Poverty

The first thing most people think of when they hear the word poverty is lacking in material possessions or money.  Fundamentally, poverty is like a chain that holds people back from certain choices.  It can mean not being able to provide for yourself or your loved ones.  It can mean insecurity, powerlessness and for some living a marginal and fragile life.  For me, I look to a deeper meaning of the word which is found in Proverbs 24:30-34  "I went past the field of a sluggard, past the vineyard of someone who has no sense; thorns had come up everywhere, the ground was covered with weeds, and the stone wall was in ruins. I applied my heart to what I observed and learned a lesson from what I saw: A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest—and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man."  This scripture is my motivation to spend time with God.  This is a poverty I fear.  I know if I don't take care of my spiritual life and get up from sleeping to be with the Lord, spiritual poverty will pounce on me.

Whether we find ourselves in poverty financially or spiritually, it is typically because we have made the choice to make minimal efforts to free ourselves from it.  Proverbs 6:9-11  "How long will you lie there, you sluggard?  When will you get up from your sleep?  A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest—and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man."  As much as life requires us to work hard to take care of ourselves, spiritual development isn't a given either.  God wants us to make efforts in life to strengthen ourselves in our relationship with Him.  I seek God and spiritual maturity every day of my life and pray I will always be able to.  This past week I was very sick.  I was in bed for days leaving God's word untouched.  When my body began to heal, I felt so spiritually impoverished just from a few days without seeking Him.  Spiritual poverty is a fate worse than financial poverty.  So many times people will chose to not invest in time with their Heavenly Father.  This can create a set of needs in our lives that mirrors the needs of financial poverty.  As we deny our spiritual self the much needed time in God's word, this world can begin to place a chain on us as well.  Our priorities shift and we become confused.  Our focus is moved to things that Satan tries to convince us matter more than our walk with God.  We also loose the capability to provide spiritual strength and guidance for our family.  We feed them the scraps from what we have left over at the end of the day, after the world has depleted us.  We also in our state of poverty, exist with insecurities because we haven't lifted ourselves up in the presence of our Heavenly Healer.  Our lives can become powerless, marginal and fragile.  Freeing ourselves from spiritual poverty is easy for us - Jesus did all the hard work on the cross in our behalf.  There is a great spiritual feast awaiting you every new morning.  Lamentations 3:22-25 "Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.  I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him."  Feast on the word of God - embrace the freedom!