such a broken and contrite heart afford food, and bring forth sweet and blessed peace to the soul. Thus God lifts the poor out of trouble, and brings him away from the world, while subduing the power of sin. The poor digs into the promises, and as his heart is tilled, food springs forth, and it is food sweet to the taste. Much food is in the tillage of the poor!

Thought: “Faith works love, works by love, and loves to work.”

Prayer: Lord, keep me tilled and keep me tilling.