Poverty

Proverbs 14:20-21
The poor are shunned even by their neighbors, but the rich have many friends. 21 It is a sin to despise one’s neighbor, but blessed is the one who is kind to the needy.
What is amazing to me is how poverty grips and chokes out life. If you go to a "third world" country, or even to the poorest part of your community and see poverty first hand, you can see this play out. However, you don't have to go to that distance to find out if it is truth. Poverty is more than just a financial or socio-economic status. It is a pervasive spirit, an attitude. If we let it, it will sneak into our hearts and allow us to do things that separate us from the kind of generosity that God wants us to have. I personally believe that if you look at the extremely rich, yet extremely stingy people... You know the one's who amass wealth, but hoard it instead of giving it, those people have a spirit of poverty. Please understand, though, when I say spirit, I am not talking about a demonic spirit, it's more like an attitude. Poverty, based on this scripture alone, is completely against the will and plan of God. God wants us, his children, to love everyone, embrace everyone, and not have a poverty mentality. In fact, Poverty means: 1) the state of being extremely poor, and 2) the state of being insufficient quality and/or amount. This mentality is so stinking pervasive. It will get you to the point of depression easily because, well you aren't good enough... That's what the enemy would have you believe. He will ply his craft to you and get you to believe the lie of poverty about yourself... He did with me. I want to encourage you, to break this attitude by believing what God says about you, your life. You are rich in Christ, and because of that you can have many many friends. But what really kills this spirit is when you love your neighbor. Verse 21 says its a sin to despise our neighbors... In fact, Jesus said that the sum total of all the law and the prophets could be stated simply: Love God and love people. If you can see them, they are not your enemy. When it comes to that poverty mentality, look in the mirror. if you can see yourself, God doesn't make junk, and he loves you, start there. Then work on your neighbors. And if you can't see yourself, well, that's an entirely different problem Happy Monday.

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