Blessed are the poor

When ancient Jews used the word poor, they used it in a variety of ways and, hence, in different senses than we use it today. We use it to refer to someone who is destitute. We use it to refer to someone who has no material wealth. This kind of poverty--material poverty—is not a good thing. It’s an evil thing. It’s the kind of thing that every Christian ought to be trying to eradicate from our mid…