You wake up one morning and everything in your world has completely changed. The only clothes you own are the ones on your back. You have one pair of shoes and you’ve owned them for years. They’re tattered and have holes in the bottoms. Your body is stiff and aching because you’ve been sleeping outside all night under a cardboard box to try to keep warm.
You don’t live in a house anymore. There is no homeless shelter. There is nowhere to go to get a hot shower. You want to eat? Then you have to beg for your food. The type of poverty that so many millions of people face every single day of their lives surrounds you.
No more mp3 player. No more computer or Internet access. No more running to the mall to buy more stuff you don’t actually need. No fast-food restaurants right around the corner. In fact, there are no restaurants anywhere! What are you feeling as the reality of your situation sinks in? What’s the first thing you want to do? Where are you planning to go today? After all, you can’t go to school anymore; school’s only for the select few kids who can afford it.
You never imagined that people could live this way. That’s when it hits you that you’ve taken so much for granted for such a long time. Do you want to go back to your old life? Do you miss your stuff? Suddenly you seem to have a lot more time on your hands in this new life. What will you do with your day? What are you thinking about right now?
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The Bible has a lot to say about riches and materialism, and it might surprise you to hear that it’s not all good. Even though some well-known Bible teachers have taught that God wants everyone to be rich, that doesn’t seem to match up with what God has already said in the Bible. Is it possible to be financially poor and still be exactly where God wants you to be?
Take a few minutes to “chew on” the following Scripture verses, allowing God’s Spirit to speak to you.
“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’ But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’ He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’ Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’ ‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’“
Do not be overawed when others grow rich, when the splendor of their houses increases; for they will take nothing with them when they die, their splendor will not descend with them. Though while they live they count themselves blessed—and people praise you when you prosper—they will join those who have gone before them, who will never again see the light of life. Human beings who have wealth but lack understanding are like the beasts that perish.
“Two things I ask of you, LORD; do not refuse me before I die: Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the LORD?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.”
As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. ”No one is good—except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’” “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.” Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!” The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for the rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?