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Okay, who in their right mind wants to be poor? I know my sanity has been under careful consideration more than once, but for the sake of argument...I certainly don’t. I don’t care if Jesus said He was anointed to preach to the poor {Isaiah 61:1}. Oops...did I say that out loud? Yikes! But I'm honest if I'm nothing else...I don’t want to be poor!
Or do I?
What exactly does being P-O-O-R entail? Does it mean living in a cardboard box, eating out of a dumpster, wearing newspapers and bathing in the sewer?
Is that poor?
I guess that is one definition of poor. I decided to ask Mr. Webster. He always has the “definitive” word {a-hum, pun intended} on every subject. He says – and I quote:
1. Having little or no wealth and few or no possessions.
2. Lacking in a specified resource or quality: an area poor in timber and coal; a diet poor in calcium.
3. Not adequate in quality; inferior: a poor performance.
a. Lacking in value; insufficient: poor wages.
b. Lacking in quantity: poor attendance.
5. Lacking fertility: poor soil.
6. Undernourished; lean.
7. Humble: a poor spirit.
8. Eliciting or deserving pity; pitiable: couldn't rescue the poor fellow.
Well that was certainly encouraging. Wants to make a fella run right out and swear off free enterprise for a lifetime…yeah, right…I know… what have I been smoking?
But what can you say about P-O-O-R that hasn’t already been said a million times? We’re blessed if we’re P-O-O-R in spirit. We’re to feed and clothe the P-O-O-R if we want to serve Jesus. We’re to fight P-O-O-R-overity. Basically P-O-O-R is bad. Obviously rich is better.
I have noticed that P-O-O-R is a relative term on the sliding economic scale depending what rung of the Ladder of Success you happen to be hanging from at the time. That being the case, everyone is going to be rich for a variety of reasons and under certain conditions at different periods in time. Does that make everyone P-O-O-R by default at some other point in their life?
Hum…
I went to my prayer closet. I locked the door. I turned the stereo up full volume…and I waited to hear from God on the subject. Believe it or not, it actually works. You would be amazed at how well God can be heard through the vibrations of Third Day, MercyMe or Hillsongs!
What did I hear?
Not what I expected. Of course, what is new about that?
Here is the first things I heard regarding P-O-O-R:
Pridefully
Overbearing
Obnixously
Rude
Pitifully
Onery
Occasionally
Repentant
Picky
Objectional
Offensive
Rascal
Ouch! That hurt!
But then He reminded me I have the power to choose because the Spirit of God is alive in me. Then He gave me some beautiful options:
Purposefully
Ordained
Outstandingly
Righteous
Pure
Obedient
Open
Receiver
Prespective
Optimist
Origin
Rhema
Planted
Only
On
Redeemer
Prayerfully
Occupied
Observing
Relationship
…well I think you get the idea. You should go lock yourself in your prayer closet, pump up the volume and see what He tells you!
Probably
Ordinarily
Outright
Ridiculous
…but then again!
Have a great day and be P-O-O-R!
© 10/26/04 Lissa M. Lee
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