By: Doug Beyer, Atherton Resident since 2011

Scripture:(James 2:5)

Listen, my dear friends! God chose the poor people of this world to be rich in faith and to possess the kingdom which he promised to those who love him.

Questions for reflection and application:

Ø  Who do I know who is poor in money but rich in faith?

Ø  What can I do today to possess the kingdom which God has promised to those who love him?

Thought for today:

In our society, just like in the days when the Bible was written, the poor find honor hard to come by. Proverbs 19 says that a poor man has trouble finding friends who will be loyal. President Lincoln may not have been the first, but is the most famous to have said, “God must have loved poor people. He made so many of them.”

God certainly makes poor people, but he doesn’t necessarily make people poor. That’s usually our doing. They are often victims of circumstances over which they have no control. In a society that worships wealth, where can the poor find respect if not among God’s people? Christians who disdain people from a lower economic class than themselves are simply just like everyone who does the same: They are snobs. Their attitude is a disgrace to the very gospel that Jesus declared is “good news (specifically) to the poor” (Luke 4:18). This doesn’t mean that poor people are automatically given a special place of grace, any more than anyone else is afforded. But perhaps they do have less attachments that get in the way of hearing and responding to the Good News.  As you encounter people today, check for attitudes that are the opposite of God’s love. Look for ways to befriend those who have less of this world’s goods than you. Perhaps they will share some of their rich faith with you.