Generally speaking, rich people do not feel sorry for poor people. There are many reasons why rich people do not feel sorry for poor people. If rich people felt sorry for poor people they would give more money and try to help in many more ways. Over time, rich people have discovered that poor people do have a lot of resources and opportunities but waste them and do not use them wisely!
1. Leaving your lights on when you do not need them is wasting your resources. It is amazing that poor people leave their lights on whilst rich people turn off their lights. The lights on bridges and monuments in the great cities of the Western world are turned off in the night and not left to burn after midnight when no one will see them. One night, I was out in Darling Harbour in Sydney, Australia. At a certain time, the numerous lights on the bridges and monuments suddenly went off. I thought to myself, ‘Surely these rich people are turning off their lights.’ I am sure that in certain poor countries, thousands of lights were still burning strong even though they did not have a sure electricity supply.
2. Not gathering your crumbs is tantamount to wasting your resources. Usually, rich people are concerned about little sums of money because they add up to make huge sums of money. Jesus Christ gathered up the crumbs whilst irresponsible leaders allow everything to be wasted. Some Christians once mocked at me for receiving special coin offerings. Do not think just wasting a bit of your resources is alright. They add up and you become the loser. Make great use of your little opportunities.
3. Do not chase after fantasies! “But he that followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough” (Proverbs 28:19).
Leaders of poor countries are specialists in travelling to rich countries to ask for help and loans. They chase fantasies whilst good leaders stay in their own countries, ensuring that practical things are done. Pastors with undeveloped church buildings love to travel around, spending a lot of time moving between America and Europe, but never developing their own local church. When you give yourself wholly to what you have and develop them, you will be amazed at how your profiting will appear to all. Develop what you have and do not chase after fantasies!
4. Not using your good seasons well is wasting your resources. In the season of fat cows, you must invest properly. Remember Joseph! Think of the future in the time of your good season. Think of the dangers ahead and prepare for tomorrow. It is sad to see people who once had great opportunities and earned lots of money become poor. Somehow, they did not use the good season properly and it passed before they could say, “Jack Robinson!” I know a country that had lots of cocoa, timber, gold and diamonds. These things had been harvested for years but had amounted to nothing for this country. The good season when there were abundant forests and the mines were filled with gold and diamonds is past and that nation has no roads, no water and no electricity! Do not let this be your story!
5. Do not be lazy! Laziness is a waste of your great resources. Proverbs teaches that it is easy to see the field of a lazy person (a sluggard). I am not saying that all poor people are lazy. But I have noticed how some people stay in poverty because they do not want to work hard. Phlegmatic people are often too lazy to lift up themselves and do their work. I have also watched people work hard and rise out of difficulty. A lazy person always has a reason for not achieving his targets. The notion that poverty is caused by laziness is very biblical. King Solomon observed this phenomenon and recorded it.
I passed by THE FIELD OF THE SLUGGARD and by the vineyard of the man lacking sense, And behold, it was completely overgrown with thistles; its surface was covered with nettles, and its stone wall was broken down. When I saw, I reflected upon it; I looked, and received instruction. “A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, then your poverty will come as a robber and your want like an armed man.” Proverbs 24:30-34 (NASB)
Deficient leaders go around visiting their rich colleagues, looking pitiful and helpless. Don’t deceive yourself! Experienced men know that there are reasons why poor people continue to be poor. In addition, human selfishness will always cause the rich man to be more concerned about his toothache than about the poor man’s life-threatening problems. May God grant us wisdom to put to great use the many resources He has given us! May great profit abound to us as we fight the wastes in our lives and make great gains from our resources!
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By Dag Heward-Mills