You may have read my article on the poor wise man, but there is another element to poverty. Sometimes it’s God’s way of giving someone wisdom for a unique task.

9 ·Believers [Brothers or sisters] who are ·poor [in lowly/humble circumstances] should ·take pride [boast] ·that God has made them spiritually rich [in being raised up; in their exaltation; in their high position]. 10 [L But] Those who are ·rich [wealthy] should ·take pride [boast] ·that God has shown them that they are spiritually poor [in their humiliation; in their lowly state; Jer. 9:23–24]. [L Because] The rich will ·die [pass away; wither] like a ·wild flower in the grass [or flower in the field]. 11 [L For] The sun rises with ·burning [scorching] heat and ·dries up [withers] the ·plants [or grass]. The flower falls off, and its beauty is ·gone [destroyed]. In the same way the rich will ·die [L wither away] ·while they are still taking care of business [in the midst of their pursuits; L in his journeys; Ps. 49:16–17; 103:15–16; Is. 40:6–8]. — James 1:9-11 EXB

There is a false teaching common among the many health and wealth prosperity charlatans and heretics that teach the false prosperity gospel. These wolves (Mt 7:15) are cursed (Gal 1:8-9 NIV). True poverty can be a gift in the sense that it gives us wisdom through trial.

JAMES—NOTE ON 1:9–11 The Place of Rich and Poor before God. Both poverty and riches bring enormous pressure on a person to focus on the world rather than on Christ. Thus James exhorts the poor to boast (or glory) in their high status in Christ. The lowly brother will be exalted or vindicated by God. In contrast, James exhorts the rich to boast in their humiliation, (1) by realizing that their wealth is temporary and that it brings them no advantage before God, and (2) by identifying with the poor in their affliction. The church is to be a “countercultural” community, which reverses the values of the world (cf. 2:2–4). Given the context, James seems to be saying that the challenges of poverty and wealth may be one of the greatest “trials” for Christians, as would be suggested by his immediate emphasis (see 1:12) on the “blessed” status of those who remain “steadfast under trial.” James also echoes Jesus’ warning that “You cannot serve God and money” (Matt. 6:24).

— The ESV Study Bible has over 200+ biblical scholars (100+ ESV; 95 Study); 9 countries, 20 denominations, 50 seminaries, colleges, and universities, including Universities of Cambridge, Oxford, London, Japan, California, MIT, Duke, Westminister, Dallas, etc. 20,000 study notes, 80,000 cross-references, 200+ charts, 50+ articles, 240 full-color maps and illustrations. Textual Basis: Masoretic Text BHS ‘83, DSS, LXX, SP, S, Vg; UBS5, NA28. Note on James 1:9-11.

Many forget that Christ and the Apostles were poor and did not want us to pursue material wealth.

And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” — Matthew 8:20 ESV

Society pressures, degrades, and humiliates the poor out of ignorance and satanic influence. The Bible shows however, that they are already rich! They are Kings and priests unto the Lord.

and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. — Revelation 1:6 NKJV

Do not pay attention to the oppression, marginalization and persecution of the hellbound! These material things are absolutely meaningless and temporary!

“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? 27 Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?

28 “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, 29 yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are.

— Matthew 6:25-29 NLT

Do not fear for you are of more value than many sparrows.

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30 But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. — Matthew 10:29-31 ESV

You are chosen to receive the kingdom of God!

5 Listen, my ·dear [L beloved] brothers and sisters [C fellow believers]! ·God chose [L Did not God choose…?] the poor in the world [1 Cor. 1:26–29] to be rich with faith and to ·receive [L be heirs of] the kingdom God promised to those who love him [Luke 6:20]. — James 2:5 EXB

When people are puffed up in foolish pride over the poor, they display their ignorance and sign their fate. This happens from a lack of understanding about biblical teaching, God does not look at things the way the world does (Isa 55:8-9; 1 Sam 16:7; James 4:4). It is the poor that is wise!

13 This is what I also observed about wisdom on earth, and it is a great burden to me: 14 There was once a small city with a few men in it, and a mighty king attacked it, besieging it and building strong siege works against it. 15 However, a poor but wise man lived in the city, and he could have delivered the city by his wisdom, but no one listened to that poor man. 16 So I concluded that wisdom is better than might, but a poor man’s wisdom is despised; no one ever listens to his advice. — Ecclesiastes 9:13-16 NET

g. Ecclesiastes 9:15 tn Or “he delivered.” The verb וּמִלַּט (umillat, from מָלַט, malat, “to deliver”) is functioning either in an indicative sense (past definite action: “he delivered”) or in a modal sense (past potential: “he could have delivered”). The literal meaning of זָכַר (zakhar, “to remember”) in the following line harmonizes with the indicative: “but no one remembered that poor man [afterward].” However, the modal is supported by v. 16: “A poor man’s wisdom is despised; no one ever listens to his advice.” This approach must nuance זָכַר (“to remember”) as “[no one] listened to [that poor man].” Most translations favor the indicative approach: “he delivered” or “he saved” (KJV, RSV, NRSV, NAB, ASV, NASB, MLB, NIV); however, some adopt the modal nuance: “he might have saved” (NEB, NJPS, NASB margin).



The term metanoéō (μετανοέω) means “feel remorse, repent, be converted in a (religio-)ethical sense,” while metánoia (μετάνοια) means “repentance, turning about, conversion” (Bauer et al. 567–568). These definitions are drawn from the world’s most authoritative Greek lexicon available.