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THE CHURCH'S LOVE AFFAIR WITH POVERTY
Kris Vallotton
August 18, 2022
FROM A PAUPER WITH A POVERTY MENTALITY TO A PRINCE
The Church has had a love affair with poverty that has hindered its ability to experience the blessings that have been intended for the Bride since the beginning of time. I would propose that there is a detrimental connotation that being poor develops your spirituality. But, the truth is we are a chosen people; a royal priesthood - 1 Peter 2:9.
Let’s take a look at what the priesthood is in the first place before we go any farther. The priesthood was known to do four things: they put God on display, bring people to atonement, intercede, and distribute resources. I would argue that it is challenging to distribute resources if God intended you to be living in poverty. It doesn’t add up. Now, let me be clear by no means am I saying that if you are living in poverty or facing challenging financial circumstances you are not living in the grace of God. Rather, I am saying that the Lord has intended for His people to be blessed in resources, know how to live generously, and create generational wealth.
I personally know the challenges of poverty. I traveled a long journey of breaking the generational chains of the poverty mentality that shackled my belief systems and robbed me of a sense of significance.
My journey began one night when I had a dream, a voice kept repeating this Scripture, “Under three things the earth quakes, and under four, it cannot bear up: under a pauper when he becomes a king”
(Prov. 30:21-22).
At three in the morning, I woke up, feeling groggy but experiencing a deep sense of grief. Then I heard the Lord, who also seemed grieved, ask me, “Do you know why the earth cannot hold up under a pauper when he becomes a king?”
“No,” I said, “But I have a feeling that You’re going to tell me.”
The Lord continued, “A pauper is born into insignificance. As he grows up he learns through life that he has no value and his opinions don’t really matter. Therefore, when he becomes a king, he is important to the world around him but he still feels insignificant in the kingdom that lies within him. Subsequently, he doesn’t watch his words or the way he carries himself. He ultimately destroys the very people he is called to lead.
You, my son, are a pauper who has become a king.”
The truth is that even if you are a leader or someone who doesn’t appear to be a pauper, the fruit of pauperhood, if rooted in the depths of your heart, will still leak out into your interactions, decisions, and circumstances.
I’d propose if we remain fearful in regards to our finances we will be limited by pauperhood
and never graduate into the freedom, responsibility, and character we’ve been created for. We remain plagued by the poverty mentality that tells us that our resources are limited and we will never be enough. But, what if you were created to be prosperous?
In this week's episode, I sat down for a conversation with Samia Pedalino, the author of the Money Handbook. In our conversation, we discussed wealth, tithing, and money mindsets. I think this conversation is necessary for the poverty-love-struck Church. It is vital we reshift our focus from fear on the topic of finances into one of curiosity and faith.
TITHING, GENERATIONAL WEALTH, AND MONEY MINDSETS
FINANCIAL BREAKTHROUGH
How have you broken the poverty mentality or fear of finances in your life?
I would love to hear about your breakthrough in the comments below.
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