Enrichment by Christ’s Poverty

2 Corinthians viii. 9 v.

“He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich.”

All love is enriched by the poverty of its object. My love to the Divine is no exception. If my Grod comes to me in trappings of gold, it is a light thing that I should follow him. If to be good is to be on the sunny side, if virtue brings to me a large dowry, a poor love may suffice to make me her own. But if she come penniless, landless, if her gold has become dim, if her dowry has been proved a delusion, if she can only ask me to share her struggle and her toil, the love that can respond with consent must be rich indeed.

Oh, Thou Divine Spirit, I bless Thee that by Thy poverty Thou hast enriched my love. Often in the days of old hast Thou come to me with the purple, and the fine linen, and the sumptuous faring; and I was glad to be with Thee, not because Thou wert beautiful, but because Thou wert profitable. I arose and followed Thee because I left nothing. Bat now Thou appearest in mean attire. The purple and fine linen are exchanged for sackcloth and ashes. The crown has been cast into the sea, the glory has been buried in the dust, and, in its room, Thou earnest a cross of great pain. My old nature shrinks back from Thee; Thou art no more the spirit of its dream. But, as it sleeps, my heart waketh. My new life rises on the ruins of the old. My love becomes rich as Thou becomest poor; I find my star in Thy night. I come to Thee in the gate of Golgotha; I meet Thee in the place of tears; I join Thee in the valley of humiliation; I descend with Thee to the spirits in prison. Where Thou goest I shall go. Death itself shall not separate between Thee and me. Death with Thee were worth eternity without Thee; pain with Thee were worth joy without Thee; hell with Thee were worth heaven without Thee. Thou art the only pearl in my sea; Thou art the only gem in my sky; Thou art the only song in my soul. Pilate may divest Thee of Thy robes, but he cannot rob Thee of Thy beauty. My love can see Thy kinghood in Thy cross; Thy poverty has made me rich.