Poor A man’s economic status is based solely on his wealth and
his material possessions, or lack thereof to define him as being “rich” or “poor.” Similarly, these two words, “rich” or “poor,” should also describe a man’s character. Rich is characterized as having a lot of money or possessions: valuable, meaningful, or significant. Poor is characterized as deficient in amount or indicating poverty. Yet, when we look at a man or woman, do we judge them by their wealth or by the “richness” or “poorness” in their character?
Through observations of the rich, a man or woman who has obtained
richness often times are lacking in character traits that makes up a good man or women. Consequently, a man who is “poor” in material possessions many times is “rich” in character, which is spiritually defined as the nine fruits of the spirit: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control. Having friends and family members who grew up poor and who worked hard to survive to obtain material possessions, their character was strengthened or made “rich” as a result of it. They had to do the jobs that many rich people would never do, such as being a maid, construction worker, janitor and many more domestic type jobs. Although they differ in terms of definition, being “rich” and being “poor” in character can be one of the same as “poor” in spirit or humble. For example, my great grandmother was an Indian who was very poor, but you never would have known it because she was humble, kind, loving and a peaceful woman who always shared everything she had.