When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.” Matthew 2:13-15
“Do not complain then of your poverty, my daughter, we only complain of that which is unwelcome, and if poverty is unwelcome to you, you are no longer poor in spirit. Do not fret under such assistance as is needful; therein lies one great grace of poverty. It were overambitious to aim at being poor without suffering any inconvenience, in other words, to have the credit of poverty and the convenience of riches. Do not be ashamed of being poor, or of asking alms. Receive what is given you with humility, and accept a refusal meekly. Frequently call to mind our lady’s journey into Egypt with her holy child, and of all the poverty, contempt and suffering they endured. If you follow their example you will indeed be rich amid your poverty.”
Francis de Sales (1567-1622) in Saints’ Quotes: Holy Quotations for Purification of the Soul, Collection on Alms.
There’s a lot in this post, and it relates to all of us in general, and my situation in Malawi in particular.
To be called out of Egypt has often been understood by scholars narrowly as deliverance from slavery. This is quite accurate, but deeper study of Egypt reveals much more. Egypt was viewed in the ancient world as the place that had everything, not the least of which was the wealth of the world.
God called His Son out of that place to become poor so we might become rich. Soak in that.
Then consider the implications for your life. Most would describe leaving comfort and luxury as unwelcome. Alternatively, those who don’t leave affluence behind miss the point of our mission on earth. We are not here to accumulate wealth or store up treasures on earth. We are to enjoy and share blessings and use wealth to make friends for eternity.
Personally, I find myself in Malawi where people experience destitute poverty.
At GTP we celebrate that the Palmful of Maize program is bringing about nationwide mindset change from scarcity (focusing on what they don’t have) to abundance (giving thanks and using faithfully and generously what they do have). In plain terms, the mindset change moves them to be “rich amid poverty.”
Meanwhile many are rich who may be reading this but are no longer poor in spirit.
I am not pointing fingers but stating a fact and praying for mindset change in all who read this. And I am not ashamed to have insufficient resources to spread Palmful of Maize to 16 more districts (or states) in Malawi. At GTP, we want more than money, we want everyone reading this to have the mindset change. Become poor so that others might be rich amid poverty.
Put to work what you have in giving. Make a gift to GTP today.