“There is one who pretends to be rich, but has nothing; Another pretends to be poor, but has great wealth.” – Proverbs 13:7

Notes:

There are two different lessons we can learn from the passage above: 

1. There are those that have an outward show of wealth that is used for the purpose of power and prestige, but yet there remaining liabilities (debt) exceed their assets. Therefore, they actually have ‘nothing’. Then there are those that live a poor (frugal) life, have no debt, give much to the Kingdom of God, and are “wealthy”.
2. The second way to look at this passage is in terms of spiritual wellbeing.  Those that have become wealthy and have put their trust in their wealth instead of God are actually those that are blind and poor, and miserable. Jesus says this to the Laodicean church in the book of Revelations: 

‘Because you say, “I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,” and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked,” – Revelations 3:17

Jesus tells us in Matthew blessed are the poor in Spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of God.  

Those that pretend to be rich, both physically and spiritually, have a root of pride.  Being ‘poor’  solves this problem.  

“ Listen, my beloved brethren: did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?” -James 3:5

Willing to Take the Challenge?