Makes poor
“The LORD makes poor and rich; He brings low, He also exalts.” 1 Samuel 2:7
Makes poor – Three thousand years ago Hannah proclaimed thanksgiving to the Lord in a prayer of incredible power. A year earlier she was crushed with sorrow. She longed for a child of her own. God heard her lament and Samuel was born. Now she comes back, praising God for His goodness and favor. In her prayer, she acknowledges a great truth: God weaves the circumstances of our lives. God is not simply an addition to our visions and goals. It is just the opposite. We are threads in the fabric that He is weaving. The proper perspective on life is an attitude that asks how we can become available for His purposes, not ours.
Hannah saw that the plans of God reach far deeper than the spiritual boxes we like to construct. God is not the god of the church or the caretaker of the religious. He is the God of all life, from birth to death, from rags to riches, from childless to children. God is in charge of it all. We can come to Him with every element of living and expect Him to hear us, but it is His decision that makes the difference. It is sheer foolishness to think otherwise. The context of your life is not determined by fate, wise investments, independent actions, careful planning, mistakes, natural disasters or accidents. If there is a God, life is entirely within His control.
This line from Hannah’s prayer reminds us that our economic and social status is not accident or good luck. While we may never know why God allows some to be rich and powerful and others to be poor and oppressed, we can be sure of this: God is in charge. The Hebrew word yarad doesn’t actually mean “poor”. It means, “to come down or descend”. Its contextual meaning is found by the contrast with “makes rich” (ashar). There is a poetic sense to this verse. The previous verse says that God brings down to Sheol and brings up from the grave. The second part of this verse says that God brings low and lifts high. The poetic use of “brings” in three contexts is Hannah’s way of proclaiming God’s absolute sovereignty. God is the active agent in every circumstance.
Hannah saw the true source of life’s circumstances. God heard her cry and answered her prayer. She gave God all the credit. Three thousand years later, do you think that we have as much trust in God as Hannah or have we slipped into a worldview that portrays life as the intersection of luck and self-initiative? Your answer will give you insight into the question of contentment.
