Why I Will Never Say "I'm Poor"

There's just no way around it, you guys- adulting is hard. There's always something left on the to-do list, always a goal or two that has remained unreached, and always a bill to pay.

Ask any marriage counselor and I bet they'll tell you that finances are really tough on a marriage, and being financially secure is important for that reason (along with others of course).

And financial responsibility is, of course, important. We need to be good stewards of our money. I struggle in that area and want to improve. But sometimes, financial hardship can become an obsession, which causes a completely different problem.

I hear people talking about their money woes all the time, and my name can definitely be thrown into that hat. But one thing you will never hear me say is that I am poor. If you ever hear those words come out of my mouth, it's absolutely a slip up, because despite some financial hardships, Taylor and I are anything but poor.

The term poor is often used to mean "lacking", "needy", or "not having enough" (source). And yes, it means having less money than the societal average. Technically, by that last definition, Taylor and I would be considered poor. But I believe that if you have a roof over your head, food on the table, and a bed to sleep in, you are not poor. 

Financially Challenged

When I drive down the streets of Charlotte, I see plenty of extremes: large, beautiful houses with manicured yards and fancy cars parked in the driveway- those types of homes cover a large portion of the city. But then, if you adventure just a few blocks over, you can find houses that are crumbling at the seams, people with tattered clothes, and beaten up cars with taillights that don't work.

I bet if you did a survey about what the difference between those two people groups is, you'd hear a lot of "one group is rich and one group is poor". But in my humble opinion, neither of those groups are poor. Even though one group has less than the other, each individual still has a home, a place to sleep, and a full belly. That's more than a lot of people can say.

And so even when discussing money, you will probably never hear me say that I am "poor". Am I financially challenged? Absolutely! We have bills that end up accruing late-fees, we have a student loan we have to make payments on, and life doesn't slow down so that we can catch up.

But when I survey my life and the comforts that I have, I quickly realize that I am not poor- I am just financially challenged! ;)

Not Just Monetary

In all reality, poverty doesn't always refer to money. Poverty can occur in the home, in the work-place, and in our hearts. A person can be monetarily rich and still be bankrupt in other areas of their life.

For me, there are several ways that I know I am rich in my circumstances. First of all, Jesus died to save me from my sins. He won and nothing/no one can thwart him. Secondly, I have family and friends who love me deeply and are here for the long-haul. I have hobbies that I enjoy, and goals that spark a fire in me. I am rich, not in possessions or money, but in the things that matter most to me anyway.

What About You?

Do you find yourself talking about how poor you are? And is it true? Are you really poor, or are you simply financially challenged?

I always try to stay away from saying I am poor because I know deep down that I am far from it. In the things that matter most, I am abundantly rich. And I would challenge you to view your life through that lens as well.

If you have blessings that you can't deny, and if you have food to eat and a place to sleep, you have so much more than a lot of people around the world. Realize first of all, that you actually are fairly blessed monetarily, even if you are just barely getting by. And secondly? Remember that true riches don't have anything to do with money anyway. True riches are found firstly in the Salvation of Jesus, and secondly in those who surround us with love, friendship, and encouragement.

No matter how financially challenged we are, I bet there are quite a few riches in our lives if we would just open our eyes.