“How poor are you?” the preacher asked, searchingly. As he paused, I winced, reminded of my dwindling bank account. Then he added, “Are you poor in the ways Jesus asks you to be?”
I’m afraid I tuned out the rest of the sermon as I started asking myself questions:
Am I poor in spirit, knowing my need of God?
Am I poor in self-centeredness?
Am I poor in desire for the things of this world?
Am I poor in nosiness, gossip, snarky comments, jealousy and envy?
Am I rich in prayer and love?
Am I rich in mercy and forgiveness?
Am I rich in hope, even when faced with discouragement?
How poor am I in the ways Jesus asks me to be?