Who is a poor man?

[Classik]

So who is a poor man/woman. How do you define it?

Is he/she a person who doesn't own one of those expensive cars? A person who doesn't own a house? Who is a poor man/woman really?unno

 

[Free Christian]

Id consider someone poor who was homeless or couldn't or almost couldn't pay their bills or struggled to get a decent meal on the table. Not having the latest or greatest or top of the line doesn't make one poor. Many people today say they are finding it hard to make ends meet. Then go and get into their nice car and drive home to their house when what that really means is they want the latest model car, a new swimming pool and holiday in Fiji but cant afford them. I drive an 11 year old car and don't own my home and cant afford to buy one, I rent, I don't go out for meals or to see movies, cant afford to, but no way am I poor. Rich in Christ I am.

 

[clark thompson]

The thing is those who struggle often don't get the help they need to get by. Those who refuse to work get all they need.

 

[Classik]

The thing is those who struggle often don't get the help they need to get by. Those who refuse to work get all they need.

Seemingly ironic...but very true.

 

[Classik]

Some naturally are sting....'mean' you know - and will never spend their money. They are comfortable wearing torn clothes, like to trek from A to Z, may starve and just pile up their trasure. Awful indeed.

Would we consider such people poor?

 

[Mike S]

"Im even poorer than a dole bludger. But its all good thou. I dont care. Im happy. I got a new job to start next week. Thought i would rather have motivation and work than be lazy and bludge."



What a great attitude! The really dark side of welfare programs is that they destroy incentive, and eventually, character and integrity. It takes les than a generation for responses to welfare to go from "Thank you" to "You're not giving me enough, you're mean-spirited."

 

[Sparkey]

I've taken classes on Economics as well as Accounting. The two disciplines have differing points of view regarding costs associated with "things" or, to use economic terms, the cost of goods and services. The accountant will look with a view toward transaction records such as receipts or invoices. The economist will look with a view toward 'opportunity costs,' for instance, if I am typing here and not putting my dishes away or doing another activity, the cost of typing here would include the delay to my satisfaction derived and the cost to my peaceful enjoyment of my habitation and living environment.

Then, after having considered the things of the earthly, when we turn to the Sermon on the Mount and look at the heavenly and what The Christ has said about the meek and the poor, especially those who are 'poor in spirit,' we see a complete and different view. The Lord is always concerned with the poor, the orphan and the widow. He considers it an upright act when we frame our arguments with their point of view and circumstance in mind. Who is a poor man? He is our neighbor and he is us. The Lord chooses the beggarly elements of this earth (like us) to better show forth His glory.

 

[Knotical]

Are you talking poor money-wise, or spirit-wise?

 

[Dan1966]

I see the true poor as those who are poor in their spirit, material poor means nothing.

You become poor in the physical by being poor in the spirit and not knowing Christ first for
without God nothing else follows.

 

[Milk-Drops]

When I think of poor, I think of those who are completely down and out. Those who can't afford to pay for shelter, water, food, clothing, and basic health care such as dental and check ups.

I would consider myself lower middle class, but that is because I live with family. If I lived on my own I wouldn't' be able to afford shelter or health care. though this isn't about me. For me most americans aren't poor unless you look at it from the perspective of how they live.

If someone isn't doing what they want to do and succeeding, I would consider them poor as people, not necessarily money wise. A person who is able to take themselves and their family where they want and establish their passions is a rich man or woman in my eyes. I could work in a factory and make decent money ( and have applied at a few in fact). Though I wouldn't be getting that American aspect of the dream. I wouldn't feel fulfilled.

Just my thoughts on the matter.

 

[ZHarner83]

I believe a poor man is a man that has not found how to establish is trust in the Lord!!! God provides all that we need

 

[WIP]

It seems the way we use terms like "rich" and "poor" has a lot to do with relativity. Ask anyone what their definition of "rich" is and if you really think about their answer, it will mean anyone who has more than me. It is rare for anyone to describe themselves as rich. If we all struggled to stay alive, would anyone be considered poor? Is someone poor because they struggle to put food on their table? Anyone, regardless of income, can easily struggle to stay alive if we over-burden ourselves with credit or are wasteful with things like power usage, food, clothing, material possessions, or even charitable giving.

19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

25 “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?

28 “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

 

[Claudya]

Clinging to money and wordly possessions makes people poor. They become slaves to their work, to their bank and to the economical situation. They work and have no time left to spend the money they earn. And no time or mental capacity left to build their spirit, their soul and their selfs. They fill their mind with stuff the media feed them. Their thinking gets conformed to the reality of the majority. They think celebrity gossip or Hollywood movies are more important and more interesting than their own or their friends' life's journey.
Thy are poor because they life second hand. They will never taste the riches within themselves or the full potential of their close relationships. Mayn of them will not know the riches of God's love, or only take a shallow wade through it.

Really, money is irrelevant for how rich you are. Wealth or poverty is the state of your heart.

 

[divinecloud7]

Those who live and walk richly in JESUS CHRIST......Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect,<sup class="crossreference" value='(A)'></sup> go, sell your possessions and give to the poor,<sup class="crossreference" value='(B)'></sup> and you will have treasure in heaven.<sup class="crossreference" value='(C)'></sup> Then come, follow me.”

Praise be to GOD the heavenly father and his son lord JESUS CHRIST forever>>>>>>>>>>>

 

[Tiamat777]

So who is a poor man/woman. How do you define it?

Is he/she a person who doesn't own one of those expensive cars? A person who doesn't own a house? Who is a poor man/woman really?unno

It would depend on the context of poor.

Here's what Jesus said about it: " Did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? "

I don't speak for all of them of course, but I can see how materially wealthy people can get too caught up in their earthly affairs to attend to their spiritual progression.

 

[Sparkey]

Greetings Tiamat777

Welcome to the forum.

~Sparrow

 

[Tiamat777]

Greetings Tiamat777

Welcome to the forum.

~Sparrow

Thanks

 

[Classik]

So who is a poor man/woman. How do you define it?

Is he/she a person who doesn't own one of those expensive cars? A person who doesn't own a house? Who is a poor man/woman really?unno

It would depend on the context of poor.

Here's what Jesus said about it: " Did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? "

I don't speak for all of them of course, but I can see how materially wealthy people can get too caught up in their earthly affairs to attend to their spiritual progression.

Welcome:waving

 

[Mountain Man]

God has defined the "poor" in the bible as the widows,orphans the sick,the very young and the very old....anyone who cannot care for their own needs or those of their family....that's cannot ,not will not....we have it al little backwards these days.

 

[Guest]

Lindsay Lohan