S1E15 - A Proverb on STINGINESS - "Kò sí kò sí; bẹ́ẹ̀ni ọmọ wọn ńyó"

Omoluabi Podcast

PROVERB CONSIDERED: "Kò sí kò sí; bẹ́ẹ̀ni ọmọ wọn ńyó."

INTERPRETATION: "‘‘We have nothing, we have nothing!’’ Yet their children always have full stomachs."

MEANING: This proverb is often said of those who are too stingy and too tightfisted to help others. They have enough, but when others come to them for help, they claim not to have. In spite of their claim to be in lack, however, everything points to the fact that they actually do have. (For instance, their 'children' never go hungry; their stomachs are always full!)

BIBLICAL REFLECTION: We considered this proverb from a few perspectives.

• 1. There is no biblical justification for being stingy. Your generosity will not jinx your prosperity, so fear not.
• 2. As believers, this proverb could actually righteously apply to us in the sense that, we actually don't live according to our means; we live according to God's riches in Christ. We live by grace! So, yes, the quality of living of a believer may not—in fact, should not—be based on what we possess per time. We may not have millions in our account, but we have access to the limitless resources of our heavenly Father who supplies all our need at the perfect time.
• 3. We also noted the possibility that, sometimes, we may actually have and God will instruct us not to give. We concluded that God owns all we have and we must defer to Him in knowing how to respond when people come to ask us for help. In any case, however, our default posture as Christians must be the posture of GENEROSITY.

BIBLE VERSES CITED:

• Philippians 4:19 (NKJV) says "And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus."
• John 16:33 (NKJV) says "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”"