those whose eyes are ever so haughty, whose glances are so disdainful;
those whose teeth are swords and whose jaws are set with knives
to devour the poor from the earth and the needy from among mankind. Proverbs 30:13-14

Have you ever been poor? You could say I grew up poor, though our poverty was significantly better than the poverty of third world nations, but poor nonetheless. Actually I considered myself to be either upper poor class or lower lower middle class. At any rate I heard “find money to make ends meet” more often than not. It was a struggle to do just that.

I recall looks and glances and occasionally words about how I dressed. I didn’t have the latest fashions to say the least. I wanted to be in with the “in” crowd (not sure why) but never quite got there.

I build up that story for a reason. Those looks and words directed at me still live with me. Who they were or what they actually said have mostly faded but the feeling on not being good enough or rich enough for the others still is fixed within me.

Consider these words as you go about your walk through life. How do you view the poor? How do you talk to them? Do you talk to them? Do you smile in pity at them or just smile?

We would love it if there were no poor among us. Until that time, remember this, your attitude towards the poor says more about you than it does them.