Judge not, lest ye be judged.
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Who is a poor man?
- Thread starter Classik
- Start date
Judge not, lest ye be judged.
Mountain Man
Member
Perhaps it would be nice to define "poor" as being in need of something,that would mean that most are poor in some way,there is no virtue in either poverty or wealth and not being able to pay the rent or the light bill does not make anyone any better than one who can pay the rent and the light bill,like most subjects the extreme views prevail....if one prepares themselves for life by getting an education or developing a skill and working like we are commanded to do they will be able to pay the rent and the light bill and God will be ok with that....most of the sour grapes in regard to wealth is simply envy and covetousness disguised as religous piety...God has much to say about that to.
The area of wealth and the wealthy is one where judgment flows easily,we assume the poor to be good and the rich to be bad,we hesitate to judge the individual who refuses to work and care for him/her self and their family and lives off of others yet gleefully join in and complain about the 1% who are responsible for the jobs,goods and services we all use and depend on everyday,we hate the guy out in the Midwest who worked 16 hours a day to start a business that now employs thousands and celebrate and support with our money some thug ball handler or degenerate movie star who makes millions off of corrupting our society with their vulgar and profane lifestyles.
The story of the good Samaritan gives a good example,could he have paid for the care of the man who was robbed the way he did if he had no money ? money and wealth is neither good nor bad it just is,wealthy people and their investments are the source of much of what we need to survive,where would the poor be without the rich to contribute to their care ?....this is the best place on earth to be ......."poor"
The area of wealth and the wealthy is one where judgment flows easily,we assume the poor to be good and the rich to be bad,we hesitate to judge the individual who refuses to work and care for him/her self and their family and lives off of others yet gleefully join in and complain about the 1% who are responsible for the jobs,goods and services we all use and depend on everyday,we hate the guy out in the Midwest who worked 16 hours a day to start a business that now employs thousands and celebrate and support with our money some thug ball handler or degenerate movie star who makes millions off of corrupting our society with their vulgar and profane lifestyles.
The story of the good Samaritan gives a good example,could he have paid for the care of the man who was robbed the way he did if he had no money ? money and wealth is neither good nor bad it just is,wealthy people and their investments are the source of much of what we need to survive,where would the poor be without the rich to contribute to their care ?....this is the best place on earth to be ......."poor"
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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?:dunno
I live in the United States. I don't know any people who have no food, shelter or clothing. I don't know many people who don't own cellphones.;)
I don't know anyone who has to sincerely pray, "Give us this day our daily bread".
I do know people who pray, "Lord let this soup kitchen allow me to obtain several take out packages"
fishbreath
Member
hi Classik,
Someone may have already hit on this so forgive me if I'm being redundant, I've not read any of the replies here.
The Word speaks of the poor in spirit and personally I believe a man's wealth is not measured by ownership of physical items but instead by spiritual wealth. The first ingredient to spiritual wealth is Jesus, that's pretty apparent. Further accumulation of spiritual richness would include actually "knowing" God on a spiritual level = a walking talking relationship with God on high. This is what I consider wealth!
:amen
fishbreath
Member
G
Guest
Guest
Drum roll pleeaasseee.....................................you ready?
Lindsay Lohan doesn't need counseling, she needs an exorcism.
Lindsay Lohan doesn't need counseling, she needs an exorcism.
Classik
Member
Thank you for your reply....and welcome to CF.net. I see you seem to like fish: your username and avatar;)
-------
You have answered from a Spiritual POV. That is right. We also want to consider the non-spiritual aspect - generally.
And how about someone like Lazarus who was spiritually sound...but was popularly known as poor???:dunno
My IRL daddy was fond of telling me about the measure of a man's wealth. He would say, "If, over the course of a lifetime, a man were to find 3 people who were true friends, that man is rich indeed."
Sounds right to me. By the way, I am rich indeed. And would thank you for your friendship here.
fishbreath
Member
yes yes.. ha, I like fish, but not eating them. I like them in a prophetic symbolism type of way. Fish are used in the bible to symbolize believers of Yahweh, and breath is spirit, thus God's Spirit comes forth from us. So the name is not quite so gross as one may think with the carnal mind
I tend not to dwell so much on the natural state of poverty. I am not rich my any means and one of my closest friends is homeless, yet she lives a rich life in the Lord and ministers out of her need. There is something powerful in that. God loves the rich and the poor, but I've found He can work much better through those who are in want.
