You Are Poor

In His address to Laodicea, the Faithful Witness calls me poor. Who? Me? He must have made a mistake. I've been in the right church for 26 years, during this time I've read the Bible several times, my acts of faith clearly testify to my faithfulness, and my knowledge helps me stand firmly on the rails of Biblical teaching. And if you take all the spiritual books that I've read, some even several times, and the higher Heavenly education that I've acquired during my period of spiritual growth, then I'm more like a person rich in Spirit or a Christian who has become rich in knowledge. I completely disagree with such an assessment. This is definitely not me. And since it's not about me, there's no need to delve into the continuation of this rebuke. How good that I'm not like these lukewarm brothers, about whom it is so accurately and briefly said. I should give them this statement to read. No, I'd better rebuke them in the next sermon. By the way, about sermons. They are so hot that people's hearts tremble from what they hear. And is a poor person capable of such? In our world, the poor are looked down upon and not listened to, but I am respected. And there are even those who come from afar to meet with me to hear my advice and change something in their life.

And how beautiful are my prayers! I think all of Heaven falls silent to hear how I address the Almighty. I think that the goods offered by the True and Faithful Witness have long been mine, simply by right of being a son born of the Holy Spirit for Eternal life. Do you really think that the Lord has been raising me all my life only to reject me in the end? Yes, exactly, this rebuke is for those who have just come to the church and don't know as much as I do yet. And I don't mind sharing my spiritual wealth. After all, I have become rich in God. And no one will take this knowledge from me.

My lamp burns merrily at any time. My wealth helps me acquire oil for each day without detriment to my spiritual treasures.

And how pleasant it is to be rich, to have become rich and to have need of nothing. My knowledge also extends to my life in the world. Like Joseph from Egypt, I have gone through the fire and water of trials and learned to earn as much as necessary for a comfortable life in this mortal world, and I even manage to save for the future. The Bible calls those rich in the world wise, apparently, I fall into this category.

And my position in the church speaks for itself. Would they entrust such a responsible post to someone poor in spirit? And being a spiritual leader among one's fellow believers is a special position that cannot be acquired by simple desire. And my modesty speaks for itself. I can talk about it for hours.

In short, I disagree with such an assessment of me and therefore don't even want to delve into the continuation. But I like the reward. I even see myself on the throne next to my Lord. He certainly won't forget about me. It's just that I'm very confused by a small group of my fellow believers. They're digging for something and constantly searching in the Message to Laodicea. It seems that for them, there's nothing else besides this message. They keep mumbling about some kind of love, some oil and righteousness by faith. I have plenty of this oil. I don't have time to give it out left and right. I don't mind sharing my knowledge, and I can always share my experience with everyone. And I think that even in dark times my lamp will show the true path to those who have strayed, and my oil will be enough for everyone who still knows little.

These "treasure hunters" have only one thing on their mind - to learn to love one another. If they came to me, I would read them all the verses about love that the Bible is so full of. They're not looking in the right place. My experience clearly testifies that love is deeds, not theory. And my hands are the hands of love that are used to doing good.

I knew they saw themselves as poor in spirit and are now trying to buy some special wealth to enrich themselves. Well, go ahead. Let's see what you achieve. Don't you understand that everything from the Lord is given for free, and He speaks about buying in the form of a parable. And those who, like me, are busy with work, have every right to be enriched with heavenly goods, and this is added automatically. And buying implies that the Lord, seeing my faith, and how skillfully I move mountains, what human and angelic language I have, what gift of prophecy I possess, know all secrets and can even give all my possessions and, if necessary, my body to be burned, He simply automatically grants me everything that these "gold diggers" are trying to buy.

My years in faith are my wealth, and the Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.

But my digging friends don't leave me alone and try to direct my gaze to the message to Laodicea itself, and ask me to delve into its essence. They especially like the verse from Rev. 3:18. It seems that this is some kind of special door to endless Heavenly treasures, and the narrow path of the last days passes through this door.

But what I can't help but notice is that these "revelation diggers" are somehow happy and radiant. It's as if they're not studying the Bible, but a book of bliss. And among themselves, they're somehow friendly and cheerful, and only talk about love from morning to night. They'd better be doing deeds. I ask them to show me this love, and they drag me to the store, saying, buy it yourself. And I demonstrate my deeds to them, but they say it's not enough, the heart needs to be transformed. They've found someone to teach.

They've buzzed my ears off with this love. It seems from their words that I don't have it, but I can buy it. But I look at my experience, go through my knowledge and understand that these "buyers" still have a lot to learn from me. But their arguments are very convincing. It's as if the whole Bible is written in the light of love, and they see every action of God precisely in this spirit. And although it sounds beautiful, the law clearly says that its violators will be punished, so love won't save, but obedience and fulfillment of what is written is important.

Still, I decide to peek into the Laodicean store. I knew it. There's nothing special in it, all these goods are more extensively presented on the pages of the Bible and are given for free, so there's no need to concentrate on one verse and make it something special and endow it with some miraculous property. I should do something about these people. They're too active in their trade. I'll use all my authority to somehow neutralize their influence. But I need to be delicate, or I might fall into the category of God's opponents.

And they're ready for this too, and are not at all embarrassed. It's as if I'm wrong, and they know everything. And what should I do with them? I'll have to study their weapon and understand how it works. Oh, how much time is spent on this study! But I'll overcome. Yes, tough nuts I've encountered. I read, reread, delve into it.

And suddenly, like a flash, it illuminated my mind. The Lord told me that I'm blind, poor and naked. I heard this and was horrified. It turns out He's right. And I don't care about anyone else anymore, I just want to save myself. What do You command me to do, Lord?

"Go and learn further, and you will be told what to do!"

Questions for reflection on this chapter

1. Please read Deut. 8:12-18; Ps. 73:3-18; Ezek. 16:49; Jer. 9:23-24; Mark 10:23; Ps. 34:6-11; 40:17; 62:10; 69:29-33; 70:5; 86:1-5; 109:21-27; Prov. 11:4,28; 13:18; 14:24; 18:23; 22:22-23; 23:4-5; 28:22; 1 Sam. 2:6-8; Isa. 61:1-2; Luke 4:18-19; 14:13-14; 16:9; Rev. 2:9; 3:17-18; 13:16; Eccl. 5:10,12; 9:11; James 5:1-3; Song of Sol. 8:7 in light of this chapter.

2. What did you understand from this chapter?

3. Why doesn't the verse from Matt. 5:3: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" fit this lesson?

4. Are you rich?

5. Can a person's spiritual wealth become a trap for the soul?

6. What's the difference between the rich and the poor?

7. Why does the Faithful Witness rebuke me for being rich and wealthy and having need of nothing?

8. Does Christ have something better than my wealth?

9. Is it a sin to be rich?

10. At what point does my spiritual wealth, which is God's blessing, become a curse for me?

11. What should I do if I understand that I'm poor?

12. Has our School enriched you, or have you become poor in it?

13. What does love do to poor people?

14. Is it bad to be rich in love and rejoice in this abundance, and boast about it?

15. Why does the Lord, rebuking me for my wealth, want to enrich me? Where's the logic? What's the difference between my wealth and gold refined by fire?