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Poverty – gift or curse?
- January
- 16
I’m working on a feature for the new issue of Footprints, which I have tentatively titled “The Gift of Poverty”. My husband is horrified, as he can’t see poverty as a gift. Perhaps he is right – perhaps it would more accurately be called “The Gift of Giving”.
But it seems there ARE some Christians that are called to lead simple lives on as little as possible – so that they can sow much into supporting the Kingdom of God (whether that be time or money). It’s one thing to be generous and give out of our surplus … but to give as a sacrifice, until it hurts … some would say that’s a curse! But of course God’s kingdom is full of paradoxes like this.
I hope to interview one such lady that I know, for the article. I can only think of a couple of people that I have met, with this particular “gift”, throughout my lifetime. There’s not too many of them around I guess! How about you? Do you know of any?
4 comments
Hi Janet,
Thank you for bringing up this important subject, Janet.
Someone I know raised five children, ran a home school academy and a Christian bookshop and was a partner in a dance school by living each day ‘laying out the fleece’ without knowing where the next penny would come from, and by keeping true to the words of Joshua 1:8. For a good part of that time the seven had to live in a caravan on someone else’s property and had to live without a car. But the whole family always stayed true to God’s leading and have always been the happiest family you will meet. And the children through learning self-sufficiency, are an inspiration to their peers–one became a school captain! The verse is “Do not let this Book of the Law depart form your mouth; meditate on it day and nigth, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”
Blessings,
Wendy
Posted by Anonymous, on January 29th, 2009, at 4:44 am. #.
How lovely to hear this comment Wendy, I have often read about those who truly let God control their lives and finances. Would love to have the strength, faith (and husband) to allow me to follow this through. Perhaps we could try it in a smaller way in everyday life. By not buying things for their sake but for real need.
Posted by another reader, on January 31st, 2009, at 4:05 pm. #.
Hi, Janet,
Our pastor often mentions a missionary friend of his (Wayne Myers – no, not the voice of Shrek!) who really lived to give, and despite being on a missionary’s income, would often fly through where our Pastor was on the mission field at the time, phone from the airport and insist he come on out to collect the hundreds of dollars that he had for him.
If you want, I can email you my pastors contact details as I am sure he would be happy to give you info on this.
Posted by Nicola, on February 4th, 2009, at 3:50 pm. #.
[...] My husband is horrified, as he can’t see poverty as a gift . Perhaps he is right – perhaps it would more accurately be called “The Gift of Giving ”. But it seems there ARE some Christians that are called to lead simple lives on as little …[Continue Reading] [...]
Posted by Footprintsaustralia.Com » Poverty - Gift Or Curse?, on January 19th, 2009, at 11:03 am. #.