Who are the poor????
Who are the poor????
Favoritism Forbidden
1My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism. 2Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. 3If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, "Here's a good seat for you," but say to the poor man, "You stand there" or "Sit on the floor by my feet," 4have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
5Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? 6But you have insulted the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? 7Are they not the ones who are slandering the noble name of him to whom you belong?
8If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, "Love your neighbor as yourself,"[a] you are doing right. 9But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. 10For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. 11For he who said, "Do not commit adultery,"[b] also said, "Do not murder."[c] If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.
As the title said.... quite clearly "who are the poor"... this is a reflection of what i got this week... during my reflection time on the bus...
who are the poor?? REALLY! is it those who don't have money, live on the streets and looks like a beggar??? or is it people who are less fortunate than us?? is it... i don't know... someone who don't have what we have maybe??
I think, yes the poor is those people who don't have what we have...! it doesn't neccessarily have to be money or possession.. it could be self confidence/ health/ academic ability/ even God!
The reason i said this is... because we tend to think.. the poor are just those on the streets... or those who have to think all the time about what will they eat tomorrow....
I don't think God only looks at things that are as shallow as that... because i know and have friends who are richer (waaaaaaay richer) than me... BUT they are poor in terms of satisfaction... they are poor in terms of appreciating what they have... they are poor in terms of self-worth... even though the world may put a high price-tag on their head... but not God...
I think this is important for anyone to know... is that when God said "LOVE THE POOR" it doesn't only mean give money to charity/ support world vision...
I've live in a place SURROUNDED by poor people! i know in mcdonalds people who works there.... they are so poor in self worth and assurance.. that many times when i think about them... i could cry...
i know people who think that they are rich and sooooooooooo good... but... they said that because they know that they posess nothing that is worth noting about.... they (without relising it) know and admits that they have nothing that could make them truly rich... so the only thing that they could do is to lie to themselves and keep on assuring themselves that they are sufficient... they are enough... they are rich and satisfied.... event hough they aren't ....
So the passage that i put on top (about favouritism)... is applicable to everyone...
we live in a society that taught us "if we hang around with people who are better than us... then we too will become better like them"
we live in a society that taught us "ugliness, stupidity and anything that is bad is contagious... so make every effort to avoid them"
we live in a society that taught us "there is no hope for those who are ugly and disable in any way"
but are we??? the passage actually said :
"Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? But you have insulted the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? Are they not the ones who are slandering the noble name of him to whom you belong?"
Let me remind you again... poor in this is NOT just material possession... poor can mean many things... God looks at the heart NOT what is seen to man..
the poorness that God will appreciate maybe those who are poor in terms of pride... those who are humble (looks poor don't they?)
so ... be aware! make sure you are NOT the one who is rich in this passage!
rich in terms of having people liking you for things that is not even yours... and not even willing to share anything that have been given to you for free!!
Just a wonderful encouragement for all of us:
When you look at the rich/richer ... you will always ALWAYS see someone else who are richer than you!! but when you look at the poor... you will know how blessed you are... and the attention and everything that you have given them WILL make you RICHER than you can ever imagine....
so... the law is good... just as God is good. obey them and you will be the one who benefits from it... disobey them... then you will gain NOTHING for nothing is what you truly have in the first place
Favoritism Forbidden
1My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism. 2Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. 3If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, "Here's a good seat for you," but say to the poor man, "You stand there" or "Sit on the floor by my feet," 4have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
5Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? 6But you have insulted the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? 7Are they not the ones who are slandering the noble name of him to whom you belong?
8If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, "Love your neighbor as yourself,"[a] you are doing right. 9But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. 10For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. 11For he who said, "Do not commit adultery,"[b] also said, "Do not murder."[c] If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.
As the title said.... quite clearly "who are the poor"... this is a reflection of what i got this week... during my reflection time on the bus...
who are the poor?? REALLY! is it those who don't have money, live on the streets and looks like a beggar??? or is it people who are less fortunate than us?? is it... i don't know... someone who don't have what we have maybe??
I think, yes the poor is those people who don't have what we have...! it doesn't neccessarily have to be money or possession.. it could be self confidence/ health/ academic ability/ even God!
The reason i said this is... because we tend to think.. the poor are just those on the streets... or those who have to think all the time about what will they eat tomorrow....
I don't think God only looks at things that are as shallow as that... because i know and have friends who are richer (waaaaaaay richer) than me... BUT they are poor in terms of satisfaction... they are poor in terms of appreciating what they have... they are poor in terms of self-worth... even though the world may put a high price-tag on their head... but not God...
I think this is important for anyone to know... is that when God said "LOVE THE POOR" it doesn't only mean give money to charity/ support world vision...
I've live in a place SURROUNDED by poor people! i know in mcdonalds people who works there.... they are so poor in self worth and assurance.. that many times when i think about them... i could cry...
i know people who think that they are rich and sooooooooooo good... but... they said that because they know that they posess nothing that is worth noting about.... they (without relising it) know and admits that they have nothing that could make them truly rich... so the only thing that they could do is to lie to themselves and keep on assuring themselves that they are sufficient... they are enough... they are rich and satisfied.... event hough they aren't ....
So the passage that i put on top (about favouritism)... is applicable to everyone...
we live in a society that taught us "if we hang around with people who are better than us... then we too will become better like them"
we live in a society that taught us "ugliness, stupidity and anything that is bad is contagious... so make every effort to avoid them"
we live in a society that taught us "there is no hope for those who are ugly and disable in any way"
but are we??? the passage actually said :
"Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? But you have insulted the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? Are they not the ones who are slandering the noble name of him to whom you belong?"
Let me remind you again... poor in this is NOT just material possession... poor can mean many things... God looks at the heart NOT what is seen to man..
the poorness that God will appreciate maybe those who are poor in terms of pride... those who are humble (looks poor don't they?)
so ... be aware! make sure you are NOT the one who is rich in this passage!
rich in terms of having people liking you for things that is not even yours... and not even willing to share anything that have been given to you for free!!
Just a wonderful encouragement for all of us:
When you look at the rich/richer ... you will always ALWAYS see someone else who are richer than you!! but when you look at the poor... you will know how blessed you are... and the attention and everything that you have given them WILL make you RICHER than you can ever imagine....
so... the law is good... just as God is good. obey them and you will be the one who benefits from it... disobey them... then you will gain NOTHING for nothing is what you truly have in the first place
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