Poor, but rich

I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich)… - Revelation 2v9

The next church on the list is the church at Smyrna. I am not sure, but I think this is the only church of which Christ has nothing negative to say. John sends this message from Jesus – ‘I know how hard you have worked. I know that you are suffering. I know that you are dreadfully poor. But you are not really poor, in fact you are rich.’

Rich poverty is one of those great oxymorons of the scriptures. How can those who know very well that they are poor be called rich? How can people who are just barely struggling along trying to make ends means have any idea that they are the truly wealthy ones.

We are going to see in the next few days a church that is the opposite, who thought they were rich but had nothing. It is clear that the Bible does not tie material wealth to true riches. It is of course possible to be rich in both ways, but it rarely happens. You can’t serve both God and money. It is difficult for a rich man to enter heaven because his wealth is so hard to give up.

Even the world recognises to some extent that wealth is not tied to possessions. We would agree that true wealth is measured by family, friends, and contentment. God’s children would go a step further and say that true wealth is a right relationship with God because family and friends are going to pass away one day, but our relationship to God is for eternity.

Poor, but rich. I have a feeling that is a concept that we are going to need in the years to come.