A person can possess…
Very little…
Yet be rich beyond measure.
Another can possess…
Everything…
Yet remain desperately poor.
The greatest poverty…
Is not found in the wallet…
But within the soul.
THE WORST POVERTY
(POVERTY OF SPIRIT)
We enter this world…
With nothing.
No possessions.
No titles.
No accomplishments.
Only life itself…
Entrusted to our care.
As the years pass…
We begin gathering.
Food.
Clothing.
Shelter.
Knowledge.
Relationships.
Experiences.
There is nothing wrong with acquiring what we need…
Or enjoying the blessings of life.
The question is…
What happens…
When what we possess…
Begins possessing us?
WHY TURN IT OFF?
Ambition has its place.
Hard work is honorable.
Providing for ourselves and those we love…
Is worthy.
Comfort…
Can be enjoyed.
Success…
Can be celebrated.
But every honest heart…
Eventually asks:
“When is enough…
Enough?”
WORTHY NOTE
It is not what a person has…
But how they came to have it…
And why.
WHEN POSSESSIONS TAKE POSSESSION
Necessities become luxuries.
Luxuries become expectations.
Expectations become entitlement.
Entitlement becomes obsession.
Quietly…
The gathering never ends.
There seems to be…
No OFF switch.
Whatever we continually feed…
Grows stronger.
WHATEVER YOU GET INTO…
GETS INTO YOU
This principle follows us everywhere.
If we continually feed generosity…
Generosity grows.
If we continually feed greed…
Greed grows.
If we continually feed gratitude…
Peace grows.
If we continually feed selfishness…
It too becomes stronger.
Our outer life…
Always influences…
Our inner life.
THE INNER PERSON
There is an outer you…
Known by the world.
And an inner you…
Known by your conscience…
And by God.
The outer gathers.
The inner becomes…
Who you truly are.
If all our attention goes outward…
The inner person…
Can slowly become neglected.
Like any neglected garden…
Weeds begin appearing.
THE WARNING SIGNS
Restlessness.
Never satisfied.
Always comparing.
Always wanting more.
Always explaining.
Always defending.
Always justifying.
Contentment quietly leaves.
Peace follows.
THE TRUE POVERTY
Material poverty…
Can often be relieved.
Communities help.
Families help.
Generosity helps.
But poverty of spirit…
Cannot be cured…
By possessions.
It is an inner condition.
One where character…
Integrity…
Humility…
Contentment…
And gratitude…
Have become neglected.
THE EGO STEPS IN
When the inner life weakens…
The ego quickly volunteers…
To take its place.
Pride begins making decisions.
Excuses become easier.
Conviction becomes quieter.
The conscience…
Is ignored.
Then comes…
Denial.
ILL-GOTTEN GAINS
Money obtained dishonestly…
Does not enrich the soul.
Neither do lies.
Cheating.
Stealing.
Manipulation.
Or taking…
What belongs to another.
The outward gain…
Produces…
An inward loss.
TRUE STORY
A tradesman discovered another worker’s tools…
Left behind…
At a construction site.
Instead of finding their owner…
He kept them.
“Look what I got…
For free.”
Perhaps.
But something invisible…
Was also taken.
His own integrity.
Without realizing it…
He announced something far deeper:
“I would rather take…
Than earn.”
That…
Is poverty of spirit.
Go earn your own.
The reward…
Will be far greater.
THE SYMPTOMS
When poverty of spirit begins growing…
It often reveals itself through:
Lying.
Cheating.
Constant excuses.
Endless storytelling.
Taking what is not yours.
Ignoring conviction.
Complaining without gratitude.
Hoarding without contentment.
Blaming instead of accepting responsibility.
The more these habits are fed…
The hungrier they become.
They never say…
“Enough.”
THE BETTER WAY
Honesty.
Generosity.
Integrity.
Gratitude.
Service.
Fairness.
These nourish…
The inner person.
Every act of goodness…
Strengthens…
The true wealth…
Within you.
WORTHY NOTE
Taking what belongs to another…
Always costs you…
Something greater…
Than what you gained.
THE RICHEST PEOPLE
Some possess little…
Yet sleep peacefully.
Love deeply.
Give freely.
Smile often.
And live gratefully.
Others possess everything…
Yet trust no one.
Fear losing it all.
Remain restless.
And still…
Want more.
Who then…
Is truly wealthy?
FINAL THOUGHT
The greatest investment…
You will ever make…
Is not into your possessions…
But into your character.
Wealth may build a house.
Character…
Builds the person…
Who lives within it.
Outer poverty…
Can often be overcome.
But poverty of spirit…
Requires a change…
Of the heart.
May we become rich…
In the things…
That truly last.
— Richie
Pearls for the Soul
when you feed the soul, you feed everything.
Been expecting you