Poverty is very noticeable today, and the Bible has something to say about that. Proverbs says that people who are lazy, or people who are quick to anger and are very harsh, may end up in poverty. However, that doesn’t mean that those in poverty are bad people who are non-Christians. It is rather quite the opposite sometimes. God can use poverty as a way to bring people closer to Him. In this world, money means something to everyone. Having less-than-ideal amounts of money can make people feel in poverty. God can make people poor or rich, and He can use poverty to make people trust in Him. In the end, all earthly things will be gone when we are lifted to heaven, so our relationship with God will be what really matters.
Verses on poverty:
1 Samuel 2:7 KJV: “The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up.”
Proverbs 6:11 KJV: “So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.”
Proverbs 13:18 KJV: “Poverty and shame shall be to him that refuseth instruction: but he that regardeth reproof shall be honoured.”
Proverbs 14:23 KJV: “In all labour there is profit: but the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury.”
Proverbs 28:19 KJV: “He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread: but he that followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough.”
Proverbs 30:8 KJV: “Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me…”
Luke 21:4 KJV: “For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had.”
2 Corinthians 8:2 KJV: “How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.”
2 Corinthians 8:9 KJV: “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.”
