Rich Man - Poor Man

One day the father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country with the firm purpose of showing his son how poor people live. They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family. On their return from their trip, the father asked his son, "How was the trip?"

"It was great, Dad."
"Did you see how poor people live?" the father asked.
"Oh yes," said the son.
"So, tell me, what did you learn from the trip?" asked the father.

The son answered: "Well, I saw that we have one dog and they have four. We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden and they have a creek that has no end. We have imported lanterns in our garden and they have the stars at night. Our patio reaches to the front yard and they have the whole horizon. We have a small piece of land to live on and they have fields that go beyond our sight. We have servants who serve us, but they serve others.  We buy our food, but they grow theirs. We have walls around our property to protect us, they are surrounded by friends."

The boy's father was speechless!  
Then his son added, "Thanks dad for showing me just how poor we really are."

Wealth!  It is all a matter of perspective, isn’t it?

Try THIS perspective: you may be very POOR materially, but if you have Christ, 
you are RICH indeed!  The Apostle Paul wrote these encouraging words to Christians: "Therefore let no one boast in men. For ALL things are yours: whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, or the world or life or death, or things present or things to come; ALL are yours. And you are Christ's, and Christ is God's" (1 Corinthians 3:21-23).  
If one belongs to Christ, ALL things belong to him!

"When God "adopts" you into His family, you become His child!  "The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we ARE children of God, and IF CHILDREN - THEN HEIRS; heirs of God and "joint heirs" with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together" (Romans 8:16-17).

Christ adopts us into His family when we: place our trust in Him (Hebrews 11:6), repent of our sins (2 Corinthians 7:9-10), confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10) and are baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of our sins (Acts 2:38).  As long as we remain faithful as His children: we will continue to enjoy the spiritual riches that are found in Christ (Ephesians 1:3).

Hear the words of Jesus; "Do NOT lay up for yourselves TREASURES ON EARTH, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves TREASURES IN HEAVEN, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matthew 6:19-21). Jesus is the source of TRUE and LASTING riches!

Now from YOUR perspective, how "RICH" are you?  God longs to adopt you into His family so that He can bless you with TRUE, spiritual riches.  

How will YOU respond to His love and generosity?

God bless you!

David A. Sargent, Minister

Church of Christ at Creekwood 
1901 Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama  36695  

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