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The verses that Sharon quoted in the first part of this study are specifically from the New Testament.

Many, many times, there are verses found in the Old Testament to support a certain action we take.  The Old Testament is a "foreshadowing" of the things to come.

While putting together the Proverbs 31 Bible Study for our Friday Bible study, I used the word study approach.  Many times I think I thoroughly understand a scripture, then I look up a certain word from that scripture and discover it means something different.  God’s Word DOES say in II Tim. 2:15,  "Study to shew thyself approved, a workman that needeth not to be afraid, rightly dividing the word of truth."  I believe word studies are an excellent way to become more familiar with God’s Word.

In Proverbs 31:20, God’s Word states: "She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy."  I, as well as many who have been my teachers over the years, have always felt that this verse was addressing the area of being a service to others less fortunate than ourselves, perhaps someone who has fallen on tough times, perhaps people in third world countries who live in conditions much different than ourselves, or even the street person who’s clothes are in tatters.

However, there are other ways to be "less fortunate", and when I came across the Strong’s definition for "needy", I nearly ran shouting into the streets.  Strong’s second definition of needy is: "subject to oppression and abuse", and the third definition is: "needing help, deliverance from trouble, especially as delivered by God".  I cannot think of someone less fortunate than one who is locked in a world of fear due to  a life of abuse that was inflicted on them by someone else.  Nor can I think of someone who needs help more, or delivered from their trouble more, than a person who is oppressed, either by their circumstances or by Satan.

While looking at this verse I also noticed something else.  In the first part of the verse, "she stretcheth out her HAND to the POOR", she only uses ONE hand to reach out to the needy (poor, weak, afflicted, or lowly).  This could mean financially poor, or poor in health, etc. or of low social status.  Notice she only uses ONE hand, and I would like to humbly submit that this inference might mean that when she stretched out that one hand, it had money in it.  This is NOT a negative thing, but it IS easier to give someone money, rather than pick them up, take them for a meal, take them to a store and buy them a new suit of clothes, etc., etc., as well as sit and hold a hurting person in your arms and let them cry out their frustrations over past hurts.

In the second part of this verse, we see the Proverbs 31 woman "reaching forth her HANDS to the needy".  The picture I get here, is of someone reaching out to someone with BOTH her hands and drawing them near to her, either in a hug, or in some other gesture of physical closeness, or just taking the TIME it takes to listen to someone’s pain and give them Bible answers for their problems.  

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