For Richer or Poorer - Crosswalk the Devotional - November 20

Truths observed at the intersection of faith and life by Crosswalk.com editors [Crosswalk.com Logo]( Crosswalk: The Devotional [Devotionals]( [Newsletters]( [e-Cards]( [Learn more about RevenueStripe...]( [Crosswalk the Devotional]( Thanksgiving: For Richer or Poorer by Shawn McEvoy "Christians who are poor should be glad, for God has honored them." [James 1:9]( The rich eat ham, The poor eat tuna. Doesn't take as long to cook, So we eat soona. --Jay Henze The words of that heretofore unknown poem were uttered by my lifelong best friend sometime around our senior year of high school. He conjured it out of thin air while I was spending the night at his house. It was the result of one of those "I'm so tired I'm laughing at anything" sessions you'd often experience with close friends around midnight. It was also the result of Jay's enduring awareness of the socio-economic differences between himself and many of his friends, like me, from the affluent north side of town. So whenever I think of ham, tuna, or Jay, I often think of richness and poorness as well. Recently, thanks to a fantastic tour around the Missionary Learning Center, I was thinking about missions and outreach. It struck me as interesting that whenever a mission of mercy or evangelism is commissioned, it tends to be to an area where there is a high concentration of poverty, whether it's to India, Mexico, or inner-city Philadelphia. Well, yes, as it should be. After all, Christ commanded us, if we loved Him, to tend to His lambs ([John 21:15-17](). [James 2:15-16]( admonishes us not to ignore those in need of food or clothing. Paul and the Apostles started churches among those who were poor ([Acts 9:36](; [10:4](). Poverty was crippling in the time of Christ and so it continues to be now. The very fact that Jay had a roof over his head and the fish he despised came in a can rather than him having to catch it made him one of the wealthiest persons on the planet. So the holidays are certainly a time to think about - nay, physically assist - those less fortunate than ourselves ([2 Corinthians 9:9](). Then again, are we missing something? Consider [James 1:9]( - "Christians who are poor should be glad, for God has honored them." There are lots of ways to be poor, and Jesus told us they brought about blessing in the long run ([Matthew 5:3-12](). Those poor in spirit will inherit the kingdom of heaven. Those mourning loved ones will be comforted. Those who make peace rather than seeking their own profit will be called sons of God, Who chose the poor of this world to be rich in [faith]( ([James 2:5](). [2 Corinthians 6:10]( states: "Our hearts ache, but we always have joy. We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others. We own nothing, and yet we have everything." [CONTINUE READING →]( [Learn more about RevenueStripe...]( You May Also Like: [10 Bedtime Prayers for Your New Baby]( Jennifer Waddle Not only will these prayers become a natural part of your bedtime routine, they will hopefully instill a heart of prayer into your child as they grow. [CONTINUE READING →]( [Learn more about RevenueStripe...]( [10 Things You Should Know about the Lord's Supper]( Sam Storms The primary biblical text on the nature and meaning of the Lord’s Supper/Table, also known as Communion or the Eucharist (from the Greek word for the giving of thanks) is 1 Corinthians 11:23-34. Here are ten brief observations on what we see in this text. [CONTINUE READING →]( [Crosswalk.com Logo]( [Read about Salem Web Network]( | [Unsubscribe From This Email]( [Email Preference Center]( | [View in Browser]( © 2018 Salem Web Network. All rights reserved. 111 Virginia Street, Suite 500, Richmond, VA 23219. This email is never sent unsolicited. You are receiving this email because your email address, {EMAIL}, is signed up to receive newsletters, updates, and special offers from Crosswalk.com - The Devotional. [Link](