Spiritual Poverty in a Dave Ramsey World, by Quanah Jeffries

By Quanah Jeffries, Crisis Magazine, Nov. 17, 2021

Quanah Jeffries works in parish ministry in Indianapolis, Indiana. Before serving in parish ministry, he worked in religious education for many years as a high school theology teacher. He received a Master of Arts in Theology from Franciscan University of Steubenville, and has loved swimming in the waters of faith and ministry ever since.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” There is a great difference between being materially poor and being poor in spirit. All people, both rich and poor, are called to be poor in spirit. For rich and poor alike, the question of how to exercise this virtue concretely is perennial. But for the wealthy, the question is more acute. While material poverty is by no means a prerequisite for spiritual poverty, the question of being poor in spirit is not disconnected from property, money, and material goods. How can the wealthy, living in the lap of comfort and luxury, truly be poor in spirit? Or put another way: What are the wealthy to do with their extra money if they are to be poor in spirit? …

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