The Bottom of the Curve

(Proverbs 19:1 KJV)  Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity, than he that is perverse in his lips, and is a fool.

I am currently reading a book called The Bell Curve.  It has received a lot of bad press like anything does that looks at facts instead of political correctness.  It is a scientific look at intelligence and how it effects our lives.  It is criticized because it takes the actual data from research showing how IQ is different in different ethnic and socioeconomic groups.  One of their repeated points is how low IQ is very highly correlated with poverty, crime, illegitimate births, low birth weight, etc.  In almost every area of social concern they find low intelligence is a common trait.

What that has to do with today is that they are constantly repeating that even though you may have a lot of people with low intelligence in the poverty range, most of them are being responsible citizens.  Although they are at the low end of the IQ scale that does not mean they are failures.  They are still productive and living good lives.  This simply backs up what this verse is getting across.  There are things more important that the common measures of success.  Integrity is one of them.

So?  Don’t judge someone based on the snob appeal of their cars, clothes or homes.  Look at how their children are turning out.  Look at their moral positions.  God’s standards are not those of our culture.