Daily Verse
September 24, 2026
Proverbs 17:5 ESV
Whoever mocks the poor insults his Maker; he who is glad at calamity will not go unpunished.
Proverbs 17:5 reminds us that how we treat people reflects how we regard God. To mock, dismiss, or look down on someone because of poverty or hardship is to insult the Creator who made them in His image. The verse also warns against taking satisfaction in another person’s suffering; God calls us instead to compassion, humility, and mercy.
A practical question for today is: When I see someone struggling, is my first response judgment or compassion? A heart shaped by God does not celebrate another person’s pain—it looks for an opportunity to encourage, help, pray, and extend grace.