HELEN SANDERS
1-22-2026
TRUE POVERTY

There are many in the world and in the church that have very little when it comes to material things. They might not own a home or car. They might not have the finest clothes or money in the bank. Often, they are looked down upon because the world’s standard is judged by materialistic things. God’s standard does not. Many of these people are rich spiritually because they love the Lord and have given Him themselves and all they have. They know their peace doesn’t come from things, but from the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ.

The church at Laodicea in Revelation had more wealth than any other church. Yet, they were poor in their relationship with the Lord. The were seen by God as naked, miserable, poor, and wretched. They were cold spiritually causing them to be impoverished.

Spiritual Poverty is the worst kind of poverty. Lives are built on sand and not the rock, which is Jesus Christ. When the storms come, and they surely will, their house will fall, while the one that has little will stand because they built their house on the rock.

Never determine success by the “things” one has. Determine success by the one that has a prayer life, a consecrated life, a life so intimate with the Lord that they shine like diamonds. They are the successful ones.

There is a story told of a priest that had a rare expensive stone. He was walking one day and a man saw the stone and asked if he could have it, thinking he would be wealthy and have whatever he needed. The priest joyfully gave him the stone. The man found that all the wealth could not bring him peace. He went back to the priest and told him that he wanted what he had. The priest told him that he didn’t have another stone. The man then said, no, I don’t want another stone. I want what you have that caused you to joyfully give me the one stone you had.

You see, things don’t bring peace. You can be rich and still be impoverished. Don’t make things your “God.” Paul wrote to Timothy and said in 1 Timothy 6:6-9, “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.”