Benjamin Wellman I <3 Jesus!

There's a saying that "Idol hands are the devil's workshop". The Bible talks about being lazy/idol quite a bit. It says those who refuse to put their hand to the plow or in another scripture that if you refuse to lift your hand to your face (to eat) then you'll suffer the consequences. 

I think that God shows favor on everybody (birds/flowers scrip. as an example), but the fact that the world is sinful. What I mean by that is that people aren't necessarily poor because of personal sin in their lives, but by their poor choices (some people don't know God and don't have the "favor" or power to know better). I also think that God doesn't care (outside basic necessities) about nice clothes, big houses, fancy cars etc. Scripture is clear when we're told that Earthly treasures fade away and not to invest solely in them, but in God's Kingdom where your treasure will be with and in Him for ever. 

God is a spirit and just because someone is rich doesn't mean they're blessed with favor and vice versa. You can be poor, but rich in God's favor. Its easy to see that true followers are going to suffer just like Jesus did. When you pick up your cross and follow Him you sometimes have to give up the wealthy things of the world in pursuit of giving it all to God for His glory. 

So to answer your question poverty is usually caused by both physical (bad choices) and spiritual (lack of knowledge) because we are flesh (physical) and souls (spiritual).

April 25 2013 • 4 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Paul Bayne Saved by Him, for Him, from Him for His glory alone.

The Bible has a lot to say about being poor, and we have many examples of poor people in Scripture. Since material wealth is not a sure indication of God’s blessing, being poor is not necessarily a sign of God’s disapproval. In fact, it is possible to be poor in material things but rich in spiritual things (see Revelation 2:9).

Of course, sometimes being poor is the result of bad choices. The Bible warns that laziness will lead to being poor: “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” (Proverbs 24:33–34; cf. 6:11). Following wild dreams will likewise lead to poverty: “Those who chase fantasies will have their fill of poverty” (Proverbs 28:19), as will failing to heed wise advice: “Poverty and disgrace come to him who ignores instruction” (Proverbs 13:18, ESV).

In other places, the Bible portrays poor people as having been blessed, and many who are rich are seen in a negative light. Jesus Himself was poor, not having a home or a “place to lay his head” (Matthew 8:20). The disciples and most of Jesus’ followers were poor, at least in worldly terms, but rich in spiritual wealth. The disciples even left all they had to follow Him, giving up all they owned, placing their full trust in Him to provide what they needed. Jesus said the poor will always be with us (Matthew 26:11). There is no shame in being poor. Our attitude should be that of the writer in Proverbs who said, “Give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread” (Proverbs 30:8).

The rich are generally portrayed negatively in the Bible. Wealth itself is seen as a hindrance to those who desire to enter the kingdom of God. Jesus declared, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!” (Mark 10:23), and He repeated this statement in the very next verse. Why did He make such a shocking statement? Because the rich tend to trust in their riches more than in God. Wealth tends to pull us away from God.

The story of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19–31) displays the temporary nature of riches. The rich man enjoyed great luxury in life but spent eternity in hell because of his greed and covetousness. Lazarus suffered the indignities of extreme poverty but was comforted in heaven forever. Jesus Himself left His throne in heaven in order to take on the lowly form of a poor man. Paul said of Him, “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9).

At some point, as Christians we must ask ourselves: What are we really doing here in this temporary place? Where is our heart (Luke 12:34)? Are we really denying ourselves? Are we really giving sacrificially as did the poor widow (Luke 21:1–4)? To follow Jesus is to take up our cross (Luke 9:23). This means to literally give our total lives to Him, unencumbered by the things of this world. In the parable of the sower, riches are like “thorns”: “The worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke [the Word], making it unfruitful” (Matthew 13:22).

It is those thorns, “the worries of this life” and the “deceitfulness of wealth,” the not-so-subtle tools of Satan, that lure us away from God and His Word. The Bible paints for us a contrast between those who are poor yet rich in Christ and those who are rich yet without God.

https://www.gotquestions.org/Bible-poor.html

September 25 2023 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report