Prosperity vs. Poverty
Just a smidge from a homework assignment I'm working on--a worksheet on Financial Responsibility for one of my Home Ec classes. The following question got me thinking and praising:
Do you feel prosperity or poverty is more spiritually helpful?
This may be the “easy answer,” and I could be wrong, but I really do believe (from experience & observation) that poverty is more spiritually helpful. You learn what it means to truly sacrifice. You learn that the Lord can see you through anything. You learn to pray and wait. You learn that people can have the spiritual gift of giving and practice it even when they have absolutely nothing. You learn that when it would never humanly make sense for you go to college, you’re going, God’s providing, and you couldn’t be more thankful. You learn a lot of spiritual lessons, let me tell you...
Do you feel prosperity or poverty is more spiritually helpful?
This may be the “easy answer,” and I could be wrong, but I really do believe (from experience & observation) that poverty is more spiritually helpful. You learn what it means to truly sacrifice. You learn that the Lord can see you through anything. You learn to pray and wait. You learn that people can have the spiritual gift of giving and practice it even when they have absolutely nothing. You learn that when it would never humanly make sense for you go to college, you’re going, God’s providing, and you couldn’t be more thankful. You learn a lot of spiritual lessons, let me tell you...
posted by Kate Alesso @ 11:57 PM
3 Comments:
At 11/16/2008 4:28 PM,
Leila said…
The prayer of my heart with finances is Proverbs 30:8, "give me neither poverty nor riches - Feed me with the food allotted to me; lest I be full and deny you...or lest I be poor and steal." The times when I've had the least have been the sweetest times. I remember sitting on the floor of my (TINY) door room at UVa looking at post-it notes (my form of Excel) and realizing I would never have enough. I decided then and then to pray, tear up the post-its, and trust God. And out of nowhere He provided financially.
At 11/21/2008 6:43 AM,
Chuck Weinberg said…
When we come to the end of ourselves that is when God can really start to work.
When there is no possible way that we can get through it on our own, we realize He has been carrying us all along.
When we have faith as a child, then we can actually see what He has been done in our lives.
Thanks for posting you homework:) There is nothing wrong with learning lessons about life, and God's faithfulness, from others, or school work.
At 11/25/2008 4:20 PM,
Kate Alesso said…
Leila, I absolutely love that verse. I've used it in many a presentation/paper over the last couple of years.
Yay for tearing up the post it notes! :) I've dealt with lots of those moments, particularly with homework load. "Lord, there is no way I could ever possibly get all this done. Not even if I stay up all weekend."
And then He says, "Good. You got the point. Let me help you."
Chuck, I'm so realizing that over and over again, and yet forgetting it all the time. God is put on display so much more when I have nothing left to give, and begin to realize the implications of that. Absolutely! It's been fun homework lately--lots of learning about how God really does impact every area of life. I love it.
It's so good to hear from both of you! How are you doing?
Post a Comment
<< Home