A Posture of Poverty

7.18.2010

James 2:5 5 Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? ESV

Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.” (Mt. 5.3 ESV) There is a blessedness in poverty that we should be quick to pay attention to. God doesn’t choose someone just because he is poor, God chooses those who disregard the riches of earth and appropriate the infinite riches of heaven. It’s a matter of choice; God’s and ours.

My faith is weakened every time I make a choice for earth. (Unfortunately, I’m guilty of having made those choices for years now…) What good is the amassed wealth and goods of this earth if it hinders my relationship with God? Poverty is a choice and the financial blessing we enjoy can quickly become shackles if we’re not vigilant as to what they can do to us.

So as I see it, my faith is strengthened, nurtured, and caused to grow when I willfully and diligently keep my perspective heavenward and keep the stuff of earth in its proper place. It’s my choice to keep a posture of poverty lest I become enslaved to all the world calls important: possessions, position, and performance. And God has chosen those who are free from the mesmerism of materialism to be rich in faith… and as the prophet Daniel said, “…but the people who know their God shall stand firm and take action." (Daniel 11.32b ESV) That, for me, can only be accomplished through richness in faith.

Father in Heaven,

As You direct and as I am being taught to pray, keep me from the pull of materialism and worldly wealth and give me wisdom to walk in true poverty which craves not a bigger paycheck, but a richer, deeper faith – in Jesus’ Name, amen.