Classik
Member
Messenger
Member
Psalm 82:3-4
Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy.
Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked.
When the poor and needy are mentioned in the Bible, spiritually it is pointing to God's elect ones in the earth.
They recognize they have nothing to offer God because everything they think about or do is tainted with sin; they recognize their fallen condition, that they are spiritually dead, and come before God pleading for His mercy. And once they are saved, they realize they are nothing without His Grace (Ephesians 3:7; 1 John 4:13; John 3:27, 17:2). They are in need of Him continually!
Psalm 113:7-8
He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill;
That he may set him with princes, even with the princes of his people. (Jeremiah 30:21)
The "nobles"..."the saints"..."the excellent ones", these they are because of Christ; on account of Him (Psalm 16:3). They have a justifying righteousness; reconciliation; eternal life! And It's all Christ's work (John 6:29).
Isaiah 25:4 For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.
Psalm 14:6 Ye have shamed the counsel of the poor, because the LORD is his refuge.
God's elect people flee to Him, and so they are mocked at by the ungodly to bring them shame for it.
Proverbs 17:5 Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker: and he that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished. (Psalm 94:21; Proverbs 1:26)
Isaiah 11:4 But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.
Psalm 10:2 The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined.
Psalm 68:9-10 Thou, O God, didst send a plentiful rain, whereby thou didst confirm thine inheritance, when it was weary. Thy congregation hath dwelt therein: thou, O God, hast prepared of thy goodness for the poor. (1 Corinthians 2:9; Psalm 31:19)
1 Samuel 2:7-8
The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up. He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the LORD'S, and he hath set the world upon them. (Psalm 113:7)
Jehovah God saves the "poor" and "needy"... and gives them the ultimate inheritance!
TGBTG!
Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy.
Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked.
When the poor and needy are mentioned in the Bible, spiritually it is pointing to God's elect ones in the earth.
They recognize they have nothing to offer God because everything they think about or do is tainted with sin; they recognize their fallen condition, that they are spiritually dead, and come before God pleading for His mercy. And once they are saved, they realize they are nothing without His Grace (Ephesians 3:7; 1 John 4:13; John 3:27, 17:2). They are in need of Him continually!
Psalm 113:7-8
He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill;
That he may set him with princes, even with the princes of his people. (Jeremiah 30:21)
The "nobles"..."the saints"..."the excellent ones", these they are because of Christ; on account of Him (Psalm 16:3). They have a justifying righteousness; reconciliation; eternal life! And It's all Christ's work (John 6:29).
Isaiah 25:4 For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.
Psalm 14:6 Ye have shamed the counsel of the poor, because the LORD is his refuge.
God's elect people flee to Him, and so they are mocked at by the ungodly to bring them shame for it.
Proverbs 17:5 Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker: and he that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished. (Psalm 94:21; Proverbs 1:26)
Isaiah 11:4 But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.
Psalm 10:2 The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined.
Psalm 68:9-10 Thou, O God, didst send a plentiful rain, whereby thou didst confirm thine inheritance, when it was weary. Thy congregation hath dwelt therein: thou, O God, hast prepared of thy goodness for the poor. (1 Corinthians 2:9; Psalm 31:19)
1 Samuel 2:7-8
The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up. He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the LORD'S, and he hath set the world upon them. (Psalm 113:7)
Jehovah God saves the "poor" and "needy"... and gives them the ultimate inheritance!
TGBTG!
James Lohr
Member
Biblically, the word "poor" literally means having no or very little material wealth (at least in all the references I have seen). Therefore, I think it would have to apply to the material domain rather than the spiritual unless one were to explicitly state "poor in spirit", in which case I suppose it would be more of an analogy than anything.
Studies show that relative happiness does not increase with material wealth; however, it does decrease if it falls below the minimum required to survive. Therefore, when talking in terms of material wealth, I would be inclined to say that "rich" is a relative term whereas "poor" has a definite threshold. It is the point at which basic survival becomes a struggle.
Studies show that relative happiness does not increase with material wealth; however, it does decrease if it falls below the minimum required to survive. Therefore, when talking in terms of material wealth, I would be inclined to say that "rich" is a relative term whereas "poor" has a definite threshold. It is the point at which basic survival becomes a struggle.
