The Poverty Of The Rich

Scripture: Matthew 6:19-21 – “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth… but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven… For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

There is a quote attributed to Rudyard Kipling that I want to begin with this morning:

“Beware of over concern for money, or position, or glory. Someday you will meet a man who cares for none of these things. Then you will know how poor you are.”

Let that sit with you for a moment.

This quote is like a mirror—unforgiving, clear, and painfully honest. It forces us to ask, “What is it that I truly value?” Because the day you meet someone who lives simply, walks humbly, and seeks neither applause nor position—you’ll begin to question your own riches.

And perhaps, you'll see just how impoverished your soul has become.

I. The Great Illusion: Rich but Empty

We live in a world that glorifies accumulation. Money is power. Position is influence. Glory is immortality.

We chase degrees to earn more. We climb ladders to be seen more. We curate our lives on social media to be admired more.

But here’s the haunting truth: It is possible to have all of that and still be desperately poor.

Poor in peace.

Poor in contentment.

Poor in compassion.

Poor in purpose.

What Kipling warns us about—and what Jesus taught repeatedly—is this: wealth, position, and fame are not sins in themselves, but when they become our obsession, they rob us of what truly matters.

II. The Man Who Has Nothing—But Everything

Think of the person Kipling describes. He has no need for money to prove his worth. No need for a title to feel important. No thirst for glory to feel alive.

He is free.

Because he is not owned by what he owns. Yes, we often allow ourselves to be owned by what we own.

He walks through this world lightly, not burdened by maintaining an image or guarding a reputation. He is rich in peace, rich in simplicity, rich in trust. When you meet someone like that, you don’t just admire them—you feel exposed. You begin to question your own pursuits.

And friends, that kind of man or woman reflects the very heart of Christ.

Jesus, who had no place to lay His head.

Jesus, who turned down worldly kingship.

Jesus, who humbled Himself to the point of death—not for power, but for love.

III. Heaven’s Economics

In Matthew 6, Jesus says, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth... but store up treasures in heaven.” Why? Because earthly treasures rot. They rust. They get stolen. They break. They fade.

But heavenly treasures? They endure.

What are those treasures?

A heart that loves deeply even when it’s broken.

A life that gives generously, even when it has little.

A soul that rests in God, even when the world is in chaos.

A character that reflects Christ, even in the darkness.

These are the riches that cannot be lost.

IV. The Great Reversal

One day, Jesus said, the last will be first and the first will be last. The poor in spirit will inherit the kingdom. The meek will inherit the earth.

And maybe, just maybe, the man who owns little but wants for nothing is already walking ahead of us in the kingdom.

Let us not wait until we meet such a person before we realize how poor we are.

Let us ask today: Am I overconcerned with money, or status, or being praised? Do I define my worth by my possessions? What would happen if God stripped these things away?

Conclusion: The Riches That Matter

Kipling’s quote isn’t just literary. It’s prophetic.

It echoes the gospel truth: what the world calls rich, God may call poor. And what the world overlooks, heaven treasures deeply.

So let us turn from the lie that more is better.

Let us walk with those who live simply, with open hands and surrendered hearts.

Let us invest in the treasures that endure—faith, hope, and love.

Because someday, you will meet a man who cares for none of these earthly things. And in his presence, you will realize that true wealth has never been about what you have—but who you are becoming in Christ.

Amen.